Here Comes The Neighborhood: The Spring District

Spring District

How do you go about creating a vibrant, living place where there was none before?
Principles of urban planning say density is the answer—bringing people in to live and work in compact quarters. The more people walking around on a city block, the more viable the economy there, which supports a greater variety of retail and services. But in order to attract this critical mass of people, you have to make them feel like they belong. So not just any density will do.

 

Read all about The Spring District here. Watch the video below.

WRU0305 The Spring District – Lifestyle Video – FINAL from Hey, on Vimeo.

What Americans are looking for when they shop for homes 2014

Found this on Businessweek.com and thought I’d share.

What Americans Want

Seattle’s Version Of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

How West Seattle's Craziest Christmas Light Display is Created   Seattle Met

5 Ways to Define Spaces Without Walls

Establish zones in an open layout without relying on typical barriers, using changes in material, level, color and more

Screen Shot 2013-11-14 at 12.32.32 PMThink of your favorite room. Imagine its textures, colors and openings. Picture all of the objects that sit in it. Now take the walls away. What’s left? Does it still feel like a room? What elements are intact to distinguish it as a space?

Walls are arguably the easiest and most recognizable architectural elements that define a room. Let’s stretch this notion and identify other ways to perceive space. Consider the following tips to create your home’s spaces without relying on the typical vertical barrier for enclosure.

Architects, interior designers, and more ∨Consider a versatile murphy bed when looking for guest bed furniture, find well-designed task chairs, and work with a contractor in your area to create a fun yet functional home office.
Collect and share photos of bath tile, bathroom cabinetry, shower curtain and bath mirrors to create your perfect home decorating style.

Art Deco & Modern Style In Glamorous Master Bath

Screen Shot 2013-10-24 at 7.43.11 AM

With a freestanding tub, meticulously cut tiles and a spacious walk-in shower, this St. Louis bathroom blends elegance and functionality.

After living in a Victorian-era home with tiny bathrooms and cramped shower-tubs, a St. Louis family was craving something more luxurious. For three years the owners dreamed and planned, finally building an addition that included a luxurious new art deco–inspired bathroom.

Art deco was an apt choice. Achieving popularity a few decades after the decline of the Victorian era, deco was glamorous and less fussy than its predecessor, but still richly detailed, lending itself to a cleaner, brighter look that jibes with the bathroom’s spaciousness and modern-day functionality. It also makes it seem as though the house and the new addition evolved slowly over the past hundred-plus years, as opposed to an obviously contemporary design that would have contrasted with the rest of the home.

“The style of the bathroom blends the elegant and romantic feeling of the Victorian-era home and their modern needs,” says Joni Spear, the interior designer on the project.

Architects, interior designers, and more ∨Browse bedroom ideas, from loft beds to luxury duvet covers, and dream in style.
Browse top designers interior portfolios, from high-quality cookware and decorative dinnerware to ideas for remodeling bath and kitchen.

Low-Impact Sustainable Homes for Families in Remote Places

renewable house

No matter how you feel about the energy, forestry and mining industries that have taken up residence in Canada, the fact is that those industries are firmly entrenched in Alberta. The housing market has shifted considerably since this rush, with housing prices going up and housing becoming far more scarce. A team of students at the University of Calgary and Mount Royal University have joined forces to find a simple but effective solution to this situation.

borealis modular homes alberta canada

modular sustainable home alberta

kitchen borealis modular home

They came up with Borealis, a sustainable pre-fab home that can be transported anywhere, even to remote locations, and assembled on the spot. The homes aren’t luxurious by any standard, but they are strong enough to withstand harsh Canadian winters comfortably. The main part of the home – the middle module – contains a kitchen, bathroom, and dining area. The additional modules on either side contain an office, a living area and bedrooms.

living wall sustainable borealis modular home

alberta canada modular borealis homes

The sustainable part of the design comes from the 10 kw rooftop photovoltaic array and an interior air purifying green wall. Outside, the units are meant to mimic and complement the surrounding natural beauty of the area.

Stunning Prefab Micro-Homes Go Together Like LEGO Bricks

adaptable customized modular prefab homes

The era of suburban sprawl seems to be over, and many people find themselves downsizing to homes that are smaller than they ever considered possible. Alchemy Architects is a firm that helps homeowners realize their miniature home dreams with the weeHouse.

weehouse modular prefabricated green homes

Just as it sounds, a weeHouse is a tiny alternative to a traditional home. Modular and prefabricated, these homes can be dispatched and assembled anywhere. But they aren’t simple cookie cutter houses that get lost in the slew of other tiny abodes – these are fully customizable designer mini homes.

weehouse building blocks

not-so-weehouses

The home designs are based on the concept of building blocks. Each “block” is one module – these modules can be stacked or put side by side to create the exact specifications the customer wants. Although they are meant to create small-space homes, the modules can be linked in various ways to make stunning larger homes.

prefab modular eco-friendly homes

Regardless of the chosen size of your weeHouse, Alchemy allows for a huge amount of customization. The flooring, siding, counters, windows, fixtures, outdoor areas, and everything else are up to the customer. WeeHouse buyers can build their dream home from start to finish, adding in the perfect elements and ending up with something truly lovely, whether it is actually “wee” or a bit larger.

weehouse in the woods

WeeHouses were built to withstand nearly any environment from snowy mountains to windy coasts. By integrating green technology into the home designs, Alchemy Architects also ensure that their homes will have as little environmental impact as possible. And at 10 to 15 percent less expensive than a conventional house of the same size, a weeHouse will also have little impact on your budget.

Read more: http://dornob.com/stunning-prefab-micro-homes-go-together-like-lego-bricks/#ixzz2jEpPmTeV

Why Our Brains Love Curved Buildings [video]

Curved Buildings

Another great video from Discovery

Expand Your Living Space: Build A Deck

Extending a home’s outdoor living potential is quickly gaining popularity. This is a great infographic from http://www.ricksfencing.com/build-a-deck