A BUILDING WITH A VIEW

Somewhere in the Chilean Patagonia of Torres del Paine National Park, is this building (perhaps a cabin or refuge?) with a view that needs no description. If anyone knows more about the exact location and purpose of the building, please do share!
The Torres del Paine are the peaks of the mountain range, Cerro Paine. They extend 3,050 meters above sea level, and are joined by the Cuernos del Paine. The area also boasts valleys, rivers such as the Paine, lakes, and glaciers. The well-known lakes include Grey, Pehoé, Nordenskjold, and Sarmiento. [Source]
The national park measured approximately 242,242 hectares in 2006 and is one of the largest and most visited parks in Chile. It is a popular hiking destination with clearly marked paths and many refugios that provide shelter and basic services. Hikers can opt for a day trip to see the towers, walk the popular “W” route in about five days, or trek the full circle in 8 to 9 days. [Source]
Visiting the park is recommended between late December and late February, during the southern summer. Not only is the weather more hospitable, but daylight hours are very long given the extreme southern latitude.

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In this modern day of living there is no doubt that the contemporary movement has affected every aspects of our daily lives. From our cars, fashion and technology to the world of design in architecture and interiors. Many use the term contemporary or modern interchangeably to mean a more relaxed break of traditional norms and new concepts of richness of design and modern age thinking. Modern can also refer to a time period of design style from the 1920’s -1950’s. From bringing in light to dark spaces to opening up floor plans and introducing clean-lined furnishings, here are 10 ways to bring contemporary flair into your interiors.

1. Bring light into interiors effortlessly:

When the Modern and Post Modern design periods began to emerge in the 1920’s-1960’s there was a break from the traditional dark interiors with closed –off rooms and small windows. Light and airy rooms replaced the small and dark ones and these details you can adopt in your own home. Opt for choosing the right floor plan that let in natural light through floor to glass windows, skylights, solar tubes and use translucent glass for privacy areas.

2. Opt for subtle colors with accents of more vibrant color you really love.
Using neutral tones of gray, brown, and blacks and whites for flooring, furnishings, lighting fixtures and textiles.  Contemporary colors leave the details of your furniture metal details to shine through or leave the ability for your imagination to get creative with textures and patterns. Just because you use neutral color shouldn’t mean your interiors turn boring! Textural seagrass furniture for example is beautiful to the touch and the eye.

3. Use of natural materials can create a beautifully interior & exterior

Instead of natural materials being reserved to just wood furniture your contemporary home can make use of natural and organic materials in decking outside, leather furniture for your interiors and simple decorative elements displayed throughout your home. The contemporary period of living brought about a new sense of using organic materials such as wood, rock, slate, teak, cotton, wool, and other gorgeous textiles in modern furnishings and not just reserved to traditional home uses.

4. Airiness brings a more relaxed interior to your contemporary home 

Furniture designers started to create sofas, tables, and home furnishings that reflected a more relaxed approach to living. Stuffy and heavy ornamentation was replaced with clean rectilinear lines and this gave way to contemporary homes feeling lighter in weight and more casual in livability. Furniture was raised off the floor to give a weightlessness appeal and your home can adopt these same qualities.

5. Bare floors in gorgeous finishes

The contemporary age of living has made way to new materials, but also a relaxed feeling to interiors with minimal lines, and less “stuff”. Bare floors in gorgeous finishes such as hardwoods, ceramic and porcelain tiles, travertine stone and marble have made way to contemporary living. Area rugs to keep underfoot walking comfortable and to break up the space visually is ideal, especially in living room and dining room areas. Consider bringing resilient flooring into your home for a crisp and modern touch.

6.  Opening up your interiors with an open floor plan

Contemporary homes have a sense of uniting all of the interior spaces into one grand experience. The term “great room” has been used to signify a blurring of the distinct walls and boundaries of living spaces with the kitchen, family room, etc… An open floor plan is ideal and is iconic in contemporary homes and creates a unified design aesthetic throughout your home.

7. Stream-lined contemporary architectural exterior details

While the focus on interiors is often thought of when considering contemporary influences, don’t forget the architectural exterior details that are just as important. Most exterior detailing is free from heavy ornamentation of historic classical buildings and is replaced with simple rectilinear or curvilinear forms. Rooflines are distinct – cantilever or large overhangs, and unique features such as seemingly flat rooflines as well as materials of the exterior usually blend harmoniously with nature around your home in contemporary styles.

8. Attention to contemporary details in your home

Similarly to design periods of the past, detailing is essential in a contemporary home. Fine elements such as lighting fixtures that are distinct and look like works of fine art are kept simple and distinct. Hand railings and banisters that were once large handcrafted pieces of wood in past design decades are replaced with innovative tension cables, glass, or industrial materials. Look to adding contemporary details that get noticed, yet don’t distract your minimal interiors.

9. Technology becomes hidden behind your gorgeous interiors

One of the areas of contemporary design that everyone loves are the “hidden details”. You see the innovative technology in our smart worlds of technology for phones, computers, and also in our homes. Contemporary details of wireless and remote access controls for controlling electronics, heating/cooling systems, lighting, security and more are all hidden behind the beautiful details. Try bringing innovative controls into your home lifestyle and see how much your contemporary home will feel.

10. Release your ‘old world’ thinking in our contemporary age

There is no doubt that every design age borrows and influences elements from each other. The contemporary era of design is more about letting go of strict and formal design rules and becoming more open and minimalistic in approach. Whether you decide to have a more eclectic home and mix and match past eras or you’d prefer to become ultra-modern in nature, your home should reflect your lifestyle. Release your old world thinking that every piece in your home has to have a label and enjoy contemporary living that is reflected throughout your gorgeous home.

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The Great Wall of China is a series of fortifications made of stone, brick, tamped earth, wood, and other materials. It was generally built along an east-to-west line across the historical northern borders of China. Several walls were being built as early as the 7th century BC. Since then, the Great Wall has been rebuilt, maintained, and enhanced; with the majority of the existing wall reconstructed during the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644).

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The Dancing House or Fred and Ginger is the nickname given to the Nationale-Nederlanden building in Prague, Czech Republic. It was designed by the Croatian-Czech architect Vlado Milunić in co-operation with the renowned Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry. The building was designed in 1992 and completed in 1996.
The very non-traditional design was controversial at the time because the house stands out among the Baroque, Gothic and Art Nouveau buildings for which Prague is famous. Gehry originally named the house Fred and Ginger (after the famous dancers Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers – the house resembles a pair of dancers) but this nickname is now rarely used; moreover, Gehry himself was later “afraid to import American Hollywood kitsch to Prague”, so refuted his own idea.
The “Dancing House” is set on a property of great historical significance. Its site was the location of a house destroyed by the U.S. bombing of Prague in 1945. The plot and structure lay decrepit until 1960 when the area was cleared.
The style is known as deconstructivist (“new-baroque” to the designers) architecture due to its unusual shape. The “dancing” shape is supported by 99 concrete panels, each a different shape and dimension. On the top of the building is a large twisted structure of metal nicknamed Medusa.

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Whether you know it or not, the exterior of your home is an extension of your home’s personality and what it “says” to the neighborhood. Depending on what exterior amenities, architectural details and color you choose can help your home shine in its best light. If you have been looking at the exterior of your home and thinking it could use a facelift – adding color is one of the most affordable and eye-catching ways to make a big impact. From adding curb appeal to your exterior home, to creating a statement, finding the right exterior color can be made easier with these 10 creative tips.

1. Assess your home’s personality:
Similar to your favorite wardrobe style your home has a personality. It can be shaped by the neighborhood, your family lifestyle or the geographic location you live in. Choosing an exterior color should reflect its personality of being stately – with a refined and subdued color palette or it can be young and hip with trendy colors that are out of the box. Determine how you want your home to feel and look and let it guide’s its color personality.

2. Take color cues from your home’s architecture:
The beauty of architectural elements are the ability to use character, details, texture and colors to showcase an era of your home that is unique to your home and neighborhood. If your home is an old world Tuscan or Mediterranean inspired villa – weathered whites, terra cotta oranges and sun-kissed brown details are ideal for barrel tile roof and trim details.

3. Use nature as backdrop for color selections 
The surroundings of your home can impact your exterior color selection in a beautiful way! Beach homes, mountain homes and tropical inspired homes have nature to draw inspiration from. Use colors found around your home – beach homes can take cues from the sand, water and sky with beautiful pale shades of white, tan, blues, and pale green and yellows.

4. Recreate an exterior from past vacation memories
For many homeowners drawing color inspiration from travel can inspire exterior colors that are creative and unique. If your trip to a tropical getaway was fun, why not use these colors at your native home? Many island homes use bright and whimsical colors such as turquoise, peach, sunny yellow, coral, and lavender for their exterior homes. While you may love them in small amounts, remember ultimately your home should still look great amongst neighboring homes.

5. Use historical character for exterior color ideas
If you live in a historic Victorian home or in a aged Tudor style home, you know that keeping true to the historical character of your home’s original colors is essential. While your home may be hundreds of years old you may not be able to know off-hand what colors where native to your home and surrounding homes. If your city has a Chamber of Commerce or historical architectural organization you may be able to research exterior colors for your neighborhood. Also look to paint manufacturers that feature historical color palettes that are pre-selected. This can take the guesswork out of choosing the right exterior house colors from generations in the past.

 6. Let your choice of exterior color help guide your color options

Exterior cladding or the material you use on the exterior of you home can take much of the guesswork out of choosing exterior colors. Brick, siding, stucco/plaster and concrete all have unique qualities for each type of material. Choose a material that represents your style and works well with the climate of your home. You will be surprised that brick can come in colors as light as whitish yellow all the way to the darkest of charcoal gray! Find a material you love and then look at the color options based on the finish you are looking for.

7. Landscape color can enhance your exterior house colors
Similarly to architectural trim and details the landscaping around your home can enhance your home’s color selection. Curb appeal is essential and to make a great impression coordinating bright flowers with a more subdued color palette on your home can be ideal or vice versa. If you have gorgeous vistas and plenty of beautiful foliage decide how you can play up the red brick or hunter green siding on your exterior home. If you’re not sure what colors to choose for landscaping, take pictures of your outdoor home with you to your local nursery and ask a garden expert for advice!

8. Exterior house colors should use architectural details for impact
While you may only think of the field color or the majority of the exterior walls as the color of choice, remember the smaller details of the home can be the crowing glory when it comes to color selection. Window and door trim, roof and eave colors, gutter and downspouts can be painted or gorgeous copper gutters have a beautiful patina as well. Decide if you want a high-contrast to your home’s trim and accent colors or if you prefer a more unified color approach. Either way, don’t overlook the simplicity yet effectiveness in choosing exterior trim detail colors.

9. Choose exterior colors that are appealing at all times
While you may not realize it, your exterior home is viewed in the daytime but also when the sun is setting and in the evening hours. Therefore, choosing a color that is camouflaged amongst your surrounding landscaping may not be a wise choice. Many mountain homes that lie amongst evergreen trees try to stay away from all-green exterior colors to make their home stand out amongst the background. Natural wood siding that is stained is common amongst mountain homes to give a rustic yet still defined exterior appearance.

10. Blend in with your neighbors
Your neighborhood most likely has a color scheme influence already set in place. Whether you are a new neighborhood that a developer has created or you have an older home – walk around your neighborhood and assess existing homes. Look to see if your neighbors have coordinating styles or if they are all custom colors that don’t harmonize. The key to choosing exterior house colors is to be unique in your selections but still blend in beautifully with neighboring homes.

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If you love the reemergence of Art Deco interiors into your home, you are not alone! Art Deco style is the visual and influential arts & design movement which first emerged in France after World War I. It features touches of French, Egyptian & Mediterranean culture with geometric patterns and often vibrant colors. From the exterior of your home to the interior – you will be surprised how easy it is to bring this retro look from the 1930’s -1940’sstyle into your home. Here are 10 hot trends for adding Art Deco style into your interiors.

1. Start off with bold geometric design:

The Art Deco movement had a strong tie to bold geometric shapes and designs. To bring the flair into your home, start off with bold wallpaper that has a strong geometric appeal. Rectilinear and curvilinear forms that instantly catch the eye are iconic for the Art Deco style era and will make your room come alive instantly.

2. Bringing the lifestyle of Art Deco movement into your home
By the 1930’s travel was becoming popular and tourism started to boom. African safaris were popular and animal prints, exotic finishes such as pearl and tortoiseshell started to show itself in home decor. The bold use of materials in glass, shiny fabrics, metallic paints and mirrors will complete the Art Deco look in your home.

3. Displaying artwork and sculptures in your Art Deco interiors
Just as the name suggests – the arts and entertainment world showcased their talents during the 30’s and 40’s and home decor mimicked the trend. Bold oil paintings, sculptural table lamps, ornate bedroom furniture and finely detailed furniture was commonplace. Bring these elements into your room for instant Art Deco appeal.

4. Egyptian influences make every room feel regal 
When travel became commonplace the influence from Africa and especially Egypt was great. After the discovery of King Tutankhamen’s tomb the influence of pyramids, hieroglyphics type symbols and sphinxes were added to many design elements in the home. Use these symbols in your furniture, textiles and when choosing wallpaper and artwork for an Egyptian-inspired Art Deco style.

5.  Bold colors in your Art Deco finishes 
The term “bold” is an understatement for many of the high-contrast color palettes iconic of the Art Deco area and using them in your finishes can bring on the art revival vibe in your home instantly. Bathroom and kitchen tile in monochromatic black, white combinations or with pops of red, and deep browns were gorgeous in this era. To bring the look to your home choose ceramic or porcelain tile that has a high gloss in contrasting colors. Beautiful mirrors and mirrored finishes will complete the look!

6.  Cosmopolitan Art Deco touches add drama
In the grand fashion of art imitating life the Art Deco movement was all about adding visual drama and bringing it into a cosmopolitan lifestyle. Furniture had distinct lines and was adorned with bold fabrics with zigzags, stripes, chevrons and just plain textiles would accompany silky fabrics that exuded drama, similar to the Hollywood Regency style.

7. Neutral finishes in your Art Deco interiors
An essential part of the Art Deco style was evoking drama and grandeur of the silver screen of movies and entertainment into your home. Early Hollywood used neutral color palettes but combined them with shiny fabrics, lighting that was subdued and an abundance of lavish and soft material that were luxurious for the eye and the touch. Hang fabric behind your master bedroom bed to bring out the Art Deco style of neutrals.

8. Bring out Art Deco styling from the metropolitan cities you love 
Although the Art Deco style started in Europe, the United States had a strong movement in architecture, interior design, and lifestyle during the 30’s and 40’s. Pastel colored buildings in Miami, Florida made the iconic “South Beach” the popular architecture style for Art Deco styled buildings.  New York and Chicago boasted highly stylized skyscrapers that featured industrial motifs of airplanes, cars, and cruise liners were very influential. Bring this look to your home by adding ornate geometries to your exterior home for an Art Deco style before you open the front door.

9. Modern renovations with Art Deco additions 
There is a strong movement in interior design and architecture to revive older homes back to their original charm or to make new construction appear dated and retro. Kitchen renovations that want to use modern materials such as curved Corian countertops to evoke the “artsy” appeal of the Art Deco era and brink in simple mixes of modern flooring and retro style lighting fixtures is a great look.

10.  Living the Art Deco lifestyle isn’t just for the elite
While the influences of design in decor, fashion, and architecture had a glitz and glam appeal, the ability for mass production in the 1930’s brought about a sense that anyone could achieve the Art Deco look.  Just like your interiors, the Art Deco style is for anyone who wants to bring the roaring appeal for arts and emergence of discovery and bold lifestyle choices into their interiors.

architectday readers we would love to know what Art Deco elements you love!

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The ability to bring nature into your home has been an ambition that homeowners have strived for over the centuries. For generations humans love the natural and organic appeal of elements that make them feel calm, at peace and above all welcomed into a space. In recent years the growing awareness of the dwindling of the Earth’s resources have made it even more apparent that bringing nature into our homes is essential as it is a design aesthetic we can’t duplicate. If you have been trying to think of inspiring ways to bring the outdoors into your home, take a look at these 10 ideas for bringing nature & organically inspired elements into your interiors.

1. Choosing natural elements that make you feel at peace 

One of the reasons we love nature so much is our inherent connection to the outdoors and to natural elements that are living or decor that was living such as wood, cotton, leather and seagrass to name a few. Choosing materials that resonate with your personal style is the first step for bringing them into your home. One homeowner may enjoy the rugged nature of natural rock walls in their kitchen – while another may prefer the more sophisticated flair of dark mahogany flooring in their living room. Choose natural elements that incorporate your style and connect you to your interiors.

2.  Brick as a backdrop or as a focal point

In the early years of brick making the natural process of using mud, clay and water and firing it at high temperatures to produce a solid and sturdy building component material were born. Today in modern design the appeal of brick is untouched by many materials. Its uniformity in pattern makes a gorgeous backdrop for urban lofts as well as adds texture and color to any room. Choose to leave brick in its natural state as a focal point or paint over brick to use it as a subtle backdrop to showcase its reveals.

3.  Wood as a finish has the ability to transform your mind and soul

For many homeowners wood is one of the only materials that can be finished to look like shiny marble or can be left raw and unstained to reveal its gorgeous imperfections of knots and grains. Bringing wood into your interiors is one of the easiest and warmest of natural materials and comes in a variety of finishes, species and applications. From flooring to ceiling beams wood also can be reclaimed and refinished from older buildings to keep its life sustainability ongoing for years in your home.

4. Natural wood furniture reveals craftsmanship at its finest

Wood furniture is one of the most popular as it is durable, beautiful and wood can be finished in any way imaginable. Look to artisan crafted furniture if you prefer a rustic and country appeal to your interiors, or look to antique wood bedroom and living furniture to bring back the nostalgia of early turn of the century home living. If your interiors prefer a contemporary appeal, wood furniture with minimal lines that is free from ornamentation can create show-stopping appeal in your kitchen bar stools or in your sleek headboard in your bedroom.

5. The new trend of bringing nature to every room of your home 

While bringing natural finishes into your home isn’t a new concept. The concept of bringing nature to every room of your interiors is a game changer for many homeowners. Whether you look to organic sheets and bedding in your bedroom adorned with birds and rustic leaves or you enjoy a bubbling Zen fountain in your home office, nature can find itself into any space of your life. Design your room around what makes you emotionally charged, excited, calmed or soothed and feel how nature plays a role in your interiors. 

6. Natural materials in your bathroom sanctuary

Is there any room in the house that you love to relax & get rejuvenated for the new day than your bathroom? Connecting your body to water and heat can transport your mind and soul to serenity and calmness. There is no better way to complete your bathroom sanctuary than with natural materials. Wood walls like this bathroom are inspired by a dry heat sauna, while the minimal lines of the fixtures and natural daylighting are ideal for creating that one-of-a-kind bathing experience with nature.

7. Sustainability never looked as good in your home

With the reemergence of green living and conserving the Earth’s precious resources there has been a renewed interest in homeowners finding building products that have been recycled and used in new ways, reclaimed from other building projects or repurposed into new functions. From old wood railroad ties being used in ceiling support beams to give a rustic appeal to your room to lumber yards supplying contractors and builders with reclaimed and locally sourced wood products – think of these ideas when remodeling your home.

8. Floral inspiration doesn’t have to be artificial

Do you remember when the only greenery you used to see in people’s homes were artificial and usually covered with a thin layer of dust! These days nature is finding its way into more and more interiors in the real and natural state as flowers, potted plants such as succulents have created easy ways to bring natural appeal to your dining room table, coffee side table or front foyer table. In the past the upkeep of tending to houseplants was looked at as a chore. Today, planting indoor bulbs, or keeping low maintenance plants such as succulents, cactus, or just adorning your home office desk with a fresh bouquet can instantly cheer up any room.

9. Bring in natural sunlight as a design element

One of the easiest, cheapest and most beautiful natural elements that many forget about is sunlight. Natural daylighting can make any room come alive, it makes colors pop in your furnishings and wall decor and it makes humans feel healthy and inspired. Whether you use windows, borrowed light from solar tubes extended from your roof into closets or dark bathrooms, natural light can have an effect like no other throughout your living interiors.

10. Natural elements for every home remodeling budget

Many homeowners complain that natural materials are expensive and tend to ditch the idea of using it in their home remodeling projects. Instead of scrapping the idea why not use less of it? An accent stone wall can be just as gorgeous as an entire room adorned with the same product. If natural materials are still out of your remodeling budget why not try veneer products? Pre-engineered, laminates and veneer stone applications offer the look of nature without the high cost. While these may not work in every application, look to a home design specialist to help you price out materials that will make a natural design statement!

architectday readers tell us what are your favorite natural elements to use in your home?

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BACKYARD GARDEN IN JAPAN

In this photo by Wi Bing Tan, we see a gorgeous Japanese garden at the back of a shop in Miyajima Island, Japan. From the cherry blossoms to the Koi fish and bonsai tree, it’s like a microcosm of Japanese tradition and culture.
According to comments on Reddit, the garden is located behind a small cookie factory. For those who may be in the area, check out this Google Maps link for an approximate location.
Miyajima is a small island less than an hour outside the city of Hiroshima. It is most famous for its giant torii gate, which at high tide seems to float on the water. The sight is ranked as one of Japan’s three best views.
While officially named Itsukushima, the island is more commonly referred to as Miyajima, Japanese for “shrine island”. This is because the island is so closely related to its key shrine, Itsukushima Shrine. Like the torii gate, the shrine’s main buildings are built over water.

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I can’t fault you for thinking that. Especially if you just glanced. But a closer inspection reveals that this is indeed a meticulously crafted photograph (singular) by Austrian photographer Bela Borsodi.

The conceptual image was taken for the album cover, Terrain by VLP, a supergroup of Pia Palme (sub-bass recorder, electronics), Electric Indigo (synthesizer, computer) and JSX (turntables).

Below you can see a different angle of the setup.

If you’re still having a tough time believing, check out the timelapse video below that shows the tedious process involved in the arrangement of various objects and getting the perfect sharp edges and angles to bring this idea to life.

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FIFE CABIN, ZION NATIONAL PARK

In another fantastic capture by John Fowler, we see Fife Cabin at Taylor Creek in the Kolob Canyon Section of Zion National Park in Utah.

According to the Washington County Historical Society and zionnational-park.com: Arthur R. Fife, a Professor of Geology at Branch Agricultural College (now Southern Utah University), built this cabin in 1930. When not teaching at the college he lived in the cabin and raised goats. Fife cabin rests in a grove of maple, oak and fir trees. The trail (Taylor Creek) bends to the right after the Fife cabin.

The Middle Fork Taylor Creek route is a 5.4 mile (8.7 km) hike with a 450′ ascent that leads to a double arch alcove. Rattlesnakes are a known problem so be careful. Along the way you will come across two cabins; Fife Cabin shown above and Larson Cabin also built in 1930 by Gustav Larson.

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