small terraced home

As people grow older they prefer a home that would allow for easy mobility and minimal level changes, in other words, open spaces and no stairs. This was exactly the request of a retired couple, who own this lovely house in the hills above St. Helena.
Inspired by the area�s vineyards, the hill was terraced with two stone walls to create a flat site for this small house, its outdoor spaces and lap pool.


By the way, I love how the bathroom has direct access to the outdoor lap pool, so you can literally jump in the shower after a cool morning swim.

This 1,500 sq. ft. home is based on a light wood structure with exposed framing, that spans between the upper and lower walls, and is anchored by the massing of a central stone fireplace.



* More info at Turnbull Griffin Haesloop Architects

The beauty of coastal area Houses

The beauty of coastal area Houses

The envelope of the structure, with its sheltering black gabled roof, adapts to the site and landscape; geometric glass walls twist, bend and unfold to reveal and frame the most picturesque perspectives of the surroundings. Even the interior design and furniture collection reveal a contemporary geometric design.
Inside, the multi-purpose space serves as a provisional gallery, entry, veranda, storage, dining, lounging, and circulation zone.

Small Apartment with an Inviting Interior Design

Small Apartment with an Inviting Interior Design

A charming wooden dining table and a home office were also well integrated in the living room. The alcove accommodates a large bed and three cabinets for storage above it. For a more secluded and private bed, a good idea would be placing a door between the sleeping area and living room. All in all, a charming small crib and a good source of inspiration when decorating.

9 Tips designing the House Small Size

9 Tips designing the House Small Size

The architecture of some of these tips can be applied to make room in the house becomes more spacious. The result, you will enjoy the architecture of the atmosphere in the house is more spacious.
1. High Roof

      If your room is limited in extent, by making a higher roof can give the impression of more space because of the adequate relief to the upper chamber.
2.Reduce Bulkhead
      Bulkhead between the room can make a house feel not roomy. For that, you can reduce the use of the bulkhead. For example the following tips can be applied which eliminates the gap between the dining room with kitchen.
3.Light

      Bright room can be one way for the room look more spacious. Then, create a room of your house with a fairly bright lighting.
4. Bright colors 

   House paint, the color of curtains or furniture should use bright colors. White color on the walls can be one option for the narrow room. Or if you want to use wallpaper on the walls, choose a wallpaper with a small motif.
5.Large windows

      In order for a broader view, you can use a large window on the front of the house. Thus, residents could see a large area outside the house as easily as park or street. This will give the impression area.
6.Mirror

      The use of mirrors is the most often used to give the impression of the room. With a mirror, as if you have a room that is two times greater because of the reflections.
7. Select the Right Furniture

      Choosing furniture such as chairs, tables or shelves should be adjusted in a tiny house. Because of limited space, choose furniture that is simple and small in size. Then try to select furniture with paint color that resembles the color of your house. In addition to saving space, it also can make a good fit with the size of the room. Color that resembles paint will make it look more spacious.

      You can also choose multi-functional furniture. For example a table which can also serve as chair by adding a seat on the top. Other furniture such as bed where the bottom can serve as a repository.

      No less important is the layout of the furniture. With the exact location of the position can give a blank space in the room.
8. Multi Function Room

      To get around the house in order to meet the existing functionality, make a room into a multi-function. For example, a guest room that also serves the family room. This will make the room larger if the merger several rooms at once.
9. Take advantage of Free Space

      You can use every part of your home that are still empty. For example the area under the stairs, usually empty. You can put your various equipment and tools in the area under the stairs.
With the right strategy, now a small house you do not feel cramped and claustrophobic feel. Small house you can provide comfort for you and your family.

Arm End House: Small and Sustainable

Inspired by waterfront cottages on Tasmania�s Opossum Bay, this small house is efficient, stylish and affordable. The scale and profile of this semi-prefabricated structure is modest, based on the concept of reducing building scale as a core principle of sustainability. It serves as a home and a place of contemplation and retreat for a couple that emigrated to Tasmania from the United States.

This beautiful two bedroom home engages intimately with its coastal surroundings, providing glimpses of river and ocean views. I love the openness of the space, and how changes in level enhance the spatial experience and reflect the topography.

Large pivot glazed doors allow the main living areas to be opened up to the deck and courtyard spaces; the fireplace serves as a place of congregation, like a coastal campfire; interiors are enriched with custom-made Blackwood and Sassafras joinery, whereas Celery cladding and movable exterior screens are left to weather.



Based on a lightweight construction, this structure is a combination of pre-cast concrete panels, steel frame, glazing and timber clad external walls. The steel frame enables the spanning structures to be prefabricated off site and assembled in place, reducing truck movements to the coastal site.


As Tasmania�s weather changes dramatically, this compact house was designed to both open up and shut down; on hot days, the main space is fully open-able via large casement doors, allowing the living space to become a deck; on cold days the main space can fully shut down, comfortably heated by the fireplace.

�Often people perceive architecture and sustainability as unattainable, however Arm End demonstrates that if you are willing to be efficient in scale it can be achievable.�

* More info at Stuart Tanner Architects

New Design Kitchen Makeover Ideas

New Design Kitchen Makeover Ideas

Redoing your kitchen can be as big or as small a task as you want it to be. Whether you want to do a whole renovation or just cosmetic changes, here are some design options that may inspire your own home.


These black and white floors have a great vintage feel, and the lime walls are a perfect accent color. White cabinetry provides a crisp, fresh look.


These thick stripes would overwhelm a smaller space, but in this room they add interest to the neutral, country-style cabinetry.


A simple and inexpensive change like painting your tiles can add totally new character to the space.


Stainless steel gives a very contemporary and sleek look to any space.


Try a colored brick backsplash for a look that's country-inspired but still modern.




New Design Kitchen Makeover Ideas by
Images via Flikr

Small Bedroom Furniture Ideas

Small Bedroom Furniture Ideas

The most important small bedroom furniture item is the bed. You simply cannot get a large king size bed with a huge headboard and make it the focal point of the bedroom. This will take up the entire space of the bedroom and you will have lots of difficulty in placing other essential pieces of furniture. It will also make the bedroom appear cluttered and will ruin the relaxing atmosphere. So you have to choose the bed with care. Choose a bed whose dimensions matches that of the small bedroom and whereby after placing it you can still move around the room comfortably and still have space to place your wardrobe. You can use a platform bed that has a low height, as this makes the bedroom appear larger than it is. You can also choose a box bed that has ample space for storing bed linens and other knick knacks.

Small Bedroom Colors

Small Bedroom Colors


A large, open spacious bedroom must be something you must have dreamt about all your life. Since you are to make do with a smaller space, conjuring an illusion of roominess is the only way to achieve your dream. Wall colors play a crucial role in making the room seem bigger and conserving the space. The light or pastel colors are the most popular interior paint colors and combinations, as darker hues just make the room look darker and smaller. Soft pink is the color for you if you are searching for small bedroom designs for girls. Choose only one color for the entire room as more colors on the walls give the impression of a smaller room. Since you have got to choose only one color, it's better to choose carefully. Cucumber greenish tone is one of the most relaxing color for adorning the walls. Also, you can weigh the option of choosing the dusty navy hue which would bring a tropical and sea breeze feel to the walls. Texturing the wall paints should be avoided as it would tone up the walls and thus, limit the space.

Small Bedroom Furniture

Small Bedroom Furniture


The focal point of any bedroom is obviously the bed. While furnishing a small bedroom, keep in mind that the bed is also the biggest space occupying object in the room, hence a smaller but comfortable bed would be the right furniture in a small bedroom to create the illusion of space. Buying a low level bed is another way of making the bed seem smaller than it is. The modern, sleek beds are more compact than the traditional beds and hence, are good options for decorating a small bedroom. Small bedroom designs for kids would involve bunk beds and chests cum tables for storage. Moving on from beds to other bedroom furniture in small bedroom designs, shop for closets and dressers which are long and takes up minimum of the floor space. Align the furniture to the wall to make room for walking around. For storage, use the under bed area, but that doesn't necessarily mean shoving everything under the bed. Keep everything as neatly as possible because neat and clean bedrooms appear more roomy than a cluttered one.

Small Bedroom Theme

 

Small Bedroom Theme

Many Asian cultures across the world have had to make do with less spaces for ages, but they developed such tasteful decorating ideas for livening up the room that their architecture designs and home decorating styles are being imitated across the globe. Mix up solid earthy colors like deep green or burgundy for the walls, and hang curtains which match the walls to bring about a feel of the Asian style. Apart from the wall colors and curtains, the accessories hold the key to a Asian themed small bedroom design. Bamboo furniture, blinds, silk beddings and drapes, lamps and lanterns are few areas which you can work on to obtain an oriental home.

The Practice House: The Little Cabin That Could

Located in Shafer, Minnesota, this adorable 384 sq. ft. cabin is called the Practice House for a reason. It was built by a couple who wanted to fine tune their building skills before constructing their own permanent home.
When the couple found this small cabin it had no electricity or plumbing, and was in need of a serious facelift, both inside and out. Nevertheless, the couple decided it had great potential and decided to embark on the task of remodeling the structure.
The classic design of the cabin reflects the local agricultural buildings with a modern twist. By using long lasting materials and simple conveniences, the cabin has been transformed into a comfortable and functional outbuilding, which now serves as a study-retreat.

Original concrete posts were replaced with a proper foundation; original cedar siding was cleaned and reinstalled; walls were covered with a Structural Insulated Panel system (SIPs); crisp white windows and oak plywood flooring were installed; the exterior was renewed with vertical red metal siding and topped with a silver, galvanized metal roof.
With basic electricity and no plumbing, the cabin features an open space with two intimate lofts, each with a drop down stair and a steel railing. It also includes an environmentally-friendly composting toilet, a tiny kitchen with microwave and refrigerator, and a small wood stove for heating.
The Practice House is also featured in Michelle Kodis� beautiful book Modern Cabins


* More info at Close Architects

Small house design minimalist interior and exterior

You�re probably thinking: what kind of house can you possibly achieve with deconstructed plywood and concrete? Well, think again, because this small house is clean and contemporary and surprisingly fresh. It serves as the living/working space of Austin-based architectural photographer Patrick Wong and his family.
The design is simple. A 1,700 sq. ft. structure, with a slanting roof, that starts as a one-story at the entrance facade then rises to a second story at the back to accommodate the bedroom loft area.
The entire space is minimal and well-utilized. The front porch and living room on the lower level serve as a photography studio and gallery; a row of mid-height cabinetry divides the public space on the lower-level from the lofted sleeping space.


Located in Austin, TX, the open site is exposed to extreme sun, so the architects constructed a unique, angled roof to protect the dwellers from extreme midday sun. In addition, carefully placed windows allow plenty of natural light to stream into the living space.




* More info at Cottam Hargrave