A Cool Spaces home at 100 Jillian Way in South Hanover Township.

This article highlights the Harlem townhouse at 1989 Madison Avenue, formerly owned by Nina Persson, lead singer of The Cardigans, and her husband, Nathan Larson. They purchased the six-bedroom, four-bath home in 2007 and resided there until 2015 before moving to Malmö, Sweden. The Cardigans' hit song "Lovefool" is noted for its enduring popularity, appearing in various films and TV shows. Known as The Harlem House, the brownstone has been meticulously updated and renovated, now functioning as a rental configured into two family units. It boasts over 4,200 square feet of interior space and an additional 700 square feet of private outdoor space. The five-level home's current layout is detailed across its various floors. The garden level features a modern open-plan kitchen and dining area, a rear bedroom, and a flagstone-paved enclosed back garden. The parlor level houses a large living room at the front and a primary bedroom suite with a private terrace at the rear. The third floor includes another bedroom and a spacious open-plan great room with dining, lounging areas, and a contemporary kitchen. The top floor offers a second primary suite, a smaller bedroom, and a media room. The basement provides a fitness area, laundry facilities, and three storage units. A notable characteristic of this townhouse, contrasting with many New York City townhomes, is its abundance of natural light, facilitated by oversized windows that illuminate the central spaces. Architectural and design elements throughout the home include three fireplaces with distinctive mantels, both exposed and painted brick walls, high ceilings, intricate moldings, extensive built-in storage, wide doorways, solid wood doors, custom kitchen cabinetry with opaque glass, and hardwood floors, some featuring an attractive herringbone pattern. The bathrooms are designed with style, incorporating clawfoot tubs, pedestal sinks, wainscoting, subway tiles, black-and-white tile floors, and exposed radiators. Unit 1 is a two-bedroom, two-bath duplex, easily convertible into a three-bedroom layout, with access to the basement and two private outdoor spaces. Its new kitchen is equipped with marble countertops, an island, and top-of-the-line appliances. Unit 2, accessible via its own private stoop entrance and a restored original staircase, offers three or potentially four bedrooms, an oversized primary en-suite, a washer/dryer, and a similarly renovated kitchen featuring an island, marble countertops, and premium appliances. The surrounding Harlem neighborhood has experienced significant development, now offering numerous restaurants and retail options, including a Whole Foods and a new Trader Joe’s. The home's location is convenient, being close to the 125th Street shopping corridor and equidistant from Marcus Garvey Park and Harlem River Park. Cultural attractions in the vicinity include the Apollo Theater and the National Jazz Museum in Harlem. #HarlemTownhouse #LuxuryRental #HomeRenovation #HistoricHome #HarlemRealEstate #NinaPerssonHome #ArchitecturalDetails #NYCRealEstate #TownhouseLiving

The article highlights the innovative Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) house designed by Susan Jones of Atelier-Jones in Seattle. This project is significant for several reasons, primarily its use of CLT, a material praised for its sustainability and structural benefits. The house, though relatively small at 1500 square feet, is built on a challenging triangular lot, showcasing how design ingenuity can overcome site limitations. Its construction also incorporates near-passive house standards, emphasizing energy efficiency and healthy living. Cross-laminated timber is a recurring topic on TreeHugger due to its environmental advantages. It is made from wood, a renewable resource, and effectively sequesters carbon, making it a carbon sink. CLT is strong enough to substitute steel and concrete in taller buildings, offering a more sustainable alternative. A crucial benefit of using CLT, as highlighted in the article, is its potential to utilize lumber affected by the mountain pine beetle epidemic. Billions of board-feet of pine-beetle infested wood are available, and using them in construction prevents them from rotting and releasing carbon, thus turning a ecological problem into a resource. Beyond its environmental credentials, CLT offers superior living qualities. Houses built with CLT are noted for being almost entirely silent, providing excellent acoustic insulation. The material also exhibits high resistance to fire and earthquakes, as demonstrated in Europe where 4,000 CLT houses were built to replace structures destroyed by an earthquake in northern Italy in 2009. The Susan Jones CLT house is one of the first of its kind in Seattle and among a small number in North America, signaling a potential shift in construction practices. Jones' design for the Seattle house is particularly complex due to the triangular lot. Instead of a straightforward rectangular structure, the design includes intricate angles and a distinctive notch along the long side. This design element not only maximizes natural light penetration but also subtly defines and separates interior spaces, such as the living and dining areas. The roof design further exemplifies this complexity, with panels carefully mitered in Structurlam's factory in Penticton, BC, ensuring a perfect fit during on-site assembly. The engineering challenge was addressed by Harroitt Valentine, who designed a tension ring to secure the structure. Interior aesthetics embrace the natural beauty of CLT. The wood is left largely exposed, showcasing its warm tones and natural textures. The article mentions the use of beetle-damaged wood in the cores of some panels, recognizable by its blue hue, which adds a unique visual characteristic. The internal walls are finished with a sealer, allowing the wood to be the primary visual element. Attention to detail is evident in features like the custom-routed patterns in the master bedroom wall, which required extra effort during manufacturing but resulted in a beautiful effect. The seamless detailing of windows within the CLT walls also contributes to the overall refined appearance. Further emphasizing its sustainability, the house is constructed to almost Passive House standards. It features an orange Wrapshield vapor-permeable air barrier and a thick layer of Roxul rock wool insulation, significantly reducing reliance on foam and lowering embodied energy. The use of specialized Heco Topix screws for strapping the insulation indicates a meticulous approach to construction quality. While air tightness for full Passive House certification is still being tested due to electrical wiring drilling through the wood, the overall commitment to healthy and sustainable materials is paramount. The exterior cladding uses Shou sugi ban, a charred wood finish that is both aesthetically pleasing and durable. This project serves as a compelling example of sustainable, healthy, and beautiful residential architecture, demonstrating the potential of CLT and advanced green building techniques. #CLTHousing #SustainableArchitecture #GreenBuilding #CrossLaminatedTimber #PassiveHouse #ShouSugiBan #SeattleArchitecture #EcoFriendlyDesign #CarbonSequestration

A couple residing in South Orange’s Academy Heights neighborhood sought to transform their 1905-built, 2,300-square-foot home with a first-floor, open-concept renovation. Having previously lived in a rustic Tribeca loft and an Art Deco home in South Orange, the homeowners desired to infuse their new dwelling with a loft-inspired aesthetic while also restoring its historical integrity. The house, purchased after a flipper had stripped its original character, presented a unique challenge to interior designer Sarah Storms of Maplewood, who collaborated with architect Jung Lee Masters and contractor United Carpentry. The design objectives included blending the homeowners' distinct personalities: the wife favoring color, pattern, and maximalism, and the husband preferring a sleek, industrial style. A key element in achieving the loft-like feel was the kitchen, where raw brick walls, typical of loft spaces, were emulated by resurfacing the backsplash with brick from counter to ceiling. This detail aimed to evoke their former Tribeca residence and add warmth. The kitchen features custom Omega cabinetry painted in Sherwin Williams Bunglehouse Blue, complemented by stainless appliances, an oversized quartz island with wraparound seating, and a rustic butcher-block prep table made from reclaimed American black walnut. Sculptural pendants by Visual Comfort and the prep table itself were selected to reflect the couple's appreciation for Parisian cafés. Adjacent to the kitchen, a wet bar showcases an Artistic Tile backsplash, whose kaleidoscopic colors served as the inspiration for the entire first floor's palette. The contemporary dining area, designed as a visual contrast to the kitchen, incorporates Danish-designed furniture from Ethnicraft, establishing a strong Scandinavian influence. The living room presents a mix of color and style, featuring a verdant-green Bernhardt sofa in custom mohair fabric and comfortable swivel chairs. A 40-inch black-and-white marble coffee table by Made Goods serves as a focal point, augmented by a 1970s-inspired arc floor lamp by Regina Andrews. An inherited 1951 baby grand piano is juxtaposed with an abstract artwork from Wendover, contributing to a "Soho gallery-ish" ambiance. The hallway is designed in Benjamin Moore White Dove, providing a clean, gallery-like space punctuated by a black door and a large-scale original artwork by Hayley Mitchell. Further into the home, a mudroom features custom cabinetry in Benjamin Moore Firefly Yellow, creating a bright and sunny atmosphere. This is balanced by bold blue Scalamandré Zebras wall covering and a bespoke floor-tile design. The theme of highly graphic Scalamandré wallpaper is extended into an eye-popping powder room, which also includes Hudson Valley lighting and a compact sink. The homeowners expressed significant satisfaction with the design process and the final outcome, noting that the designer successfully merged their individual preferences and delivered a result beyond their expectations. The renovation successfully transformed the home by modernizing its function while reintroducing a sense of historical depth and incorporating desired urban loft elements. #HomeRenovation #InteriorDesign #LoftInspired #SouthOrange #OpenConcept #KitchenDesign #MudroomDesign #EclecticStyle #HistoricalModernization

Justin and Hailey Bieber's living room is a prime example of ultra-minimalist design, characterized by a predominantly neutral color palette. This aesthetic choice is maintained across various design elements, from the furniture to the decor. Despite the simplicity of the color scheme, the space avoids appearing dull or sterile through the strategic inclusion of intelligent and statement furnishings and accessories. The selection of these items provides dynamic and engaging visual interest, preventing the minimalist approach from becoming monotonous. A key feature of the Biebers' living room is a modular sofa, which exemplifies functionality and adaptability within a minimalist setting. This type of sofa allows for various configurations, offering flexibility in how the space can be used and perceived. The sofa's design likely contributes to the overall uncluttered look while still providing comfortable seating. The interplay of minimalist structure with versatile elements like the modular sofa ensures that the room remains both practical and aesthetically pleasing. According to Lisa Conway, marketing manager at heritage carpet company Brintons, a neutral color palette is particularly well-suited for rooms where significant time is spent, such as bedrooms or living rooms. Conway emphasizes that relaxing tones are crucial for creating a harmonious and happy living space. She highlights that while neutral schemes can risk appearing dull, the texture of the carpet plays a vital role in preventing this outcome. For instance, alternative flooring options like wood or tiles might make a room feel stark and bare. In contrast, a soft woven wool carpet, combined with accessories made from materials like cashmere, mohair, and linen, can effectively soften the overall look and create an inviting ambiance. The article subtly implies that the Biebers' living room incorporates such textural elements and thoughtful layering to complement its neutral foundation. The use of varied textures adds depth and warmth, ensuring that the minimalist design does not feel cold or unapproachable. This approach demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of interior design, where simplicity is balanced with tactile richness to create a refined and comfortable environment. The overall design strategy in the Biebers' living room suggests that true minimalism is not merely about sparsity, but about careful curation and the judicious selection of pieces that contribute to both form and function. The thoughtful combination of a neutral palette, a functional modular sofa, and rich textures creates a living space that is both understated and sophisticated. It showcases how a minimalist design, often perceived as challenging to make engaging, can be transformed into a dynamic and inviting area through deliberate choices in furnishing and decor. The result is a living room that is highly adaptable, visually appealing, and conducive to relaxation, reflecting a modern approach to home aesthetics. #JustinBieber #HaileyBieber #MinimalistDesign #LivingRoom #ModularSofa #InteriorDesign #NeutralPalette #ModernLivingSpace #HomeDecor