The Birth Of A Home Theater
September 16, 2012 By Leave a Comment
A Modern Home Finds Its Soul
September 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Interior designer Andrew Mitchell toes the fine line beween design constraint and generosity in this Brighton, Australia, home. Called by clients who wanted to inject their home with more warmth and character, the designer brought in texture and materials without layering in too much old with the new. "Achieving balance between the sleek, modern bones of the house and adding character and soul is not an easy thing to do," says Mitchell. A slow and deliberate introduction of natural materials, including recycled Australian hardwoods and fabrics, softened what used to be a slightly steely interior.
Browse Furniture on Houzz- For Example:
The 4 Things Home Buyers Really Want in Kitchen Cabinetry
September 8, 2012 By Leave a Comment
A great kitchen design can dramatically increase your property value — if you want to attract prospective buyers, your kitchen is the perfect place to invest money. The trick is to get it to appeal to the majority of people by spending your money on what most of them really want.
Kitchen cabinetry can do much to attract the right buyers. There are four key factors to consider: quality, symmetry, color and layout. If you can get these key elements right with your cabinetry, you’re bound to have a higher home value.
Browse Bath Products on Houzz- For Example:
Network Your House with SmartThings: Rule Your Home with Your Phone
August 30, 2012 By Leave a Comment
SmartThings has a pretty lofty goal. They want to be the hub to control everything in your home. While some companies and apps today control various aspects, like lights or air conditioning or security systems, SmartThings thinks that’s just child’s play. Actually, children are the only thing SmartThings can’t control.
From cabinets being open to clothing recommendations based on weather to lights turning on when you get out of bed, SmartThings is central command for every exiguous aspect of your home in the palm of your hand. Sounds complicated? Surprisingly, the concept is simple. By attaching custom sensors to objects you want to control, it then sends signal to a SmartThings hub that looks as innocuous as a WiFi router which then communicates with your iPhone for alerts and to adjust various settings.
Apparently the demand to literally be master of your domain is quite high. The SmartThings page on Kickstarter.com (Kickstarter is a site for funding new ideas & companies) shows that the funding for this product has already exceeded its first round goal by 82% making it well on its way to mass production.
The interesting part for me is there is a potential here to create a new ecosystem for developers and even home owners to build on. Through what they are calling their SmartApps platform, I envision 3rd parties will eventually be able to create their own custom features that can be integrated with the SmartThings hub. The Kickstarter page lists the following as existing enhancements to the platform:
- Get notified immediately if your pet runs out of your yard without you with the “Oh No, My Pet Is Loose!” SmartApp.
- Get an early warning or directly contact a plumber when there is a leak somewhere (bathroom, basement), before damage gets out of hand with the “It’s Leaking!” SmartApp.
- Monitor drawers and cabinets that contain precious or dangerous items with the “My Stuff is Secure” SmartApp.
The day of the truly smart house is incredibly close. For homeowners, a system like this can help the increasingly busy life of a homeowner be on top of the general upkeep and maintenance of their home.
For me the only question is how much angrier I would be when I lost my phone? Check out the demo video for SmartThings below and visit their page on Kickstarter to get more details.
The Refrigerator of the Future [video]
August 27, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Could this be where the future of refrigerators is heading?
Four times smaller than a conventional refrigerator, the Bio Robot cools biopolymer gel through luminescence. Rather than shelves, the non sticky, odorless gel morphs around products to create a separate pod that suspends items for easy access. Without doors, draws and a motor 90% of the appliance is solely given over to its intended purpose. At the same time, all food, drink and cooled products are readily available, odors are contained, and items are kept individually at their optimal temperature by bio robots. The fridge is adaptable — it can be hung vertically, horizontally, and even on the ceiling. Different sizes and dimensions allow it to perfectly fit the accordant dwelling.
Infographic: How To Hack Your Electric Bill
August 21, 2012 By Leave a Comment
source & Larger view: click here
The Lifespan of Storage Media
August 19, 2012 By Leave a Comment
As each new form of data storage comes on the scene, the market is at first enamored with its compactness, convenience and hoped-for data longevity. But invariably, the reality of physical vulnerability and a limited lifespan remains. Eventually, all media fails, but Cloud backup is forever.
30 Modern And Very Creative Sink Solutions
August 18, 2012 By Leave a Comment
We all know what a sink is. A bowl-shaped plumbing fixture used for washing hands, for dish washing or other purposes. Sinks generally have taps (faucets) that supply hot and cold water and may include a spray feature to be used for faster rinsing. They also include a drain to remove used water; this drain may itself include a strainer and/or shut-off device and an overflow-prevention device. Sinks may also have an integrated soap dispenser. Take a look at some very creative designs.
In these article, as you see in the picture above and as you will see in the pictures below, we bring you some very unusual, modern and, above all, very creative sink solutions. This kind of design of wash basin will, certainly, bring your bathroom a very nice refreshment. Wash your face before looking!
IMAGE SOURCES Copyright @ Colored Wal