Home Design Find

No Comments »

Delicious Symmetry in Mirrored Pair of Australian Townhouses

The Australian architecture studio Martin Friedrich Architects has designed a pair of very chic urban townhouses.

The mirrored floorplans results in an intriguing and symmetrical facade.

Each has a fully glazed floating effect living room that flows out to a pool.

Connecting the floors, from the basement garage to the bedrooms is a spiral stair.

Each has an underground cinema at the bottom of the circular stairwell, next to the drive-under garage which can house five cars each.

And each have identical mirrored upper floors that could house either 3 couples or a family with 2 to 4 children.

The street-facing wall is also curved white, suggesting the curved spiral stair to be found within.

The stairwell is a truly sculptural form, perfectly presented in its pristine white gallery-like setting.

This free standing sculptural circular staircase connects all three levels with a huge circular skylight above.

The long central expanse of white wall offers the perfect setting for art.

The two townhouses are designed for hip urban professionals with a desire for a maintenance-free garden.

Both are designed for an easy, low upkeep indoor/outdoor lifestyle.

The pure clean white render throughout makes the perfect foil for an art collection.

A deep grey European oak flooring adds depth and warmth and richness to the gallery-like setting.

The bold white sculptural shape of the ‘shutter’ defines the minimalist and contemporary exterior.

Because these bedrooms are recessed quite far back behind the shutters, passersby can only see in from directly in front.

The very striking pair of brilliant white townhouses is in the affluent Bayside suburb of Melbourne.

No Comments »

A Villa in Merida that Embraces Old and New

Casa CP 78 was designed by Taller Estilo Arquitectura in the old colonial city of Merida, on the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico.

The house brings just the right amount of the old world charm of Merida’s colonial Spanish architecture to a modern home.

A pool sits within the typical small site of urban Merida, but we find that it’s exactly sufficient.

Contrasting strongly against the white stucco are floor to ceiling black framed windows – departing decisively from the old world.

These black accents against white stucco define the exterior as  well.

A marble floor cools the sultry tropical air as it enters the kitchen.

A zigzag archway and traditional tiled floor salute the traditions of the old city architecture.

Tropical plantings are beautifully presented and framed by a white stucco wall.

Black marble for the kitchen counter is both feminine and luxurious while also being practical and enduring.

Bathrooms too feature the sophisticated clean lines of sculpted marble basins.

Even here, marble floors cool the bathroom.

The shiny black accents impart a sophisticated urban edge to the residence.

The little Mexican outdoor kitchen makes an intimate gathering spot day or night.

Altogether a small and charming city dwelling that gently references the traditional architecture of the region while embracing a sophisticated new architecture.

No Comments »

The Tiny and Clever Casa Quebrada

What you see is what you get in the charming little Casa Quebrada by UNarquitectura by a creek in the forest near Curacavi, Chile.

The tiny cabin supplies very livable sleeping and eating in a tiny space.

The tiny space doubles up on the views so the raised bedroom and the living room share the same long views out.

Accessed through the living room, the house is raised up above the forest floor.

Holes were left in the walkway to allow trees to continue their growth.

The posts holding the walkway are set at odd angles, echoing the random angles of nature.

The siding and the deck were painted black, allowing it to recede into the forest shadows.

Despite the tiny space, the cabin feels open and airy inside. The deep steps up to the bed double as seating with the tread being the seat and the riser being the backrest.

It’s a clever and efficient use of space.