Why A Conservatory May Be Better Than An Extension

If you have some space in your garden or to the side of your house, you may be considering an extension. Having extra square footage in your home can really make a difference to your lifestyle. Sometimes you need an extra room for dining or a playroom for the kids. Perhaps you have some musical hobbies, and you need a practice room that won’t disturb the neighbours. Whatever you use it for, having extra space in your home can be very liberating.
Some people extend their house to make the kitchen bigger and better. Others need some additional living space or another bedroom. Some areas require that you submit plans of your intended additions. This can be expensive and take a long time to do. There may be lots of building regulations and other red tape to get through before you can even begin building. You would need to recruit a professional architect to design the space. Finding a good builder is another obstacle. All in all, it may be too much hassle.

For most areas, planning permission is not required for a conservatory. These are simply built up to your external wall. They come in the form of pre-designed kits, so you are unlikely to need to recruit a professional architect. Perhaps even more conveniently, it is possible to put them up on your own with the help of some in-the-know friends. While it could be better to enlist a builder, this isn’t always necessary. Some conservatory companies include assembly in their price list.

Some people don’t like conservatories because they are too cold in cold weather and too hot in hot weather. They are made almost entirely of glass that exacerbates these problems. If you add too many shades or blinds, the interior room they are attached too may become too dark. You would need to put the lights on, making the house less energy efficient. When it rains, it can be so loud, you would not be able to hear the TV or carry on a normal conversation.

There are ways to reduce some of these problems. Conservatory roof tiles provide more insulation and cut out much of the rain noise. They can usually be added to any conservatory or installed at the same time as your new conservatory. Cooler in summer and warmer in winter, having tiles can be very beneficial to your extra room.

A formal extension allows you to increase the size of an existing room, whereas a conservatory needs to remain self-contained. It is usually accessed from your existing back door. You can then add doors from the conservatory onto the garden. Because you are not removing any doors or walls from your home, there is less risk of something going wrong with your property. However, you will find it is a little darker inside than it was before the conservatory was attached. Whichever choice you make to increase your living space, enjoying the extra room usually increases the value of your home at the same time.

3 Grown-Up Design Ideas Borrowed From The Kids

After years of renting and being unable to put your stamp on the place you live, buying a home and decorating it for the first time is the most amazing experience. There’re so many trends and styles you want to try out and not enough rooms to give them all a go. Don’t rush into anything and avoid theming every single room, it can feel like overload once you settle down to actually living in it. Take your time to get to know the space and work out how you will use it best. Then begin your makeover, slowly! Collect pieces you love as you see them and base your scheme around them, not the other way around. That way you end up with an organic, timeless look that reflects your tastes. Of course, we all want to have fun in our homes too. So here’s three lessons we learned from the kids about what to include in your chic, grown up space.

1. Don’t Follow The Latest Trend

Kids have so few options for personalising their space yet they still manage to do it well. They choose colours that aren’t in style, combinations no one would have thought would work and arrangements that are fun rather than practical. We have a lot to learn! It’s all very well knowing that moody florals or all-white schemes will be big news next year, but that’s hardly a reason to decorate a room (or a house) with them. You might know they’re cutting-edge and couture, but will visitors? Let’s be honest, we tend to tap into the latest style because it is fashionable and it shows off our style credentials. If the people in your life are likely to recognise the latest hot trends and applaud your take on them then center your home around them, they will clearly work for you. However, if you're only incentive to replicate the fashion is something you’ve read in a glossy magazine, then decorating in the latest style is pointless. It will push up the costs of your renovation and will go unnoticed by the people around you. If you love the style, great. Incorporate it with little pieces you saw and fell in love with. Don’t order heaps online and then wonder if you like it once it’s arrived.

2. Have Fun In The Space

It’s so easy to opt for neutral tones and clean lines and then spend your life tidying up the clutter of everyday life. What a waste of time. Take a lesson from the kids and create a space that works with your life, one that isn’t ruined by an errant magazine left on the coffee table. This is the area you want to chill out in, so make sure it’s relaxed and comfortable. If you’ve bought that upright sofa that you love, but your friends feel too stuffy sitting on it, think about including other pieces in your scheme to relax it a little. Have you considered a wacky option? How about Comfy Sacks and bean bags? Yes, they’re not an obvious choice but they can create a great contrast with more formal pieces.

Think about how you use the space and don’t be afraid to mix it up a bit. Do you need a formal dining room and a home office? A large sideboard looks great alongside a dining table. Keep your laptop, filing and papers hidden away in it when people come to dinner and then whip them out the next day and voila! Two rooms for the price of one.

3. Get Personal

We’re not talking about finger paintings on the wall and colouring in on the fridge here (although both have their merits). Kids make the most of their spaces by injecting them with personality. Veering away from couture trends and fitting your home to your lifestyle are both great ways to make it completely personal. Don’t be afraid to add your stamp to other aspects as well. If you love your coffee table but think it’s just a shade too dark for the room, sand it down and re-varnish it. If you’ve got some paint left over from the walls, why not add a few flourishes to the dresser or chest as well? The secret to decorating like a kid, and creating a space you love, is to follow your heart and try new things. If they don’t work, you can always try something else.

The architecture design of Orion Wageningen University

Designed by the practice of Ector Hoogstad Architecten with a pentagonal shape and facades of metal-coated glass with a low emissivity using the best integrated technology available.
The Orion Wageningen University was opened on 2 September 2013 by the Queen Maxima as a landmark of the Wageningen UR campus which is located in Bronland, Wageningen, The Netherlands. The resulting building offers a congenial working and learning space which has bright interiors and is the most sustainable of the WUR structures. The university isn’t composed of faculties but of research institutes with two education buildings created explicitly as central student faculties.

The Orion building has spaces for all forms of education such as auditoriums, class rooms, laboratories for biology, inorganic chemistry and physics, group work spaces or areas for individual studies. Due to its catering facilities, namely the student restaurant with a café which is open beyond the teaching hours, the building also acts as one of the living rooms in the campus.

Admiring the design of an University in Ruzomberok, Slovakia

 We are going to admire the architect of an University in Ruzomberok, Slovakia. This University Library was designed by the practice of a02 Atelier in 2013 for the Catholic University as a part of the campus design which began in 2006 with a competition.
The entire campus will host the residence halls, the structures of the Faculty of Arts and Letters, of the Faculty of Education, the Faculty of Law building, a chapel, a new auditorium, concert hall and underground parking.

The library hosts around 700000 volumes and there are 500 study areas as well as spaces for conferences or exhibitions with a total public area surface of 5000 square meters. The open layout of the library wants to ensure multifunctional uses so that the areas can be easily adapted to host lectures, workshops, literary and artistic activities as well as multimedia events.

The entrance is at the ground floor with an information and control zone as well as the catalogues. The second and third floor contain the library stocks, study areas and multimedia rooms, while the fourth floor provides a multifunction hub for club activities and a roof space for exhibitions connected to a small coffee lounge.

Striking Design Ideas For Contemporary Townhouses

Visualizing the ideal townhouse is a difficult feat. Many modern marvels of design work well inside contemporary homes. When expert designers begin work on a new house, they often incorporate new trends and techniques. So, what is trendy right now in the world of interior design? Throughout 2014, we have seen some stunning styles come into play, as well as some innovative new features. If you are planning on remodeling your home, you may need a little inspiration. Here are some striking design ideas for contemporary townhouses.

Distressed wood

One of the biggest trends of the year happens to be wood. If you can get your hands on some gorgeous distressed wooden furniture pieces, you can create a stylish living area in your home. Dark wood gives houses a warm atmosphere, whilst light wood can look less attractive. Look for original designs, which use authentic material when you are shopping for new furniture. Pieces that incorporate Italian style designs always work well in houses. Remember to use wood sparingly. If you use too many styles of wood within your home, the impact could be a little overwhelming. Incorporate other materials into each room so that it is not too dark.

East Asian inspiration

East Asian inspired designs are also current, and so you should try to use them within your home. Beige patterns and exotic plants look fantastic as feature pieces within your home. You should consider using authentic Asian design pieces in your home so that it is unique and individual. Many Surrey townhomes use this design style to create fantastic living spaces. Take a look at some design examples so that you know what to look for when you start shopping.

Stone sculptures

You may have noticed that one of the biggest trends this year was bringing the great outdoors inside your home. Many top interior designers have used exterior plants and furniture as part of their interior designs. You should consider using some exciting stone sculptures within your home so that it looks raw and fresh. Take some inspiration from ancient art pieces and stone mosaics and treat yourself to a bespoke piece of art. Art of this nature makes excellent focal points in your townhouse.

Minimal features

If you have small rooms, with high ceilings, it is important that you use minimal design techniques. Modern design is all about decluttering areas and creating spacious living spaces. You should make sure that you use a few pastel colors in your decor so that the look is not overwhelming. When the base of your room is dull and neutral, you have a lot of scope to experiment with your furnishings and art.

Light and mirrors

If you are lucky enough to have large windows in your house, you can use them to create natural light throughout your home. If you don't have large windows, you will need to use mirrors to create the same effect. Ensure that you make the most of any natural light in your home. Daylight makes rooms look larger than they are. That means that your home will look spacious and contemporary. Use mirrors to reflect natural sunlight so that you can make more of it.

Dense patterns

When you have a neutral base in your home, you can afford to experiment with dense patterns. For example, if the walls of your house are plain and clean, you can use exciting art pieces on your walls. In the same way, if you have plain wooden floors, you can use bold, thick rugs to give your house some personality. Take some inspiration from different cultures when you decorate your house. African art, for example, is colorful and bold.

Contemporary Apartment Design Tips You Should Know

Apartments tend to be much smaller than houses. That in itself means that they are challenging to decorate. If you have to furnish and decorate a small space, you need to find ways to make each room look larger than it is. There are many stylish ways you can get the most out of small apartments. By using chic design techniques, you can ensure that your home looks fantastic. Here are some contemporary apartment design tips you should know.

Use pastel colors in small spaces

When you are decorating a small room, you should make sure that you use pastel colors. Using white or beige will make the room look cold. Instead, use pale blue and violet to create a stylish look. You could also consider using accent pieces in the room to draw attention and make the room look larger than it is. Pick out specific features in each room and use a statement color to highlight them.

Use stripes to make small areas look large

If you want to instantly make a room look spacious, you can use stripes to create an optical illusion. When our eyes see stripes, we automatically follow the lines. That means that we believe that the room is big, even if it is quite small. You could consider using stencils to create stripes on your walls. You could also get a rug with stripes on it so that you can create the illusion of floor space.

Feature large windows

If you are lucky enough to have an apartment with large windows, you need to make the most of them. Windows make rooms look enormous because they offer a view of the outside world. Avoid using heavy drapes to cover windows as they will make the room look small. Instead, use light, translucent blinds so that natural daylight pours into each room. One of the main problems with large windows is that they can act as greenhouses. In the summer, you might find that your apartment gets hot. Look for an air conditioning service in St. Louis so that you never have that issue.

Make a large rug the focal point of your room

In your living room, you should ensure that you have one central focal point. Many people use feature walls or large pieces of art to draw attention in living spaces. Instead, you might want to consider using a rug as your focal point. Get a large rug with a dark print or a bold color to take center stage in your room.

Keep things simple and classy

As a general rule, when you are designing your apartment, you should keep things simple and chic. Trying to do too much in a small space will only make it look cramped and cluttered. Instead, keep things classy. Use simple design ideas and techniques so that your rooms look neat. You should work with no more than three colors in each room so that you don't overdo it. Sometimes, the best designs are plain designs.

Install contemporary lighting

In your bathroom, you should consider getting some modern lighting solutions. Bathrooms tend to be the only rooms that don't have windows in them. That means that they can be awfully dark when you don't get excellent lighting for them. You can now get lighting that fits on your walls and ceiling. You can create different lighting effects by positioning small light fittings around your room. Make sure that the color of your bathroom is neutral and soft. These colors tend to reflect light, and so will make the room look larger than it is. You can also use mirrors to help reflect the light around the room.

Opened university space in the design of Thomson Adsett architectural practice

 With the purpose of promoting the interactions between students and staff in spaces that evoke and environmental and cultural context, the new Learning Commons of the Griffith University in Southport, Australia create a range of internal and outdoor learning environments by the Thomson Adsett architectural practice.
The 160 meter long extension can be used for various purposes such as stage events, enrolment day, O-week, interviews, markets or exhibitions and has become the primary campus meeting point. The design was created after observations of the student needs and behaviors to ensure a functional space which offers a shard, sky lounge, aviary and link-up lounge, although these spaces were not included in the original brief.

The environmental footprint of the learning commons was minimized through the louvers which serve as an environmental filter and the circulation is naturally ventilated with the central aviary garden offering a relaxing landscape which can be used for various purposes.

Amazing sporting club architecture design by the Laboratorio Di Architettura e Design

Located inside the woods of a garden city right at the edge of Rome in Italy, the Olgiata Sporting Club is created by the Laboratorio Di Architettura e Design (LAD) in 2010.
The project has three different pavilions which host the programs of the Sporting Club, with the central one containing the administrative center as well as the entrance into the complex leading the way through the other areas via the main staircase.

 The lower level is where the locker rooms are and there are two pavilions, the south one containing the gyms and the north one hosting the swimming pools. You can access the different areas through different paths so that each section is somewhat autonomous and aside from the indoors, there are also football fields, tennis courts and a beach-volley court outside.

The structure is comprised of zink-titanium by Rheinzink for the roof and the beams are made of glulam which was created by Holzbau in Italy.