Design Video: Special Window and Door Features in Modern Japanese House

Irwin Weiner ASID - It doesn't take me long to begin my New Year's Resolution to present more smart ideas for home architecture while 2012 is still with us! I came across this great Japanese house, designed by Shigeru BAN Architects, backing onto Hanegi Park in Tokyo, and admired its sliding windows, expanses of glasses for adding plenty of natural light, and large doors that open into the park and natural views. It's not a stretch to say that U.S. homes should try to use more innovation with custom window and door products. This video will give you some great inspiration - and visit the Japan Architecture + Urbanism website for more videos.

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3 Videos: Celebrating Hand-Crafted Home Goods

Irwin Weiner ASID - Whenever I decorate a client's home, I always like to see one or more hand-crafted items included in a room. Handmade goods add texture and rich layering to the rest of the decor, and there's always an interesting story to tell about each piece - who made it, where it was made, what it means, and so on. I also love how no two items are exactly alike, a nice contrast to machine-made, mass-produced items.

We selected three videos today to help illustrate that there are real people behind hand-crafted goods: Mogck Pottery, RMIT Textile Design program (a weaving demonstration of technique used to make articles like the beautiful pillows shown in the top photo), and CMM Framing (custom framing work as in the second photo).

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Boxing Day Special: Boxer Art

The Boxers, Michael Mavian, 2010 (1st Dibs)

Irwin Weiner ASID - Boxing Day is December 26, and please forgive the pun, but I thought it would be a good day to accent boxing artwork. Visitors to my home in Pennsylvania know that I have a beautiful mid-century serving plate from Italy hanging on the wall of my dining room, and it features a stylized boxer. I like boxing art and decor for its active elements, enlivening a room. Perfect accents for dens, family rooms, and (obviously) man caves, boxing art is an underappreciated part of decorating that I just wanted to reinforce today. So happy "day after Christmas" for those of you who aren't used to celebrating Boxing Day, and for those who do, enjoy your day with family and friends. (And a shout out to all who observe the Feast of St. Stephen, too!) Click on each photo for more art information and details. 

The Hughes Brothers (Boxing), 1975, Jean-Paul Goude (1st Dibs)

Ali with Mini Boxing Gloves, 1963, Steve Schapiro (1st Dibs)

Stags Head with Boxing Squirrels, Simon Brown (1st Dibs)

Oskar Werner and Henri Serre Mimic Waltz in Boxing Ring, 1961, Raymond Cauchetier (1st Dibs)

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Design2Share Holiday Wish List: Peace on Earth

Video: Anthony-Masters Productions

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