Author: Wile1943

With temperatures that are way-above-average kicking in across the country, it appears like it’s going to be a different summer. Seems that the actual possibility of climate change, whether a portion of this planet’s natural cycle or due to human action, is something we’ll all need to deal with. The good thing is that for millennia people are designing and constructing homes that can keep us comfortable no matter how embarrassing it gets outside. So perhaps it’s time to rediscover these age-old building techniques and integrate a lot of them into our houses.

Here are a few time-tested heat-beating ideas — and a few brand new ones — to think about.

Exteriors By Chad Robert

Add shade. Glass isn’t an efficient insulator. It permits heat out during the chilly months while allowing heat in during the warm months. Providing a shading device on these regions of glass will mitigate the greenhouse effect and also go a very long way to keeping your home cooler.

NAUTILUS Architects

Pick cosmetic roofing. We all probably learned in high school mathematics class that the color black absorbs warmth while white reflects it. This is why in the warmer climates a white or light-colored roof will repel the heat, keeping your home cooler.

Narofsky Architecture + ways2design

Like colors but durable, an overhang blocks the sun’s radiation from hitting the building right. The attractiveness of these architectural devices is that they can be designed to block sunlight while allowing winter sun into the home.

Ciulla Design

When we lived in Singapore, a location with a warm and humid climate if there ever was one, many carried an umbrella to shade themselves from the sun as they went about their everyday routine. If an umbrella can help keep a person cooler, why not put an umbrella over the whole home? It wasn’t any surprise that the owners of this iconic Umbrella House started saving 30 percent in their air conditioning costs after they restored the house’s “umbrella.”

Tommy Chambers Interiors, Inc..

Contain water and plantings. As misters keep cool those in the queue at the amusement park, a fountain, pool or other water feature will surely keep the surrounding atmosphere cooler. And plants behave as colors, blocking the sun’s rays before they reach the ground.

Frederick + Frederick Architects

Create a chimney effect. Again from high school mathematics, we all know that hot air rises. Therefore by providing a taller space surrounded by lower spaces we can create a chimney effect. The cooler air closer to the floor comes in and, as it warms up, is expelled via the top. By introducing continuous air movement and by continuously replacing warm with cool atmosphere, you’ll produce the interior of your home more comfortable.

Smith & Vansant Architects PC

An easy way to create the chimney effect is to put an operable skylight over the stairway. When open, the skylight will draw on the cooler air from the lower flooring, keeping the top floor cooler in the procedure.

Kolbe Windows & Doors

Utilize UV-blocking glass. Windows have come a very long way in the last few decades. Dual and triple glazing, low-e coating, argon fills and impact glass are a few of the attributes that many window manufacturers have integrated in their products.

You will need to be sure that you use a window which blocks the UV rays to not just cut down on heat gain but to keep your interiors from becoming bleached by the sun. So when looking at new or replacement windows, ensure that the window is assembled using the low-e coating on the suitable surface to your climate.

Phil Kean Design Group

Add mass. Building with concrete and masonry helps keep homes in warmer climates cooler. The bulk of this construction absorbs daytime warmth, releasing the heat during the night when temperatures are cooler. A superb way to accomplish this mass is to use insulated concrete form (ICF) construction, as this show home from the 2012 International Builders Show in Orlando, Florida, does.

Carson Poetzl, Inc..

Adobe construction is just another building technique which relies on adding mass. In use for thousands of years, adobe construction is a great way to keep the home cool obviously, particularly when coupled with recessed windows which are stored in the shade throughout the summer.

Whitten Architects

Increase air circulation. Operable windows, particularly those which are correctly ventilated, can continue to keep the interior nice and cool. Windows like such transom types can be left open during the night to let in the cooler night air.

Hugh Jefferson Randolph Architects

The atmosphere that’s lower to the floor is going to be cooler. Thus having some awning windows down low which can capture this atmosphere is going to continue to keep the house interior cooler.

Ian Engberg

Cross ventilation keeps the atmosphere from staying put and getting rancid and warm. Allowing the air to flow throughout the home keeps the interior healthier, cooler and more pleasing.

Koch Architects, Inc.. Joanne Koch

Create a cool courtyard. Courtyards are national oases, particularly with some plantings along with a water feature or 2. Perhaps add a pergola or other shading device as well to keep the area even cooler. And make sure each of the rooms that front the courtyard have large doors and windows to take advantage of the cooling effects of this area.

Robert Hawkins

Don’t fight the website. Occasionally the best views will be to the west or east — the worst orientations for large expanses of glass. In such situations, designing the shading device for all that glass is crucial. Plot out the sun angles so you can really have a shading device that keeps the sexy, low sun while not obstructing the view.

More: Solar-Powered Design

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Just as a beautiful backyard design is built upon solid foundation plantings, an attractive room is produced by layering accessories and more compact furnishings around a few timeless, versatile pieces. Making smart decisions when it comes to choosing base pieces of furniture means a more cohesive home and fewer regrets in the future. Learning how to pick five important bits will serve you well today and for many years to come.

Cathy Schwabe Architecture

Foundation Piece Number One: The Armchair

Everyone can use a great armchair. In a tiny studio apartment, one amazing armchair could stand in for a sofa, and it could easily fit into a larger home daily. Comfort is absolutely essential, so purchase the best you are able to afford. If you like modern design, by all means splurge in a iconic chair like the Saarinen Womb Chair shown here. The majority of the time it is logical to go neutral in upholstery, however I would make an exception for classic red, which adds welcome color to a modern home.

Ryland Peters & Small | CICO Books

Not a fan of modern? Attempt a English roll-arm style. This timeless shape is beautifully comfy for curling up in and grounds any room you put it in. Look for a chair which feels really heavy, which is a sign of quality construction. Turned wood legs, a kiln-dried hardwood framework and welting or piping at which the upholstery suits the legs are other hallmarks to look for.

Shannon Malone

Foundation Piece Number Two: The Sofa

When it has to do with couches, you truly do get what you pay for. There is a time and a place for Ikea couches, but when you need something to last, it usually means investing a bit more money. Since this tends to become among the biggest purchases for your home, it is sensible to play it a little safe. Go for a traditional silhouette, high quality construction and a neutral color for the most versatility.

Tight back or loose cushions? Try out different designs to see which you prefer sitting in. Tight back, single-seat cushion sofas tend to seem more formal, while those with lots of loose cushions telegraph a relaxed vibe.

Studio William Hefner

Consider a upholstered seat or banquette. If you’ve got a little space, consider buying a sleek upholstered seat rather than a classic squashy loveseat. This piece is much more versatile, as you can pull this up to a table or even place it into a hallway or mudroom in a larger house later on.

Light or dark upholstery? A white sofa without removable slipcovers is fairly high maintenance, but add machine-washable slipcovers (which have gotten much chicer lately) and white may be a practical choice in the end. Beige, “greige,” china and espresso are also exceptionally versatile options.

usona

Beware of bits which are too site specific. Unless you have your home and plan on living there for the near future, think twice before spending big dollars on something which might not work in a different home. Extra-long and L-shape couches can be complicated to place in smaller rooms, so choose one only if it is perfect for your current space and you are staying put.

Tara Bussema – Neat Organization and Design

Kid-friendly leather. It sounds counterintuitive, but leather seats and couches are in reality a fantastic option when you have kids in the home. Spills wipe right off (of course the more quickly you get to them the better), as well as the scratches and dings that come with age add character. 1 caveat: For a look with the most longevity, choose something tailored or a classic style like the Chesterfield shown here. Bulky, overly squashy leather bits can read too bachelor pad.

Emily McCall

Foundation Piece Number Three: The Dining Table

You can not fail with a beautifully weathered farmhouse table. Match the mood with rustic wood seats or blend this up with a modern pair like the Panton chairs shown here. Other versatile dining designs to contemplate are a sleek-lined parson’s table or some version which includes removable leaves, which will work in several of spaces.

Rebekah Zaveloff | KitchenLab

A notice on seats: nowadays, there is not any need to match your dining chairs to the table, or even to get a pair of matched chairs in any way. In case you’ve got your eye pricier seats but can not afford to purchase them all at once, fill in with cheap flea market finds. Paint them the exact same color for a cohesive look or leave them as is for a quirkier, more diverse feel.

Dufner Heighes Inc

A note on scale: if you reside in an apartment, there’s absolutely no requirement to forgo the table. A little round table like the iconic Saarinen Tulip Table revealed here can match in a tight place and do double duty for a desk.

Jeanette Lunde

Think classic is not your style? Bear in mind that classic bits can always be revamped later on if you really get bored with them (you could paint your Windsor-style seats bubble gum pink!) , but it is significantly more difficult to tone down a bit with an unusual shape.

For People design

Foundation Piece Number Four: The Bed

An upholstered seat with a fantastic contour is a tasteful option, and is fantastic for those who prefer to sit in bed and see. Even if you aren’t prepared to purchase a high-end bed frame, do put as much as possible into your mattress — great sleep is worth every cent.

Anthropologie

Woodland Slumber Canopy Bed, Beige – $2,998

Four-posters are another classic, and this version from Anthropologie has clean, modern lines that would look good in any number of settings.

Foundation Piece Number 5: Case Goods

A lovely chest, dresser or alternative storage bit which is not so large can almost always find a home somewhere. So if you discover something which catches your attention, I say do it. Dressers and glass-front closets may be utilised in the bedroom, entryway or living room, or even in a large bathroom that’s short on storage.

Shirley Meisels

Think about going vintage. For case goods especially, vintage pieces could be a better deal for high quality construction than many new bits on the marketplace. If you adore the midcentury modern look, seek a vintage chest or sideboard. Should you crave a posh decorator touch, give a classic dresser a coat of high-gloss paint for a glamorous look.

Inform us : when you’re purchasing furniture, what do you splurge and exactly what do you save on?

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I have been fooled by a bunch of lights that I see around all the time. I assumed they were created sometime in the 1950s, but it ends up their designer was not even born until 1959. These ceiling, wall, pendant, table and floor lamps fit into midcentury modern, modern and collected rooms with aplomb, and are favored by architects and interior designers across the world. They include the Glo-Ball show by Jasper Morrison for Flos, designed from the late 1990s and still going strong. If a Glo-Ball is the right lighting for some of your own rooms, see.

Wally Sears

This tabletop globe is known as the Glo-Ball Basic Table Lamp. I really like the way it sits right on the table, making one wonder if it’s going to just roll right off (do not worry, it won’t). For this really can be the next best thing.

Kristen Rivoli Interior Design

The Suspended Glo-Ball is. Maybe because it first caught my eye in this New York City apartment that is filled with midcentury icons from MoMA’s archives.

Creative Space Architectural Design

Despite the fact that I am throwing the term “globe” around a little haphazardly, you are able to realize a Glo-Ball because it is not an actual sphere. The width of the shade is a couple of inches bigger than the height.

Jensen Architects

The S-1 version of the suspended Glo-Ball is roughly 10.6 inches high and contains a 12.9-inch diameter; the S-2 variant is 14.2 inches high and contains a 17.7-inch diameter.

Ilija Mirceski

All of these lights have a white opal glass shade and an acid-etched blown-glass diffuser.

Wow, all of the opal and acid-etching talk sounds fancy, but what exactly does this mean? It means that the fixtures give off a soft, diffused light that is very easy on the eyes. This is where you receive the bang for the bucks you spend in one of those babies. Also, they are made in Italy, which adds to the elaborate factor.

Gary Hutton Design

The Glo-Ball Table Lamp sits atop an elegant, slender steel pedestal. It fits right into the clean-lined modern bedroom, adding curves and style without distracting from the view.

Searl Lamaster Howe Architects

The pendant was created with high ceilings in mind, as the cable can stretch to 9.5 ft. The designer of this modern cabin suspended the lights over the kitchen island in order not to block the woodsy views of Lake Michigan from the front of the house to the rear.

Studio Durham Architects

The Glo-Ball F Floor Lamps come in three different sizes, so there’s one that’s acceptable for a favorite reading chair and one that can stand up to the scale of a large room with a tall ceiling. Oh, and there’s another one between the two for those in-between needs.

More:
Ways to Acquire the Pendant Light Right
Modern Icons: PH Lights
Modern Icons: The Random Light

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