Q-House by asensio_mah in collaboration with JMAguirre Aldaz

The Q-House is located in Northen Spain and it was designed by asensio_mah in collaboration with JMAguirre Aldaz and it was finished in May 2009. The building is organized in three bands that are arranged around a central circulation core. These three bands maintain a prevailing orientation in the northeast-southwest direction to secure maximum daylight in every room.  While the bands configure and organize the different rooms, the circulation core underpins a switchback pattern of shifting orientations with the gradual vertical movement through the house.

The house is clad in dark “composite” panels that have been customized with digital fabrication techniques.  These customized panels are used to articulate sections of the house volume in order to introduce legibility to the overall form. These panels offer a range of different surface consistencies and patterns to the house that reflect the sites changing light conditions in multiple ways, producing an ever changing range of texture and tones.

The house is a conscious exercise in developing an alternative domestic environment to the surrounding villas of the new suburban neighborhood.  The solutions for the development so far have typically been compact villas located on abruptly leveled gardens, irrespective of the complex topographical condition of their sites.  Our ambition for producing an alternative domestic atmosphere is developed by constructing a more explicit relationship between the house and garden with the existing conditions of the steep site.  This organizational strategy for the house sought to register the difference in topography within the parcel by organizing a series of terraces that configure the framework for a landscape with differentiated characters.

This deliberate geometric configuration affords multiple readings of the outline of the house while facilitating a rich experiential lifestyle within its volume and landscape.  Specific organizational and material strategies were developed to produce different volumetric and perceptual readings that change with the different vantage points towards and within the house.

Flexible Kitchen Table : Accordion by Olga Kalugin

With a very suggestive name “Accordion” is a very interesting flexible kitchen table that was designed by Russian designer Olga Kalugin. This flexible kitchen table that expands and contracts to the meet the needs of different users is an entry at the International Design Award 2009 and I can say that the design is very innovative. Integrating food drawers on the right and left sides, the folding table turns the drawer covers up and down to be used as preparation boards. Users can also have the access to triangle boxes, which can easily be shifted to opposite side of the table. For now this table seems to be just a concept, and I can’t wait to see the real one. – Via – Thedesignblog

Cute Tiny Living Room Inside a PC

This post is not something that I usually post on Freshome, but I tought that is cute. Here you can see all kind of interior design ideas, but today I’ve found via Russian casemod site Modding.Ru this cute tiny PC living room that is furnished tiny little dollhouse furniture, including a sofa, a comfy chair, and even a little lamp that plugs into one of the PC’s accessory power circuits. If you pay attention to the pictures you can see that there are a lot of details, like the gumball machine, a bottle of Coke and the New York Times paper sitting on one of the chairs. – Via – Technabob

Cottesloe House by architect Paul Burnham

The Cottesloe House was designed by Australian architect Paul Burnham, and is located in the beach side suburb of Cottesloe in Perth, Western Australia. On his website Paul doesn’t talks about this project, but if you are looking for some inspiration take a look at the pictures attached below. You might see something you’ll like. Enjoy !

Utuwa Bathtub by Spiritual Mode

If you are looking for a bathtub design that stands out then you should take a look at these unique bathtubs designed by Japanese company Spiritual Mode. The Utuwa bathtub is a unique bathtub that boasts lots of room and even more in the way of style. Straying from the conventional tub, the sculptural shape and clean, contemporary lines make it a modern focal point in the bathroom. The tub’s cool kidney shape is complemented by a built-in seat, blending beauty and function. – Via – Trendir

Ancient Church Renovated into Modern Bookstore

Whether you’re religious or not, this old Dominican church will certainly bring you the enlightenment you’ve been seeking. After months of renovation this magnificent structure originally constructed in 1294 has opened its doors to the public as a “brand new” bookstore in the heart of Maastricht. A superb example of adaptive re-use, the Selexyz Dominicanen infuses rich and historic architecture with plentiful shelves ripe with information.

Dating back to the 13th century, the structure was a Dominican church until Maastricht was invaded by Napoleon in 1794 and the group was forced out of the country. Since that point it has been briefly used as a parish, then a warehouse, then an archive, then a giant parking lot for bicycles (not such a terrible idea) and finally made over into a bookstore.
Led by architecture firm Merkx + Girod, the new installations are highlighted by a towering, three-storey black steel book stack stretching up to the stone vaults. The highest shelves are reachable by lift or by a set of stairs within the sleek, well-made stack. The views provided from the top shelf along the nave of the church are nothing short of uplifting.
At the back of the church customers and visitors can sit and admire the beautifully renovated 14th century ceiling frescoes, or chat over a cup of coffee in the café situated in the former choir. In a bit of humor the bookstore also installed a cross-shaped reading table where anyone can sit and flip through the magazines and newspapers kept in the slats of the table. So far the design has won the Lensvelt de Architect Interior Prize, and in 2008 The Guardian called it the
“best bookstore in the world”.
Selexyz Dominicanen belongs to the popular Selexyz chain and maintains a wide selection of books across all subjects, even boasting a sizeable collection of books in English. As more and more churches are being abandoned due to redundancy, maybe this is something for Barnes and Noble to think about…
+ Merkx + Girod
Via Crossroads Magazine

Design Dilemma: Beyond IKEA, Going for the Swedish Look

Nothing has done more to popularize the look of Swedish design than IKEA. The look has become so popular because it’s fresh and unpretentious. Like the Swedes themselves, the look is egalitarian and simple without severity. And guess what? You don’t need to visit IKEA to achieve something of the same Swedish spirit in your own home. Here’s what we noticed on a recent trip to Sweden:
1.) White, white and more white. In Sweden, the sun lies low in the sky and on winter days, the sun rises late and sets early. That means that Swedes are into maximizing light. Most Swedish homes have huge windows, and interiors almost always seem to be painted a bright white to reflect light and bounce it around to the maximum.
2.) Bare wood floors. In Sweden, wood is plentiful, and wood floors are a perfect choice because they are warm and welcoming, yet practical. Swedes revel in the beauty of the wood itself, using rugs only as small accents. Lots of snow and rain makes most carpeting impractical. Occasionally, Swedes will boost the light factor in their homes by painting wood floors white.
3.) White laminate kitchen cabinets. In keeping with all the white elsewhere in the home, Swedes choose high-gloss, white laminate cabinets that remain without cabinet pulls and handles that might otherwise disturb the utterly sleek look. The high-gloss look is often balanced by touches of wood on countertops or backsplashes.

4.)Blonde wood. It goes without saying that when you think Swedish, you think light-colored wood. Light wood keeps spaces serene and avoids the heavy feeling that dark woods bring. Blonde wood is often used in floors, but also in countertops and furniture elements as well. 
5.) Bare windows. Swedes just don’t do curtains. If blinds or shades are used, they roll up tight, and out of sight.
6.) Just enough and nothing more. You won’t find Swedish homes jammed with furniture and knick-knacks. Swedes keep everything light and bright by opting for fewer pieces of cleaned-lined furniture than you might find in a typical American home. A good way to help achieve the Swedish look is by eliminating one more piece of furniture than you think you need. Similarly, the quantity of objects is always pared down — just enough to seem cozy, but not enough to seem cluttered.

7.) Grey and black as design accents. The traditional Swedish colors are blue and yellow, but modern design has moved into a starker, more graphic look that often incorporates grays and black as accents against a pure white interior.
8.) Nothing overstuffed. Swedes revel in sleek armchairs inspired by the design of the 50s. You won’t find the big bulky arm chairs and couches common in American households. Chairs are smaller, more design conscious and easily movable. Matching sets of chairs with couches are avoided in favor of a more free-wheeling, relaxed look. Even when the look is more cottage-y, the scale and girth of furniture is still on the slim side.
9.) Lots and lots of recessed lights. Swedish homes are filled with all sorts of lighting, including eye-catching, sculptural pendants. The backbone of lighting in a Swedish home, however,  is always a well-planned installation of recessed lights. Recessed light can provide cheery overall lighting on gloomy days but can be dimmed down to provide a cozier more romantic look.
10) Top of the line tile and fixtures in the bathroom. Swedes spend a lot of money for beautiful (but always sober) tiles and bathroom fixtures. The most popular looks of the moment are shades of gray, black and white in the bathroom.

Goodbye Gorgeous Glide House…Hello New Shoots

Michelle Kaufmann Designs made the most gorgeous prefab houses. Each one was solar ready with other renewable energy system options possible such as geothermal, wind generator or hybrid systems. Each of her designs encouraged clean simple living and each was built in a factory, using the most modern and environmentally friendly building methods and materials.


The gorgeous Glidehouse was  an example. Mass-produced, planet friendly, low carbon prefab design we all could relate to.

It was nationally recognized as a contemporary, sustainable residence, setting the standard for pre-fabricated architecture. From design to construction, these high quality prefab homes were designed to harmonize with nature for clean, green, healthy living and to stand the test of time. The Glidehouse home proved that a low maintenance, sustainable residence can be high-quality, well designed, and cost effective.

Sadly, all that’s not enough. Her company Michelle Kaufmann Designs folded a few months ago after the economic apocalypse.
But creativity just pops up again. Here’s a few pieces from a set of building blocks she’s just created for her friend’s new son:

They just happen to build a toddler-sized chair… and many other things. As she says on her blog, building blocks were her favorite toy as a child.
Creativity never dies. These are the new shoots of something yet to come.
Via Michelle Kaufmann’s blog

Luxury villa in New Zealand – a piece of Paradise

There are 3 words that best describe Rahimoana Villa and they are: luxury, luxury, and… luxury! This lovely piece of modern architecture is located in New Zealand’s Bay of Island, near the towns of Russel and Tapeka, built on the top of а sloping site. The property has a total of 30 hectares, extending to the bay, and a long private driveway that connects the house with the road. We called Rahimoana luxurious for a reason: it offers to its guests a 25-metre lap pool, heated outdoor spa, fancy gym, IR sauna, hi-tech office, a personal manager and housekeeper, fine New Zealand wines, French champagne, resident chef’s culinary masterpieces, a Porsche Cayenne Turbo in the garage and more. Crosson Clarke Carnachan Architects definitely did a good job!

[via]

Design Dilemma: Finding A Stylish Sleep Sofa

It’s a classic design dilemma: finding a comfortable sleep sofa that’s also stylish and lightweight. For years the two concepts were mutually exclusive. Remember the lumpy, heavy behemoth your parents used to have? But no more.
Today, both comfort and style are easier to find in a sleep sofa. Gone are the massive, bulky couches that broke backs during moves.  New on the scene are sleek, stylish couches that don’t rely on the old fold-up springs but that take from European styling and the “clic-clac” sofa concept.  In some instances, these couches seem closer to a futon than a couch, except with a vastly more sophisticated feel and a more varied look.  In most cases they offer vastly superior sleeping surfaces compared to the lumpy fold out springs. Ouch. We’re happy that furniture designers have finally figured this one out!
One of the newest sleepers out on the market is the Clark sofa (below) offered by West Elm. We’ve seen this one in person and were pleasantly surprised. The sofa doesn’t look like a sleeper but rather has a retro 60s styling that mid-century aficionados would find appealing. Coming in at $999, the sofa is also an affordable options for those watching the budget.

Lower slung and more contemporary in feel is the Blu Dot One Night Stand.  (Below). Remove the back cushions and flip the seat forward to become a queen sleeper that rests on the ground.  The price point is higher on this one at
$1799.

Bo Concept offers  a modern sleep sofa with air pump that boasts a boxy contemporary look with wide arms. Alas, we could find no pictures of this one, (refer to the Bo Concept website) but it is similar in styling to Bo Concept’s Spaze sofa bed below. (Evidently, Bo Concept no longer makes this model.)  The modern sleep sofa with air pump is pricey at $3429, but an air mattress inside guarantees non-lumpy, springless sleep.

Aside from these three, there are sleek and stylish sleeper classics, such as Design Within Reach’s Sliding Sofa (listed as currently unavailable when last we checked but normally in the $3500 range) and the Twilight Sleep Sofa for $1880.  Both of these sofas offer youthful, armless styling that may work better in a room that is not primarily used for lounging, specifically because of the arm issue. Room and Board offers a similar option in the Encore sofa for a much more reasonable price of $899.
When picking out a sleep sofa, bear in mind that sofas with wood slat construction for the bed frame will be far more comfortable than the old box springs. This explains the enduring popularity of futon frames. Be sure to test out your sofa for both sitting and sleeping, since the feel of the sofa can change considerably depending on what you’re doing on it. Look for sofas that you don’t have to fight to open. The sofa should convert to a bed in one, mostly smooth motion. Look for sofas offering firm support, not just necessarily a thicker mattress.
And since we haven’t tried all these sofas, we’d love to hear from anyone who has experience both sitting and sleeping on some of our top finds!