EARTH DAY INSPIRATION:: GREEN HOMES

On Earth Day, nothing is more appropriate than looking at some modern homes that are also eco-friendly.

Thanks to ever evolving technology, today we don’t have to choose between looks or sustainability and when those two get together in a beautiful green design, we can’t help but stop, stare and admire.

Like this home in California that has drought-resistant grasses planted on its flat rooftops to provide passive cooling and hidden solar panels that provide enough electricity to operate the entire home.

Photo Credit: One Kind Design

Photo Credit: One Kind Design

In this Singapore home made with bamboo, outside and inside areas come together into one, giving every room lots of natural ventilation instead of relying on energy wasting air conditioning.

Photo Credit: Design Rulz

Photo Credit: Design Rulz

Photo Credit: Design Rulz

And this house in Croatia allows for plenty of natural light to come in, saving energy on electricity.

Photo Credit: Fresh Home

In this house in India every room is open on two sides for a breeze and sunlight to come in. The pool also uses rainwater stored in a 60,000 liters water tank and most of the materials in the home’s construction were recycled.

Photo Credit: One Kind Design

Photo Credit: One Kind Design

Just like in this home in Australia that is made with reclaimed wood…

Photo Credit: Decoist

Photo Credit: Decoist

And this one in Portland that has upcycled beams.

Photo Credit: Hammer and Hand

Green never looked so good!

DESIGN PROJECT :: THE GAS PLANT BUILDING

Most people think of design as an interior process but sometimes our work takes us outdoors too. That was the case with our Furnish Me Vintage project.

The Gas Plant Arcade building located in the heart of downtown St. Petersburg on Central Avenue was built in the 1920s and over the years it became the little ugly duckling on the block, in desperate need of a good makeover. 

Photo Courtesy of Furnish Me Vintage

And we can’t even blame it for letting its looks slip. This 30,000 square foot building was said at one time to have a chicken factory on the fourth floor!

When the new owners Jackie & Todd Wilson of Furnish Me Vintage bought the building last year, though, its time finally came to be transformed. Furnish Me Vintage is widely known for its vast selection of Mid Century Modern furniture so the outside of the building needed to reflect all of the fabulous finds that were inside. At the same time, we didn't want to take away from the industrial warehouse feel that it had always had.

Photo Credit: A Traveling Broad

So we kept is simple, a neutral gray that will withstand the lovely St. Petersburg sunshine, emphasizing some of the architectural elements with another shade of gray. 

Photo Credit: Native House Photography

We then added 30 linear feet of Brazilian Teak up the center to really take advantage of the height, and finally placing the signage atop the teak was the icing on the cake for us. 

Photo Credit: Native House Photography

The result was a beautiful swan of a building. We love it! They now have furniture on all four floors. They also have a functioning glass garage door for events and other fun things to come. We balanced it by designing custom mullions on the other side and finished it all off with some decorative sconces — the jewelry to a building that looks as beautiful as all the furniture it houses.

Photo Credit: Native House Photography

INSPIRATION: How Are You Greeted?

Front doors are the perfect way to express your unique style on the exterior of your home and welcome your guests in your own way. Whether you prefer a simple greeting or a colorful, modern twist there are countless ways to take your front door to the next level. 

For the less adventurous, simply adding a decal or a pattern to your front door can create a playful, welcoming entry way. Displaying your address or a fun greeting on your front door is a creative way to spice up the exterior of your home.

Image Credits: Etsy, Leen the Graphics Queen, Pinterest

For the more adventurous out there bold colors as well as more unconventional color combinations may be more your style. An unexpected yellow door or even smalls pops of a more outrageous color can change a traditional exterior to a more modern one. 

Image Credits: Home Talk, flickr, flickr, Beau Monde Luxury Villas

I hope you get inspired this summer to go a little crazy with your entryway and use some of these fun ideas to dress up your front door. Want more ideas for your door? Check out our Pinterest Board "Front Doors" for more ideas.