Luxury Housing Trends & Home Improvement Ideas

When gas fireplaces first came out, they did their best to mimic real wood-burning fireplaces, but today designers are abandoning the old ways to create obviously artificial but very unique models.

Napoleon’s GT8 Torch is “an ultra modern direct vent fireplace with a slim, single flame design.” Direct vent means it doesn’t need a chimney, so it can be installed just about anywhere in the house.

Perhaps you’d like a fireplace over the bed? Or next to the bathtub? In the kitchen? Those are all options with a direct vent model. Since the Torch fireplace allows for zero clearance installation, it can be built into new construction or added to an existing home.

Behind the heat-resistant ceramic glass, porcelain reflective panels echo the flames throughout the unique prism shaped firebox. You can appreciate the artistic look of this fireplace even as you’re warmed by the flames.

Napoleon Gas Fireplaces

If you like the idea of taking a bath in a deep pool instead of in a squished up little rectangle, then a nice deep soaking tub may be for you.

The Blue Moon bathtub from Duravit has a 140 x 140 cm square body and features a deep (530 mm) round pool-like tub inside. “Immerse yourself in water with mood-setting colored lights; the body is completely surrounded by water with only the back touching the tub, giving a pleasant feeling of weightlessness.”

Oh, and did I mention that it has whirlpool jets too?

The Blue Moon tub can be installed in a corner, against a wall, or freestanding in the center of your bathroom.

Duravit

‘Tis the season for Star Wars fans to rejoice: the Star Wars nutcracker set is here!

“These are the nutcrackers handcrafted from hardwood to depict the iconic characters from the Star Wars movies: Darth Vader, R2-D2, and Yoda. Darth Vader stands 10″ tall and is draped in a vinyl cape, capped by his signature black helmet. He holds his red lightsaber and is decorated with details including vinyl boots, his breathing apparatus, and chest control unit. R2-D2 stands 7″ tall displaying his hand painted circuitry; his anterior louvered vents conceal the ‘cracker.’ Master Jedi Yoda stands 7 1/2″ tall with his walking stick and his humble burlap robe.”

Alas, the nutcracker is non-functional, so it’s more of a collectible type thing (too bad, because I wouldn’t mind using R2-D2 to crack open some Brazil nuts!). It could be a fun Christmas gift for a Star Wars geek though.

$99.95 from Hammacher Shclemmer:

The Star Wars Nutcracker Set

A relaxing soak in the bathtub can be great after a long day, but it’s kind of a drag when the water gets cold before you’re ready to get out. For those of us who like to take a book in the tub and stay a while, this is especially noticeable. The solution? A heated bathtub, of course.

Many of the tub models from MTI Whirlpools can be ordered with a radiant heat option.

The technology warms the interior surface of the tub. Turn on the heat while you’re filling the bath, and by the time the tub is full, the walls will be warm as well. Not only is the water around you warm, but the tub is warm against your back too.

The heated tubs come with three different levels, so you can choose a warmth zone that’s just right for you. Get one of these tubs, and you’ll never find yourself sitting in lukewarm water again!

Tired of peering into dark bathroom or kitchen cabinets? Why not spread some light on the situation?

No, you don’t have to stick lamps in your cabinets. Just replace your shelves with Eluma aluminum frame LED panels.

Perfect for residential use, the LED panels are custom manufactured with tempered etched glass, energy efficient LED lights, and they are powered with safe low voltage 12 V DC. The panels emit light from all directions, so they can brighten up the area above and below.

Aside from kitchen and bathroom cabinets, other possible applications include displays, back splashes, and modesty panels. You can get different finishes and even different colors of LED lights, so lighting up your cabinets can be about style as much as functionality.

Now, isn’t that better than sticking a lamp inside?

From Element Designs

Have you ever gone to touch up the paint on a wall or maybe your deck only to realize you’re out of the original paint and you have no idea what that particular hue is called? Then you find yourself standing at the paint store, staring at a plethora of choices and trying to make a best guess. This is especially likely to happen if you’ve moved into a new house and all the painting was done by the last occupants.

Well, instead of guessing, you might want to test those walls with the Color Helper from Color Savvy.

This little tool is “a hand-held device that utilizes digital technology and color science to instantly read and recommend the best color from a palette of nearly 18,000 shades from all major paint manufacturers.”

Not only can it identify colors so you can buy more of the same, but it can also make suggestions if you want to harmonize a new color with your starting color.

In addition to reading paint on walls, it can read and make suggestions for fabrics, so if you want to choose a paint color that matches your sofa, or even buy pants that go with your sweater, this can be a handy tool (especially if you’re a bit color-coordination challenged).

$229

I’m always drawn to simple, minimalist looks. I’m not sure whether it stems from aesthetic appreciation for that style or the fact that it’s easy to keep things clean when there aren’t a lot of decorative nooks and nobs to clean around. Either way, I dig the simple lines of the single-lever Yota faucet from Dornbracht.

“The YOTA has a wonderfully minimalist design with a subtly curved interplay between spout and handle. It harmonizes beautifully with contemporary and progressive ceramics and bathroom designs.”

You can get a tall version meant to pour into a vessel sink, a shorter version (shown here) perfect for an in-counter sink, or a three-hole model that trades the single lever for separate hot and cold controls.

http://www.dornbracht.com/en/

I had the Home & Garden Channel on in the background the other night, and they were running a show about the “Top 10 Amazing Kitchens.” This onyx counter top, which is lit from within by LEDs, caught my eye.

As they say, “Who needs anything on the walls when you have 1,900 lbs. of onyx countertops illuminated from within by 1,600 LED lights?”

Obviously you’re not going to pick something like this up at Home Depot, but if you’re remodeling your kitchen and working with a designer to create custom pieces, a few (thousand) LEDs can really make an impression!

You can get a little more information, and a couple more pictures of this “amazing” kitchen, at the HGTV site.

Ever notice how cats like to perch on high objects?

Well, this cat bed is only a foot or so off the ground, but it’ll give your feline friend an elevated view of the house while he naps. And since the sides curve upward to fit his body, he’ll feel snug, secure, and warm in this bed.

The work of designer Jed Crystal, the podium cat bed is made from molded foam and features a Sherpa fleece-lined interior (sounds comfy to me). The powder-coated steel base should help this feline nap spot last for years to come.

$119 at Generate Design: Podium Bed

If you’ve got a foyer area, and you want it to wow visitors, the floor is a great place to start.

Hardwood flooring is beautiful, and marble flooring is beautiful, but if you want something truly memorable, why not combine the two?

That’s what the homeowners here did: their foyer floor is made from prefinished Brazilian Cherry and features marble insets.

It was the work of Treeborn Floors, a Michigan-based contractor that specializes in installing and repairing hardwood floors as well as creating decorative borders, medallions, inlays.

Some of our other posts have featured hardwoods combined with other materials, too, so check those out for more ideas:

• Hardwood Floor Tiles Interwoven with Marble

• Brick and Wood Floors
• Limestone and Oak Flooring