AMANGIRI RESORT: architecture & design done right

View from Amangiri living room.

Above – Mesa View Suite.

Above – Girijaala Suite.

Girijaala Suite pool.

Aman Spa and reflection pool.

Aman Spa – sauna and treatment room.

Aman Spa step pool.

Pool Suite Sky Lounge.

Welcome to the Amangiri (translation – peaceful mountain) located on 600 acres in Canyon Point, Utah. The resort’s architecture and design manage to at once melt into the spectacular landscape, while framing and amplifying its grandeur. A truly magical space to start the new year right. Happy 2013!

Photos: courtesy of amanresorts.com

SILENT NIGHT: remembering the past as we move to the future

Two architecture students studying at ETH Zurich submitted this striking proposal for a contest held by VELUX. The theme of the contest, “Light of tomorrow”, inspired the students, Bo Li and Ge Men, to create a stunning memorial for a hypothetical Swiss Alps village buried by a landslide. The students worked with columns of transparent thermo plastic which were (hypothetically) planted in the subterranean ground. Not to be kept in the dark, the columns then extend up through the layer of earth above and into the open landscape. The cyclic link between the two “villages” is completed as sunlight travels down through the rods back to their subterranean source. Here, each thermoplastic stick is strategically sanded to create a matte surface upon which the sunlight refracts and shines out in the shape of the lost structures. Such a beautiful way to lend form to memory especially as we move forward into a new year.

Image via VELUX.

WOLFGANG LUDES: a photographer with an eye for design

New York based fashion and beauty photographer and burgeoning home designer, Wolfgang Ludes, has teamed up with architect Johannes Zingerle to create one stunning St. Bart’s abode. Built as a rental villa overlooking St. Jean beach, the home is divided into three distinct structures – each enjoying the same spectacular view, while also maintaining privacy from the others.

The main house consists of a spacious living room, dining room, kitchen and study area, all furnished with classic modern European seating, including dining chairs by Hans J. Wegner and armchairs by Antonio Citterio. The home’s wood details are composed of dark brown African wenge wood – utilized for the ceilings, wall panels and cabinets. A warm colored travertine floor stands in contrast to the dark wood and creates a visual link to the sandy beaches below the cliff-perched home.

The master suite is situated in the upper level and is accessed from the pool area via a stone staircase.

Two guest suites, situated on a lower level, are accessed via a floating stair that runs along the green andesite clad infinity edge of the pool.

Discretely tucked away in hidden corners and private crannies throughout the property, are outdoor showers and tubs. When it comes to a Caribbean paradise, this rental property has left few stones unturned. For those interested in a stay, visit Premium Island Vacations.

Photos by Jean Philippe Piter via Premium Island Vacations and wolfgangludes.com

THE COLOR OF 2013: Emerald! Or as we like to call it… green

It’s that time of year again, and as we bid adieu to the oh so fun and feisty Tangerine Tango, Pantone has declared the new reigning color queen for 2013 – Emerald! Pantone describes the green as ”Lively. Radiant. Lush… A color of elegance and beauty that enhances our sense of well-being, balance and harmony.” Sounds lovely doesn’t it? And so In honor of this passing of the crown, D has selected a few spaces that incorporate green in ways that range from the subtle to the bold and the everyday to the unexpected. Enjoy!

Above – VitraHaus by Herzog & de Meuron. Below - Ann Demeulemeester Shop in Seoul, Korea’s Gangnam district. Designed by Mass Studies.

Above – Screened porch designed byBrad Ford for Traditional Home’s Hampton Designer Show House. Below – Manhattan studio bedroom designed by Tom Delavan.

Above – Interior design by Stephen Knollenberg. Below – The Trianon Palace Versailles hotel, France.

Above – The Barclay Prime restaurant and bar designed by India Mahdavi. Below – The Pump Room in Chicago. Designed by Yabu Pushelberg.

Above – a glass staircase and living wall in Patrick Veillet’s Paris studio. Designed by Vertical Garden’s Patrick Blanc. Below – Romes’s Palazzo Altemps, featuring an entryway awash in green light (1998). Photo by Massimo Listri.

Below – Hotel du Marc owned and run by the Champagne house, Veuve Clicquot. Originally the home of Madame Clicquot herself, the space has since been renovated by Bruno Moinard. Note the faint shimmer of the green entry.

P.S. The Holiday Giveaway continues! Enter daily for a chance to win one of three cool and beautiful items courtesy of Switch Modern.

Photos: 1. by Iwan Bann, 2. by Yong-Kwan Kim, 3. via Greige Design, 4. via tomdelavan.com, 5. via stephenknollenberg.com, 6. via gourmettraveller.com, 7. by David Joseph, 8. via yabupushelberg.com, 9. via verticalgardenpatrickblanc.com, 10. by Massimo Listri via artnet.com, 11. by Mai Linh and featured in AD Francais December/January 2011/2012.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING: from D to You!

The season of giving has begun! In anticipation of my thankfulness, I expect these perfectly on-trend stationary items from the California based shop Besotted Brand to prove quite handy in the weeks ahead.

Also, a little peek at how our lovely friend and renowned artist and landscape designer, Paula Hayes, dresses her stoop for the season. These lucky trees are set inside Paula’s Dumpling Planters (see closeup below). Loving the tree/plant in bag look this season.

Last but not least, in the spirit of giving, D is extending the Mikaduki Crescent Brass Bottle Opener giveaway through 11:59 PM (EST) Sunday, November 25th. CLICK HERE TO ENTER TO WIN. Wishing you all a beautiful Thanksgiving and holiday season!

Photos: 1-3 – courtesy of shop.besottedbrand.com spotted on mimi+meg. 4 - by Béatrice de Géa courtesy of paulahayes.com. 5 – by Eva Heyd courtesy of paulahayes.com

MISTER MOSS: fantastic floating botanicals

Mister Moss is an Australian based company which specializes in creating hand made hanging moss ball plants. D first spotted these beauties on the fab Australian Blog - The Design Files - in a feature on the Melbourne Home of Mister Moss’ founder Jenna Spence.

Made of a wide variety of indoor and outdoor plants wrapped in twines which range in color from natural to shades of neon, all the care required to keep these little hanging planets healthy is a weekly dip in a bucket of water.

Mister Moss currently ships to Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland and is working to expand shipping to all of Australia. Jenna, Mister Moss’ founder, is also working to expand the company’s offerings to furnishing and home wares. Will keep you updated! In the meantime, feast your eyes on that fantastic floating lemon tree.

Images: 1 – Photo by Brooke Holm, production – Lucy Feagins via The Design Files. 2 & 3 – Photos courtesy of Mister Moss.

GOD’S LOFT STORY: a little bit naughty & a little bit nice

Welcome to the award winning, “God’s Loft Story”, a 1928 Haarlo, Netherlands church which has recently been converted into a home. The Dutch firm behind the renovation, Leijh Kappelhoff Seckel van den Doppelsteen Architecten, approached the project with the goal of restoring existing architectural details and preserving the interior’s sense of openness… all this while infusing the new design with a very healthy dose of humor.

Upon entering the loft, one must pass through the “gates of heaven,” which are guarded by a wall full of angels. Once past the threshold the most striking feature is the central staircase, painted a rather unholy shade of red. The reclaimed wood clad stair structure, which the architects have dubbed “The Stairway to Have Fun,” leads directly to the bedroom and bath area. It also serves the dual function of partitioning off the kitchen and providing additional storage space.

The original stage of the church was maintained and this shift in floor level acts to further define the different activity areas of the main level. Here, where a series of glowing cross pendants hang above the desk, we see just one of many tongue in cheek details carried throughout the home and out to the exterior. The writing on the wall leading to the lofted red tiled bathroom reads, “Holy Shit” in Dutch and just outside the old church, a small herd of little wooden “lost sheep” graze rather adorably.

The garden area is home to a recycled shipping container, complete with a green roof, which serves as a storage space as well as a backdrop to a partially shaded seating area. The remainder of the garden takes a nod to monasteries of yesteryear with a small orchard as well as an herb and vegetable garden.

What do you think? If you loved this you may like to have a peek at some previously featured church conversions – here and here.

Photos courtesy of LKSVDD Architecten.