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A See-Through Artist’s House in the Brazilian Rainforest

A sweetly poetic air infuses this charming garden house with parallel walls of glass in the jungle outside Rio de Janeiro.

To preserve the 100 year old trees on the site, a narrow floorplan was created.

Making it completely transparent kept the towering rainforest in sight.

Within the long narrow plan, a slit in the roof down the center brings an everchanging beam of sunlight into the house – like a sunbeam in a forest clearing.

The clients, the granddaughter of great architect Sergio Bernardes and a Colombian artist, had their own vision for architect Carla Juaçaba.

While wildly romantic and ethereal, the house is nevertheless simply constructed of the most sturdy industrial materials, corrugated metal and glass, and is raised above ground to allow for occasional flooding.

A tall Jacarandah tree drops its pink blossoms all around the secretive artists’ retreat.

Its kitchen is a simple peasant’s kitchen with pots and pans all arrayed in plain sight.

The narrow sliver of house can be fully opened all along both sides, so that the central living room becomes an open sided jungle garden pavilion.

The island is constructed of durable concrete and set on a stone floor.

The kitchen/living room is in the center of the simple plan, with a private bedroom and bathroom at each end.

Sometimes the simplest plans are the most beautiful.

In this case — less really is more.

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Design Trend: Impact Windows Become Essential with Climate Change

There’s no denying it. Climate change is here. And as the reality of larger and more intense storms sinks in, smart homeowners, particularly those along the southern coast, are looking for ways to make their homes more secure when the inevitable hits.  One of the best solutions is also the simplest — impact windows — boasting the ability to stand up to anything Hurricanes Arthur, Sandy, Tom, Dick or Harry, can dish out.

Here’s a quick primer on what impact windows are, and how they can be an essential measure to protecting your home if you happen to live in a hurricane zone:

What are impact windows?

Impact windows (sometimes referred to as “hurricane windows”) are made with “impact resistant glass” comprised of two glass sheets sandwiching an exceptionally strong polymer interior layer. This “interlayer” means the glass won’t break into dangerous shards when hit. Instead, the glass, even if cracked, stays together, eliminating the need for protective storm shutters. (A huge time saver for anyone who has spent hours mounting storm shutters or boarding up windows).  Impact resistant glass can withstand the equivalent impact of a 2×4 travelling at 50 feet per second, which also means it’s great protection against your neighbor’s rock-throwing kids!

Do impact windows have benefits beyond storms?

Yes! This type of window helps prevent forced entry in a home as the inner layer is not easily penetrated, even if the glass is shattered.  It can be a great option for those who are concerned with home security but who don’t want to mount unsightly bars. In addition, many brands of impact windows are designed with energy efficiency in mind. The double pane insulates the inside temperature from the outside, reducing harmful UV rays, external noise, and your air-conditioning bill.  You can’t ask more than that from a couple of sheets of glass. Another fantastic benefit of impact windows is the added value to your property, and a possible reduction in hefty insurance premiums.

What about style?

Like orthopedic shoes and compression hosiery, you’d imagine that anything so practical would also have to be ugly. That’s another great feature of impact windows. It can be just as beautiful and elegant as any other type of window. Check out these beauties from Vico Windows Inc, based in South Florida.

Impact windows can be ordered in any finish or architectural style you desire. They come not only as windows, but as doors. The door below was also done by Vico Windows.

So if you’re a coastal dweller and concerned about increasing storm activity, it makes all the sense in the world to check into impact windows. While they cannot completely remove the danger and damage from the next tropical storm or hurricane, they can help minimize potential damage and help you breathe a little easier. And between storms, you’ll enjoy UV resistant glass that provides enough insulation to keep your home cooler during hot summers. Now that’s a bargain.

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Design Dilemma: Eclectic Small Space Living

Can small space living — let’s say less than 600 square feet — ever avoid that “little box” feeling? We think we’ve found a small condo that does just that. Instead of feeling like a sterile hotel room, this apartment in San Francisco’s Buena Vista Park area manages to have all the eclectic interest of a grand Victorian, in just a fraction of the space. The condo is in what used to be a 215-bed hospital which was converted to condominiums in 1986. Interior designer Robert Holgate moved into the one bedroom space with his little dog, Buddy and transformed a tiny space that might have felt confining if it had been left too minimalistic. Instead the designer opted for a rich, layered, well-traveled look that gives viewers plenty to look at and explore. Take a look:

Above, Holgate removed the wall between the kitchen and the living room, adding an eat-in bar between the spaces. The room feels vibrant and alive, thanks to some mid-century modern furniture pieces mixed with patterned tribal rugs from all over the world and striking, tasseled pendant lights.

The artwork is a major draw in this apartment, as are furniture pieces that are kept lightweight, to prevent an overstuffed, heavy look. Holgate says that flexibility was key to his choices. The demilune console unfolds to become a circular table and extra seating for dinner guests. The Knoll table and dining chairs, original Eon seats from Seattle’s Space Needle, are lightweight, low profile and easy to move.

Here are a couple of views of the kitchen, which combine vintage pieces with brand new cabinetry.

Here’s another kitchen view:

Here’s a bedroom view:

Another living room view:

And despite the tight spaces, everything has a place. Here the hallway has become a laundry room and closet, complete with shoe storage.

So what’s the key to this layered look which manages to add a surprising sense of depth to a very small space?

• Keep furniture, lightweight, low-profile and flexible.
• Mix furniture styles with freedom. The furniture should maintain a relationship by scale, but not necessarily period.
• Indulge in lots of artwork. Holgate was as free in mixing artwork (graphic works, with photography, vintage posters, wall sculpture and  Asian prints) as he was in mixing furniture, which lends the room a sense of timelessness.
• Add area rugs. Patterned, tribal area rugs help make the space feel worldly and cozy.
• Get  creative with lighting. Overhead lights and lamps are an opportunity to add drama and interest.
• Stay organized. Although this apartment has a lot of “stuff” in it, it never feels “overstuffed.” That’s because there is a sense of an edited collection in which objects are not allowed to pile up in corners. Curios and objects are given a place of honor on the bookshelf or on the wall in carefully composed gallery walls.

The lesson here is that small doesn’t have to mean temporary, sterile or boring.  And an eclectic, layered look doesn’t have to look cluttered , either!