“Wall vacuum systems, built-in espresso makers (especially in areas other than the kitchen), beer tap dispensers, independent ice-makers, extraneous TVs everywhere, fireplaces in the master bedroom or bath, oversized tubs, oversized kitchens…” Take a look at Builder Magazine’s trends, practices and products to avoid. What are some under-used things we wrongly thought were “necessities” in our own market? We encourage you to comment!
Cruise Lines Illustrate Evolving Architectural and Design Trends
February 6, 2011 By Leave a Comment
For a couple who has made their livelihood out of observing design style and building products for nearly 20 years now, perhaps our enjoyment of a trans-Altantic cruise on the Celebrity Equinox was even more profound than that of the other passengers due to our heightened appreciation for the products adorning the ship.
How clever is Hansgrohe to place its showerheads in all the staterooms and advertise it?
Do you think passengers might like to incorporate a bit of the spa-type pampering into their homes?
The ship was a superb illustration of today’s objectives in interior design. Just as we may think of incorporating those Grohe showerheads into our own bathrooms, we can also apply many other inspirations and influences from the work of the ship’s international team of interior designers.
We all share in the quest for “balanced,” “clean,” and “green,” as opposed to the purely five star “luxe,” which dominated as a trend just a few years ago.
Even in a venue where it is possible to pull off “flashy” or even “over-the-top,” luxe still exists, but it is more subtle, personalized and tempered by natural textures and colors.
Reverence to nature and the environment is a reoccurring theme across the board, whether we’re speaking of interior design for cruise ships or for our homes. “Ethical,” and “responsible,” are some terms frequently used in defining today’s interior design goals. On the Equinox, homage to nature starts with a display of living art.
The centerpiece of the Grand Foyer is a ficus tree hanging from the 12-deck atrium under which appears the words “Here comes the sun.”
The seventh floor, deemed Team Earth, is dedicated to the planet.
Then there’s the Lawn Club, a half-acre of real grass on the top deck. If you can grow grass on the roof here, there is great promise for the future of the “green roof” anywhere!
The Equinox also sports 216 solar panels throughout the ship. The energy collected helps operate some of the vessel’s 25,000 energy efficient LED lights. Additionally, Equinox has a unique hull design and coating to make the ship more fluid dynamic (this means less fuel consumption and carbon emissions).
Staterooms have high-glazed glass windows, which reduces heat transfer and filters out 99.9 percent of UV rays.
The ship also uses an advanced wastewater purification system that treats all wastewater to almost drinking-water quality before discharging it into the ocean.
Architecture is subject to evolving concepts of beauty, just like the other arts.
Hospitality venues are always some of the best places to witness what’s in style, and cruise lines are top of the list for trend watching.
Explore the Incredible Homes of the Eastern Caribbean
February 6, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Derek Galon and Margaret Gajek are home and garden aficionados of a very unique breed. They have decades of art photography, art history and research expertise between them, sharing a love of fine architecture and landscaped gardens. They’ve also devoted much of their lives to traveling the world in search of the most unusual and spectacular creations made by mankind.
In their new book, Tropical Homes of the Eastern Caribbean, – one of very few books available on Caribbean architecture – they’ve uncovered some of the greatest architecture jewels — including the most spectacular homes in the Eastern Caribbean. They take great pleasure in sharing what they’ve learned about the ‘diversified life-styles’ as exemplified by the 31 homes featured in the book from the incredible spectrum of architectural styles abounding in the region. They range from small, humble dwellings in fishing villages on the shores of the Caribbean, to heritage plantation houses, to fascinating designer homes, and multi-million-dollar mansions of the wealthy, surrounded by sumptuous tropical gardens, and finally, to a surprising modern boutique-hotel that defies all standards. See the photo gallery here.
Order the book:
Tropical Homes of the Eastern Caribbean
By Derek Galon and Margaret Gajek
List $44.50
Hardcover over 300 pages
ISBN 9780981327907
Available in bookstores nationwide and online in the US and Canada. For more information visit www.ozonebooks.com
Northwest Style—In Touch With Nature
February 6, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Architectural styles in Canada’s Vancouver, British Columbia range from what we think of as traditional Northwest architecture–large overhangs, expansive glass, and lots of wood accents–to contemporary interpretations of the traditional Northwest styling with some Asian influence and popular 1970s-shed style mixed in. During this winter’s Olympic games, Vancouver is also sure to grab much attention for its elegant forest of tall, slender, glassy condominium towers.
The common thread across all different expressions of architectural style in this gorgeous Pacific Northwest city is the influence of nature. Beautiful gardens and parks complement the magnificent ocean and mountain backdrop, and the materials used on the homes complement all of it. It’s hard not to be creatively inspired in Vancouver! After returning home, we had to laugh at the contrast of a suburban neighborhood park we drove by consisting of a blank field of weeds and a couple of uninviting park benches—The only possible use of this park is a dog restroom! Now where’s the creative inspiration for the homes surrounding that park?
We here in DFW also have some catching up to do when it comes to “living green.” Across Canada, people carefully consider everything they discard. Every public receptacle provides the choice of garbage or recycling, and where food is served, there is also the choice of compost. With that much care, it is reasonable to assume that homeowners would also have an increased interest in making their homes more green. The Canadians’ preference for quality over quantity is noticeable in everything from their obsession with organic food to the smaller living spaces they inhabit.
Vancouver also sets an example of what we need to offer one day soon in terms of public transit. Having a car in this city is not something that need be automatically assumed. This make a difference in the way homes are designed and the way the streets look. There are not many three-car garages, and there’s a nice absence of excess cars parked in front of homes in the neighborhoods. On the larger homes, garages are often neatly tucked below grade.
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