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September 11, 2009 by: Alex |
Endless summers on a tropical island, warm ocean breezes and soothing vistas. Imagine life on the Whitsunday Islands on the Great Barrier Reef . No palm frond thatched hut here. This is Hamilton Island, playground of the rich and often kitsch. Fiona lives in this paradise and did my stalking for me this week. “These are the new Hamilton Island Yacht Club luxury villas. I live near Hammo and am quite familiar with the styles of houses and apartments there. These really are a cut above. For a start, it looks like you could actually be comfortable there! The local climate has been considered, plus views and privacy. It’s all so harmonious and well resolved my eyes just glide over the rooms (usually this never happens ’cause I’m too busy thinking ‘well that just looks wrong!’). I’d better pop out for a lotto ticket now.”
I agree. Most times apartments here channel the ghost of Miami Beach past. Love the detailing in these and all that timber. I’m not sure though that if I had the $3 million required to snare one of these I wouldn’t look for a tiny island of my own and build that thatched hut. Still a little bit of luxury in paradise is hard to pass up. Here while the link lasts and thanks Fiona!.
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The WISA Wooden Design Hotel by architect Pieta-Linda Auttila may be a temporary structure but it has left a lasting impression on those who study design and woodworking. Situated on the island in the harbor of Valkosaari in Helsinki, this sculptural wooden building was the winner of a competition organized by UPM, a leading Finnish forest products company. As they say all good things must come to an end, and the WISA Wooden Design Hotel will be dismantled at the end of September. Hopefully we will see more similar works by Pieta-Linda Auttila in the future on a larger and more permanent scale.
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Posted on:
September 10, 2009 by: Alex |
Villa O is a contemporary rental home located in Cap Ferrat in southeastern France.
Villa O in Cap Ferrat:
Palms and pines line the winding route down into St Jean. Pass the pretty bars and restaurants, the beret? clad artists, Jean Cocteau street sculpture, the port filled with sleek yachts and families on the sandy beach. The chauffeur turns up the private road to Villa O. And there it is – tiers of terraces, shields of glass, a tricolor of white walls, cobalt sky and pine green trees.
The light and space are overwhelming. A champagne cork pops and canapés are served on the vast semi? circular balcony. Below, a whirl of activity sees your cases brought inside to be carefully unpacked. The villa is beautifully set up to make you feel totally relaxed and totally at home.
There are over 4,500 square meters of gardens. Lavender?lined pathways provide panoramic views over the peninsula. A cornucopia of flowers bursts through rockery walls. Olive, Cyprus and eucalyptus trees give shape and shade; jasmine, rosemary and jacaranda perfume the entire estate. Soft, manicured lawns undulate to an aquamarine pool. A wooden footbridge leads to our two?bedroom, magic garden, Tent house Suite.
A Balinese style pool?house provides shade in which to read, dine or snooze away a hot summer afternoon. Step into the infinity pool that curves around the garden. Cocktail in hand, gaze out over the bay filled with yachts. Breakfast, lunch and dinner can be served in your suite, on the terrace, in the dining room, on the lawn or by the pool (either pool of course). Dinner at 8 or a midnight feast with lanterns. Attention to detail is phenomenal because that’s how we like it.
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If you aren’t familiar with Edward Fickett, don’t worry you aren’t the only one. His award winning work has been overlooked for years in the history of modern architects. When the population in Southern California surged upon the return of the soldiers from WWII, Fickett wanted to provide first homes to these soldiers for under $20,000. He was a designer of his time, had his choice of clientele, but Mr. Fickett was determined to make quality modern architecture affordable for the masses. He has since designed over 60,000 tract homes that have been recognized as “Fickett Homes”. The design style is synonymous with what is most commonly referred to as California Modernism and he has even been dubbed the Frank Lloyd Wright of the 50’s. After his passing in 1999, he was recognized with the Presidential Merit of Honor, the only architect to gain such recognition. Restorations of these “Fickett Homes” are starting to pop up more frequently and these homes have become an interior designer’s dream.
For Kristin King Interior Design, this dream became a reality with the recent restoration of an Edward Fickett home located in Sherman Oaks, CA. This 2569 sf., 4 bedroom, 3.75 bath home features an open floorplan, indoor-outdoor flow, floor to ceiling windows, and exposed brick and stone throughout. They stayed true to the original architecture, but the interiors were upgraded with amenities that were left out due to budget restraints of the time. Slab floors were replaced with hardwood, the bathrooms were upgraded with all new tile and fixtures, and even a sunken tub was installed in the master suite. The kitchen was completely updated with all new cabinets, countertops, and appliances.
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September 7, 2009 by: Alex |
New Zealand’s Bay of Island has long been a retreat for those who urged for a getaway site that prizes privacy, stunning landscapes and end-of-the-earth exclusivity. Stunningly build in 2006 on 30 hectares at the top of a steep slope at the end of a long private driveway, the Rahimoana Villa extends into the bay, not far from the towns of Russell and Tapeka.
Designed by Crosson Clarke Carnachan Architects with an emphasize on large open spaces, the Rahimoana Villa stuns with its 25-metre lap pool, heated outdoor spa, state-of-the-art gymnasium, infra-red sauna, surround-sound home theatre and its high tech office. And just before you gag at the extraordinary price tag that you’ll have to pay for a night in there, bear in mind that there’s a Porsche Cayenne Turbo for guest use in Russell, a personal manager and housekeeper, New Zealand wines and French champagnes and meals prepared by a resident chef.
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