Transparent Houses You Can Live in
Welcome to the world of transparent houses. In today’s world, privacy is something we are all aware of. Be it online safety or home security, most people like the comfort of being able to keep some things private from the outside world. But imagine if you lived in a house made of glass. While installing […]
The stunning furniture of the Herter Brothers: the leading interior designers of 19th-century America
The leading interior designers in America from the mid-19th century were the Herter Brothers. The two brothers from Germany settled in New York after the Civil War and started to make amazing pieces of furniture that immediately impressed the upper classes. For almost twenty years, Christian and Gustave Herter decorated entire houses and rooms for […]
Rocking chair: the American invention that has remained popular for centuries
The rocking chair has become an icon of American culture, but the addition of rollers was not originally an American invention. For centuries, rocking chairs have been among the most popular furniture. The definition first appeared in the Oxford English Dictionary in 1787. The design of the rocking chair was inspired by rocking cradles, that date back to ancient […]
Strahov Monastery and its magnificent library: a remarkable collection stored in impressive Baroque halls
On Petrin Hill, a white building with two towers has stood overlooking the city of Prague for centuries. King Vladislav II authorized the large structure for a religious community known as the Premonstratensians. In 1140, the construction that would be known as the Premonstratensian monastery in the Strahov area was completed, but it officially started functioning […]
Shepherds Huts: Tiny Houses on Wheels Used by Downland Shepherds
The small mobile homes known as shepherds huts date from the 15th century but it became more widely used in the late 18th and early 19th century. They were still being produced and used in the 20th century. The earliest illustration of the hut is a painting from the 15th century by the French painter […]
Xanadu Houses: a peculiar architectural design for a “home of the future”
Strange-looking experimental homes called Xanadu Houses began to be built in the United States in 1979. They were an attempt at making energy-efficient and affordable dwellings and would also be an example for some of the earliest automation in the home. The Xanadu were constructed by Bob Masters who had previously designed inflatable balloons used […]
Ricardo Bofill’s Cement Factory – Now a Unique Home
Ricardo Bofill’s reconstructed Cement Factory is a poetic place that challenges conventional concepts of housing. It is a remarkable building for at least two reasons; it is both a masterful architectural solution for transforming an old cement factory into a beautiful residence, and an inspiring work studio. As Bofill himself highlights, his factory is a place […]
Kitchen design in the 1960s – how a period of pop and free love changed the kitchen into a place of fun and social gatherings
The role of the kitchen has reflected societal and cultural changes throughout history. This trend can easily be seen in kitchen design of one of the most creative periods of modern history. The era of the 1960s was a crazy, eclectic time. Many different styles, influences, and novelties emerged in art and architecture design. On […]