So, you've got a luxury apartment in the city, a few supercars in the garage, but want a unique mansion in the forest? If so, then look no further than House Paarman by South African studio Malan Vorster. This tree mansion offers stunning views overlooking the forest, complete with four square reflection pools. It's comprised of four cylindrical units that symbolize trees, each with a tree trunk-like steel pillar with branch-like beams, along with circular rings to support the upper floors. Continue reading for more pictures and information. Click here for a few bonus images.
Samsung's SmartThings Home Monitoring Kit lets you control and secure your home from anywhere, all for $174.99 shipped, today only, originally $249. Use these devices together with the free Samsung SmartThings app to automatically turn on lights if there is movement in your home; control lights and small appliances from the palm of your hand; receive alerts if doors and windows are opened unexpectedly; and much more. Product page. Continue reading for a hands-on video review and more information.
Forget brick making factories, the BMM-300 is a giant locomotive / zamboni hybrid machine that pumps out nearly 300 bricks per minute. The machine is filled with the necessary materials, piped through the inner workings, and then molded directly into a brick. Lastly, the bricks are rolled down the massive wheel, which lays them out and are ready for use immediately. Continue reading for another video.
Located in the historic Collins Waterfront district, the amazing Pine Tree House, built by South African firm SAOTA has a giant waterslide that leads into a gigantic pool. If you'd rather swim on the beach, there's also a basketball court, as well as a convertible indoor/outdoor living area. The interior is just as stunning, with a kitchen and dining room on the first floor, while bedrooms are joined by a family room and master suite on the second floor. For those warm summer nights, there's a rooftop terrace that overlooks the adjacent canal. Continue reading for more pictures and information.
Measuring in at 450-square-feet, the Phoenix House by ArtisTree on Hawaii's Big Island sits right at the base of Mauna Loa, the world's most active volcano. It's completely off-the-grid, powered by solar energy, and made from recycled materials. Water is up-cycled from fallen rain. Continue reading for more pictures and information.
Styrofoam is great for many things, including these earthquake-proof homes in Japan. Each piece is glued together to create a dome that weighs around 80kg, and the finished product can be used as permanent residences, guesthouses or even small hotels in rural areas. "The beads in conventional polystyrene are expanded about 50% to 60% the original size of the styrene monomer, causing the absorption of a large amount of oxygen. Japan Dome House has developed a method which only expands the styrene monomers about 20% and minimizes the absorption of oxygen. This makes the material much stronger than conventional foam while keeping its highly insulating qualities," according to RealEstate.co.jp. Continue reading for another video, more pictures and information.
Sure, you could just cool your beers / beverages in a normal refrigerator, but why waste precious space and / or electricity, when there's Biersafe? This Underground Beer Cooler uses dirt as insulation, and keeps up to 16 beers chilled inside a plastic tube that measures about three and a half feet deep. Plus, it also boasts a built-in bottle opener at the top of the rack. Continue reading for a longer demonstration video and more pictures.
Apple unveiled "HomePod" speaker at WWDC on Monday as it moved to challenge Amazon Echo and Google Home as a smart home and music hub. Powered by the Siri digital assistant, it's designed to work with the Apple Music subscription service and can produce rich sound while tapping into the artificial intelligence power of Siri. The device is also a potent assistant for news, messages, weather, traffic, home controls and more. Continue reading for another hands-on video and more information.
Honeywell's HT-900 TurboForce Air Circulator is perfect for intense personal cooling or energy-saving air circulation, and it's being offered for just $10.25, today only, originally $11.33. It's 25% quieter than similar models, and can be used on a table or mounted to a wall for convenience. Its head pivots 90 degrees with 3 speeds and a 7 inch blade. Product page. Continue reading for a hands-on video review and more information.
Nearly invisible from above, Villa Ypsilon by Lassa Architects seamlessly blends into a hill atop Greece's Peloponnese peninsula. It boasts a unique "Y" that separates the living space into three separate areas, surrounded by sheltered patios that look out over the bay. Continue reading for more pictures and information.
