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5 green house design

A home doesn’t need to be modern to be green, but I like the modern ones. I’d love to see entire neighborhoods of modern green homes. I like the idea of changing the way we perceive the single-family home, too. Denser neighborhoods ? Sure. Residential wind turbines? Definitely. Solar on the roof? You bet. But right now, we’re still in the early stages of recognizing legitimate green homes. And as far as certified green homes are concerned, there’s only SEVEN LEED Platinum homes right now. That’s changing though. I think it’s important to study green homes and their lighter footprint, so I’ve put together my list of the Top 5 Super Green Modern Homes. They’re ultra-stylish and ultra-green. Two have obtained the Platinum certification, two are aiming for it, and one is super green no certifications needed. They’re listed below in no particular order.

PROJECT7TEN – Venice, CA (under construction)

This home was designed by Melinda Gray, founder of GRAYmatter Architecture, and is currently under construction. Upon completion in the fall, there will be an open house for everyone to take a peek. You may even be able to buy it, if you’re interested. Located at 710 Milwood Avenue in Venice, California, this home is shooting for LEED Platinum certification. Some planned green features include a rainwater reclamation system and grey water recycling, locally-sourced sustainable materials, recycled content countertops and insulation, FSC-certified lumber, rooftop solar panels, native landscaping for shading, Energy Star appliances, and Kohler water-efficient fixtures. Visit the Project7ten website.

MKLOTUS – San Francisco, CA (under construction)

Designed by Michelle Kaufmann Designs and built by ExtremeHomes, mkLotus will be unveiled at West Coast Green in San Francisco from September 20-22, 2007. Some planned green features include a green living roof, rooftop solar power (100% powered by solar), rain and groundwater catchment system, grey water system, FSC-certified wood for framing, SIP wall assembly, open cell foam insulation by Icynene, Noritz on-demand water heater, folding glass door walls by Nanawall, bamboo flooring, no-VOC paints by Yolo, LED lighting throughout, EcoResin interior sliding door panels by 3form, Energy Star appliances, countertops by Concreteworks, FSC-certified cabinets over Roseburg Skyblend particleboard, floor and wall recycled glass tiles by Terra Green, and water-efficient fixtures by Kohler. Visit the mkLotus website.

5IVE – Minneapolis, MN (under construction)

John Dwyer, professor at University of Minnesota and founder of Shelter Architecture, designed this home for Jeff and Saleno Gallo. 5IVE is built with precast concrete walls with an r-value in the 30s, has one of the most efficient heating and cooling systems on the market, and will use the greenest possible materials, products, appliances, and fixtures. I like reading 5IVE’s blog called “Diary of a LEED Platinum Home,” which shares with us decisions, events, and thoughts en route to completion. Visit the 5IVE website.

LIVINGHOMES RK1 – Santa Monica, CA (completed)

This is the first residential building to receive the USGBC’s Platinum LEED-H rating, and due to the media frenzy associated with this home, it has raised the bar for what’s possible in residential construction: zero energy, zero water, zero waste, zero carbon, and zero emissions. LivingHomes received a total of 91 out of a total possible 108 points required to obtain the Platinum rating. It will be 80% more efficient than similar sized home and was constructed with 75% less waste than a traditional one. Some green features of this house include a rooftop photovoltaic system, radiant heating system within the floor, grey water system for irrigation, LED lighting, EnviroGlas recycled glass countertops, and the use of low-VOC paints and FSC-certified lumber. Visit the LivingHomes website.

HEATHER’S HOME – Weatherford, TX (completed)

Designed by Gary Olp of GGO Architects, this home is the first home in Texas to receive LEED-H Platinum certification. Heather’s Home is 2,038 sf and was built for about $117 psf. But what’s more incredible is the heating and cooling bill, which averages from $20-30 per month — pretty incredible for Texas! Some green features of this house include a rainwater collection system with 3,000 gallon holding tank, low-flush toilets, native landscaping, 20 SEER Daikin HVAC system, tankless water heater powered by rooftop solar panels, Green Guard certified Formica kitchen counters, and InterFLOR modular carpet. Visit the Heather’s Home website.

sources : http://freshome.com/2007/09/12/top-5-green-homes-with-a-modern-look/

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narrow house design

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yacht designed by steve jobs

Updated: What is French designer Philippe Starck working on for Apple? Prior to his death, Apple CEO Steve Jobs was working with Starck on a yacht. And this is very likely the “fairly, if not very, revolutionary” project he was talking about. To be built by luxury superyacht builder Feadship, the yacht is believed to have a very minimalist and sleek design with a main feature being 40 foot long glass walls. And Starck has been involved in its design.

Mentioned in the New York Times from Walter Isaacson’s new biography of Steve Jobs, which was released last Monday, the late Apple leader was working on creating his very own Feadship superyacht. Jobs didn’t like the normal yacht designs so he decide to design it himself, not a surprise, creating a super luxurious yacht to rival his good friend and fellow yachtsman Larry Ellison.

“The book also offers some tidbits about Mr. Jobs’s legendary attention to detail, which, according to Mr. Isaacson, extended to a luxury yacht that he began designing in 2009. The design is sleek and minimalist, with 40-foot-long glass walls. It is being built in the Netherlands by the custom yacht firm Feadship, the book says.”

When asked for a comment, the Netherlands-based Feadship responded by saying, “Sometimes, word gets out about one of our yachts. We often build for captains of industry, royalty and other leading individuals. Understandably, our clients value their privacy greatly and consequently we never discuss our owners’ identity. We choose not to comment.” Our sources have suggested that the boat will be based on Feadship’s recent Breathe concept (shown below) — which was showcased at the Monaco Boat Show 2010 and drew praise for its natural imitation of forms, shapes and patterns. How Zen!

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Contemporary Home Improvements and Interior Design

In the past, many people chose to move rather than remodel. Some love home improvement projects of any size, but even those who do not have been influenced by the weak housing market to alter the houses they have. Opening up spaces with too many walls, updating a dated bathroom or totally making over an ageing kitchen can make all the difference in the feel, personality and function of virtually any home. Many choose contemporary design, highlighted by contemporary interior design. A popular improvement made on homes acquired through property auction is updating the kitchen to contemporary styling.

There are many more old, tired, outdated kitchens than there needs to be. Neither does a kitchen have to be old to be outdated. Kitchen design is such a personal choice among those for whom it is important, builders are likely to provide only a “stock” kitchen that is not offensive either to those who favour contemporary design or those who prefer more traditional approaches.

This kitchen (before and after pictures at http://www.bhg.com/kitchen/styles/modern/renovations-before-after/#page=14 ) provides a dramatic example. The old kitchen was cramped and covered in an array of ceramic tile colours and styles that would lead the most charitable viewer to question what the homeowners were thinking. The newly remodelled contemporary kitchen bears no resemblance to its predecessor. It has a pale wood floor with slightly darker cabinets that sport a clean, crisp design. It employs the metals important in contemporary design with the stainless steel appliances. Pot lighting illuminates the workspace, as contemporary pendant lights suspended over the sink area provides both lighting and visual interest.

Here is an example of a kitchen in traditional style that certainly was not offensive but still was outdated before its transformation to a warm but contemporary space (before and after pictures at http://www.bhg.com/kitchen/styles/modern/renovations-before-after/#page=3 ). The homeowners replaced the white traditional cabinets with light, natural wood cabinets designed with sleek lines and no visible hardware. The new floor is a darker brown. Other than the green outside a wall of windows, the only colour in the kitchen is in the form of the dark red cushions gracing the counter – height chairs. Another difference in the before and after pictures highlights a primary point of contemporary interior design. That is to keep the space uncluttered and visually clean.

This kitchen is a perfect example of one that had no real problems prior to renovation, but is so much more pleasing in its new contemporary form (before and after pictures at http://www.bhg.com/kitchen/styles/modern/renovations-before-after/#page=6 ). The sink is still under the window, and it appears that the footprint of the kitchen has not been altered. Beyond that, the new kitchen bears no resemblance to the one that existed before renovation. The new contemporary kitchen has sleek, light wood cabinets topped with darker granite countertops. All of the dark, heavy wall cabinets have been replaced with open shelves. Again, a primary goal is to have and maintain an uncluttered space, and the renovated kitchen attains that goal.

The “before” picture of this kitchen leads the unpractised eye to conclude that it must be a hopeless case, but the “after” picture is nothing short of stunning (before and after pictures at http://www.bhg.com/kitchen/styles/modern/renovations-before-after/#page=7). In this narrow kitchen, the only functional change was moving the range from one side to the other. All of the drama of the transformation arises from the sleek new cabinets, new floor, new sink and faucet, new countertops and matching stainless appliances. This kitchen keeps the overhead cabinets, but uses translucent doors to give an illusion of open shelves while avoiding the clutter factor that open shelves can create.

The word “contemporary” is not interchangeable with “modern,” though the words often are used that way. Modern is an architectural style, but contemporary design refers only to current materials, lighting, texture and colour. Contemporary interior design is that which is clean and uncluttered. In the kitchen, contemporary design often employs an array of metals, focal point lighting and neutral wall colours that highlight designed focal points.

My name is Nisha, I represent a site called Unmodernised.com. I love to write about fashion and design.

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Apple Laptops Vs HP Laptops

Apple’s laptops have come of age with many of their laptop models reaching the top of the market share. They have excelled especially in terms of design with beautifully thin laptops that seem more of a lifestyle product than a technical one. As the one to beat in terms of design, it was only a matter of time before another laptop manufacturer would try to match Apple, which is what HP have done with their HP Envy line of laptops against Apple’s MacBook Pro. For this match-up we’ll take a look at the HP Envy 15 and 17 against the Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch and 17-inch laptops for a head-to-head analysis of both contenders.

Design:
Apple is without a doubt the originator of the aluminum unibody chassis school of design. The advantages have been discussed by many as the better rigidity makes the Apple MacBook Pro laptops lighter, tougher and thinner than the usual plastic. In short, both the Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch and 17-inch laptops look like high-end lifestyle pieces of art, rather than computers. However, after several generations of the same look, this can get rather dated and there are no other options asides from the usual silver or white lid. The black bezels do bring a bit more contrast but its nothing that hasn’t been seen before.

HP’s revamped Envy 15 and 17 laptops on the other hand take on exactly the same aluminum unibody chassis but now offer black and gray colored lids. Apart from this everything else looks to be almost a carbon copy of the Apple MacBook Pro. This includes the placement of the LED backlit keyboard and the trackpad to the chiclet style keys and the black bezels around the screen. The Envy 15 is a bit heavier at 5.7lbs compared to the Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch’s 5.5lbs.

Features and Specifications:
The HP Envy 15 starts off with a dual-core Intel Core i5-2430M processor running at 2.4GHz while the base model for the Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch has a quad-core Intel Core Core i7-2675QM processor running at 2.2GHz. Both feature a 500GB hard disk drive but the HP Envy 15′s hard disk drive spins at a faster 7200RPM. The HP Envy 15 also packs in a 15.6-inch screen with 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution against the Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch’s 15.4-inch screen and 1440 x 900 resolution. Both have slot loading super multi DVD drives for recording and playback.

However, going up the model scale the highest-end HP Envy 17 sports a full HD Radiance 3D display along with a Blu-ray drive and the ability to display stereoscopic 3D using active shutter glasses. Apple have made it clear that they will never put in a Blu-ray drive while the specifications for the Apple MacBook Pro 17-inch laptop are not that different from the higher-end Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch model.
The HP Envy 15 also puts in two speakers with a subwoofer along with integrated Beats audio compared to the Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch’s standard speakers. Connection-wise the Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch still has an edge over the HP Envy 15 with its Thunderbolt port but the HP Envy 15 makes up for this with support for Intel’s Wireless HDMI or WiDi along with HP Wireless Audio so you can connect up to compatible wireless audio speakers.

Performance:
Starting out from the base models, the Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch easily trounces the HP Envy 15 laptop but this is to be expected from the better Intel quad-core processor. On the higher-end models, the HP Envy 17 does a much better job compared to the 17-inch Apple MacBook Pro. However, the HP Envy 15 does offer smooth playback of full HD 1080p video something that the Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch laptop cannot do despite its more powerful hardware. The HP Envy 15 also sounds better, as the Beats audio and built-in subwoofer help to elevate the audio quality. While both trackpads look the same, the glass-covered trackpad on the Apple MacBook Pro is by far more comfortable and responsive. Battery life is also much better on the Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch laptop with a battery life on a single charge of more than 7 hours compared to the HP Envy 15 laptop which only gets about 4 hours or so.

Operating System and Software:
Unlike the HP Envy laptops, the Apple MacBook laptops are all using the latest incarnation of Apple’s operating system: OS X Lion, which offers new levels of intuitive computing, better support for the hardware and enhanced overall performance. It also comes with award winning software to help make movies, manipulate multimedia and do more with less. The HP Envy laptops on the other hand are using Windows 7 operating systems and are usually loaded to the brim with HP branded software that are more generally known as bloatware. There is also no guarantee that the HP Envy laptops will be able to run Microsoft’s upcoming Windows 8 operating system that will debut with laptops designed to run the operating system at maximum efficiency.

While you can do more with an Apple MacBook Pro laptop out of the box, you have fewer choices in terms of software, especially in games. With the HP Envy 15 on the other hand you can get a copy of the latest game and run it with ease. You can run these games off the Apple MacBook Pro using a Windows emulator but you can also expect a drop in performance as well.

Price:
Apple’s products are generally more expensive than the norm and this also applies to the Apple MacBook Pro laptops. Even the base model Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch laptop retails at $1799.00 from the Apple Store while the HP Envy 15 can be had at $1249.99 or so (depending on where you buy it). This $500 price difference is nothing to sneeze at and can go quite a long way to making up for the lack of good software out of the box. On the other end of the spectrum, the highest-end HP Envy 17 3D retails for about $1599.00, which looks like chicken feed, compared to the Apple MacBook Pro 17-inch laptop’s $2499.00 price tag.

All things considered, the Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch laptop is a much better buy compared to the HP Envy 15 as it provides a better deal in terms of performance, usability and battery life. Most users buying a laptop at this price point are looking more for the usability and ease of use than pure performance. However, gamers or those looking for more features and performance would do better with a higher-end HP Envy 17 laptop as compared to an Apple MacBook Pro 17-inch laptop as the capability to display smooth full HD 1080p makes more sense with a Blu-ray drive.

This article is brought to you by Ethan Simmons, a senior contributor at Honest-Laptop-Reviews.Com

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apple new ipad 3 really dissapointing this time

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Wooden Flooring Options

Wood flooring undoubtedly conjures up the impression of luxury, warmth and welcome. It can also be more suitable than carpeting for those who have allergies or asthma. Unlike carpet, wood flooring doesn’t accumulate soil, dirt, odor compounds and other allergens and so will not trigger allergies or asthma attacks.

Not only is wooden flooring great looking, it can be very long lasting and wears beautifully. The options for the types of wooden flooring are many, and with some amount of maintenance you can enjoy wooden flooring without any problems.

Today wood flooring can be a sustainable option, with fast growing materials such as bamboo being used in their construction. Repurposed wood can also be used to make flooring and wood harvesting is done in a largely responsible manner so that precious forest resources are not diminished in times to come.

Styles of wood floors

Wooden flooring can be made from solid wood; typically planks made from single large pieces of wood. Or they can be engineered wood flooring wherein two or more layers of wood are used as the top layer and another layer below to provide stability.

Engineered flooring is not the same as laminate or veneer or vinyl flooring. Laminate is nothing but an image of wood used on the surface of the material used, vinyl is actually plastic made to look like wood and veneer is, as the name suggests a thin outer surface of wood used usually over fiberboard. These can look like the real thing and can be very much cheaper.

There are various patterns that can be used to create wooden flooring: parquet wooden flooring uses smaller wooden pieces to create an even, attractive geometric pattern. Alternatively strips or planks of wood can be used to construct the wooden flooring. Strip flooring has lesser chances of being affected by moisture and because of the linear effect, can create an illusion of space.

Types of wood flooring

Various different types of wood can be used for flooring: maple wood, beech wood, oak wood, cherry wood, ash wood, bamboo (though bamboo is a grass and so not technically timber) and so many other types.

Hardwood flooring such as maple, oak, beech, cherry, red oak and ash offer durability and a beautifully warm look to the flooring. They can give a traditional and cozy look to any room. Even darker woods such as walnut can look beautiful when used for flooring.

Different hardwood flooring styles such as parquet, planks, and strips and so on can be used to create the kind of effect you want – the warm and rustic look, traditional look, contemporary look, modern look and so on.

Bamboo is becoming a very popular flooring option these days, because of its durability, great looks, cost effectiveness and also sustainability. Whereas wood from trees can take 15 to 20 years to harvest, bamboo is fast growing and can be harvested in 3 to 5 years. Bamboo is very versatile and can be made to look as traditional and as contemporary as you want it to be.

Author info:

Sarika Periwal writes interior design and decor articles. She promotes the use of hardwood furniture over particle board. Check out these beautiful long lasting oak wood dining room furniture sets.  

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Steel Garage Building Kits for the DIY Crowd

According to Wikipedia, the phrase “do it yourself” “came into common usage in the 1950s in reference to home improvement projects which people might choose to complete independently.” Since then it has become a very popular part of our culture. There is a large segment of society that is very much in to doing home improvement projects on their own, without hiring contractors, carpenters and handymen. During the last 60 years the DIY home improvement industry has grown into a $10.5 billion market.

This booming industry has really bolstered the growth of national hardware chains such as Lowes and Home Depot. Indeed there are more people who are becoming do it yourselfers all the time. Some enjoy it as a hobby while others are seriously looking for ways to save money while getting the necessary home repairs done.

Some people are even bypassing the national outlets when it comes to bigger projects such as building a garage. They do this by purchasing steel building kits which contain everything they need. Imagine having a few friends and neighbors over to help throw together a new garage!

The advantages of using a steel building kit over traditional construction methods are pretty significant. One factor has to do with time. Putting up a steel garage from a kit takes significantly less time than hiring an architect and contractor to design and build a traditional garage. In most cases, people can construct steel garage buildings within 2- 4 days.

Versatility is an advantage of steel building kits that shouldn’t be overlooked. Most manufactures enable a person to customize their kit to fit their particular requirements.  A person can usually get exactly what they want in the size, shape and design they are looking for. Additionally, many of the designs allow a person to easily add-on and increase the space when needed, at a future time.

Obviously, one of the things a person needs to be concerned with is durability. Steel construction is known for holding up very well in all types of weather and it is much less likely to be damaged by fire than a traditional wood structure. Steel in non-flammable and will actually contain a fire in many instances while wood framing can be a great hazard in a fire.

It is a well known fact that steel buildings have a much better track record in earthquakes and also hurricanes. Steel plays an increasingly important role in the construction industry. It is the preferred material for framing commercial structures and is rapidly gaining in popularity in the residential construction sector.

Steel is long lasting and when combined with other eco-friendly building materials it is frequently used for green building projects. Another nice advantage is they usually require no maintenance. There is no need for siding and roofing. Best of all, there is no need to paint the building.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly to the DIY crowd, steel building kits often represent a much less expensive way to acquire a new garage.  Although wood costs have a history of fluctuating wildly, the price of steel has remained stable for a long time.

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Apple wins lawsuit case in Shanghai

daydaily.com-Reuters reports, a Shanghai court, China has rejected a request to block the sale of Proview International Apple iPad. According to the sources of these publications, the Court of Law in Shangai, issued a ruling that Apple won a trademark infringement following a complaint filed by Proview International in Shanghai on Wednesday (23/02/2012).

In the interim decision only covers sales of iPad in the city, before Apple had a series of minor defeats in the courts of law throughout China. Apple has appealed the court’s decision in December in Shenzhen to support the Proview, and continued the hearing scheduled on 29 Februai 2012 in the southern China province of Guangdong.

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simple house design by kimura kouichi

the simple house design below are the masterpieces from japanese architect kimura kouichi, i like the design very much that design show the simpleness and elegance.

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