Inspired by Steve Job’s style, Luisa Albino designs and creates Mac-Table for AG Land, a Spanish-based manufacturer. Designed as an office furniture, the Mac-Table challenges gravity. It features an entry for Apple devices including iPad, iPhone, or iPod. Regarding material, the designer chooses lacquered metal base, soft touch top board and glass in the middle. If you’re a part of Apple fan boys, I think you will bring this table into your working room at your home.

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Luis Albino studies Industrial Design at de National University of Mendoza, in Argentina. At the moment He’s doing an internship in Barcelona for an office furniture manufacturer.

Located on Sydney’s Bondi Beach, this four level house occupies a narrow infill site, and has been designed to maximise its’ compact 120m2 site and capitalise on views across Icebergs to the beach. The ground level accommodates the entry hall and two bedrooms; one, on the beachside opens onto a courtyard with a cut-out that frames the sweep of the beach, the other opens onto a garden courtyard planted with a stand of bamboo. A marble clad stair leads to the open plan living level with a central kitchen of bronze and dark brown stone.

At each end three massive glass panels slide up and down to access light, ventilation and views. To the east, one of the double height openings leads to a terrace with views to the ocean. The Master Bedroom above, leads to a dressing room and spacious marble ensuite. An internal lift connects to a basement level with 2 car garage, laundry, wine cellar, and service areas. A limited palette of high quality finishes are used throughout; white terrazzo, Calacatta marble, American Walnut timber and dark bronze. Externally, the street elevation is dominated by its dramatic glass and white marble faade.

Web: www.krm.net.au

This fall, one of CÉRAGRÈS’ favorites is the new ECOLLECTION series from Brazil. This rectified glazed porcelain gives the attractive look of wood. The effect is enhanced by the 8” x 48” floorboard-sized tiles and is especially striking when they are laid in a 15% staggered pattern with a small 2mm joint between them. With eight colors to choose from, this series is ideal, whether you are going for a rustic or contemporary look. The texture of the tile and the shade variations within each color contribute to the surprising illusion.

Web: www.ceragres.ca
Source: v2com.biz

Small House in Sydney, Australia, designed by Domenic Alvaro, has won the ‘World’s Best House’ award at the prestigious World Architecture Festival (WAF) Awards 2011.

The presentation of the WAF Awards are taking place during the largest global celebration of architecture – the World Architecture Festival, which is being held at the Centre Convencions International Barcelona (CCIB) this week.

The ultra-compact vertical house is located in an urban setting and features an outdoor room on the top floor. It was designed by Alvaro not only to be his own home, but also to test a development model for downtown urban living as an alternative to the ubiquitous luxury apartment.

By proposing a vertical house type on an apparently useless piece of left over land, Alvaro and his partner have demonstrated a replicable model. Already the adjacent plot has been acquired by another future resident who will follow this fine example.

The building was selected by a panel of esteemed architects and designers, beating off competition from a shortlist of 18 entries.

The jury commended the project, saying: “Built on a difficult laneway site in Sydney, more than any other contender this project demonstrated commitment and excellence on many levels. From the concept right through to execution, employing construction techniques more typically used on large scale commercial projects in response to physical and budget constraints.”

Speaking at the WAF Awards 2011 Paul Finch, WAF Programme Director, said: “The World Architecture Festival is the world’s largest, live, truly inclusive and interactive global architectural awards programme. Attracting entries from internationally renowned practices to small local architects, the stellar quality of this year’s designs demonstrates their commitment to designing the world’s most exciting buildings. This year we’ve attracted more entries than ever before, with over 700 submissions from 66 different countries. Our congratulations go to the winners for a truly accomplished project.”

This is the 4th year the World Architecture Festival Awards have been presented, and by the end of the awards 38 WAF Awards will have been announced across the three main sections of Completed Buildings, Structural Design and Future Projects. The Festival culminates with the announcement of the prestigious ‘World Building of the Year 2011’ award.

The judges added that “a mention should also be made of two other Australian projects – Ian Moore for the creative re-use of Strelain Warehouse, which was a rigorous intervention in a disused warehouse. The second mention being Andrew Maynard’s brick extension, which not only had a strong agenda to re-define what a sustainable home should be, but which also brought a radical new identity to an otherwise anonymous brick bungalow transforming the life of the family who continue to live there.”

Previous winners include ‘World Building of the Year 2008’ – Luigi Bocconi University, Milan, designed by Irish practice Grafton Architects; ‘World Building of the Year 2009’ – Mapungubwe Interpretation Centre in South Africa, designed by Peter Rich Architects of Johannesburg, and ‘World Building of the Year 2010’ – MAXXI (National Museum of the 21st Century Arts) in Rome, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects.

The WAF Awards see unsung local buildings take on internationally acclaimed projects in what is the world’s biggest architecture contest. Unlike other architectural competitions, architects present their work in front of leading industry judges and a live public audience as they compete for the accolade of ‘World Building of the Year’.

Web: www.worldarchitecturefestival.com
Source: v2com.biz

Looking for an award winning bed to improve your bedroom? Look no futher than our friends at Dreams, view all beds from Dreams now at http://www.dreams.co.uk

The holiday season is a known time of gaudy, and often tacky, decorations, but there is a definite line that every household should not cross. In short, households should often refrain from looking like the Griswald’s. If you find yourself often getting caught up in a decoration frenzy, stop avoiding the phone to see who just called you to complain about the number of lights you put up on your house this year and consider scaling back a bit and trying to avoid these décor faux pas to avoid:

Monochromatic Themes
A tree littered with varying gold decorations can be gorgeous, but a home decked from floor to ceiling with golden clad santas, golden reindeer, and golden ornaments can be overkill. Break up your color palate to keep your decorations interesting and pretty.

Every Room Filled with Holiday Cheer
Simple really is chic, and less really is more when it comes to holiday decorating. Don’t over do it by having a Christmas tree on every floor, or lights engulfing every piece of siding on your home. Keep the decorations clean and simple as it will not only make your decorations appear more elegant, but also make your house more easy to navigate around without bumping into a nativity scene or menorah.

Fresh Produce
Real pumpkins and gourds are a sign that Fall is upon us; however, be mindful of the real fruits and vegetables that you use when decorating. While a real cornucopia can be pretty, one fill with rotted produce can be downright appalling.  If you won’t have the time to mind fresh produce and flowers for decorations, simply purchase fake ones.  Anymore they look just as real, and they have a longer lifespan.

Everyone should be able to enjoy the holidays and lavishly decorate their homes to add holiday cheer, but it should never be at the expense of your neighbors or your good tastes. Keep the above faux pas in mind when decorating, and you and your visiting friends and family members will be sure to ooohhh and awww over your well decorated home without wondering what craft sale you hit up earlier in the year.

Chandeliers in unexpected rooms

Chandeliers are now being used in more rooms, in different ways. Adding a touch of personality and elegance to rooms that they’re placed in, chandeliers are now a designer and homeowner favorite to dress up everything from kitchens to bathrooms. Make your bedroom feel more opulent with a few crystal-adorned fixtures as a centerpiece. Use one in your bathroom (making sure it can get a little wet) for an unexpected twist. Pieces with less height and decoration will fit into smaller-sized rooms or more casually decorated ones.

Eco-friendly chandeliers

For those interested in the Green movement, eco-friendly chandeliers are now widely available for purchase online. Traditional lighting fixtures are now being offered with LED bulb options at Hinkley Lighting and other lighting stores. Other ‘found’ materials and eco friendly equipment are used to create unique chandeliers. Repurposed items such as watering cans and driftwood create the centerpieces with style and conscience to awaken home decor. Burlap is used instead of linen to top shaded chandeliers as a textural and environmentally conscious addition to home lighting fixtures.

Using different materials on traditional silhouettes

Hinkley chandeliers come with design twists, creating a new layer of interest on the old styles. Clean silver pares down traditional wrought iron chandeliers. Crystal chandeliers have been designed in miniature to fit into smaller sized rooms. Lantern styles are on trend right now and capture the reminiscent feel of Old World decor in a different way.
Minimalist

Many homeowners love the feel of the new, minimalist style of chandeliers. Lengthy, slender arms instead of curved arches are the rage for minimalist style chandeliers. Clean, light fabrics cover shades instead of brocade or velvet. This fits into many contemporary style homes, using geometrical uniqueness or unexpected finishes to draw the eye.

Chandeliers are a great way to liven up rooms, with their eye-catching designs and radiant lighting capabilities. If you’ve never tried to use one in your home, this is a great time to begin, with all these trends giving you more options than homeowners have had for years.

Curtains
Curtains are the ‘classic’ window dressing and may be more suitable in old-fashioned rooms or rooms that are inspired by a historical era where blinds would be out of place. Curtains can also help to retain heat, and they are available in a wide variety of styles and fashions. Light fabrics can help prevent the build-up of dust which is wonderful for those with allergies and certain fabrics can easily be run through the wash, making cleaning a breeze.

Blinds
However, blinds have their own benefits. Available as they are in so many materials and styles, it’s hard to think of a room design where one of the many blind options available wouldn’t fit in. Many blind designs can be tucked out of sight when not in use. Blinds are easy to install and adjust. They can be adjusted to let in different amounts of light depending on your personal preference and the time of day. They are perfect for bedrooms as some varieties can almost completely block out light. Blinds are also great in the kitchen and bathroom, as they can be obtained in materials that are easy to clean and water resistant. Blinds can also be customised to fit irregular and unusually shaped windows.

Conclusion
The choice between blinds and curtains ultimately comes down to your particular tastes, needs and desires, but for those who are looking for a versatile, modern solution that can be used throughout the whole house, blinds are the obvious choice. If you’re still not sure visit an online store like www.directblinds.co.uk and check out all the different styles of blinds and curtains.

Wooden music boxes designed for the Isetan department store’s ‘bell-orgel collection’ project, launched with the cooperation of composer Sakamoto Ryuichi’s moretrees initiative, which promotes the protection of forests as absorbers of CO2. nendo designed the music box, which was then decorated by 57 different designers and design groups. The music boxes are made of Japanese cypress (hinoki) harvested as part of sustainable forest management practices. As a familiar form, the bell shape also invites visitors to touch the music box and enjoy the feel of the wood surface. They were also aware that the combination of form and material would soften the metallic sound of the chimes.

The music box comes in three varieties: a hand bell, a standing bell and a hanging bell. The hand bell is designed to stop playing its melody when laid on its side. Turning the bell on the standing bell winds the music box mechanism, making it play. In both music boxes, the ‘bell’ itself functions as a switch, making a connection to the traditional way of ringing bells.

© Masayuki Hayashi

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Trying to find quality furniture can be incredibly difficult, especially if you are trying to stay within a reasonable budget. Anymore, most furniture that may seem affordable is made of plywood and covered with a veneer finish, or has been constructed of solid wood but lacks the craftsmanship you crave.

Your furniture should make a statement, and should also be long lasting. In essence, furniture – whether it be a kitchen table or a rocking chair for your nursery – is an investment. It may not provide you with a cash return on investment like stocks or a mutual fund would, but a great piece of furniture will be the centerpiece for all the memories shared between friends and family members, and will be able to withstand the abuse experienced over the years.

So where can you find this mythical furniture that has excellent craftsmanship at an affordable price? Easy, you’re local Amish community. Don’t have an Amish community nearby? Then consider shopping for Amish Furniture Online.

Amish furniture has had an incredible reputation for quality and craftsmanship for decades. You can find large solid wood pieces ranging from cherry to oak to maple. Most pieces come with intricate detail, and offer interested buyers the chance to purchase whole sets or simply a piece or two.

Kitchen table and chairs that would go perfect in a modern or country style kitchen are a favorite amongst Amish furniture connoisseurs. Other favorites include excellent bedroom sets that can add to an air of sophistication or a provide that relaxed atmosphere you’ve been searching for, entertainment stands and end tables that enhance a living room, and other smaller odds and ends needed to complete a home such as hutches, armoires, wine racks, stools, and bread boxes.

Even when comparing other pieces of furniture in the same price range as Amish made furniture, the Amish made furniture is always higher in quality and craftsmanship. The Amish have a distinct pride in their work making each piece both functional and beautiful in a way that other furniture artisans are unable to replicate. So when looking for furniture that will not only provide long-lasting functionality, but also add to your home’s beauty, consider buying Amish. Not only is it truly American made, but Amish furniture also makes for an incredible show piece.