The Beauty of Black In Home Decor

Using black as a basic allows you to mix colors and make it POP!!! My favorite, my kitchen is black and it allows me to mix and change colors as I please. As you can also see, it looks great with concrete or wood.

Luxury Baths

Stunning Glass House

Clear glass walls, talk about transparency, this has a feel of class and airiness. I built two homes and designed them, I thought my homes were glass houses but this is the epitome of a glass home.




Just take this all in as you view the indoor rooms to the skyline of buildings and a view of the sea.





You may have a dilemma of walking into walls, and I would not want to clean them myself for sure.






I love the stacked concrete, it's like looking at a sculpture garden.


 


Well,  this view might be worth it for sure. Look closer to the right, I would have to say NO to the open bathroom.




Ah, and now we see the spa and shower at the end, no modest people here!!!





Stunning at night!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Description by NAF Architect & Design

This building is based on a simple system of stacking large concrete blocks of 1.0 m x 1.0 m x 1.5m like building blocks on top of one another to make a structure with big undulation like breakwater or wave-dissipating blocks. These large concrete blocks are manufactured at any cement factory in Etajima city, Hiroshima, at a very low price as excess cement is reused and often used for surface of retaining wall or anchors of rafts for cultured oysters. These large concrete blocks are manufactured from leftover concrete whenever there is an order of concrete at cement factory, as there will always be a surplus, and sold as a product instead of discarding. As concrete blocks are manufactured at such a rate, according to the operation situation of the factories, the construction progressed according to the pace of the manufacture of the concrete blocks. The construction of this building was not based on the time schedule, as in standard construction progress, but waited for the stock of large concrete blocks to continue the work; a “slow architecture” perceived ridiculous in modern construction work.

Groove is cut on the surface of these blocks to have them lifted by cranes. By stacking blocks to make vertical line of this groove, reinforcing steel can be placed through the blocks to secure quake resistance. This method of stacking is made standardized to give variation of direction and intervals; at a place giving view and making passage of the wind and at another place securing the privacy.

Overall composition of the building consists of roof and transparent glass to enclose interior space with the aforementioned concrete block structure. There is no roof over the concrete blocks. Therefore rays of the sun pour over the blocks, and the reflection of the light shines inside the house. Furthermore, vines of various flowers will be planted along the block, changing breakwater-like structure to a hill of flower and greenery in the future.

Mass of stacked large concrete blocks is far too enormous as a structure of a building, and the silhouette is far from ordinary. The building also has a function of landscape which controls wind, light and green, leading these factors interior and giving freedom to the interior space which exceed the form of conventional architecture.

Architecture and Landscapes

French Country Antiques

Modern decorators and designers - even those who only design within their own homes - incorporate
Country French furniture in the pursuit of "shabby chic" style.










CAPTURING FRENCH HISTORY IN DESIGN

Country French design is a patchwork of design styles that encompasses furnishings popular
since the early 18th century. According to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Enlightenment brought about French furniture design that was decidedly feminine and ornately carved or hand painted, with curving silhouettes and attention to detail. The pieces feature extravagant extras,
such as lavish veneers, asymmetrical lines, secret compartments and complex moving parts.

After Louis XVI came into power, the discovery of the city of Pomeii brought about a resurgence of
Greco-Roman style in French furnishings, which led to design that was steeped in natural themes
but also featured more powerful motifs from the animal kingdom. Artisans began creating accent
furniture that was purely for design value. Such as decorative seating was was never actually used.

The Directoire Era of French furniture design featured simplified lines, fewer embellishments
and an affinity for geometric shapes or Egyptian accents. With the coronation of Napoleon, the French began to prefer heavier, darker pieces made out of mahogany and ebony, often with
marble tops and traditional brass hardware. Country French furniture also includes pieces from the
Louis Philippe Era of French history, which catered more to the simplistic and functional decorating styles  of bourgeois class, while still including marble accents and traditional French elements of
design.

Wood You???

E-Legno’s wooden bathtubs make bathing a relaxing ritual. Made of Canadian cedar (though the manufacturer does accept custom orders with different wood options), the E-Legno bathtub smells as good as it looks: cedar’s aromatic scent is sure to lull you into a transcendental state.

At 200 l x 110 w x 58 h cm, the tub offers a perfect fit while still providing lots of room for water—it holds 350 liters. Lean back against the soft wood; let your skin feel the natural texture. The Japanese have long realized the benefits and pleasures of bathing in wooden tubs; and with the Italians having taken over the concept, the E-Legno tub is designed with modern convenience in mind. Now everyone can bring home the healing power of soaking in wood—why hadn’t we all thought of this before?

E-Legno’s bathtubs come in round and oval shapes (excluding special orders, should you desire an octagon or other polygonal shape), and either design takes into account the curves of the body. If you’ve ever lay back in a bathtub and encountered a hard angle beneath your neck, you’ll appreciate this ergonomic detail; after all, the entire purpose of the bath is to relax your muscles, not aggravate them further. And the gorgeous tubs are also non-toxic, which should come as no surprise since E-Legno’s bath line promotes physical well-being.
Carpenter Francesco De Martino—like many Italian craftsmen, who inherit centuries of design (and must feel pressured to equal their longevity)—takes care to build a product that will last generations. During the first year, the water-resistant cedar will require some maintenance (E-Legno includes an ecologically-safe wax), but the result is worthwhile: the organic material will retain its beauty, and beauty is always in style.

E-Legno's