Homeowners can enjoy the relaxing benefits of hydrotherapy within the grounds of their own home by choosing from the extensive range of hot tubs from Sundance Spas.
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This small-sized garden blurs the line between plantings and fence lines to create an expansive atmosphere. The completely shaded location, combined with moist warm air, has enabled the designer to introduce a broad variety of subtropical plantings.
Eclectic furniture pieces, including a table made from Balinese railway sleepers, add to the feeling that the garden was drawn together from different parts of the globe.
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There are several design options when looking to create an expansive ambiance within a modest area. When one or more are used in conjunction, the result can be that much more effective.
This back yard domain, by landscape architect Dan Gayfer, achieves a generous feel on several fronts. A central feature is the layering of the space, with each tier denoting a distinct area of use.
"The area at the back door is used for barbecues and indoor-outdoor gatherings; the swimming pool forms the central area; and the rear of the space is for lounging," says Gayfer. "Materials, as well as elevation, delineate each of the three areas, which are floored in bluestone tiles, mosaic tiles and spotted gum. An eye-catching feature of the space is the glass window on the house side of the pool. This extends the line of sight right into the water, expanding the look of the greater area. Seen from the house, the entire outdoor vista appears to fade into the distance through the use of black paneling, which covers the rear wall and climbs to form a cantilevered canopy ceiling. A secret door set into the paneling provides access to a storage area at the rear, for pool and gardening equipment that would otherwise clutter the look of the space. This discreet area is also home to the pool plant and a toilet."Another way to make the most of limited available space is to find dual uses for elements," says Gayfer. "The side path leading to the rear in this garden, for example, doubles as seating for the pool and barbecue areas. "While the design fits together like a jigsaw puzzle, there's always something to draw the eye between areas, evoking a greater sense of space."
This back yard domain, by landscape architect Dan Gayfer, achieves a generous feel on several fronts. A central feature is the layering of the space, with each tier denoting a distinct area of use.
"The area at the back door is used for barbecues and indoor-outdoor gatherings; the swimming pool forms the central area; and the rear of the space is for lounging," says Gayfer. "Materials, as well as elevation, delineate each of the three areas, which are floored in bluestone tiles, mosaic tiles and spotted gum. An eye-catching feature of the space is the glass window on the house side of the pool. This extends the line of sight right into the water, expanding the look of the greater area. Seen from the house, the entire outdoor vista appears to fade into the distance through the use of black paneling, which covers the rear wall and climbs to form a cantilevered canopy ceiling. A secret door set into the paneling provides access to a storage area at the rear, for pool and gardening equipment that would otherwise clutter the look of the space. This discreet area is also home to the pool plant and a toilet."Another way to make the most of limited available space is to find dual uses for elements," says Gayfer. "The side path leading to the rear in this garden, for example, doubles as seating for the pool and barbecue areas. "While the design fits together like a jigsaw puzzle, there's always something to draw the eye between areas, evoking a greater sense of space."
LED lights tucked into shadow joints create a floating ambiance for solid concrete steps.
This rear yard achieves an expansive feel through deft use of form, materials and demarcation of spaces. Trees accentuate the height of the side walls and break up the extended planes.Read More..
The home's basement THX home theater is equipped with a Runco 3 chip DLP projector, 16ft-wide Stewart Filmscreen movie screen, JBL Synthesis K2 THX audio system, Kaleidescape DVD and music server, and Cinematech motorized seating. HP Media Group designed and installed the home's integrated computer system
It's always exciting to move into a new home and get started on making it your own. You may feel that all it needs are a few decorator touches, but sometimes, like the owner of this kitchen in a '70s home in Beverly Hills, you will want to take more drastic action.
"The house is Mid-Century Modern, and the old kitchen didn't fit the style at all," says the owner. "Everything was dark wood – the floor, the cabinetry, and the window frames. It has a great view to the ocean, but the space felt closed in."
Cupboards above the Gaggenau ovens conceal a microwave and Miele coffee maker. The stainless steel refrigerators are by Sub-Zero.
A large wall cabinet is fitted with sliding doors which open to display stemware and crockery.
The den and entertaining area lie beyond the kitchen. Pocket doors slide across to close off the kitchen while caterers are working, and open again when food is ready to be served.
The streamlined Varenna stainless steel countertop features integrated sinks and a four-burner gas cooktop, aligned flush with the surface, and a non-drip edge. An extra-deep block creates useful space at the back for ingredients. The ventilation hood is Piatta by Varenna.
This kitchen is designed to function as a workspace for caterers, and as a casual area for the family to meet for breakfast each morning.
It has become a common remodeling project – gutting the rear of an older home to accommodate a new, spacious open-plan living area. Such refurbishments always include a new kitchen, designed on sleek, modern lines. Kitchen designer Robyn Labb says for this project the owner wanted a light look. "Visually, the kitchen couldn't be too dark or heavy," she says. "The owner also wanted something different, that would set it apart." The solution was a streamlined design featuring back-lit glass cabinetry and stainless steel trim. "Many kitchens feature a similar design, in terms of the sink on the island and the cooking center behind," says Labb. "So, for this kitchen, the difference is literally in the detailing. Specifying a thin ¾in countertop, rather than a more predictable deep countertop, was one point of difference. The stainless steel banding was introduced to balance the depth of the countertop."Illuminated front panels on the island and overhead lift-up cabinets enhance the contemporary feel. They also help lighten the room. The sandblasted glass is repeated on two 28in-wide doors that conceal a scullery. The aluminum-framed doors slide into the walls, which were specially built by a cabinetmaker to suit the narrow thickness of the glass panels. Labb also designed a skylight to bring additional light into the kitchen. A custom-made stainless steel ventilation hood is positioned directly below the skylight.
The sleek styling extends to the symmetry of the cabinets housing the refrigerator and oven. A stainless steel cabinet above the oven also helps to visually balance the design. Cabinets below the cooking center have recessed handles, which reinforce the kitchen's streamlined, horizontal lines. To fully equip the kitchen for entertaining, a second oven was installed in the scullery. There is also an additional Fisher & Paykel DishDrawer, sink and wine refrigerator."Having a second food preparation area is invaluable, especially for people who like to entertain," says Labb. "For this reason, designers are increasingly specifying two or more work stations."
In a street of conservative houses, a modern architectural form is likely to stand out. But attention seeking is not always the motivation for the design – the architectural form is just as likely to be an expression of the functionality within.
Time is a precious commodity – and one that most of us would prefer not to spend doing the laundry.
The garments that take up the most time are those that require handwashing to maintain their original color, design and structural integrity. The Delicair Laundry Basin has been designed to take care of this chore, by providing gentle but effective cleaning through the action of effervescent bubbles.
The Delicair I Laundry Basin features 16 air jets, a 30-minute timer, an automatic purge and dry cycle, and a variable-speed blower that can be used for a wide range of fabrics. The Delicair II is a simpler model with 14 air jets and an on/off switch.
Using the same amount of space as a regular laundry sink, the Delicair Laundry Basin can easily be fitted into an existing laundry as a drop-in or undermount installation. No extra plumbing is required.
Gentle bubble jets create a delicate tumbling motion that will not damage clothing. The basin is also available as a sink-only model. All models of the Delicair Laundry Basin come with a 10-year warranty. You can get one at here.
In contemporary interior design, the beauty of a space is often derived from an appreciation of the functional materials it contains. In a bathroom, for example, the tub, plumbing and lighting can be decorative as well as useful objects.
Architect Jim Olson was asked to remodel two apartments in a 1960s building to create a single, open, uncluttered home. The spaces, including the bathroom, were stripped back to expose raw concrete, which became the floors and ceilings. Walls are filled with large windows that wrap around the entire building.
"The simple concrete structure provided us with a neutral background for the owner to display his modern art collection," says Olson. In the bathroom, the concrete surfaces meant plumbing was exposed. As a result, fittings such as faucets and the Agape spoon bath and basin were treated as sculptural objects in their own right. Because the bathroom is on the 22nd floor, it is completely private, so without window coverings, the owner has unhindered views of the city, lake and sea, the sunrise and sunset. To take full advantage of these views, the bathtub and shower are set in front of the window, separated from the rest of the bathroom by a glass wall and door. This creates a wet area and allows the views to be enjoyed from deeper in the room, where the vanity and handbasin are located. The vanity, a terrazzo slab, is designed so it appears to extend through the glass wall, making the two spaces flow together. Below it, a concrete shelf provides storage. "By having the shower and tub in their own glass box, the owner can hang pieces of art in the bathroom without worrying about damage from steam and water spray," says the architect.Even lighting has been designed with the art collection in mind. Track lights can be moved or redirected if the owner changes his paintings.
The wet area is a step above the rest of the bathroom. Ducts and wiring are in the lowered soffit.
A glass box encloses the bathtub and shower, protecting the rest of the bathroom from water.
In this bathroom on the 22nd floor, glass art can be enjoyed, as well as the view.
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As life gets faster, more people are wanting their master suites to provide them with a peaceful and comfortable haven. Insignia Kitchen & Bath was asked by the owners of this home to design a contemporary lodge-style bathroom. Designer Angie Keyes of Insignia Kitchen & Bath says one of the design challenges of this project was to blend clean, modern lines with rustic detailing and natural materials. To add a rustic touch, a waterfall above the tub cascades over a square of pebble tiles, while tumbled marble, hickory, and granite tops and bowls add to the natural ambience of the space.
To improve the layout of the bathroom, the designer altered the position of the doorway to allow plumbing fixtures to be relocated. Special drawers in the vanity were designed to conceal plumbing, and power outlets for electric toothbrushes were built into the top cabinets.
A make-up mirror is mounted near the vanity.
The shower features a 16-inch diameter rain head.
Angie Keyes of Insignia Kitchens & Bath designed this bathroom to be contemporary, but with a rustic, lodge-like feel. A waterfall cascades down the wall above the tub and forged metal lighting fixtures above it have contemporary shades.Read More..
The ShowHouse brand of luxury faucets and bath accessories has recently added a new valve to its customizable shower options. The ExactTemp® three-quarter inch thermostatic valve can distribute up to 16 gallons a minute to multiple showerheads, body sprays and other customized shower components, more than double the water capacity of standard half-inch valves.
This valve enables multiple shower heads to be controlled through a single valve while delivering maximum flow to all of them. With the valve, bathroom designers can design the exact shower the owners want, and homeowners can use all or some components, as individual levers control water volume to each component.
Another feature of the valve is a dial control embedded into its thermostatic trim handle, and marked with the water temperature in degrees. This allows homeowners to dial their preferred water temperature with pinpoint accuracy and to maintain it within three degrees of the selected temperature.
Bathrooms are frequently remodeled to create a personal retreat. But the owners of this home took the idea one step further, remodeling another part of the house to provide a Japanese-style soaking tub and a traditional tatami tea room.
Designer Catherine Gerry says one of the owners is Japanese and wanted to be able to enjoy the traditional bathing ritual at home.
"Although he wanted the rooms to have an Asian feel, the design needed to have a modern sensibility," she says. "The custom-made concrete tub is very simple, with just a couple of water jets – the owner didn't want all the bells and whistles of modern tubs."
As the bath is a place to soak, not wash, the room also has a simple concrete bench with a shower, and a Japanese wooden bucket, ladle and stool. The traditional elements extend to the way the tub is filled – by a custom-designed waterfall spout.
"It was important that the tub could be filled to overflowing, so the limestone floor tiles incorporate precision laser-cut slots that provide a drain right around the tub," says Gerry.
The Japanese influence is also evident in the grass blinds, shoji screen doors and the tatami tea room. A slightly elevated platform around the edge of the room ensures the mats sit firmly in the center.
The master suite on the upper level features a similarly tranquil bathroom, notable for its watery glass wall tiles and bamboo wood cabinets.
Just like a traditional Japanese bath house, this spa room provides a soaking tub and separate wash facilities. The soaking tub, which is made from concrete, can be filled so that it overflows. Precision laser-cut slots drain the water.
The fluid, sculptural lines of a freestanding tub in a modern bathroom design will always attract the eye. When the curved bathtub is framed by clean, straight lines, the impact is even greater.
Interior designer Emily Summers designed this bathroom in conjunction with the original architect of the home, Max Levy. The architect completely reconfigured the existing space, setting the scene for the designer's makeover.
"The owners asked us to update what had been a 20-year-old space and give it 21st Century relevance," says Summers. "The house has clean lines with an emphasis on textural materials and prominent use of modern detailing – all these elements are echoed in the master bathroom."
Another request from the owners was for an abundance of natural light in the bathroom. To this end, floor-to-ceiling picture windows flood sunlight onto the tub and stone floors beneath. Privacy was addressed by the inclusion of diaphanous, full-length curtaining.
The introduction of the freestanding tub gave the elongated bathroom an aesthetic focal point. From here, Summers and Levy reinterpreted warm wood paneling found elsewhere in the house for the bathroom walls. The clean lines of the wood panels provide a contrasting backdrop for the tub. These are in rift-cut, quarter-sawn white oak.
In further contrast, the high-gloss lacquer cabinets play off the oak walls and stone floors, which give the room a tactile, natural aesthetic.
"This is a his-and-hers bathroom, with the hers component including a custom vanity and a built-in, freestanding mirror," says the designer. "The custom mirror required a detailed design process, addressing issues such as the appropriate height required for applying make-up and optimal lighting – this was addressed through pendant light fixtures hung by rigid nickel dowels."
Almost dream-like in nature, the qualities of glass infused with pigment can create artistic works that bring pleasure to the eye at every glance. When the artistic expressions are also engineered for structural integrity, it becomes possible to incorporate them into either a commercial or residential environment.
Walter Gordinier has gained an international reputation as an imaginative, dextrous glass artist. His works' individualistic nature presents a strong point of difference when creating a new mood or centerpiece for a room in a private home or a larger public space.
"Having certified structural strength enables my pieces to be incorporated directly into the architectural bones of a refit," says Gordinier. "They can be custom designed in terms of everything from color schemes to subject matter and ambiance."
The walkway shown above is a good example. The 12ft-long bridge, evoking the reflections of a rushing mountain stream, offers both a design feature and pedestrian link. The walkway looks equally attractive when viewed from below or above.
Respected glass artist Walter Gordinier often takes inspiration for his works directly from nature. The artist's visit to a glacier, with a mountain stream running down it, inspired this understated piece that serves as a screen divide in a private residence.
This closet from metrichome incorporates many containers and accessories. The closets can be customized to create a personal storage solution.
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