Luxury Housing Trends & Home Improvement Ideas

Well, the Christmas decorations are on sale at the local grocery story, so I guess it’s not too early to write about Christmas wreaths, live Christmas wreaths that is. If you like the idea of a wreath made from live succulents, check out Margee’s Original Living Wreaths Collection. Since they are planted in a central growing medium, the succulents can live for a year or longer, assuming proper watering and pruning. Wreath sizes run from 14-24 inches and cost $150-$325 plus shipping. Also available are star- and heart-shaped wreaths as well as custom pieces.

http://www.livingwreath.com/

Rainforest marble has distinctive veining that makes it a great focal point in areas like countertops, backsplashes, fireplace surrounds, vent hoods, and as accents amongst larger stones. The exotic marble is quarried in India and has wildly varied streaks of color that some have likened to fossils of ancient life forms. Because Rainforest marble is so dramatic, it’s best used for focal points rather than large-scale applications. The cost is between $4 and $8 per square foot, depending on finish and format.

http://www.walkerzanger.com

Say goodbye to folding dining room tables and tables that expand via awkward drop leafs. Century Furniture’s Radial dining table puts a new spin on expandable tables. If you turn the 60 inch round top, it glides apart to make room for eight “fence post” extensions that increase the table’s diameter to 84 inches. Designed by Oscar de la Renta, the Radial table costs $22,850. (I guess those of us who can’t afford that price tag are stuck with the folding dining room tables after all.)

http://www.centuryfurniture.com

Looking for a replacement for that eye-sore recliner hogging a corner of your living room? How about a zero-gravity chair? Don’t worry–it’s not as science fictiony as it sounds. Interactive Health’s Perfect Chair pivots back to cradle your body so your feet are above your heart. The position is supposed to approximate weightlessness (hence the zero-gravity name), and it takes the weight off the spine, which is said to promote back health. The price for the Perfect Chair ranges from $1,399 to $1,799.

http://www.interhealth.com/n/

The plethora of hurricanes hitting the Gulf has many people thinking of ways to storm-proof their homes, and new homes are being built as “Fortified Homes.” The Institute for Business & Home Safety, a nonprofit in Florida, has recently launched a “Fortified…for safer living” program for new home construction. The program helps educate home buyers and home builders on affordable upgrades designed to increase the home’s disaster-resistance (not just against hurricanes, but against tornadoes, wildfires, and other natural disasters).

Here’s a look at some of the options they recommend:

• Insulating concrete forms (ICFs) that combine concrete and energy-efficient rigid foam.
• Stronger roofs that are able to withstand storms and wildfires.
• Energy-efficient windows, doors, and garage doors that are rated to withstand significant impacts.
• Connections to tie a home together from roof to foundation, so the structure can handle 130mph winds.
• Sealed attics with at least four inches of insulation.

Fortified homes don’t necessarily cost a lot more, but they can make a big difference when disaster strikes. For more information visit http://disastersafety.org or check out “Fortified Homes,” an article in the Nov/Dec 2005 issue of Smart Homeowner.

Many people enjoy watching birds visit seed bags or birdhouses in their yard. If you’ve got a nice house, you might not want some dumpy old birdhouse from Fred Meyer hanging from the eaves. To address this, Modern Birdhouses has come up with classy architecture for birds. Inspired by famous 20th century architects, the “modernist” birdhouses are hand-made from teak. An oil finish protects them from the elements, and stainless steel hardware prevents rust and corrosion. The birdhouses have a 1 3/8″ opening, big enough to accomodate visitors such as wrens, bluebirds, and chickadees. The prices for these designer birdhouses range from $150 to $175, depending on the model.

http://www.modernbirdhouses.com/

I’m not sure a pineapple chandelier would fit my decor up here in Seattle, but for those living in sunny, warm climates who like that tropical look, you need to take a peek at Charleston Gardens. They have three pages of pineapple inspired decorations such as doormats, doorknockers, outdoor lamps, fencing, doorstops, and yes, this pineapple chandelier. This six-arm light fixutre has green metallic leaves, comes with a 3″ chain, and takes 40-watt bulbs. The price is $725.

https://www425.ssldomain.com/charlestongardens/

Glass blocks are a popular choice for privacy windows in bathrooms since they allow in light but make it hard for people to see inside. In warmer climates, windows can really heat up the house though. To combat that, Hy-Lite has introduced Solar Block Plus, glass blocks with a smoky gray tint that is designed to prevent solar heat gain. The blocks can be incorporated into operable and non-operable windows, and they meet Energy Star requirements for the US southern zone.

http://www.hy-lite.com

Are you tired of plain old woven rugs? Looking for something with a little more texture? Island Stone offers a selection of round mosaic pebble rugs like the tan and black one shown here. According to their site, the pebbles originate from the “exotic isles of Indonesia.” The standard size on the round rugs is one meter in diameter, but they will also do custom rugs. Not sure where to put a pebble rug? Island Stone recommends: “…set into your floor or pathway… wonderful, on a feature wall or on the bottom of your swimming pool… stunning, set into a tabletop or in a commercial foyer…”

http://www.islandstone.com

Here’s a gadget for the kitchen that’s designed to get your meat and poultry done to perfection every time. Put out by Williams Sonoma, the meat thermometer counts down cooking times and automatically adjusts itself if the cooking process is faster or slower than anticipated. When your meat or poultry is almost done, it alerts you with your choice of voice or beep. The thermometer costs $29.95 and is available via the Williams Sonoma web site.

http://www.williams-sonoma.com