bltd

Are you geeking out over this Digital 8 House Number? I know I am, and I don’t even need one*. To get your number, just remove the unwanted segments from the number display. Mount several together for longer street numbers (in a very straight line, of course). In any case, you’ll show your love for the digital side of things while adding a thoroughly modern touch to your home’s exterior.
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How about some new numbers to update your home’s facade? You just can’t go wrong with these very cool numbers from 2213* LIXHT. They’re made of steel and powder coated, so they may even last longer than your house. And, don’t tell anyone, but I think these might just be slightly better than the styling of the Neutra Numbers (sacrilege!). LIXHT also has thicker VM-001 Aluminum Numbers ($90 ea.) if you want a heftier look.
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A little loop-de-loop makes these Wire Numbers by NakNak just a little more fun and carefree than some other super serious house numbers (you know the ones). Luckily, most of us only have one, two, or three digit house numbers, so a numerical facelift won’t break the bank.
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Yes, the Mills House by Austin Maynard Architects does have a cool metal mesh on its rear facade to shade it from the sun. It also has the same mesh running throughout the home, most notably on the stairs and on the floor of the upper level. That’s a neat material to use, as it lets light filter through and the air circulate.
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Quite a lot of concrete, isn’t it? The home of Pedro Reyes and Carla Fernández is close to feeling like a castle, with large open spaces and contrasting close corridors. The library is particularly impressive, with its two levels taking up one entire wall of the generously sized living area. See more of the space over at Freunde von Freunden.
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This very large and very blue cabinetry unit hides all sorts of functions in the Unfolding House by Normal Projects (Michael Chen and Kari Anderson). The 450 square foot space needed to cram in a lot of different areas- cooking, storage, sleeping, and working- while keeping the small space open and airy. What to do? Build a big cabinet, of course, that holds plenty of storage, a murphy bed and office. See more of the project over at Dwell or at Michael Chen Architecture. I particularly like the cabinets without the aluminum pieces (which you see on the older video and on the architect’s site).
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For those of you that didn’t read my post on Friday, I’m building a lake house here in Texas. This is an experiment in sharing, as we normally don’t get too personal here on BLTD. However, for such a large project it’d be a shame to not share some of my lessons learned. So, on to the first building stage: concept.
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If you’ve ever had the pleasure (and pain) of building a house from the ground up, you know it’s a mixed bag. A great team of architects and builders helps you start out on the right foot, but no matter how experienced that team is- or seems to be- or how much research and preparation you do, there are still going to be issues that crop up.

Those issues, mind you, crop up very often when you build modern/minimal home. Not everyone is familiar with a less-is-more sensibility, and the care and detail required in a minimal, visually clean finish often take twice as long (or more) as as a traditional build. Got an uneven drywall edge? Slap some trim on and no one will know (or care). A perfect, no-trim look on a drywall edge? You’d think you were suggesting a trip to the moon with some contractors. I’ve learned all this in the various remodels I’ve overseen, but especially so in the last year, as I’m currently building a lake house here in Texas.
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Water shortages are a big concern in some cities, but how can you help? Yes, you could shorten your shower time, but you might also want to take a look at the Nebia. It uses 70% less water than a typical showerhead by atomizing water into millions of very tiny droplets. All those droplets equal about 10 times more surface area than a regular shower, so you’ll feel just as clean, and maybe that skin of yours will feel more hydrated. The Nebia Shower is also way more thermally efficient- 13 times more- so you’ll be saving water and saving energy. Lower water and utility bills? Sign me up.
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Oh, how nice to see these oak house numbers in the FF DIN font by Another Country. I’d wager an educated guess that they’re certainly better than the current offering at your local hardware store, and the price isn’t too terribly expensive (unless you have a lot of numbers in your address). The visible wood grain will provide an excellent contrast to your home’s siding, and don’t worry about quality either, as each number is laminated to ensure durability for outdoor environments.
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Old books! On your wall! With large paintings by Ekaterina Panikanova! I’m a little more excited about the books than the paintings (nothing against Ms. Panikanova, the paintings are lovely) but, hey, I’ll take ’em as intended. The wallpaper is heavy-duty, and is even washable with a soft cloth, so don’t be too terribly precious about where it is installed. Also, pay attention to the explanation of how the mural is laid out; it can be a tiny bit confusing at first glance.
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It’s about freaking time. Often when we search for a home tech product, nothing pops up that looks good (or gets good reviews). That’s been my experience when searching for home security, more specifically, video cameras at the entryway. I know some of my neighbors have spent thousands of dollars on a whole home security package just so they can see a person at their front door. If they were patient, they could have saved a lot of money by trying out this $200 doorbell.
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Before you turn your brain off for the weekend, here’s a little house candy to consider. The Maison De Gaspé by la SHED architecture is oriented around a central family space. As is the trend, an open common area provides a clear view of the kitchen, living, and dining room, and the overall neutral color palette of this space allows a bright pop of red in the staircase to stand out. Maybe you’re not gutsy enough to make such a strong statement with your staircase, but it’s worth considering in a smaller space, maybe with a different semi-vibrant color, to add a little unexpected punch to your home.
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While we’re all still catching up from the holiday break, let’s take a moment to imagine a weekend spent in the Vipp Shelter. Yes, Vipp is a Danish company known mostly for its industrial garbage cans, but now they’ve thrown their hat in the ring for prefab homes. And, once you take a look at their 600-square-foot prototype, you’ll be glad they did.
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These pulls won’t appeal to everyone, as they’re rather odd and not at all what you’d find at a local kitchen and bath store. However, for those of us that like edgier options when it comes to drawer and cabinet hardware, Malia Jensen’s Ear and Tongue Pulls are delightfully different, enough so to consider spending far more than necessary simply to outfit a bathroom’s vanity drawers with ears. Or tongues.
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