Ultra-luxury housing is on the rise, thanks to entertainment and tech industry titans and overseas buyers looking to invest in lavish trophy properties. Recently The Wall Street Journal took a peek at the eight-to-nine figure price tag homes developers and investors are building on spec, in hopes of attracting wealthy home hunters. These palatial estates contain master bedrooms and in-home spas the size of the average American home, plus—in certain cases—the largest IMAX theatre ever installed in a home, and a $200,000 sweets-stocked “candy bar.” For these high end clients, Southern California-based designers/builders Shelly and Avi Osadon of See Construction choose only the highest quality homebuilding materials.
Category Archives: ARCHITECTURE
Based out of Manhattan Beach, Lombardi Construction specializes in creating beautiful, luxurious homes for the unique environment of Southern California’s beach cities. Building a beachfront home means year-round outdoor living and incredible natural vistas, but it also means working to ensure that projects are suited to coastal conditions.
When restauranteur Sean Meenan teamed up with liquor producer and nightlife impresario Rande Gerber to bring his classic Nolita eatery Cafe Habana from the East Coast to the West, the duo decided to create a relaxed, beach-like atmosphere to complement the new restaurant’s Malibu location. Cafe Habana Malibu’s interior design nods to the dark, wood-paneled gentlemen’s clubs of the past, classic Cuban architecture, and California flora and fauna. To take advantage of the seaside city’s comfortable weather and ocean breezes, the cafe features a sunny patio sheltered by a wooden pergola, complete with a bold mural by graphic designer and street artist Shepard Fairey.
For nearly thirty years, Southern California-based Urban Landscape has specialized in high end residential landscape design and construction, with expertise in outdoor kitchens, outdoor living areas, custom pools, custom water features and living walls. Many employees have been with the firm for over twenty years, guaranteeing that this tightly-knit team maintains a high level of expertise and experience in crafting beautiful and livable outdoor spaces.
Remodeling a room or building a new space takes a lot of time, energy, and thought. Technology will never replace the creative process of design, but fortunately it can make it a whole lot easier. We’ve rounded up three of our favorite iPhone apps for architects and designers, whether you’ve misplaced your surface level or are trying to communicate a color scheme to clients.
Joan Grabel’s unique, eco-conscious landscape designs have made her a favorite on HGTV and throughout Southern California. As the owner of award-winning Los Angeles-based landscaping firm Park Slope Design, Grabel uses her background as a visual artist to create appealing outdoor spaces that emphasize natural resources, energy efficient features, and drought tolerant plants.
When builder Drew Smith founded in 2001, he was one of the first to recognize the importance of sustainable, environmentally-conscious building practices. Over a decade later, Smith is at the forefront of the industry, serving as the Green Building Commissioner for the State of Florida, founding the Florida Green Building Coalition, and helping countless commercial and residential builders conform to the LEED standards for certification.
This summer, Sunset magazine opened “the ultimate modern beach home,” a 4,500 square foot, four bedroom and 5 1/2 bathroom residence complete with drought-tolerant landscaping, “a no-mow lawn,” edible garden, swimming pool, and outdoor kitchen and living room. Sunset’s editors partnered with architects Tomaro Design Group, builders Mike Davis Custom Homes, and landscape designers Masterpeace Gardens to create the magazine’s first Los Angeles-area Idea House, which showcases sustainable building and architectural and design innovations.
With an equal focus on luxury and livability, Marc-Michaels Interior Design, Inc. has consistently been named one of Interior Design Magazine’s “Top 100 Interior Design Firms in the World.” When the National Association of Home Builders invited the design firm to work on the 2014 New American Home, the Boca Raton-based interior designers knew they wanted to create a space that would seamlessly blend indoor and outdoor living.
The palatial home, built in the foothills of Henderson, NV’s exclusive Sky Terrace housing development, is modern, elegant – and also on the cutting edge of energy efficiency. Marc-Michaels’ interiors emphasize the natural beauty of the mountainous landscape, while Infratech heaters blend into the design organically, subtly adding comfort to cold desert nights. We spoke with the elite design firm about how our heaters enhanced the home.
Photo via The Wall Street Journal
For over sixty years, Wychmere Beach Club has been one of Cape Cod’s most luxurious, relaxing, and beloved summer destinations. With swimming pools, a private beach, tennis courts, and ocean front dining, the club’s allure relies heavily on outdoor living.
When Massachusetts-based architect George Gakidis of Gakidis Stewart Design started working on plans for the Wychmere Pool Bar Pavilion, he knew elegance and efficiency would be equally important when selecting a heating system to keep the guests comfortable. In this interview, we asked him about his inspiration for the design and why he chose Infratech heaters.
Photo via Gakidis Stewart Design
