11 Homes That Embrace Wabi-Sabi Design

Balloon arches are becoming increasingly popular, especially when small helium tanks, balloon decorating strips and other…

Discover Jungla House, a breathtaking modern home nestled in the tropical forest of Santa Teresa, Costa…

VILLA KIVI Villa Kivi is a new generation log home on a tiny island in Finnish archipelago designed for himself by Finnish designer Vertti Kivi. Polar Life Haus, a Finnish wooden house manufacturer, was quick to pick it up for their collection. ‘The whole development process of the house was guided by our goal to bring the interior of the house together with the spectacular surroundings. We wanted to be part of sunset, snowstorm and even autumn storm on his tiny island in Finnish archipelago’, tells designer Vertti Kivi, the head of dSign Vertti Kivi & Co. ‘The starting point was a clear glass cube but we ended up creating glass walls reaching from the floor level up to the ceiling only to three sides of the structure. The north side with its separate sleeping rooms and bathroom is constructed of massive black wood beams that are in clear contrast to the glass and create feeling of cosyness and safety. Large terraces in one level create a sense of continuity between inside and outside. The floor plan is defined by Scandinavian clearness. The heart of the villa is the kitchen, located next to the entrance, and from there you can see the entire open interior and the surrounding sea. We like to think the kitchen island is like a DJ’s desk – the atmosphere of the whole interior space is created right there with the remote controlled lighting system. To guarantee the privacy of the bedrooms, they are located in the outermost corners of the villa, separate from each other. They too have one wall completely made of glass. An extra attention is paid on the details of the villa. Not a single molding can be found in the entire building. The doors have a hidden frame and they too reach from the floor to the ceiling. Drama and strong feeling are created by massive wooden surfaces and their color choices – snow white lacquer on the floor creates a contrast to the dark walls. To make the battened external walls coal black, we developed a special technique based on hundreds of years old Japanese traditions. In the evening, the atmosphere changes with different lighting schemes that can be timed to be in sync with nature. The end result is a clean-lined building in Scandinavian style which can be adapted to different needs and locations. It has a strong Finnish presence.

Refined yet playful, hand-crafted yet modern, Moxy Chelsea reimagines the urban jungle, blending botanically-inspired design with Italian romance. It truly is The Flower District’s new secret garden. Standing 35 stories tall, our hotel features four new dining and drinking concepts by TAO Group and Francesco Panella. Topped off with a spectacular glass-enclosed rooftop lounge that transforms into an alfresco veranda, at the touch of a button, Moxy Chelsea also offers a caffè, ristorante, and a cocktail bar and co-working lounge offering a gourmet take on Italian street food. Our hotel is a sensory overload perfectly suited for fun hunters. From the moment you walk into the property — through an overgrown flower shop — to opening your guest-room and taking in the mesmerizing city views, Moxy Chelsea throws everything it’s got for you to play with. And it’s a lot. With DJ appearances, a made-for-Moxy bocce drinking game on the terrace, rooftop fitness, meditation, reiki classes, floral workshops, and pizza-making classes, to name a few. One might wonder why you should ever leave, were it not for the location. Chelsea is one of New York’s most iconic ‘hoods, brimming with galleries, bars and restaurants. Moxy Chelsea is just steps from landmarks such as The High Line, Madison Square Park, Flatiron Building, Hudson Yards and more. Rest assured that back #atthemoxy, the super star crew will cater to all your needs. Cheers!

Situated in Tulum, this small boutique hotel rises between the trees, in which the main concept consisted in preserving 70% of the existing vegetation in order to build around it. By achieving this, every space of the project is always in relation to its natural surroundings. The hotel has five 50m2 lodges, formed by a double height room, a mezzanine or “tapanco”, a terrace and an indoor-outdoor bathroom. At the back of the lot the social areas are located, with a dining space and yoga pavilion hanging in cantilever over the pool. The main idea of this water element is to be extruded from the ground in between the vegetation. For this reason, two old zapote trees were preserved, which look as they were rising from the pool itself. All the project is composed by local materials, as well as low maintenance and natural textures, which provide a warm atmosphere to the buildings. A particular finish found on the walls is “chukum”, a Mayan stucco characteristic of the region, which uses a tree resin to give its distinctive color, appearance and durability. The objective was to use materials that age with dignity, so that with the passing of time the architecture acquires character and a deeper sense of belonging. The different volumes of the complex are scattered along the lot, between the trees and stone paths, which provide a sensation of being in a small village in the Mayan jungle. Throughout the design process there was a search for pure forms and natural materials that could blend with the surrounding context. In a sense, Jungle Keva is like an abstraction or simplification of vernacular architecture, easy to read, simple and with a social, natural and economic conscience.