Category: Cool Dwellings

Life Envy: Rosie Brown

I’m having a serious case of life envy right now.  No, not in the Single White Female kind of way – more in line with admiration and inspiration.  It’s all for Rosie Brown, a Scottish designer and stylist.  I read about her on Design*Sponge in 3 different posts (which also define why I think she’s the coolest and kind of want her life):

1. Sneak Peak into Rosie Brown’s gorgeous home in Edinburgh

2. Sneak Peak into Rosie Brown’s gorgeous home in rural Scotland, where they moved to after leaving Edinburgh

3. A recent feature on Papa Stour, an online shop run by Brown, featuring the best of Scottish contemporary design.  Just look at these awesome Scottish items. I love the posters with taglines from Scottish treats, like “Taking Over Teatime” from Tunnock’s Teacakes.  Or “It’s the National Treat” from Tunnock’s Caramel Wafers.

Oh, and while perusing the Papa Stour website, I noticed this – they’re renting out their holiday cottage in the Highlands.  I’ve seen this cottage before – I keep coming across it when I’m daydreaming of trips to Scotland.  Could this be a sign?  Am I supposed to rent this cottage in Scotland?  I just might have to…

Shelter Island Retreat

Oh wow, don’t you wish you were here?  I found this vacation home on Shelter Island, New York, on Dwell Magazine’s website.  View the slideshow here.

I love this building, and how the architect owner designed the entire thing around the location.  It doesn’t need air conditioning, due to the smart placement of windows to take advantage of ocean breezes.  Each bedroom was designed to be within earshot of the sound of the waves outside.  And just look at that shower (above).  Even it was designed for optimal natural light.

I’m having a HUGE case of vacation home envy right now.  Sigh.

The Best Modern Architecture?

Vanity Fair Magazine recently “asked the world’s leading architects, critics, and deans of architecture schools two questions: what are the five most important buildings, bridges, or monuments constructed since 1980, and what is the greatest work of architecture thus far in the 21st century?”

Here’s what they came up with.  Frank Gehry’s Bilbao Guggenheim is the clear winner – no surprise there.  I enjoy Peter Zumthor’s Thermal Baths in Switzerland (pictured above).  But there are so many iconic and interesting structures that are missing from this list.  Vanity Fair, I’m disappointed.

Vacation Rentals: Airbnb

I think I’m a bit late to this party… I just discovered the Airbnb website.  Here’s a description:

Called the “Ebay for space” by Time Magazine, Airbnb is an online marketplace allowing anyone from private residents to commercial properties to rent out their extra space. The reputation-based site allows for user reviews, verification, and secure online transactions. Listings include vacation rentals, private rooms, entire apartments, bed and breakfasts, boutique hotels, castles, treehouses, and many other traditional and non-traditional accommodations.

I’ve been poking around the site, and have noticed two things:

1. Next time we’re on holiday that isn’t home exchange, and we’re leaving our house empty, I’m definitely putting our place up for rent.

2. There are some amazing properties here – really cool, non-traditional vacation dwellings.  Like the airplane-turned-hotel in Costa Rica, a house shaped like a boot in New Zealand, two different castles in the UK,  and a mushroom-domed cabin in Calfornia (pictured above).   See the Top 40 coolest listings on Airbnb here.

Great Idea: Woolly Wall

A few years ago, I saw a living wall in an office building, and I thought it was the coolest thing.  I’ve wanted one in my house every since, but I was concerned it would be complicated (do I have to reinforce the wall because of the weight, how do you water the plants, will they receive proper drainage, etc).

Yesterday I saw this cool “sneak peak” on Design*Sponge, featuring many green walls made with WoollyPocket’s Wally Planters.  These look so easy!  They have watering and drainage covered, and they’re pretty simple to install on your wall – just use a few anchors for extra support.

We have an outdoor herb garden (that’s currently being attacked by slugs), but it only works for the summer months.  It would be great to hang some Wally Planters in the kitchen, and have a year-round herb and veggie garden.

I want to live here.

I just saw this home on The Selby, and I am having a massive case of house-envy.  I want to live here.  Or, I want my house to look like this.  I’m really into natural texture lately, and I love all the wood in this home.  It looks so crisp against the white walls and painted white floor.

You can see all the pictures on The Selby, or check out the homeowners’ design firm, The Brooklyn Home Company.  More pictures are there too.

Cool Dwellings: Airstream Trailers

I have a strange fascination with RVs and trailers.  When I was a kid, I took a road trip with my sister, mother, and grandmother in a Volkswagen Westfalia camper-van.   I loved it.  I think it has something to do with the small space and efficiency – there’s a place for everything, and everything is in its place.  Oh, and the fact that your dwelling can move?  Super cool.

I saw this photo slideshow on the Dwell Magazine website – this guy lives in a vintage 1950’s Airstream Trailer.  He keeps it parked in one spot most of the time, but also takes it on-site when he’s working on a landscape design (he’s a landscape architect).  The accompanying article is here.

Now I really want to go on a road trip…

I Heart Knock Knock

I was just catching up on my reading, and came across this sneak peak of designer Jen Bilik’s home on Design*Sponge.  Jen Bilik is the force behind Knock Knock – you know, those cool, witty, and slightly irreverent notepads and stuff that you can get at Chapters and fancy paper stores?

I love Knock Knock.  I have the “To Do” notepad on my desk, and the “All Out Of” grocery list pad on my fridge.  After seeing the photos of Jen Bilik’s home, I think I love her, and by extension, Knock Knock, even more.  She has an Airstream trailer as a lawn ornament.  And she has a really cool shed/studio.  I have always wanted a separate building for my office, but in Canada, the shed/studio thing doesn’t work so well.  I can dream though… and drool on my keyboard looking at these photos…