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Textured Home Ambiance Flourishing from Stone Walls

Whether you would like to create a stunning decorative wall or embed your cabin’s design in the surrounding landscape, stone walls are the perfect connection between outdoors and interior spaces. A home decorated with one or many stone walls will always display that imposing elegance defining castles and a pinch of that traditional well-being. Knowing that you spend your days close to a beautiful natural material like stone, you will be more inspired in your daily activity.

Stone walls as explosive focus points
English design studio Baynes & Co imagined an unexpected decorative element for the stunning contemporary Wickstead Lodge in England. The two story residence features a sculptural dining space under a high ceiling, adorned by a spectacular glass wall with a stone curtain on the outside. At night, the facade looks lit up by holes in the wall, as if the house was not properly constructed. The large hanging light contributes its light to the outdoors spectacle and its beauty to the interior space arrangement.

Stone walls as binders

A holiday cabin built just for the enjoyment of you, family and friends is often mistaken with a tear-down old cabin, but it doesn’t need to be. Stone walls can beautifully become part of your wooden cabin design, integrating the new construction in the rocky landscape. A stunning example of modern architecture showcased by this Buholmen Cabin inspires us to choose the best surrounding we need to make us happy and then find solutions to integrate our life without disturbing surrounding nature. Project managers of Skaara Arkitekter AS designed this beauty in Norway, giving it life with a pine facade, sedum-moss roof and a stone wall to capture the natural coloring of the surroundings.

Stone walls reaching to shape ceilings

There’s nothing like living in a splendidly remodeled apartment with reinterpreted design lines. Vaulted ceilings seem to have been made to capture the beauty if stone walls ascending up to become part of the ceiling. Successful renovations of old apartments are challenging, but the results are magnificent. The exceptional Jaffa Apartment (designed by Pitsou Kedem Architects ) overlooking the Mediterranean Sea was brought back to its original charm. Accentuating the natural-colored atmosphere, modern design lines and contemporary furniture create an up-to-date residence.

Stone walls flanking the fireplace

A tall living space can be defined by stone walls, keeping the main idea contemporary at all times. If a room with a modern fireplace needs to become more sumptuous, stone walls add that extra dimension reminiscent of the glorious castles once acting as residences. Can Manuel d’en Corda by Marià Castelló Martínez on the Spanish Formentera island showcases traditional dry stone walls that allow it to blend in with surrounding farms. Original exposed walls were partly enveloped in vertical panels housing the electrical installation and indirect lighting, creating a rustic yet modern atmosphere.
Find the perfect ways of accentuating a stone wall in your home and enjoy its splendor!

Photos: 1 and 2, 3, 4

About author Ada Teicu: An architecture enthusiast, Ada shares finds from all over the world, constructing a spotlight on modern design. Expressing personal preferences on her blog – she loves uncovering new designers and find what makes acknowledged architects so unique. Follow her on Twitter or Pinterest inspiring surrounding design.

Light the Way

Tui Lifestyle Bubble Chandelier

Modern twists on the chandelier make for enchanting aerial decor.

Choice lighting can make a room come alive, and chandeliers are an excellent option if that’s the aim. Dating back to medieval times, this style of ornate, ceiling-mounted illumination has shone through the evolution of time and taste. From wooden crosses spiked with candles and hoisted with chains to glass orbs with chrome finish and architectural mounts, this fixture has moved creatively into the 21st century. Tui Lifestyle’s Bubble Chandelier (right; $1,875, tuilifestyle.com) is a prime example of modern imagination; this arresting, sphere-loaded electrolier bears a clustered, constellation-like arrangement and sharp structural elements. For a more fundamental form, there’s the Droplet Chandelier—designed by Ross Lovegrove and available from Interior Deluxe ($3,705; interior-deluxe.com). Its die-cast aluminum and chrome materials combine with a suspension mounting and stone-shaped, mirror-like luminaires— giving an impression described by its creator as “a pool of aluminum reflecting three pebbles.” Designer Sam Mey’s 37-light Double 5000-376 Chandelier ($2,754; interior-deluxe.com) is yet another captivating corona. Its transparent, borosilicate glass, chrome-finished lamp holders, and translucent electric cables fuse seamlessly for a stellar ceiling show. —Kiley Jacques

Adding Value

On an island in South Florida, Miami architect Rene Gonzalez has designed the ultimate luxury home, blurring lines between indoors and out and mingling light with shadows. For his clients, it’s paid off handsomely. By J. Michael Welton. Photographs by Luis Travieso

That huge sigh of relief you heard last August, soaring skyward from Biscayne Bay toward the heavens above, was released happily by the former owners of one of Miami’s newest residences. Their 30,000-square-foot home’s stripped-down, minimalist style is matched in scale only by its stratospheric closing price of $47 million. It’s a figure that’s earned the project a rarified status as the most expensive home sale in Miami’s history.

Adding to the home’s mythic stature is the fact that it was built on spec in the middle of the Great Recession, for clients who intended not to live in it, but to sell it. “The clients wanted something unique and special,” says Miami-based architect Rene Gonzalez (renegonzalezarchitect.com). “They wanted to rely on the design to make a differential.” Gonzalez, who has worked diligently over the years to establish himself as one of Miami’s favored architects, is known for his designs in New York, the Hamptons, Guatemala, and Saudi Arabia. The clients for this Indian Creek residence contacted him three years ago to talk it over.

“They wanted to know what my architectural interests were, and if they were closely tied to their own,” says the native of Cuba who arrived in the United States in 1965. “They wanted to create a place tied in a direct way to the environment, a place with Miami’s beautiful quality of light reflected in the bay and the blueness of the sky.” And they wanted to do it all—with 10 bed- rooms and 10 baths—within two years. “The challenge wasn’t the size, but the complexity,” says Monica Gava, an associate in Gonzalez’s firm. “It was all about cost versus construction, versus design, versus scheduling.”

The clients had already purchased their site on a small, private island that’s four-tenths of a square mile in total, between mainland Miami and North Miami Beach. At the island’s center is an 18-hole golf course, around which 40 homes have been built. Their site enjoys sweeping views of Biscayne Bay. “The site and the island itself drove the design,” says Kevin Regalado, the home’s project director. “The front of the site and the back are very different.”

The architects designed the home for privacy in the front and transparency where it faces the bay. On the street side, walls extrude out and dense landscape serves as a buffer. “You never see the house from the street—it’s under veil from the landscape,” Regalado says. It’s a residence that responds to its location with a design that’s tucked carefully into its place. Rectangular in shape, its longer sides run east and west, parallel to the bay; natural light from the rising and set- ting sun strongly influenced its architecture.

The home was conceived as a series of pavilions interlaced with gardens, water elements, and shaded paths. When arriving at the lush, tropical auto court, visitors step up to an opening in a wall of Portuguese limestone. Inside, a waterfall spills into a reflecting pool, drawing them through a front gate composed of louvered panels that reflect light onto limestone walls like an artist’s paint on canvas. The automatic gate opens up to a full view of Biscayne Bay. Visitors step into a series of intimate spaces, each made up of green gardens and turquoise pools. All are punctuated by light that filters through the aluminum louvers painted to look like wood. The light then splashes onto reflecting pools for a rippling effect.

Thus begins a promenade through a series of spaces that open up to wind, water, and native plants. “You continue on a path into the house, but you’re still outdoors,” Gonzalez says. “The experience is about anticipation, of being connected to the environment from the very beginning.”

“The idea is to bring the outdoors in,” says Gava. “You can see it in the courtyard— you’re surrounded by walls, but there are green gardens and sky above. Because of where we are, grounded in Miami, we’re blurring the lines between inside and outside.” Regalado agrees. “You’re in the house and you feel the breeze of the ocean,” he says.

Each pavilion is enclosed by louvers and large glass windows that delicately veil the interiors, while stone walls are used to create a sense of permanence and modern luxury. As the walls guide visitors through the pavilions, they dissolve gently into gardens. Through the layered materials, both porous and opaque, the light is controlled by the architecture. Reflecting pools flow from the outdoor gardens to indoor living spaces, further mingling boundaries between interior and exterior. Inside the house, the materials—even the mahogany doors—take on a magical quality from reflections of light. “It’s beautiful, that special site with its exaggerated shadows,” Gava says.

To achieve the optimum effect with lighting during the transition from daylight to evening hours, the firm turned to New York- based G2J Design (g2jdesign.com), a group that specializes in architectural lighting for interior and exterior spaces. Partners Juan De Leon and Gan Leehanantakul work regularly on restaurants, hospitality projects, and luxury residences around the world. At the Indian Creek residence, the pair sought to maximize the impact of both sunlight and moonlight. “Our lighting concept needed to be simple but powerful, so it would not compete with the architectural design,” Leehanantakul says.

Once the sun sets, G2J’s lighting design takes control of the house and transforms the spaces in soft and romantic ways, from the time of a visitor’s approach, to the first step inside, to a lingering view of the night-time sky. “We came up with a ‘moon concept’ of using indirect light,” Leehanantakul says. “The moon has no light source, but is glowing by reflecting indirect light from the sun. At night, we like to see the house glow as a lantern from the indirect light inside the house. The main feature of the architectural design, which is the louver system panel, becomes a silhouette and serves as a shade or a screen of the lantern.”

When guests walk into the main entry, the lighting elicits a “Wow!” effect as a welcoming gesture. “We concealed the up-lighting underwater fixtures and controlled water movement to create ‘real water effects’ on the walls and ceilings at the entry hall,” Leehanantakul says.

Though a bright Miami sky may dominate the home during the day, at night it’s a different story. “Especially at this site, which is far away from the light pollution of tall buildings in the city, the sky is very dark and you can see the stars,” Leehanantakul says. The emotional impact of the entire experience throughout the home is a simultaneous, continuous sense of tranquility and surprise. “You feel all these elements around you, all the time,” says Gava. “It’s not abstract—it’s literal.” It’s also an architectural experience that’s paid off in spades for the clients—and one that yielded a record-breaking sale during the worst economy since the Great Depression.

An Urban Loft on the Chesapeake

Randall Kipp’s contemporary home

Architect Randall Kipp designs a contemporary house on the Virginia coast for a particularly discerning homeowner—himself. By Mary Winston Nicklin

The first thing Randall Kipp will tell you is, “I’m not a water guy.” Those are surprising words from an architect who has built his career on designing waterfront homes on the Chesapeake Bay. But he arrived on this beautiful stretch of Virginia coastline by “dumb luck,” moving from Minneapolis to establish his practice in the hamlet of Irvington. Here, he proved himself an original placemaker, helping define the destination as we know it today, where Kipp’s village shops line the main street running through town, past the Steamboat Era Museum (which he also designed) to the Tides Inn, a destination resort.

Kipp is obsessed with views as fundamental to his art-based architecture. “Most houses in urban settings don’t have the privilege of a view, so they turn inward, and interior design becomes the focus,” he says. All of his houses are defined by their views and connect closely to the landscape.

Kipp’s own home—perched at the tip of Windmill Point— is the perfect reflection of his design philosophy. Elevated on steel piers above a wetland near the beach, the rectangular structure—hewn from concrete, steel, glass, and sheetrock— takes advantage of its southern exposure, framing the bay through floor-to-ceiling windows. A graphic palette is created with black furnishings, accented with splashes of color from art collected by Kipp’s wife, Alison Drake. Niches in the wall serve as display cases, creating a sculptural shadow play. The house is also a model of green design, with geothermal heating/cooling, LED lights, and minimal energy consumption.

Kipp’s home is akin to an urban loft, arranged in an open floor plan with minimal walls. Living quarters are entirely situated on the second floor, and the lower level was designed to wash away with a storm surge. “The most we’ll lose is a couple of extra bedrooms,” Kipp says with his trademark humor. It was a conscious decision to build a minimalist home that’s not anything more than the 2,000 square feet of necessary living space with every nook and cranny serving a purpose. Case in point: The walk-in closets feature pull-out jewelry and necktie drawers, while a dazzlingly clean kitchen stows some appliances away in cabinets.

Minimalist doesn’t mean it can’t be fun. Inside the elevator, life-size silhouettes of their “friends” are painted on the walls: Karl Lagerfeld, Coco Chanel, Twiggy, and their Scottish Terrier, Dolley. “Because you should never travel without your friends,” Kipp says with a smile. kipparchitecture.com.

: Randall Kipp’s contemporary home

Crowning Color

A well-chosen roof color scheme can bring out a home’s important architectural details.

Choosing a color for your roof is more than a matter of taste— it’s a science. By Kiley Jacques

A home’s roof accounts for a large portion of an onlooker’s visual field, so color is crucial. It is suggested, in fact, for it to be the very first color homeowners decide on when building or renovating a house. Therefore, despite its location, the roof is a home’s “foundation.”

According to color expert Kate Smith, “A well-chosen color scheme can bring out architectural details, down-play flaws, and enhance the look of a home.” Smith has a deep understanding of color theory, and she makes it clear that there is much to consider when determining a roof’s composition, as colors, materials, and their orchestration present a myriad of opportunities. Homeowners’ individual styles are reflected in the hues of their homes, making color choice highly personal.

A roof’s aspects carry many considerations, with the two most important being contrast and value. In most cases, shying away from roofs that contrast sharply with the rest of the home is advised; light and dark values are to be stressed instead. Smith advocates first selecting a color value that is close to that of other permanent features—brick or stone facade, stairs, and retaining walls—then finding a main color with more contrast to blend with exterior details. She also recommends determining a final color for the front door and shutters—one that holds the deepest value of all.

Homeowners, suggests Smith, should look at their neighborhoods for context and direction. By examining both the architectural and natural surroundings, color seekers can determine which tones blend, complement, and stand out. Likewise, a home should relate to its region; climate, topography, landscape, and quality of light are all relevant when considering color. Smith believes natural wood finishes or cooler colors—like blues, greens, grays, and beiges—work best in northern climates, while bright white and more vivid tones are an excellent fit for southern light.

In addition to scouring the neighborhood for ideas, it’s important to establish what makes something visually appealing. Acquire a better understanding of color with professional onsite consultations or by reading Smith’s guide, FRESH Home Exterior Colors. In it, she supports a “top-down” approach for selecting roof colors that will harmonize with the home’s overall exterior. She speaks often of the underlying “cast-color” of an exterior as a key factor; generally, casts are hues of gray, bluish gray, gold, or peach, and they are the common denominators of color design rules.

According to Smith, one of the most common blunders is underestimating a roof’s role in a home’s overall appeal. She insists it is an integral part of exterior home design. Furthermore, she warns, “If a roof color fights with other permanent elements, the main and accent color choices will be limited to those that can work with disparate parts.” In other words, the home is only as good as the sum of its parts. sensationalcolor.com

The Get: Lily Swing

Accent elements come in many forms—shutters, furniture, and garden art all offer ways to play up a home’s more substantial features. Sometimes, getting a little kooky provides refreshing variations on old themes. Consider designer Stephen Myburgh’s Lily Swing, for example. This six-foot copper and stainless steel swing is not only a conversation sparker, but also a vehicle for highlighting fundamental design components. A half-circular stand measuring nine feet high with a four-foot-diameter freestanding base is available separately. The Lily Swing is priced at $4,841; the stand is $806.95. myburghdesigns.com.

Decadent Deluge: Down Stream Showers

Graff Showers

New innovations are turning standard showers into luxurious rituals. By Deborah Geiger

True innovation in the world of home décor is rare, but the newest shower technologies and features—from temperature memory to mood lighting to showers you can take lying down— are making a bold, luxurious splash.

Among the innovations are Ametis, Graff’s polished steel wall-mounted shower system, fitting in nearly any size or style bathroom (graff-faucets.com). An attractive wall-mounted steel bar “U” shape, approximately 63 inches in length, is available in chrome, black, and white finishes.

Four spray settings, including rain, waterfall, body sprayer, and hand- shower options, summon thoughts of rainforests, as mood lighting in red, green, and blue—illuminating from within the shower’s ring—cater to any mood. Designer David Oppizzi of Graff has described it as “a symbol of the fusion between the universe above and the oceans below. Its unexpected shape seems so beautifully simple; the continuous line of the shower column never stops, the solid shapes and dynamic elements meld together harmonically.”

iPhone addicted? Us too. That’s why we love Brooklyn, NY-based Watermark Designs’ in-shower Luxury Shower System, a built-in touch screen menu that operates as a kind of headquarters for your shower (watermark-designs.com). Program in your name and preferences for lighting, music, and precise water temperature, and you can control and time your shower water usage. Following suit, ThermaSol, a maker of luxurious steam shower systems, released a Solitude mobile app controlling for steam flow, duration, lighting, temperature and music in its models. It’s the most convenient way to regulate preferences (just remember not to check your email, even though you can).

Among our favorites is luxe fixtures designer Dornbract’s Horizontal Shower technology, a masterful expression of cutting-edge design and comfortable opulence (dornbracht.com). This shower features six Water-Bar sprays designed to stimulate the neck, shoulders, back, legs, and feet. Three spa-like shower programs are on tap: Balancing, Energizing, and De-Stressing. The first program, Balancing, “simulates the deep strokes of a massage and utilizes rain showers of alternating temperatures and water pressures, beginning at the soles of the feet and converging at the body’s mid-section. The result is a gentle caressing of the body for a wonderfully equilibrium effect.” The second program is Energizing, where the bather would lie face-down with “invigorating cascades of water sprayed in varying directions across the body, from the shoulders to the soles of the feet”; and for De-stressing, which is enjoyed face up as a “light, constant shower progresses from the shoulders to the feet, while changing water temperatures and volume creates a wave-like, sweeping flow for gentle relaxation.” Finally—technology that helps us relax.

The Get: Mirror Image

Take the tech a step further with Pennsylvania-based Robern’s M Series With TViD medicine cabinet. The chic, mirrored bathroom medicine cabinet allows owners to stay abreast of the news, weather, traffic, or their favorite story line while applying makeup or shaving, thanks to an eight-inch LCD TV that is discreetly embedded in its lower corner. (The LED-backlit LCD is even optimized for angled viewing in the bathroom.) The M Series With TViD is available in two widths, two heights, and two depths, and with right- or left-hinged door swings. Luxe extras like door defoggers and night lights make us actually look forward to our morning get-ready routine. robern.com. —Deborah Geiger

Leaf Inspired Decoration for an Inviting Autumn Beach Home

When it comes to autumn inspiration for your beloved beach home, leaves are the first things that come to mind. Surrounded by a plateau of colorful leaves, nature seems to compose a breathtaking spectacle that marks the end of a natural cycle. Taking time to enjoy nature in its course towards white stillness, we find it appropriate to bring some of its inspiring shapes and colors inside and become tuned with the beautiful surroundings. In the garden and in between the walls of your comfortable home, a collection of leaf-inspired autumn decorations can make a difference in your daily routine. I would like to share with you 10 leaf-inspired decorations for an autumn beach home.

1. Leaf Lounge

Perfect for the end of summer by the ocean, this modern interpretation of elegantly curved leaves eases our transition from summer’s warm to autumn’s chill. Designed by Belgium-based Frank Ligthart, the inviting leaf-shaped lounge chair can easily be placed on the beach any sunny day of the year, constantly reminding you that a carefully constructed piece of furniture can carry with it the power of its inspiration.

2. Leaf outdoor bench

Part of the Boston collection from Thailand based Deesawat, the Leaf outdoor bench looks more like a nature-inspired jewelry than a functional piece of furniture. Imagine displaying this beautiful outdoor bench in your garden, among natural leaves. Shaped out of a modern combination of Teak and stainless steel, the cute benches can easily become the focal point of any autumn garden.

3. Leaf Swing

To remain in the great outdoors, this wonderful leaf-shaped swing you can see in the photo below is designed by Alberto Sánchez of Enea Studio. Why not have a beautiful swing designed for you – an adult – in your backyard? Just imagine the sun setting and soft rays of light piercing through its holes, casting shadows underneath – isn’t that one of the memories you would cherish?

4. Foglia patio furniture

Besides being elegant and inviting, the Foglia patio furniture collection is also comfortable. Its materials speak the language of modern furniture design: teak, aluminum, steel and natural textiles. Designed by Corradi, the perforated frames are reminiscent of veins on leafage, constructing an appealing autumn vibe.

5. Turn the Season rug

Moving inside the home, a beautiful seasonal rug welcomes you, family and friends to a place where the changing of season is clearly visible. Turn the Season rug by Yvette Laduk of YLdesign can literally be turned from displaying green leaves to showcasing autumn leaves on the first day of the new season, marking its beginnings.

6. Leaf cabinet

Inside the home, many designs can make it seem like you live outdoors, between brown, yellow, dark green, plum and red leaves. Inspired by the shape of autumn’s main elements, this collection of a leaf-shaped cabinet and similar shelf can easily change the design angle of a room. Designer Svilen Gamolov brings the sinuous shape of a leaf inside your home with his solid wood, plywood and MDF creation.

7. Hyphae Lamp

If you would like to showcase something with a more subtle leaf reference, the Hyphae Lamps from Nervous Systems are perfect for your home. Gathered in a collection of algorithmically generated lighting designs, these LED lamps cast amazing shadows part of their visual presentation. Printed using state-of-the-art 3D printing technology, each lamp appears to be delicate and airy, but they are surprisingly strong.

8. Seasons Silicone leaf plates

On the kitchen table, a modern set of silicone plates from designer Nao Tamura easily reminds you about the last green leaves, creating a sentimental transition between seasons and crating a cultural bridge. “Seasons is an interpretation of functional kitchen and serving ware, inspired by nature and technology, through the cultural lens of Japan.”

9. Leaf Tie cable organizer

Cables usually lying unaesthetically around can be neatly organized with a cute and joyful Leaf Tie cable organizer. Efficient, functional and decorative, they have two little plastic leaves sprout out from their ends. It comes in many colors for those who like to experiment with different visual impacts: Emerald, Olive green, Espresso Reindeer white, Kingfisher and Scarlet.

10. Appree Leaf It Stickies

Finishing our journey through the season of colorful leaves with this collection of sticky notes from Appree Leaf It Stickies, I would like to see more creative ideas next autumn, so we can add them to seasonal pleasures that fill our heart with joy. Until then, rustling natural leaves are the best way to decorate your home – they’re natural, have exceptional decorating qualities and you can find them in the backyard and on sidewalks.

About Ada Teicu: An architecture enthusiast, Ada shares finds from all over the world, constructing a spotlight on modern design. Expressing personal preferences on her blog – she loves uncovering new designers and find what makes acknowledged architects so unique. Follow her on Twitter or Pinterest inspiring surrounding design.

Seafarer Yacht

Seafarer from Hargrave Custom Yachts is the perfect vessel for anyone looking for modern comfort at sea. A spacious salon offers panoramic views and a full entertainment system. Adjacent, a formal dining area seats eight (the yacht’s capacity). Each stateroom is finished in high-gloss sapele wood and brings in natural light. The king master suite features a vanity, a settee, a built-in bookcase, and a his-and-her bathroom with a shower and a separate Jacuzzi tub. The VIP stateroom is on the fore deck with a private entrance. On the sun deck, guests can soak in a Jacuzzi or dine alfresco, while the covered aft deck is ideal for shaded lounging. Seafarer is available for summer charters from New York to Maine; October through May, it operates in the Florida Keys/Bahamas region. Weekly rates start at $42,500. hargravecustom yachts.com. —D.E.

Klipsch Home Theater

The envy Klipsch’s Palladium P-39F Home Theater

Since 1946, Indianapolis-based Klipsch has remained true to its founding vision of producing premium audio products. They’ve succeeded again with the Palladium P-39F home theater system. The system boasts some of the most advanced audio around: high sensitivity, low distortion, and engineering informed by theoretical physicists make for a peerless listening experience. The set includes two floor-standing speakers,

one center-channel speaker, two surround speakers, and one subwoofer. Three furniture-grade, zebra-grain veneer finishes are available in espresso, merlot, or natural. klipsch.com, $31,500. —D.E.

Made in the Shade

Keeping cool in the outdoors is only as good as your cover. By David Eisen

Planning your outdoor space might come second to designing your home’s interior, but when the time does arrive, the right composition of shading elements can make or break the scene.

“Outdoor areas of the home are very important in setting the feel and tone of the entire house,” says Gail Green of New York’s Gail Green Interiors. “They are a prelude to what one will see on the inside. Cheerier appointments on the exterior correlate to a lighter, airier feel in the home.”

A smartly positioned umbrella in a color scheme that either matches or sets off the corresponding landscape can transform the outdoor area into a comfortable, pleasing retreat. After all, an umbrella or other shading element can be as much a piece of furniture as a chaise lounge or Adirondack chair.

Against a coastal landscape, Green favors umbrellas, fans, and awnings with more subdued colors, like beiges, whites, and soft blues. “Natural colors, as opposed to vibrant ones, which are better suited for year-round warmer climates such as Florida, set a more modern tone, being more recessive.”

That said, it always depends on the homeowner’s taste, and outdoor staging shouldn’t contradict the interior. “The outdoor should be consistent with the indoor,” Green says. “If the house is colorful, so, too, should be the outdoor furnishings. There must be continuity.”

Many suppliers today are manufacturing shade elements that turn any outdoor space into a comfortable haven. Tuuci (tuuci.com), a manufacturer of parasols, pavilions, and lounges, is one of the leaders in the market. The Miami-based company’s Ocean Master Max Cantilever (pictured above) is a polished and anodized marine-grade canopy structure that extends from an oval-shaped mast and provides shade over tables and chairs.

If you are seeking a bit of Southern California style for your outdoor space, Santa Barbara Designs (sbumbrella.com) takes design inspiration from the exotic umbrellas of the open-air markets of the Mediterranean. The company fashions umbrellas under an array of collections, using materials like teak, mahogany, aluminum, and stainless steel.

Of course, durability is as much a concern as aesthetic appeal. Today’s best umbrellas are made of acrylic and are solution-dyed to ensure that colors are locked in, says Hans Galutera, a designer with BG Studio International, headquartered in New York City.

While Galutera often employs umbrellas as a shading element (he appreciates their portability and flexibility), whenever possible, he also employs natural elements, such as trees, vines, and pergolas to provide cover from the sun, not to mention some privacy. “They have a dappling effect and create shade and light that is artistic,” Galutera says. “When designed right, the backyard becomes artwork.”

Design Wallpaper

This isn’t your grandma’s wallpaper—bold new patterns and color are resuscitating this design touch. By David Eisen

Ask anyone what they remember most about Grandma’s house, and they’ll inevitably recall the ghastly wallpaper that adorned one or more rooms. But like many remnants of yesteryear, what goes around comes around. Luckily for this generation, today’s wallpaper prints are nothing like they used to be, according to Long Island-based interior designer Marlaina Teich (mtdny.com).

Teich is a wallpaper convert. “I remember the first house I purchased; I spent hours removing layers of old wallpaper that the previous owner applied,” she says. “I swore I would never use wallpaper again.”

Her tune has since changed. “Today, wallpaper is one of the hottest trends in décor,” Teich says. “The designs and textures are so varied; it makes it simple to make a statement.”

“I think we are now past the paint and Ikea stage, and people want something bolder and singular for t

heir space,” says Jee Levin, a creative director at Trove (troveline.com), a NYC design house she founded with Randall Buck specializing in wall coverings.

“The trend to customize home
furnishings and wallpaper is definitely strong right now,” says Buck. “People want to have something
completely unique in their home.”

Wallpapers of the 1960s and ’70s were characterized by floral designs, geometric shapes, and metallic foils. “Let’s not forget the flocked papers, as well,” Teich adds. But today’s wallpaper is a far cry from that of 50 years ago.

“The differences in today’s [wallpaper] looks are in the colors used, as well as the play on scale,” Teich says. “Small-scale patterns are given a whole new translation by being shown in an oversized proportion. Grandma’s metallic foil paper may cause some to cringe, but when the metallic is shown as a subtle interplay with color and pattern, it can look like a piece of art.”

Wallpaper placement is as much a concern as aesthetic appeal; knowing when to go big and when to exercise restraint is key. “I love wallpaper as an accent in the bedroom, behind the headboard or in a powder room, where you can be a little crazy with color or pattern,” says Teich. She is even open to affixing wallpaper on the ceiling in the dining room, giving the space an intriguing allure.

There’s also the matter of application: Though it might sound easy enough to apply wallpaper oneself, it’s better left to a pro. The wall first needs to be prepped and smoothed to avoid bubbling. If you are applying light-colored wallpaper against a wall that has deep color, the wall needs to be primed to neutralize the darker color. “The last thing you want to do is start all over,” Levin says.

Architecture in Bald Head Island, North Carolina

On North Carolina’s Bald Head Island, two architects have designed an allegorical structure to satisfy their clients’ exuberant natures—and frame some very fine vistas. By J. Michael Welton

To get to Bald Head Island, slip by ferry across North Carolina’s Cape Fear River, hop aboard the requisite golf cart (no autos allowed on the island), scoot along a five-mile trail through a maritime forest, and, finally, turn right and climb a 40-foot-high ridge. There it is: the oceanfront home called Castello Dello Balena, or “Castle of the Whale.”

At 4,500 square feet, comprising four bedroom suites and a dining room the size of some homes, this house is big. But that may be its least important feature. “You can’t find many places with 270-degree views of the water,” says Chris Lokey, the home’s master builder. “[The house] is sitting on some of the nicest views on the east coast.”

From the house’s dining room, the coastal plain of Bald Head known as South Beach languishes in the distance. Out on the water to the left are Frying Pan Shoals, where offshore waves kick up as high as 10 feet. Farther left still is East Beach, which is home to some of the wildest surf on the island.

The home was designed by Wilmington-based architects Dietsche & Dietsche to take full advantage of its elevation. “The clients bought two lots, and at first, they thought they’d build on one and sell the other,” says Anna Dietsche. Then, her husband Chuck stepped up with a pair of divergent scenarios: “The first one showed a house on one lot and the other open,” she says. “The second one showed a house on both lots, stretched along the dune ridge, so every room has a view of the ocean.”

Three bedroom suites and a garage occupy the ground level, while the kitchen, dining room, master suite, and office/studio are located above. Some compare the home, stretched out upon the ridge in three sections, to a whale’s body. Its head would be to the left where the kitchen is situated, its stomach about midway down where the massive fireplace sits, and its tail composed of the garage wing with master suite and office atop.

The whole idea, says Chuck, was to satisfy his clients’ need to express their exuberance for life. “The [clients were] rational and romantic,” he says. “I interpreted [their house] as Moby Dick.” But he didn’t overlook the site’s basic strength, however, especially from the widow’s walk atop the tower that connects all three of the home’s sections.

“It’s got the best views of the entire island,” Anna says. dietschedietsche.com

Diamond Spas

Soak with sophistication in a custom bath from Diamond Spas.

Slipping into a warm, soothing bath can be the ultimate way to unwind at the end of a hectic day, and no one knows tubs better than Diamond Spas. Based just outside of Denver, Diamond Spas works closely with clients throughout the design and production

process to create custom bathtubs and spas. The Regal Luxury Bath (pictured at right) is made from polished stainless steel that brings a sharp modern twist to a bathroom. The double–walled tub (listed at $16,800) features a bowed-top ledge and six supporting legs, sporting an unparalleled level of sophistication. After reviewing clients’ sketches and design ideas, Diamond Spas provides formal estimates before moving into production and creating one-of-a-kind baths and spas (like the outdoor version pictured above) in three to seven weeks. Check out the company’s various stainless steel and copper bathtubs and sinks (right) for personal redesign projects. Any piece from Diamond Spas will bring your bathroom or kitchen to a new level of class and luxury. Bath and sink prices range from $5,700-$20,000, depending on the materials used. diamondspas.com. —A.R.

It’s Easy Being Green: Going Green in Your Ocean Home

Wall of Green: Minor changes can make the biggest difference when going “green”.

Eco-friendly living doesn’t mean having to give up luxury. By Alex Churchill

There is something about the natural elements that draws us to live by the ocean – the ebb and flow of the thunderous tide, the strangled cry of seagulls, the briny spray of saltwater. Oftentimes, that inspiration translates into our home furnishings and design, whether it be our choices in nautical-inspired décor, driftwood furnishings, or tall windows open to panoramic views of the shore. We use our oceanside homes as a retreat from the stresses of everyday urban life and to reacquaint ourselves with the natural environment. So it’s no surprise that lately, designers and homeowners alike are becoming re-inspired by nature and investing in sustainable home design and décor.

Rand Soellner, licensed architect and expert in eco-friendly home design, says that there is a “green” movement in luxury real estate. Homeowners are buying into greener estates and architects are making greener choices when it comes to designing these estates. They are not only considering the financial value of estates, but their ecological value as well.

Soellner himself has over 40 years’ worth of experience in architecture. As a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), his innovative work in sustainable home design has earned him headlines in national publications and numerous awards. Over the course of his some 40 years in the industry, Soellner has been involved in the design of over $3 billion worth of architectural projects. He started his company, Home Architects, in 1984 during a time when sustainability was not the popular trend in luxury real estate that it is today.

“Everybody thinks that ‘going green’ is a new thing when really, energy efficiency has been around as far back as the 1940s,” he says. “It’s only now that people are jumping on the bandwagon.”

Along with designing custom luxury residences for his clientele, Soellner has made it his mission to promote sustainable practices in the construction and design of homes, as well as to educate the public about its benefits. He is the founder of the Green Home Design University, an online course meant to educate the public as well as other professionals about energy efficiency in home design. He also invented the “Green Gauge,” an interactive digital tool that allows professionals to evaluate the ecological value of their chosen materials and methods for design projects.

As defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, green building is “the practice of creating structures and using processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building’s life-cycle.” Green buildings are designed to reduce impact to the natural environment by efficiently using energy, protecting the health of its occupants, and reducing waste and environmental pollution. Although designing a sustainable home can come with a substantial price tag, Soellner says that it’s worth the investment.

“You might pay a lot up front,” he says, “But when you invest in better insulation, better windows and doors, and better roofing, you will get paid back starting immediately. That’s something everyone can understand and people will invest more in efficient homes.”

Even in the midst of a bleak real estate market, investment in sustainable design and green products has defied the economic downturn. Besides being environmentally friendly, Soellner says that consumers have another incentive to buy green products: they often perform better than their out-of-date counterparts.

“Everything is connected to the ecosystem, just as we are connected to our homes, our homes are connected to the power plants. If we can design an eco-friendly home, there is less of a demand for new power plants, and we can lower the carbon foot print of humanity on the planet,” he says. “In this way, everyone benefits from having a better designed home.”

Tips to Greener Living

Whether you live in the tropics of Mexico or you vacation in the Hamptons, an ocean home can always benefit from being eco-friendly. Real estate investors and homeowners alike are tapping into the movement of “going green.” Recently, this oceanside home in Nantucket was heralded in the headlines for its sustainable custom design. So how do you construct and furnish your eco-friendly home? We’ve consulted expert and custom home architect Rand Soellner for the answers.

Sustainable living means living within your means. Here are some additional tips to having an eco-friendly home without giving up your luxe lifestyle.

Insulation

Especially for an oceanfront home where wetness and humidity is pervasive, Soellner says that the right insulation prevents moisture penetration, which prevents mold, and in turn, can prevent serious respiratory illnesses. According to Energy Star, improperly installed insulation can waste 20 percent or more of the energy you pay to heat and cool your home. To prevent air leakage, make sure that all spaces between windows and beneath doorways are blocked. The insulation itself can even be made from recycled denim material.

Lighting

Soellner says that switching your lightbulbs to CFL can save you big dollar signs on your electricity bill. He says that by simply calling your local power plant, they will oftentimes send you a package of free CFL bulbs. Trading in your outdated incandescent light bulbs for CFL allows you to consume 15-20 percent of the power you would otherwise consume. And for a warmer, more organic glow, check out these portable fireplaces.

Stylish and earth-friendly

Greenery as décor (alternative energy sources)

As usual with greener luxury products, there’s no need to forfeit style for substance. Whether it’s vegetated roofs, potted plants that serve as air fresheners, or this living wall of green greenery is a great way to decorate your home as well as incorporate a green (almost literally) way of living into your everyday home life.

Furnishings and Décor

You can make your oceanfront home earth-friendly with a few simple furnishings and decorating touches. There isn’t a room in the house that you can’t incorporate sustainability, whether it’s this bowed-seated shower stool from fair trade group Mitra Bali for your bathroom or this glamorous couch by designer Cisco Pinedo, made of sustainable materials and organic cotton fabric, for your living space. You can use this reclaimed oak wine barrel as a wine cooler for your outdoor soirees and you can cover your floor indoors with a cutom rug from ecoFiber Custom Rugs. Even your furry companions don’t have to go without being green. This Earth Friendly Bumper Bed by Wet Paw Design keeps your pup pampered.

Surf-inspired modern lifestyle for relaxed living

Coastal regions are the perfect place to display your love for that unique sense of freedom experienced in the presence of the ocean’s infinity. Luxury comes in different shapes, sizes and colors, but the luxury of creating the perfect home by the ocean implies more than just carefully selected furniture and furnishings.

Choosing a surf-inspired theme for your ocean side home

A theme can create that customized story that defines your life. Seeing that coastal homes are best suited to display a beach-inspired theme, I will guide you through setting up an interior design inspired by surf – one of the most challenging sports that conquered many hearts.

Surf has inspired many designs throughout the world, from buildings to furniture, in a constant effort to help those in love with this water sport stay connected to their true passion. Decorative surfboards are one of the easiest ways to keep your home as close to the waves as possible. You might have seen many interiors featuring these long, smooth planks, but there are plenty of other creative ways to turn your home into a collection of interiors reminiscent of this bold lifestyle.

Orbiting around this inspirational source, many decorations can recreate the feeling given by a powerful wave in motion, but displaying actual surfing boards is probably the most provocative way of constantly reminding you and your guests about this magnificent pass-time.

Surfboard-reminiscent furniture as decor

Take for example the Surf-ace Table and Bench by Duffy London – a set of functional furniture made of balsa wood surfboards bended to shape these luxurious pieces. Hand-made using wood and veneer from controlled sources, this splendidly simple yet fascinating collection is one of the pricey ways to adorn your surf-inspired oceanfront property.

Even the exterior spaces connecting your home to the beach can become a display of surf-inspired outdoor furniture, like Royal Botania’s Wave/Surf lounge. Collaborating to shape a relaxing lounge design, Erik Nyberg, Gustav Ström and Kris Van Puyvelde managed to recreate the feeling of a hammock/parasol combination that shields your body from too much sun and lulls it into a deeply relaxing state.

Not only furniture, but whole buildings have been created to honor this exciting surf-movement. Maybe you heard about the Museum of Ocean and Surf (Cité de l’Océan et du Surf) in France – a contemporary wave-inspired building spreading over more than 50,000 square feet. Imagined by Steven Holl Architects and Solange Fabiao as an ode to the sea and sky above, the large exhibition space provokes the mind with its dynamic curved surfaces and floor plan inspired by the surrounding beach landscape. Its sinuous shapes can inspire you to create a stunning set of details when building your dream home – just remember anything is possible when you have a passion. Surf-inspired modern lifestyle for relaxed living.

Wall of Green; Overseas Landscaping Innovation

An overseas landscaping innovation makes its way stateside. By David Eisen

There’s a long history of Americans adapting French constructions. Our penchant for Gallic food and wines, for example, is renowned. These days, we’re taking a cue from the country’s botanical enterprises. One of the newest fads in landscape design is the living wall, or green wall, an innovation championed and perfected by a Parisian botanist named Patrick Blanc.

What is a living wall? Put simply, it is a wall, either freestanding or part of a building, that is partially or completely covered with vegetation. Blanc pioneered this vertical garden system, no better example of which is the Musée du Quai Branly in Paris, where a 656-foot-by-40-foot wall of green hugs the building’s exterior.

On a smaller scale, the look, which is an outgrowth of commercial installations, is creeping its way into many a backyard stateside. Craig Jenkins-Sutton, owner of landscape company Topiarius (topiarius.com) in Chicago, says the living wall is a design element more and more homeowners are installing not only for the look, but also for the cost-saving benefits.

“They are extremely popular,” Jenkins-Sutton says of the walls. “They also have environmental benefits and offer cost savings on cooling in the summer by creating an insulating barrier.”

How the green wall works: Though the science behind the living wall can be quite technical, a living wall is basically a modular system, whereby trays or cells are attached to rails and contain some type of vegetation. Perennial grasses, succulents, flowers—even herbs and vegetables—have all been done.

“Living walls are becoming more popular because it gives the architect, landscaper, or homeowner the ability to arrange plant material in a graphic design, allowing them to utilize plants they never would have used in the space to accent and add color and design,” says James Rizzo of BrightGreen (brightgreenusa.com), a southeast-Michigan company that specializes in living wall installations.

Maintenance of green walls is an issue, however, and while warm-weather climates are more suitable, they can survive, with care, as annual installations. They should be positioned with access to plenty of sun, and watering is a crucial undertaking. The trays in most living walls are perforated so that when watered from above, the water can easily seep into the soil of each tray. Jenkins-Sutton, however, instructs his clients to install drip irrigation systems for better coverage.

the get Tournesol VGM module

The VGM is a 100-percent recycled plastic planting module, attached to stainless steel rails mounted to a wall or structure. A wide, controllable variety of plants can be used in nearly any condition, and each planting module is available with a four- or eight-inch soil profile. Because restricting cells or baffles don’t limit root growth, plants grow healthier and stronger. Stainless-steel hanging brackets require no screws or fasteners, install easily on planted modules, and allow for removal and maintenance off-site. The rails carry the load of the soil and are easily mounted to either the wall or a framed sub-structure. $125-$150 per square foot. tournesolsiteworks.com.

Reclamation Project

The lived-in look that tells a story becomes a hit with homeowners. By David Eisen

The old adage “Out with the old, in with the new” has been flipped on its head to describe one of the most compelling trends in interior design: the reclaimed design look, which gives new life to materials or products by repurposing and reusing them to create spaces that have a rich, lived-in look. Put simply, it’s “out with the new, in with the old.” The trend is giving form to warm, cozy interior spaces, exuding a worn feeling that avoids looking weathered and otherwise dingy.

Today, wood is the most prominent material being used to achieve the perfect reclaimed look. Wood boards from old barns, logs excavated from rivers, and timber from wood beams are all giving designers the inspiration to fashion everything, including chairs, cabinetry, artwork, and floors and ceilings.Ian Crawford owns the Whitefish, Montana-based Vinoture, which produces custom reclaimed wine barrel furniture. His most popular design is a bar stool that comes in four separate sizes and is the perfect complement to a bar or kitchen. Like head-to-tail cooking, Crawford reuses the whole barrel (he favors French oak barrels).

“I get them from Washington and Oregon wineries,” he says, noting that the majority of barrels he uses come from the Bordeaux region of France.“Working with a reclaimed medium like wine barrel staves creates a product that has a visible history,” Crawford says. “The entire winemaking process contributes to the unique patina of the wood and the finished product”—think distressed accents from rusting and oxidation, even brands from the winemaker.

John Loecke, a partner at interior design firm Madcap Cottage in Brooklyn, New York, says his clients are increasingly asking for spaces to be outfitted with reclaimed materials. “They like relaxed spaces with a warm, lived-in look,” he says, pointing to wood as the most popular reclaimed material, but insisting that metal is another likeable option.While many reclaimed pieces are bespoke, more mainstream sources have caught on to the design movement, such as Pottery Barn and World Market. For homeowners, it comes down to their distinct tastes. “It all depends on their personality,” Loecke says. “It is the idea of living in a less formal way. Our clients want to live in their homes, but at the same time, they don’t want to worry about how the home wears.”

Employing reclaimed materials is as much about a look as it is a sustainable choice. “It tells me that a homeowner is environmentally conscious and has an appreciation for unique furniture and art with a story behind it,” Crawford says.

THE GET Vinoture’s America’s New Barstool

Vinoture’s signature America’s New Barstool is the perfect complement to any kitchen or bar area. The stool is made from sustainable materials: the staves, heads, and hoops of reclaimed French oak wine barrels from wineries of the Pacific Northwest. Each stool has its own distinctions and tells a story through its connection to a specific winery and vintage, as well as its own unique patina and distressing from the wine-aging process. The America’s New Barstool measures 30 inches high, but a mini 18-inch-high version is also available. The stool, which comes with a blond or natural red seat, is priced at $250. vinoture.org.

Sanctuary on the Sand in Miami

A Miami real estate developer-turned-resident of his own project mixes design styles and capitalizes on up-close ocean views. By Anna Kasabian

When renowned Miami real estate developer Gil Dezer decided to take up residence at one of his own luxury projects, the Trump Grande Ocean Resort and Residences, he turned to Michael Wolk to design his three-story condominium.

Located one floor up from the beach and with massive windows featuring the magnificent views, it feels, according to Miami-based Wolk, much like you’re at the bow of a ship. “You don’t need to do anything to distract,” he says.

The design plan for the five-bedroom, eight-bath home is one where simplicity and serenity reign, but where a few architectural surprises surface as well. “We took three floors at the end of the building, turning two condominiums into one,” Wolk explains, adding that Dezer enters his home through a ground-level garage. A private beach cabana is steps away. The first and second floors of the space are open, separated by a spectacular glass bridge that leads the way to the master bedroom suite.

“The glass bridge was inspired by the first Matrix movie, and that image was the narrative driving the image [of] his bedroom,” Wolk says. “And yes, sometimes people hesitate a little before walking forward!” The bridge is accessible by stairs or a glass-enclosed elevator in the living room. Other public rooms at this level include the kitchen and dining room. A balcony and private swimming pool are also on the second level.

During the initial planning, the design concept was to create a bachelor pad, but over the course of the project, Dezer married and then became a father. “The assignment changed and the program changed. It evolved into something that was more appropriate for a family,” Wolk says.

Furnishings are an elegant, interesting stew of Art Deco, antiques, traditional, and contemporary, as well as some of Wolk’s own furniture creations—the eight dining room chairs at the glass table are his designs. The color palette is earthy, with warm tones in fabric, rugs, and walls, so the views remain the star, Wolk says. Natural woods include rosewood and Brazilian cherry. There are few walls within the space to keep it open to the sea views, so furniture placement and/or height is used to delineate rooms, like the high wood-backed couch in the living room.

All in all, for Dezer, who owns 27 acres of prime oceanfront land in Miami, this is a peaceful respite from what is certainly a frenetic life.

Tech Gadgets that Add to Décor

Why sacrifice style for technology? There’s no need to! Check out these amazing gizmos that lend a helping hand to your décor, while giving you the tech cred you deserve.

Continue reading Tech Gadgets that Add to Décor

Style Tips from Designers

Who better to take advice from than the pros? A variety of designers weigh on light, color, texture and accessories and what you need to know when styling your home. From seasoned vets to up-and-comers, these designers know how to make the most of any space.

Continue reading Style Tips from Designers

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