Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

When the vast majority of your life is happening within the four walls of your home, every square foot counts. So the past two years have inspired some serious, space-saving creativity.

Everybody all of a sudden was just surrounded by their environment, just sort of thinking, If Im going to be spending this much time here, I really want it to be great quality space, says interior designer and HGTV host Vern Yip.

Oddly enough, one popular strategy for creating multipurpose spaces at home in 2022 is an innovation born more than a century ago: the Murphy bed, a fully made bed emerging from a wall to instantly transform a living room into a bedroom.

New Jersey-based interior designer Karen Topjian remembers seeing Murphy beds in old black-and-white Hollywood movies and thinking they looked wonderfully glamorous. It seemed almost magical, she thought. Unlike a sofabed that requires moving cushions and some degree of assembly, Murphy beds have the superpower of transforming a space with just a single motion.

Of course, the spring-loaded metal bed that nearly destroyed Charlie Chaplin in his 1916 short film One A.M. appeared pretty uncomfortable. Even the World War II-era models probably werent especially cozy, Topjian says, no matter how chic they looked in the movies. But technology has improved dramatically.

Today, she says, high-quality Murphy beds open easily and can be outfitted with high-end mattresses and lush bedding.

So when a client with a New York studio apartment challenged her to create a space where he could eat, sleep, live and work, Topjian designed a Murphy bed built into custom hardwood shelving, giving the compact living space plenty of storage and flexibility.

And the appeal of Murphy beds is moving beyond those who live in apartments. As the pandemic lingers, even people with larger homes are facing small-space living issues, says Heather Higgins, another New Jersey interior designer.

Whether elderly relatives are moving in or adult children are returning home, many people are puzzling over how to add extra sleeping space to existing rooms. Depending on the circumstances, a Murphy bed can be the solution.

Among its best uses:

MAKING GUESTS AT HOME WITHOUT SACRIFICING A ROOM

Interior designer Gonzalo Bueno has a meticulously planned home office in Dallas. Behind his desk, a dramatic black-and-white painting extends from floor to ceiling, flanked on both sides by built-in shelving.

For 90% of the year, he says, his office is laid out in exactly this way. But when relatives visit from Mexico, his desk is moved forward and that painting is pulled down to reveal a Murphy bed.

Its a better option than even the highest quality sofabed, he says: This is a queen-size bed a real bed. So its heaven for visitors. But for my 90% of the year, it just looks like a beautiful built-in with an art piece.

Bueno created a similar design for clients who needed a playroom for their children and a guest room for visiting grandparents. They didnt want older relatives sleeping on a sofa bed, but also didnt want to lose an entire room to a queen-size bed. One end of their playroom now houses a Murphy bed concealed within built-in storage.

Murphy beds can also be practical for single parents whose children dont live with them full-time. Bueno has a client who uses a spare bedroom primarily as a meditation space. But when his child lives with him, a Murphy bed is kept open and the room feels entirely like a bedroom.

HYBRID HOMES

Higgins says the pandemic is inspiring some city dwellers to shift to a smaller apartment so they can afford a second space outside the city. In cases like this, a Murphy bed can make the city space more manageable.

Topjian recommends mapping out the room with the bed open to make sure it wont feel too crowded. Make sure any furniture youll need to shift out of the way isnt too heavy or awkward.

If youll be using a Murphy bed as your primary sleeping space and opening it frequently, it helps to choose a lightweight memory foam mattress rather than a conventional model. And look for a good-quality one that lowers slowly and makes a soft landing, Topjian says.

Make sure your Murphy bed comes from a reliable manufacturer, the designers emphasized. The name was once trademarked, but has been used by a wide range of retailers since 1989.

HOME OFFICE IN A SPARE BEDROOM

For those who have converted a spare bedroom into a work-from-home office, it can be challenging to create a space that looks professional on video calls while still keeping a bed there.

People are paying a lot of attention to what their background is on video calls, Yip says. That little portion of your living environment that youre sharing now with the rest of the world what does it say?

A Murphy bed can offer the elegant appearance of wooden doors, rather than a view of a bed laden with pillows and blankets.

Beyond creating a work-friendly Zoom background, that can also help you concentrate.

You wouldnt want to be working all day seeing a bed next to you, Bueno says. It will just be too too tempting.

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Pandemic-era design solution from the past: The Murphy bed - Marshall News Messenger

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Newly constructed houses you can buy in Opelika - Opelika Auburn News

The Keel, a converted former HMRC office block overlooking Liverpools waterfront, is billed as the solution to dull, impersonal renting. Tenants in the block of 240 new flats can fake a sun-kissed glow on video calls by dialling in from its new Zoom room. According to its interior designer, Jasper Sanders, the effect created by the tinted windows is a friendly nod to many Liverpudlians love of a year-round tan.

At the Wembley Park development in north-west London, renters can work from retro camper vans or sheds custom-made for home working.

Welcome to the fast-growing world of build to rent, an asset class that is shaking up the housing market, luring renters with the promise of more professional management than individual private landlords, and sucking in a flood of money, from banks, pension funds and even retailer John Lewis. Tempted by the prospect of stable returns, these blocks are developed, owned and operated by large companies with deep pockets.

Yet there is growing unease over the boom in this new class of rental property, with concern that the poorest in society will be priced out.

Rob Wall, a 34-year-old communication coach, moved to Wembley Park, the biggest build-to-rent complex in the UK, lured by the perks.

In return for pet-friendly but small apartments that come with communal benefits, such as gym access and a cinema room, tenants part with monthly rent starting at 1,770 (plus utilities of roughly 200 a month).

Developer Quintains all-inclusive package meant Wall no longer had to sort out his own utilities or arrange repairs. We dont have to be too hands-on with it, he says. As a drummer and football fan, its a real bonus being next to the SSE Arena and stadium.

Institutional landlordism is relatively new to Britain, but the sector has boomed as property prices spiral upwards, pushing the prospect of buying a home further out of reach for many. Build to rent now accounts for 20% of all new housing in England, a figure that rises to 40% for London, according to research consultancy Molior. Research from estate agency Ascend Properties shows that planning permission requests for build-to-rent units across the UK rose 52% during the pandemic.

For a long time, residential property hasnt been seen as a viable asset class; its really messy to manage, with huge operational costs, said Frances Brill, a University of Cambridge geographer specialising in build to rent.

But with interest rates so low, commercial property yielding shaky returns, and Britain facing a chronic housing shortage, it had become an attractive bet. Investors sense theres money to be made if youre able to provide quality housing, she said.

Well-established players such as US developer Greystar which last month partnered with Abu Dhabi in a 2.2bn deal to build London rental homes have led the charge. Macquarie, the Australian bank that stripped out huge dividends during its ownership of Thames Water, has set up a rental business, Goodstone Living. US private equity giant KKR is funding 4,000 luxury homes. High-street names such as John Lewis, Lloyds Bank and Legal & General (L&G) are also joining the goldrush. Lloyds plans to own 50,000 homes within a decade, under a strategy developed by new boss Charlie Nunn, the Financial Times reports.

Investors ploughed a record 4.1bn into the sector last year, according to property adviser CBRE. The boom is set to continue, as demand for rentals outstrips supply. In Leeds, L&G is turning Tower Works, the city centres Grade II listed former factory, into 245 rental apartments. Developers are also eying suburban areas, rolling out pet-friendly, larger homes designed to encourage longer-term contracts. L&G has announced a 117-home scheme in Peterborough for families seeking out-of-town properties with office space and gardens.

Experts say while interest from private equity firms comes from experience, the biggest draw for pension funds is they can raise the rent roughly in line with inflation. Dan Batterton, head of build to rent at L&G, said investors took about 4% from annual rent income linked to inflation. The need for housing makes the rental market less volatile, said Batterton.

For tenants, theres the promise of well-managed homes for people who cannot afford to buy, and are fed up with rogue landlords. In the UK, there are almost twice as many people looking for rentals as there are spots available a ratio that rises to 10 to one in Salford, according to research by insurer Admiral.

Especially in such a new market, a big pension fund cant afford to become known as an awful landlord, said Brill. No one wants to kick a granny on to the streets.

She sees Switzerland where 60% of households rent as a success story: pension-fund-owned housing there is well kept, with stable rents. Theres a glimmer of hope of what the UK market could be, if build-to-rent landlords actions are sufficiently regulated.

But not all communities can afford to buy into the lifestyle. While build-to-rent developers are obliged to provide nominally affordable homes, this doesnt mean they are building more social housing, said Brill. It doesnt address the affordability crisis, because its so expensive.

Homelessness charity Shelter has warned that build to rent is likely to be aimed at the higher end of the market, making it unaffordable to lower-income households. And while it has boomed during the pandemic, affordable housing starts fell by 16% in England in 2020-21, according to government data.

In Elephant and Castle, Londons Latin American quarter, a 3bn regeneration project including a big slice of build to rent is driving out the current population of social housing tenants. About 4,000 social housing units have already been demolished in the area, with many residents forced to move to suburbs more than six miles away.

Delancey, the developer best known for its partnership with the Qatari royals to buy and develop Londons former Olympic village, will replace the shopping centre with homes to rent. It has permission for 979 build-to-rent homes, of which 116 will be social housing. Its initial proposal, for just 33 affordable homes, was rejected by the council. Corporately branded and just streets away from the demolished Heygate council estate, the block, due to be completed in 2030, is a metaphor for the borough of Southwarks socioeconomic tensions.

With 16,000 households on Southwarks housing waiting list, families are often pushed into overcrowded properties. Down the road from the Delancey development, Milton, 53, his wife Cecilia, 50, and two children live in a private rented studio flat. They have been waiting on the council register for a three-bedroom flat for three years. Its been a very hard time, not only for me, but for my children since they translate for me and help me with the documents I present to the council, said Milton, who declined to give his full name. His children eat, sleep and do their homework in the same room.

Housing shouldnt be an asset, said Elizabeth Wyatt, from campaign group Housing Action Southwark and Lambeth. Good quality social housing, where communities can thrive and build roots, should be a right.

Southwark council said: The 35% affordable housing offer, which included 116 social rent homes, was the maximum we could reasonably secure for the Elephant and Castle development. We are committed to providing 2,500 new council homes across the borough by May 2022.

Others think these expensive developments will take more refining. There is some smoke and mirrors happening with these developers, said John, a marketing manager and resident of Hurlock Heights, a new tower in Elephant and Castle (he declined to give his full name). The building hosts a mix of properties; build to rent, shared ownership and homes for sale. He feels his flat doesnt match the leafy, high-spec complex in the brochure, and residents have complained about high service charges.

Our rooftop garden is kept in such a poor state. Because residents are walking their pets there, the grass is all dead, said John. He said not being a pet owner was even more frustrating because when he originally bought the flat, nothing in the advertisement or contract said animals were allowed.

There are lessons for the build-to-rent developers from elsewhere in Europe. In Germany, Berliners last year voted on a controversial property expropriation bill to take 240,000 properties, or 11% of all apartments in Berlin, from corporate landlords.

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Build to rents glitzy goldrush raises fears for social housing - The Guardian

RENOVATING your home so that it looks like the gorgeous spaces you see on television is a daunting task.

However, several home renovation and design experts have revealed the steps homeowners can take to simplify their DIY renovation plans and ensure that theyre on the path to success.

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Andre Kazimierski, CEO of Improovy Painters Chicago, told The Sun the number one thing people looking to do some renovations to their home is to go in with a clear plan.

Before you start swinging your hammer or throwing paint at the wall, figure out exactly what you want to do and how you want the space to look when youre finished, he said.

What are your goals?

How are you going to achieve them?

Do you have all of the necessary supplies?

What is your budget?

He continued: Answering these questions can make your home renovation far less stressful and can help ensure that you actually complete the project.

Part of your plan should also be to acknowledge any building restrictions your town or particular home, if its historic has and learn about permits you will need to legally complete larger renovations.

According to the experts at Real Homes, work that commonly requires a permit includes structural changes, additions, HVAC work, demolition, and re-roofing.

The site added: However, permitting regulations and building codes vary depending on where you live, so you'll want to check with your city or town for specifics.

Many of us were taught to always double-check our work in school, and the same applies to the real world.

In fact, the owner of Colony Property Investments in New Hampshire, Rick Abbiati, told The Sun thats one of the most important parts of home renovations.

Measure twice so you only have to cut once, he suggested.

This will save you a large amount of heartache and money.

If youre not ready to take a sledgehammer to your wall, Jeremy Yamaguchi, CEO of Lawn Love, recommended freshening up a home with some new paint.

If you dont have a lot of time or money to do any major renovations, but you want to change the overall appearance of a room, add an accent wall, he recommended.

You can simply paint it a darker or more vibrant color, or you can install shiplap or wallpaper that suits your style.

Accent walls have a way of elevating the appearance and feel of a room by adding more depth and dynamics to it, and the great thing about adding an accent wall is it usually doesnt take too much effort.

One savvy mom showed her followers exactly how to do that with just a Sharpie Paint Pen.

She claimed the $10 tool helped her easily transform several walls in her home along with a steady hand and some imagination.

The main goal of a DIY project aside from releasing creative energy for some is to give people the outcome they envision, but for a cheaper price.

Luckily, Australian interior designer Becc Burgmann has loads of ideas to help DIYers make the most out of their home renovation endeavors.

First, she recommended scouting furniture on buy-and-sell sites, secondhand shops, and even Facebook Marketplace to fill your home with more affordable pieces.

Its amazing how many people are giving away free kitchens if youll just come and take it out! she noted to The Sun.

And if something you see isnt quite what youre looking for, Becc suggested transforming it into a unique piece youll use.

Instead of paying for a new bathroom vanity, repurpose a console or buffet table.

How? Cut a round hole in the top with a jigsaw and pop in your basin, easy!

Looks incredible and so much character!

However, she said its important to make sure you know what you need to provide in regard to plumbing so you dont end up with a beautiful bathroom piece with no idea how to make it functional.

Becc also urged people to look in their own homes for goods they can recycle.

Think carefully about how you could repurpose pieces youd usually throw straight out, she said.

For example, if timber floorboards need to come up, salvage what you can and cut these to use for other features, i.e. a timber mantle around the fireplace, or wainscotting molding as a feature wall in a living space or bedroom, then simply paint!

She also suggested painting old tiles to give them new life for a one-of-a-kind backsplash or even flooring.

However, if youre planning to do more than just swap out some old furniture, Becc said to save money by doing any demolition work yourself and saving the more intricate stuff for the professionals.

Spend the money on people you have to, i.e. the electrician to make sure those aspects are done professionally and pass building codes, she advised.

If youre not looking to put a hole through your wall but are happy with the paint in your house, theres certainly more that can be done to breathe some new life into your space.

Alina Clark, co-founder and marketing director for Cocodoc, is in the market for a new house, which made her realize how big of a difference the seemingly small things can make in the aesthetic of a home.

For an easier DIY project, she suggested revamping the crown molding and trim in your interior rooms.

If your baseboard is just a couple inches high, pull it off and put on something better.

You can get very nice looking MDF baseboard 7 inches or so tall for not very much money and with a nice coat of paint, it will look amazing.

That kind of thing is very easy to install.

She added that window trim makes an incredible difference and is also cheap, but is certainly more challenging to install.

Meanwhile, Stefan Bucur, founder of The Rhythm of the Home, recommends investing in a Samsung Frame Television, which allows you to swap out the traditional black screen for a piece of art displayed on the TVs 4K screen.

As a DIY project, this is a very flexible way to decorate a home and the greatest advantage is that the art can be changed to match any background in the home, he said.

We recommend using textured art images and muted neutral colors to better incorporate a TV frame on a living room wall.

According to Dorothea Hudson, a home renovation expert with Clearsurance, you can completely transform a room with a mirror and it doesnt have to be costly.

You can easily find beautiful vintage mirrors in second-hand shops, she said.

Mirrors make your house look more spacious and lighter as well.

And for those itching for even more ways to easily spruce up your home, another expert previously revealed tips for making your home feel larger at no cost to you.

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Designer experts reveal easiest DIY home renovations that will give your home a facelift & yes, paint g... - The US Sun

David Thompson and husband Luis Gabriel were met with distressing scenes when they saw a room in their new home had been cleared out by burglars in Wythenshawe, Manchester

A couple has been left "absolutely devastated" after a group of burglars broke into their home and took around 90k worth of items.

The distraught pair are now offering a reward for anybody who can help them reclaim their stolen goods.

David Thompson, 35 and husband Luis Gabriel, 41, were met with distressing scenes when they saw a room upstairs in their new home in Wythenshawe, Manchester had been cleared out by a group of burglars.

Checking CCTV footage at their home, which has since been given to the Manchester Evening News, they saw people dressed in hoodies and wearing balaclavas jumping out of an upstairs window with heavy bags of designer goods.

The incident took place on the evening of January 20. The couple had only just moved and had not yet organised home insurance cover when the group of thieves struck.

David, the CEO of a social care company, said 'distinguishable' hoards of designer clothing and accessories were taken in the space of just 11 minutes, including Gucci and Burberry bags, Christian Louboutin shoes and a number of Rolex watches, some of which amounted to more than 9,000 each.

One of the wristwatches taken had been a personal gift to David from one of his friends who had passed away.

He said the ordeal has left him and his partner 'uncomfortable' in their own home, adding: "I had been out at work and my husband had been at the gym. We came back and just couldn't believe what we saw.

"Four people had broken into our home and taken around 90,000 worth of items that are really special to us. We work really hard for everything we have so it was just awful.

"They had jumped onto the flat roof of our dining room and smashed the window into our dressing room upstairs.

"It is scary thinking these people may have been watching our house to know when we weren't in.

"We were absolutely devastated and our dogs were shaken up too. We are so glad nothing bad happened to them, they are our family.

"We feel completely violated by this. Nobody should ever have to deal with somebody entering their space and stealing their belongings.

"Me and my husband have worked so hard for everything we own and all our possessions. Since this happened, we haven't been able to sleep or feel comfortable in our own house.

"We have only recently moved back to the country so were not insured. If we can't trace any of this back, it is a complete loss to us."

David said he was then encouraged by police to put appeals out on local social media groups to ask if anyone in the area knew anything.

Somebody anonymously came forward, sending David numerous messages and suggested an address that one of the culprits may have been living at who was selling off the goods.

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After calling the police, who also attended the address, last Saturday, David said he waited around the corner before seeing a male wearing his stolen jacket.

"Out of the corner of my eye I saw a man walking down the street in the exact same jacket that was stolen," he said.

"I couldn't believe I actually [saw] someone wearing something I own. I jumped out of my car and chased him down the street.

"I could not sit around doing nothing and am determined not to be a victim. I want to try and do all I can to help.

"I just needed to see for myself if the guy had any of my things. The police arrested him there and then as he tried to run away, it felt like a small victory.

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"We want to raise as much awareness as possible. Not just to see if anybody knows anything or has been sold anything in the area, but also to show that these kinds of criminals can't just go round breaking into people's homes and getting away with it.

"I have now been forced to even start posting reward posters online to offer reward money just to get my own items back."

A male, 51, who was arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods and burglary, has since been released on bail as police enquiries continue.

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said: "Police were called shortly after 8.05pm on Thursday 20 January 2022 to a report of a burglary at a property on Ferndown Road, Wythenshawe.

"Enquiries have established that at around 6.10pm on Thursday, the offenders are believed to have entered the property through a window and later made off with a large quantity of high-value items.

"A man, aged 51, was subsequently arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods and burglary. He has been released on bail pending further enquiries.

"Enquiries are ongoing."

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Couple offer reward to find 90k of designer goods snatched from dressing room - Mirror.co.uk

TAOS, N.M. Mike Reynolds never worried too much as the world inched closer to doomsday. In spring 2020, motorists lined up outside grocery stores waiting for food as the coronavirus pandemic first wrapped its tentacles around the global supply chain. Next came an unprecedented surge of extreme weather as wildfires devastated the American West, hurricanes lashed tropical coastlines, and a deadly winter storm brought the Texas power grid to its knees.

I was watching that on TV and then walking down the hallway of my building, picking bananas and spinach and kale and tomatoes and eating them. Barefoot, because my building was warm without fuel, Reynolds said. My Earthship took care of me.

Earthships are off-grid, self-reliant houses built from tires, dirt and garbage that have long been an offbeat curiosity for travelers passing by the ski town of Taos, but suddenly look like a haven for climate doomers. Residents of the 630-acre flagship Earthship community treat their own waste, collect their own water, grow their own food, and regulate their own temperature by relying on the sun, rain and earth.

Reynolds, 76, has been building these structures called vessels since the early 1970s when, after graduating from architecture school at the University of Cincinnati, he took up off-road motorcycle racing on the high desert plateau around Taos to try to injure himself to avoid being drafted to Vietnam. He never left.

They were talking about a freak on the mesa in New Mexico building buildings out of garbage. That was scandalous, Reynolds said. But he gained more followers as people became more conscious of climate change, and 2020 brought a surge of interest in new construction.

Those interested range from dreamers such as Linda May, who was depicted in the film Nomadland and whose ultimate goal was to build an Earthship, to young people anxious about a worsening climate, a housing shortage, and eternally escalating electricity and heating costs.

Its hard for me to even think of going back to a conventional house, said Freya Dobson, 24, who is from New York. This is a real solution for living.

Earthships operate using six green-building principles governing heating and cooling, solar electricity, water collection, sewage treatment, food production, and the use of natural and recycled materials. This meant that when Earthships emerged in the 1970s, they addressed something nobody else did: What do we do with garbage? said Rachel Preston Prinz, a green designer in Santa Fe, N.M., who wrote the book Hacking the Earthship.

About 40% of a typical Earthship is built with natural or recycled materials, most notably foundations and walls made up of hundreds of used tires packed with dirt. These work with dual layers of floor-to-ceiling passive solar windows, which collect sun during winter and reject it in the summer to keep structures at a comfortable room temperature, no matter the weather outside.

Its incredibly beautiful, said Britt Shacham Bernstein, 25, shortly after visiting an Earthship for the first time. Theres a whole ecosystem in here, and youre a part of the ecosystem.

Earthships originally spawned from the arid climate of Taos, maximizing abundant sunlight while squeezing whatever they can from about eight inches of annual rainfall. Each Earthship shares a set of core organs such as a water organization module, which filters and separates water as it moves throughout the house. In the Earthship ecosystem, water is first used for drinking, showering and hand washing before moving to interior plants, such as fig and banana trees, along with hanging gardens of herbs and flowers.

The resulting black water is used in the toilet before being flushed into a septic tank, where it fertilizes ornamental outdoor plants and can then be safely released into the groundwater supply.

Another module controls solar power, which is used primarily for lights and appliances. Earthships use about one-sixth as much power as a conventional house.

A typical Earthship can produce 25% to 50% of the food its residents need, depending on a multitude of factors including diet, climate and how much time is spent on garden maintenance, said Phil Basehart, a construction team leader. If you follow a plant-based diet, you may never have to visit a grocery store again.

Said Trent Wolbe, a sustainability lead for events and experiences at Google and a fellow owner who completed an Earthship Academy in 2012: Theyre super inspiring from a sustainability point of view. If youre a builder, or someone who is interested in doing off-grid systems and expanding where people can live reliably, then all signs point to Earthships.

But there are also stories of failed builds and abandoned projects, sometimes after tens of thousands of dollars have been spent, and Reynolds has faced lawsuits from unsatisfied buyers. Earthships are experimental, evolving and imperfect structures, and most American families cannot afford expensive growing pains.

Enthusiasts warn against buying or building an Earthship before participating in an Earthship Academy, in which students pay about $1,000 to spend a month helping with a build and taking classes on construction and maintenance. An Earthship is not plug and play, said Dobson, who graduated in October from the academy in Taos, and homeowners can be dependent on people in the Earthship community to help them solve problems. They are also hard to build, and many prospective owners hire the for-profit Earthship Biotecture as contractors.

"You're packing 400 pounds of dirt into a tire," Dobson said. "That's one of the hardest things I've ever done."

Earthship Biotectures Global Model, the most popular build, was designed to work in the vast majority of climates with minor adaptations, and a study on Earthships built in London, Paris and Spain showed it is largely successful at providing thermal comfort without heating or cooling. But the intimate relationship between house and earth requires complex construction considerations that go much smoother with the touch of their eccentric founder.

Maybe hes a visionary, maybe hes crazy, Prinz said. But if youre not working with Mike, I feel like Im losing some of that.

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Reynolds has tried to build multifamily and commercial structures for years but has run into permit problems, forcing his team to experiment with new projects in places with loose building codes. His team has built a typhoon shelter in the Philippines, disaster relief homes in Puerto Rico, and an in-progress school in southern Haiti, which was devastated by an earthquake this past summer.

The projects are mostly funded by volunteers who pay to work on the builds and learn about Earthships, just as they do at the academies in New Mexico.

Reynolds knows humanity needs time to be swayed. He compares people to a banana plant in his Earthship that, as the months pass, gradually bends to reach the sunlight.

Its got to be down to, the Titanics got to be sinking, and this is the life raft, he said. But selling them on the life raft while they can go dine and dance in the hall with the rich people in the top level, its a hard sell.

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These homes are off-grid and climate resilient. Theyre also built out of trash. - The Philadelphia Inquirer

When it comes to creating the illusion of space in a small room, designers are divided. Some turn to color, some to the floor, and others to oversized furniture. However, there is one part of the room that is arguably the most influential of them all: the window or rather your window dressing.

According to top curtain designers, you can accentuate the size of your small space with one deceptive trick and the results are completely transformative. But what exactly does this curtain idea involve? Here, designer Gemma Moulton reveals what you need to know.

(Image credit: Future / Simon Bevan)

Window treatment ideas are a particularly easy way to add height and stature to a room when placed correctly. Although fitting into the wall above (rather than the window frame) will inevitably be more difficult, the results are completely transformative, says Gemma.

The East London Cloth designer, who has just launched her first online curtain-making course with Create Academy, explains that a curtain (or blind) will add the illusion of height to the window but that's not all.The trick will also allow more light in when pulled, meaning your room will appear brighter and consequently more spacious.

Interior designer Louise Bradley similarly urges you to seemingly increase the scale of the window (and the size of your room) by thinking about your curtain pole placement.

(Image credit: Villa Nova)

The pole should be slightly longer than the window itself, ensuring space for a generous stack back of the tailored fabric, Louise says. This interior design tip not only accentuates the space but also exhibits a luxurious feel within the room and softens the space to create a bespoke aesthetic.

However, the designer warns that while this window treatment idea works seamlessly in some rooms, it is less suitable in other spaces.

(Image credit: Villa Nova)

We would always position the pole to scale with the window; however, the higher it is placed, the more it would extend the window, Louise says. Therefore, if you are not looking to extend your window, it is best to avoid practicing this secret in certain rooms.

Were re-evaluating our curtain placement at the next available opportunity.

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This designer-approved curtain tip will create the illusion of space in a small room - Homes & Gardens

For many of us, the new year is a time to rethink our homes. And while we, at H&G are very switched on to the interior design trends, a new look is not always about embracing the latest fad. In fact, sometimes, it's just about switching up some of our existing furnishings, while indulging in the odd new splash of pattern or color.

There is something rather wonderful about the opportunity and optimism that a new year offers,' says Tricia Guild of Designers Guild.

'In many Nordic countries, they find the blanket of snow that invariably covers the landscape in January with its pristine whiteness a perfect time to re-set and re-focus, which feels like a very worthwhile exercise even with the absence of snow.

'The last couple of years have taught us so much about our quality of life, how our homes are our havens, how time spent outdoors in nature can be life-affirming, how our families and friends are vital to our well-being its important to hold these values close as we look forward to hopefully, a more "normal" year.

'I, for one, will be making a few changes at home to reflect a new mood that feels hopeful and optimistic.'

Here, Tricia shares interior design tips on how she creates a fresh feel for her rooms.

(Image credit: Designers Guild)

'Wallpaperis a wonderful way of adding character and atmosphere to a space this season, papers are rich and decorative. I love the clashing mix of pattern on walls, furniture and at windows and accessories. Floral details and tactile textures are definitely a winning combination and feel right for now.

Jaal wallpaper, Designers Guild

(Image credit: Designers Guild)

If you like a more restrained style take a look at two gorgeous graphic papers that we have reissued from our very first collection Jaal (above)and Shaqui (below) had pride of place in our Village collection and now more than 50 years later and in new colorways they are absolutely gorgeous.'

(Image credit: Designers Guild)

(Image credit: Designers Guild)

'Theres nothing like a new throw and cushions to refresh and recharge your living space. I love to have different sets of accessories that I change regularly. Some I have had for ages, while others are new and its exciting to mix them up for a different feeling.'

(Image credit: Designers Guild)

'Change pictures and photographs around this is a great exercise and means that you really notice your pictures, art and photographs in a new way. Moving them around and hanging them on different walls and brings a different energy that is noticeable.'

(Image credit: Designers Guild)

'Why not add some color to tired walls it really need not take an age or be expensive to simply paint a wall or two in a room of your choice. The difference a shot of your favourite color will make to how you feel about home is quite wonderful.

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Designer Tricia Guild reveals how she will be updating her interiors for 2022 - Homes & Gardens

Beauty YouTuber Song Ji-ah, also known as FreeZia, has been facing intense backlash after dozens of luxury designer items she flaunted were exposed as fake. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

A "Dior" tube top Song Ji-ah wore on Netflixs hit dating show Singles Inferno turned out to be a 16,000 won ($13) knock-off from an online mall. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

YouTuber Ham Yon-ji is from the conglomerate family behind Koreas food giant Ottogi. She is known for showing luxury items and shopping sprees. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

YouTuber Cheeu is known for her luxury haul videos. In this video alone, she shows off 80 million won worth of products from designer brand Gucci. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Vice Chairman Chung Yong-jin of conglomerate group Shinsegae has built a following on Instagram with his image of a wealthy yet down-to-earth businessman. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Song lives in a high-end apartment that has a view of the Han River, which flows through the center of Seoul. In Korea, homes that look down on the Han River symbolize wealth. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Song wearing counterfeit "Van Cleef & Arpels" earrings on "Single's Inferno." [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Song's official instagram account is known for showcasing luxury fashion. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

A screen capture from YouTuber Aura M's video on designer bags for men [SCREEN CAPTURE]

BY HALEY YANG [yang.hyunjoo@joongang.co.kr]

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Luxury, lies and life with a 'gold spoon' - The Korea JoongAng Daily

By 2015, designers and architects Gita Ramanan and Shezan Bhojani had realised one thing - they wanted to go beyond merely designing to build a whole home solutions ecosystem, and this led to the birth of Design Cafe, a D2C home solutions brand in the same year.

The startup has so far raised $57 million in total funding, and counts the likes of Fireside Ventures, Westbridge Capital, and Sixth Sense Ventures as its investors.

Design Cafe is over 900 employees strong, has a revenue run rate of Rs 180 crore, and is targeting a run rate of Rs 600 crore in booking value in the next two years. It has helped design and deliver about 150 homes per month in Bengaluru, Mumbai, Thane, Hyderabad, and Chennai.

The startup has over eight experience centres, and a 35,000 sqft factory in Anekal, an industrial area in the outskirts of Bengaluru. By this quarter, the team is expanding to Pune and Mysore as well. They are also looking at new centres in existing cities, as well as expanding to Delhi NCR and some Tier II cities (10 cities in total).

Gita and Shezan, Founders of Design Cafe

The pandemic-led work from has democratised and opened markets for the housing and home solutions sector, thanks to the work-from-home culture catching up.

The startup follows an omnichannel model that helps consumers build the homes that they want, in the style and specifications they feel most comfortable with.

Design Cafe does this by offering end-to-end solutions starting from designing, manufacturing products to installing them.

Technology has helped the startup provide a wholesome experience to their customers, by providing more options in a timely manner within their budgets. Virtual reality (VR) specifically, helps customers visualise the designs in their private spaces.

While Design Cafe is not a first mover in the space, and has competition from players like Livspace and Homelane, what sets them apart is the designer point of view.

He adds they were aware that the skill sets of interior designers and architects werent simply available to everyone. We knew if we were to set up a home ourselves, we wouldnt be able to afford our own services, explains Shezan, adding that hiring a good designer is not only tough but also expensive.

Also, while designers struggle to execute on the clients' needs and requirements, it is equally frustrating for customers to get what exactly they wanted.

This meant a large problem needed to be solved and it rightly matched our ambition, says Shezan.

In retrospect, the whole idea of Design Cafe was created by Gita in 2010 during her Indian School of Business (ISB) scholarship stint. I was laughed out of the room as many believed this to be an unviable idea that they said was unscalable, says Gita. This nevertheless did not stop the duo from starting their architectural firm.

We realised entrepreneurship is something we definitely wanted to explore, recalls Gita. Subsequently, they went on to design over 500 projects across the country in sectors across residential, hospitality, retail, commercial, and institutional design. This continued for the next 10 years, which helped them develop a comprehensive understanding of the market.

The turning point came in end 2014, when a customer came to the couple and requested for a home to be built for Rs 15 lakh. We also started realising that people we had initially worked for were no longer coming to us because by then our work had been published in architecture magazines and journals. We had started doing homes worth Rs 2 crore to Rs 5 crore, and they were giving references, says Gita.

By the time the duo realised that they had skill sets that could create incredible value for people with smaller homes, that client bracket was suddenly elusive.

The couple also realised that the industry was standardising. Builders themselves were looking at ways and means to create properties that were catering to the new evolving and emerging middle class. They also saw that there was rapid digitisation and the number of people in the middle-income group was significantly rising.

We decided to create a standardised module on the backend and bring in our design sensibilities to the forefront. With that idea, we brought in a few tech people to build the module and the prototype, says Gita.

The first product the team had built was a tech solution, where consumers could design their own rooms, kitchens etc. They could pick modules, finishes etc. They could pick a layout of the room they were designing in a minute.

Information as shared by Design Cafe team

It was this prototype that the team took to Kanwaljit Singh, Managing Partner and Founder of Fireside Ventures, in 2015. Speaking of his investment in Design caf, Kanwaljit says,

To be successful in this space, there are many factors in play. The founders needed to have strong design sense, the ability to engage and understand what the customer wants and also understand the life cycle of building a home.

The key factors that played a role here was the ability to execute and build large scalable platforms. And we saw all of this in the founders of Design Cafe.Kanwaljit explains also the pandemic has democratised the market and the industry, making it easier for people to look at brands and options online.

"The consumer wants newer options, better options that suit their needs in every way possible," adds Kanwaljit.

While the team raised their first round of funding based on this prototype, they knew they had to change the product. After close to 300 meetings with customers, they realised that while consumers wanted a solution like this, they also wanted a final approval from a designer or an expert.

We shifted our model such that the designer would meet with the customer to understand what they wanted, and later feeded that into the system, explains Gita.

By 2017, the team realised they needed their own setup. We knew that to scale and grow, we needed to manage end-to-end, adds Shezan.

However, the market has its challenges and there are several moving variables and parts. Shezan explains it was then they realised that to give a complete end-to-end experience and solution, they need to manage the different elements like designers, artisans, workers, plumbers, electricians etc.

This means standardising and training them, making them realise and understand what the customer wants and needs. This meant building standardised modules and ensuring that the people are trained well. It is about providing all kinds of labour with the right job security and decision-making skills, explains Shezan.

A 2020 RedSeer report states that the Indian online furniture segment is pegged at $25 billion, growing at a CAGR of 15-17 percent on the back of increased digitisation, newer business models, and rapid urbanisation. In fact, the online furniture industry in India constitutes only 15 percent of the organised market, growing bullishly at 80-85 percent.

This shift is also because online-first (D2C) brands have gained over 30 percent share of ecommerce, which will grow to 45 percent by 2025.Shezan says,

The pandemic has shown us that we can manage processes, teams and work in an online and hybrid environment. Design Caf was an early entrant in the space of creating designer homes with a touch of exclusiveness and class. Home has now become the centre of work and family life, and this is where every consumer is looking for the best options when it comes to doing up their dream homes, this is the edge that the founders have focused on. We are confident that the need for good homes is here to stay forever and the fact that Design Caf blends all aspects of home design with tech, is why they have grown and built their large client base across India."

The team is now working to expand its base and presence across different parts of the country.

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How Design Cafe is looking to disrupt the $20B home solutions space with design and tech - YourStory