Eco-Friendly Green Lantern Family Home under the Texan Sun

Just imagine living in a 4,000 square foot open home with your family how’d you spend your first week here? There’re a few things you need to see about the contemporary home known as the Green Lantern Residence. It occupies a corner area in Alamo Heights, an affluent neighborhood of San Antonio, Texas. The home is designed by San Antonio-based studio John Grable Architects, actually showing an open nature and embracing the natural surroundings in both shape and concept. The home kept some of its original floor-plan, because the single story bedroom portions of the original 1948 ranch style home remained and were encapsulated with new one and two story public space additions. 

John has carefully selected their design weapons, offering the family their visually striking private heaven. At the ground floor changes in level, stepping up over the pool along the main entry bridge and back down again from the kitchen to the living area, provide a playful dialogue and transition between public spaces, even as a largely open floor plan and substantial windows act to connect these spaces to each other and the outdoors. Moreover, wall-to-wall sliding doors in the living area open up to expand the room out into the pool and landscape that provides additional outdoor space for entertaining and gathering of friends and loved ones.

Moreover; the entry bridge spanning the pool enlivens these outdoor spaces with a grotto waterfall niche that compliments the cool shade of the heritage trees that reside throughout the yard. This rhythm is mirrored at the second floor as a series of folding doors in the ‘party room’ open to a large out-door terrace in the tree canopies, which again steps down to its own “landscape” green roof garden with beautiful hot tub that takes in distance vistas of downtown. Therefore incorporating sustainable systems similar photovoltaic panels, a green roof system, grey-water harvesting and LED lighting, the home was built with reverence for natural design.

The new construction was designed to re-use the existing foundation, and wood from the preceding structure was recycled and re-used. Passive systems i.e. arbors and overhang structures were implemented to form shading and decrease solar gain, though the complete project was sited to protect the number of existing heritage oak trees establish throughout the site during construction. It seems perfect for entertaining, living a relaxed & joyful family life and enjoying a healthy, sustainable approach to urban living, this green-certified home fold the most important home sustainability issues into an elegant, eco-friendly family home.

Source: Freshome 

Magnificent Bedroom Glass Floor Reveals Underwater Wonders

The bedroom in the pictures may be one of the most exclusive sleeping quarters ever. Thus part of the Udang House or Shrimp House at the Bambu Indah hotel in Ubud, Bali, and the one of a kind room has tempered glass floor panels that disclose a spectacular underwater panorama of the fresh shrimp pond that the house is positioned above. Therefore with its open-air shower, private porch, abundant natural light, and rustic decor combined with modern conveniences like air conditioning and wireless internet, the Udang House reveals the overall eco-luxury sensibility of the Bambu Indah estate. Every house was built from teak timbers in Java over 100 years ago, making for an exclusive living experience enhanced with decades of history and culture. Stunning riverfront rice paddies and picturesque cascades offer remarkable views, though bamboo bridges, lush greenery, and a natural swimming pool teeming with fish bring the attractiveness of Mother Nature right to the doorsteps of the guests. From the comfort of their own bed, visitors can spend hours looking at the lively blue waters of the pond, loving the infrequent opportunity to grasp plentiful crustaceans swimming around in a flurry of underwater activity.

Source; Mymodernmet 

Awesome Kitchen Design with White Cabinets, Kitchen Island Cooktop, Open Shelves and Hardwood Floors

Awesome Kitchen Design with White Cabinets, Kitchen Island Cooktop, Open Shelves and Hardwood Floors.

Suspended Staircase Converted into Stunning Versatile Structure.

When the proprietors of a top-floor apartment in Olso, Norway bought the loft above it, they needed to unify the two floors. Well-known as Idunsgate, it was refurbished by the London-based architecture firm Haptic, who consumed part of their time updating areas like the bedroom and bathroom. They also added a spectacular, brand new feature to the 19^th century building.  The suspended staircase was actually built as a subtle divide between the kitchen and living room. The lovely frame is made of white-coated steel and the steps of smooth, light wood. And it is interlinked to the 2nd level of the apartment, and it gives the illusion that the structure is floating in mid-air. When you walk upstairs, the open risers let you to observe what’s below. Although the entire contribution to the unobtrusive design and works well in the limited space. It’s architecturally modern and enhances an artistic element to the apartment without detracting from its decor. Since Idunsgate’s staircase doesn’t touch the ground, and it is beautifully finished by a wooden piece of furniture that complements the steps. It not only serves as the base of the stairs, but doubles as a chest of drawers and window seat. This dual purpose is an intelligent usage of space and makes the stairs an astonishingly versatile structure.

Unique Space-Saving Light Design with Potted Plants

To use the overhead space of any room is a great thinking skill, like Bucket-light is a multifunctional design that makes the most of unused overhead spaces. The inventive design is created by Dutch designer Roderick Vos actually a concept of both a hanging plant as well as overhead illumination, which creates comfortable environment filled natural greenery.

The creative lighting keeps floor and desk spaces free of clutter and every piece consists of two LED lights that are sealed into the bottom of two joined plant pots. The cast aluminum lamps can be suspended from the ceiling with a reinforced electrical cable. Plugs positioned directly in the pots permit users to link their computers to the sockets which saves areas organized by preventing a mess of tangled cords.

The exciting and practical design is a great way to enhance a little life to an otherwise undecorated space without creating clutter. Because we did not have sufficient floor space at our office, shops and showroom, and were in anxious need of light, the Bucket-light was born. This is really unique idea to use overhead space to give fresh essence of environment. Source: Charismatic Planet

Multipurpose Creative Space in Tokyo by Kengo Kuma and Associates