Carpinteria Foothills Residence With Oak Surroundings

Neumann Mendro Andrulaitis Architects have designed this residence in Carpinteria, California.

This residence has been designed to seamlessly open into the panoramic coastal surroundings through the use of large glazed walls. The architectural design evolved from the clients desire for a home that is a tranquil place for living, art and retreat.

Located on a ridge in the foothills of Carpinteria, the residence has a master suite, one guest room, a study for two, a more contained den and an informal open living space. The strategy of the site was to separate the guest house, pool and pool house from the main house, by locating them amongst the oaks on a lower terrace. The smaller structures were found to be much easier to place around the mature oak trees without disturbing their root systems. Some large oak trees were brought in to “augment the existing oak grove, further nestle the house into the site, and create a foreground to help frame the spectacular views”.

This idea of simplicity in only using a simple palette of materials and forms is continued throughout the entire home as a way of bringing the outside world, inside.

Special thanks to Contemporist for the above images.

Olympic Park Trees To Become Artwork

As a permanent reminder of the London 2012 Olympic Games next year, the 10 biggest trees in the Olympic Park are to be turned into works of art.

Engraved metal rings measuring six metres (20ft) wide and up to half a tonne (500kg) in weight, will be wrapped around the red oak, silver lime and common ash trees. Over time the tree branches and ring will slowly fuse together.

Funded by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) and Arts Council England, the Olympic Park in Stratford, east London, will feature 4,000 semi-mature trees and around 300,000 wetland plants.

This park has been designed by artists Heather Ackroyd and Dan Harvey. In a statement they said “Trees mark the passing of time through their yearly ring growth”.

“The artwork will transform as the seasons change, reflecting the evolving nature of the Olympic Park”.

The ODA has said that the trees would stand up to 18m (60ft) tall and mark out the entrances to the 500-acre Olympic Park.

There is set to be nine history rings with words giving information relevant to each location inscribed on the inside while the memories of residents will be featured on the 10th tree, an English Oak.

The shadow that is cast by this ring will be inlayed on to the ground in bronze so that each year it will momentarily align to commemorate the date and time of the London 2012 Games.

Special thanks to the BBC and HelloUK.org for the above images.

B2 Kitchen Workshop

The German kitchen manufacturer bulthaup has “radically rethought the traditional concept of a kitchen” with its B2 Kitchen Workshop. With this kitchen bulthaup has created an open and mobile area that can be added and composed to suit each individual’s personal requirements.

The B2 Kitchen is made up of a “workbench, which houses the fire and water point, a kitchen tool cabinet for crockery, cooking utensils, spices and food, and an appliance cabinet, which houses the oven, dishwasher and refrigerator. The storage space has been so cleverly compacted that pull-outs and drawers have been rendered completely unnecessary”.

The in-door storage area is a great way of either hiding everything or completely showing it off. Once open, everything that is possibly needed for a two person household is visible at a glance and within reach. Once the doors are closed however, the kitchen returns to its simple, minimalist nature.

Materials such as oak and walnut veneer are used to add to this simple, yet effective minimalist style. The worktops are made from stainless steel, oak, walnut and grey sandstone.

Gerd Bulthaup says that “By constantly observing the living and eating habits of people from all over the world, bulthaup develops new kitchen concepts to address the needs of modern lifestyles globally. bulthaup b2 is responsive to modern lifestyles, such as single-person or two-person households, or even “extended families”, and is the perfect kitchen for the nomad lifestyle, or those who are pioneers in creating new alternative living spaces”.

Special thanks to Freshome for the above images.

Hat Teahouse

The Prague based studio A1 Architects has completed this Black Teahouse project. This 35 foot tea house is located in Ostrava, the third largest city in the Czech Republic.

“It is a small house to gather with a cup of tea, a tiny haven under the open roof in little charming garden”. Entitled “Hat”, the minimal space of a teahouse creates a intimate and pleasant space, which brings a “unique atmosphere with its own secrets inside. The inner space of tea house gives a distinct perspective of the outside world”.

The name of the house derives from its tall roof which resembles a big hat in the garden. The inner space is designed for 2 guests and a host where they can sit on a wide larch bench.

The materials used played an important part in the designing stages of the teahouse. Natural ageing materials were chosen to make the space warm and liveable. “The carpeted oak structure stands on dark grey stones, which harmonize with dark larch facing and shingle roof. The main inner wall is clad with oak plywood".

Special thanks to HomeDSGN for the above images.

Duramen Handmade Wooden Sculptures

The French art and design duo Rémy Clémente and Morgan Maccari of Bonsoir Paris have created this series of handmade wooden sculptures entitled Duramen.

“Born of a simple impulse, the one to break with conventional ways of exhibiting, Bonsoir Paris and its team have imagined a series of frames so strongly mistreated that they have become unrecognisable. Their wish is to break the properties of the compound, a form of compromise as minimal and it is efficient. They found a subtle twist while remaining faithful to a primitive form of revolt, without getting lost in vain styles effects.”

Noble materials such as Oak, Fir, Wenge, Pear and Linden are used to present an idea of being in between two opposites, that of the deformed and that of the elegant, instinctive and thoughtful.

Special thanks to Contemporist for the above image.

Swedish Apartment With Oak Flooring

This three room Swedish Apartment includes comfortable, stylish furnishings in all of its three rooms. Located in Linnéstaden, Sweden, this 20th century apartment is on the 3rd floor of a 5 floor apartment building which was designed in 1927 by architect Carl Bengtsson.

With its “bright and cheery” features, this apartment “displays a chic combination of modern furniture and original details, like the three-foot ceilings, mouldings or cast iron elements”. The “recently painted light grey walls in the bedroom cool the atmosphere and offer a beautiful background for the white furniture”.

The spacious living room features a fine oak parquet flooring which blends beautifully against the white walls and furniture. The flooring acts as the perfect way of bringing light into the room as it literally bounces of the floor.

The apartment also has a courtyard-facing balcony giving the inhabitants a choice of whether they want to spend their time outside overlooking the courtyard, or inside against the warm fireplace.

Special thanks to Freshome for the above images.

Dinesen Sustainable Oak Flooring

In the current economic climate people are now more than ever looking to purchase products which have an reduced impact on the environment whilst also of a high quality. This wooden flooring from the Danish Manufacturer Dinesen meets all of these criteria.

For this family run company, quality is the most important feature as every single floor is custom made to fit each particular room.The wood is sourced from some of Europe’s best forests, where the trees are between 80 and 200 years old. All of these trees have been cared for throughout their existence. They are managed by the principles of “Dauerwald” which means promising sustainably productive, profitable, environmentally stable, biologically diverse and socially responsive forests, patterned after nature.

One of the most defining features of these planks is the fact that they are extremely long and wide. Dinesen offers its solid oak planks in widths of up to 50 centimetres and lengths up to 6 meters.

With such a high quality finish and complete uniqueness to these boards, its hard to see how anyone could not want them in their homes. The extra long and wide planks seem to create a flow between the rooms as they connect each area beautifully together.

Special thanks to Freshome for the above images.

Open Box 2 Home With White Oak Flooring

The San-Francisco based studio Feldman Architecture has designed this Open Box 2 House. Originally a “boxy 1940s stucco house, this now two story contemporary home is located in San Francisco, California, USA”.

This project involved modernising the home completely to something fresh and new. The original house was a series of small, dark rooms with a completely unfinished ground floor and little connection to the outdoors.The whole home had to be updated with the living space increased.

“The main living spaces were opened up to allow the small house to feel more spacious than its modest 2000sf size. Also, the unfinished space on the ground floor was converted to create a new entryway, bedroom, bathroom, and family room”.

Finishes such as Italian Oak cabinetry and round glass tiles were used to add texture. The flooring of the home is made up of white oak which really adds character and an elegance to the home. The flooring also seems to add a feeling of spaciousness which is further enhanced by the strong connection to the outdoors. Carefully placed windows and skylights are in place to maximise sunlight, garden views and privacy.

Special thanks to HomeDSGN for the above images.

The Ravine Residence

Cindy Rendely Architexture has designed the Ravine Residence. Located in North Toronto, Canada, “where the streets are lined with neo-historical châteaus in beige brick and taupe stucco, the Ravine Residence contrasts with its neighbours”. The house was created to be multi-generational, for the grandparents, parents and three children and to take advantage of its “spectacular ravine setting” to comfortably provide “community and privacy as desired; and reflect the contemporary attitude and lifestyle of its owners”.

The plan of the residence is a U shape made up of three floors. This U shape wraps around an outdoor courtyard/dining room and a wide, feature staircase that unfolds into the back garden.

The house itself mainly consists of local materials in both its exterior and interior. The use of stone and wood ensures a “harmonious aesthetic throughout”. Whitewashed natural white oak has been used for the flooring, millwork and furniture. This use of oak throughout adds a real sense of modern combined with nature to the residence.

Special thanks to Contemporist for the above images.

Thieves in North Yorkshire have recently been targeting rural churches for valuable carved furniture worth thousands of pounds.  Items created by 20th century Yorkshire wood carver Rovert Thompson, or “Mouseman”, were among furniture stolen between October and December. Police have said that churches in Sicklinghall, Arncliffe, Kirby Overblow and Appletreewick are among those targeted.

The first theft took place between the 16th and 28th of October and involved the theft of an octagonal oak Mouseman table, bearing an inscription and was worth around £600. The second item to be stolen on the 9th October was a Mouseman wooden table worth between £2,500 and £3,000. The thieves eventually struck again sometime between the 20th and the 26th November where Mouseman Bishops oak chair worth around £2,000 was stolen. 

Two further carved oak chairs worth around £800 were taken between the 30th November and the 4th December.  An antique pike staff was also stolen. Finally on the 2nd December, thieves stole a carved Mouseman bible stand from St Peter’s Church, Sicklinghall.

Jens Risom Reissued Collection

The 94 year old, Danish born designer Jens Risom has collaborated with Rocket and Benchmark, who have jointly secured the rights to reissue his 1950s and 1960s furniture designs.

“The collection has been creatively directed by Jonathan Stephenson of Rocket and made by Sean Sutcliffe and Terence Conran’s Benchmark Furniture company in their Dorset and Berkshire workshops - with the close involvement of Risom himself”.

This collection consists of nine pieces which include tables, desks, benches and chairs. Available in both oak and walnut versions, they are upholstered in a variety of Kvadrat fabrics and Elmo leathers. These pieces work as a great way of combining mid century modern with a contemporary flair.

Special thanks to Nordic Design for the above images.

Prisengracht Apartment With Bleached Oak Flooring

In collaboration with Flow, developers Guy Jacobs and Felix van Asch van Wijck have completed this Prinsengracht Apartment project. Located along the Pinsengracht, which is the fourth and largest on the main canals in Amsterdam, this apartment is situated inside an historical building which was built in the first half of the 18th century. 

 

Materials for the apartment are all warm and neutral, with the combination of herringbone plank bleached oak flooring and walnut doors. This warmth gives the apartment a homely feel which most will find appealing. The six large windows act as the perfect means of letting light into the room and bounce beautifully off the oak flooring.

Special thanks to HomeDSGN for the above image.

Old And New Combined In Alemanys 5 El Badiu Apartment

The Spanish architect Anna Noguera has completed the renovation of this 16th century building located in Girona, Spain. This project “integrates old and new, where sober and clean lines look for the enjoyment of essential elements such as space, light, shadow, fire, stone, water or silence”.

This apartment is 180m2 and located on the upper two floors of Alemanys 5 “equipped with a master suite and two children suites, kitchen-dining room, great living room with fireplace and a veranda terrace facing south with views of the old quarter”.

The refurbishment was achieved using very few materials which included iron, concrete and oak wood. This oak flooring is used throughout the entire apartment, including the bedroom and dining room areas. It works as the perfect companion to the stone walls of the 16th century building.

Special thanks to HomeDSGN for the above images.

Nat. Fine Bio Food Restaurant With Rustic Oak Floor

eins:eins Architects have designed this interior for the nat. fine bio food restaurant located in Hamburg, Germany.

The main purpose of this newly-founded chain, was to make fast food healthy in a contemporary environment. Therefore in its design, the designers had to come up with an restaurant which reflected these ideas.

“The claim, ‘nature comes to the city’ guided the design concept. Motives from nature were made so abstract that they can only be vaguely discerned. The ceiling allows association with cloud formations; the columns remind one of tree trunks; backlit walls dissolve the spatial boundaries through oversized, blown-up plant and herb-panoramas”.

An idea of a natural restaurant in a artificial urban environment is one of the key aspects of which the restaurant adheres to.

All of the non-detachable furniture was developed specifically for the project and works as a way of separating the restaurant into three different area. These include the kitchen area, the main area of the restaurant and the lounge area.

The flooring of the restaurant is made up of a rustic oak floor which acts as the perfect contrast against the white furniture. This once again combines the idea of a natural environment with a modern idea.

Special thanks to Contemporist for the above images.

1954 Airstream Flying Cloud Trailer Restored With Oak Flooring

Originally used as a hunting and fishing lodge near Goose Lake, Oregon, this one of a kind 1954 Airstream Flying Cloud has been restored, with oak flooring, by Timeless Travel Trailers.

According to the Orvis website “no detail was overlooked during the ground-up customization, resulting in a trailer that is in better-than-new condition.”

“The gleaming hand-polished exterior is only the first hint that this trailer is truly special. Inside, the warm and cosy Orvis-inspired cabin is appointed with natural hickory wood, aged oak flooring, copper sheet, and genuine leather”.

This unique interior adds a real natural, yet somehow modern feel to the trailer making it a truly nice place to be.

“Brand-new running gear has been installed below including a new axle, brakes, suspension, wheels, tires and coupler. All of the systems have been upgraded to meet or exceed industry standards”.

This trailer is set to be auctioned on December 11th, 2011.

Special thanks to HomeDSGN for the above images.

Welcome to Wood Flooring News

Here is just a short blog post to welcome you to the Wood Flooring News blog. On this blog we are going to post regular updates of anything we find interesting in the wood flooring world. This includes the the likes of interior design projects, interesting architecture and general news items.

Whether it is solid wood flooring or engineered wood flooring, we will be looking to cover it and keep you as updated as possible.