Category Archives: Unusual homes

Sears Catalog Home Capitol

Posted on December 19, 2010 | 1 comment

The village of Downers Grove Illinois, USA lures tourists with an unusual concentration of Sears do-it-yourself catalog homes.

Sears Catalog Home

Sears is an American department store famous for its elaborate catalogs. From 1908 to 1937, a person could order an entire house from this catalog. All the parts were measured and sawed at a Sears factory and delivered to the customer. Mostly transported by train, as the homes sometimes filled up to two boxcars. Prices ranged from $150 to $5,000.

Sears catalog home

Downers Grove was home to a large rail yard, which made it easy for Sears to deliver the home to its residents. Most of the catalog homes, in fact, are located within four blocks of the tracks that are still there.

Some 300 were assembled in Downer’s Grove, and many still exist. Visitors to this town can do walking or driving tours.

Sears catalog home 'Vallonia'

Coincidence has it that I will be in the area in about a week. I am definitely taking the tour!

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Posted in Design, designers and online finds, Famous buildings and movie locations, See how others live, Unusual homes

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Cape Town’s own Frank lloyd Wright

Posted on November 26, 2010 | Leave a comment

Cape Town based architect Antonio Zaninovic recently designed this private residence at the base of Table Mountain. Despite it being a very modern structure in rich contrast with the natural surroundings, it does not impose itself onto the landscape. Preferable to some buildings that are designed to resemble natural structures but hopelessly fail to fit in.

Image courtesy of The Cool Hunter

Bridle Road Residence, as the home is called, is reminiscent of homes designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Open structures, glass facades broken by small metal panes.

 

Image courtesy of The Cool Hunter

Image courtesy of the Cool Hunter

The Santiago, Chile-born, Zaninovic graduated from the University of Chile’s School of Architecture in 2000 and spent five years at Steven Harris Architects in New York before establishing his own practice in 2005 with Madrid, Spain-born architect, Ana Corrochano.

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Posted in Design, designers and online finds, Homes of the rich and famous, See how others live, Unusual homes

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Diane von Furstenberg’s Manhattan rooftop studio

Posted on November 19, 2010 | Leave a comment

Inventor of the much appreciated wrap around dress, American Diane von Furstenberg Studio’s recently moved all her business ventures into one building. The new headquarters fit perfectly in New York City’s fashionable Meatpacking District. The six-story building has been beautifully restored in keep with the surrounding buildings. But once inside be prepared to be surprised. The center of the building consists of one gigantuous stairway slicing the building diagonally past all floors. One corner of the structure is topped by an Olot, Spain-made faceted glass sphere that is part of the penthouse suite.

Photo © Elizabeth Felicella

Basically, von Furstenberg wanted to bring together her business’s activities in one building that would include a flagship store on the street level, a 5,000-square-foot showroom and event area, along with office space for 120, plus her own office and living quarters. How’s that for working from home?

New York based architecture firm Work Architecture Company (WORKac) was in charge of the renovation and design.

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Posted in Design, designers and online finds, Famous buildings and movie locations, Homes of the rich and famous, See how others live, Unusual homes

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350 square feet turns into 20 different rooms

Posted on August 19, 2010 | 1 comment

Hong Kong’s most in demand commodity is space. It is not uncommon for families sharing an apartment of 350 square feet or smaller, often with a tenant occupying one of the rooms too. But living in area’s that small call for creative solutions. Hong Kong based designer Gary Chang decided to transform his tiny flat in a stylish studio that has room for a library, a walk in wardrobe, a kitchen, a guest bed, a bathroom with tub, and much more. Making use of sliding walls, he can transform the place into 20 different rooms.

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Posted in Design, designers and online finds, See how others live, Unusual homes

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