Luxury Ottoman with Swarovski Crystals

If you need a luxury addition to living room, bedroom, dressing room or library space, you should take a look at this one. Produced by Fiorentino, this gorgeous leather ottoman collection will grab anyone’s attention. The stylish Leonardo ottoman on feet is decorated with shining Swarovski crystals. These Italian furniture designs will bring glam to your space in no time. The jewels are scattered all over the upholstered ottoman, creating luxury look to the whole design. The ottoman comes in classic black, white and gilded gold-colored leather that is perfect for contemporary or modern interior décor. Besides, these glamorous ottomans are also available with a liftable lid and hidden storage. Visit Fiorentino for more details info about these luxury leather ottomans.

www.homedug.com

Interview: Passion for Landscape Architecture with Jeffery Smith

Today’s interview follows the genesis and the rising of the passion for landscape architecture. Designing outdoor and public spaces is a fascinating field for the creator as well as for the beholder. We provoked Jeffery Smith from JGSDesigns, a talented landscape architect, to answer our Freshome 15 Question Interview. We also added some of his company’s works, for a fun reading:

• Freshome: What determined your passion for design? Tell us about the moment when you decided this is the way to go.
• Jeffery Smith: I grew up with a passion for drawing and building things, not quite understanding it was design until I was exposed to it in College.  I wanted to go to a great architecture school and Cal Poly SLO was it at the time. Unfortunately my grades and SAT score were not that great to get into the architecture department, so my father, an electrical engineer, suggested Civil Engineering.  I spent a year learning Calculus, Physics, chemistry and taking numerous engineering classes only to find I was missing my passion, more of what I call the ‘Art’ side.  I found out about Landscape Architecture and have not looked back. In fact I consider myself a born again Landscape Architect.

• Freshome: Can you remember your first design project? Describe it a bit, whether it is a gizmo you worked at as a little kid or something that was sold at a large scale.
• Jeffery Smith: Yes. In college we had to design a 3-d sculptural piece, modeled with a small  10?x10? sheet of foam core. I cut hundreds of tiny 1/4?x1/8? blocks which were then glued to each other to form an arch with the blocks dripping off.  Big mistake on materials and construction! Seemed like a great concept and idea but the execution was not fun. It took days and many x-acto blades to cut well shaped blocks and glue them together.  One of my great problems is being so anal on detail it killed me.

• Freshome: What field of design are you most interested in? Do your works have anything to do with it ? (We are asking this because not many designers do what they actually want)
• Jeffery Smith: I enjoy all design in general but I Love my field!! There are so many materials to work with in landscape architecture.  Working with hardscape and softscape creates a real cross between art and science; Never static but always changing and evolving with time and season.

• Freshome: Chronologically describe what you are going through (feeling and thoughts) on your way to work.
• Jeffery Smith: I always work. Even when I’m sleeping I’m designing. I’ll wake up in the middle of the night and dream up a solution to my design problem.  Going to work is more of the same thinking of how to solve a problem.

• Freshome: What is your favourite book/magazine on design? How about your favourite site?
• Jeffery Smith: Sunset Western Garden Book is pretty much the plant bible, but it is certainly not the only resource we use frequently. “Landscape Plants for Western Regions” by Bob Perry is incredibly useful for designing in California. It is our most worn book at the office, but unfortunately is out of print. Lastly Rick Darke’s “Encyclopedia of Grasses for Livable landscapes” has amazing pictures of grasses not even found in the Sunset Book. We are constantly cross referencing all of our plant books to ensure suitable combinations for soil and environment.

• Freshome: What inspires you?
• Jeffery Smith: Nature!  I am inspired by the work of Andy Goldsworthy. He can capture a place and moment so simply as if he is in touch with it.

• Freshome: What is the most frustrating aspect of your job as a designer? And the most rewarding one?
• Jeffery Smith: Money is the most frustrating!  Most rewarding, clients that are continually amazed how we transformed their world!

• Freshome: From your point of view, is design an art or a science?
• Jeffery Smith: Aspects of design can be taught as if they are a science. In landscape architecture there are certainly scientific ways to approach a site, through site or “field” studies where we take into account surrounding native plant materials, native rock, stone, soil…etc. But just because you can come to a project with the right materials, does not mean you will come out with a great design. Paint colors do not determine the making of a masterpiece for an artist. It’s art to put plant materials and hardscape into a balance, and to create spaces that invite you to spend time in them.

• Freshome: Tell us something unusual that happened in your carrier.
• Jeffery Smith: I was designing a 27 hole golf course in the Fujian provence of China and had no background in the Chinese language. I found out I could use Latin to communicate about plants with the chinese botanist and we completely understood each other.

• Freshome: Let’s say you entered a contest. You have to come up with a design for the first house on the Moon built for extra-terrestrial living. How would your project look like?
• Jeffery Smith: Out of this world!

• Freshome: If design were a product, what would it be and how would you design it?
• Jeffery Smith: It would be a circle. It’s never finished you keep coming back to the concept and refine.

• Freshome: If you had no limits (money, resources), what would you create?
• Jeffery Smith: I would love to design a resort. Those are the ultimate sanctuaries where people are trying to get away from it all. So many resorts/hotels are all the same, but there is so much more that can be done! We need to escape the stereotypical palm trees and pool and create spaces that have greater connections to their surroundings.

• Freshome: Share something you would like the world to know about you or your ideas.
• Jeffery Smith: Passion, follow what’s in your heart! Celebrate where you live and get in touch with your surroundings!

• Freshome: What do you think of our site?
• Jeffery Smith: It could use more Landscape Architecture

• Freshome: What advice do you have for young designers or architects reading this interview?
• Jeffery Smith: Follow Passion, not the dollar! It will come!

www.freshome.com

Beautiful Bohemian Sofa Collection by Busnelli

Below is beautiful sofa collection that is launched by an Italian company, Busnelli. Dubbed the Bohemian sofa, it is showcased a classic design with elegant touch. This lovely sofa is also displayed aristocratic look, which make it ideal for either contemporary or traditional interior design. The most attractive element of this cozy sofa collection is the upholstery design. The traditional backrest is complemented with lots of buttons, adding a sophisticated look to the sofa. The materials allow the sofa to flow elegantly above your living room floor and provide you a new center piece. This Bohemian sofa collection comes in various colors choices and there are also ottoman model available. For more info, visit Busnelli.

www.homedug.com

The Green And The Functional – The Right Choice For Countertops

Few years back, any kind of go-green product was looked upon as a futile attempt. I guess this reaction was mainly because of lack of awareness and a solid proof about its sustainability.

Now, the trend has changed. People have come to realize the value behind eco-friendly products and are opting out to them as a better option. I am seeing that a plethora of products are turning green these days.

A latest trend that is catching up fast is the infusion of eco-friendliness inside home must haves. Putting up eco-friendly floor, carpet, and counter tops is becoming popular and we are all witnessing a great hike in the sale of such products for the past few months.

I have no doubt that flooring is one of the most essential elements in setting up a beautiful house. This might probably be the reason why people pay great attention to flooring in particular.

Eco-friendly products are the popular choices for flooring. I notice that customers specifically ask for reclaimed wood flooring and carpets that are recyclable. These carpets come in different colors, patterns and designs. The choice is endless.

Needless to say, you would just go gaga over a very user-friendly option where you could just remove a stained tile and replace it with another instead of changing the whole floor.

You may think that the options of eco-friendliness in regard to flooring end here, but the next option would surely take you by surprise.

A linoleum floor covering is yet another hot area in flooring. Linoleum floor coverings are made of renewable materials that include cork flour, pine rose oil, wood dust, linseed oil, pigment and limestone. Cork floor is a comfort flooring that is soft unlike other floorings.

Countertops are other home utility products that can be made out of eco-friendly materials. Countertops made from renewable materials are also a great hit.

You should have no doubt about its durability because it is made to last long. These eco-friendly countertops are made from sustainable materials like recycled glass, bamboo and paper.

thSome counters are made of cements mixed with fly ash, a waste product of coal-burning which commonly ends up in landfills â?? a sustainable method which will contribute to reducing the carbon footprint of the house.

In case of recycled glass kitchen countertops, colorful recycled glasses are mixed with cement, concrete or resin base.

I guess end-grain bamboo kitchen counters will become the favorite choice of fashion conscious people. Bamboo is a great substitute for wood. Bamboos grow very fast unlike wood, becoming a perfect renewable resource.

Recycled paper kitchen countertops prove to be stain resistant and are made from recycled paper.

What amazes me most is that the options for green and sustainable home decoration are more and more varied every day and the beauty of it is that you can choose those renewable materials that will perfectly fit in to your kitchenâ??s space and look.

A greener home is a home with smaller carbon footprint. Decorating it smartly with the environment in mind will sure make a difference in the long run.

www.homeinteriorszone.com

Designer Plumbing by Supergrif: modern minimalist, trendy, elegant

With this designer plumbing collection from Supergrif you don't need a designer - you can easily bring your bath into the future with a few plumbing additions. The Ora Ito is a line of trendy, techy plumbing fixtures with a style described as "simplexity" – simple yet complex; pure yet elegant; beautiful yet usable every day. These contemporary chrome-finish faucets feature simple, unconventional forms and will complement your minimalist or modern bathroom beautifully. A full range of fixtures will suit any style and every need. Whether you opt for the wall-mounted shower fixtures or a column; a slim handshower or showerhead; if you’re a bath person and prefer the wall-mounted or deck-mounted fixtures, the Ora Ito collection with bathe you in modern luxury. For more information visit Supergrif.

 

 

www.trendir.com

Contemporary Air Purifier in Black and White

Swizz Style came with this cool home accessory to complete your home with style. The contemporary air purifier is covered in black or white metallic. Dubbed the Henry, this metal air purifier features 5 stages filter process to remove allergens and pollution from the air. This cool ionizer is also completed with a carbon/HEPA filter, which could collect fine dust, pollen, pollutants, dander, and odors. It plays role like a UV light that kills bacteria, mold spores and viruses. The Henry is added with an integrated ionizer to refresh the air and the fragrance dispenser can be filled with your favorite scent. This cool air purifier has three choices of speeds and could provide service up to 98 square feet.

www.homedug.com

Cozy Chairs with Illuminated LED Lighting Design, Cool Furniture for Modern Home

Need for cool furniture product for your modern interior? Cozy chairs with illumination led lighting design is the answer. In case you the idea of a sofa with built-in lighting that is able to respond to your mood, the mood cozy Chair by Aether and Hemera become an interesting option for you. The cozy chair changes its foot is in color, depending on what the sensors to gain from the environment and users. It contains many built-in LEDs and sensors that control them. The idea behind this cozy chairs design is to create an innovative and high quality environment react to the behavior of its users by visually expressing the activity surrounding them. These cozy chairs seems that the simplicity of improving the visual appearance of public and residential spaces with pieces that feature embedded LEDs make the furniture of the new trend.

for more info, visit designer website

www.homedesigninterior.com

Astonishing Campus Event Arena Built Out Of Beer Boxes

This unusual pavilion is called BOXEL and was designed by the students from the University of Applied Sciences in Detmold, Germany. Henri Schweynoch, together with his architecture team won a local competition with this project which is soon to house college concerts, presentations and other type of events. The surprising thing about this small arena is the fact that it is not built using common materials, but it consists of beer boxes. That’s right, in order to host campus events, 2000 beer boxes were temporarily “sacrificed” and were given a fun shape and a new meaning. We think the overall geometry of this pavilion is original and surprising. We salute this idea and awaiting more and more student projects on Freshome, hopefully involving recycling as well. -via Arch Daily

www.freshome.com

Ultra Modern Kitchen Tools

Hotels and restaurants are all on the booming side and they have not undergone a recession for a long period. This is all happening because of the ultra modern kitchen tools. Without ultra modern kitchen tools cooking would have lost its place and food would have lost its taste. Thus ultra modern kitchen tools are the main component of any restaurant. The ultra modern kitchen tools help in easy cooking and reduce the work of the cook to a great extent. Even a layman can easily learn cooking by using these latest restaurant ultra modern kitchen tools, since every action is self explanatory. The ultra modern kitchen tools are mainly used because non vegetarian items like meat, fishes, crabs etc are difficult to cook and they need special kitchen tools to handle and tenderize them.

www.jogjatec.com

The Morumbi Residence: Exotic Landscapes and Diverse Interior Design

This fascinating residence comes from Drucker Arquitetura and is located in São Paulo, Brazil. Situated on the Morumbi hills, the house offers great views while being well integrated within its surrounding landscape. The balconies and floor to ceiling windows invite its guests to contemplate the beautiful palm trees outside and draws them to the outdoor pool. According to the architects, “the pattern of circulation forces the occupants to come out to wooden decks. Environments TV room, dining room and office, reveal themselves behind high gates fully retractable and all environments are linked as a large loft. The house also has sewage treatment, solar heater, cross ventilation, windows with heat control, polystyrene insulation, digital control of lighting, recycled wood, among other measures of green architecture.” The interior design is diverse and this time we’ve posted lots of photos for you to check out and get inspired.

www.freshome.com