Membranes Form Unique Wrapped Living Spaces in Chile's Wall House

Irwin Weiner ASID - I like seeing envelopes pushed when it comes to residential architecture. We need to shake up the old concept of "living in a box."

That's why I love the Wall House in today's featured video, a clever layering of rooms and different envelopes to enclose a number of living spaces, from the central private spaces outward to the fabric'wrapped and tented outdoor shaded spaces. Kudos to architects Frohn&Rojas (FAR) for pushing the envelope even further on home design.

 

 

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New-Look Residential Architecture Crops Up in Rural Areas

Irwin Weiner ASID - I enjoy seeing new home architecture pop up in unlikely places. Rural, farm country is usually a bastion of older vernacular styles, but homeowners and architects are changing the landscape, dotting it with newer homes that fit in with the old, but provide sly twists that give them startling contemporary features.  

OFIS_Architects (Slovenia) designed their Alpine Hut to fit in with other rural buildings. They used local wood and timber. But there are energy- and water-saving features and clean, fresh lines and windows - not to mention a Dwell-like interior that's anything but "rural" - that make this project starkly modern. (And as you can see at top, Dwell magazine showcased a modern Missouri farmhouse style home on a recent cover.) Explore the Alpine Hut project from OFIS in today's featured video.

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House for Sale, Filled with Memories

Irwin Weiner ASID - This month's Design2Share banner is a shot of my master bedroom by the amazing architectural photographer Chris Cooper. The reason for this banner instead of our usual focus on home goods and furnishings? My partner and I decided three weeks ago to sell our Pennsylvania country house after ten years.

The reasons for not selling would fill a long list: 10 years of wonderful memories, a beautiful garden, a home that's fixed up just right and just the right size, wonderful neighbors, a sleepy Delaware River town close enough to every convenience but distant enough to be a peaceful and relaxing retreat. Overall, a perfect country retreat only an hour and a half from Manhattan, centrally located between NYC and Philadelphia.

But one "let's sell" reason outweighed the others: we've run out of projects and ways to fix up the house and property. Our D2S readers know how much Jay and I enjoy DIY and makeover projects for the home, and our list ran out.

We could spend much more on expanding the extensive gardens, but to what point? The Derek Sutphin designed master landscape plan, boasting two secret garden rooms, is a delight as it is.

It's time for someone else to enjoy this beautiful home. Which brings me to the ultimate reason for this post. I wanted to somehow formally say good-bye to a house that's filled with good memories. Dinners by candlelight with a roaring fire going in the fireplace.

The discovery during remodeling that the original structure was actually a "barge house," the framing made from decommissioned barge boards from the Delaware Canal. The thrill of having a totally renovated modern kitchen - there's nothing like cooking and entertaining!

The beautiful displays of flowers and leaves through the growing season, with meals out on the patio. Pool parties. Falling asleep on the porch swing.

We know we'll have regrets when we move, but we'll also have immense satisfaction in knowing that we were excellent stewards of our Bucks County PA home ... and that we'll have more real estate adventures (in the same area - we love it in Bucks) with a new fixer-upper home, filled to brim with projects to tackle. Click here or on any of the photos above for more information on our PA house and a 25-photo slideshow.

William and Kate Spark Royal Wedding Fever

William and Kate's Country Home

Irwin Weiner ASID - I share the same royal wedding fever that millions of commoners worldwide share for the April 29th nuptials. The newlyweds will likely split their time between London and the country. If you click on the photo of their country home - oh, they're adding a lot onto the property, including building something very green and cutting edge (good for the royals, leading the charge) - you can read more about their country building plans. And watch this video to see who's invited to the wedding.

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