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This All-Black Chalet With A $15 Million Price Tag Is The Modern-Day Wayne Manor Fit For Batman

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Tucked away into Utah’s majestic Powder Mountain is a stunning all-black chalet that will quite literally take your breath away. Call it the ultimate villain’s lair or a modern-day abode fit for Batman, the Power Mountain Dark Chalet has a sculpted black exterior that oozes mystery, moodiness, and sophistication. Nestled away in the Summit Powder Mountain Ski Resort, the chalet is an hour north of Salt Lake City and seems to mysteriously float above the rocky landscape. The luxurious retreat has a mesmerizing asymmetrical form that boasts a glossy and matte composite skin –  making it seem like a precious black diamond wedged into the mountainside.

Designer: Tom Wiscombe

Designed by LA-based architect Tom Wiscombe, and quite rightfully dubbed the Dark Chalet, the impressive retreat is a 5900-square-foot geometric home built using black solar panels. The home is able to generate 300% of its own energy needs. As you enter the abode, you’ll be quite impressed, as the interiors are as exquisitely done as the exterior. The interior is open and free-flowing, and rather expansive, inviting you in and making you feel right at home. The structure holds five bedrooms and five and a half bathrooms. It is adorned with various star features such as a sculptural fireplace, a custom Boffi kitchen, and an LED light display recreating the Orion constellation.

The massive central fireplace draws a lot of attention, as it has been dramatically embedded into the glass-railed staircase that connects the various levels of the home. The space is accentuated with multiple floor-to-ceiling windows that allow natural light to stream throughout the day. And at night, impressive light fixtures illuminate the space. As mentioned earlier, the dining room ceiling has been equipped with a fascinating LED installation that perfectly mimics the Orion constellation.

The Dark Chalet’s drool-worthy good looks and sense of style are balanced out by the use of sturdy and eco-friendly materials to construct it. The chalet perfectly balances aesthetics, functionality, utility, and sustainability, in turn, creating a haven that is worthy of its $15 million price tag…or is it a bit much? The residence would make for the ultimate weekend getaway if you’re willing to pay the rather heavy and dark price.

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Elevated Cabin In Brazil Provides An Immersive + Surreal Treetop Living Experience

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As a child, we’ve all dreamed of having a large enchanting treehouse in our backyards. A place we can play all day in, and spend our summer coasting above the ground, in the canopy of a beautiful tree. As an adult, we can actually make that dream come true with Casa Monoculo. Designed by Brasília-based architect Alan Chu, the Casa Monoculo is a contemporary Brazilian home that is situated above the densely forested area of Eldorado, a neighborhood of Alto Paraiso City. The stunning home is elevated above the ground and is designed to provide a unique twist on the concept of treetop living. But it is not simply an ordinary treehouse, it is spacious and modern, no different than any of the finely done villas you see today. It provides expansive views of the beautiful surroundings while creating a luxurious living experience.

Pros:

  • Provide a luxurious treetop living experience
  • Provides long stunning vistas of the city, sunrise, and the mountains

Cons:

  • Doesn’t seem like the house can accommodate a large number of guests, better suited for smaller parties

Designer: Alan Chu

The site is located near the city center, it required working with unusual conditions. Despite its location, it is surrounded by greenery and preserved Cerrado vegetation, which required the architect to adopt a sensitive approach. He elevated the structure from the ground, to ensure that no disturbance was caused to the existing nature, and no trees had to be cut down. As a result, the home is supported by 12 black metal pillars, five meters above the ground. It touches the ground quite lightly and also provides the residents with long stunning views of the city, sunrise, and the mountains in the distance.

Called Casa Monoculo, the house is named after the traditional monocle which translates to monóculo’ in Portuguese. The entire home was designed with the intention to frame experiences and capture and elevate the beautiful environment via the thoughtfully and well-done setup. An impressive winding staircase welcomes visitors from the ground to the house above, allowing them to connect to the surroundings on their way up.

“The Monóculo house has been designed to not only leave an everlasting memory of the view but to have provided its guests with a unique and unforgettable experience,” said Chu. And, truly the home functions as a warm, inviting, and spacious living setup that makes you feel truly connected with nature, and allows you to appreciate it admiringly from a distance.

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Minimal + tranquil seaside retreat is built using wood offcuts that were meant to be discarded

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Swedish firm Kolman Boye Architects recently completed a stunning retreat in Lillesand, Norway. The home is a pretty unique one since it utilizes offcut wood that would otherwise have been swiftly discarded. Deemed the Saltviga House, the home was built using 12,000 pieces of oak wood flooring materials. Architects Erik Kolman and Victor Boye who are the founders of Kolman Boye Architects got the idea for the home when they found out that the Danish flooring brand Dinesen had a lot of leftover materials available for use. “In our recent projects and in our teaching and research, we have come across Dinesen materials as both the traditional floors and as a scrap, a leftover, an offcut from the production of made-to-measure floors. Making and thinking with these leftovers from the production gave rise to the notion of making a building of them as a sympathetic way of using and ennobling scrap materials that would otherwise have been used as firewood. Besides being beautiful, the off-cuts are low in embodied carbon, and could offer an alternative to more commonly used and more carbon-intensive materials,” said the firm.

Pros:

  • Utilizes leftover offcut wood that would otherwise have been discarded
  • The offcuts used are an eco-friendly alternative to more carbon-intensive materials
  • The approach allows resources to be used frugally and smartly

Cons:

  • The windows on the ground floor are quite expansive, and don’t provide much privacy

Designer: Kolman Boye Architects

The project has been nicknamed “The House of Offcuts”. “It’s about using what’s available, of trying to find beautiful materials without clicking ‘order’ on a computer. When you look at old houses, they would always be built from the best materials available in close proximity,” he told Dezeen. “We wanted to explore how this thinking might look today,” said Boye.  It is situated on a rocky site located on the sea’s edge and is a newly built single-story home spread over five levels, this was done to minimize the impact on the landscape.

Instead of applying the wood randomly, the architect decided upon a single-layer stacking, that builds linear bands of different heights. “We tried stacking in different ways to help us understand how much material we would need, how it would look, and how much work would be involved to cut it to size and treat it,” said Kolman. The variety of color tones that were created as a result of this were quite visually appealing and pleasing. The entire home is made of three volumes, and one of the volume functions as a “wind barrier”, and is a connective element for the other main two buildings.

The interior of the home is spacious and welcoming, and the spaces are equipped with different ceiling heights on the ground floor. The connective volume is lined with long windows that provide expansive views of the sea. The interiors have also been marked with wood, especially Douglas fir cladding.

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Micro-Apartment In Bangkok Is Inspired By Japanese Inns And Embodies Japanese Minimalism + Zen

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Major cities are vortexes of commotion, hustle, and bustle, and the city of Bangkok in Thailand is no exception to this. Finding peace and tranquility in such cities can often be a pain and a complete rarity. However, there is supposed to be a 90 percent increase in population in cities of developing countries, which is definitely something to note, and policymakers and citizens will have to reimagine and revamp how to live comfortably in these modern cities. In Bangkok, Thailand, city officials are increasing the amount of green space per capita, while also lowering the city’s carbon emissions. And local designer Mae Prachasilcha of La Tarta Piccola has created a sustainable and small living space in such circumstances.

Designer: Mae Prachasilcha of La Tarta Piccola

The interior designer completely transformed a 355-square-foot condo, converting it into a zen-like and peaceful haven for her brother and sister-in-law. The home was originally quite boring and cramped but is now a multifunctional minimalist space. The designer took inspiration from traditional Japanese inns that are similar to bed and breakfasts and often include traditional architectural components such as shoji (paper screen doors), and modular tatami mats. Mae utilized these elements to maximize the small condo, and to create a living space that felt calm and spacious.

“The design idea was to optimize the use of limited space by overlapping functional spaces. The design was inspired by the calm and peaceful vibes of Japanese ryokans, or hot spring inns. We wanted to use Japanese shoji doors to give the space a softer look and to also allow for flexibility. In doing so, we were able to create two multifunctional areas that expand the living area from 7 to 17 square meters (75 to 183 square feet),” said the designer. As you enter the home, you are welcomed by a space with integrated storage, and built-in cabinets floating over the floor, creating a cozy nook for storing shoes. The kitchen can be found behind a sliding door and is quite functional with loads of storage space. The main living room is adorned with a couch and a custom-made media center.

The star and focal point of the home is a set of large sliding shoji doors, which open up to living and sleeping spaces, as well as the couple’s wardrobe. The sleeping area is inspired by tatami modules and is multifunctional. You can sit, work, read, or sip on some tea there. Below the tatami, there are integrated storage cubbies to store the low table or the futon.

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Top 5 home appliances you need to create the ultimate automated setup and routine

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With time, patience, and trial and error, I’ve realized that the key to having a neat, tidy, and organized home is an arsenal of nifty and handy appliances. A couple of innovative and unique home appliances can ensure that your home is always in order and that you’re able to complete your everyday tasks with ease and efficiency.  If you’re in the mood to Marie Kondo your home or simply want to complete your chores effectively and efficiently, these handy appliances will perfectly assist you in doing so. From an AI-powered robotic pool cleaner to an elegant smart device that keeps your home cool and saves you money – this range of diverse and super-functional appliances is all you need to create the ultimate living setup.

1. AIRROBO PC100

AIRROBO recently unveiled the new PC100 cordless robotic pool cleaner, which promises to deliver stress-free and sweat-free maintenance of pools just in time for summer!

Why is it noteworthy?

The AIRROBO PC100 is a true wonder, with two brushes scrubbing your pool floors and a powerful suction of 55GPM (Gallons Per Minute) that makes short work of leaves, dirt, debris, and even fine sand along its path, ensuring a clean and healthy swim every time.

What we like

  • It can clean walls and waterlines, crawling up walls up to 90 degrees
  • Its large 4L filter basket lets it give the pool a thorough cleaning before you need to pick it up

What we dislike

  • Hefty price tag

2. Klima

Meet Klima, the ultimate accessory to upgrade your old AC! You don’t need any hardwiring to install Klima, simply attach it to your wall, point your AC’s remote control at it, install the BOLDR mobile app, and you’re all done! You have an instant smart AC for the faction of the price and effort.

Why is it noteworthy?

The scratch and fingerprint-resistant mirrored glass surface gives an instant aesthetic upgrade to any room, while the recycled aluminum shell and recycled plastic bottom give it durability and longevity without harming the environment in the process.

What we like

  • Easy to install, no hardwiring required
  • Elegant minimalist style

What we dislike

  • There is no battery-operated version available for a completely wireless wall-mounted option currently.

3. The COit

The COit was designed by LG to function as a robot that can serve as a hub in your kitchen ecosystem. The robot can be easily used by both novices and professional chefs alike, and it functions as an autonomous device that shifts from focus from videography back to cooking – which is the primary aim behind entering a kitchen.

Why is it noteworthy?

The COit features a mountable rail with a circular display encircled by a projector, light, camera, and a smart grip. All the various modules can be moved around freely and independently on the small rail, covering the entire prep area or keeping them away from the fire and vapors.

What we like

  • These modules – that clip onto the rail with built-in magnets – can be customized in orientation, depending on user requirements

What we dislike

  • Food over the globe has such diversity, trying to standardize the recipe as per one instruction set would impact the diversity of that dish

4. Abell

Called Abell, this air purifier is designed to be both functional and decorative. It is designed to be a device that helps purify the air inside your room or house. But instead of just standing there in the room, it is actually a lighting device.

Why is it noteworthy?

It will not take up space on your floor or on your table but it can be hung up wherever you want and it will give you cleaner air and also light up the room. And if you’re into the minimalist, monochromatic look, then it can also serve as an aesthetic addition to your room.

What we like

  • Multifunctional product
  • Minimalist and visually pleasing design

What we dislike

  • The concept is shown having a very minimal controller which does not specify on how the air-purification function is customisable.

5. The Luvia Jug

The Luvia Jug lets you watch your water being purified! It’s built from glass and has a good-looking minimal appearance which makes it great to place on your tabletop or kitchen counter.

Why is it noteworthy?

Usually, water purifiers tend to look quite industrial, however, the Luvia has a rather decor-worthy appearance, with a compact catalytic carbon filter suspended in the center, and a chic bamboo lid, that helps you keep it covered.

What we like

  • The jar has a double-walled construction with two levels – one for the water you pour in, and another for the water that gets purified by the Luvia jar
  • Environment-friendly + somewhat recyclable design

What we dislike

  • It seems to be easily breakable

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Minimal white home in Portugal is adorned with flower petal-inspired walls

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Created by Portuguese studio Sandra Micaela Casinha Atelier, the Casa Pátios de Pétalas is a clean white and minimal home with an organic shape that is inspired by flowers. The home is marked by curved white walls and was designed for a family with a young daughter. Nestled in the Gondomar neighborhood in the east of Porto, the home is informed by mother nature and utilizes a limited material palette.

Designer: Sandra Micaela Casinha Atelier

The organic form of the home is really quite interesting. It houses two storeys, with the glazed lower storey amped with timber slots that provide shading. The upper storey features fluid white rendered walls that bring to mind the image of petals. “The flower petals embrace the entire upper floor,” studio founder Sandra Casinha. “To reinforce their presence, we limit the use to three materials: white [concrete], which draws the petals, aluminum, and glass. Thus, the petals gain more expression.”

The interiors of the home feature curved walls, that create physical and visual links between the various living spaces. As you enter the home, you are welcomed by an open staircase with timber treads that run through the first floor, marking the center of the open-plan living space. The lower storey is segregated by two sinuous curved walls which split the open plan into thirds. The kitchen and dining room occupy one-third of the space, while the living room occupies the central section of the plan. The living room and a curving timber deck are subtly connected via sliding glazed doors. The deck overlooks the lovely garden.

The upper floor of the home houses three ensuite bedrooms. Each bedroom has its own patio, which creates a serene connection to the outdoors. The interiors of the Casa Pátios de Pétalas are also inspired by nature. Earthy tones and textiles dominate the living and sleeping sections, while the walls of the ensuite bathrooms have been clad in jewel-toned red tiles.”In the decoration, you can feel the palette of pastel and raw colors used,” Casinha explained. “[We use] furniture that enhances the tranquility of the place, casual comfort, natural materials, [and] simplicity.”

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This zigzagging luxurious villa is the ultimate holiday home for summer 2023

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Lisbon-based studio Falcão de Campos designed a stunning minimal holiday home called Pura Comporto. The picturesque home features a triple-pitched roof and is located near one of Portugal’s idyllic beaches. Designed by the head architect João Pedro Falcão de Campos, the exquisite villa has been equipped with three bedrooms and is on a vacation site near Praia do Pego – which is one of the most popular beaches in the Comporta area, south of Lisbon.

Designer: Falcão de Campos

The home has a feel-good and relaxed Mediterranean-style aesthetic amped with white walls, light-filled interiors, and minimal and precise detailing. The home features a zigzagging facade and roof that segregates the building into three neat volumes, giving the impression of a trio of humble homes, rather than a singular home. This influences the interiors of the home, with the bedrooms being nestled in half volumes at each end and a series of living spaces occupying the central section of the home. A mezzanine has also been placed above one of the bedrooms, which functions as an additional sleeping space.

The home has been placed off the sloping ground, which creates sufficient space for parking within. This creates an elevated terrace at the front, with the rear opening out to a large deck and a swimming pool. “We believe that we managed to develop a relationship of mutual confidence with them, which we consider very important for a positive outcome,” said João Pedro Falcão de Campos. Materials such as birch plywood and Estremoz marble were used in the construction of the home, and a Portuguese stone was used to build the kitchen island.

“The choice of bright colors and the use of cane reed shading for the south facade, executed by local workers, were important construction decisions that relate to the typical houses in the area,” he continued. The home artfully incorporates traditional clay roof tiles and shading devices made from cane reeds. The windows feature generous glazing which allows for lovely views of the nearby rice fields, while an internal courtyard functions as an outdoor dining space. “The challenges faced in this project are the same that we face in the majority of the projects developed in our office, which is to build well, making use of quality materials,” concluded Falcão de Campos.

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Unique Californian home features a central cube for sleeping & meditation + playful skylights

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Designed by US architects Annie Barrett (heads Aanda) and Hye-Young Chung (leads HYCArch), the Centered Home is a stunning Californian home that features a blackened wood facade, a central cube for sleeping and meditation, and dainty rooms that seem to be streaming with light. The home was designed especially for clients who have a major love for art! The entire project was heavily focused on transforming a Spanish-style house in Los Angeles for a couple who wanted their adoration for art and design to be reflected in their home, with a precise attention to detail.

Designer: Annie Barrett and Hye-Young Chung

The clients have almost reached semi-retirement, and they had their eyes on a long-term home that could adapt and support their changing lifestyle. “They approached the design process less as a means towards an end and more as an opportunity to deeply consider how their constructed environment would participate in shaping ‘phase two’ of their life,” said Chung. The single-story rectangular house occupies almost 2200 square feet, and the facade of the home is clad in a wooden rain screen that was charred via shou sugi ban – the popular Japanese technique.

The interior layout was “informed by a balance of meditative solitude and exuberant communal living,” said the team. The home features a unique and introverted central portion, which is formed like a cube. This section is maintained for private usage, while the front area of the home is appropriate for communal activities, and faces the landscape and the city. “While inside the house, one is either within the cube or living between it and the visually porous exterior envelope of the building, creating direct connections to nature and amplifying the sense of the cube as a volume within a volume – or, a home within a house,” said Barrett.

The central cube of the home houses the main bedroom, which showcases a vaulted ceiling clad in white oak. The impressive ceiling features a skylight as well. A wardrobe with CNC-cut panels amped with soft grooves that create a “crenulated texture of shadows” lines one of the bedroom walls. “Informed by an interest in unexpected details, this millwork is sized to fit the couple’s wardrobe with precision. For instance, individual shoes were measured to ensure ample and accurate spacing,” the team concluded.

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Unique other-worldly lighting fixture is made up of dark textured glass discs

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I love a beautifully-designed lighting fixture because I truly believe a really great one has the ability to illuminate a space – both literally, and metaphorically. Besides the physical light that it quite obviously emits, a well-designed lighting fixture can add manifolds of personality and charisma to a room. They can function as sculptural pieces, that are an extension of your personal taste and preference, truly exhibiting the richness and niche-ness of your curation capabilities. And one such stunning lighting design I recently laid eyes upon is the Noctiluca Lighting.

Designer: Ross Gardam

Designed by Australian brand Ross Gardam, the Noctiluca Light is a spectacular arrangement of textured glass discs in the shape of a circle. The statement suspended lamp is a total wonder to look at and consists of “an endless undulating spiral” of 32 of Ross Gardam’s own Ceto lights. The Ceto lights feature textured surfaces that attempt to imitate the movement of water.

“Summoning the presence of the otherworldly, drawn from the deep, Noctiluca’s ethereal form transcends the everyday. Floating, suspended parallel to the wall, 32 Ceto lamps adore the band in a mesmerizing motif. Intrinsically formed in each individual lamp is the current of the ocean, together they flow and revolve around the Noctiluca skeleton forming an endless undulating spiral,” said the brand. Each element of the lighting fixture has a translucent and other-worldly appeal to it which in turn creates an ethereal mass effect that puts you under a spell! Each Noctiluca light is hand-assembled in Ross Gardam’s Melbourne studio, which probably explains why every piece looks so concise, precise, and well-defined. Each lighting piece truly looks like an exquisite piece of art. The Ceto light mouths have been blown in Australia.

The dark tone of the glass adds a rather mysterious and seductive sensation to the lighting design. It will instantly add an element of sophistication and elegance to any room it is placed within. The Noctiluca light is also available in white glass, which has a softer and more neutral appeal to it. The base structure of the light has been crafted from machine-anodized aluminum. The lighting fixture can be assembled to any required voltage.

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This massive house in Chile is inspired by the biblical tale of Jonah and the whale

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Designed by architect Rodolfo Cañas, this massive house in Chile was inspired by the tale of Jonah and the Whale. Cañas shaped the home around two gardens and is located in the rural town of Pomaire, less than an hour southwest of Santiago. The single-family home is designed to protect and shelter its residents from the elements, weather, and surroundings.

Designer: Rodolfo Cañas

“In some ways, the Paire House can be comparable to the whale that protected Jonah during the storm,” said the architect. “In a rural, dry, rugged environment and also close to a highway with a heavy traffic flow, this house works as a container; a protective body, which separates its inhabitants from the hostile environment and makes them look towards a more sheltered interior.”

The shielding and protective quality of the home is similar to the whale that swallowed the prophet, Jonah. From above, the house looks like an abstract human body with four limbs angled in different directions. This interesting layout is determined by two parallel circulation routes, one private, and one public, as well as an intention to orient the room toward certain views. You can enter the house through a garden to the north, that is sheltered by a canopy. The garden is landscaped to move visitors toward one gate, and residents to another. “This forms the cut between the rugged exterior and the sheltered interior of the house,” said Cañas. “It is a covered garden and considers a more controlled natural lighting in order to generate the cut coming from the outside.”

The house includes a row of four bedrooms which all face an enclosed garden. The rooms have been equipped with floor-to-ceiling glass doors, and guests pass through the garden to enter the living space. The residents, on the other hand, can move around via an interior corridor that passes behind the bedrooms. This passageway features a skylight that allows light to stream into it. The southwest end of the home holds an open-plan kitchen, dining, and lounge area. These spaces overlook the central garden. The primary suite is positioned in the southeast wing.

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