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California Dreaming

This low-slung U-shaped bungalow from Dumican Mosey and Matarozzi Pelsinger Builders is wrapped around a terrace and pool epitomizing the ultimate southern California lifestyle.

Enormous glazed walls open up completely to the sheltered outdoor patio area.

From this vantage-point, a morning swim in the clear California sunshine looks like a bright and fresh start to the day.

Solar panels on the roof enhance the suns warmth to provide heating for the pool.

Set on their own dark Honduran mahogany wooden platform, a pair of purple chaise longues complete the Hollywood vibe.

Three wooden stairs in the same Honduran mahogany lead to an outdoor seating set against siding to match.

By night, lantern-like lighting from inside the house creates an inviting ambience.

For a barefoot lifestyle, cool integral color concrete floors make for easy-peasy care indoors and out.

Sunshine spills out over the top of a garden-friendly bathroom.

Altogether, a simple California house that celebrates the simple pleasures of sunning and swimming.

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A Luxurious Aerie Overlooks Switzerland’s Lake Lugano

The heavenly House Lombardo, perched high above Lake Lugano, Switzerland comes to us from Swiss architecture firm Philipp Architekten.

The design brings out the best in a 270 degree panoramic view, where on a clear day, you can see as far as Milan.

The four story villa is anchored to the side of a tall hill; enabling a deep pool along its long front.

Its strong horizontal design creates an imposing appearance that contrasts boldly with its more traditional neighbours.

The largely transparent living space of the house appears to merge into its gigantic and overwhelming view.

Living spaces are effectively doubled in size due to the wide open glazing and the spacious terraces.

This open design is possible because for much of the year, the region has a mild and pleasant climate.

According to the clients’ brief,”the aim was to gain the best benefit of the unique panoramic view.”

Even the views to the sides are captured in this intimate sighting from the kitchen of a neighbouring house with the mountains in the distance.

The kitchen echoes the strongly horizontal aspect of the panoramic view.

On a small terrace opening off the kitchen is a small herb garden.

The private areas of bathrooms and bedrooms are situated downstairs, with less exposure to the view.

These rooms form a contrast to the heady open aeries upstairs, with an intimate and calm focus inwards.

The massive white silhouette of the exterior is also drawn into the smaller detailing inside.

Here super-chic contemporary double sinks, reflect the architecture in both color and architecture style.

Altogether, in House Lombardo, the architects have created a truly stunning home.

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Design Dilemma: Black, White and Red All Over

When is a classic palette also a very modern one? When you’re combining black, white and red!

This trio of colors always feels youthful, dramatic and vibrant and has become classic, as it never seems to go out of style. It can work in a minimalist, less is more context, but works equally well in a maximalist home replete with antiques, pillows and wallpaper.  Lately, we’ve been noticing this color combo in more and more kitchens, and we have a theory. In an era in which more and more of us have “open” kitchens that are integrated into the rest of our homes, we also need less “kitchen-y” colors that can translate easily to the rest of the house. The picture below is a good example of what we mean:

Because the kitchen is really just a part of the living room and dining room, the same color palette is needed throughout. And that’s harder to do with traditional kitchen colors like lemon yellow, peach or pale green. Black, white and red, on the other hand, feel sophisticated, urbane, chic and dramatic, and what’s more, according to those into color therapy, the color red stimulates the appetite. It is also a color combination that looks just as good in other contexts as it does in the kitchen, making it perfect for those who are looking for a vibrant color combination that never gets tiring.

Let’s take a look:

The traditional kitchen below feels warm and inviting with a pop of red in the doors. It would still be a nice kitchen without the red, but it would lose the sense of hipness it now exudes.

Then there’s an airier, more transitional take on the black, white and red kitchen.  Painting the kitchen island red instantly provides an unexpected pop of color which the owners have picked up in the window coverings and interior color of some of the cabinets. The black countertops against the white cabinetry provide dramatic contrast which is echoed in the floor choice.

We’ve noticed a theme in all of the kitchens we’ve run across. You only need to have one red element in the room to totally make it work. Check out the kitchen below in which the one red element — the stove —  is complemented by a black granite backsplash.

Different kitchen, same idea:

And yet another take on the same idea:

However, kitchens that go for more than just one red element can work well too. For example, the red wall, red cabinet and red dinette set look sweet and funky in this tiny kitchen:

Now let’s imagine, for a moment, that you’ve got a black, white and red open kitchen. If you want to see how well the color combo translates to other rooms take a look at these photos:

And this:

And this:

So what’s the take away on black, white and red kitchens?

• If you’re wary of red becoming overpowering, use it on just one element in the room, preferably an element that can easily be changed. Obviously wall color is much easier to change than cabinetry, so that might be a great place to start, as in the first photo of this post. The second easiest option would be a door and frame, and a third option could be a kitchen island.

• Black and white tile or linoleum are a natural in this color combo. It’s a classic combination with a lot of pop, and it never goes out of style. It looks great in bathrooms, too!
• Red appliances are uber-cool. Red stoves are always hot (no pun intended) and break the stainless steel mold. Also very cool are red refrigerators. Our favorite is the Smeg.
• Keep it simple. Red is kind of like a spice. You add a little and it can give necessary zing to any interior. Add too much and oddly, red loses it’s impact. You can repeat red in a few pieces of crockery, or perhaps in a window treatment, but you’ll be better off if you refrain from layering red upon red. The result will be fresher and you’ll never tire of the impact.