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Check out these crazy and oh-so-vertical stairs by TAF Arkitektkontor.

[via below the clouds]

2modern, one of our sponsors, has just launched
their new Design Directory. It wouldn’t hurt to take a look and see who’s listed in your area (or, if you are an architect or designer, maybe get listed yourself).

Wow…if this is indeed a forest superintendent’s cabin, I might rethink my day job.

Here are a couple of different options for house numbers; switching out your old ones might be an easy way to spruce up your front door or gate area…

Signo House Numbers and Letters by Blomus (left): $25.50, Buy it here.

“The Signo House Numbers and Letters are typical of the clean, modern look of Blomus products. Blomus features designs inspired by première European designers, and crafted by German craftsmen.”
Letters: Height 3.5 to 5.9 in.
Numbers: Height 5.9 in.

HouseArt House Numbers (right): $24.00 – $46.00,
Buy it here.
“The HouseArt House Numbers add elegant style to the entry way and are designed to complement the HouseArt mailboxes and doorbell buttons. The House Numbers were designed by Ginger Finley and feature solid stainless steel. “
Finish: Brushed Stainless Steel, Dark Bronze, Rust (shown), Satin Black, or Satin Silver.
5 in. or 8 in.

Here’s a couple of interesting staircases by Jordivayreda Project Team.

[via Blue Ant Studio]

This smattering of 2×12 shiny tiles with the matte green is lovely.

Photo: Clear Creek Spa by Merideth Boswell in Meadow Green, Jade Green and Seafoam using 2×12 tiles.

I don’t know anything about this home other than it’s super modern and simple. Especially interesting to see the assembly/building photos…and take a look at the staircase- it’s one whole unit (you can see it in the pre-paint stage in the assembly photos).

Update: Thanks Katelijne for emailing a link to Belgian architect Pierre Hebbelinck’s site where there are more photos and information.

[via notcot]

If you’re rollin’ in silver and gold (the real kind), then you perhaps will easily be able to shell out $125/square foot for these silver and gold wall tiles.

Merola Tile 12 In. x 12 In.-3/4 In. Bits Hex Porcelain Mosaic Wall Tile (1 Sq. Ft. per case)

I recently added some glass mosaic tiles to my kitchen back splash, and the slight reflection of the small squares add such a nice touch. Something to keep in mind if you’re itching to update your own kitchen or bath…

Shown on right: Diamond Tech Glass Tiles – Stained Glass 2″ Glass Tiles in Bright Green Luminous Non-Mesh Mounted Sheets
“These Glass tiles give a luminescent quality to any bathroom or kitchen installation. These tiles are great for walls, backsplashes and pools.”

– Sheet backing: Clear Plastic Front mount
– Sheet size: 12″ x 12″
– Tile size: 2″ x 2″

[photo on left via dominomag.com]

I saw this quite a while back in dwell magazine (as I’m sure some of you did too) and it remains one of the more ingenious solutions for a sleeping area in small spaces.

“Having decided to site the new loft bedroom directly above the kitchen, the architects met the challenge of stacking two rooms, each with a seven-foot ceiling height, in only 12 feet of vertical space by creating two interlocking puzzle pieces: The mattress in the bedroom sits directly atop the ultra-thin kitchen ceiling (which enables a full-height space downstairs), and the floor area around the mattress is two feet lower than the platform on which it sits (thereby creating a full-height circulation area up above).”

[via dwell.com]

This is a crazy house, and I mean that in a good way. The whole black/cream/red/orange color palette is so very suitable to the sharp angles, and I think it’s pretty fascinating how the idea of the Klein Bottle was the base from which the structure evolved.

“This holiday house is situated on the Mornington Peninsula 1.5 hrs drive from Melbourne. It is located within the tee–tree on the sand dunes, a short distance from the wild 16th beach. From the outset MCR wanted a building that nestled within the tree line. That talked about journey and the playfulness of holiday time. What began as a spiral or shell like building developed into a more complex spiral, the Klein bottle. MCR were keen to be topologically true to the Klein bottle but it had to function as a home. We thought an origami version of the bottle would be achievable and hold some ironic fascination.”

[text and images via materialicio.us]

While this cotton insulation costs twice as much as regular fiberglass insulation, there’s something to be said for being able to install it with your bare hands (there’s been more than enough times where just being in the proximity of fiberglass insulation will make me itch, so I’d be willing to pay a little more for comfort), not to mention all the environmental benefits/credentials.

“Made from cotton fibers recovered from blue jean and other textile manufacturers, UltraTouch insulation offers excellent thermal and acoustical performance. Because it doesn’t contain fiberglass, it won’t cause itching or skin irritation during installation. It’s formaldehyde- and VOC-free, so offgassing isn’t an issue. The re-used cotton fibers are treated with an EPA-registered fungal inhibitor that offers excellent protection from mold, mildew, fungus and pests, as well as providing outstanding fire-resistance properties.”

Size, R-13: 16×94, $94.41

If you’ve not visited decor8, just a warning: the collection of room photos she has on flickr is completely addictive.

Yet another delightful wallpaper option…

Designed by Dan Funderburgh for Flavor Paper.
Blue and white on oatmeal clay-coated paper or Black and silver on chrome Mylar.
Each roll is 27 inches wide and 15 feet long. Priced by the roll.

Kohler’s promoting their new Karbon Faucet, which looks to be pretty impressive.

“With its clean, crisp lines, the Karbon articulating faucet introduces a new geometry of versatile functionality to the kitchen. Intelligently engineered to hold any pose for hands-free operation, Karbon allows you to streamline your work surfaces and workflow. You can extend the faucet fully to fill large pots, lower it into the sink for food preparation and cleanup, fold it compactly out of the way when not in use, or position it anywhere in between. “