All posts by Michelle Lampariello

Custom Homes Set New Efficiency Standards for both Energy and Construction

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Inside the S2A Modular Megafactory — a one-of-a-kind controlled environment in which both commercial and residential buildings are constructed in modules — the nation’s first electrically self-sustaining, custom luxury homes are being developed. 

Known as the #GreenLuxHome, these world-class residences are giving new meaning to sustainable living.

Green Lux Home buyers can choose between 35 pre-designed floor plans, or design their own living space. The homes are constructed in less than six weeks after the designs are chosen and the plans are approved. Each home is customized according to the buyer’s specifications, including the home’s pre-installed state-of-the-art appliances and smartphone-controlled settings. Despite their innovative modular construction method, the homes have foundations that are visually identical to their more traditional counterparts.

The homes exclusively rely on Tesla Powerwall units and solar panels, which eliminate the cost of gas, propane and/or grid-powered energy. The Tesla Powerwall is low voltage and has 100 percent off-grid capabilities. In some instances, utility companies may even pay Green Lux homeowners for their contributions to the community energy grid, since each home is connected to the grid as a backup power source.

John Rowland, co-founder and president of S2A Modular:

“A Green Lux Home saves money, time and energy, while reflecting the ultimate level of sustainability, luxurious design, high-end materials, smart-connected features and an overall better way of living. ”

The 100,000-plus square foot MegaFactory protects the projects from the elements, as the homes are constructed in dedicated indoor work pods. By moving the majority of construction indoors, S2A sets a new standard for construction speed, shifting emphasis away from mitigating outdoor complications and onto building quality.

Photos courtesy of S2A Modular.

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How to Party Away the Winter Chill in Style

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Winter nights are often welcomed as an opportunity to stay inside under blankets until warmer, brighter days return. For those who do decide to host a gathering in the winter months, parties are almost exclusively held indoors to shield guests from the cold. While a traditional indoor winter gathering can be both elegant and entertaining, there is no reason to fear hosting an outdoor gathering during winter.

With the right decor, menu and activities, an outdoor party in the winter is the perfect way to connect with your guests. For those living in regions prone to snow, standard outdoor furniture may not be suitable, but sturdy picnic tables, hay bales, and pine-themed decorations with pops of color from holly berries stand up well to winter weather. Having adequate lighting is crucial, since the sun sets relatively early during winter. Maintain a cozy ambiance with string lights, or have a bonfire double as a source of both heat and light.

Whether you choose to have everyone sit by a fire pit or instead encourage people to spend time in a hot tub, make your guests comfortable in the cold by offering an outdoor heat source.  Even in places like Florida, where temperatures do not drop as low as they do in the north, outdoor heating is crucial to creating a cozy atmosphere. A cast iron chiminea gives off significant heat while contributing to a wintry aesthetic, while structures like gazebos help block wind and can be decorated with pillows and blankets.

Warm food and drinks should be on the menu for any outdoor winter gathering. Swap out salad in favor of soup as a first course, and serve a hot, filling entree such as lasagna or pot roast. If you have a grill, try using it to prepare both the main and side dishes — not only will it allow you to create a hearty meal for your guests, but it will give off heat to help keep them warm. Serve warm drinks like hot chocolate, coffee and tea. If you plan on serving alcohol, consider drinks that pair well with warm spices.

While swimming or lounging in the sun may be out of the question, some warm weather activities, like lawn games, can still be enjoyed in the winter. Set up cornhole, horseshoes or a ladder toss station to entertain your guests. If you plan to host your party at a snowy destination and would prefer to more closely adhere to a winter theme, encourage guests of all ages to participate in a snowman-making competition or snowball fight.

Photos Courtesy of Hootsuite.

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Redefining the Luxury Smart Home

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Devices like the Amazon Alexa and Google Home have become common in the modern home. Though they were once considered futuristic, and even alarming, without thinking twice homeowners now have daily interactions with smart technology gadgets that save unprecedented amounts of time and eliminate the need for an alarm clock, radio, kitchen timer, newspaper, or light switch. Now that these devices have become so easily accessible to even the most minimalist homeowners, the bar for what is considered luxury smart technology is set higher.

Celebrities and techies alike are investing in smart technology not only for convenience — many luxury listings boast having lights, heating, and cooling controlled at the touch of the button — but for security, as smart technology has made it possible for homeowners to unlock their doors through an app, view footage of their doorstep in real time and receive notifications about their smoke or carbon monoxide alarms remotely.

Many new luxury apartment towers are attracting tenants by highlighting the building’s built-in smart technology. In addition to amenities like keyless entry, hands-free control of lights, temperature, security systems and pet feeders, some luxury apartment owners will soon have their cars robotically parked. While this technology is still in development, researchers are hopeful that artificial intelligence will be able to precisely park cars much closer together and in a more uniform fashion than human drivers would, eliminating the need for large parking garages, according to The Independent. Drivers would simply wait a few minutes for a robot to retrieve their car, and then when they return home, a robot would park their car back in its place, approximately four inches from its neighbor.

This five-bed, five-bath luxury listing in Chicago is equipped with technology by Control4: Home Automation and Smart Home Systems. Control4 allows homeowners to have voice control throughout the entire home, smart lighting, and intelligent security among other amenities.

Photos courtesy of d’aprile properties.

Photo courtesy of Douglas Elliman Real Estate.

This five-bed, six-bath Los Angeles listing is also equipped with Control4 for both security and entertainment purposes — light, sound, locks and screens can be adjusted with a simple swipe.

While the average homeowner may not have a heated driveway or plant watering system that they control from their smartphone like Oprah Winfrey, the increasing accessibility of smart home technology makes the possibilities for a luxury home endless.

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Can Industrial and Farmhouse Get Along?

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Elements of city life are slowly making their way into the rustic aesthetics of countryside homes. The modern farmhouse is no stranger to industrial-inspired pieces, which offer a similar back-to-basics look to their brightly colored, agrarian-inspired counterparts. While maintaining the informality and simplicity of classic farmhouse design, an emphasis on industrial furniture and decor adds an unexpected layer of sophistication to rural interiors.

Urban-inspired pieces do not clash with typical farmhouse decor as some may fear. Both industrial and classic country looks share an affinity for woods as the star for nearly every piece of furniture and neat, yet unpolished metals that complement the natural wood. Bringing industrial pieces into the modern farmhouse blends two seemingly opposite aesthetics into a synergistic, chic design.

Here are three industrial-inspired pieces that fit seamlessly into any farmhouse.

Kohler Farmstead Kitchen Sink

$3,150

This 45-inch long sink can be installed wall-mount with legs or top-mount with custom cabinetry. Made from Kohler Enameled Cast Iron, this durable sink is generously proportioned to accommodate large cooking ware. Included in the list price are seven accessories, including a walnut cutting board, a utility rack with a soaking cup and a towel bar.

Photo courtesy of Kohler.

Industrial Farmhouse Wavy Glass Island Chandelier by Shades of Light

$799

Perfect to hang over a large dining table, this industrial-inspired chandelier borrows themes from classic farmhouse design with a minimalist wood base. Vintage light bulbs accentuate the piece’s timeless simplicity.

Photo courtesy of Shades of Light.

 

Farmhouse Industrial Modern Windmill Style Bookshelf by Woodwaves

$425

This unconventional bookshelf offers ample storage space for a living room or office, and the iron windmill atop the unique structure makes it shine as a statement piece. Serving as both a quirky accent item and a functional piece of furniture, this bookshelf is the perfect eye-catching addition to any farmhouse.

Photo courtesy of Woodwaves.

 

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Artist Spotlight: Kerry Hallam Relishes Life’s Simple Pleasures

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British artist Kerry Hallam captures the essence of luxury living in his bold, timeless paintings. Coastlines and nautical themes are present in many of Hallam’s works, invoking a tranquil mood pervasive in his depictions of shores, sunsets and wharfs.

Hallam, 81, has exclusively painted for Martin Lawrence Galleries — which is famous for its contemporary fine art exhibits that attract collectors to each of its nine locations nationwide — for more than 30 years. His works include acrylic paintings on canvas as well as on nautical charts, and hand-signed, limited edition graphics.

Earlier this year, Hallam presented two special exhibitions at Martin Lawrence’s La Jolla, California location. He participated in a meet-and-greet with art enthusiasts and collectors, encouraging them to relish life’s simple pleasures. Visitors embraced the opportunity to grow familiar with Hallam’s latest works and immerse themselves in the artist’s alluring paintings.

A lifelong traveler, Hallam draws inspiration from the aesthetics of St. Tropez, the French Riviera and the Amalfi Coast. While his acrylics on canvas showcase the raw beauty of coastlines around the globe, his nautical chart paintings offer a new perspective on sea-inspired artwork. By incorporating his inspiration into both the medium and the final product, Hallam sets himself apart from other nautical painters.

With bold, bright colors that captivate the observer, Hallam’s paintings are a refreshing take on what many artists would choose to keep muted and scaled back. Though his focus remains on the sea, Hallam includes vibrant vegetation and colorful man-made structures in his paintings of coastal scenes.

After receiving training from British master painters upon winning a six-year scholarship to London University’s Central College of Art, Hallam was also included in Britain’s Royal Society of Artists in Watercolor. The artist is also inspired by 19th-century French Post-Impressionists, as well as Cezanne and Van Gogh.

Hallam moved to the U.S. in 1973, and established his first studio in Boston. In 1981, he opened a studio and gallery on Nantucket Island — he has since lived in various places in the U.S., but made the decision to return to New England, where he currently resides.

Photos courtesy of Martin Lawrence Galleries. 

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Add Intrigue With Vintage Furniture

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Vintage pieces add character and depth that cannot be imitated by modern mass-produced furniture. Embracing vintage trends in your home does not mean that you must abandon contemporary designs, however.

Many antiques fit well with today’s straight lines, bold colors and attention to detail. Whether you’re looking to make a statement with an ornate, attention-grabbing item or desire a subtle quaint aesthetic, vintage pieces can give a room personality and complexity unmatched by what can be found in the average furniture store.

If you are unsure how to go about incorporating timeless vintage pieces to your home’s decor, here are five tables with vintage charm that will give your home an extra dose of elegance:

Set of Four Vintage Rosewood & Inlaid Pearl Chinese Nesting Tables
$875

These handcrafted tables are made from solid rosewood and are engraved with genuine mother of pearl. You can store them together as a set or in separate rooms to create a cohesive aesthetic throughout your home.

Victorian Marble Top Turtle Top Carved Table
$628

This sleek rococo-style table dates back to the 1890s. The simple white and gray grained marble top contrasts the carefully carved solid black mahogany base, perfect for the minimalist homeowner seeking to diversify their decor.

French Louis XV Style Nightstand
$895

Bring vintage trends into your bedroom with this mid 20th century nightstand, which features a serpentine shaped faux-marble top. This charming piece is a perfect fit for vintage enthusiasts looking to add a touch of femininity to their collection.

Round Oak Table
$995

Approximately 118 years old, this table features opposing scroll carvings that come together to form a floral design reminiscent of acanthus leaves. An ideal coffee table, this piece is stylishly supported by eight turned legs with ball feet.

Antique Chinese Hand Carved Rosewood Table with Marble Top
$1,995

This side table is between 100 and 150 years old, and features breathtaking carvings that make this elegant stand perfect for an upscale living room, library or bedroom.

Photos courtesy of www.rubylane.com.

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