|
It will be interesting to see how many correct answers we get in our little St Paddy's day contest. . . . . I mean - how often does one actually see a fourLeaf clover? Have fun!   WOW! How cool would that be. Money notwithstanding, to actually book such an adventure! Amazing. It will happen - it is definitely going to happen - and soon. This enterprise is planning on first deliveries in less than six years from now.  VOYAGER STATION SPACE HOTEL Aiming to open in 2026, Voyager Station has a shot to be the first true space hotel. The wheel-shaped retreat is slated to have all the amenities one would expect at a resort, including suites, villas, a restaurant, bar, gym, and entertainment venue, as well as unique offerings like spacewalks and low-gravity basketball. Speaking of which, the rooms and common areas will offer 1/6 of Earth's gravity, while the central docking station will host a zero-gravity experience. The hotel is slated to be constructed in orbit using automation and telerobotics, and will be outfitted with 44 autonomous "emergency return vehicles" should a space emergency demand an evacuation back to our home planet. Currently accepting reservations; pricing has yet to be announced but it is estimated to run $5 Million for a three-day trip.     What the heck! I mean, $5mil, three days - double it - get a 7th day free maybe.....$10mil - take your family - so, let's see - a family of two sets of grandparents, a couple of sets of in-laws.....say, a dozen of you in all - no Biggie - 7 days for $70million - IF you're a billionaire (and there's sure a bunch of them about these days), that's nothing - nothing for a priceless, once-in-a-lifetime adventure / experience. Sign me up, Scotty!     This project is still in its embryonic stages - it isn't even shown on Foster and Partners web-site - so this is truly an advance preview of what will be a very unique and exciting architecture and experience. Not quite outer space - more, inner space, right?  SOUTHERN DUNES By the end of 2023, phase one of the Red Sea Project is expected to be complete with Southern Dunes being one of two inland resorts. The property will consist of 40 luxury villas placed across the Saudi Arabian sands with tent-like roofs and private plunge pools. The development will also include a restaurant and central hotel buildings sitting below clusters of tree-shaped towers for shade from the harsh sun. After completion in 2030, the entire project will consist of an international airport, 50 resorts, luxury marinas, golf courses, entertainment, and leisure facilities. Photos: Foster + Partners    this issue we are literally, all over the map • outer space to the deserts of Saudi Arabia to the highland coastal region of Scotland.....anybody guess where we'll end up at the end of this issue?     Following these travels, such as they are, and a hard day on the links, one might find this a comfortable spot to end up in.   MARINE & LAWN HOTEL COLLECTION With properties in St. Andrews, North Berwick, and Troon, Marine & Lawn is aiming to appeal to golf enthusiasts by taking them to where it all began The new hotel collection pays tribute to the birthplace of golf and the rugged Scottish coastline with three hotels set among the country's oldest seaside courses. Each property is housed in a historic landmark building and immerses guests in the Linkland heritage with warm woods, antique furniture, and views of over Old Course at St Andrews, Royal Troon's, and the North Berwick Golf Club. The first two hotels will open in Spring 2021. Marine North Berwick is rooted in ancient ritual and sensory pleasures. It is the naturalist’s haven on Scotland’s eastern seaboard. One of Scotland’s most treasured seaside towns, North Berwick is nestled between two sandy bays, each with world-renowned golf courses. Take in the sights and local dining experiences at North Berwick Harbour, visit Bass Rock where the gannets roost, drive to Gullane, or walk to town and visit a world of specialty shops, cafés, gardens, and pubs. Home to some of the oldest golf clubs in the world, North Berwick is the linksland destination for the consummate golf explorer.       So - think about it....as i often tell my design students, 'It's not how much space you have, it's how much space you THINK (feel) you have'. And that, is the secret. This house is 6 feet wide - look at the kitchen - do we really need more than that? Counters are 24". leaving a 4 foot corridor - a true galley kitchen. Personally I love working in a kitchen like that. And the staircase - the treads would be just shy of 36"wide - perfect! If you've been a reader or follower of DR•I, a theme we continue to return to, to explore, is the world of small spaces. Particularly in RV's, trailer homes, small marine craft - there is a comfort, I think, in being in controlled spaces - think about it. At just six feet wide, the London dwelling is England's thinnest. But what it lacks in size, it makes up for in style and charm. Its narrow interior is spread over five floors and features a kitchen with a dining area that opens out to a private patio garden, living room, spacious bathroom, and two bedrooms. If you ever find yourself feeling a little cramped, there's also a rooftop terrace to take in some fresh air. The townhouse has been updated with all of the modern comforts, while still retaining its traditional period details like parquet flooring and the original deco bathtub. Photos: Winkworth Shepherds Bush & Acton  Unique is an oft over-used word, especially by estate agents. Perhaps this over use is why it feels so completely inadequate when it comes to describing this genuinely individual property which, despite its surface oddness is actually very easy to live with. Six-foot-wide and arranged over five floors this astonishing house offers flexible accommodation. Some worry that they would feel compressed in a six-foot-wide house but counter-intuitively this is a space that works – in much the way a luxury yacht does. There are almost too many features to mention but here are a few as a taster - Aga powered, Nest controlled central heating system, beautiful period parquets flooring, original deco bath tub, roof terrace and double full height glass doors leading from the glazed dining area out onto the recently and brilliantly planted private patio garden. If you like traditional properties that ‘tick all the boxes’ then the chances are this is not for you. If, however, you don’t like boxes and you like to entertain, enjoy the quirky and charming and feel there is more to life than two up, two down then come and see a truly special home.   To many/most, this image will generate a shiver or two. For me, I find it welcoming, beckoning - feels like a refuge even if this is all we can see, as we stumble across it deep in the woods, in quite - the middle of nowhere.   the spareness • the sparseness - the absence of artifacts, of artwork - without the comfort of carpet - this island, this huge beckoning island of a sofa positively generates a sense of envelopeness (sure it's a word. . . . ) - and perhaps it is all a deliberate tugging at the core of one's senses that, to be there, in that pristine space, allows for - no demands that - one become in touch with their own, inner warmth.   Text description provided by the architects. According to the legend, Kyiv is a city built of seven hills. One of them is Tatarka – a historic neighbourhood in the city centre which forms a narrow meandering hill between Podol and Lukyanovka. The plot where a single-family house is going to be built is located right on this hill and it can only be reached from Nagornaya street by means of taking a narrow side street down the hill, which leads to a distinctive amphitheatre-like valley. We used this landscape feature in the creation of a living environment, locating the main volume on the point of the best possible perception of the whole territory. The main living space is raised and has a connection with the whole plot along its perimeter. Thus, we achieved an interesting walking scenario around the territory and ensured a nice view over the Obolon district both from the terrace and the dining room. Steep slopes are uncomfortable for walking, therefore in some places, they were cut on the terrace level, which increased the net area of the territory and provided a space for a lounge zone with a barbecue. In the south-east, the tree crowns were partially pruned to allow more sun on the terrace near the swimming pool, while in the south-east the existing trees are supposed to protect the house from unpleasant western sun rays in summer. A vertical layout is designed to ensure the drainage of rainwater from the hill through the plot. The entrance opens into the garden on two sides and is accentuated by a canopy over the parking. The living room is separated from the kitchen/dining room and is visually isolated from the active zone of the plot. Located in the cantilevered part of the volume, the living room is immersed into the garden without touching it. Children’s bedrooms are separated from the master bedroom by means of a stairсase which overlooks the city and has a two-coloured space overlooking the garden. The Master bathroom looks south-east. The study and the guestroom have their own terrace linked to the lounge zone. The railing on this terrace serves as a visual border that separates the study and the whole plot from its north-western neighbours. The usage of one and the same material unifies all elements of the house into one single structure which merges with the natural landscape and marks the borderline of the living space. The aim of the project is to create an environment where the house itself might help its dwellers perceive the surrounding, slopes of the hill in particular, as natural protective walls and natural greenery – as a wallpaper pattern that changes over seasons. from a ArchDaily.com Architects: Drozdov & Partners Area:310 m² Year2019 Photographs: Andrey Avdeenko, Vitaliy Pravik   why is this here, why is this featured? simple because it is an innovation it is a new way to look at how a seating unit might be more easily and more economically constructed. isn' that enough? Standard Materials: Cherry, Maple, Ash, COM available 80″W x 38″D x 25″H Lead Time: 14-16 weeks     It's a lost art - or is it? Dunno - the work and the workmanship of Stone County Ironworks is - well, it is simply s p e c i a l ! This four-poster bed is just beatutiful! Check out the other great pieces that they produce: Canopy Bed The Stone County Ironworks Forest Canopy Bed is an amazing, handmade iron leafy bed designed to anchor a room. From the drawn, bark-textured posts with knots and limbs to the leafy canopy crown, this bed has so many hand-forged details that you may never notice them all. Shown in our sleek Natural Black iron finish, but you can make it yours by choosing from the many finish and accent options available! Pot Rack While we offer unlighted versions, this Old Dutch oval pot rack features two large hand-fired copper shades that can be beautifully accented with any of our special finishes. The rack may be suspended at a traditional height with two one-foot sections of chain provided, or with hollow extender hooks to hide the electrical wiring to the ceiling. Additional chain and hooks are available in the Hardware section of our site. This forged iron lighting comes with eight double hooks perfect for hanging items. Dimensions: 36"W x 20"D x 15"H SWING: It’s time to swing! While this lovely “slab” swing is great for a porch or garden...it’s a great inside swing and comes in several sizes. What is a “slab” you ask? When beautiful round timbers are sawn into squares for lumber, the slabs are the discarded outside part of the tree...the rounded beautiful outside. Seen by many as an undesirable cull, we think they are wonderful so we rescue these beautiful slabs from the back forty or the fire! This wrought iron porch swing brings character and beauty to this simple design...and is sure to do the same in the special spot of your choosing. This unique swing is available with your choice of natural or walnut finishes! We make other re-purposed slab designs. Check out the Urban Forge series for custom porch swings, chairs, stools, benches, tables, and consoles. STONE COUNTY IRONWORKS   and this? This is another kind special. This is one of the many houses designed by an acclaimed American architect whose work we will be featuring in the next issue. So - sign up, sign in - sign on to continue our journey of exploration around and through the peaks and valleys of design. Creativity rules!  
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorAs a professional interior designer (45+ years) and as a Certified Graphic Designer (25 years) I have devoted my life to the pursuit of design excellence. Winner of numerous design awards I have also spent 25+ years teaching Interior Design.....the greatest quote regarding design is: the greatest faux pas in design is irrelevance • Note Regarding Archives •
Weebly provides an archive header by month - such as March 2021 . . . . when you select a month, you will be able to access all issues posted in that month - there is no way, thus far, to provide the reader with archival access via Issue number - were working on it. Archives
August 2021
|
RSS Feed