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Barefoot Luxury in the Maldives

June 8, 2011 in Architecture, Luxury Travel, Sustainability with 1 Comment

I recently did a post on the t op five Summer 2011 travel destinations, as reported by Yahoo! and their extensive APAC search results. Great inspiration, but one guest made a comment that we had left the Maldives off the list. Talk about inspiration…If you love the color turquoise as much as I do, try doing a google images search on the Maldives. Pure Bliss.

Like a string of pearls scattered over the deep blue Indian Ocean, sunny, unique and unspoiled, the Maldives is an archipelago comprising 1,190 low-lying coral islands scattered across the equator. There are 2041 coral reefs spread over an area of 4500 square kilometers which are home to nearly 200 species of coral.

Maldives from a sea plane.

Because surfing in Maldives is available through the year, I do not think it is going to be hard to convince my husband of our “new home.” There are two resorts renown for wave surfers, Hudhuranfushi and Dhoneveli Beach Resort. A few other resorts also provide the options for surfing. There are also widespread range of safari/liveaboard surfing available. This is the option most of the surfers go for as this allows for multiple surf points and cruising across the Maldives.

The origins of the Maldivian people are shrouded in mystery. The first settlers are thought to be from Sri Lanka and Southern India. This image not only shows that the colorful destination looks just as gorgeous in Black and White, but it shows the traditional Maldivian style. Feyli has been a part of Maldivian dress and culture for a long time with records even as far as the 1340s.

Traditional Maldivian Cuisine sounds tantalizing. Being surrounded by the sea, naturally, fish is a main staple, along with coconut, chilies, and rice. If you do not have a reservation for the famous underwater restaurant at the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, try making some of your own Baraboa Mashun, it looks simple and delicious.

Alila Villas Hadahaa is the first property in the Maldives to achieve the prestigious Green Globe “Building, Planning and Design” benchmark and was designed to best adapt to the tropical climate and natural environment of the island. This includes rainwater harvesting, waste treatment, high roofed areas and open ceilings. To confirm their local social responsibility, the resort has just launched a “Gift-to-Share” program.

Maldives, where have you been all my life? Barefoot Luxury, Warm Turquoise Water, Healthy {& Spicy} cuisine, gorgeous and sustainable architecture… this is where I simply belong.

And so much more.

Modern & Sustainable: Furniture & Accessories

May 25, 2011 in Architecture, Design, Sustainability with 1 Comment

We are continually on the hunt for new resources to decorate the sustainable home we have been working on because we are now in the completion phase! We wanted to share with you these chic and sustainable furnishings and accessories.

Clockwise: 1.Eggshell Inlay Bamboo Ceiling Light Fixture Clayton Oxford. 2. Coconut Shell Floor Vase at Clayton Oxford 3. Ali Sandifer Studio via Chic Tip 4. Pant Rocker and Ottoman via Shiner International 5. Polished Tin Root Ball via Chic Tip 6. Monkey pod twist stool at Clayton Oxford

Inspiring Home Office Environments

May 18, 2011 in Architecture, Design, Sustainability with 2 Comments

It seems more and more people are working from home these days. It makes sense if you do most of your work online or on the phone. Especially if you live in a big city with long, smog producing commutes to and from work. In order to maintain focus and productivity, an inspiring and well-organized home office is key. One of the many positives in technology is that we don’t need to store the endless file folders many of us are all too familiar with. I found these clean and chic home offices inspiring.

Love the Charlotte Perriand chair. Shows how a great piece of furniture can make the space.
Photo © Manolo Yller via Yazer

All of the sleek designs above are by Feldman Architecture in San Francisco.

Or if you do not have the space in your home, The Orb may be the genius option.

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Flooded with natural light, The Orb is an affordable extra room that requires no planning permission to be set up within the boundary of your home. Developed by a team of UK’s best architects, engineers and interior designers and constructed using boat-building techniques and materials, it’s more durable and long lasting than any other traditionally built structure on the market. The totality of the body, chassis and legs gives the orb a structural strength more akin to a yacht than a garden office. Adjustable legs for leveling, energy efficiency, easy maintenance and custom options make this a very inspiring choice. The Holiday Park Home sleeps 7 and Corporate Orbs are also available; and there is even talk about a houseboat version…

Green Building: New Alternatives

May 13, 2011 in Architecture, Design, Sustainability with Comments Off

Have you ever thought of using rice to build your next home? Probably not, but according to the BBC, new materials for building such as rice, straw and coconut are emerging. We are always excited to discover new prospective materials for our next sustainable project. Our first project slated to be Platinum LEED Certified is almost finished.

Resysta resembles a tropical hardwood, but the main ingredient is rice husks. The husks are powdered and mixed with salt and mineral oil and pressed onto board. The advantages over wood include the inability to absorb water and its lack of the compound, lignin, which causes wood to grey. The material is recyclable and has won awards for its sustainability.

Kirei board is another alternative made from sorghum stalks. Kirei translates to “beautiful” in Japanese and it is known for its aesthetic appeal.

Kirei also makes a great selection of LEED qualified materials from Coco and Bamboo. Use these materials in architectural millwork, wall coverings, furniture or anything else you can dream up.

Clever Design: Indoor Slides

May 4, 2011 in Architecture, Design with Comments Off

As a mother of two kids under the age of 5, this slide would be a must in any design for my home. I’m not sure if slides or swings are something anyone really grows out of enjoying!

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Private Residence in Indonesia. Via Dezeen.

1. By Level Architects via Dornob. 2. Private Residence via: ohdeedoh 3. Ab Rogers Design via FlavorWire. 4. New York Penthouse by Turett Collaborative Architects via Design Milk.

I wonder how you may incorporate one through the roof if you don’t have a two-story home to work with… hmmm. Design Project # 192. In the meantime, I may consider this Ikea VIRRE Indoor Slide.

Interior Design: Floating Stairs

May 3, 2011 in Architecture, Design, Sustainability with Comments Off

We are very excited about our sustainable project in Montecito that is nearing completion. One of the details that stands out is the cantalievered floating staircase. So, I thought it would be fun to see what other floating stair images there were out there.

Here’s my favorite from a site called Stair Porn. I had no idea there were enough unique stairs to form a whole website about them, but there are. The design above is by Kengo-Kuma, an architect I just discovered today, who has done several notable floating stair designs. You may also want to check out his Bamboo House and other work.