Saturday, February 12, 2011
Minimalist interior design
Modern minimalist designs are not the old, harsh decor of years ago. The new look for minimalist interior design is a softer look, more personal and easier to live with. Yes, you can have a real life, or even kids, and go for a minimalist look in your home!
It is true that you do really need to be a certain kind of person to get on well with a minimalist scheme - messy people need not apply! But seriously ... if you find it easy to stay neat and tidy, are very organised and hate clutter in any form, this is very likely a look that will work for you
I love the look of a minimalist interior design scheme. But I have come to realise it just isn't for me! If you do struggle to keep on top of mess or clutter, if you like your knick-knacks and collections, or just enjoy being surrounded by all your favourite possessions, this probably isn't a look you can live comfortably with...
Keeping your house 'spick and span' and clutter free can be hard work, there's no two ways about it. But your reward will be worth it! A minimalist interior design scheme is a very simple, relaxing style, which will bring an air of real tranquillity to your home - but it has a great, cutting-edge, contemporary feel too!
But, you can opt for a softer look, by choosing warm neutrals and colors from nature.
Try stone, beige, taupe, brown and even green. Your base colors should be 'pale and interesting' - but go for a splash of a bolder color for accents
Modern Minimalist Home Interior Concept
For one thing, if we are to be looking at the many elements of this industry, we notice that it has moved into a more post modern direction, and here we will be looking at what this concept actually means when looking at the industry as a whole
There is a difference between modern and post modern. For one thing, modern design elements in interior design can only mean a few things. One thing that it always means is that it needs to be structured and clean, with use of spaces and moving away from the cluttered look
Immaculate colours are more the feature here, and anything wild and amazing is moved aside for the simple and clean. Not to be mistaken with minimalist movements in design, modern is all about structure and appeal to a wide cross section of society, an era that can be recognised with just one look and the ability to utilise clean spaces as part of the design element
We cannot say that modern is minimalist, because of the fact that there are so many elements inside the interior design. Minimalist is more of a movement that sees less is more, and wide spaces as areas for movement and inspiration
Modern Minimalist Bedroom Interior
If you want to add modern interior design to your bedroom, you might want to consider minimalist bedroom designs because they can be interesting and simplistic or complex
Whether you decide to use creative colour ideas or encase the walls in a light, natural wood panelling, there is a variety of designer inspired ideas you can implement in your own space.
Classic interior design ideas can be implemented to set the mood and there are updated interior design ideas for the hopeless romantic
You might think about some of the hotel bedroom designs you have seen in your travels because most of them are designed by professional interior designers. Whether they are artist designed interiors or historically inspired, you can set the mood in your private space, based on the qualities you incorporate.
If you prefer a decked-out design, you might consider abstract designs and geometric contemporary themes, but if you want to make your bedroom more romantic, you need to carefully consider a theme that sets the mood.
You might be asking how this can be accomplished, but it isn't as difficult as you might think. You can add a fresh coat of paint in a cool, modern shade or you can use warm, traditional shades for romantic ambience
Thursday, February 10, 2011
pantone fashion colors for fall 2011
notice how the other fall fashion colors mirror the color trends from design san francisco 2011?
click here to read more about how interior designers use bright colors to accent neutral color schemes...
do you prefer colors or neutrals?
Monday, February 7, 2011
Property players see price rise in Penang
A general uptrend in Penang property prices is expected this year as property developers offer better quality products to more discerning buyers.
Penang-based property players interviewed by Business Times have cited construction material prices and inflation as reasons for them to price their units higher this year.
They, however, gave no indication on the quantum of the price increase.
"Despite the risk of price increases in raw materials, the outlook for the property market remains positive this year," SP Setia Bhd general manager S. Rajoo said.
"As the population increases, the demand for properties will increase as well," he added.
Rajoo said available property units in the state have been decreasing tremendously over the past 10 years due to strong demand for selected property types.
"We anticipate demand for landed properties to remain strong, due to the scarcity of land in Penang."
Eastern and Oriental Bhd said the prices of its properties are determined closer to their launch dates and hinge on prevailing market conditions, raw material prices and market sentiment.
E&O owns and develops Seri Tanjung Pinang masterplan township on Penang island that offers a range of properties including landed homes and high-rise residences by the sea.
"Consumers are highly discerning nowadays and they desire a complete package which includes built-in wardrobes and cabinets, quality fittings along with fine finishing and appliances, said its executive direc-tor Eric Chan Kok Leong.
"This in turn affects the eventual pricing of properties," Chan added.
Hunza Properties Bhd group executive chairman Datuk Khor Teng Tong concurred, saying that the rising trend in property prices tend to reflect an upgrading of quality for the said units.
"As buyers demand for better and higher quality, the price of building materials and land contribute to this rising trend," he said, adding that demand for properties in Penang continues to be strong for residential units in the face of a supply shortage.
For Ivory Properties Group Bhd, better finishings and amenities, teamed with larger liveable spaces are expected to result in a higher range of property offerings.
"With impending inflation, increase in prices of construction materials and factors such as all government-driven economic programmes like the Economic Transformation Programme, National Key Economic Area and the economic corridors which are due to drive the economy towards a higher per capita income, we foresee mid- to high-end properties continuing to be in demand," said its deputy chairman Datuk Seri Nazir Ariff Mushir Ariff.
Ivory's ongoing and upcoming projects in the first half of the year, he noted, will comprise commercial, landed residential and high-rise residences in Penang.
IJM Land Bhd, whose flagship "The Light" development is set to keep the company busy for the next 12-15 years, is looking at a slight price increase for its offerings.
IJM Land general manager Toh Chin Leong cited construction materials and inflation as reasons for the revision of prices.
With a gross development value of RM5.5 billion, The Light is a 60.8ha freehold waterfront development which will be built over the next 11 to 15 years.
"We had a good year in 2010 and we foresee the market to be stable and consistent and look forward to another good year ahead," Toh said.
By Business Times
SPUNTI DI RIFLESSIONE SULLE CASE IN LEGNO
IN QUESTO CASO MI E’ GIUNTA UNA LETTERA RICCA DI SUGGERIMENTI, ANCHE SE NESSUNO IN PARTICOLARE CHE NON SIA STATO SPECIFICATAMENTE AFFRONTATO.
ECCO PERCHE’ MI E’ SEMBRATO UTILE PUBBLICARLA INTEGRALMENTE.
Volevo innanzitutto ringraziarla per gli scritti che Lei pubblica, perchè sono di grande aiuto per chi vuole costruire una abitazione di qualità, anzichè alzare quattro muri con un mare di problemi e tanti soldi spesi.
Grazie dei complimenti; il blog vuole essere una risorsa libera rivolta a tutti, non solo ai professionisti del settore. Non è sempre facile comunicare concetti per loro natura tecnici con un linguaggio accessibile, ma sono proprio i riscontri dei lettori a spronarmi a proseguire la divulgazione delle case prefabbricate.
Cercherò di essere più breve possibile e farle perdere meno tempo per i miei dubbi per la scelta della casa prefabbricata.
Premetto che i miei orientamenti sono verso le aziende tedesche e austriache con una storicità importante e un buon numero di case costruite; mi sento più rassicurato (forse a torto), rispetto alle aziende del nord Italia o alle aziende italiane importatrici di prodotti realizzati all'estero ma di ignota fonte.
Sulla brevità ho qualche dubbio (non la prenda a male….).
Mi sento di darle ragione sulla scelta, come peraltro ribadito spesso nei miei articoli. Esistono certamente sul mercato delle case prefabbricate ottime ditte italiane ed importatori di prodotti interessanti, ma diventa più difficile darne un giudizio. Il supporto di un tecnico preparato sulle case in legno è assai utile in questo caso.
In fiera alla XXXXXXXX erano presenti solo due signorine che non potevano dare risposte tecniche mentre alla XXXXXXXX vi era il responsabile tecnico, molto disponibile e competente. Nella medesima fiera era presente anche la ditta XXXXXXX XXXX, che mi ha dato da un’impressione di affidabilità e qualità, ma il responsabile della mia regione sembrava essere più un venditore che un tecnico (vista l’insistenza di firmare un documento per un preventivo e non preparato, dato che quantificava il prezzo di una cantina interrata di 100 mq. intorno ai 15.000,00 euro).
Per cui il personale tecnico sul territorio è fondamentale per l'azienda costruttrice e determina le scelte anche a scapito di aziende qualificate.
Il ruolo del venditore è importante. Non deve essere necessariamente un progettista laureato, ma gli si chiede competenza e serietà. Se non conosce le risposte dovrebbe informarsi e ricontattare il cliente. Deve evitare di infangare le altre ditte di case prefabbricate e di sparare cifre a caso.
L’acquirente ha comunque la libertà di trarre le sue conclusioni di fronte ad un agente inaffidabile.
Come interagiscono il mio progettista e l’agente della ditta di case in legno?
Determina anche dei costi supplementari? Gli agenti sono preparati, oppure sono solamente dei venditori?
Non c’è una regola, per cui troverà tra i rappresentanti di case in legno architetti e venditori, impiantisti ed informatici.
Il dialogo con il suo tecnico ci deve essere, poiché l’agente dovrà costituire il fondamentale tramite tra la ditta e il progettista. L’agente è infine pagato direttamente dall’azienda di case prefabbricate, qualora il contratto andasse in porto; l’acquirente non deve quindi preoccuparsi di avere spese aggiuntive (non è comunque un buon motivo per sfruttarne il tempo e la pazienza).
Non sono interessato a costruire una casa con isolamenti esasperati, ma vorrei investire su una struttura idonea a dove abito (campagna toscana) per cui Le chiedo se mi può chiarire alcuni dubbi:
Le pareti esterne sono isolate alcune con fibra di legno con valori U di 0.176 con spessore di cm.26,0, di 0.18 con spessore di cm.28.3, altre con fibra minerale con valore U di 0.16 e spessore di cm.32.0; quali sono più rapportati al posto dove io vivo? Inoltre sono attendibili i dati?
Vanno tutte bene, ma mi orienterei in ogni caso verso la fibra di legno, più adeguata per migliorare l’isolamento estivo.
I valori delle ditte serie sono assolutamente verosimili. Per essere sul mercato sono necessarie prove di laboratorio e certificazioni europee che le aziende di case prefabbricate solitamente sfoggiano con orgoglio.
La ventilazione con ricircolo e recupero dall'esterno dell'aria ha anche una funzione di riscaldamento oppure va integrata con un impianto tradizionale di radiatori?
La ventilazione meccanica controllata a recupero del calore (per gli amici, VMC – più corta no, eh?) può essere abbinata a sistemi di raffrescamento e deumidificazione, ma l’impianto di riscaldamento serve comunque (non ci sono solo i radiatori, comunque).
Il vano interrato (che vorrei realizzare) mi preoccupa più di tutto visto l'approssimazione delle aziende tradizionali per quanto riguarda le infiltrazioni e umidità di risalita (vista in costruzioni recenti, anche di pregio).
Sarei orientato ad aziende che realizzano il prefabbricato in cemento ma non mi rendo conto se sono valide oppure no e i relativi costi per evitare di mettere una fortuna sottoterra.
L’interrato prefabbricato è una soluzione davvero valida. Le modalità di progettazione e montaggio sono del tutto analoghe a quelle delle case prefabbricate in legno, costituendo una soluzione complementare.
I prezzi, anche in questo caso sono certi e bloccati, ma non escludono la presenza della ditta tradizionale che dovrà comunque effettuare gli scavi.
Rispetto a queste ultime, ribadisco per l’ennesima volta che ci in Italia sono tante buone imprese di costruzioni e che sta sempre alla lungimiranza del cliente scegliere la soluzione più adeguata (che non sempre coincide con il prezzo più basso).
Formex Spring 2011 - mer turkos
Stockholm again.. for Furniture Fair
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Mirrored With Style
Renée Finberg 'TELLS ALL' in her BLOG..... Interior Design, Palm Beach, Boca Raton,Ft.Lauderdale,Design Service, Window Treatments, TurnKey Interior Design Service,Paint selection, Floor-Plans,Online Interior Design, Stylish mirrored closet doors, beveled square mirrors glued on top of the mirror,Stylish mirrored closet doors, beveled square mirrors glued on top of the mirror
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Runt på pressvisningar..
Firm aims for top spot in property management
Its executive director (sales and marketing) Datuk Vincent Tiew said from Jan 2011 onwards, the company would be launching and managing at least 10 properties worth RM2bil simultaneously.
Tiew said of 10 projects it currently managed, four belongs to the Andaman group.
“And we anticipate more developers and landowners to request for our services this year,” Tiew told StarBiz, adding that APM's business model was to develop and manage properties while generating high yield and fast turnaround for developers and landowners.
APM was formed in 2009 by some of the management members of the Andaman Group, an established property developer.
“After honing their skills in property development and managing properties of the Andaman Group, they decided to form an independent company, which is how APM was incorporated,” Tiew noted.
On its business model, Tiew said: “We want to be a leader in the industry in the country and build a strong track record of developing, maintaining and adding value to the properties that we manage in terms of yield, occupancy rates and capital gain for our clients, including property buyers.”
He said when APM was given the go-ahead to develop and manage a property project, it would first be looking to fulfill the developers expectation of the property project in terms of commercial reality, yield, bottom line.
“And our work starts from the onset of planning, authority management, construction and building maintenance to units selling, project administration and securing of strata-title. We also provide developers and landowners advice on how to best position the property development in terms of architectural design and other value-added services in line with developers/landowners expectations,” Tiew said.
On pricing he said: “We built shop lots and residential developments with per unit prices ranging from RM2mil to RM10mil and RM350,000 to RM1mil respectively.”
APM targeted its properties at the mass market to ensure that they remain in demand, even during the downturn, Tiew said, adding that for certain properties, buyers were guaranteed with return on investment.
APM's current property projects for the Andaman Group include Kota D'Sara with gross development value (GDV) of RM125mil, and Casa Residenza (GDV: RM180mil), both located in Kota Damansara. APM plans to launch the The Academia@South City Plaza in Seri Kembangan and the RM700mil The Arc@Cyberjaya in Cyberjaya.
By The Star
Lanson Place to operate Bukit Ceylon Residences in 2012
This will be Lanson Place's third property in Malaysia and form part of the Verticas Residenci development in Bukit Ceylon by Wing Tai Malaysia Bhd. The tower, to be managed by Lanson Place, is owned by Wing Tai Malaysia and Lanson Place's parent company, Wing Tai Properties Ltd. Wing Tai Properties is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
The management company's senior vice-president Graeme Laird described the upcoming accommodation as "comfortable and chic" and said that it would have 150 keys with one- to three-bedroom units.
The property has set new standards in the serviced apartments as it has very large units, with a one- bedroom unit measuring 1,100 sq ft and larger ones reaching 2,000 sq ft.
When asked about return on investment for this property, Laird said: " We did not calculate the payback period. The expected gross rental yield in a stabilised year could reach more than 10 per cent. So this would be from year three of operation."
The Bukit Ceylon property hopes to garner an average of RM500 per night when it opens.
Meanwhile, its four-star Lanson Place Ambassador Row with 221 keys closed last year with an average room rate of RM207 and an occupancy of 72 per cent.
This year, it hopes to garner RM250 and fill 70 per cent of its room inventory.
It also operates 132 units in Lanson Place Kondominium No 8, which consists of purely residential apartments.
Where next in Malaysia for Lanson Place? Laird said it could be keen on Penang and Kota Kinabalu in Sabah if the right properties become available and the destinations can support high-end serviced apartments.
But its more immediate priority is to upgrade Lanson Place Ambassador Row in 2013 to lift the product and position it further up- market.
By Business Times
Lanson going places
GUESTS of Lanson Place serviced apartments, who are used to the level of service by the group, will be pleased to know that it plans to triple the number of properties within the next three to five years.
Lanson Place Hospitality Management Ltd, a Wing Tai Asia Group company, is also looking at representations in several new destinations like Vietnam, Indonesia, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan and Australia.
This expansion will also see the number of rooms triple.
"Within the next three- to five- year period, our internal goal is to have 20 properties and 3,000 keys (apartment units)," the management company's senior vice president Graeme Laird said.
"It is ambitious and will all depend on having the right human resources in place", he added.
Lanson Place has a presence in Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong and China. In Malaysia, the properties are owned by Wing Tai Malaysia Bhd, which was previously known as DNP Holdings Bhd.
Laird, during a recent visit to Kuala Lumpur from Hong Kong, told Business Times that the expansion could be pure management contracts for its group properties or for others or those where it takes equity.
Lanson Place now has seven properties with a total of 1000 keys. Six of the properties are serviced apartments, while its sole property in Hong Kong is a hotel.
According to Laird, the group is working on introducing two accommodation categories - a premier model that is likely to be called Lanson Place Residences and one which is a rung below, called the Lanson Place Apartments.
The former will typically have 100 to 150 keys while the latter between 150 and 250 keys. Keys refer to the main door as serviced apartments can be a one-, two- or three-bedroom unit.
Currently, Lanson's two top performing properties are located one each in Beijing and Shanghai in China.
The first Lanson Place property commenced operations in 1998 in Singapore. Immediately thereafter, Lanson Place Kondominium No 8, a residential development, and Lanson Place Ambassador Row in Kuala Lumpur opened in the same year.
When asked about competition, especially in Kuala Lumpur where there has been a mushrooming of serviced residences, Laird said: "Our product is different from our competitors. Our style and finishing is of high quality. And so is our standard of service."
"You just have to arrive with a suitcase and be at home immediately," he said.
It positions itself to go beyond expectations in service standards.
If you are a guest from Lanson Place having dinner at a restaurant outside and it starts to pour, don't be surprised if a Lanson Place staff shows up at the restaurant's door just so he can hand over an umbrella to you.
By Business Times
Bina Puri upbeat on cracking RM1b mark
BINA Puri Holdings Bhd, which is expanding its business, is bullish that revenue will surpass RM1 billion this year, its chief said.
"This year is all about execution of projects and finishing existing jobs. We expect 2011 to be one of our better years since our listing in 1995," group managing director Tan Sri Tee Hock Seng told Business Times.
In 2010, Bina Puri secured projects worth RM2.5 billion. Among the contracts it won were the Ampang light rail transit line extension, the low-cost carrier terminal in Sepang, the Kuala Lumpur-Kuala Selangor Expressway privatisation project and building ramps and a main line bridge for the Eastern Dispersal Link in Johor.
The company hopes to maintain the rate of new contracts this year by securing RM2.5 billion worth of work.
It has bid for building and infrastructure projects worth over RM2 billion, in Malaysia, Thailand, Brunei and the Middle East.
For the nine months ended September 30 2010, Bina Puri posted a net profit of RM8.13 million on revenue of RM861 million. In 2009, Bina Puri made RM6.4 million on revenue of RM780.1 million.
Tee said the company's order book of RM3.3 billion will help improve its earnings for the next two to three years.
Meanwhile, Tee said Bina Puri is on a drive to expand its property division, which contributes less than 10 per cent to its revenue and net profit.
Bina Puri ventured into property development in the 1980sas a boutique developer.
Some of its prime projects include Bukit Idaman township in Selayang and Jesselton Condominium in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.
Tee expects contribution from the division this year to be in the region of 15 per cent with RM900 million worth of housing projects in Klang Valley, Johor and Sabah.
"We want to expand the division because of the higher margins that can be made from property development. We don't want to be too dependent on construction, which is harder to take on," Tee said.
By Business Times
Malaysia woos luxury hotel brands
Bulgari, Armani and Versace may no longer be just luxury retail brands found in Malaysian malls, as property developers think about bringing in their hotel brands too.
With brands like Grand Hyatt, Mandarin Oriental and Four Seasons already here while St Regis and Raffles have confirmed openings, developers are eyeing fresh and popular hotel brands.
"Developers are now beginning to look at Waldorf Astoria and also various designer-linked brands like Bulgari Hotels & Resorts, Palazzo Versace, Armani Hotels & Resorts," vice president of the Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) Ivo Nekvapil told Business Times in an interview recently.
If these brands make their way to our shores, they are likely to be located either in Kuala Lumpur or on Langkawi island.
Nevertheless, Nekvapil feels that sub-brands or brands that come under their more familiar parent company name should be considered as they have potential in Malaysia.
These would include brands like All Seasons and Ibis which are Accor brand hotels and Hilton Garden Inn, a Hilton group brand.
He explained that these brands have international recognition and as such Malaysia too needs these brands to give the country world recognition.
Meanwhile, when asked about the hotel scene in Klang Valley this year, Nekvapil said that there could be an addition of some 2,000 rooms in the four- and five-star hotel/serviced residence category.
Additional rooms this year will come from the opening of Somerset Ampang Kuala Lumpur, Best Western KL Sentral, Park Regis Kuala Lumpur and Pullman Kuala Lumpur Bangsar.
On occupancy and rates in the Klang Valley, Nekvapil said that 2011 could end with an average room rate (ARR) of RM360 for lower end five-star hotels and about RM500 for higher end five-star category hotels. Occupancy this year could finish at about 68 per cent.
Mandarin Oriental still leads the pack, and is now drawing an ARR of around RM700.
Last year, occupancy ended at around 65 per cent and ARR of between RM200 to RM320 per night.
Malaysia had its highest occupancy of over 70 per cent in 2007.
By Business Times