Steel, Concrete, and Stone Home with Central Courtyard

When an architect is allowed the freedom to create a space that he knows will work for this clients, that level of trust comes through in the final design. Such was the case in this elegant modern home from architect Elias Rizo, who has indicated "thorough communication" and "complete trust" were essential in completing this home. The resulting structure is careful and calming, making every effort to ensure comfort and preserve privacy as well as the illusion of isolation, even in a neighborhood that sets houses close to one another.

Beginning with a rear view of the home, we can see the simplicity of the chosen steel, glass, wood, concrete, and stone materials used throughout the construction. The form of the home is sleek, not calling attention to itself, almost daring you to guess what could be inside. 

The entry into the house is simple but deliberate. A large, heavy door separates the home from the street in its entirety, but even crossing this first threshold does not give access to the home. Instead, visitors must walk along the exterior of the building, along a pathway that flanks the interior pond, to finally reach the front door, which is actually closer to the back of the house. Even the garage has a clandestine element to it, keep cars hidden not only from the street, but from all interior angles as well. 

Timeless Living by Cochrane Design

Here is a gorgeous home. It was designed and built by cochrane design – an award winning firm based in the U.K. Cochrane Design specializes in creating exclusive properties. So, if you like elegant and luxurious homes, you should take a close look at the pictures of this property. You could get inspired by the timeless design and concept – produced by expertise and skillful innovation.

The entrance to this home is beautiful. You can see a very attractive landscape – designed using a classic combination of green, white, brown and black. The trees and other plants have been carefully selected to give you a refreshing appearance. A small lounge is located close to the entrance. There is a fireplace directly opposite it. This lounge is a perfect place for relaxing in the evenings while you enjoy the stress relieving therapy of this lovely garden.

As you enter through the glass doors, you will come into the foyer. A black table positioned right in front of you. This table is surrounded by special bucket-shaped chairs on which you can seat and have a snack and a drink before going upstairs. The shape of these chairs makes it easy for you to tuck them under the table when they are not needed.

The foyer is decorated with a nice color theme that consists of shades of beige, brown and black. From the foyer, you can have access to a long, floor-to-ceiling book shelf that spans the upper and lower floors – a creative and efficient use of space.

You need to climb up the stairs to get to the main living area. It is designed using the same color palette used in the foyer. Light brown sofas covered with luxurious velvet upholstery surround a dark brown centerpiece. Beside the living area, you can see a dark brown dining table surrounded by six chairs covered with ash colored upholstery. A distinct contrast has been achieved with the two large black and white picture frames and the thick black frame on the fireplace.

A peep into one of the elegantly furnished bedrooms will show you a very long headboard covered with brown upholstery. Two overhead lights rest beside the headboard. Two bedside drawers are also placed beside the bed with two reading lamps to give perfect symmetry. Two gray throws provide a nice contrast to the white bed cover. At night, the glittering chandelier can offer you unique lighting effects.

Elixir Mini Bar By Leonhard Pfeifer

If you just can’t seem to find the right spot to store your precious liquor without risking to make a way too pretentious first impression on your houseguests or co-workers but still can’t afford a full-scale wine cellar just now, we may have just the right thing for you: with CB2 Elixir Mini Bar, your favorite drinks will stay safe, concealed and yet close at hand for those precious moments when all you need is a glass of fine spirits to brighten up your evening after a hard day’s work.

Another brilliant piece of furniture designed by Leonhard Pfeifer in collaboration with Crate & Barrel, Elixir Mini Bar offers a sophisticated liquor storage solution that will impeccably blend in any interior décor of your home or office. Measuring 24 x 12 x 24 (W x D x H), this stylish liquor cabinet features a solid frame handcrafted from fine acacia wood and its sides and shelves are built from acacia veneer over engineered wood.

Thanks to the unit’s smart transforming design, the sides of Elixir Mini Bar conveniently fold down to let you access your beloved spirits without getting up from the sofa or couch. Large enough to hold several bottles of liquor, drink-mixing tools and a host of cups, this two-in-one storage cabinet is primarily built to serve as a mini bar but it can also double as an end table, ledge for mining drinks or even a nightstand, which is mighty convenient if your office or living room is not all that spacious

Simple and hassle-free maintenance-wise, Elixir Mini Bar requires just a damp cloth for the regular cleaning procedure (make sure you use no glass cleaners or abrasives because these may easily damage the acacia surface). So, if you are a true lover of all furniture multipurpose or just need an unassuming yet handsome piece of furniture to accommodate your drinking gear, try Elixir Mini Bar for size – more likely than not, it will perfectly fit your liquor storage needs.

GET IN LINE: IKEA IS REISSUING LIMITED EDITION VINTAGE DESIGNS

IKEA's newest line brings back design favorites from the retailer's 70-year history

Great news for vintage lovers: More than 70 years after its founding, IKEA is finally fulfilling all of your deepest desires. Earlier this year, they launched a limited edition collection called Ȧrgȧng, which reissues 26 of their "greatest hits" from their long and illustrious history. The collection features furniture, lighting, tableware, and more—but it's all limited in quantity (and won't appear in all stores), so if you like something, act fast.

Each item is an updated version of an earlier hit—for example, take the Gȧrdsskär, a red glass pendant lamp based off the 1959 Sila lamp, or the Ekenäset mid-century chair and couch with wooden legs and an unobtrusive gray fabric, inspired by the Danish Esbjerg line from 1957. Also from '57: The Las Vegas table (now the Lillbron, or "mini bridge"), a wooden slab with adjustable steel trestles that was described in the original catalog (translated from Swedish) as "something fresh and chipper... an ultra-modern creation for present and future." So true. It's the future now, and we're still obsessed. 

Integrating Gold Accents Into the Home

Gold is a great color to decorate with.  It really makes a room shine, not only because of its metallic properties, but because it seems to go great with any color scheme.  In moderation, gold accents can take a room from dull to a literal shining oasis of a room.  It goes great with white, black, and colors.  It’s fast becoming one of the hottest color choices, especially for fall.  Check out some gold accent inspiration for the home below.

Gold Piping 

This bathroom is a dream.  It features unique octagonal mirrors hanging from gold piping leading into a beautiful pair of his and hers gold sinks.  This, matched with marble walls and a marble counter top are the perfect combination of accent and design.  Add some crisp white towels and your dream bathroom is ready to go.

Gold Home Office

Here, we have a simply decorated room that features a gold angular striped wall.  This design could be done by hand or with decals.  The gold chandelier helps pull the look together.  This gold accented wall effortlessly gives appeal to the room by adding a design to only one wall so as not to overwhelm the room.  It’s a simple upgrade to the room that makes a lot of difference.

Gold Living Room

This stunning living room uses only a few gold accents to really make it shine.  Notice how the matching lamps, coffee table, and large wall mirror draw the eye to each piece while bringing the room together in one fabulous design. The large mirror is great for making a smaller room look bigger as it creates the illusion of space.  The crystal chandelier peeking out of the corning is also a great touch.

Gold Kitchen

This kitchen is beautiful.  It marries the perfect balance of white with gold accents and turns a dull kitchen into a modern wonder.  From the gold faucet to the cabinet fixtures and lighting, everything about this kitchen screams chic!  The island in the center is also a great touch and the leopard print rug pulls it all together.  Gold has really proven to be a great accent color in this kitchen design.

Gold Bathroom

Glittering and luxurious.  Gold is an easy choice for a bathroom.  Fitted with accents on the wall and rug, this bathroom could be right out of the pages of a magazine or 5 star hotel.  Shimmering from wall to wall.  Wouldn’t you love to spend some time getting ready in this lovely bathroom?

12 New and Modern Kitchen Color Ideas with Pictures

Are you looking for the right color to fit into your kitchen? When deciding on which shades to dress this central, gathering spot of the home, it’s important to think about your entire vision, from style and theme to size. Darker colors work better in bigger rooms with opportunities for natural lighting, while crisper, brighter colors work to make small spaces look larger. From explosive shades of lime to more subdued shades of charcoal, we’ve compiled a quick list of 12 new and modern kitchen color ideas with pictures to get you brainstorming shade choices and duos that inspires you. Let’s take a look and start imagining your new cooking space!

This hazy plum color works incredible well in this space, for two reasons: the slick, shine of the contemporary cabinets and the large window bursting with light throughout the day. In a more traditional space this color would look dull and overwhelming, but with the crisp, posh appeal of the design, as well as the stainless steel hardware, this modern kitchen has a feminine touch and no nonsense vision.

An electric blue kitchen would certainly make for a bold and fashion-forward statement in your home. It’s fun, it’s upbeat and would also make for a beautiful and interesting place to entertain during holiday parties and friendly, dinner get-together’s. Again, this outside-the-box shade works well in this kitchen because of the super modern, contemporary design.

The mix of contemporary structure and cottage, vintage touches make this kitchen a beautiful and welcoming space. This teal and aqua blue combinations lays a great foundation for blending different styles and having fun with accessorizing. Notice the plated wall decor, the delicate curtains, the velvet chairs and the futuristic finish on all of the cabinets and appliances.

Charcoal is another great choice when you’re decorating with a more fashion-forward, contemporary vision in mind. There is so much storage in this kitchen, we’re jealous. But this deeper gray tone makes everything chic and tidy in design. The pop of mustard as a back splash brings a bout of personality and charm into a room with, essentially, a very clean palette to play with.

Have you ever though to use cranberry as more than just an accent color? Used throughout the fall fashions and mixed in with black and white rooms, this lovely maroon counterpart can have an intense, but feminine charm and we’re loving it in this modern kitchen. It gives the space a freshness and welcoming aura while keeping with the futuristic vibes.

 Retro flair and modern touches, this kitchen was made to be seen (and almost heard) with this neon, lime tone. For a youthful edge to your home, don’t be afraid to go big and bold. A smaller kitchen can get away with this type of color as it doesn’t make the space look any smaller, especially with the nice size window landing at the edge of the room.

Purple is a “royal” shade. It’s naturally feminine but it’s more serious than a classic pink. So, if you’re looking to class up the kitchen with a powerful, yet womanly aura, this is the way to go. Although this color is paired with whites and silvers, it still takes center stage without becoming too harsh or overwhelming on the theme or eyes. Again, this is a tone that works with very modern structures and less on traditional designs.

Maroon and black; it’s edgy, masculine and has a very hipster, in-the-now feel. The room works well with the outside-the-box color choice because the room is open, spacey and even has some open shelving to create the illusion of more space. We also feel like this particular maroon shade would do well in a pure white kitchen, as a fun accent color with a more “bachelor pad” vision.

If you’re looking for a more traditional style, go with a mixture of natural tones. Beige, camel and cream can make a space more welcoming, centered and homey … which includes the kitchen! It’s also a clean and simple way to decorate and design a room, as well as accenting and accessorizing. What we love in particularly about this kitchen is the mix of natural colors, wooden features and overall contemporary design, it’s a great blend of texture and styles.

Using a cool light blue will always work, no matter what room you put it in. It’s refreshing, light, bright and makes everyone feel good when they’re around it. It’s also a great color to blend and it’s easy to accent. This kitchen, of course, has a very modern style and is offset by bright whites and crisp blacks, keeping with the modern tone of the space.

We’re loving this kitchen because it again blends retro vibes with modern structures. The aqua cabinets hit you with a contemporary tone while the color and the red accent gives us a fun, throwback feel. We also love that instead of an island, a breakfast table was placed in the center of the room to enjoy the space and the natural lighting for morning coffees and late night snacks.

A more natural green is a great route to take when you want something a bit more organic. Then, pair it with black if you still want a room that fits in with your modern home. It’s an interesting and surprising way to decorate your kitchen, but it works when done it the right way and within the right space. This kitchen has the extra room to play with and has the windows to brighten up duller corners.