by Roberta Murphy Peering into the future, it is nice to imagine a home that is smart in every sense–and inviting to all. Sunset Magazine and Popular Science recently team-conceived the Idea House, the House of Innovation , in Alamo, California. This intelligent $5 + million smart home provides a trajectory of design and technologies that will end up in homes of tomorrow. It is loaded with sustainable materials and…
by Roberta Murphy Nano technology to repair homes damaged by an earthquake? A home that heals itself? It boggles the mind, but Knauf, a German building manufacturer, is working with several universities on that very technology. They are building a luxury tech villa in the mountains of Greece with special walls containing nano polymer particles that liquefy when under pressure. This liquid then flows into the building cracks, where it hardens into solid material. (For those…
by Roberta Murphy People are always wonder what’s in and what’s out in home decor. Paint colors may change yearly, but key ins and outs center on how we live our lives. What’s in and what’s out for home building, home improvements and home decor? What are today’s pickier homebuyers seeking? What are Realtors and decorators and savvy home remodelers suggesting to their clients? WHATS IN: Natural flooring: Think (certain)…
Luxury home buyers are subliminal collectors of natural art. So often, it is a home’s breathtaking views of oceans, lakes and mountains that creates its unique intrinsic value. The attraction? What a gift to awaken in the morning and see the light of a new day as it glints over the water or emerges from behind the mountains. And how better to end the day, when one can relax and…
