All posts in Home Improvement Consultant

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Haus am Moor by Bernardo Bader Architects
May 04, 2013 //

Bernardo Bader Architects used locally sourced spruce, fir and elm to clad the interior and exterior of this rural cabin in Lower Austria .

Based on the traditional houses of the Bregenz district, the two-storey residence has a simple rectangular plan with a steep gabled profile and a wooden deck driven through its middle.

Austrian studio Bernardo Bader Architects used 60 trees to produce all the wood needed for the house with minimal waste.

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Upholstered Seating at Milan 2013
Apr 25, 2013 //

While Milan fervor has cooled a bit, we are still reeling from all the wonderful design we saw last week. Here are some of our favorite upholstered seating designs from Salone del Mobile and around Milan Design Week.

1. Step DESIGNER: Vincent Van Duysen MANUFACTURER: Viccarbe

Clean and oversized, Step by Vincent Van Duysen for Viccarbe shines with contrast stitching and attention to detail.

2. Bikini Landscape DESIGNER: Werner Aisslinger MANUFACTURER: Moroso

This delightful vignette by Werner Aisslinger for Moroso, Bikini Landscape is playful and a treat for the eyes.

3. Traffic DESIGNER: Konstantin Grcic MANUFACTURER: Magis

Traffic by Konstantin Grcic for Magis has angles and lines that nod to modern design while bringing something entirely new to the design landscape.

4. Peg DESIGNER: Nendo MANUFACTURER: Cappellini

Such a simple detail, yet Peg by Nendos wood thread through upholstery is a pleasant and unexpected visual surprise.

5. Catch Chair DESIGNER: Jaime Hayon MANUFACTURER: &Tradition

Jaime Hayons signature curves are applied here in this luxurious side chair for &Tradition.

6. Cut Chair DESIGNER: Francesco Rota MANUFACTURER: Lapalma

A contract chair that doesnt abandon style and thrives on versatility, Cut Chair by Lapalma has an array of legs and finishes that make it suitable for any commercial interior.

7. Raw Edges DESIGNER: Kenny MANUFACTURER: Moroso

Inventive and visually brand new, Raw Edges form is defined by the very fabric its made of.

8. Sofa collection DESIGNER: Barber Osgerby MANUFACTURER: Knoll

A new classic, Barber Osgerby designed an architectural, yet soft and inviting Sofa collection for American favorite Knoll.

9. Talo DESIGNER: Sebastian Herkner MANUFACTURER: Sancal

What sets Talo apart is its unexpected upholstery details by wunderkind Sebastian Herkner for Sancal.

10. Brix DESIGNER: Kensaku Oshiro MANUFACTURER: Viccarbe

Another great form for commercial settings, Brix is generous and upholstered in seat and arm.

Top Ten articles publish every Tuesday. Email 3rings@designerpages.com if theres a category youd like to see.

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Designer Vicki Scuri transforms a muddy, messy space into a lushly planted rain garden
Apr 20, 2013 //

WHEN VICKI Scuri bought her classic 1950s home in Lake Forest Park eight years ago, its hillside garden was a fright of poodle-ball-shaped shrubs and serious drainage issues. From Scuri’s back deck, she looked down at weeds, ratty lawn and a ditch as raw and ragged as if a big bite had been taken out of the garden. An environmental designer, Scuri put her landscape-restoration experience to good use transforming the muddy, messy space into a lushly planted rain garden.

The front garden was a narrow slot running between house and sidewalk, thickly hedged in overgrown juniper. Below the house was a hillside of saturated soil and standing water; traffic noise from nearby Bothell Way was clearly audible. “It was just really ugly, like a moonscape, nothing grew in the wet clay,” Scuri says.

The streetside garden above the house was easier to fix. Scuri planted her parking strip in dwarf lilacs and bulbs for springtime cheer. She updated the junipers by sculpting them into an undulating hedge. “I kept the juniper as a period piece, a reference to the era of the house,” Scuri explains.

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Before the Heat Arrives Full Force, Repair your AC Unit
Apr 19, 2013 //

repair ac unitIf you live in San Antonio, you know one thing to be true regarding the weather: the heat can come at anytime. While you are more likely to experience triple digit heat during the summer months, most years you don’t have to wait that long.

History shows that June, July, and August, like most cities, are the hottest months in San Antonio. But does this mean you should wait until the end of May to repair your AC unit? Of course not.

It is not uncommon for temperatures to capsize 90 degrees in April and May, bringing the heat in your home to an excruciating level. Can you imagine trying to get comfortable when it is this hot inside and out?

Before the heat arrives in full force, you must make sure your air conditioner is in good working condition.

Here are three situations, one of which you will find yourself dealing with:

1. Your AC unit does not work at all. In this case, you cannot afford to wait another day before contacting a San Antonio air conditioner repair service. Typically, it only takes one trip to your home to fix the problem. It is going to cost you some money, but when everything is said and done you will be able to enjoy the cool air.

2. Your system requires some type of maintenance. Even though you may be getting some cold air blowing into your home, if your system is not working at peak efficiency something is wrong.

Note: a minor problem can soon lead to a major issue if you don’t take care of it.

3. There is nothing wrong with your AC unit. This is the situation you want to find yourself in. When you turn your air conditioner on, you get nothing but cold air. This is a great feeling.

To be safe, you may want to call a San Antonio AC maintenance service to your home to ensure that everything is as it seems with your system. It is better to be safe than sorry.

In San Antonio, Texas, temperatures are heating up. While most people welcome the warm weather, it can be a bit too much at times. As long as you have an air conditioned home to retreat to, there is nothing to worry about.

How is your system performing? If you need assistance, don’t hesitate to contact us at your earliest convenience.

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Construction begins on Bordeaux stadium by Herzog & de Meuron
Apr 16, 2013 //

News: work has started on a football stadium in Bordeaux, France, by Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron.

First unveiled in 2011, when it was referred to as the Stade Bordeaux Atlantique, Herzog & de Meuron’s Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux will provide seating for up to 42,000 spectators.

A rectangular white roof will cover the stadium, supported by a forest of slim white columns.

The structure is expected to be completed in 2015 ready to host matches during the Euro 2016 football championship.

Last week construction began on an outdoor bathing lake in Riehen, Switzerland, also by Herzog & de Meuron.

The architects previously completed the National Stadium in Beijing for the 2008 Olympic Games – see all architecture by Herzog & de Meuron or see all stadiums.

Earlier this year French designer Philippe Starck and car company Peugeot unveiled a prototype bicycle for a free cycle scheme in Bordeaux – see all projects in Bordeaux.