Tag Archives: Home

This quaint wooden villa in the Vietnam countryside encourages a serene human-nature connection

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Design practice APS Concept renovated the stunning resort space Villa of the Star, located in the Dalat pine forest, Vietnam. The house was built while focusing on three main factors – connectivity, locality, and sustainability. The unique residence merges perfectly with the forest surrounding it, building a serene human-nature connection. The structure is built using a variety of locally sourced materials, such as stone, pine wood, concrete, steel, and bricks.

Designer: APS Concept

Near the site, there is a low ‘taluy’ river bank, therefore a natural wall was built, to protect the house from landslides and heavy rains. The wall was built using stones, and helps to not affect the natural state. The home comprises of three main volume blocks, two roofed units, and a lower section that functions as the ground floor. The lower portion has been clad in tangled stone and supports the two roofed units. Both the pointed roof components have been built from natural wood – each in a different color.

The material that was selected by the design team for the home is ‘modified pine wood’. Modified pine wood is popular for its moisture resistance, mildew resistance, termite resistance, heat resistance, stability, durability, and environmental friendliness. What makes the building even more interesting, is the fact, that the natural wood used to build it differs in color. The tones of the wood range from light to dark, and have been utilized in different parts of the home. Massive glass windows provide surreal views of the surrounding forest scape and allow generous amounts of natural light to stream in through the day.

The common areas include the living room, and the kitchen, and they are segregated from the private areas through the use of concrete grinded floors. The indoors and outdoors are connected subtly via glass doors, which allow you to exit the home, and enter the outdoors in a flexible and open layout. The whole intention behind the design strategy of the Villa of the Star was to allow the residents and guests to get closer to nature. It was designed to provide an experience where people feel at one with nature while ensuring comfort, privacy, and safety.

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How to give your home a budget-friendly makeover

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Want to give your home a fresh lease of life but worried about costs? Well, it’s a common misconception that refreshing the look of a home is an expensive affair. From DIY ideas to a full-fledged renovation, it’s all about details and creative ideas that are easy on the pocket. Therefore, if you are on a shoestring budget, these creative strategies can help you to achieve a stunning look without breaking the bank. However, before starting any renovation project, make sure to create a realistic budget so that one can save money.

1. Organize the Furniture Layout

Reorganize the existing furniture layout so that the space looks well organized and there is adequate circulation space within the home. Moving the furniture away from the walls is highly recommended to create intimate seating in the living room. Add smart storage and introduce floating shelves to optimum use of the vertical space. For a clutter-free look, increase the built-in storage with modular storage units, storage beds, sofa-cum-beds to name a few. It is highly recommended to purchase practical and functional pieces of furniture from affordable brands.

Designer: ECRU STUDIO

2. Add a Pop of Colour

Wall paint is a cost-effective way to refresh the look of any space. It’s always good to choose a color palette that can create a cohesive look within the home. Go for a bold color or a light color scheme for a compact space to uplift the look. Turn an empty wall into a focus wall by painting it in a bold hue or add a pop of color to one or two accent pieces of furniture and style a neutral space. Breathe new life into old furniture by sanding and repainting it. Patterned or textured wallpaper creates an accent feature behind the bed. Using metallic finishes in gold and silver hues can instantly upgrade the look of any space.

Designer: Regan Baker Design

3. Invest in Soft Furnishings

Enhance the look of the interiors with soft furnishings. Replace old throw pillow covers with bright new cushion covers to add a pop of color. Mix and match colors and create an interesting composition and combine squares and design. Change the cushions with seasons. For example, use delicate floral prints for the spring season and deep colors alongside heavy texture for winter. Reupholstering furniture can freshen the home’s look, and choose drapery that complements the room’s furniture and overall color palette.

Designer: Sweef

4. Add Moulding

Decorate the home with Victorian-style moulding on the walls and ceiling to elevate the look of the interiors. Also, consider wainscoting to upgrade the look of blank walls, as it can work wonders in any room.

5. Introduce Wall Art

Create a statement gallery wall and decorate a bare or empty corner with wall art, photographs, porcelain plates, personal artwork, or a visually arresting painting. Choose frames that work together and create an art gallery-style wall display.

Designer: Lenka Daviesova

6. Accessorize the Home

Create an interesting vignette on coffee tables, consoles, and empty corners. Having a centerpiece with the color and fragrance of fresh or artificial flowers alongside candles, trays, trinkets, and tchotchkes is always wonderful. Source budget-friendly home décor items from antique shops, online portals, and stores during their annual sales. Avoid too many accessories and invest in large-size art to create a grand and impactful space. Style bookshelves by arranging books according to size or color and add art alongside mementos to add character.

Click Here to Buy Now: Modular Flower Tubes ($149)

7. Replace Unsightly Items

Rusted faucets and unattractive hardware like door knobs, drawer pulls, or handles can be an eyesore, so one must polish them to retain shine and sparkle. Alternatively, one can replace these damaged pieces with new sanitary fixtures and stylish hardware and give a brand-new look to the home.

8. Introduce Mirrors

Mirrors are not only meant for the bathroom vanity and dressing table, but they also have the potential to create the illusion of extended space. Install a mirror in a narrow entryway or the end of the hallway to make it look doubly spacious. If the room is dimly lit, place a mirror opposite a window so that it reflects natural light and provides outdoor views throughout the day.

Designer: AC/AL Studio for Petite Friture

9. Add an Area Rug

Introduce an area rug, as it is one of the easiest ways to add interest, color, and texture. Additionally, it demarcates areas in an open-plan home, adds softness, creates a layered effect, and changes the aesthetics of the space.

Designer: Jaipur Rugs

10. Good Lighting

It is important to find the right balance between natural and artificial light. Introduce a layered lighting scheme with a combination of ambient or general lighting, task lighting or focus lighting, and accent lighting to add depth. Swap uninspiring light fixtures with new ones; add dimmers to change the overall mood of the space and give it a quick makeover. From chandeliers and pendant lights to artistic sconces, consider statement wall lighting to conjure a warm aura and transform them into focal points in your home.

Click Here to Buy Now: Starry Wreath ($99)

11. Get Organized

Decluttering does not cost money, and less is always more. The first step is to clean the home and get organized. A clutter-free space looks very nice, and keeping the house clean is one of the most inexpensive ways of upgrading the look of the home. Cut the clutter, as cluttered spaces can look heavy and feel claustrophobic. Add a few pieces that can help in creating an organized space and reduce the number of accessories, display items, flowers, and so on. Before buying new items for your home, always remove outdated or damaged items from the house.

Click Here to Buy Now: Quick-Access Organizer ($69)

12. Upgrade Old Flooring

The flooring design and flooring material sets the tone of the interiors. Replace a shabby floor with laminated wooden flooring, linoleum, or vinyl flooring, as they are budget-friendly, lightweight, and can be laid directly onto the existing flooring. Roll out bright carpets and rugs to enhance the look of drab flooring but remember carpets tend to trap dust and should be vacuum cleaned frequently.

Designer: IM Wooden Floor

13. Conceal Messy Wires

Wire management has become a challenge as more and more electronic devices enter our homes. You can invest in a cable management box, bundle cords behind the furniture, run the TV wires inside the wall, tuck them into tubing, or insert them through baseboard accessories. It makes the house look clean and organized.

14. Go Green

Plants add color and texture and are an inexpensive way to accessorize interiors. They not only rejuvenate our homes by providing oxygen but also come with excellent air-purifying properties. Introduce hanging plants and succulents, or style them on a beautiful stand or in handcrafted planters. Large potted plants are a great way to fill dead corners and empty spaces and make a huge difference to the décor. One can also get inspired by nature and introduce materials like rattan, bamboo, jute, and wood into the home decor.

Designer: Studio Doss

15. Upgrade the Bathroom

If the bathroom looks dull and dreary, upgrade its look with a bright and colorful shower curtain that won’t burn a hole in your pocket. Infuse sophistication and make a statement with a head-turning mirror. Additionally, you can add color and pattern with waterproof peel-and-stick decals on the tiles of the bathroom and even the kitchen tiles.

Designers: Fabio Bortolani, Ermano Righi, Gergely Agoston, RD Agape for Agape Design

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This concrete floating home in Ho Chi Minh City is designed to mitigate the effects of flooding

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Architecture studio SDA designed a concrete-frame home called the Floating House. Perched on the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City, the Floating House has been raised above the ground, to protect the home against the effects of flooding. The home is located in the Thu Duc district, which faces flooding quite frequently due to a nearby river. By elevating the home one meter above the ground, the studio was able to mitigate the adverse impact of flooding.

Designer: Studio SDA

The home is marked by its exposed concrete framework, which provides protection to the house from the elements. About 70 percent of the home is filled with spaces that are quite open to the outside, through the integration of cantilevered balconies and a rooftop terrace. This creates a serene indoor-outdoor connection. The rest of the home is closed off to the outside with the help of wood-framed windows.

“We composed the house as three slabs floating above the ground. The gap between each floor creates a diversity of spaces indoors and outdoors. Each slab is extended toward the garden, cantilevering in multiple directions, and serves as a terrace or outdoor space, an eave for an opening, and a roof to cover an outdoor staircase,” explained Studio SDA. The home features three levels, which are connected via an external staircase that is sheltered overhead by overhanging floor plates. The interiors of the home are enclosed by folding glass doors with dark-wood frames. This enables the spaces to be deftly interconnected to the balconies. However, the bathroom is fully enclosed and private.

The lower level of the home includes the bedroom. The bedroom is linked to the kitchen, living room, and dining area on the upper floor by an internal spiral staircase. A rooftop terrace is placed atop the home, and it holds seating and outdoor cooking spaces. “In Vietnam, where everything is packed tightly together, including people and things, we believe it is essential to design outdoor spaces that serve as ‘blank spaces.  This house focuses on the active outdoor life in Vietnam, with a new frame and structural design to realize it,” the studio concluded.

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This concrete floating home in Ho Chi Minh City is designed to mitigate the effects of flooding

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Architecture studio SDA designed a concrete-frame home called the Floating House. Perched on the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City, the Floating House has been raised above the ground, to protect the home against the effects of flooding. The home is located in the Thu Duc district, which faces flooding quite frequently due to a nearby river. By elevating the home one meter above the ground, the studio was able to mitigate the adverse impact of flooding.

Designer: Studio SDA

The home is marked by its exposed concrete framework, which provides protection to the house from the elements. About 70 percent of the home is filled with spaces that are quite open to the outside, through the integration of cantilevered balconies and a rooftop terrace. This creates a serene indoor-outdoor connection. The rest of the home is closed off to the outside with the help of wood-framed windows.

“We composed the house as three slabs floating above the ground. The gap between each floor creates a diversity of spaces indoors and outdoors. Each slab is extended toward the garden, cantilevering in multiple directions, and serves as a terrace or outdoor space, an eave for an opening, and a roof to cover an outdoor staircase,” explained Studio SDA. The home features three levels, which are connected via an external staircase that is sheltered overhead by overhanging floor plates. The interiors of the home are enclosed by folding glass doors with dark-wood frames. This enables the spaces to be deftly interconnected to the balconies. However, the bathroom is fully enclosed and private.

The lower level of the home includes the bedroom. The bedroom is linked to the kitchen, living room, and dining area on the upper floor by an internal spiral staircase. A rooftop terrace is placed atop the home, and it holds seating and outdoor cooking spaces. “In Vietnam, where everything is packed tightly together, including people and things, we believe it is essential to design outdoor spaces that serve as ‘blank spaces.  This house focuses on the active outdoor life in Vietnam, with a new frame and structural design to realize it,” the studio concluded.

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This beautiful U-shaped beach house in Chile is located on the edge of a cliff

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Based in Chile, ERRE Arquitectos built the Casa Ferran, a stunning low-profile holiday home located in Matanzas. Placed on the coast of Chile, the home occupies 240 square meters, in the form of a U-shape, on the edge of a cliff, which drops majestically down to the Pacific Ocean. The home was designed by Raimundo Gutiérrez of ERRE Arquitectos

Designer: ERRE Arquitectos

While building the holiday home, the architect paid immense consideration to three important factors. He wanted to provide protection against the southwestern wind, privacy on the north and south sides, as well as ensure access to stunning views of the sea. The U-shaped form of the home helped very well in this. It causes the house to point away from the ocean, owing to a protected central courtyard on the slope connected to the sea via a glazed common area.

“What the project seeks is to generate a transversal and permeable axis in the east-west direction, which connects two exterior areas with dissimilar characteristics through the interior common area. The rest of the program is arranged to contain and give shape to this axis,” said the studio. The home consists of two major wings on either side of the main central volume. One wing includes three bedrooms and two atriums with plants, while the other wing angles outwards and holds the covered parking area, which further leads to the guest bedroom and service zones.

The main central volume houses the kitchen, living, and dining areas. The volume is marked by floor-to-ceiling windows, that allow light to stream in throughout the day. Sliding glass doors connect the space to the covered patio. The central volume is transparent and open. The home is built from black-colored steel, with the exterior clad in pine boards, which beautifully contrasts the steel. The interiors, on the other hand, feature a delicate white theme accentuated by warm wooden flooring. Each wing has been gifted with a planted green roof. “The design responds to elements of organic architecture. However, formally rigid features appear, which are the result of several variables, conditions, and demands that were presented,” concluded the studio.

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This glass pavilion in southern Chile features cantilevered boxed bedrooms

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Santiago-based studio Izquierdo Lehmann designed a cylindrical lakehouse near Lago Ranco in southern Chile. The home is designed by Cristián Izquierdo L, a partner at the studio. Called Casa Encoique, it was constructed in 2021 as a guest pavilion that supports a pre-existing holiday home, allowing various generations of the family to live on the property.

Designer: Izquierdo Lehmann

Occupying almost 1345 square feet, the lakehouse is in the form of a circular glass pavilion, and is located within the forest. It is connected to the main holiday home via an elevated concrete walkway. The first floor of the pavilion features an open-plan layout and accommodates a living and dining space, as well as a compact prep kitchen. On the floor above, there are three “boxed” en-suite bedrooms which are arranged in the shape of a triangle. These rooms are cantilevered and have been clad in dried pine. The pine was dried at 300 degrees Celsius to elevate its thermal properties and longevity.

“The main challenge was to solve, in an efficient way, the triangular structure in relation to the circular base,” Izquierdo said. The triangular section is rotated off-center, to create more circulation space between the rooms. A metal and eucalyptus spiral staircase is placed in this space. “In the end, the project doesn’t solve the problem – as Louis Kahn would do it in the Yale Art Center where the triangular stair meets the circle in a perfect way – but it manifests that these two orders are fighting with each other, and sometimes they fit and sometimes they don’t,” Izquierdo said.

Above the bed, a window has been positioned which allows light to generously stream into the room, but it also accommodates a triangular truss which allows the box to artfully blend into the perimeter wall. The various modular construction methods used to build the home ensured that a sense of cohesion and harmony was created throughout the home. “While the structure of the bedrooms and the staircase make explicit the mismatches of the triangular composition, the vertical modulation of the horizontal carpentry coincides in the boxes and the glazed enclosure, masking different materials and shapes in a common module,” the studio said.

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This wooden home in Germany is a sustainable sculpture of wooden cubes

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Tucked away in the lush greenery of Bavaria, Germany is a wooden family home located next to a quaint lake. Designed by Appels Architekten, the home features a simple and minimal architectural form. “Conceptionally, it distinguishes between private rooms and a generous open space for daily family life,” said the studio.

Designer: Appels Architekten

What makes the home quite intriguing is the fact that it comprises a sculpture of wooden cubes with all the private rooms artistically placed within them. In between the wooden cubes, there are multiple open spaces, that allow light to playfully enter the home during the day, and light it up, in the winter as well. The open spaces also provide lovely views of the garden, treetops, and the lake. The roof of the home has a rather fanning shape, which perfectly contrasts the sloping terrain, and gives a bit of versatility to the interiors. The home has been deftly placed on a plateau above the lake, almost concealing it. It is surrounded by dense wooden trees.

“The setting in its natural environment, the generous ceiling height, the amount of daylight, and the honest materialization create a pleasant atmosphere and a pleasant indoor climate,” said the studio. The entire configuration of the home is rather unique and eye-catching. It features a form that is geometrically interesting, inviting you to explore the home further. The openness of the structure creates a gentle connection and coexistence between the home, and the rest of the community, giving the residents an opportunity to either live in privacy or step out and interact in some communal living. The private rooms have been placed around a family space, where all residents of the home can gather and engage.

Since wood was used to construct the home, it can be considered quite sustainable as well. Being a renewable resource, the use of wood reduces carbon dioxide emissions during construction, as well as the need for non-renewable primary energy. The construction process included a degree of prefabrication, allowing a lot of the construction to be done off-site. It leads to shorter assembly times, and only a few site trips for the architectural team. The home is powered by fossil-fuel energy via air-source heat pumps and storage tanks.

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This contemporary + traditional cedar-clad home in Nova Scotia celebrates the site’s nautical history

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Canadian architecture studio Omar Gandhi Architect designed an impressive home called the Jib House in the historic village of Chester, in Nova Scotia. The home has been clad in two types of cedar and is situated on a triangular coastal lot, which inspired its name. The coastal site mimics a ‘Jib’ – a slender triangular fore-sail used on a traditional sailing boat. The home was built in an attempt to celebrate, and pay tribute to the nautical history of the region, where every year the Chester Race Week has been held for the past hundred and fifty years.

Designer: Omar Gandhi Architects

The clients wanted the home to fully utilize the stunning waterfront site while functioning as an open and massive space that can accommodate their ever-growing family. The home features six bedrooms and has been generously spread along the waterfront. A pale-eastern white-cedar cladding and roof are inspired by the coastal architecture usually seen in Nova Scotia. While the red cedar cantilevered structures add a rather modern and contemporary vibe to the home.

“The parti of the house is a kit of red cedar-clad lenses of different sizes and proportions, which slide into the primary gable form clad almost entirely in eastern white cedar, the most ubiquitous of regional vernacular forms. These lenses provide unique views of both the foreground and distant landscape from critical social zones of the house,” said Omar Gandhi. The base of the home has been clad in Indiana limestone, while a series of board-form concrete walls create an intriguing set of terraced pathways, that twist, and turn, leading to a pool, a built-in hot tub, and a pool house. The pool house includes a sauna and a wood-burning stove.

The home includes a top-floor entrance that leads to a “compressed zone”, that holds a glass balcony overseeing all the living areas. Five of the bedrooms can be accessed from this floor, which has been equipped with red cedar-clad window boxes that function as terraces. A majestic spiral staircase connects the upper level to the lower level and is crafted from solid wood with a 5-axis machining. The primary living room features double-height floor-to-ceiling windows, as well as a stone-clad fireplace. The dining room and kitchen are placed behind the fireplace, followed by the sixth bedroom.

The interiors of the home match the exteriors, as a muted and subtle color palette, runs through the entire structure, with splashes of limestone and cedar finishes. A terrace is connected to all the common areas, while a sunken conversation pit in one of the cantilevered window boxes, is followed by a dip in the landscape, which leads to the pool below.

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This rustic concrete home in Tulum is nestled within a tropical garden

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Designed by Mexican studio CO-LAB Design Office, Villa Petricor is a beautiful 300-square-meter home located on a sleek and angled property in the town of Tulum. The site is surrounded by stunning tropical vegetation and welcomes the cool prevailing winds that blow through the region. The home was designed to inculcate an intimate relationship between the residents and the natural surroundings.

Designer: CO-LAB Design Office

“Villa Petricor connects us to the natural world by providing spaces that encourage us to slow down and marvel at the beauty of the present moment,” said the local studio CO-LAB Design Office. The raw and rustic home is named after the “earthy scent produced when rain falls on dry soil”. Hordes of trees run through the property, with the home artfully tucked in the midst of them. The windows have been consciously placed throughout the home, to provide mesmerizing views of the surrounding trees. “Projected shadows cast by the surrounding vegetation extend the presence of nature in all the rooms of the house,” the team concluded.

The entrance of the home features a majestic brise-soleil created from concrete blocks. The screen provides little sneak peeks into the home, while maintaining a sense of privacy and security. Once you enter the home, you are welcomed by interiors marked with arched openings and cozy niches, creating a lovely indoor-outdoor connection, and a feeling of openness and fluidity within the home.The ground floor houses two bedrooms, a comfy open space to lounge about in, and a cooking and dining area. Impressive large doors lead you to a terrace, as well as a swimming pool.

In the words of CO-LAB, the interiors of the home are “sculpted and monolithic”. The upper level holds a split-level main suite with a sleeping section, lounge, bathroom, and terrace. The vaulted ceiling is one of the star features of the suite. It has also been equipped with built-in furniture such as a platform bed, and benches that are connected to the wall.

Custom finishes and pivoting windows built from rolled, stainless-steel tube frames further support the monolithic aesthetic of the home. The walls have been created from polished cement, and the floors are accentuated by terrazzo, with both featuring a mineral pigment as the color. Four skylights allow generous amounts of light to stream into the home. “The washed light on the walls and floors enhances the texture of the polished cement interiors, revealing the perfectly imperfect handwork of local artisans,” the studio said. All these smart and beautiful details further enhance the sculptural appeal of the home, creating a space that perfectly embodies both fluidity and stillness.

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This contemporary home in San Francisco features a sculptural cast-glass staircase

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Geddes Ulinskas Architects recently finished a stunning home in Cow Hollow, San Franciso, marked by an exquisite cast glass staircase. Occupying 12,000 square feet on a 0.26-acre lot, the home features abundant indoor-outdoor spaces and intricate stone detailing. And not to mention it looks out to the Golden Gate Bridge!

Designer: Geddes Ulinskas Architects

“We were deeply inspired by the natural environment for the design of this home and sought to bring the outdoors in as much as possible,” said Geddes Ulinskas. The three-story home has been equipped with six bedrooms and is basically multiple envelopes stacked on top of each other, that can be continually glazed. The roof emits a floating effect, since the structure is pulled back from the exterior walls, and columns have been set in glass. This also allows for a linear ribbon of bronze windows throughout the home.

A wooden 20 feet tall door leads you into the home, while the smooth exterior walls have wood-wrapped roof eaves dangling over them. These beautifully contrast the split-faced limestone entry. As you enter the home, you are welcomed by a seating area, and a dining room adjacent to it. The dining room opens up to the garden, via floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors. These transparent glass doors create an intimate indoor-outdoor connection. Materials such as wood and hand-textured stone were used to accentuate the interiors, and they pair excellently with the custom paneling and blackened steel finishes.

“We utilized nature-inspired colors such as charcoal and dark green with fixtures inspired by water ripples, lightning, and other fractal forms,” Ulinskas said.

The entire home is defined by impressive sliding glass doors, providing beautiful views of San Francisco, and integrating indoor-outdoor living. Fabric was stretched over the ceiling to hide some of the technical equipment – creating clean lines and smooth surfaces. Although, the star of the home is a magnificent steel and glass staircase that”reads more like a two-story piece of art than the product of construction,” in the words of the studio. The sculptural staircase was brought to life by pouring molten glass into a thick four-inch form and then allowing the glass treads to cool for almost three months.

The home has also been equipped with a private movie theatre, wine room, gym, 72-foot lap pool, built-in stainless steel spa, and a wellness spa with a glass-enclosed sauna and steam shower. A massive rooftop deck on top of the house provides views of the San Francisco Bay and also features a stone fire table.

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