Category Archives: Homes

Architecture: A Mountain Chalet Near Lake Tahoe, Northern California

After vacationing in the Sierra Nevada near Donner Summit for years, architects Sherry Scott and John Kosich built their 1,900-square-foot concrete, wood, and stone home in the mountains of California near Lake Tahoe. Home owners Sherry and John discuss the environmental and construction challenges of their part-time home. Read the story here: https://www.dwell.com/article/modern-…

English Country Homes: Little Wolford Manor, Cotswolds, Warwickshire

According to its Historic England listing, Little Wolford Manor dates from the late 15th or early 16th century, and although there have been 16th-, 17th- and 20th-century additions, Little Wolford Manor still follows the original medieval plan, its focal point being the great hall with its vaulted roof and hammer beams, minstrels’ gallery and huge fireplace.

Penny Churchill, May 16, 2021

An April 1957 piece in the now defunct The Antique Collector describes Little Wolford Manor, in the timeless timeless south Warwickshire village of Little Wolford, as a house ‘of truest Cotswold type… a small gem of Cotswold rural craftsmanship with many well-preserved features in wood as well as in stone’.

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English Country Homes: The Old Rectory Near Beeston, North Norfolk

Mixing the right amount of luxury and comfort with a Shakespearean inspired garden, The Old Rectory near Beeston in north Norfolk has a charming moat that surrounds three-quarters of the property, a Willow tree that frames the water and a wooden Monet-style bridge that crosses the moat?

Beeston is a town in Nottinghamshire, England, 3.4 miles south-west of Nottingham city centre. To the immediate north-east is the University of Nottingham’s main campus, University Park. 

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Design Views: The Appeal Of ‘All-Wood Kitchens’

“During moments of crisis people return to natural materials.” And indeed, after a year in which most of us have clocked more time than ever in our home kitchens, the tide has turned toward materials that feel rustic, rough-hewn, and intensely comforting.

“We try to use as much wood as clients will let us,” admits Aujla of the material that has been fundamental to the Green River Project ethos from the jump. The firm recently outfitted a kitchen in New York’s Rockaway, Queens, neighborhood, with coffee-stained lauan and mahogany. “The rougher the wood, the harder it is to clean, but it has a much warmer feel and a softer touch,” explains Bloomstein, who paired the natural material with stainless steel in heavier-use areas to make cleaning easier. The look, he admits, requires a rather adventurous client.

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Lakefront Villa Tours: Lake Iseo, Lombardy, Italy

On the shores of Lake Iseo, at the foot of the Alps and right in front of Monte Isola, 16th-century manor villa with botanic park. The building, over 1,500 sqm, is the typical noble villa with ample frescoed halls, huge windows and direct view over the lake.

With a total of 9 bedrooms (and the possibility of creating more) the property is well suited both as a private residence and as an accommodation business.

The botanic garden, a masterwork by the biologist Fenaroli who here experimented if it was possible to cultivate kiwi in Italy, covers 2.1 hectares and is home to peculiar and exotic plants.

Lake Iseo or Iseo lake, also known as Sebino, is the fourth largest lake in Lombardy, Italy, fed by the Oglio river. It is in the north of the country in the Val Camonica area, near the cities of Brescia and Bergamo. The lake is almost equally divided between the Provinces of Bergamo and Brescia. 

Coastal Homes: Puerto Escondido, Mexico (Video)

When Aranza de Arino and Caludio Sodi hired S-AR architects, the ground rules were, The house could not exceed 1,075 sq. ft. and Aranza and Claudio could specify the number of bedrooms, beyond that, it was carte blanche. Watch how this young firm for Monterrey answers the question, “What does it mean to design a vacation home for Mexico today?”

Read the story here: https://www.dwell.com/article/casa-co…

Puerto Escondido is a port town and resort on Mexico’s Pacific coast in the state of Oaxaca. It’s known for its many beaches and buzzing nightlife. The town’s central Principal Beach is lined with palm trees and thatch-roofed bars. Busy Zicatela Beach is renowned for its Mexican Pipeline surf break. Neighboring La Punta Beach has smaller waves. Carrizalillo Beach is set in a cove backed by steep cliffs. 

English Estates: ‘Heath House’ – Staffordshire

Leave your wellies at the door. This 19th Century farm in rural Staffordshire looks less farm, more Downton Abbey. Sitting in a cool 404 acres of land, The Heath House Estate is palatial in all aspects (with not a stray chicken in sight).

It’s hard to know where to begin with a property of this magnitude. The main house (could we try the world ‘palace’?) is a spectacular Grade II-listed, Tudor Gothic mansion, designed and built by Thomas Johnson of Litchfield. With five reception rooms, 14 bedrooms, two flats and a service wing, you’re certainly not short on space.

The main house boasts tall, ornate ceilings, beautiful fireplaces and large, grand rooms, and is not hard to see why this property is listed due to its historical and architectural importance.

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Analysis: How Electricity Bills Have Risen Over Time

Retail energy companies compete with local utilities to give U.S. consumers more choice. But in nearly every state where they operate, retailers have charged more than regulated incumbents, meaning you may be paying more for your electricity than your neighbors. Here’s why. Photo Illustration: Jacob Reynolds