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This two family home in Austin uses so many large glass walls that it seems like an open air living space. Inspired by Asian architecture, the architects used large glass sheets to ensure spatial continuity between the indoor and outdoor spaces. Incorporating a body of water that perfectly matches the floor height further extends the space by reflecting light and, with a cluster of water plants carefully positioned so that they can be seen from various viewpoints, it adds a natural element that balances out all the steel and glass. Plus, take a look at that glowing garage and the sail used on the upper level to create a shady outdoor living space.

A few details/quotes from Dwell on the project:

The exterior walls of the Bercy house are constructed with Thermasteel, panels made from galvanized steel and a unique resin that provide structural framing, insulation, and vapor barrier with an R-29 rating twice the required amount. “We have so much glass that we have to offset it by having very efficient ceiling and wall systems,” says Bercy. “We wanted movable glass walls instead of tiny little sliding glass doors that pop off their tracks all the time,” says Bercy. So he and Chen tracked down the double-glazed, insulated, six-by-nine-foot doors rom a company called Fleetwood. “They’re a little more expensive, but when you slide the heavy doors open, you’re making a profound gesture to leave the house and step outside,” says Bercy. –Dwell

I’ve long been on a hunt for a counter-depth refrigerator so I can finish my kitchen. It seems that the only counter-depth refrigerators are always about $5000 or higher–which is cost-prohibitive to say the least. Somehow I managed to find one for just under $2000.

Width: 35-5/8″
Width with Side Panels: 35-7/8″
Height from Bottom: 70 -1/8″
Height from Bottom with Tops/Grilles: 71-7/8″
Depth to Front of Door: 26-3/4″
Energy Star Rated

From the geniuses at Art Lebedev, digitus self stick pixel door numbers. Judging by the finish, it’s probably not very weatherproof, so it should be used in interior spaces such as apartment, office or hotel room doors.

Available in: white, terracotta, metallic blue, metallic green, metallic magenta

Figure height: 5.5 cm (2.17?)

Tracey Kendall’s paperback wallpaper will make you look like a bookworm on some serious performance-enhancing drugs. And who doesn’t want that? This would be spectacular in a small nook or a small room; you’d have your own instant haphazard library. Or, best idea yet, put this wallpaper at the back of your bookshelves, and voilà! you’re done. (Sort of similar to the Genuine Fake Bookshelf Wallpaper, except maybe a tiny bit better because of the color perhaps?)

* Adhesive required
* Hand-screenprinted paper
* Roll: 144″L, 18.25″W
* Covers 18 square feet
* Handcrafted in England

(£124.18)

I love Joris Laarman’s Heatwave Radiator and I’m happy to discover there is a smaller version with an easier-to-swallow price tag.

Just how fun is this kitchen island covered in Lego? Pretty fantastic idea.

Munchausen, a duo formed by Parisian designers Simon Pillard and Philippe Rosetti, took a bold approach with their own kitchen by venturing to IKEA for the basic kitchen island and then spending the next week covering it with more than 20,000 pieces by another Scandinavian brand, Lego. –The Cool Hunter

If you’re not going to go all out minimal with your tissues (see the Kazan or the Toro Tissue Ring), this cover will make those frightful floral boxes disappear nicely.

Made of durable plastic, this white tissue box cover has a delicate crinkled paper design that adds style to standard tissue boxes (not included).

Made in Germany
Size: 5″ cube

Just how many hours could you spend with this wallpaper? It would certainly give your friends something to do while they wait for you to get ready.

Design your own pattern playing Word searching on your wall. Made in France, Lutèce
160 g wallpaper
Rouleau 53cm x 10m (5.3m²) / Roll Size 21H X 11yds (area : 5
Black and white

[via Incredible Things]

Wow, you’d think something as simple as sticking a box onto an older row house could not look this beautiful, but somehow it succeeds inordinately well. Check out the last image where you can see the old/original staircase and beyond into the addition. It looks as if they’ve used the existing garden wall as the interior wall, painting it white to differentiate it from the outside. Spectacular.

photos Dujardin Filip

[via OWI]

Finding the flush mount electrical outlets made me want to see in what other places one could create a seamless look. I can picture this being installed flush with the floor with a similar flooring material throughout to create a unified look. The price isn’t too cost prohibitive and it doesn’t look overly complicated to install– your plumber, or you, if you’re the DIY type, could probably do it in a few hours.

Made of a poly-resin blend.
Shower tray has matte finish that is easy to maintain.
Overall dimensions: 47″ W x 27-1/2″ D x 2-3/4″ H.
Drain cover dimensions: 19-1/2″ W x 19-1/2″ D.

Oooh, here’s another flush mount electrical wiring systems similar to the Bocci outlets.

I can’t wait until I can make use of these in a project. They make everything look as if every detail was planned out and that electricity was not just an afterthought. This kind of attention to detail pleases me.

TRUFIG presents the ability to take technology supplied by various manufacturers and provide a uniform industrial design, consistent color, and a mounting process to achieve a perfectly seamless installation into a wall or ceiling.

[via Remodelista]

Okay, so I’ve talked about plywood used instead of drywall before (also see here and here, but these two photos (via design crisis) have me thinking about them all over again. I’m sure not everyone is in love with the look, but I think it looks pretty fantastic when done well.

Top pic: found via OWI, via design crisis (if you know what house/architect this is, let me know.)
Bottom pic: actually from the Wall House by FAR, which has been posted previously, just not with that room image shown.

If you’re lacking a fireplace, chances are you’ve seen and thought about adding one of these guys to your living area. Well, not sure if this sways your purchasing decision, but you can get 15% off of any Chimo Fireplace from UMA currently, so you might give some serious thought to it especially as the colder season creeps closer.

blomus have designed a genuine problem-solver for an indoor environment that would love a fireplace but lacks a chimney or gas line. All blomus fireplaces have been tested and approved by UL for sufficient fire protection and operational safety such as fire protection requirements, accumulation of emissions and fuel flow-rate. blomus Bio-Ethanol has a fuel value of app. 8,2 kWh/kg. On maximum user-adjustment blomus fireplaces will burn app. 0,23 – 0,50 kg fuel per hour. They are not intended to be or suitable as a room heater.

Chimo Wave Ventless Wall Mount Fireplace, $1,565.00 Sale Price: $1,330.25
Chimo Floor Swivel Fireplace, $1,970.00 Sale Price: $1,674.50

I just came across the brilliantly simple work of Guga Architecture. The architect removed the dropped ceilings in the public rooms of the house, sandblasting the exposed rafters and raising the height to an expansive 16 feet.

Mr. Skull just got fancy with bronze flock on a incredibly strange color-changing background. It’s super expensive but would look nice in a small powder room or entryway.
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