The homeowners wanted the bathroom to exude a Zen-like atmosphere, so dRemodeling undertook several measures to ensure that they would get exactly (and beyond) what they wanted. The room was stripped down to the bare lath and then completely rebuilt and refinished into a modern bathroom. The process involved replacing the dingy old bathtub with a modern frameless glass-enclosed shower whose floors and walls were covered with pebble-like tiles to add a naturalistic flair to the modernist bathroom






An old bathroom need to remodel in order to keep it's modernity while still keeping the basic architecture, here are the project of dRemodeling that renovate and remodel the old bathroom of a historic 1894 home in the University City neighborhood of Philadelphia. You can see the picture of before and after remodeling process. here are the pictures. dRemodeling undertook much more than a mere cosmetic makeover - They undertook a complete structural renovation to bring the bathroom up to the most modern codes and standards and to ensure the bathroom would last for decades to come. Simply put, the homeowners wanted a guest bathroom that was built as solidly and as elegantly as a master bathroom.

Post and Beam - Embed Posts in the Bales or Not?

I have been recieving quite a few emails lately about the relationship between the straw bales and the posts in a post and beam or timber framed design.


If doing a timber frame it is sometimes appealing to expose the posts on the inside in order to show the structure of the building. The bales in this case are just insulation and wall material. This could save time because you will not have to notch around the posts, you just stack them, prep them for plaster, and then plaster. If you choose this route be aware that since your bales will not be in the same plane as the structure you will still need to design a system that keeps them elevated above the grade and interior floor system.

I usually embed the posts inside the exterior face of the straw bales. My main reason for this is to simplify the foundation design and finsh of the the wall. Having the posts embedded gives you an unobstructed exterior and interior when plastering as opposed to having to work around the posts. Also if there are temperature changes, the posts, assuming that they are wood, will expand and contract, causing potential problems at the joint where it meets the plaster skin.

Hope this helps!

Crocodile Leather Desk Elegant Design

Crocodile leather desk design from simple. Design of a desk into an elegant leather.
Design a simple desk, Gabriel Taxidermy designed the Level Desk for Spanish company AG Land 14. Contemporary forms were created through traditional craftsmanship, making this desk a jewel for a strong individual.

Green House Plans Gone Wild!

Green is the big thing now in the design world and the house plans business.  I recently ran across these images of Icelandic houses that definitely take green to the next level of meaning.  Check them out below.

                                                          

What Does Boston Mean To You?

Last night I attended a fabulous Christofle event celebrating the opening of their store on Boylston Street. Positioned across from Boston Common and in between the eye-catching turquoise canopies that provide entry for some of the most luxurious boutiques Boston has to offer, Christofle is certainly one store you don't want to miss. Upon entering, I was met with a stunning collection of sterling silver jewelry, flatware, serving platters, and an assortment of decadent home accessories that would add Parisian elegance to any space. The event was complete with a number of charismatic guests and a brilliantly designed champagne cooler at the center of it all.

One of the guests I spoke with plans to launch a magazine that hones in on Boston's high-end fashion for women to remind out-of-towners that the city is known for more than our sports teams and historic streets. Between the loyal Red Sox fans and our distinguished Freedom Trail tours, high-end fashion appears to be an afterthought which is why I'm dedicating this post to highlighting some of the luxurious places I've come across while living here. Maintaining it's historic charm, Boston has managed to produce a number of wonderful boutiques along the sidewalks of Beacon Hill, Newbury Street, and the North End, among others, for all visitors to enjoy!

Phone A Friend

All of the cell phones I've owned have experienced some form of abuse whether it has been dropped in water, on a brick road, or stolen from my purse during a New Year's Eve celebration. My replacement phones always end up being a dorky, Zach Morris (Saved By The Bell) type phone that never leaves me with a good feeling.

If you're anything like me and have a hard time staying on the go without losing or ruining everyday essentials, it's time to invest in a phone that lives in a more permanent and safer location: your home. The VTech LS6245 phone system offers a supportive base and handheld phone complete with a touch-sensitive surface for easy dialing and checking new messages.

One of the most interesting facts I learned about this item is that the VTech phone is the first to offer both landline and mobile telephone service. After a quick and easy Bluetooth setup with your cell phone (and up to seven other cell phones), you'll be able to make calls in no time. While cell service can come and go throughout different parts in your home, calls from VTech will come out clear every time. I wasn't able to make landline calls because I didn't have a DSL filter which is an item you'll need to buy on your own if you have high-speed cable service in your home.

Whether you're looking to add a new modern flair or have been seeking the latest in technology, a VTech LS6245 phone will certainly fill your craving! It's a beautiful addition to the home or personal office that your family and friends will enjoy using on a regular basis.

Reading and Relaxing

It is a bit of a Christmas tradition here at the farmhouse that we give each other books to read over the holidays. This week I have enjoyed lazing around reading about gardens in the Australian countryside and the latest biography on the most famous fashion icon of last century.

I have the movie starring Audrey Tatou and read many books on Chanel before but the new biography, Coco Chanel: The Legend and the Life

by former British Voguette Justine Picardie, leads your further inside her life than any other that has come before. You do get the sense that Picardie really immersed herself in the research for the book, even visiting the convent in a remote French village where Chanel grew up and seeking out her closest confidentes. She even wrote some of the book in Chanel’s private quarters on the Rue Cambon. Have a look at Justine Picardie talk about researching the book here and falling under the spell of the legend here.

My daughter usually gives me the latest inspirational garden book. This year I pointed her in the direction of landscape designer Myles Baldwin’s Rural Australian Gardens, a journal of this accomplished gardener's travels from the tropics to the alpine regions of Australia to find the best and most unusual gardens.

It is his enthusiastic, chatty and candid commentary on other designers’ gardens which I find quite refreshing. He visits minimalist David Katon’s Southern Highlands garden but one suspects it’s manicured perfection is not his bag.

The beauty of interior designer Stuart Rattle’s decorative garden in Musk, one of my own favourites, obviously took him by surprise. You really see how non-professional gardeners like Stuart Rattle and his partner become bewitched by their gardens and how they become a real labour of love. (No doubt it helps having a friend like internationally celebrated garden designer, Paul Bangay up the road.)

Baldwin presents gardens owned by real country Australians who are passionate gardeners, exactly as they are - rambling, quirky and honest. I like the fact that some of the gardens he chose are not too perfect as many of them them survive in pretty harsh landscapes.