Banister? Better! Steel Mesh Replaces Railing on Loft Stairs

Most free-spirited architectural and interior designers dread the confines of code, dictating that they must put this here or that there for safety reasons. Railings are not, however, the only way to keep someone safe on a staircase.

This solution takes personal security as well as aesthetics, space and style into account, bending the rules (literally, using flexible mesh) in a way that won’t break the occupant’s bones.

A1Architects had to work within the confines of an old attic in Prague, its sloped roof constraining the second-floor footprint of this remodeled top-floor apartment.

Letting light in and views down from this guest loft level was a key goal, accomplished with a combination of skylights and see-through, ultra-slim, fence-like steel to prevent falls without significant visual obstruction.

Meanwhile, wall-side shelving hugging the ceiling and hidden in-stair spaces along the way up provided maximum storage in this otherwise small-space residence – also reinforcing the space-opening curves found throughout.

None of this is meant to suggest the rest of the loft is anything short of lovely, but this critical design move informs the rest – a combination of light-painted (white) and reflective (steel) surfaces combined with leftover (bugs and) features from the previous configuration.

Constructive Concrete: Incredible Carbon-Negative Cement

What could be better than building concrete structures without creating more CO2? How about this: a new form of cement that actually absorbs carbon dioxide rather than being a primary source of its man-made emissions.

Consider this: 1 out of 20 units of carbon released by human activity into the atmosphere comes directly from concrete – this does not even take into account other construction-related activities, such as on-site vehicles or other building materials.

So how does an age-old, nearly-universal building material move from being destructive to the environment to being constructive for pollution? “By replacing the calcium carbonates used in cement formulation with magnesium silicates, and by using a low-temperature production process that runs on biomass fuels … developing a new class of cement that offers performance and cost parity with ordinary Portland Cement, but with a negative carbon footprint.”

Novacem™s Carbon Negative Cement is two steps in the right direction, simultaneously displacing a carbon-intensive building block and substituting it with something that goes beyond simply doing no harm. As for awards: “Novacem is a World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer for 2011 and features on MIT Technology Review’s list of the ten most important emerging technologies for 2010. It is also on the Global Cleantech 100, is a Wall Street Journal Technology Innovation winner and a Bloomberg New Energy Pioneer for 2010.”

ThumbSaver – Magnetic Nail Setter

If you’re like me, you’ve smashed fingers while nailing or using a drill to drive screws. Here is an amazing thumb saving device.

The ThumbSaver helps to position a nail without exposing finger to hammer hit. It has a powerful magnet that can hold all sizes of nails, stable and screw etc. And its bent design allows it to reach all narrow spaces. BUY | $12.99

Modern Vintage Interior Design

Modern vintage interior design created in black and white theme by Marilyn Monroe portraits on the walls, which remind 1950’s age, in combination of black and white interior designed by a Moscow based interior designers Geometrix, a perfect luxury lifestyle for vintage fans in modern style.

Interior Designers: Geometrix

How to Upgrade Your Home on a Budget

By: JILL CONNORS, This Old House magazine

Exterior view of this remodeled bungalow

Photo:  Mark Lohman

    Beautiful Bungalow

    It takes a certain eye to see a smart little cottage where others see a stucco teardown. But Steve and Shauna Mullins had exactly that vision when they first saw this 875-square-foot bungalow in Hermosa Beach, California.

    “It was in a great location, less than a mile from the beach, and the basic layout was good—it hadn’t been screwed up,” Steve says. Still, the exterior of the 1941 house was showing its age, and its small rooms needed an update. Collaborating with architectural designer Rosa Velazquez on the front of the house, doing much of the work themselves, and enlisting a general contractor for the bigger projects, the couple lavished the tiny two-bedroom with a proud new facade and freshened the interior throughout.

    For nearly all their redo needs, they jumped in the car and hit nearby home centers, scouring the aisles for well-priced shutters, fencing, cabinets, crown molding, paint, and more. Keep reading for the redo rules they followed—what worked for them can work for you, too.

    Read the rest here.

    The Most Beautiful Skylines Around the World

    New York City, United States

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    San Diego

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    Chicago

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    Seattle, Washington

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    Philadelphia

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    Melbourne, Australia

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    Sydney

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    Brisbane

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    Paris, France

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    Damascus, Syria

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    Dubai, United Arab Emirates

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    Rome, Italy

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    Moscow, Russia

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    Tokyo, Japan

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    Frankfurt, Germany

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    Sibiu, Romania

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    Malaga, Spain

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    Singapore, Marina Square

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    Bangkok, Thailand

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    Lviv, Ukraine

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    Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

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    Sao Paulo, Brazil

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    Rio de Janeiro

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    Vancouver, Canada

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    London, England

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    Jakarta, Indonesia

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    Buenos Aires, Argentina

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    Top 10 Budget Kitchen and Bath Remodels

    By: THE EDITORS OF THIS OLD HOUSE, This Old House online

    after photo of the under a thousand dollar kitchen remodel

    Photo:  Deborah Whitlaw Llewellyn

    Paint Cabinets Instead of Replacing Them

    With kitchens, simple does not necessarily equal streamlined. For these homeowners the kitchen that came with their Atlanta condo fell short on both frills and function. It was a sad space, that included builder-grade cabinets and white laminate counters. Opening the dishwasher blocked the oven door and vice versa.
    They used a little DIY-know-how and removed, repainted, and reinstalled the cabinets. They also purchased a wet saw and cut the glass tiles for their backsplash themselves.
    Take a look at The $967 Kitchen Remodel to pick up a few money-saving pointers and design ideas.

    Read the rest here.

    Microwave of tomorrow points to trend of hidden appliances

    innowave1 Microwave of tomorrow points to trend of hidden appliances

    Microwave of tomorrow

    Designer Anoush Mortazavi has come up with a microwave concept called Innowave that proves microwaves don’t have to just be a box with a turning table and a door. The Innowave is not only a space saver and looks more like a metal drawer than a television, it is in line with the trend of clearing up counter space and it offers functionality not seen in microwaves of today.

    “Features include the mode stirrer, an extremely slow rotating aluminum blade that replaces the regular turntable. The front door is a hollow stainless steel structure, housing the electronics. It includes a magnetic steel switch that turns off the microwave instantly, protecting against accidental opening. The steel handle is attached to borosilicate glass containing the capacitive touch screen for navigation,” said Yanko Design.

    We particularly like that the design has been reconsidered from start to finish, not just putting a new spin on an old technology, and we love that it doesn’t look like it should be in the Jetsons’ house, rather, it could actually be installed in any home on the market today.

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    Dream Bedrooms

    What does your dream bedroom look like?