Deluxe Expandable Dining Tables Make Room for More

It’s true that you have a dining table large enough to seat your family. But when guests come, do you end up squeezed in so tight you devote the meal together with Uncle Bob’s elbow in your ribs? If your cut-off age for who gets stuck at the kids’ table is 35, then you may want a dining table that develops with all the guest list.

An expandable dining table is available in every style, so there’s one just right for you. Before you go shopping, think about these design elements that will assist you opt for the most suitable one.

Brownstone Furniture

Sienna Dining Table

I’ve always loved round dining tables best since they make it simple for everyone to see and speak with one another. Most of the time, as soon as a round table contains leaves, it becomes oblong, which gives you those horizontal sides. But this one …

Brownstone Furniture

Sienna Dining Table

… turns to a larger table. Brownstone’s Sienna Table goes from a 56-inch diameter, which seats four to six individuals, up to a 72-inch diameter, which seats 10. The style is so straightforward and timeless it’ll work with conventional or transitional decor. Individual soft felt bags are provided to protect the extensions from scrapes while stored.

Astrolab Dining Table

Is modern more your preference? Roche Bobois is known for its sleek styling. Its Astrolab glass expansion table has integrated leaves and an exposed system of gears that could earn a Swiss watch proud. Operated by a battery-run motor with remote controller, you just push a button to expand this table. The remote performance is so cool, you might have the ability to entice the sport enthusiasts in their death-grip on the TV remote and football watching long enough to come eat dinner.

The Hickory Chair Furniture Co..

Newport Dining Table Top

Do you regularly throw big dinner parties? Hickory Chair’s Newport Dining Table is available in lots of sizes, such as a behemoth that begins at 10 feet long and expands up to 18 ft, which will seat 20 people. It utilizes three pedestals rather than the two you see here. Casters on the pedestals make it a lot easier to maneuver it into another position if you want to expand to the complete size — a nice feature on this a long table. I’m sure I’m not the only person who expands my dining table in the dining room to the living room once I want to seat more people.

Urbanspace Interiors

Were you aware there are no legs on the edges of this table for in the way of the seats? Selecting a table with a pedestal base keeps your knees bruise-free. Click on this photo and adhere to the green tags for resource information.

Vanguard Furniture

Vanguard Dining Table

Vanguard’s base dining table is the essence of contemporary style that is warm. The slim base guarantees that nobody might need to sit straddling a table leg.

Calligaris

Airport Extra-Long Extending Table

Many tables with legs at the corners have extensions that add on to the ends while the legs stay put. I really don’t enjoy those since it means someone gets stuck with a leg pressing sideways into a leg ; or worse, they all have to sit with a table between their knees. Calligaris was more intelligent than that if it designed the Airport Extra Long Extending Table. The legs stay at the corners when the table is pulled to its full length, an impressive 102 inches seating 10 people.

A couple of different things I love about this table are the self-storing extension leaves, which eliminate the need to locate somewhere to keep part of your table the remainder of the year. I also love that one person can open or close this table, thanks to its telescoping mechanism. A movie on Calligaris’ site shows how simple it’s to use. Another real plus is that this table compacts to 51 inches. That will fit in the smallest dining areas leaving you with plenty of space when the guests go home.

Pangaea Interior Design, Portland, OR

This dining table designed by yours truly also keeps its legs at the corners when extensions are inserted into the center.

How large should your table be?

A great rule of thumb would be to allow 24 inches per person, but it doesn’t always work. See that the seats round this table are all armchairs. To keep individuals from getting their seats banging into every other’s, I allowed more distance.

The side of this table is 6 ft long, and you may observe that only two people may sit on a side because of the larger armchairs. With armless seats, three individuals could sit on every side. Also keep in mind who is coming to dinner. If you’ve invited your local football team, then they will require space for those broad shoulders. If children are found, then you can sit two in an end using a bench or banquette.

Brownstone Furniture

Monterey Table

Tables with expansion leaves are not the only way to handle business for holiday meals. What if you bought two fitting square tables with a level edge similar to that one from Brownstone that could sit side by side?

Brownstone Furniture

Monterery Table

You can use one as your routine vanity, and the next one may normally serve as a match table in the family room. Although I wouldn’t suggest this solution to someone who has dinner guests often, it might be an ideal solution for people who have a dinner party once or twice annually.

Elad Gonen

If everything else fails, the magic of a floor-length tablecloth will allow you to combine pretty much any tables to create one table for your whole party.

I really don’t understand what is under this tablecloth, and that’s the genius of it. It might be a rather high-end table or it might be six folding card tables end to end.

Here is my most important tip on enlarging your table for a successful dinner party: locate a means to seat everyone collectively comfortably — even if that means folding tables or placing your table at the living room briefly — and let everyone know how glad you are they arrived. Pour on the wine and unwind!

Tell us Have you come up with an innovative means to seat a large group at once? As always, I love to hear about your options and see your pictures.

Read more expansion tables at the Products section

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Give Your Hot-Climate Home a Fall Feel

A buddy of mine who lives in south Florida joked recently that she needed to travel to her hometown in Georgia to remind herself that it is the middle of autumn. Fall is her favorite season, but the things she enjoys about it, like hot cocoa, toasty fires and apple picking, are not really feasible when the temperature is pushing 90. I am able to empathize — I know how much I would miss settling in with a mug of cinnamon-laced cider or watching the leaves take on a range of jewel-like colours. (Do not feel too sorry for her, even however; she will be hanging out on the beach when the rest people are shivering in our sweaters.)

In honor of the remainder of the ers who crave a hint of fall in a hot climate, I have assembled a few ideas for bringing that cozy touch to your home. And I would really like to hear how you celebrate autumn in your very own way that is warm-weather. Share your thoughts in the Comments!

Ike Kligerman Barkley

Insert a Fire Pit

They’re every bit as welcoming on the shoreline since they are at a mountain cabin or ski chalet. The beachfront palette warms up.

Pedersen Associates

This outdoor fireplace provides the sense of a hearth without heating up the house in warm weather. S’mores?

If a fire pit is not in the cards, then get the effect with a group of spice-colored candles.

MCM Design

Create a Position for Obtaining Cozy

Suspended from chains, this outdoor bed combines the breezy comfort of a hammock with an cuddle-up style of a cushioned chaise. A great note that is autumnal is added by the persimmon-orange fabric.

Sutton Suzuki Architects

The opinion features Pacific waves and coconut palms rather than brilliant red maples and snowy pines. But this window seat still calls out for a day with a fantastic book and a cup of something hot (or a apple-cider slushie, should you want).

GM Construction, Inc..

We are used to seeing mosquito netting draped around canopy beds in humid climates, but attempt a more significant fabric for a truly enveloping feel.

Carter Kay Interiors

Drape a Twist or 2

Sometime you may reach for a tartan blanket or hand-knit afghan in colder climates, a lightweight throw at a fall color adds a little touch of this season, even when weather is much better suited for shorts and bare feet.

Sutton Suzuki Architects

A sweater-style blanket provides a snuggly note to a cozy chair.

Bill Fry Construction – Wm. H. Fry Const. Co..

Mix at Autumnal Hues

In case you can not access to New England for foliage season this season, pretend it with colour. This bathroom feels like a giant cup of spiced cider (that is the name of this paint, actually).

Flea Market Sunday

Rusty orange-red poppies dancing across this bedroom wallpaper. Throw in the chocolate-brown sheets, and you own a palette reminiscent of pumpkin pie and molasses.

Cynthia Weber

Sprinkle in Classic Cool-Weather Accents

An antique scraped cider cone doubles as an end table in this space. You could also keep a look out for cider presses, firewood baskets and other finds.

What announces fall more certainly than pumpkins? If your landscape is dotted with trees and bougainvillea, do not miss the opportunity to pile pumpkins on your front porch. If you’re able to get them, attempt albino versions like these, that have a crisper and cooler feel compared to traditional orange kind.

Griffin Enright Architects

Stock up on apples, another of fall’s greatest treasures. Mass them at a group of boats, tuck them along bookshelves, heap them in a woven basket or organize a few on a pretty tray.

Rizzoli New York

This beautiful arrangement features kumquats, a new approach to add a shot of fall colour.

Fall leaves could be tight on the ground, but you are able to go the next best path: Buy silk ones from a crafts store or florist. All these are tucked in plain frames for an easy nod to the season.

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On Trend: Eiffel Tower Angles Anchor Dining Tables

Look at those legs! Every table that has been catching my eye this fall sports tilted legs and architectural metal details. As if I didn’t long for a weekend in Paris now, today all I could think about is the wide-legged stance of a popular cultural icon: the Eiffel Tower.

The arched, leggy appearance of the tables helps them seem especially sturdy — as though they could weather any mealtime maelstrom. Surprisingly, the angles and generally thin legs additionally keep things looking light in the dining room. Forget square or round; these tables mimic the Eiffel Tower’s own geometric footprint. And the angled legs give your personal legs extra room to stretch after that eight-course meal, when you’re all set to enjoy your second glass of wine.

2Modern

Magis Baguette Table – $1,979

This dining table oozes sleekness and minimalism, with legs so skinny they might disappear completely once it is surrounded with your favorite upholstered dining seats — that’s a good thing!

Room & Board

Ventura Dining Table – $1,799

The subtle arch along the bottom of the Ventura table reinforces that Eiffel vibe. But the piece feels beautifully contemporary.

Restoration Hardware

Flatiron Bar Table – $695

This table appears like it was pulled out of an artist’s garret with its own views of the Eiffel Tower. Longing to get a major loft room, it could anchor bright colours and modern objects with its industrial lines.

IKEA

Ikea PS 2012 Dining Table – $179

This cheap yet weatherproof Ikea dining table is among the best options out there. Clean and modern but still quite homeowner favorable, it is going to share space with you in the kitchen without alienating anyone.

Crate&Barrel

Taverna Dining Table – $1,499

The strong lines and sturdy angles of this Taverna dining table make it ideal for a traditional dining area. Insert a modern dose of vivid colors with attachments to brighten up things.

Pottery Barn

Hendrix Big Smart Technology Desk – $1,199

This desk has a strength that provides power to the individual sitting behind it. Sturdy and weighty, it has lighter wood tones and a rough-hewn complete that keep it casual enough for any home office, low or high.

West Elm

Mix + Match Table – $799

Mix and match your tabletops and legs with this modern piece. Straddling your dining room easily, it can hold up to the curvy modern dining chairs you have had your eyes.

CB2

Shanghai Dining Table – $699

The Shanghai table handles to station both the Paris and China in exactly the same time. Would you see the sloping angles of a conventional temple in these legs?

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Great Design Plant: Cushion Bush

Greens and blues create a relaxing backyard palette, but they want a small light to wake them up — especially if daylight is waning and an increasing number of time outside is spent between sunset and sunrise. If you’re looking for low maintenance, high-impact white color and textural contrast, take a look at cushion Length. It looks like an extraterrestrial, adding unique beauty — and comedy — into the temperate garden year-round.

Far Out Flora

Botanical name: Calocephalus brownii (syn. Leucophyta brownii)
Common title: Cushion bush
USDA zones: 9 to 10 (find your zone)
Water requirement: Medium; don’t overwater
Sun requirement: Total sun
Mature size: 3 ft tall and wide
Advantages and tolerances: Drought tolerant; flourishes in coastal states
Seasonal interest: Distinct evegreen foliage; flowers in summertime
When to plant: Spring to summer

Distinguishing traits. Native to the coastal cliffs of Australia, this white mounding shrub is grown because of its unique, eye-catching foliage. It somewhat resembles submerged coral or possibly a leafless weed.

While the plant itself appears pleasant and defensive, pillow bush is actually pretty fuzzy to the touch — the consequence of small, narrow leaves compacted tightly against its architectural, branching stems.

Photograph byMelburnian

Kaveh Maguire

It’s an evegreen tree which grows 1 to 3 feet tall and wide. It flowers in late summer or spring, making small, button-shaped clusters of green flowers. In the winter the white coloring of the foliage becomes even more conspicuous, transforming into an almost green-white.

The best way to use it. While white in the garden is a joy any time of year, it is especially true when the days are shortening and time in the backyard is more likely to be spent in the dark. Cushion bush’s fluorescent coloring is especially helpful on a course’s edge — it will reflect light and light your way.

Its purpose for salt makes it a fantastic pick for saltwater pools or aquatic banks. It looks amazing in coastal gardens, in planters and alongside succulents.

Photograph courtesy of Chris.urs-o

Planting notes. Cushion bush thrives in beachfront conditions, and growth improves in direct, salty wind. It is, however, sensitive to humidity and irregular temperature swings.

Plant it in direct sunlight in sandy, quick-draining land. It’s very drought tolerant and prefers not to be overwatered; keep a look out for fungus.

Cushion bush is hardy to 20 degrees Fahrenheit but is slightly frost tolerant. By mulching its origins over the 6, it will be given a better prospect of surviving.

As the tree matures, make sure you cut out the deceased and woodier parts and trim spent flowers. It won’t react well to hard pruning, but you are able to pinch young stems to promote fuller growth.

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Animate Your Garden With Matisse's Colours

Pinks, lavenders, light blues and other pastel shades have, in recent times, become the preferred choice of garden designers and gardeners when determining the colour schemes because of their flower beds. Even wow-factor plants of recent years, such as ornamental alliums, typically fit to this trend of colour usage. But there is a French builder that I feel may also influence the way we look at using colour in our garden — and that time it isn’t pastels but bold, vivid colours.

Henri Matisse is generally thought of as the best colorist of the 20th century. As one of the early postimpressionists, he’s perhaps most known as the pioneer of the French art movement called fauvism. (“Fauvism” comes from the French phrase “fauves,” meaning “wild beasts.”) Fauvists used colours to express emotion for their subjects, not to reveal them realistically.

Matisse’s colour choices still affect our use of colour today in several places, including the garden. We can also see their usage from the Pantone fashion colour options for fall 2012, which can impact both fashion and lifestyle designers. We can use the exact same bold colours to invigorate our houses both in the plants and planting schemes we use, as well as our choice of colours for outdoor accessories.

Below are some inspired garden and planting designs with Matisse’s color thoughts.

jenny_hardgrave

“It is insufficient to put colours, however exquisite, one beside another; colours must also respond on one another.” — Henri Matisse

Ordinarily in addition to climate and situation, basic colour theory comes into play when selecting plants for a garden. Color selections could be compatible, monochromatic or, as with Mastisse, complementary. The fantastic contrasts of colours within this border are increased by the monotone evergreen planting behind.

The New York Botanical Garden

One of the signature logos of Matisse and fauvism was using complementary colours. Complementary colors are opposite each other on the colour wheel. These are high in contrast and can add excitement and drama to a garden.

Combinations of yellow and violet, orange and blue or green and red plant varieties are popular examples of complementary colours frequently used collectively.

jenny_hardgrave

Plants that love sunny situations are perfect to use in a Matisse-inspired garden masterpiece, since they tend to have brightly coloured blossoms; pastels in bright sunlight may look faded and washed out. Reds, oranges, vivid yellows, deep blues and purples in swaths and cubes of contrasted colour put the identical sort of energy into a planting that Matisse placed to his paintings.

jenny_hardgrave

Not just seasonal bedding plants supply these beacons of colour. Here we see that a vibrant bed that uses herbaceous perennials to create the identical effect. Perennials in orange, red, magenta and bright yellow are certain to energize your garden. These daring colours constantly tend to steal the show, so don’t try to combine vivid colors with pastels.

Vintage Nursery & Landscape Co. / Alan Burke, asla

“Seek the strongest colour effect possible.” — Henri Matisse

This container indicates the spirit of Matisse in its lush setting. The mixture of cosmos, impatiens and verbena in an everyday mass clearly reveals how the complementary colours work together.

vernardakis george – avantgarden athens

Matisse’s health declined in his later years after an operation. He could no longer paint, so he turned to paper collages, guaches découpés, which he called “drawing with scissors.” His cutouts of brightly colored shapes usually followed natural forms.

This intriguing cactus garden’s colorful circles of gravel possess a similar daring and playful appeal.

“The use of expressive colors is felt to be among the fundamental elements of the modern mindset.” — Henri Matisse

The use of strong colors in the garden needn’t be limited to plants. We can observe how these brightly colored cushions, scattered round the horseshoe-shaped seating area and backed by lush foliage, and bring this garden.

Exteriorscapes llc

Occasionally it’s a good idea to step back from reality and use colour just for the pleasure of it. The usage of the Matisse design of colour with this hardscape — fencing, seating, wall as well as the birdhouse — is balanced by the easy, virtually random planting of the garden.

Event: Matisse comes to the Met. From early December 2012 during March 2013, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York is holding a exhibition, “Matisse: In Search of True Painting,” which will explore the artist’s methods.

More: Lessons From Monet’s Garden

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Homes

Some of my favourite designs are coming out of Australia. Whether it’s stunning contemporary architecture, just the right quantity of collected/eclectic within an inside, a verdant landscape or charismatic bloggers full of creative ideas, the ideas coming from Down Under are inspiring and unique. Get inspired by these five houses which include all of the above and more.

More Australian design: Sydney | Melbourne | Brisbane

Sam Crawford Architects

1. A improvement in Sydney. This house’s new wing was created by Sam Crawford Architects. This open, light-filled space serves several functions, including living room, art gallery, library and dining area.

Sam Crawford Architects

1 stunning design detail in the space is that this laser-cut timber panel. The design was swiped in the customers’ collection of Scandinavian hand-painted ceramic tiles.

Sam Crawford Architects

Using natural light and opening to the outdoors drove the design, which carefully considers all of the relationships between inside and out. As you can see here, doors completely open up the space to the courtyard, and the border between the two serves as a bench.

See the rest of the home

Jennie Hunt

2. An eco-friendly retreat in the bushland. Traveling to another side of this island, this lovely home is located in the bushland, on the northern outskirts of Perth. The construction is rammed ground and has been designed for maximum energy efficiency.

Jennie Hunt

The living area’s chalkboard wall is constantly shifting, depending on who is visiting.

Jennie Hunt

Sited close to the Indian Ocean, sets of natural objects picked up on shore strolls decorate the home.

See the rest of the home

Atypical Type A

3. A couple’s brilliant townhouse in Adelaide, South Australia. Intelligent blogger Atypical Type A’s home is full of midcentury modern locates and smart DIY projects. In the master bedroom, then the wavy lamp on the right came , then she found the bedding which coordinated with it.

Atypical Type A

Instead of registering for a ton of cut vases, salad tongs and platters as wedding presents, the couple’s guests produced a pool of cash for them to commission a work of art from an artist that they loved (Danish artist Pabi).

Atypical Type A

An inviting patio provides a secluded spot for dining. It is quite a transformation; when the couple moved , the spot was”devoid of anything living.” They included the planters and bamboo screening, the mirror-backed iron candle sconce holder along with the outside dining furniture, which includes curvaceous Panton chairs.

See the rest of the home

Secret Gardens

4. A stunning landscape style in Sydney. This website presented spectacular views and a series of challenges to landscape design firm The Secret Gardens of Sydney.

Secret Gardens

Connections between the terraces as well as opinions from inside to out were considered in the design of this landscape.

Secret Gardens

The website contains a series of outdoor rooms at several degrees, surrounded by lush plantings and comfortable outdoor furniture like the Orbit from Dedon. This round lounge even has a canopy you can pull up to provide shade and solitude.

A Beach Cottage

5. A shore cabin makeover in Sydney. Among our very first Tours has been with Sarah, the blogger behind A Beach Cottage. While her home (and our interview arrangement ) has evolved since this meeting posted, I love perusing her easy-breezy beach style.

A Beach Cottage

Painting a vintage trunk and suitcase white and stacking them created a unique and functional nightstand.

Utilizing a simple neutral palette of white and tan allows a variety of interesting textures to stand out.

See the rest of the home


More:
Interview: Vivian’s Delightful Sydney Home
The Outdoor Comes Inside Down Under
Interiors for Easy living in Australia
5 Inspiring Homes in the Chilly North

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A Single Painting Births a Home's Whole Palette

Netherlands interior designer Sonia van der Zwaan-Barrigas along with her husband adored a painting by Portuguese artist Mario Rita so much, they chose their color palette and furnishings to complement this one beloved piece.

in a Glance
Who lives here: Sonia van der Zwaan-Barrigas, her husband and 2 kids
Location: Eemnes, Netherlands, 15 miles from Amsterdam.
Size: 140 square meters (1,500 square feet); 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom

Gosto lifestyle & design

Such as the cherished painting, shown here from the dining room, the property’s color palette revolves around colors of white and gray with bright accessories. The accessories change by season.

Table: Kubus, Het Kabinet; tablecloth: plastic from local shop; lighting: Muuto; gold sequined pillow: H&M

Gosto lifestyle & design

The kitchen, living room and dining room make up the fantastic room on the primary floor, one of three degrees from the house. Van der Zwaan-Barrigas enjoys opening up the doors to the garden and enjoying the fresh air.

Backsplash: glass mosaic tiles, Trend Vitreo; range/hood: Bosch; stool: Ikea

Gosto design & lifestyle

The couple replaced an outside wall on the main floor with glass doors and windows, resulting in an open design which allows for constant natural light. “I wanted a bright Scandinavian look, but I wanted it to be stylish and cozy,” says van der Zwaan-Barrigas.

Countertops: Silestone; Granite: Eggerman

Gosto design & lifestyle

The house has an eclectic mix of classic and playful pieces. Big standout pieces — such as the Eames chairs and red lamps — blend with much more textural furniture. A rusted locker cupboard, cushions made from recycled blankets and other knickknacks add patina to the room. “Mix and match is my motto,” says van der Zwaan-Barrigas.

Metal lockers: Het Kabinet

Gosto design & lifestyle

True to her roots, she plays Scandinavian design components, mixing in various colors and styles. Lots of her accessories come out of her shop, Gosto Design & Lifestyle, but she preferred for more timeless furniture throughout the house.

Coffee table: Het Kabinet; sofas: Crack by Machalke (discontinued); cushions: H&M and Fine Little Day; console: Ikea; poster: Studio Velvet; candelabra: Muuto; storage house: Ferm Living

Gosto design & lifestyle

Van der Zwaan-Barrigas painted one of those partitions in the the living room and the bedroom to add visual depth. Employing the identical color helps tie the house together. “It’s a simple trick with a fantastic impact,” she states.

Wall color: Klei, Histor; bed frame, side table: Ikea; pillow: Donna Wilson; lamp: Muuto

Gosto lifestyle & design

The renovated attic is presently a joint guest room and home office. Van der Zwaan-Barrigas coated the walls at the same Cole & Sons wallpaper that’s from the entrance.

Gosto lifestyle & design

Van der Zwaan-Barrigas and her husband made this children’s stand from metal pipes, clamping fixtures along with a simple pine countertop.

Gosto lifestyle & design

She and her husband built and designed this boyish children’s wardrobe.

Gosto lifestyle & design

The couple decided durable porcelain tile floors in this traffic-heavy part of the house. A glossy taupe paint onto the staircase is in accord with the neutral color palette.

Pendant mild: Norm 03, Normann Copenhagen

Gosto lifestyle & design

The kitchen and the bathroom were both tiled at precisely the same glass tile — in different colors — to link the spaces.

Tile: Glass mosaic, Trend Vitreo collection; floors: porcelain, Cotto d’Este

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Large-Scale Pieces Give Small Cabinets Huge Style

If you’re furnishing a tiny room, chances are your instinct is to maintain the furniture small also. But that strategy can translate into a space which feels cluttered and precious, as though it belongs in a dollhouse. It might sound counterintuitive, but try the other tack: Overscale furnishings, art or fixtures can actually make a room feel bigger instead of smaller, and they evoke an air of warmth and relaxation. Use these approaches to pull the look off.

Rebekah Zaveloff | KitchenLab

Utilize the mirror effect. If there’s a trustworthy suggestion for opening up a tiny room, it’s adding a massive mirror. This one is massive, but the manifestation makes it feel transparent, therefore it does not seem like it hulks within the space. In fact, it provides enough visual expansion to permit for an overscale table as well.

Bosworth Hoedemaker

Keep the footprint small. This is one of the great secrets of supplying a pint-size space: Bring in large-scale pieces which have a shallow footprint. This way, you are going to find the presence and gravitas of overscale furniture without consuming too much floor area.

Juxtapose bigger furnishings with spacious vistas. Were this tall secretary tucked from two solid walls, it may have loomed too large for the space. Nevertheless, the adjoining window allows the eye to travel to the exterior perspective, which helps to make the impression of more space and to produce the secretary feel suitable in scale.

Andre Rothblatt Architecture

Proceed vertical. Small rooms often have more space on the walls than on the floors. In this Lilliputian kitchen, an oversized range hood, a full wall of shelving and hanging pot racks free up sufficient room underfoot to put in a good-size butcher block island.

Jennifer – Rambling Renovators

Pick curved bits. Rounded tables, corners and other components occupy less visual space than furnishings with sharp corners. This dining room would feel a whole lot more cramped with a rectangular dining table.

Lauren Gries

Be creative with placement. In a perfect world, you would not be required to block a window or obstruct a pathway with all furniture. But in tiny rooms, sometimes you want to break the rules. These homeowners managed to squeeze a full size bed into this narrow bedroom by backing it against the window. By keeping the headboard light and open, they have allowed as much sunlight to penetrate as you can.

Garret Cord Werner Architects & Interior Designers

Channel your inner minimalist. This built in credenza dominates the small bedroom, but it works because its size removes the need for additional case merchandise.

usona

Keep the palette . What makes this towering headboard, oversize folding display and grand bed work? A coordinated color scheme of grey, white and black, which prevents any single component from quitting the eye. High-contrast colours would have created more visual separation and made the room feel fuller.

More:
8 Great Neutral Color Palettes for the Bedroom
Remake a Room With One Big Piece

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8 Ecofriendly Roof Options for Low Budgets and Upward

My home will be needing a new roof in the not too distant future, and I have a record of features for this big-ticket item I expect to be able to tick off. I am seeking a roofing material that is long lasting, energy efficientand environmentally friendly and comparatively affordable.

Does such a roof exist? I put out to learn all I could about the present alternatives for eco friendly roofs came off with the five top contenders and three discretionary add-ons you will find here.

Read on to learn more about the pros and cons of every green choice, to allow you to discover the right ecofriendly roof for your home and budget.

Advanced Metal Roofing

White Roof, aka”Cool Roof”

Pros:
A light-colored or white roof of any material can also be known as a”cool roof” because of this — it may significantly cool the roof’s temperature by reflecting the sun’s rays away from the home, keeping the interior of the house cooler as well. This reduces summertime bills and helps deter the”heat island” effect in cities. White asphalt shingles (such as the Energy Star–ranked GAF 25-Year Royal Sovereign White Shingles available at Home Depot) are similar in cost to normal, darker shingles, which makes this one of the least expensive eco friendly roofing choices.

Cons: Just because it’s a cool roof does not indicate it’s completely ecofriendly. When it’s made from asphalt shingles, then those are still oil based and are almost impossible to recycle. A metal roof in white can be a better choice.

See more about Energy Star ratings for roof materials

Smith & Vansant Architects PC

Standing-Seam Metal Roof

Pros:
incredibly durable, long lasting, light reflective and completely recyclable, metal roofs are a great investment for anybody — not only green homeowners. You are able to ramp up the green factor by selecting a metal roof made out of recycled content and at a lighter color.

Cons: More expensive than asphalt shingles (though less than copper and slate), a standing-seam metal roof is a bigger investment up front. Also, homeowners in areas with heavy snowfall should include a plan for dealing with snow it slips right off metal roofs, possibly creating substantial drifts around the outside of the home.

The Benefits of a Metal Roof

Jeffrey Dungan Architects

Sustainable Wood Shake or Shingle Roof

Pros:
Natural and biodegradablewood shingles from sustainably managed forests are a good option if you’ve got your heart set on the timeless look of wood shingles. The Green Depot carries FSC-certified cedar shingles.

Cons: Wood shingles are flammable, so that they may be controlled in some areas where fire danger is high. They’re also fairly expensive (the price is on par with metal roofing), and continue only 15 to 25 years, whereas metal roofs may last 40 to 50 years.

Noel Cross+Architects

Reclaimed Clay or Slate Tile Roof

Pros:
Durable and natural, clay and slate tiles have a lengthy history in roof and are still highly coveted today. Nothing complements a Spanish-style house better than the traditional curve of reddish clay tiles, and slate does wonders to enhance the look of elegant historic homes. Even longer-lasting than metal, clay and slate tiles may last up to 100 years. Clay tile may also be utilized in lighter colours, which supply cool-roof benefits. Salvaged tile is the greenest option, keeping usable tile out of landfills.

Cons: Clay and slate tiles are extremely expensive, typically twice as much per square foot as metal roof. Tile is also very heavy, which means some reinforcement of the roof is usually required, adding to the price. You can also anticipate regular maintenance costs to replace chipped and broken tiles.

Jeffrey Dungan Architects

Recycled-Content Shingle Roof

Pros:
A growing number of shingles in the marketplace these days have recycled content, from those that mimic the look of cedar shakes (like those from EcoStar) to recycled slate-look shingles (like these available at Green Depot). These choices give an appealing lower-cost option to expensive slate and sustainable timber, while offering green benefits like a manufacturer recycling program along with a 50-year product life span.

Cons: From what I have observed, none of those recycled-content shingles available on the market today are available in white, so cooling benefits may not be optimal (though this may vary, as new products are always being developed).

Birdseye Design

Add-On Number 1: Solar Panels

Pros:
Today’s solar panels are less expensive than they once were, may be fitted onto several styles of existing roofs (that portion of your roof facing south is important) and has the potential to save you a major chunk of change on your electricity bills in the long run.

Cons: The first installation costs are still fairly high, and you won’t recover your investment with electricity savings for several years. So if you’re planning to move anytime soon, it might be wiser to wait to set up solar panels on your next house.

Feldman Architecture, Inc..

Add-On Number 2: Green Roof

Pros: Adding insulation, cooling your house, cleaning the atmosphere and decreasing the amount of storm-water runoff are only a few of the benefits of incorporating a green roof to your house. Planting green roofs in urban areas may also help enhance the heat-island effect and add natural beauty to what’s usually a neglected space.

Cons: apart from the initial installation (which can be expensive depending on how big your roof and also the type of garden), a green roof may also need some structural reinforcement to encourage the burden of these plants and dirt.

Upkeep also may be an issue — even automatic irrigation systems and native plant gardens need maintenance from time to time, along with other roof repairs may be more difficult when workers will need to get areas under the layers.

See more cooling rooftop gardens

CG&S Design-Build

Add-On Number 3: Roof Overhangs

Pros: Roof overhangs are great ways to cool your house. When properly positioned, a deep roof overhang can shade your house from sunlight, reducing electricity and electricity expenses.

Cons: The price of adding a roof overhang may be high, but if you’re already planning modifications to your house’s structure or are building from scratch, then it may be well worth it to look into adding a deep overhang.

Feldman Architecture, Inc..

The bottom line: There is not any one-size-fits-all solution, but I was pleasantly surprised at the resource-saving choices in the marketplace today. From recycled products to only picking a lighter colour in a conventional roof material, there is a green choice to fit pretty much every budget.

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'Houses + Origins' Shows an Architect's Procedure

Houses + Origins, published in July 2012 by Images Publishing, is the first monograph in the work of WA Design, David Stark Wilson’s firm in Berkeley, California, but it’s not Wilson’s very first publication. That honour goes to the 2003 name Structures of Utility, a collection of black and white photographs which Wilson shot in California and other parts of the West, documenting the region’s natural beauty and rural architecture. Not surprisingly, but hardly intentionally, those photos and the trips that allowed them influenced his residential layouts.

This new monograph’s name spells out the continuing impact of natural features on Wilson’s architecture. Houses + Origins collects 10 jobs — nine homes and a single office building — three of which I have written about earlier: the Berkeley Courtyard House, the Tahoe Ridge House along with the Willits Compound. This ideabook appears within the pages of this book’s very first chapter, which documents that the Berkeley Courtyard House, talking it specifically and in the larger context of this monograph.

WA Design Architects

The cover features the Berkeley Courtyard House, its own central space with pools against a narrow canyon with its bed of plain water. The publication “shows the impact of seeing things in a wider context,” says architecture author Stephen Crafti about the rear cover. “The homes featured in the publication, designed by Wilson in conjunction with architect Chris Parlette, show the significance of understanding that the word ‘context.'”

However, since the cover illustrates, inspiration can be remote, removed from a job’s immediate context.

WA Design Architects

Each project is recorded in a similar vein, starting with an outside photo on a two-page disperse.

WA Design Architects

The large photo is followed by a two-page spread with the project description and an altitude or construction section. This one–just two punch links the photo (final product) with the drawing (process). In the instance of this Berkeley Courtyard House, the construction section is most important, because it shows the space between the 2 regions of the house and how the angled roofs correspond with one another.

WA Design Architects

Spreads split between photos of the house and the natural inspiration are interspersed among other photos and drawings. Here, a photo of the entrance sits across in the photo of fall leaves on the ground. The dappled impact of this multihued leaves is linked to the perforated wall next to the front door and the light routine it casts throughout it.

WA Design Architects

One of the most refreshing parts of the novel are where Wilson documents the siting of the homes. Small photos of the property as faced by the architect and the client sit atop a site program. The photos illustrate the effort and consideration in determining where the homes were found, decisions which impacted the shape, orientation, openings and other aspects of the websites.

The land for the Berkeley Courtyard House needed a house on it until fire destroyed it in 1991. The tiered hillside and remote perspectives toward San Francisco Bay made several things clear, especially orientation.

WA Design Architects

Each project includes floor plans attracted continuously and clearly labeled and keyed. Photographs can also be numbered and described in captions, although regrettably the locations of these photos are not included on the programs. This could have helped orient men and women that are not well versed in reading floor plans. Yes, most people who buy architectural monographs are architects, however, ones on residential buildings have a crossover appeal to a wider audience that’s undeniable. Extra effort, like keying photos to programs, would have aided in that regard.

WA Design Architects

People acquainted with WA Design’s homes will observe much of the same in these pages. But the novel shows multiple images together, as seen here, to enable comparisons and allow readers to draw them. Small photos on the left (click photo to view whole view) show the dining room and the kitchen (top) and a couple of the home’s stairs (underside), while a large, full-bleed photo on the right page extends to the leftside, making the movement throughout the courtyard to the north wing.

WA Design Architects

Another disperse makes clear the connection between the entrance (left) and the living room (right). Again, this can be an advantage of novels: You can see views of multiple graphics relative to one another.

WA Design Architects

This disperse puts photos of this Berkeley Courtyard House’s exterior spaces along the top. The bottom row comprises close-ups of landscape features. These details show that Wilson’s thinking about landscape is not solely concerning inspiration for architectural form; it extends to the implanted landscape around the house. Colors and textures are juxtaposed against the various substances that form the walls, the pools and other capabilities.

WA Design Architects

Last is just another spread showing a design and its own inspiration. Wilson’s captions read: “Zinc shingles and the autumn foliage of ginkgo trees” (left) and “A epidermis of glacial gloss on Sierra granite, Tuolumne Meadows, California” (right).

The factor flat/glossy and rough/muted nature of this granite contrasts with the regular routine of these zinc panels. And the juxtaposition of trees from the zinc is similar to the 2 variants in granite. Whether the granite was an inspiration for Wilson with this house or not, these spreads highlight the presence of nature in the imagination, which can be equally as important as its presence on earth.

Book: Houses + Origins (Graphics Publishing, 2012)

Tour WA Design jobs:
Berkeley Courtyard House
Tahoe Ridge House
Willits Compound

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