EmmanuelFonte — Page 16

AMAZING CONTEMPORARY HOUSE FOR SALE

January 11, 2012 By EmmanuelFonte Leave a Comment

This astonishing modern house has recently been placed on the market, it is located in the heart of Hampstead Village, London-UK. The 6,500 sq ft house was designed by renowned architects Paxton Locher and is set around a spectacular 40ft double-volume reception room. This room has two retractable glass rooflights which, when open, transform the space into an open-air courtyard. Running alongside is a dramatic custom-made glass swimming pool. The house also features five bedrooms(the master bedroom overlooks the pool), a gymnasium, a party and media room, with high-level windows looking in to the pool.

Filed Under: Architecture Tagged With: contemporary design

Home prices down – due to distressed sales

January 10, 2012 By EmmanuelFonte 1 Comment

For the fourth consecutive month, U.S. home prices fell, according to CoreLogic, as distressed sales continue to plague the housing market. CoreLogic’s home price index fell 1.4 percent in November from October and slid 4.3 percent from November 2010, representing a larger annual slide than the month prior.

It is notable that when distressed sales are excluded from the data, prices only fell 0.6 percent year over year, given that distressed homes typically sell at a reduced price. “Distressed sales continue to put downward pressure on prices and is a factor that must be addressed in 2012 for a housing recovery to become a reality,” Dr. Mark Fleming, CoreLogic’s Chief Economist said in a statement.

The five states with the highest appreciation in November are Vermont (+4.3 percent), South Carolina (+2.8 percent), District of Columbia (+2.1 percent), Nebraska (+1.9 percent) and New York (+1.7 percent). When distressed sales were excluded, the five states with the highest appreciation were: Maine (+4.9 percent), South Carolina (+4.9 percent), Montana (+3.8 percent), Indiana (+3.3 percent) and Louisiana (+2.4 percent).

The lowest appreciation rates were seen in Nevada (-11.2 percent), Illinois (-9.7 percent), Minnesota (-7.8 percent), Georgia (-7.7 percent) and Ohio (-7.2 percent). Excluding distressed sales, the five states with the greatest depreciation were Nevada (-8.8 percent), Arizona (-4.9 percent), Minnesota (-4.7 percent), Idaho (-4.1 percent) and Georgia (-3.6 percent).

Fully 77 percent of all areas studied by CoreLogic experienced annual declines for the month, three less than in October.
hpi graph Home prices drop mostly due to distressed sales
corelogic hpi Home prices drop mostly due to distressed sales
corelogic hpi excluding Home prices drop mostly due to distressed sales
cbsa1 Home prices drop mostly due to distressed sales

Filed Under: Real Estate Updates Tagged With: home prices

Lake House is a Sun Worshipper’s Dream Retreat

January 8, 2012 By EmmanuelFonte Leave a Comment

Most homes are built with a mind to how natural light will affect the interior and the residents living there, but none are more mindful of changing natural light patterns than the Sun Slice House on Lake Garda in Italy.

Designed by Steven Holl Architects, the Sun Slice House was built for the head of an Italian lighting company owner. While the owner deals with artificial light in his professional life, this summer house revolves around the lovely natural light over the lake.

The home itself frames the light using geometric cutouts and strategic positioning of the elevations. The light touching the home evolves throughout the day and throughout the year, creating unique experiences each time the sun rises.

The majority of the home is composed of simple rectangles with those unique light-inviting cutouts, but the north side features glass walls with grand views of the beautiful lake.

A majestic patina has overtaken the exterior of the home which is clad in an alloy of copper, steel, chromium and nickel. The rich red color lends the structure a natural feel, letting it seem like an organic part of the landscape.

Filed Under: Architecture

Shelving on Demand: Modular Ledges Flip Up & Down

January 7, 2012 By EmmanuelFonte Leave a Comment

Empty shelves can look strange or sad, leading us to try and fill them up … sometimes too fast. The solution? Modular fold-down wall shelves.

These work for books, but are more meant for odds and ends or decorative touches – the quick-but-temporary cleanup we do from time to time between bigger organizational efforts or the elements we want to show off.

Eeva Lithovius suggests that the shelf can serve as a kind of “chaos meter” reflecting its capacity quite openly and letting you know when it might be time to get more shelving … or to toss some things out.

Filed Under: Furniture, Home Care, Home Remodel Tagged With: shelves

Efficient Lighting Lessons From TOH TV

January 6, 2012 By EmmanuelFonte Leave a Comment

By: KEITH PANDOLFI

The Truth About Efficient Lighting

You Don’t Need to Stockpile Incandescents The 2007 federal energy bill didn’t outlaw incandescent technology; it just set stricter efficiency standards for certain bulbs. Most incandescents—namely, the Edison-style bulbs we’re all familiar with and that use 40 or more watts of energy—aren’t efficient enough to meet the new standards. The phaseout will be gradual; only 100-watt bulbs will vanish first, starting on January 1, 2012. Next up will be 75-watt bulbs, in 2013; then 60- and 40-watt bulbs, in 2014. And despite the phaseout, a few types of incandescents will continue to be available. Utility bulbs for things such as appliances weren’t covered in the bill. The same goes for low-wattage decorative bulbs, like the exposed-filament bulbs that have become popular recently, so feel free to invest in fixtures that use them. While the Titlows are largely eschewing incandescents, they’ve opted for exposed-filament bulbs in a few lights, such as wall fixtures on the support columns between the family room and kitchen, to bring a period look to the new space.

Bulbs that meet the new, stricter energy standards include (A) the 72-watt general-purpose halogen bulb from Sylvania, (B) the Ultra Mini CFL from Satco, and (D) the AmbientLED from Philips. Decorative bulbs, such as (C) the 40-watt 1900 Tungsten bulb from Rejuvenation, are exempt from the standards.

Read the rest at ThisOldHouse.com

Filed Under: Home Care Tagged With: home lighting

A Year's Worth of Smart Home Solutions

January 5, 2012 By EmmanuelFonte Leave a Comment

Photo: Simon Whitmore

Update Your Decor on the Cheap

Have a pile of inspirational magazine pages you’ve been waiting to make a reality? January and February are the best times to nab furniture at serious discounts—up to 60 percent off in some cases—as stores hold clearance sales to make room for new spring inventory.

January: Tin-Tile Fireplace Surround

While looking for a way to add personality to their new custom fireplace, Steve and Sandy Miller had this flash of genius: Why not use the same unique tin tiles that adorned their kitchen backsplash for the surround? The couple first chose their design—an ornate pattern of 3-inch squares, which they cut to fit from large panels. Then they covered the surround with cement board and affixed the tin with a heat-resistant construction adhesive. In total, the project took only a few days—but the result will look cozy all winter.

The rest of the year here at ThisOldHouse.com

Filed Under: Home Care, Home Remodel Tagged With: home remodel

Is it time to consider a Second Home?

January 5, 2012 By EmmanuelFonte Leave a Comment

Many of us have dreamt of having a vacation home. It could be on the beach on Lopez Island or a bluff in the San Juans, or even cabin east of the Cascades. Many consumers don’t realize that with the proper research, their dream vacation home might actually be in reach. Instead of visualizing how relaxing vacations and weekend getaways could be, why not consider making your second home a reality?

The first step to purchasing a second home is organizing your finances to make sure you can afford it without compromising the security of your other assets.

Figure out what you can reasonably afford by looking closely at your income, savings, and spending habits. Future expenses need to be factored into your budget, such as the likelihood of replacing a car or adding to your family.
Check each of your three credit reports well before you start looking at houses or shopping for lenders. If your credit score needs improvement contact a credit counseling agency or ask your mortgage company for advice.
Create a budget. A budget not only clarifies your current financial situation, but it also helps you identify places where you might cut back to save for a down payment.
Consider tax implications. Purchasing a second home has its benefits, but you should make sure you consider funds for property taxes on the second home as well as additional income tax if your home will be rented out. You should research the area’s property taxes because some locations have significantly higher or lower property taxes.
Let’s talk and see what is out there that suits your dreams and needs.

For some, now is the perfect time to make a move on your vacation home or even the home you’ll end up retiring in.

Filed Under: Real Estate Updates Tagged With: retirement home, vacation home

Sensei – Space Saving Furniture

January 4, 2012 By EmmanuelFonte Leave a Comment

Live in a condo or a home with limited space? Sensei is a space saving utility that gathers two types of objects in a concept. Made out of square tube chrome steel and acrylic these chairs can easily be transformed into a table.

Filed Under: Furniture Tagged With: space saving furniture

OPENHOUSE | BY XTEN ARCHITECTURE

January 4, 2012 By EmmanuelFonte Leave a Comment

Built by the Xten Architecture studio, the OpenHouse lives up to its name as seen by the pictures. The elegant and beautiful interiors have full visibility to the outside world. The house was built on a challenging site, embedded into a narrow and sharply sloping property in the Hollywood Hills. The front, side and rear elevations of the house slide open to erase all boundaries between indoors and out, connecting the spaces to gardens on both levels.

Filed Under: Architecture Tagged With: open floor plan