Sunlight Residence is a Proto Homes project.

Belgian architectural firm dmvAdesigned ‘blob VB3′, a mobile unit for the office of xfactoragencies as an extension to the ‘house’.

The  space – egg house consists of a bathroom, kitchen, lighting, a bed and several niches for storage. The nose can be opened automatically and functions as a kind of porch. It easily transportable and can also be used as an office, guestroom or garden house.

Polyester was the primarily material used in construction of the ‘blob VB3′.

The blob can be opened the front and side as you can see in the above pictures.

Project info: blob VB3
Design: dmvA
Principal: rini van beek/ xfactoragencies
Team: david driesen, tom verschueren, thomas denturck
Location: anywhere/ mobile
General contractor: AD&S thomas denturck
Constructional engineer: AD&S
Built area: 20 m2
Completion 2009

This unusual burned furniture idea comes form Kaspar Hamache, a young designer from Belgium. The project is called ‘Ausgebrannt’, which in German means “burned out”.

Made out of tree trunks, these small, but functional stools and tables were intentionally burned in order to create an uncommon aesthetic effect. Why use paint and dedicate half a day to making a chair look good, when you can burn things instead? We don’t know about you guys, but we happen to find the outcome interesting and think this type of furniture set would go nicely in a small garden or even in some public spaces. This is also the type of “do-it-yourself” design, so if you like the photos below, need a few extra seating items and have some wood in your back yard, feel free to experiment!

Unity should be one of your main goals in your design. It may be better understood and applied as consistency and repetition. Repetition creates unity by repeating alike elements like plants, plant groups, or decor throughout the landscape. Consistency creates unity in the sense that some or all of the different elements of the landscape fit together to create a whole. Unity can be achieved by the consistency of character of elements in the design. By character, I mean the height, size, texture, color schemes, etc. of different elements.  The principle applies to all other elements such as groups of plants and materials. A simple way to create unity in your landscape is by creating themes.

Simplicity is actually one of the principles in design and art. It’s one of the best guidelines you can follow as a beginner or do it yourselfer. Just keep things simple to begin with. You can do more later. Simplicity in planting, for instance, would be to pick two or three colors and repeat them throughout the garden or landscape. Keeping decor to a minimum and within a specific theme as well as keeping hardscapes such as boulders consistent is also practicing simplicity.

Balance in design is just as the word implies. Equality. There are basically two types of balance in landscape design. Symmetrical and Asymmetrical. Symmetrical balance is where there are more or less equally spaced matching elements of the garden design. With a garden equally divided, both sides could share the same shape, form, plant height, plant groupings, colors, bed shapes, theme, etc. You may remember creating something like this when you were a kid in art class at school. Where you take a piece of paper, splash paint on it, fold it in half, unfold it, and then it magically creates an interesting symmetrical design. So symmetrical balance or design is somewhat of a mirror image or reflection. Asymmetrical balance on the other hand is one of the principles of landscape design that’s a little more complex. While textures, forms, colors, etc. may remain constant to create some unity, shapes and hardscapes may be more random. This form of balance often has separate or different themes with each having an equal but different type of attraction.

Color adds the dimension of real life and interest to the landscape. Bright colors like reds, yellows and oranges seem to advance toward you and can actually make an object seem closer to you. Cool colors like greens, blues, and pastels seem to move away from you and can make an object seem farther from you. Grays, blacks, and whites are considered neutral colors and are best used in the background with bright colors in the foreground. However, to increase depth in a landscape, you can use dark and coarse textured plants in the foreground and use fine textured and light colored plants in the background.

Natural transition can be applied to avoid radical or abrupt changes in your landscape design. Transition is basically gradual change. It can best be illustrated in terms of plant height or color but can also be applied to all elements in the landscape including but not limited to textures, foliage shape or size, and the size and shape of different elements. In other words transition can be achieved by the gradual, ascending or descending, arrangement of different elements with varying textures, forms, colors, or sizes.

Line is of the more structural principles of landscape design. It can mostly be related to the way beds, walkways, and entryways move and flow. Straight lines are forceful and direct while curvy lines have a more natural, gentle, flowing effect.

Proportion simply refers to the size of elements in relation to each other. Of all the principles of landscape design, this one is quite obvious but still requires a little thought and planning. Most of the elements in landscape design can be intentionally planned to meet the proper proportions. For instance if you are creating a small courtyard garden, an enormous seven foot garden statue placed in the center would be way out of proportion and a little tacky to say the least. Or a small four foot waterfall and pond placed in the center of a large open yard would get lost in the expanse.  Proportion is relative and elements can be scaled to fit by creating different rooms in the garden. The goal is to create a pleasing relationship among the three dimensions of length, breadth, and depth or height.

Repetition is directly related to unity. Its good to have a variety of elements and forms in the garden but repeating these elements gives variety expression. Unity is achieved by repeating objects or elements that are alike. Too many unrelated objects can make the garden look cluttered and unplanned. There’s a fine line here. It’s possible that too much of one element can make a garden or landscape feel uninteresting, boring and monotonous.

Collecting leaves with the aid of a garden leaf blower is considerably less time-consuming and less back breaking work when compared to using a garden rake or other such tools. The general idea of a leaf blower is pretty straightforward. A high-speed fan is surrounded by a cover. Tubes are then connected to the side of the fan to focus the air current (up to around 200 miles per hour in some units) in the direction you want to move the leaves.

What do I need to consider?

First of all consider the size of your garden and your exposure to fallen leaves. Do you have a large yard? If you have only a small garden and no trees or bushes then you will not need a garden leaf blower, but if you have a large garden and wish to have it looking clean at all times then a garden leaf blower would be a wise investment and a great time saver for you.You will want to bear these factors in mind when you consider the features of the different models.

Garden leaf blowers come in all shapes and sizes depending on their use.

Leaf blowers include both small one-hand models and powerful, professional types which can be carried in a harness on your back. Consider one with a harness particularly if you suffer from back or neck problems, as the harness will take a good deal of the load off your shoulders and arms.

Consider too, the blowing speed and air volume the different models put out, as a high blowing speed would cut down the time needed for the blowing operation. Most garden leaf blowers will have a rating of 350 to 600 cubic feet of air per minute (CFM).

A low vibration level would also be preferable with ergonomic handles and harnesses to help you to work more efficiently with less strain on the hands, arms and shoulders.

Handheld garden leaf blowers can be generally divided into two groups: those that can collect leaves and those that can’t. With a garden leaf blower you can do much more than just move leaves. It can also be used to collect rubbish, grass clippings, hedge clippings, and empty tin cans.

Your choice of garden leaf blower should have an efficient system to minimise vibrations in the parts of the machine that you or the user comes in contact with.

Make a note of the weight of each type of garden leaf blower too, as some blowers can weigh as much as 25lb or 12kg. You’d have to be doing an awful lot of blowing to be needing the 25lb model!

Consider too, a model with the ability to vacuum all you leaves into a bag rather than blowing them all away. Another great time saver when it comes to disposing of the leaves. An extra mulching feature is available on some leaf blower/vacuums. Mulched lawn debris can be used in compost piles or bagged for disposal. Most of these convert easily from blowing to vacuuming mode.

Making your choice between an electric or gas-powered unit isn’t always easy! Gas blowers are more powerful, but electric ones are quieter.The engine should be powerful and easy to start if you choose a gasoline model. Do you live in a busy neighborhood where a quieter operation would be appreciated? Or is your yard massive with lots of trees, making a powerful unit the only real option?

Choose a model within your price range with the best selection of features. You can expect to pay anywhere between $100 and $500 for a decent garden leaf blower, depending upon the specifications you choose.

Mechanical pest control is usually the most cost effective and if implemented before a vast infestation takes place can produce desired results. Mechanical methods include hand picking (such as pulling weeds) and traps (such as a mouse trap). Mechanical methods of pest control are usually the most environmentally friendly.

Biological pest control includes insecticides that are derived from plants or other naturally occurring substances such as microorganisms.

Chemical pest control includes the use of more toxic synthetic pesticides. Chemical pest control is not environmentally friendly and is never considered as an organic method of control.

“Integrated Pest Management is the coordinated use of pest and environmental information along with availablepest control methods, including cultural, biological, genetic and chemical methods, to prevent unacceptable levels of pest damage by the most economical means, and with the least possible hazard to people, property, and the environment”. (Proceedings of the National Integrated Pest Management Forum. 1992. American Farmland Trust).

Integrated Pest Management stresses the use of complementary methods of pest control such as the introduction of natural predators. This method of pest control is much more ecologically sound than relying on chemical methods.

The first step in pest control is to identify the problem. Particularly when plants are involved, the problem may involve poor growing conditions instead of an attack from an invasive pest. Sometimes identifying the pest is obvious, if you see a mouse scurrying across the floor it is obvious you have need for pest control. The next step is to identify how serious the infestation is, or is this just one mouse that has found its way into your home, or is there a family of mice that has taken up habitation in your home. One mouse can often easily be eradicated using a mouse trap or possibly the family cat. However if you have a large infestation of mice, you may need to resort to stronger chemical methods or find it necessary to hire a professional exterminator to rid your home of the pest problem.

The first thing to do when starting your rock garden is to carefully look over the proposed site for your garden. You should clear the area of unwanted plants, such as spindly grass varieties and diseased trees and plants. Be sure to dig out the roots as well as the tops, or you may find your rock garden invaded at some later time by an unwanted fern or intrusive perennials.

If you plan to do some planting, make sure you test the soil to determine its level of acidity and its general pH. It is a good idea, even after you have placed your rocks and mapped out where you want to put any plants, to wait a full growing season before you attempt to plant in your rock garden. This will ensure that the soil has settled, and it will give you a chance to make sure that you have got rid of any pesky weeds by hoeing them out, root and all, as soon as they make their appearances above the ground. It is also desirable to mix in such soil enhancements as mulch, compost, and other compounds. If you plan to use plants that like soils with alkali, you should mix in crushed oyster shells or limestone.

After you have improved the soil, then it is time to place your rocks. It is important for aesthetic purposes not to evenly space your rocks, or to choose rocks of the same size and shape. A little variety in the types of rocks used is as desirable as a little variety of plants chosen to place in a more conventional garden. If you wish to have a great deal of plants, then your rocks should be spaced further apart to give more room for the vegetation. If, however, you plan to use plants only sparingly, arrange them closer together, but make sure that you allow some room for plants to grow. Try to make the design look as natural as possible, as it will be more attractive.

When placing the rocks in a garden that is sloped, it is best to start at the low parts of slopes and work up. Try to slope the top of the rock back toward the slope so that water from rain and sprinklers is guided downward. Additionally, try to keep outcroppings from overshadowing rocks and plants below. The goal is to create a feeling of stability. Set each rock so that its widest side serves a base. You can also set a larger rock on top of smaller rocks and then fill in the cracks with soil.

If you are placing the rocks on flat ground, work from the inside toward the outer edges of the garden. If you are planning a circular garden, or a rock garden in some other shape that is surrounded by other landscape features, this can be tricky. Therefore, it is a good idea to mark out which rocks you would like on a map so that you can ensure their proper placement in the garden. It may be necessary, on a flat site, to build up small mounds of dirt in different places to give the rock garden an interesting appearance.

If you plan to use plants in your garden, you should be careful to plant them after everything else is in place, and after you have a chance to make sure the soil is properly settled. Early spring or early autumn are the best times to do any planting, including planting in rock gardens. Make sure you choose plants that are suited for rugged terrain and adapted to your climate. Then, plant them in the spaces you have designated. The end result should be a beautiful garden that requires little upkeep.

I am sure you remember the Play Ground, Play Table and the Secret Garden Table. What i am about to present you is a bit similar to these two projects, except for the “create it yourself” part.

Around the internet there are many tutorials about how to create a mini terrarium of a glass bottle or something similar by yourself. Although what if you want a professionally made mini terrarium? Lítill offers six different kits of such terrariums. Each of them includes the unique container, sand, and a selection of special plants. All Lítill’s mini terrariums differs in size and shape because glass vessels are hand-blown. Although the price for such beauties ranging from $150 to $800, if you’re interested and ready to pay for the perfect tabletop decorating object, you should be able to make your own out of “scratch”.

This underground secret urban lounge inspired both by English sculpture gardens and turn of the century brasseries of Paris has been reinvented; entrance to the pub is down the basement steps through the hidden door clad in silk boxwood that is surrounded by adroit graffiti.

Commercial Silk Int’l was contacted to provide the boxwood panels that were seamlessly installed. The realistic silk wall plants honor the alluring atmosphere of a fantastic childlike mirage that travels room-to-room with structural columns covered with boxwood wall plants to semiprivate lounges where guests enjoy the tasteful and sophisticating ambiance.

The silk boxwood panels offer a contrasting texture next to the lounge’s plush furniture and oversized seating. A variety of materials smooth to delicate – like the boxwood plant wall – balances the organic qualities of the contemporary theme. This subterranean lounge was designed with a creative and tasteful guest experience in mind.
Beyond the basement door dressed in silk boxwood, to the grand candle lit tasting table, this lounge will entertain with only the wonderment of a subterranean experience.

“We developed the design of the weft of threads as a “connecting dots” game, looking for a ergonomic radius seating. The result is the 540 milimeters radius (~22 inches). We developed a contemporary product, but with a strong emotional interaction. This kind of threads were part of our childhood in the garden seats of the interior of Brazil. This nostalgic reference is evident in this product.”