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Divine Architecture High Above Bali’s Coast

Not for nothing is Bali known as the Island of the Gods.

In the elegant pavilions on this pristine cliffside spot, the troubles of mere mortals would seem far away.

The Hotel Banyan Tree Ungasan is sited on a plateau, built on the edge of a cliff at a height of 70 meters above the Indian Ocean.

It would be hard not to feel a little bit god-like in such a spot.

Drawing on the traditions of Indonesian architecture, a serene sanctuary is created.

The luxurious architecture is a graceful symbiosis of old and new, of classic and modern.

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Design Dilemma: Around the World

Do you ever feel like just picking up and traveling the world? A lot of us have. But most of us also have concrete reasons for suppressing the desire to globe trot, including spouses, kids, jobs, and of course, the dog. But just because we may not be able to travel as much as we would like doesn’t mean our homes can’t reflect our wanderlust. We’ve dedicated this post to looking at homes with a distinctive global style that embraces the world.

First up, a refrigerator that looks like a Chinese wedding cabinet! Who wouldn’t love to feel like they were in Asia, every time they raid the fridge for a midnight snack.

The bedroom below steals a few design ideas from the simplicity of a Moroccan bedroom.

Here’s another take on the Moroccan theme, this time in a living room:

And another home that’s gone Moroccan:

The space below has adopted an African theme:

And another African look:

Here’s a bedroom with an Asian flare:

This home features a carved wood door from India:

Looking to get inject a little global style into your home?

• Enjoy pattern, pattern, pattern from the land of your choice. You’ll notice many of the rooms above incorporate patterns from Asia, Africa and beyond.
• Select a few key architectural features as a focal point and invest in a key piece from your favorite locale. Almost all of the rooms above have at least one or two items that act as a key piece in the room. In the first photo, the lighting fixture sets an ethnic tone. In the kitchen, photo, of course the Chinese wedding cabinet fridge takes center stage. The living rooms have utilized patterned throws to set a global feel while the African-inspired living room has let an African sculpture collection maintain the focus.
• Embrace color. You’ll find in many homes around the world, color is utterly important. It is saturated, deep and unapologetic. Don’t fear bright pinks, reds, yellows and blues that are not commonly a part of Western homes.
• Embrace art. Whether it’s sculpture, paintings or textiles, fill your home with one-of-a-kind art from your favorite locale. The carved Indian door above makes a bold statement right away, and is a piece that will be treasured for a lifetime.
• Don’t try to do too much at once. Incorporate  singular elements into your home’s design, rather than attempting to pull off an entire look at once — this will allow you to completely customize it, and give your home a welcoming and well-traveled feel.

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Eco Vacation House of Bamboo in Costa Rica

Casa Atrevida by Luz de Piedra Arquitectos is located in the lush forest of Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula.

It is an extraordinary building, with its load-bearing structure entirely depending on bamboo.

Used in supporting construction, bamboo is an earthquake-resistant structural material.

And it looks gorgeous.

But bamboo is even more important, in Costa Rica’s ecologically-minded environment.

With its fast growth cycle, it has a tiny ecological footprint.

So it is replenished fast in this jungle region with its high humidity and plentiful rainfall. Read the rest of this entry »

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Exotic Casa la Punta Retreat on Mexico’s Coast

Casa la Punta is an opulent and sophisticated retreat, sketched in in a minimal design for eccentric clients.

Because of a balmy year round climate, this spectacular house in Nayarit, Mexico, is designed to be open to the weather.

Three pavilions, with walkways between, separate the public and private spaces of the house.

Just steps away from the beach, the barest separation from nature is made.

Mexican architectural group Elías Rizo Arquitectos have created a home for entertaining on warm summer nights.

The vast serene horizon over the ocean is an essential part of the contemporary opulence of the design.

The house perfectly captures the romance of its wild site on the gorgeous coast of Punta Mita. Read the rest of this entry »

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Design Trend: A Classic Table with Contemporary Appeal

There’s really only one table that holds a special place in the heart of modernists in search of classic style.  It is, of course, the iconic Tulip table, designed by famed Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen. Lovingly designed nearly sixty years ago, this table is still de rigueur in 2013.  It beckons seductively from fashionable city lofts, high-end design magazines, trendy blogs, and of course, from the set of Mad Men. Here’s one example as an oval, available at Rove Concepts:

And here’s another example, this time circular, also available at Rove Concepts:

The Tulip table actually goes by two names: it is referred to interchangeably as the “Tulip” group and the “Pedestal” group. The group includes side and arm chairs, dining, coffee and side tables, as well as a stool. In the picture above, the tulip table is complimented by the tulip chairs. (Rove, which specializes in iconic mid-century furniture carries all of these.)  Both names hint at the table’s enduring appeal: Because it sits on a pedestal, the table is streamlined. It has a very natural organic feel due to the curve of its single leg. Simple organic elegance has kept this baby in the pantheon of furniture design superstars.

If you’re in search of a Tulip table, you need not feel restricted by your own home’s design. Saarinen tables can work equally well in turn of the century homes as they do in modern high rises. Take a look:

See how well the Tulip chairs and table look in this Italian palazzo, replete with frescoes and traditional Italian tiles? And below, check out this completely different look in an airy, modern home:

The Tulip table also looks equally fabulous in black, First in a more traditional setting:

And below, in more contemporary digs:

The Tulip table, available at Rove Concepts in black or white carrerra marble or black granite simply looks fabulous everywhere. If you’re in search of something sleek but not trendy, this table should be at the top of your list. But then again, it probably already is!

Images: viaFlickr, Nuevo Estilo, Trip Haenish for Lonny, Design within Reach.