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Fantasy Guide to Interiors

As a followup to the very popular post on architecture, I decided to add onto it by exploring the interior of each movement and the different design techniques and tastes of each era. This post at be helpful for historical fiction, fantasy or just a long read when you're bored.

Interior Design Terms

Reeding and fluting: Fluting is a technique that consists a continuous pattern of concave grooves in a flat surface across a surface. Reeding is it's opposite.

Embossing: stamping, carving or moulding a symbol to make it stand out on a surface.

Paneling: Panels of carved wood or fabric a fixed to a wall in a continuous pattern.

Gilding: the use of gold to highlight features.

Glazed Tile: Ceramic or porcelain tiles coated with liquid coloured glass or enamel.

Column: A column is a pillar of stone or wood built to support a ceiling. We will see more of columns later on.

Bay Window: The Bay Window is a window projecting outward from a building.

Frescos: A design element of painting images upon wet plaster.

Mosaic: Mosaics are a design element that involves using pieces of coloured glass and fitted them together upon the floor or wall to form images.

Mouldings: ornate strips of carved wood along the top of a wall.

Wainscoting: paneling along the lower portion of a wall.

Chinoiserie: A European take on East Asian art. Usually seen in wallpaper.

Clerestory: A series of eye-level windows.

Sconces: A light fixture supported on a wall.

Niche: A sunken area within a wall.

Monochromatic: Focusing on a single colour within a scheme.

Ceiling rose: A moulding fashioned on the ceiling in the shape of a rose usually supporting a light fixture.

Baluster: the vertical bars of a railing.

Façade: front portion of a building

Lintel: Top of a door or window.

Portico: a covered structure over a door supported by columns

Eaves: the part of the roof overhanging from the building

Skirting: border around lower length of a wall

Ancient Greece

Houses were made of either sun-dried clay bricks or stone which were painted when they dried. Ground floors were decorated with coloured stones and tiles called Mosaics. Upper level floors were made from wood. Homes were furnished with tapestries and furniture, and in grand homes statues and grand altars would be found. Furniture was very skillfully crafted in Ancient Greece, much attention was paid to the carving and decoration of such things. Of course, Ancient Greece is ancient so I won't be going through all the movements but I will talk a little about columns.

Doric: Doric is the oldest of the orders and some argue it is the simplest. The columns of this style are set close together, without bases and carved with concave curves called flutes. The capitals (the top of the column) are plain often built with a curve at the base called an echinus and are topped by a square at the apex called an abacus. The entablature is marked by frieze of vertical channels/triglyphs. In between the channels would be detail of carved marble. The Parthenon in Athens is your best example of Doric architecture.

Ionic: The Ionic style was used for smaller buildings and the interiors. The columns had twin volutes, scroll-like designs on its capital. Between these scrolls, there was a carved curve known as an egg and in this style the entablature is much narrower and the frieze is thick with carvings. The example of Ionic Architecture is the Temple to Athena Nike at the Athens Acropolis.

Corinthian: The Corinthian style has some similarities with the Ionic order, the bases, entablature and columns almost the same but the capital is more ornate its base, column, and entablature, but its capital is far more ornate, commonly carved with depictions of acanthus leaves. The style was more slender than the others on this list, used less for bearing weight but more for decoration. Corinthian style can be found along the top levels of the Colosseum in Rome.

Tuscan: The Tuscan order shares much with the Doric order, but the columns are un-fluted and smooth. The entablature is far simpler, formed without triglyphs or guttae. The columns are capped with round capitals.

Composite: This style is mixed. It features the volutes of the Ionic order and the capitals of the Corinthian order. The volutes are larger in these columns and often more ornate. The column's capital is rather plain. for the capital, with no consistent differences to that above or below the capital.

Ancient Rome

Rome is well known for its outward architectural styles. However the Romans did know how to add that rizz to the interior. Ceilings were either vaulted or made from exploded beams that could be painted. The Romans were big into design. Moasics were a common interior sight, the use of little pieces of coloured glass or stone to create a larger image. Frescoes were used to add colour to the home, depicting mythical figures and beasts and also different textures such as stonework or brick. The Romans loved their furniture. Dining tables were low and the Romans ate on couches. Weaving was a popular pastime so there would be tapestries and wall hangings in the house. Rich households could even afford to import fine rugs from across the Empire. Glass was also a feature in Roman interior but windows were usually not paned as large panes were hard to make. Doors were usually treated with panels that were carved or in lain with bronze.

Ancient Egypt

Egypt was one of the first great civilisations, known for its immense and grand structures. Wealthy Egyptians had grand homes. The walls were painted or plastered usually with bright colours and hues. The Egyptians are cool because they mapped out their buildings in such a way to adhere to astrological movements meaning on special days if the calendar the temple or monuments were in the right place always. The columns of Egyptian where thicker, more bulbous and often had capitals shaped like bundles of papyrus reeds. Woven mats and tapestries were popular decor. Motifs from the river such as palms, papyrus and reeds were popular symbols used.

Ancient Africa

African Architecture is a very mixed bag and more structurally different and impressive than Hollywood would have you believe. Far beyond the common depictions of primitive buildings, the African nations were among the giants of their time in architecture, no style quite the same as the last but just as breathtaking.

Rwandan Architecture: The Rwandans commonly built of hardened clay with thatched roofs of dried grass or reeds. Mats of woven reeds carpeted the floors of royal abodes. These residences folded about a large public area known as a karubanda and were often so large that they became almost like a maze, connecting different chambers/huts of all kinds of uses be they residential or for other purposes.

Ashanti Architecture: The Ashanti style can be found in present day Ghana. The style incorporates walls of plaster formed of mud and designed with bright paint and buildings with a courtyard at the heart, not unlike another examples on this post. The Ashanti also formed their buildings of the favourite method of wattle and daub.

Nubian Architecture: Nubia, in modern day Ethiopia, was home to the Nubians who were one of the world's most impressive architects at the beginning of the architecture world and probably would be more talked about if it weren't for the Egyptians building monuments only up the road. The Nubians were famous for building the speos, tall tower-like spires carved of stone. The Nubians used a variety of materials and skills to build, for example wattle and daub and mudbrick. The Kingdom of Kush, the people who took over the Nubian Empire was a fan of Egyptian works even if they didn't like them very much. The Kushites began building pyramid-like structures such at the sight of Gebel Barkal

Japanese Interiors

Japenese interior design rests upon 7 principles. Kanso (簡素)- Simplicity, Fukinsei (不均整)- Asymmetry, Shizen (自然)- Natural, Shibumi (渋味) – Simple beauty, Yugen (幽玄)- subtle grace, Datsuzoku (脱俗) – freedom from habitual behaviour, Seijaku (静寂)- tranquillity.

Common features of Japanese Interior Design:

Shoji walls: these are the screens you think of when you think of the traditional Japanese homes. They are made of wooden frames, rice paper and used to partition

Tatami: Tatami mats are used within Japanese households to blanket the floors. They were made of rice straw and rush straw, laid down to cushion the floor.

Genkan: The Genkan was a sunken space between the front door and the rest of the house. This area is meant to separate the home from the outside and is where shoes are discarded before entering.

Japanese furniture: often lowest, close to the ground. These include tables and chairs but often tanked are replaced by zabuton, large cushions. Furniture is usually carved of wood in a minimalist design.

Nature: As both the Shinto and Buddhist beliefs are great influences upon architecture, there is a strong presence of nature with the architecture. Wood is used for this reason and natural light is prevalent with in the home. The orientation is meant to reflect the best view of the world.

Islamic World Interior

The Islamic world has one of the most beautiful and impressive interior design styles across the world. Colour and detail are absolute staples in the movement. Windows are usually not paned with glass but covered in ornate lattices known as jali. The jali give ventilation, light and privacy to the home. Islamic Interiors are ornate and colourful, using coloured ceramic tiles. The upper parts of walls and ceilings are usually flat decorated with arabesques (foliate ornamentation), while the lower wall areas were usually tiled. Features such as honeycombed ceilings, horseshoe arches, stalactite-fringed arches and stalactite vaults (Muqarnas) are prevalent among many famous Islamic buildings such as the Alhambra and the Blue Mosque.

Byzantine (330/395–1453 A. D)

The Byzantine Empire or Eastern Roman Empire was where eat met west, leading to a melting pot of different interior designs based on early Christian styles and Persian influences. Mosaics are probably what you think of when you think of the Byzantine Empire. Ivory was also a popular feature in the Interiors, with carved ivory or the use of it in inlay. The use of gold as a decorative feature usually by way of repoussé (decorating metals by hammering in the design from the backside of the metal). Fabrics from Persia, heavily embroidered and intricately woven along with silks from afar a field as China, would also be used to upholster furniture or be used as wall hangings. The Byzantines favoured natural light, usually from the use of copolas.

Indian Interiors

India is of course, the font of all intricate designs. India's history is sectioned into many eras but we will focus on a few to give you an idea of prevalent techniques and tastes.

The Gupta Empire (320 – 650 CE): The Gupta era was a time of stone carving. As impressive as the outside of these buildings are, the Interiors are just as amazing. Gupta era buildings featured many details such as ogee (circular or horseshoe arch), gavaksha/chandrashala (the motif centred these arches), ashlar masonry (built of squared stone blocks) with ceilings of plain, flat slabs of stone.

Delhi Sultanate (1206–1526): Another period of beautifully carved stone. The Delhi sultanate had influence from the Islamic world, with heavy uses of mosaics, brackets, intricate mouldings, columns and and hypostyle halls.

Mughal Empire (1526–1857): Stonework was also important on the Mughal Empire. Intricately carved stonework was seen in the pillars, low relief panels depicting nature images and jalis (marble screens). Stonework was also decorated in a stye known as pietra dura/parchin kari with inscriptions and geometric designs using colored stones to create images. Tilework was also popular during this period. Moasic tiles were cut and fitted together to create larger patters while cuerda seca tiles were coloured tiles outlined with black.

Chinese Interiors

Common features of Chinese Interiors

Use of Colours: Colour in Chinese Interior is usually vibrant and bold. Red and Black are are traditional colours, meant to bring luck, happiness, power, knowledge and stability to the household.

Latticework: Lattices are a staple in Chinese interiors most often seen on shutters, screens, doors of cabinets snf even traditional beds.

Lacquer: Multiple coats of lacquer are applied to furniture or cabinets (now walls) and then carved. The skill is called Diaoqi (雕漆).

Decorative Screens: Screens are used to partition off part of a room. They are usually of carved wood, pained with very intricate murals.

Shrines: Spaces were reserved on the home to honour ancestors, usually consisting of an altar where offerings could be made.

Of course, Chinese Interiors are not all the same through the different eras. While some details and techniques were interchangeable through different dynasties, usually a dynasty had a notable style or deviation. These aren't all the dynasties of course but a few interesting examples.

Song Dynasty (960–1279): The Song Dynasty is known for its stonework. Sculpture was an important part of Song Dynasty interior. It was in this period than brick and stone work became the most used material. The Song Dynasty was also known for its very intricate attention to detail, paintings, and used tiles.

Ming Dynasty(1368–1644): Ceilings were adorned with cloisons usually featuring yellow reed work. The floors would be of flagstones usually of deep tones, mostly black. The Ming Dynasty favoured richly coloured silk hangings, tapestries and furnishings. Furniture was usually carved of darker woods, arrayed in a certain way to bring peace to the dwelling.

Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD): Interior walls were plastered and painted to show important figures and scenes. Lacquer, though it was discovered earlier, came into greater prominence with better skill in this era.

Tang Dynasty (618–907) : The colour palette is restrained, reserved. But the Tang dynasty is not without it's beauty. Earthenware reached it's peak in this era, many homes would display fine examples as well. The Tang dynasty is famous for its upturned eaves, the ceilings supported by timber columns mounted with metal or stone bases. Glazed tiles were popular in this era, either a fixed to the roof or decorating a screen wall.

Romanesque (6th -11th century/12th)

Romanesque Architecture is a span between the end of Roman Empire to the Gothic style. Taking inspiration from the Roman and Byzantine Empires, the Romanesque period incorporates many of the styles. The most common details are carved floral and foliage symbols with the stonework of the Romanesque buildings. Cable mouldings or twisted rope-like carvings would have framed doorways. As per the name, Romansque Interiors relied heavily on its love and admiration for Rome. The Romanesque style uses geometric shapes as statements using curves, circles snf arches. The colours would be clean and warm, focusing on minimal ornamentation.

Gothic Architecture (12th Century - 16th Century)

The Gothic style is what you think of when you think of old European cathedrals and probably one of the beautiful of the styles on this list and one of most recognisable. The Gothic style is a dramatic, opposing sight and one of the easiest to describe. Decoration in this era became more ornate, stonework began to sport carving and modelling in a way it did not before. The ceilings moved away from barreled vaults to quadripartite and sexpartite vaulting. Columns slimmed as other supportive structures were invented. Intricate stained glass windows began their popularity here. In Gothic structures, everything is very symmetrical and even.

Mediaeval (500 AD to 1500)

Interiors of mediaeval homes are not quite as drab as Hollywood likes to make out. Building materials may be hidden by plaster in rich homes, sometimes even painted. Floors were either dirt strewn with rushes or flagstones in larger homes. Stonework was popular, especially around fireplaces. Grand homes would be decorated with intricate woodwork, carved heraldic beasts and wall hangings of fine fabrics.

Renaissance (late 1300s-1600s)

The Renaissance was a period of great artistry and splendor. The revival of old styles injected symmetry and colour into the homes. Frescoes were back. Painted mouldings adorned the ceilings and walls. Furniture became more ornate, fixed with luxurious upholstery and fine carvings. Caryatids (pillars in the shape of women), grotesques, Roman and Greek images were used to spruce up the place. Floors began to become more intricate, with coloured stone and marble. Modelled stucco, sgraffiti arabesques (made by cutting lines through a layer of plaster or stucco to reveal an underlayer), and fine wall painting were used in brilliant combinations in the early part of the 16th century.

Tudor Interior (1485-1603)

The Tudor period is a starkly unique style within England and very recognisable. Windows were fixed with lattice work, usually casement. Stained glass was also in in this period, usually depicting figures and heraldic beasts. Rooms would be panelled with wood or plastered. Walls would be adorned with tapestries or embroidered hangings. Windows and furniture would be furnished with fine fabrics such as brocade. Floors would typically be of wood, sometimes strewn with rush matting mixed with fresh herbs and flowers to freshen the room.

Baroque (1600 to 1750)

The Baroque period was a time for splendor and for splashing the cash. The interior of a baroque room was usually intricate, usually of a light palette, featuring a very high ceiling heavy with detail. Furniture would choke the room, ornately carved and stitched with very high quality fabrics. The rooms would be full of art not limited to just paintings but also sculptures of marble or bronze, large intricate mirrors, moldings along the walls which may be heavily gilded, chandeliers and detailed paneling.

Victorian (1837-1901)

We think of the interiors of Victorian homes as dowdy and dark but that isn't true. The Victorians favoured tapestries, intricate rugs, decorated wallpaper, exquisitely furniture, and surprisingly, bright colour. Dyes were more widely available to people of all stations and the Victorians did not want for colour. Patterns and details were usually nature inspired, usually floral or vines. Walls could also be painted to mimic a building material such as wood or marble and most likely painted in rich tones. The Victorians were suckers for furniture, preferring them grandly carved with fine fabric usually embroidered or buttoned. And they did not believe in minimalism. If you could fit another piece of furniture in a room, it was going in there. Floors were almost eclusively wood laid with the previously mentioned rugs. But the Victorians did enjoy tiled floors but restricted them to entrances. The Victorians were quite in touch with their green thumbs so expect a lot of flowers and greenery inside. with various elaborately decorated patterned rugs. And remember, the Victorians loved to display as much wealth as they could. Every shelf, cabinet, case and ledge would be chocked full of ornaments and antiques.

Edwardian/The Gilded Age/Belle Epoque (1880s-1914)

This period (I've lumped them together for simplicity) began to move away from the deep tones and ornate patterns of the Victorian period. Colour became more neutral. Nature still had a place in design. Stained glass began to become popular, especially on lampshades and light fixtures. Embossing started to gain popularity and tile work began to expand from the entrance halls to other parts of the house. Furniture began to move away from dark wood, some families favouring breathable woods like wicker. The rooms would be less cluttered.

Art Deco (1920s-1930s)

The 1920s was a time of buzz and change. Gone were the refined tastes of the pre-war era and now the wow factor was in. Walls were smoother, buildings were sharper and more jagged, doorways and windows were decorated with reeding and fluting. Pastels were in, as was the heavy use of black and white, along with gold. Mirrors and glass were in, injecting light into rooms. Gold, silver, steel and chrome were used in furnishings and decor. Geometric shapes were a favourite design choice. Again, high quality and bold fabrics were used such as animal skins or colourful velvet. It was all a rejection of the Art Noveau movement, away from nature focusing on the man made.

Modernism (1930 - 1965)

Modernism came after the Art Deco movement. Fuss and feathers were out the door and now, practicality was in. Materials used are shown as they are, wood is not painted, metal is not coated. Bright colours were acceptable but neutral palettes were favoured. Interiors were open and favoured large windows. Furniture was practical, for use rather than the ornamentation, featuring plain details of any and geometric shapes. Away from Art Deco, everything is straight, linear and streamlined.

[saintandrew123]

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[carpenteractivist]

Outdoor Kitchen Ideas From Design, Layout To Home Equipment

When planning your house don't forget to suppose about tips on how to shield your outdoor kitchen. A coated outdoor kitchen is at all times great, however that is not an option for every yard. If you've just invested in high finish appliances, an attractive outdoor sink and dining area - be positive to have covers or ways to guard it 12 months spherical. One of our favorite cabinetry options for each ease and versatility is pre-made stainless-steel cabinets. These are comparatively light-weight, sturdy, and are out there in a wide range of kinds to accommodate any equipment and layout.

Boost the presence of an out of doors kitchen by surrounding it with stunning landscaping. This patio cooking area feels like a lush oasis thanks modern outdoor kitchen ideas to plentiful timber and plantings. Containers planted with colourful flowers adorn the grill space, and string lights provide ambiance from above.

For one thing actually bespoke and original, think about constructing your personal outdoor kitchen. If you've some primary development expertise and the house for a everlasting set-up, a DIY brick-built kitchen is an inexpensive option and one that may be customized to your precise requirements and structure. The location you select for an outside kitchen idea will also have to keep in mind any utilities required, corresponding to water, electrical energy and gas. Pipes can normally be run underground, but will most likely be much less dear to run utilities a shorter distance.

From sink to range and even grilling station, every essential kitchen tools can be simply fit if your house has been geared up with a roomy patio. Ideally, the theme of your outdoor barbecue kitchen house needs to be both darkish brown, black, gray or pink. A mixture of these colors or contrasting themes would also florida outdoor kitchen be a good suggestion. Countertops made with red tiles will also give your outdoor kitchen a recent look. Though slick, custom-built outdoor kitchens are a majestic addition to any backyard, we have a gentle spot for this DIY, rough-around-the-edges fashion of al fresco living.

A roof overhang, as used right here, is one possibility; other small outdoor kitchen ideas for overhead overlaying embody a pergola or an outdoor umbrella. Located on a deck, this simple small outdoor kitchen idea has every little thing a family needs for dining and entertaining. A stretch of concrete countertop adjacent outdoor kitchen builders to the grill offers plenty of area for ingredient prep or serving meals. Whether you're internet hosting a group of associates or dining with your family, carving out an inviting house to loosen up outdoors is a should.

Make a press release together with your coated outdoor kitchen by combining a chrome steel grill and different appliances with rustic stone. Add a wooden pergola to additional pull the house together and provide some shade and relief from the heat. Installing a fan or growing climbing roses or ivy to offer extra coverage can help maintain the kitchen even more cool and comfortable backyard kitchen ideas for the chef. Add this Hampton Bay Hard Top Grill Gazebo to your outdoor kitchen to maintain the grill master comfy as they prepare a backyard feast. With the interior storage shelves and counter tops, you probably can hold all of your grilling tools, seasonings, and items ready and in attain. The open sides of the gazebo also allow the countertops to double as serving buffets for beverages or food.

Canons and regulations, conservation, lighting and adjustments from local weather variations must be a prime consideration. The best outdoor kitchen ideas let you live outside once the temps rise above 72 degrees. More and extra outdoor kitchens south florida owners are in search of ways to bliss out in their own backyard, whether that means constructing the right celebration patio or a perch for morning coffee with the birds.

Your appliances, furniture and food prep areas should also be designed for climate circumstances in your space and set as a lot as stop any cooking mishaps or fires. Add some fun to your outdoor kitchen designs by building a easy wood deck and creating a modern cabin within the woods kitchen for your backyard. Incorporate a smoker or a grill into the wood cupboards with cabinets and cupboards for extra storage. Add a seating space and a transportable heater to create a cushty and comfy leisure area. While the iconic Big Green Egg, which bakes, roasts and barbecues, ranges in worth from £795-£1,795.

It’s finest to have a combination of the various counter tops included in your outdoor kitchen design because it allows for optimum functionality and adaptability. You can’t go incorrect either method, but the favoring opinion is built-in grills for outdoor kitchens as a outcome of they typically supply a sleeker extra professional outdoor florida kitchens look. The draw back is when you move, it’s a lot harder to deliver your grill with you. Freestanding grills have the advantage of mobility however lack the glossy look of their integrated cousins. If you’re starting your project from scratch, contemplate including in a rangehood, double facet burners and build-in a stainless-steel grill.

This is a good design fashion if you’re on a budget however still want an area to entertain or have a few quiet drinks with associates on a Sunday afternoon. These bar stools look nice with black framing and picket florida outdoor kitchens seating underneath a big and long benchtop. A nice selection for enjoyable and watching baseball with a few buddies on a heat summer’s day.

[ukworktops]

Mediterranean-Style House

11 Historic Mediterranean-Style House Decors

Read Full Article Here

Work-tops.com

GUIDES 5 minute read

Well, it is time to go on a Mediterranean-style house tour to clarify how interesting a diligently built Mediterranean-style house can be. The format can change every time, but not the novel culture.

Have Any Idea About Mediterranean-Styled Homes?

We love the fusion of old and new elemental architecture and thought of helping you to put up the best Mediterranean-styled homes. So, it is generally a home with a unique personality from the outside and inside. They are symmetrically even with long enormous doors and caved arches. Typical Mediterranean-style house showcase more authentic European elements like red roof tiles, stucco walls, arches, and enclosed outdoor patios are frequent components of attractive exteriors. These Mediterranean-style residences exhibit classic design that is appealing worldwide.

Mediterranean Styled Kitchens

The tiniest details will make the Mediterranean-styled kitchens beautiful; a little warmth, earthy-toned furniture, and organic applications make the space more Scandinavian, which usually influences any European-authentic interior. Homeowners who wish for this kind of kitchenette should pick any colour between brown and beige. It is not mandatory that the countertops must have the same and simple layouts; for a change, try a linear cut or a commercial butcher block. Colourfully Tiled backsplashes are a must-have in any rustic kitchen, followed by exposed back doors, tiny herbs, retro curtains, and carpets.

Raw iron utensils, carved chimneys, metal framed windows, etc. It can add depth to your usual kitchens.

Frequently Asked Q&A What is the Popular Countertop Material for Mediterranean Kitchens? Natural and sustainable materials are prudent. Mediterranean kitchens are very popular with natural countertops, such as tile, stone, teak, and wood.

What Stone can be Used for Mediterannean Styled Fireplaces? The most preferred stone for a Mediterannean styled fireplace surround is Granite. One of the most long-lasting and resilient forms of stone is this one. Granite has a surface that is resistant to scratches, making it very durable. Additionally, Granite has a good level of heat endurance and is extremely hard to chip or shatter.

What is a Stucco Wall? It is employed in architecture as a sculptural and aesthetic material and a decorative coating for exterior walls, ceilings, and interior walls. Stucco can be applied to building materials such as metal, expanded metal lath, concrete, cinder block, clay brick, and adobe for ornamental and structural purposes.

[10odmdigital]

Here's what nobody will tell you about your home's exterior

People often forget to pay attention to their home’s exterior as much as they do to the interior. Most houses are built with little to no space in between, making them more prone to damage by external factors like wind, rain, seepage, animals, etc. Besides this, standard colours like white and grey or gaudy colours like bright pink and yellow can make your house look unappealing. There is a lot more to a house than just interiors and nobody will tell you that. But it is our responsibility to let you know that your home can make heads turn with a stunning exterior. Read on to find how.

1) Exteriors affect sale value:

While the exterior of a house is not the most sought-after detail while purchasing a property, a bad exterior can dissuade people from buying the house and can give rise to pre- conceived notions about the interior. This doesn’t mean you need to restructure the exterior physically. A simple and cost-effective way to give your exterior a facelift is with a decorative exterior wall paint.

At the same time, your home’s interior and exterior are not separate from one another. If you choose a postmodern exterior look and the interior is more traditional, there will be no link or flow between the two, leaving the design all over the place and even uninviting. It is like stepping into a Chinese restaurant but finding Indian food inside. What the mind registers when it sees the exterior, affects how it accepts the interior.

2) Limit to 3 shades:

Using multiple colours on your exterior walls can be confusing and off- putting. It is best to use 3 different shades for the overall body (concrete/brick), openings (windows, panes, doors) and the parking area. An easy method is to choose 3 shades from the interior. This way, when people enter your home, they don’t find a stark contrast between the outside and inside.

Indian homes have open roof structures that are great for utility purpose. But to add more character to the exterior, a simple tile-on- tile feature could help. Painting this terrace structure with the shade given to openings on the exterior can make the entire house look complete and well-defined.

3) Your neighbour’s exterior matters:

This happens in 2 ways. The first is if your neighbour’s house is too close to yours, chances are that rainwater running off the roof will hit your walls and create seepage or fungal growth over time. The best solution is a water and algal growth-resistant exterior paint that provides good protection year-round.

The second issue is if your exterior colour is too different from your neighbour’s, either or both of the houses can appear smaller and unpleasant. While you don’t have to decide what’s best for your house based on your neighbour’s home, it is best to try and find a shade that is either similar, to add more space and width, or find a good contrast that does not affect your home’s appeal.

4) Don’t conceal texture:

Contrary to popular belief, brick, stone and concrete textures do not have to be concealed. These textures can add depth and character to your home’s exterior and make it look one with nature without too much paint. Instead of completely covering these trendy textures, it is best to use polish or apply only one coat of paint in shades similar to the texture, leaving the look more elevated. This is not only in line with today’s architectural style but also cost- effective as most Indian houses are constructed using these materials unlike in the west.

5) Nature has the best shade range:

Choosing a shade from nature for your home’s exterior can make it look more balanced and spacious even from the outside. If you live by the sea, a light turquoise with brown or grey can give your home a theme which not many of your neighbours would think of. This way, your house stands out. Similarly, choose a shade based on the environment. If it is too hot or humid, lighter shades should be your go-to while dark shades can give your home a cozy feeling in colder regions. You could also opt for popular wall paint shades of 2022 to truly enjoy nature even at home.

Now that we’ve revealed the secrets to an outstanding exterior (pun intended), it is time you rethink your walls and make your home the envy of the town with the range of interior decorative paints from Jenson and Nicholson.

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[roofingspecialist]

Boral Roof Tiles

Having a roof tile is a great way to protect your home from the weather, and it can also make a real difference when it comes to how your home looks. When you decide on a roof, there are some things to consider, including color, shape, and material. For example, you can choose from ceramic, composite, or concrete tiles. These options are all available to you when you’re looking to replace or install a new roof.

Ceramic

Boral designer ceramic roof tiles offer many benefits to home owners. For example, they can help with insulation and thermal comfort. They can also help reduce energy costs. In addition, they can last for decades.

Boral Roof Tiles come in a variety of styles and textures. Some designs include terracotta, smooth, and raised. You can select a style that will complement the overall theme of your home.

Choosing the right tile for your home can make a world of difference. With a few choices, you can ensure that your new roof will look great and perform efficiently.

A quality tile will last for years to come, and you’ll get a lot of bang for your buck. Ceramic tiles are easy to maintain, so you’ll have less work to do.

Boral designer ceramic roof tiles are made from a durable material that can withstand heat and heavy rains. This makes them ideal for homes that are located in hot, humid regions.

Concrete

Boral Roofing is the largest manufacturer of concrete roof tiles in the US. They offer products with the highest quality and durability.

Boral Roofing offers concrete tiles in several color options. Their products include traditional colors, a variety of wood-look roofing tiles, and textured and patterned wood shakes. In addition, Boral offers stone-coated steel and composite slates. All of their products are designed to be environmentally-friendly, as well as long-lasting.

Boral concrete tiles are a great option for homeowners looking to improve the aesthetics of their home, while still staying within their budget. Boral tiles are durable and impervious to harsh climates. Additionally, these tiles are highly salt-resistant. This makes them an ideal choice for any location.

Boral America concrete roofing tiles are made using interlocking tabs, which help prevent water from entering the roof. The tiles also come with a limited lifetime warranty.

Compared to real slate or clay, composite tile is a cheaper alternative. It is made from recycled plastic or fiberglass and molded to look like natural materials. Besides, the lighter weight of these tiles helps to increase their lifespan.

Composite

Boral Composite roof tiles combine modern roofing performance with the traditional look of natural slate. They provide reliable protection from frequent hazards and a lifetime of beautiful aesthetics.

Boral composite roofs are made from an innovative blend of virgin polymers, ensuring superior performance. Their composite roofing systems are backed by a 50-year limited warranty.

Boral Roofing is a 75-year-old manufacturer of dependable, affordable roofs. The company offers a wide selection of cool roof tiles and roofing solutions for both residential and commercial uses. It also offers a variety of products with Class 3 and 4 hail resistance.

Boral Inspire is a premium composite roofing system. It features a lightweight, durable, and durable shingle. With a full range of colour options, homeowners can find a tile to match any home’s exterior.

The Inspire collection of composite roofing tiles is designed to mimic the look of hand-cut natural slate. A composite polymer, the material is lighter, stronger, and more resistant to environmental stress.

Eave closures

The present invention provides an eaves closure system for a tile roof. This closure is suitable for use with a variety of different tile types. It has the benefit of promoting ventilation, providing a drainage system, and resisting environmental infiltration.

The closure is made from either rigid or flexible materials. It may be constructed from galvanized steel, metal, plastic, or other durable material. Either of these materials can be shaped to fit the contours of the tile profile. Rigid components are generally designed to support the weight of the tiles. A flexible component allows for segments to fold over one another without scoring.

The closure may have a rim along the top edge. This helps to prevent bird nesting and weather infiltration. The rim also adds stability and strength to the closure.

In addition to the rim, the vented eaves closure may have a skirt panel. An array of openings on the skirt panel may promote ventilation. These openings allow for drainage and provide airflow under the roof tiles.

[chicagoflooringcap]

Hardwood Floor Pictures Sorted By Hue Mr Ground Companies Chicago Wooden Floors, Flooring, Flooring Contractor

You’ll find a coupon for almost every flooring project from Carpets within the Park. What makes Carpets in the Park unique is the robust relationships we’ve constructed with our clients over time. We care about our customers’ satisfaction, which is why we provide low, clear pricing.

For cleaner, more healthy dwelling, we got everybody coated - your family, pets, and all other visitors in between. Our professional tile and grout cleaning service uses our proprietary cleansing method to scrub the hidden filth and restore luster to your tiles floors. In addition, we'll take away ninety six.5% of allergens out of your grout. From porcelain pavers, wood-look planks, and LVT to mosaic tiles, marble, quartz, natural stone counter tops, and hardscape materials — design the greatest way you dream with MSI. Travertine is a type of pure stone that has proven to face the check of time—largely as a outcome of it would not compete with other design parts in the house. "It also has a pure quality that can be paired with each a traditional residence and a modern one," says Samantha Gallacher, proprietor and designer of Art & Loom.

The scratches, marks, and stains will make it look worse. If your pet urinates on the ground, it's better to clean it immediately. This will scale back the probabilities of getting stains on the wood floor and it is possible with the care chicago flooring companies. One of essentially the most generally used finishes for the hardwood floor is polyurethane.

Cost does embody sanding, screening, minor surface restore work, staining, finishing, and basic cleanup. Additional charge for herringbone floors, main restore work, water damaged flooring, wood stairs, carpet removal, extra layers of polyurethane, and moving furniture. Their service and efficiency have been previous my expectations. They were on time, requested all the proper questions to fulfill my flooring needs, and completed that same day. I would recommend them to anybody needing any hardwood flooring providers. There are a pair the purpose why 10-15% additional product is recommended.

Our porcelain roof tiles are constructed to face up to extreme weather and replicate roofing supplies including shake, terracotta & slate shingles. Whether subway tile, pure stone, mixed factor mosaics, or encaustic tile, our toilet and kitchen backsplash provides safety in grand fashion. GLAZED PORCELAIN Description A blend of gradient colour ranging from warm to cool offers a one-of-a-kind look.

[shivamidesign]

THE ULTIMATE CHEAT SHEET ON HOME RENOVATION DESIGN

Home renovation is crucial and an essential responsibility in maintaining a home. A home is a place to feel free and relax. Renovating a home at a regular duration increases its life span and also keeps you happy. A well-maintained house promotes peace and prosperity in our lives.

Though Home renovation may sound big, little and cost-effective methods may yield huge returns. The following guide will help you focus on some of the vital things which become overlooked often.

What are the things to be taken care of? 

There are plenty of things that require attention during home renovation, as the renovation cannot be done frequently.

You should take care of both the interior and the exterior of your home.

Renovations required on the exterior side:-

Exterior Renovation 1# Installing a trendy Front Door

                 Image source

A Trendy Front Door

 Introducing a new and trendy front door improves the overall look of the house. It makes the exterior of the house look good and gives a nice impression to the house as well. A front door with an eye-catching design and attractive finish will be liked by everyone. All you need is to choose a style from the freely available designs and set it for yourself. 

Also, you can modify your existing front door with small things like putting up a brass handle or decorating it with a wall hanging can also 

works wonders. It can attract the attention of everyone and can also increase property value.

Exterior Renovation 2# Consider updating the roof of your house.

Image source

Renovated Tile roof

The roof provides the ultimate shelter to your house. If your roof is broken or has some leakage, consider changing it before it gets too worse.

Also, you can change the roof to increase the look of the house as well as to make the house cooler. Some roofs help reflect the UV rays of the sun making your roof cooler. You can also consider changing tile or clay roofs with concrete roof tiles for more durability. 

Exterior Renovation 3# Transform your garden or the verandah

Decorate the garden with seasonal flowers.

The Garden is the place to calm down and relax. It is the dream of every homeowner to enjoy a cup of coffee in the evening or cool morning. Transforming the garden in a very cost-effective way is possible. You do not need costly rocks or ornaments to decorate your garden. You can use things which are easily available in the markets. Decorating with colourful small stones looks good and can be easily taken up and removed, unlike concrete slabs which require a lot of effort. Also, seasonal flowers provide a wonderful look to your garden. It can also provide space and opportunity for future makeovers.

You can enjoy your newly created space to spend your me-time with a cold drink or with your favourite beverage.

Exterior Renovation 4# Give your house a new look with a fresh coat of paint.

The painted house gets a new look.

Exterior paint is not only for increasing the beauty of the house but it is also required for protecting the house against moisture, rain. Waterproof paint is ideal for Indian weather.

Exterior paint also lessens insect damage and increases the lifespan of the house.

Let's look at the interior side.

Now, coming to the interior of the house. On the interior front, emphasis should be placed on the following:

Interior Renovation 1# Transform the kitchen

Image source

A fresh and clean kitchen

The Rasoi or the kitchen is the place of utmost importance and necessity. A neat and clean kitchen is always preferred and is desired by the homemakers. So, during the renovation process, upgrading the Kitchen becomes a priority. 

What are the things you should focus on?

Make plans on the areas that need to be renovated at first. Generally, the water sink areas become dirty over time. It has to be changed. 

If you want to include the dining space within your kitchen, you can increase the space by removing unnecessary things. 

Also, you can add a low-cost rack or mounting shelves for storing cooking utensils, oils and other essential ingredients.

If your present kitchen is overloaded with wires, immediately reduce it as too many plugs in the kitchen is dangerous and can lead to fatal consequences. 

To get rid of the clogging, call an electrician to change the wires, to install new sockets to avoid any inconvenience.

Some minor differences lead to major changes. Some are like, you can replace the handles of the cupboards and drawers with modern metal handles. 

The doors of the cabinets can be mixed and matched with glass doors or Wooden doors of various colours.

 Also, you can paint the walls and ceiling in a light colour to appear bigger. 

Interior Renovation 2# Bring Innovation in the Bathroom

Remodel your bathroom with minor changes

A bathroom is also a place that requires renovation. Minor changes, like checking the ventilation outlet or adding a fan if necessary make a huge difference.

Replace the old plastic toiletries by putting fibre racks. You can make use of new, coloured tiles to add colour to the bathroom. Special tiles can also be used for any tile pattern or to make a border. You can also change the outdated light sockets or plug holes with modern light fixtures. You can have plumbing work for replacing the old, rusted pipes with new ones

Interior Renovation 3# Bring life to your Living room

 Image source

Renovated living room

Simple things can impart a fresh new look to your Living room. You can paint the walls with cheerful colours or with paintings. It will give a unique look to your living room.

Curtains play an important role in bringing change to any room. Just change the curtains with some contemporary ones to give an energetic vibe to your living space.

Interior Renovation 4# Modernise the Floors

Image source

Marble floor can be a good option

Floors can also be renovated. You can replace mosaic floors with marble, to add a touch of modernity.

In case you have tiled floors, you can renew or replace them. You can also go for laminated wooden flooring where the floors are coated with a thin layer of wood-like laminate. Also, Vinyl flooring can be applied on the existing floor. But Vitrified tiles are the best for common household applications.

Apart from the above-mentioned points, attention should also be given to the roof, doors and windows. Emphasis should also be given to plumbing and electrical issues. You can also consider changes in the layout as well.

For renovating the exterior and the interior of your house, other factors also play an important role. Factors like cost, funding, who and how to hire vendors, budgets etc. are very important and need detailed planning before getting your work done.

So, why wait? Without thinking, start your renovation process and enjoy a new and well-maintained home. idesign.Market can also help you in your renovation process.

[lepreuxchevalier]

My fourth illustration of a “landsknecht” pikeman I retouched to feature the colour scheme and coat of arms I designed for House Williamson, the ruling family of The Kingdom of Aquitaine in the setting of my medieval fantasy world. This artwork was designed for a low-fantasy setting of my original conception with technology equivalent to the late medieval and renaissance periods. Where formations of heavily armoured and mounted, aristocratic knights in either suits of full plate armour or heavy coats of chainmail fight alongside professional armies of pikemen and matchlock musketeers. Where medieval-style stone castles are gradually being outsourced in favour of both lavish country estates and devoted military fortifications, or “bastions,” due to the technological advancements made in artillery design. And where fledgling nation-states in the form of kingdoms and empires look beyond the great oceans and the frontiers of the known world in search of even greater wealth and territory. In context to the lore of my low-fantasy setting, House Williamson is the ruling dynasty of The Kingdom of Aquitaine, a fantasy kingdom modelled after The Kingdom of France during the medieval and “Ancien Regime” periods of French and European history, while also taking sources of inspiration from The Kingdom of Bretonnia in Warhammer Fantasy and The Kingdom of The Reach in Game of Thrones. The Kingdom of Aquitaine in the world of my fantasy setting is essentially the “hegemon” or dominant superpower within “The Civilized World,” as strictly and traditionally defined by both the clergy of The Conservative Church of The New Gods as well as the nonconformist preachers of the myriad “Reformed” and “Dissenter” Churches of The New Gods. The Kingdom of Aquitaine under the historic rule of past kings of House Williamson is, without question, the oldest, strongest, and most prestigious example of an absolute monarchy in the setting of my low-fantasy world. Over the course of several centuries, House Williamson as the longtime ruling dynasty of Aquitainian monarchs has managed to create the single greatest, most brilliant example of a strong, powerful, absolute monarchy in the civilized world through their ancient alliance cultivated with The Conservative Church of The New Gods based in The Holy Sept in Romulus, as well as their gradual pacification of the great houses of feudal aristocracy through a combination of the creation and institutionalization of an early example of a national, professional, “royal” army, as well as subjecting the myriad provincial, feudal, aristocratic customs and legal traditions established by the great houses over the course of many centuries to the sweeping jurisdiction of “the parlements,” or national, “royal” law courts charged with the maintenance of secular law and order derived from the preexisting, feudal, aristocratic traditions, the routine taxation of both the noble and commoner classes, and the organization and maintenance of the national, professional “royal” army at the expense of the great houses of feudal aristocracy. In addition to espousing the pinnacle, or otherwise model of a strong, powerful, and prestigious absolute monarchy, The Kingdom of Aquitaine under the historic stewardship and patronage of both past kings born to House Williamson, as well as the myriad aristocratic and clerical lords of the kingdom has become the longtime cultural, religious, and economic superpower of the civilized world with it’s towering, monumental, cathedral churches, it’s venerable, pristine monastic strongholds, it’s extravagant, domineering palaces of marble, gold, and crystal, it’s lush, opulent botanical gardens dotted and lined with exotic and imported cherry blossom trees, and it’s iconic, picturesque castles of white stone and richly dyed, emerald-tiled roofing. The Kingdom of Aquitaine as the hegemon of the civilized world is renowned for it’s world famous industry of winemaking, it’s prolific aesthetic traditions of fine artistry, sculpture, music, poetry, theatre, and fashion, and it’s longtime, overwhelming domination over, and generous representation within the “curia,” or “the college of cardinals,” based in the Holy Sept in Romulus since the mythical epoch of “Classical Antiquity” within The Civilized World. As an established military superpower amongst the nation states of The Civilized World, The Kingdom of Aquitaine is most reputed for it’s venerable and prestigious tradition of professional chivalry. With it’s heavily armoured, mounted, aristocratic knights adorned in either suits of baroque, gilded, full plate armour or artificer-quality coats of chainmail finely edged with gilded burnings, emblazoning their armour with surcoats crafted from the finest cuts of exotic and imported, Khashabarii Silk, while riding atop the finest, premium, thoroughbred warhorses prized and coveted across the breadth and enormity of The Civilized World for their size, strength, speed, and endurance. Even the pike and shotte infantry regiments of The Royal Army of Aquitaine are issued standard issue uniforms crafted from the finest cuts of cloth, with it’s matchlock musketeers wearing tabards finely edged with gold thread over their uniforms, while it’s pikemen sport fashionable, ripped tunics richly coloured with emerald and pearl white dyes. The standard issue uniforms of The Royal Army of Aquitaine are at once an excessive luxury and an objective rarity in a world where most kingdoms and empires would prefer to delegate the outfitting and armouring of their state troops either to their regimental colonels, or directly onto the troops themselves. This luxurious excess and objective rarity available to The Royal Army of Aquitaine is a testament to the exorbitant wealth, industry, and logistical organization of The Kingdom of Aquitaine cultivated under the cabinet of able ministers and councilors in direct service to The Williamson Kings of Aquitaine.

[elderkale]

a toast (to what i have never had before)

Old Guard gift exchange @theoldguardevents​ for @longistheroadshortisthelife​​! Hope you like it and happy holidays <3

AO3

Arizona, the United States of America. Axel Safehouse. 2133.

Nicky found his husband on the roof, lounging on the clay tiles with his arms beneath his head. There was a breeze blowing from the west, teasing his curls and tugging at his shirt, and his skin seemed to glow in a way that was almost ethereal by the fading starlight. Beneath the light of the waxing moon, he looked calm—peaceful, even. His eyes were closed, chest rising and falling slowly, evenly, and, had Nicky been anyone but himself, he would have assumed he were asleep.

Carefully, he sat down and scooted to sit next to him. Joe smiled and rested a hand lightly on his knee. “Hey, babe.”

Nicky leaned down and pecked him on the forehead. Joe’s other hand came up, winding through his hair and guiding him into another kiss, this time on his mouth. Nicky hummed as Joe scratched idly at his scalp and traced his free hand down his stomach, fingers lingering just above his hip.

Joe reached down, linking their fingers together. “Hey,” he said into Nicky’s cheek, rubbing their joined knuckles over the curve of his ribs. “I’m fine, habibi.”

You are now , Nicky wanted to say. You are now. Not yesterday, when he’d been crushed beneath a falling building. Not that morning, when they’d finally dug him out, not when he’d writhed in Nicky’s arms in the back of the truck, drenched in sweat and tears as his body knit itself back together. Not eight hours ago when he’d held Nicky in a grip that hurt almost too much beneath the spray of the shower. Not twenty minutes ago when he’d kicked aside the sheets and stumbled out of their room. You are now.

He kissed Joe again on the forehead, then on each eyelid, then on his jaw. Joe chuckled and turned his head to press his own lips to Nicky’s wrist.

“I have something for you,” Nicky told him. Joe cracked his eyes open and peered up at him with barely-concealed curiosity.

He let out a groan of mingled delight as Nicky extracted the bottle he’d been hiding from behind his back. “You spoil me, Nicolò,” he said, reaching for it. Nicky tatted and tapped his shoulder until he sat up, rolling his eyes even as he leaned forwards to kiss Nicky again. “What’s the occasion?”

“Does there have to be one?” Nicky asked, swirling the mead around in the bottle. Joe hummed and Nicky twisted his wrist, freeing the cap with a pop .

“Wait.” Joe stilled his hands with his. Nicky smiled and let him take the bottle. “Mm.” He takes a deep whiff from the open neck, face screwed up into a masterful imitation of Andy whenever she’d tasted a new sample of baklava. “Ethiopia?” he guessed, opening one eye and peeking up at Nicky. “Poland,” he corrected, spotting the look on Nicky’s face. “No? New York?”

“You wound me, tesoro,” said Nicky. Joe pouted. He looked unfairly adorable when he did so, and Nicky couldn’t resist leaning forwards and giving him a quick peck on the lips, then his cheek, and then the hollow of his throat. Then, after a half-second of consideration, he blew on his ear.

“Nicky!” Joe laughed. “I’m going to spill it!”

“Don’t you dare,” Nicky growled, nipping at Joe’s neck. “Do you know how hard it was to hide that from Booker? In his own house, no less.”

“A wonder in itself,” Joe agreed, tipping his head back to let Nicky mouth at his throat. Nicky finally chuckled and leaned back, letting Joe take a swig. “Mm.” He smacked his lips, screwing up his eyes.

“Good?”

“Dusty.” Nicky elbowed him lightly and Joe grinned, taking another sip. “Good. Very good.” He held out the bottle and Nicky took a gracious sip of his own.

“Good,” he agreed, licking his lips satisfactorily. Joe leaned back against the roof and, for a while, they simply sat there, trading sips beneath the speckled midnight sky.

“Medovukha!” Joe yelled suddenly, sitting up straight. “Russia, ‘15, you—wait.” He narrowed his eyes and Nicky bit his lip, trying his hardest not to laugh. “ I bought that for you, you little vixen!” he exclaimed. Nicky let out a screech as Joe tackled him across the roof, shaking with laughter as he dug his fingers into his armpits, tickling him mercilessly until he begged him to stop.

(Later, Nicky half-heartedly suggested soaking up the spilled mead with a sponge. Joe tackled him again.)

Otjozondjupa, Namibia. Cave. 1903.

A loud crack reverberated through the cavern as Joseph hit the ground and he swore, grabbing the wall. Booker shot him a glance, one eyebrow raised, and Joseph nodded, jaw clenched. The other man nodded back wearily before vanishing after Andrea into the darkness.

There was a grating screech of metal against stone and Joseph quickly stood, throwing out his arms just in time to catch Nicholas as he skidded down the shaft. “Stupid cave,” he muttered, straightening his husband. “You alright?”

Nicholas nodded, tugging off his cap. “Are you?”

Joseph shrugged. “Ankle.” Nicholas frowned. “It’s fine,” Joseph hastened to add. “Just landed bad, I’m still healing—”

Nicholas tutted and took his hand, maneuvering him to sit against a wall. “Wait,” he ordered, pointing a stern finger when Joseph tried to stand. “Wait,” he repeated, then ducked into the shadows.

Joseph sighed and leaned his head back, stretching his legs out. It was still throbbing, loathe as he was to admit it. He watched with an almost morbid fascination as his foot slowly straightened itself, twisting back into place. He could, if he strained his ears, hear the faint creak of his bones as they realigned themselves. It didn’t even hurt that much.

Nicholas still wasn’t back. Joseph grimaced and began working at the buttons of his coat, a task made significantly more difficult by the blood drying between the clasps. He bit back a gag as he worked the tip of his thumbnail through the plug; neck shots always bled more.

Finally, he managed to more shake than shrug his coat off, wrinkling his nose when it hit the ground as a stiff sheet. What a shame—he’d liked that one.

“Joseph?”

“Hm?” Joseph glanced up. “Yeah, still here.”

Nicholas dropped his bag by Joseph’s feet and sat next to him. He’d shed his own coat, and had what looked like one of Andrea’s old shawls wrapped around his shoulders. There was a smudge of dirt on his face and Joseph reached up, wiping it away with his thumb. Nicholas smiled, letting his cheek linger in Joseph’s palm for a moment before leaning away. “Here.” He pushed a cloth-wrapped bundle into Joseph’s hands.

Joseph raised an eyebrow. “Where’d you get this from?” he asked as he began peeling back the layers Nicholas had wrapped it in. The scrap linen might once have been white, and was almost tacky with dirt.

“Buried it.”

“When?”

Nicholas shrugged. “‘77, ‘78? I bought it in ‘76.”

Joseph was grinning by the time the bottle finally rolled into his lap. “15?”

Nicholas shook his head. “14.”

Joseph laughed, lifting the bottle to peer at the faded label. He whistled. “Grenache, Nico?”

“Sardinia,” said Nicholas, resting his chin on Joseph’s shoulder. Joseph tilted his head, resting his cheek against his husband’s hair. “I was saving it for a rainy day.”

Joseph ran a hand up and down Nicholas’s arm, stroked his skin through a slit in his sleeve until he felt him relax. “It was a nice villa,” he recalled. Nicholas exhaled slowly, and Joseph pressed his nose into his hair, breathing in deeply. He was coated in a thin layer of dust—the ride over, perhaps, or just the slit of a shaft they called an opening—and his skin was tacky with sweat. The side of his head was matted with blood, his hair dyed the colour of rust, and Joseph leaned down, pressing his mouth to the skin below it. The beat of Nicholas’s pulse fluttered against his lips and he felt Nicholas’s hand encircle his wrist, fingers pressed over his vein.

Finally, Joseph drew away. Nicholas looked at him imploringly and Joseph chuckled, raising the bottle again. “Booker would kill for this, you know.”

“Too bad it is not for him, then,” said Nicholas, lip quirking.

Joseph pressed his lips to his temple, smiling into his hair. “Glasses?”

Nicholas laughed lightly, resting his head on his husband’s shoulder. “Live a little, Joseph.”

Joseph snorted and popped the cork.

The United Reformation, New Caspian Spiral. The Scythian III . 3099.

He heard the creak of metal before the beep and grate of the door sliding open. The ship was not a quiet one, nor was it particularly new.

(It wasn’t their only, of course; he knew Booker and Nils had cruisers stowed in convenient asteroid fields, and he’d eat a wrench if Zyin didn’t have an entire fleet stashed away somewhere. He and Ynko had their own crafts hidden across three systems, and Veyuz suspected he himself had buried enough spare parts across various moons to build them more than a few a liners.)

It wasn’t the first ship they’d shared together, either, nor, judging by the growing frequency of things needing fixing, would it be the last. (“You’re butchering my ship, you old mules,” Zyin had signed furiously the other day after Booker had hit a panel too hard and hurled himself into space. Veyuz had snorted and launched into an eager retelling of London ‘20 while Nils patted Booker’s shoulder until the blue receded from his skin. Ynko had just watched, the smile tugging at his lips turning into a laugh when Zyin firmly declared them all insane and waltzed back off to the cockpit.)

But, still, he held onto it all the same.

(Things grew precious with time, as people grew sacred; the Scythian was not a port in the Maghreb, or an island in the south, but it was home all the same.)

The steps shook faintly as Ynko sat down next to him, a blanket draped over his shoulder. He raised one arm, cocking his head, and Veyuz shuffled closer, letting him drape the rest over his shoulder. It did little against the drafts of the cabin, and Ynko had to hold onto the ends to keep it draped over both of them. It was as close to perfect as he was sure they could get.

Ynko tucked his chin over Veyuz’s shoulder. “What are you thinking?” he asked.

Veyuz gave the globe in his palm a quick spin. It flickered as it turned, the projection flickering and quivering for a moment, like a hologram in one of those old space movies Nils still loved (wonderfully inventful, but not terribly accurate, she’d been disappointed to learn; Veyuz was just glad he’d never have to meet a Gungan). Ynko reached over, dragging the familiar blue ball to a stop with the tip of his finger. Veyuz traced a path from the tip of Africa across the sea and over Israel. The globe jumped at his touch, the shadow of his hand splitting into a many-headed beast across the seven seas for a moment before he closed his fist. The orb vanished.

Ynko covered his hand with his own and brought it to his lips, pressing a feather-light kiss to his knuckles. Veyuz smiled and cupped his cheek. “You know,” he said, stroking the curve beneath his husband’s eye, “I was just thinking of that time in Malta.”

He felt Ynko smile against his neck. “Which Malta?” he asked, curving closer to him. “I’ve almost forgotten.”

Veyuz gasped in mock affront. “My own husband!” he accused. Ynko laughed and nudged him lightly in the side. Veyuz pressed a hand to his heart. “I don’t think I will ever recover, my once-heart,” he told him.

Ynko tugged at the blanket, and Veyuz whimpered dramatically as it slipped from his shoulders. “I have something for you,” he said, reaching into the bag at his feet that Veyuz had just noticed.

“Is it a sweater?” he asked pitifully. Ynko straightened, and Veyuz’s eyes widened. “ Ynko ,” he breathed. “Does Nils know you have this?” Ynko laughed.

“I have held on to this for too long for Zyin to throw it out of an airlock, my love.”

Veyuz laughed too. “Right.” He turned the jar around, cradled the glass—real, Earth-blown glass —in his hands. The liquor seemed to shimmer between the dim glow of the lights, the surface rippling with every rumble of the ship. The slender metal fixings seal were dull but smooth beneath his fingers, speaking of millennia of care. “How long?” he asked.

Ynko dragged his lips across Veyuz’s jaw. “Do you remember New Orleans?” he asked.

Veyuz couldn’t resist a grin. “Which New Orleans?” he asked. “I can’t seem to recall.”

“Oh?” Ynko asked drily. “Apt.”

Veyuz laughed. “And moonshine on the moon isn’t?”

“Near a moon,” said Ynko. “Near several moons, actually.”

Veyuz could almost see the fumes twisting out of the jar when he cracked the lid open; they danced like fingers of smoke through lifeless air, curling, serpentine, around steel and sterile lights. His throat burned with the first sip, and his eyes with the second. It seared his skin through his chest, leaving behind lashes of past centuries and dragged to his eyes tears shed in a world long gone. Gunpowder and cigarettes and buildings that had touched the earth, not the sky. Forest firefights and granite quarries and brass bands in alleyways. Air sealed with dust that landed, ghostlike, on glass and wood the way fingers do on the skin of lovers, cars that choked on their own rubber, powder burns that vanished and soot-black stains that stayed. Suits and polished tumblers and dresses that flashed like broken diamonds by the light of imported chandeliers. Dancing with Ynko, Nicky, Nicolò by candlelight and under the moon, wiping blood from his cheek under the stars and sweat from his lips beneath the arch of painted ceilings. Chasing the flames on his lips on stainless grates among their former stars, raising his hands, his lips, and falling to his knees in toast and pledge.

1099. 1926. Two thousand years and a hundred times more lifetimes lost and found, and carried after and in between.

“I love you,” he says and said and says again. His hand takes his, thumb caressing the edges of the same silver ring forged so many centuries ago.

“I love you too.”

[architectnews]

Architecture highlights from east Africa include projects from Madagascar and Burundi

Continuing our collaboration with Dom Publishers, the editors of the Sub-Saharan Africa Architectural Guide select architectural highlights from east Africa.

The Sub-Saharan Africa Architectural Guide contains over 850 buildings in 49 countries in Africa. It aims to be a comprehensive guide to architecture in the African countries that lie south of the Sahara.

Sub-Saharan Africa Architectural Guide is a seven-volume book focused on architecture in Africa

The fifth volume of the seven-volume publication is named Eastern Africa from the Great Lakes to the Indian Ocean and includes chapters on Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Comoros, Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar.

"It is not only a guide book in the traditional sense but much more, featuring impressive photographs and essays on various aspects of the continent's building culture," said co-editor Philipp Meuser in an interview with Dezeen.

Read on for picks from each country in the region selected by Meuser and co-editor Adil Dalbai:

Photo by Javier Callejas

Kenya Swahili Gem Apartments, Mombasa, by Urko Sánchez Architects

Arguably one of the most iconic residential buildings in all of Africa, even if it was planned more for the upper middle class, the Swahili Gem Apartments combine features that make the most of the creekfront setting yet still ensure pri­vacy.

The fourteen-home luxury development includes four patio houses that run down to the water and flats above them. It takes its inspiration from the rich traditions of Swahili architecture: the mashrabiyya outer skin shields occupants from view on all facades except the water-facing one.

Wooden lattices carved by local artisans add to the shade and airflow. Rainwater is collected, and water is solar-heated to save energy. In addition to white plaster finishing, the project uses a mtomo finish, a coralstone cladding technique original to Lamu that helps keep thermal capacity thanks to the porosity of the stone.

Photo by Arnold Mugasha

Uganda Baha'i House of Worship, Kampala, by Charles Mason Remey,
 Cobb, Powell and Freeman

Called the Mother Temple of Africa, the structure on the outskirts of the city is one of eight Baha'i Houses of Worship in the world, and the only one in Africa.

This sacred building is enthroned on one of Kampala's hills. In the evening sun, the place looks picturesque, while the pulse of the metropolis beats in the valleys between the hills.

Charles Mason Remey initially designed the building, and the architectural firm of Cobb, Powell and Freeman, who also created the Bulange, modified the design to accommodate the existing local conditions and oversaw the construction, which began in 1958.

Measuring over 40 metres in height and with a pointed tip at the very top, the structure is roofed by a dome covered in green mosaic tiles. The dome rests on nine reinforced concrete columns which are filled in with brick walls featuring coloured glass panels. Nine windows are set into the dome and it is painted pale blue inside.

Photo by Adil Dalbai

Rwanda Genocide Memorial
 Amphitheatre, Kigali, by John McAslan and Partners

Expressing the national collective memory in architecture is always a great challenge.

The fact that a Scottish architect planned Rwanda's genocide memorial as a theatre with a spectacular backdrop of the city silhouette is evidence of a new openness to the world in one of the smallest African states, which just a generation ago was a non-place with racism and civil war.

Even though it is only one of the numerous physical spaces devoted to the commemoration of those murdered in the 1994 geno­cide, the Kigali Genocide Memorial in Gisozi, established in 2004, is defin­itely the most important.

In the mass graves located in its gardens, over 250,000 bodies are buried. The Memorial also houses the Genocide Archive of Rwanda and exhibitions on the history of the Rwandan genocide.

Photo by BC Architects

Burundi Muyinga Library, Muyinga, by BC Architects

The Muyinga Library is part of a future inclusive­ school for deaf children. It was built in locally­ sourced compressed earth blocks, according to a participatory approach. The buil­ding is organised along a longitudinal covered circulation space.

The building shows that it is possible to design thoroughly modern architecture using local building methods.

It is an exemplary example of how foreign architects, in this case from the former colonial power Belgium, have found an adapted design. However, the typology of the library still remains somewhat alien.

Photo by Vitaly Pozdeyev

Tanzania Michenzani flats, Zanzibar Stone Town, by Hubert Scholz

The rows of houses, more than a kilometre long, lie like a scar in the middle of the huts.

Yet the socialist series buildings were the first to be erected on the newly won land. In the 1970s, the GDR donated architectural know-how along with the complete supply of materials.

The fact that East German housing construction was successful in Africa has unfortunately been forgotten in Germany.

Photo by Nadia Moussa

Comoros Mitsamiouli Stele, Grande Comore Island, by Mahmoud Keldi, Nadia Moussa

Only a few remarkable examples of the architecture of the poor island state in the Indian Ocean have been documented. One of them is this monument in honour of the victims of the Yemenia Airways crash, which was inaug­urated on 30 June 2011 in Mitsamiouli, northern Grande Comore.

This monument, a collaboration between local architect Nadia Moussa and Mahmoud Keldi, a Paris-based French-Comoran architect, aims to commemorate the crash's French-Comoran victims.

The memorial is a tall, thin slab of reinforced concrete, shaped like an abstract sail and coated with cut volcanic stone and sheets of stainless steel, on which the names of the 153 victims were to be engraved.

One would like to see more monuments in Africa that have such a high level of abstraction.

Photo by DHK Architects

Seychelles Kempinski Seychelles Resort, Mahé Island, by DHK Architects

This project shows one of the places of longing that one would like to visit once in a lifetime. As long as you remain aware that not all places in Africa radiate this peace, and that even in the Seychelles more than 80 per cent of the population live in poverty, you can enjoy this foreign world.

Designed by the South African office, DHK Architects, the Kempinski Seychelles Resort project required that the former Plantation Club Resort and Casino on the island of Mahé be redeveloped.

Photo by Ulandi van Dyk

Mauritius Mauritius Commercial Bank, Quatre Bornes, by Jean Francois Koenig

The Mauritius Commercial Bank Building, an unusual edifice with a large water basin at its foot, is located in Quatre Bornes. Constructed in 2010, the structure was designed by Jean Francois Koenig Archi­tects as an elliptical shape that rests on four travertine-­clad pillars.

The building has open office floor plates that are naturally lit by glass from floor to floor, providing visual connections between l­evels and facilitating communication. It also features two auditoriums, training facilities, a modern kitchen and canteen, and plantrooms.

It was the first project in the southern hemi­sphere to obtain a BREEAM good environmental certificate and has become an iconic structure in Mauritius.

Why does the national bank of a tax haven build such a conspicuous building in the countryside? And this, shortly after the global financial crisis of 2008/2009? Some architectural thoughts remain a mystery. For a bank anyway.

Photo by Stefano Carera

Madagascar Under the Sails Residence, Nosy Be Island, by Stefano Carera, Eirini Giannakopoulou

Four simple volumes united under one roof make up this two-storey private residence by the sea. The quartet of separate volumes are linked by wooden decking and a central patio. This central patio, a living space that mediates between inside and out, connects the front of the house to the back, and therefore the sea to the forest.

The choice of local materials and trad­itional construction techniques embrace the landscape of Nosy Be, an island about eight kilometres off the northwestern coast of Madagascar which is a popular tourist destination.

The thatching, a material often used for roofs on the island, becomes a natural carpet that, with its form and scale, covers the whole house. Viewed from the beach, the roof conceals the concrete columns of the house.

The architectural style may be irritating for Africa. But Madagascar has part of its cultural roots in Southeast Asia. In the local architecture, the similarities to buildings in Indonesia are not accidental but deliberate.

The post Architecture highlights from east Africa include projects from Madagascar and Burundi appeared first on Dezeen.

[crystalgirl259]

Wolves Of Secrets Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Lone Wolf

Dark was the night as the full moon shined over the great city of Ninjago. The cold, misty wind whistled through the city as the citizens went about their own business, either going home to be with their families for the rest of the evening or to their evening jobs. The city of Ninjago was built on the sunny side of a gentle mountain and was truly a beautiful place. Its grace was only matched by the backdrop of lush, green forests which have helped shape the ancient city to what it was today.

The city had a very clear Japan, Tokyo feeling too it.

The city's skyline was growing with stylish skyscrapers and they each represented the many different aspects of the sizeable city. Businesses were booming in Ninjago and it had attracted a lot of attention. A few new cultures had left their mark not just on education, but also upon the city's identity. What historically was a city of predictability has grown into a new culture of variety and it's this that united the nearly 6 million people to this day.

It's this multicultural identity that had truly left its mark.

Hundreds of gastropubs, bakeries, and clubs offer a plethora of culinary choices. Those who felt hungry for something else could enjoy art galleries, musical activities, photography, or one of the many other recreational activities. Just outside the main city area, right on the edge of the dark forest, stood a large, lone house. In this house was a very special family. From the outside, this house looked cosy. It had been built many, many years ago with white bricks and had spruce wooden decorations.

Small, half-rounded windows added to the overall style of the house and had been added to the house in a fairly asymmetrical pattern.

The house was equipped with a large kitchen, two bathrooms, and three bedrooms. It also had a large living room, four bedrooms, a roomy dining room, a garage, and a large basement. The roof was high and slanted to one side and was covered with black ceramic tiles with a small chimney. Many smaller windows let in plenty of light to the rooms below the roof. The house itself was surrounded by quite a modest garden, with mostly grass, a few colourful flower patches, and a small shed at the other end of the garden.

Inside the house, a young teenage boy sat on the couch, eating popcorn and watching a movie.

This was Lloyd Garmadon. He had long, blonde tousled hair, and brown arched eyebrows with bright emerald green eyes that many people would state could sometimes glow in the dark. He wore a dark green jacket with a white t-shirt and black pants and black and dark green sneakers. As the clock was about to strike midnight, Lloyd was about to turn the boring movie off when suddenly with was a rustling sound outside. Fearing the worst, he quickly switched off the TV, grabbed his coat, and ran outside.

As soon as he stepped out into the cold night, however, instead of the rustling he had heard mere seconds before, all he could hear was an owl hooting nearby and the wind howling through the trees.

He was about to go back inside when all of a sudden he heard a loud crash from the other side of the house. He quickly ran towards the sound and was shocked by what he saw. He saw a full-grown, grey timber wolf sniffing around some turned over trash cans, snacking at the rancid chicken meat. He looked to the steel doors to the basement and was horrified to see another wolf attempting to jump out. As soon as the grey wolf sensed him, it slowing turned around to face the teen with a low growl, baring its sharp teeth.

Lloyd, however, was completely unfazed by this and he simply stood up straight.

"Get back inside!" He roared, startling the wolf for a second before it crouched down and started snarling louder. Instead of running away, however, Lloyd simply lowered onto his knees and bared his blunt teeth at the wolf. His emerald green eyes suddenly turned to a stunning gold that shined in the dark. The teen and the wolf snarled at each other as Lloyd slowly crawled forward, making the wolf back up. The grey wolf suddenly yelped as it fell back into the dark cellar.

Lloyd's eyes returned to their normal color as he stood up and looked into the dark pit.

Suddenly one of the wolves jumped up and bit into his thick coat's sleeve, ripping it off as the wolf fell back down. Not missing a beat, Lloyd quickly closed and locked the cellar doors, looking at the full moon as the wolves muffled howls sounding into the night...

****************

The next morning, as the rain came pouring down, Lloyd quickly got dressed and ran down to the cellar. He loudly slid the iron door open and stepped inside where he saw his mother Misako and his uncle Wu slowly getting to their feet as the finished getting dressed. His mother had ash grey hair braid into a ponytail with a snowy white streak and pale green eyes. She wore a pale khaki utility jacket with dark brown pants and a short, dark green scarf.

Wu was an elderly man with a long white beard.

He was wearing white robes and a conical straw hat. They both yawned and stretched as Lloyd glared daggers at them.

"I think that chicken was off." Misako gagged as she clutched her stomach.

"I can't believe you two." Lloyd glared Breaking out and raiding the bins."

"Oh, Lloyd!" She cried as she rushed forward and examined his arm. "I am so sorry! I didn't break the skin, did I?! Does it need stitches?!" She panicked, but he pulled his arm away from him.

"You always say how I have to stay hidden from humans and never give in to our wolves." He growled as they walked back upstairs to the kitchen. "Yet the moment you get a chance, you're out of the cellar and away!"

"You don't understand how powerful the pull of the full moon is," Wu explained. "When you're old enough to take wolf form-"

"I won't be a hypocrite, who says stay hidden and then breaks out at the first whiff of food!" He replied and turned to his mother with a slightly disgusted look. "And that chicken..."

"Actually, your mother's not the only one who's been eating things she shouldn't, is she?" Wu frowned as he opened the trash can to reveal the leftover popcorn.

"Yes, and you were still dressed when you came outside, young man." Smiled Misako when her son froze. "Didn't we agree in bed at 10 on school nights?"

"I'm going to miss the bus." He quickly said and ran for the front door. When he made to grab his coat, however, he let out a long sighed when he saw the missing sleeve...

****************

Lloyd blushed furiously as he kept his eyes on the school floor as the other students stared and laughed at his soaked clothes. He let out a small growl as he shivered; his mother owed him a new coat.

"Hey, Lloyd!" A voice called out and he looked up to see his friends Zane Jullien, Jay Walker, Kai Smith, Nya Smith, and Cole Brookstone stood by their lockers, waiting for him.

Jay reddish-brown curly hair with brown eyebrows and light freckles with dark blue eyes. He wore a blue jacket with a white stripe over a white t-shirt and blue pants with an orange wooly scarf.

Zane had platinum blonde, almost white, hair that stood up straight in something like a crew cut and bright icy blue eyes. He wore white pants and shoes with a long-sleeved, cyan blue shirt under a navy blue knitted vest.

Kai had tall, thick spiky brown hair, shaped like fire and bright amber eyes that shined like burning embers. He had a focused expression on his face, with a scar visible on his right eyebrow and bandage above his left. He wore a red half-zipped-up jacket over a white shirt with some kind of Japanese symbol on the back of the jacket and brown pants.

Nya was Kai's younger sister who had long black hair kept in a ponytail, pale pink lipstick, small dimples on her cheeks with dark brown eyes, and she had a beauty mark on her right cheek. She was wearing a leather jacket over a white shirt with blue stripes and dark blue torn jeans.

Cole had a very muscular body, being the strongest kid in the whole school, with long, shaggy black hair and bushy eyebrows with very dark green eyes that reminded Lloyd of cold emerald stones. He wore a black leather jacket and pants with a dark brown tank top and black heavy-duty boots.

Lloyd smiled as he walked over to them. They were the only people who could possibly understand the struggles he faced every day as a teenage werewolf; because so were they. Well... sort of anyway. Only he and Nya had yet to transform on a full moon, but they knew it could happen any month now and they were both nervous and excited.

"What happened to you?" Jay asked when they saw he was dripping water into the hallways.

"My coat got eaten by werewolves." He deadpanned.

"Don't you start too." Kai groaned.

"We've already had this from... Oh, Pixel!" Nya suddenly smiled as the said girl walked over to them. Pixel had pale, almost white, skin with wide lips and bright green eyes. Her hair was styled like Nya's and was a very light platinum blonde. She had a purple dress with red details and an opening in her left arm that showed a part of her chest, and red heels. Lloyd simply smiled and rolled his eyes. Pixel Borg was the only one in their friend group that wasn't a werewolf.

She was a very good friend to them, mostly to Zane, since childhood and it hurt them they couldn't share their secret with her.

"Did you hear last night in the forest?" She asked with a big smile on her face, but they all shrugged. "Howling." She replied and they froze as she pulled out her cell phone. "Here, look what I found on Carper's Lane this morning." She explained as she showed them a picture of a paw print in the mud. "I'm going to compare it to paw-print photos of different dogs."

"What, every type of dog?" Cole scoffed.

"This is proof." She insisted. "Proof that there's something weird over there in the forest."

"Pix, if your father found out that you snuck off into the forest in the middle of the night again he wouldn't be too pleased," Zane warned.

"If I can prove there is some kind of undiscovered creature in the forest then that alone would guarantee my scholarship into Horizon Academy."

"You know your father could pull some strings and get you in there no problem." Jay pointed out.

"I know, but I want to earn my spot and my father understands and respects that." She explained.

"Hey, Pixel!" One of the cheerleaders, Maggie, suddenly called out. "I saw something weird in the forest, you!"

"Haven't you got hair-curlers to play with or something?" Nya snapped before she and her friends quickly walked away.

"I really need to start my research, I'll catch up with you all later." Pixel smiled before she made a beeline for the library; as soon as she was out of sight, Nya suddenly grabbed the boys and shoved them into a nearby janitor's closet.

"Alright, who was it?" She glared.

"Wasn't me!" Jay exclaimed fearfully and the rest quickly denied it as well. Lloyd eyed each of them carefully. It could only have been Cole, Kai, or Zane; they were the only ones who spent the full moon on Zane's father's property deep in the forest. Since she couldn't transform yet Nya stayed in their apartment in the city and Jay spent it on her parents' junkyard on the other side of the city. The only problem was that Dr. Jullien's home was far from where Pixel said she found the paw prints.

He also knew the guys wouldn't go near the city, full moon or not.

"Maybe it wasn't one of us," Lloyd suggested. "My mom managed to get out the cellar last night and when I got them back in they started howling, and that paw print could have come from a normal dog."

"I suppose." She sighed when the bell suddenly rang; the group sighed as they made their way to their first classes. Lloyd quickly ran to his locker to get some of his textbooks when he suddenly caught the scent of something odd. It was a new scent, meaning whoever it belonged to was here very recently. He was about to follow the scent when he walked right into one of his teachers, Miss Koko. She had bright orange hair with amber eyes.

She wore orange lipstick and a pale brown suit.

"Lloyd, what are you doing? It's time for class." She ordered and Lloyd quickly scurried to his first class, making a mental note to investigate the scent later...

****************

As soon as Lloyd ran into the classroom he immediately took his seat next to Jay. This was one of the few classes he and all his friends had together. As soon as he took his seat a teacher he hadn't seen before walked in with a big smile on his face.

She had greying brown hair tied in a bun and a dark blue dress.

"Welcome aboard students! My name is Ms. Laudita and I'm your new Social Studies teacher," She smiled as a student stepped into the room. "Everyone! This is Morro Ren, he's new here so I hope you'll all make sure he feels welcome." She explained and Lloyd was suddenly hit with the same smell from before. He looked up and saw the new kid eyeing them all cautiously. Lloyd quickly looked to the others and saw they had realized the same thing as him.

Morro Ren possessed long jet black hair with a dark green streak dyed in it and dark brown eyes.

He was wearing a pale green shirt with torn brown pants and black boots. As he moved to take a seat at the back of the class, he and Lloyd glared each other down without a word. The class continued as normal until the bell rang and Morro all but ran out, Lloyd and the others following close behind. As soon as Morro stepped into an empty stairwell Kai and Cole blocked his path.

"What are you doing here?" Nya growled.

"What?" The new kid asked, confusion clear on his face. "I'm looking for-

"No, here! On our territory!" Jay exclaimed.

"Do you not know the rules?" Zane asked.

"You can't stay here." Kai huffed.

"If my mom and uncle get a sniff of you-"

"I don't even know you!" Morro snapped as he took deep breaths.

"Exactly!" Lloyd exclaimed in frustration.

"I don't care whose territory this is; I'm not sticking around anyway, and why would I in this dump?" He sarcastically asked. "No smelly brats tell me whether to stay or go." He stated before shoving passed Kai and Cole and running down the stairs...

****************

Later that day everyone was sat at their usual table in the cafeteria, enjoying their lunches. When Pixel and Dareth had joined them, Zane had explained what had happened with Morro when Pixel asked why they were all in a sour mood; leaving out some key details of course.

"We're not smelly!" Cole hissed angrily as he devoured a large slice of cake.

"Well, except for Jay." Kai shrugged absently, getting a hurt cry from the said boy and a kick from Nya.

"You did kind of start it." Pointed out Pixel.

"No, we didn't." Nya defended.

"Someone must know something about him or his family." Suggested Zane. "Seen moving vans, something." He added as a member of Kai's soccer team, Chad, walked over to their table.

"Hey, Kai, are you going to ask the new kid to try out?" He asked though it sounded more like an order.

"I don't think he's the right sort for the team." He replied, keeping his eyes on his food.

"Fine, I'll ask." Chad huffed and walked over to Morro's empty table.

"Wait." Cole gasped but it was too late.

"Relax guys, he won't bite." Pixel frowned at their behavior and the group shared nervous looks. They turned back to Chad and Morro when the new kid suddenly got up and right into a startled Chad's face.

"I don't like soccer and I don't want to hang around with you and your weirdo friend! You got that?!" He roared, sending a pointed look at Kai and everyone sat at the table.

"Obviously, they don't teach manners where he's from." Nya glared as Chad speed walked over to them on shaking legs.

"Next time, you need to approach the weird kid." He hissed to Kai as the cheerleaders suddenly pushed passed them and over to Morro's table, completely looking over the way he had just spoken to Chad. Before the new kid could escape, a blonde cheerleader named Harumi Jade took a seat next to him and practically curled around his arm, much to his disgust. Harumi had long white hair with long bangs fashioned in a bun with chopsticks.

She wore a green jacket with matching pants, a white shirt with red lotus flowers, and full lips painted red.

"Hey cutie, since you've only just got here the principle thought it would be a good idea for someone to show you around, and we know everything about this school; all the best clubs and people to hang out with." She explained as she flashed him a big smile.

"Those weird kids, who're they?" He asked as he pointed over to Lloyd's table, where they were still watching him.

"Oh, that's just Lloyd Garmaddon, Pixel Borg, Zane Jullien, Jay Walker, Kai Smith, Nya Smith, and Cole Brookstone." One of the cheerleaders happily said, only to cower away at Harumi's glare.

"Their families have lived here for centuries." She quickly dismissed. "Never leave the area, don't like strangers or questions."

"They're all cuckoo!" Another cheerleader added.

"What are we talking about them for? Let's talk about you." Harumi smiled as she leaned closer, only to gasp when Morro suddenly stood up, grabbed his bag, and stormed off, leaving a furious Harumi and a dumbfounded Lloyd behind...

****************

After an awkward lunch, with Harumi and Chad and their groups giving them the stink eye, Lloyd and the others finally had had enough and went to their lockers to get their stuff for their next class.

"Are you guys joining us on Miss Jinro's forest stakeout?" Zane asked hopefully.

"It's open to anyone but is part of the ninth grade syllabus so all freshmen have to go," Pixel added with a smile. The others just rolled their eyes and chuckled, only to stop when Cole suddenly froze right in front of them. They looked over the taller teen's shoulder and were irritated to see Morro looking through his own locker from something.

That wouldn't have been a problem if it wasn't for the fact that his locker was right next to theirs.

Before they could do anything, however, Chad and his gang pushed them and 'accidentally' knocked into Morro, causing him to drop his bag and pieces of vegetables to come flying out. To say he was still sore about what Morro did in the cafeteria was an understatement.

"I thought I smelled something funny," Chad smirked as his gang laughed. "Is that your snack, freak?"

"Piss off," Morro growled. Unfortunately, this only made Chad angrier as he marched over to the new kid and violently shoved him into the lockers.

"Got a problem?!" He challenged, failing to see the veins on Morro's hands darkening as he bared his teeth. Before anyone could even blink, Morro suddenly jumped up, almost as high as the lockers, and pounced on the bully, sending them both to the ground. Feeling their stomachs dropping, Lloyd and his friends didn't miss a beat as they ran to stop the fight before any serious damage was done.

Kai and Cole managed to rip a snarling Morro off Chad while Pixel and Jay checked on the jock to make sure he was uninjured.

Quickly, Nya and Lloyd pushed the new kid into an empty art classroom just as Miss. Koko burst through the crowd of onlookers.

"What on Earth is going on here?" She glared as Zane, Cole, and Kai leaned against the door to the classroom, and Jay and Pixel helped Chad to his feet. Meanwhile, in the classroom, Nya and Lloyd mirrored their friends leaning against the door as Morro curled up on the ground, gasping for breath.

"What are you doing?" He cried out between breaths. "Get out!"

"Just breathe." Lloyd tried to reassure but Morro started growling as he backed further away.

"You have to get out!" He screamed as the veins in his face and neck started turning dark and his brown eyes turning a stunning yellow. Realizing it was too late now, Morro slowly looked up at them with a defeated look in his eyes. "I'm so sorry." He whimpered before he erupted into growls. Nya and Lloyd could only watch as his body shrunk and rearranged itself.

His clothes fell off his body as his skin was replaced with thick dark brown fur.

His face stretched out into a muzzle as his blunt human teeth sharpened. Once it was over, Morro slowly stood back up, but instead of a human, a full-grown timber wolf looked back at them. He snarled at the two teenagers before he suddenly started running around the room and on the tables, knocking several art supplies onto the floor.

"Morro!" Nya shouted and the wolf jumped down and snarled at them again.

Slowly, both teens knelt down to the floor with their heads down; when they did raise their heads they revealed their own bright yellow eyes, causing the wolf to freeze. He stared at them for a few moments before relaxing and lying down on the floor. Unfortunately, things weren't going so well outside the classroom for the others.

"He's crazy!" Chad cried as he finished telling his side of the story to Koko.

"You started it!" Pixel exclaimed.

"And where is Morro?" She asked but everyone just shrugged and looked around, still leaning against the door. "I'll catch up with him later; you two, follow me." She sighed as she led Pixel, Chad, and his group away. The friends waited until the crowd of students finally disappeared before they quickly ran into the classroom; only to find a human Morro putting his shirt on as Nya and Lloyd picked up all the items he had knocked over.

"I knew there was something about you guys." Morro smiled like a child on Christmas Day. "It's true, isn't it? You're all like me!"

"We're not like you!" Cole quickly said, a look of rage on his face, causing Morro's smile to drop.

"Yeah, we don't show off and pick fights and invades other packs' territory." Kai hissed.

"You're a danger to us all and the sooner you leave, the better," Nya added when all of a sudden the door to the classroom opened and one of the teachers walked in, only to freeze when he saw the state of the classroom.

"What happened here?" The teacher asked in shock. Morro simply huffed in annoyance as he pushed passed the stunned teacher and stormed down the hall and out of sight. They just let him go. Lloyd wanted to chase after him but he knew the others were right; Morro didn't belong here...

****************

After school, the gang went to their favorite hangout, the Yin & Yang Bistro, to gather their thoughts. They would have gone to Wu's tea shop, Steep Wisdom, but they didn't want Lloyd's uncle to listen in on their conversation. Alas, instead of a quiet place for them to discuss what they had witnessed as they had hoped, the gang had to watch as Miss Jinro's forest stakeout class met at the cafe to prepare.

"Apologies, students." She sighed as the class started to get impatient. "We're waiting for the last few stragglers to show and then we go."

"Ya've got five more minutes unless yer buying somethin'" The cafe owner, Mr. Burke, grumbled from the counter.

"I still think we should tell someone, you know," Jay whispered.

"Yeah, let's tell Mom and Uncle Wu that a strange werewolf just showed up at our school and trashed a classroom after trying to attack a student." Lloyd laughed bitterly.

"To be fair who hasn't wanted to kick Chad's ass." Kai snicked, only to yelp when his sister kicked him under the table.

"This isn't a joke Kai." She hissed as Pixel and Zane walked over to them.

"Are you coming to the forest walk too?" Zane kindly asked.

"Pass," Cole said as the rest scrambled for excuses. Just when they thought their day couldn't get any worse, however, Harumi and her army of cheerleaders suddenly walked in and scanned the room.

"Hey, Burke, has Morro been here?" She asked sweetly.

"Who?"

"He's this tall and dreamy and he beat the crap out of Chad."

"Ah, the Dobsons' new foster kid." Burke laughed and the gang paled.

"M-Morro's in foster care?" Zane asked.

"Yeah, must have been a bad boy ta get moved all tha way up here for a fresh start."

"He's an orphan?" Cole gasped as a look of shame on his face, hard with the others.

"Most foster children have parents somewhere." Pixel stated. "He was probably moved up by Social Services so he to get away from them." She added and Lloyd's stomach dropped in horror. Morro was probably all alone in the world, stuck in a strange place, with no-one to turn to; trying to make it in the world all alone and he and when he does meet another one of his own kind they reject him. Before anyone could say another word, Lloyd, Cole, Jay, and Kai ran out of the bistro, leaving everyone in a stunned and confused silence...

****************

The four teenage boys spent the better part of half an hour tracking the new kid all over the entire city until they followed his scent to the forest at the edge of the city. The giant forest was tremendous, gloomy, and lush. Its canopy was ruled by willow, oak, walnut, and cottonwood, who let through enough dancing beams of sunshine for a hodgepodge of sprouts to rule the insect riddled soils below. Many people were too scared to enter.

Only nature lovers, hikers, and the occasional dog walker ever went in the forest.

Coiling branches clung to many a tree, and a potpourri of flowers, which desperately tried to avoid the shadows, spruced up the otherwise homogeneous scenery. A mixture of beastly sounds, most belonged to foraging animals, added life to the forest, and were out of sync with the sound of the wind blowing gently through the forest. Many normal humans had gotten lost in the dense green world, but Lloyd and the others knew this place like the back of their hands.

They decided to split up, hoping to cover more ground.

Jay and Lloyd went to search closer to the road while Cole and Kai went deeper into the forest. As they walked along the empty road, Lloyd suddenly grabbed his friend's arm and pointed further up the road where they saw Morro Ren walking along the edge of the road, his head down. They knew must have smelled or heard them, so he was simply ignoring them.

"Morro!" Lloyd shouted as they ran to catch up to him.

"Don't worry, I'm out of here." He growled, still looking at his feet as he picked up the pace.

"Please don't! We're sorry, don't go, we can help you." Jay pleaded.

"Help?" He scoffed. "I've had help; counseling and other stupid shit."

"You need to learn to control your wolf self before someone gets hurt... probably you," Lloyd explained, only for them both to jump when Morro suddenly turned around and glared daggers at them

"You're just like the rest of them!" He snarled.

"We know about the Dobsons," Jay replied in a trembling voice. "We know you're alone."

"So?"

"We're like you, you saw that." Lloyd tried to reassure, only for the new kid to shove them away.

"You might like me, you think the same as them!" He snapped. "You're just trying to make me better; but, you know what? What I am, what I turn into, that is way better!" He roared with a big grin on his face. "It's better than anything I've ever known and I'm not letting anyone take that away from me!"

"We're not gonna let you do this," Lloyd warned.

"Go ahead, stop me!" He jeered with a cruel laugh. "Use your wolfy powers and see how long it takes for someone to find out what you are; because no one at school knows your little secret, do they?" He asked and they looked away, their thoughts drifting to Pixel for a brief second. "I thought not; I've got nothing to lose here, unlike you." He smirked before taking off into the forest at full speed.

"Hey!" Jay cried as they chased after him.

"Stop!" Lloyd called as he disappeared into the trees. If they hadn't been werewolves Lloyd and Jay might have lost him, if not for their incredible sense of smell, or Morro's cheap cologne. They quickly tracked him down and before the smug kid could even blink he was tackled by them both. They all cried out and grunted as they rolled down the hill and crashed into the dirt trail. After they managed to untangle themselves, Lloyd was shocked to see Pixel and Zane standing in the middle of the trail with Miss Jinro's forest stakeout class.

Seconds later Kai and Cole came running over the hill and into the awkward tension.

"Sorry, we're late, everyone." Kai weakly chuckled. "Seen any squirrels yet?"

"No, you lot have scared off every animal for miles." Miss Jinro glared before turning to the group of students. "I'm sorry, everyone, we'll have to come back another day." She sighed as they walked away, leaving the gang, Pixel, and Morro alone. As soon as the teacher and class were gone, Pixel glared and advanced towards the group of boys.

"Well done, guys! This was something important to me and Zane." She snapped.

"There's something important we have to do." Cole tried to explain.

"Like what?"

"Morro is more important than any club." Lloyd glared. "The thing is... Morro and I... are related?" He quickly lied, shocking everyone. "Distant cousins; he's the black sheep of the family, and I didn't want him here, so I treated him badly, which is why he lashed out and trashed the classroom."

"We don't have to be best friends, but Morro's here now," Zane added.

"OK." Jay smiled.

"Sure." Pixel sighed.

"Welcome to Ninjago." Cole smiled as he gave the new kid a firm handshake.

"You really don't like soccer?" Kai suddenly asked. Everyone stared at him for a few seconds before they all burst out laughing, Morro included...

****************

Later that evening, as the sun was starting to set, casting it's beautiful orange and shadows among the forest, instead of going home with Zane and Pixel, Lloyd and the others stayed in the forest to have a talk with Morro. There were things they needed to sort out.

"So... where you from?" Kai asked.

"My parents used to live in Stiix; they... they died when I was two," Morro mumbled, his eyes fixed at the rustling branches of the trees.

"And nobody knows what you are?" Cole asked in shock and awe when he shook his head.

"So, what did you do for the full moon last night?" Jay asked.

"I couldn't stay in my bedroom, could I?" He scoffed. "I climbed out of my window and made for the forests."

"So it was your paw-print that Pixel found!" Lloyd gasped; none of them would have been nieve enough walk so close to the city in wolf form.

"Was it your first full moon change?" Asked Cole sympathetically, knowing how scared he was for his first full moon transformation.

"Second." He replied. "The first got me kicked out of my last foster home."

"What happened?" Jay asked.

"Don't know." He shrugged. "I went to bed and woke up in a ditch naked; turns out I trashed my bedroom, so they kicked me out." He mumbled before clearing his throat and straightening up. "Anyway, what about you? I mean, full moons must be epic out here."

"Yeah, they're pretty cool." Cole shrugged.

"Well, I and Nya haven't started transforming yet." Lloyd sighed.

"So, I know more about this stuff than you do?" He laughed.

"Yeah, you're the expert." Kai laughed. "That's why you lost it with Chad in front of half the school."

"I didn't know that could happen." Morro glared. "I only thought werewolves went hairy at the full moon."

"We feel the urge to change when we feel threatened or angry too," Jay explained. "Learn to control it, and you can transform whenever you want."

"How do you know all this stuff?"

"Our parents tell us." Kai shrugged and Morro's eyes grew to the size of saucers.

"You have parents like us?" He cried.

"Well, sort of." Lloyd winced and turned the others, who all gave their nods of approval. "I live with my Mom and uncle who are like us, Kai lives his sister and his parents are werewolves too but they're usually out of town on business, Cole lives with his dad but Lou's human, Zane lives with his dad who's one of us and Jay lives with his parents, but they're both humans."

"I'm adopted but they know what I am and they don't care." Jay quickly added when he saw Morro's confused look.

"We were all born this way, you're normal." Lloyd smiled. "Everything you thought made you a freak: sight, hearing, speed, sense of smell, they're all completely normal for a werewolf; if you stay you'd have a pack, at last, people to teach you."

"So, say I did stick around, only for a bit, no promises." He quickly said when he saw the hopeful looks on their faces. "No rules, no lectures, you can keep your group hugs and your big, furry family, I'll do things my way."

"A lone wolf, huh?" Kai smirked. "I think you and I are gonna get on great."

"Next time you lose control over your wolf self, what happens then?" Cole asked.

"Well, that'll be an interesting day, won't it?" Morro smirked as he got up and walked away. Lloyd and the others shared a nervous look, worrying about what the new day would bring...

[writingsbychlo]

heart under construction (03)

word count; 4255

summary; sam is finally confronting his feelings.

notes; yay, I fixed your hearts. for now. we’re building up to the something big now. 

warnings; none.

It had been twenty-seven days since you had walked past Sam’s house.

He was counting, he knew. 

He had really hoped you might walk past on that first Monday after the argument, but you hadn't. He’d packed extra food in his lunch, the snacks he’d quickly come to realise were your favourites, and he’d eaten them all to comfort himself as he sat waiting at the top the ladder for you for the entire house of his lunch break, and an extra half an hour that Jake told him they could spare. 

He understood though, he really did. He hurt your feelings, and he made you feel unwanted, and you didn’t want to see him. He waited all week, but you didn’t walk past at all. He waited during the second week, he stood on the street corner of the direction you came from every morning of the second week in case he would see you, but he didn’t, you never showed and he spent his days sulking as he continued to fix up his house, the entire passion being gone.

In the third week, he had finished patching up all the walls, and the railings on the balcony were up and glossed over, and he really wanted to show you that he’s taken your advice and bought plant-pots to line the walls near the roof. He was hoping he’d be able to win you over with a session of planting the flowers you thought would look good, and some takeaway food. He’d really watch the sunset with you this time, and then he’d show you all the improvements he’d made to the house. 

By the end of the third week, he realised you were taking a different route to work, and you weren’t going to see the walls being painted a colour that would perfectly match the carpet you had chosen, which was to be delivered in two weeks, once the bannisters and doorframes had been glossed over. 

And now, he was closing in on the end of the fourth week and he was no longer waiting for you to walk past because he knew you wouldn’t, he was no longer looking out for you and sitting in view on his lunch break because he knew you wouldn't be coming to join him. 

It was the final Saturday of the month, and as Sam at in his apartment, staring around at the four walls in complete boredom, he realised he was wasn’t really home. It just didn’t feel comfortable, and it had never mattered before now. Before now, it was just the place he was living at right now, somewhere to keep his clothes and sleep between dates, work and seeing his brother, but as he thought about it more, he didn’t want that anymore.

He wanted a home, he wanted somewhere he was proud of, somewhere he was excited to go home to, somewhere he could share with someone who mattered one day. One day, he wanted to settle down.

The shade of oakwood flooring for the house that he’d spent the week laying down was still flittering through his mind, and now he was wondering what it looked like in the night, in the moonlight, what the kitchen tiles would look like in contrast. They were still sitting in the box on the newly installed kitchen counters, he had let to lay them down but he knew you’d love them. They were classic, just like the older theme he was going with, real stone tiles that would be cold underfoot in the mornings and with a deep sigh, he debated just what to do with the night. 

He could text Jess, she had been asking him about his plans for the last three weekends, and his phone had been blowing up with notifications from beautiful girls on tinder. He could go to a bar and have a drink, or he could watch one of the recorded baseball matches he had on his tv, but for some reason, he just couldn't stop thinking about the goddamn kitchen tiles.

Maybe it was because he was worried about them just sitting out, maybe he was just bored, or maybe it was because he was convinced that you had chosen those tiles. They were the same shade as the carpets you had chosen, a dark grey with slightly lighter speckles and it added the most perfect continual theme to the entire home. They were perfectly matched to the dark grey solid oak wood that lined the bottom and top floors, and he dragged his hand down his face as your touch on the house only seemed to become more and more prominent. 

Jake had been taking a lot of photos of the samples, before having very strong opinions on which flooring they should have, and now that he thought about it - really thought about it - Jake had never had good interior design taste, and the house was going to look perfect, and it wasn’t thanks to them, all they did was rebuild it.

With a deep sigh, he already knew exactly what he wanted to do, and he had no regrets in heaving himself up off of the couch and grabbing his car keys, swiping his coat on the way past and dragging it onto his shoulders as he jogged down the stairwell of the apartment building. It had been fine, comfortable even, when he’d first moved in but now he just felt out of place.

Jake would be at the house, and so he could play off the weird urge to go over and stare at the kitchen tiles you had chosen with longing as instead as spending the night with his brother, and his family. It had been a while since he’d seen Roger and his niece, and it would certainly take his mind off of his wallowing.

The ride over was short, and he knew it by heart now, and he wasn’t sure why the idea of pulling up to the house in the night, the windows lit up with dim light to welcome him in felt more like home than the actual place he lived did.

Throwing the car into park, he jogged up the steps, happiness filling him as he thought about spending the evening with his family, the irritable depression seeping away from him, and the door swung open before him, his brother shocking him by filling the doorway, a loud greeting falling from him upon seeing Sam on the steps.

“Hey! Hey, man, what are you doing here?”

Sam’s brows shot up, his jaw-dropping slightly as he looked at his brother and he gaped for a second, before his brother was shrugging and scratching the back of his head. “Uh.. I figured I’d come and see my niece, spend some time with you guys..”

“Right, yeah, ‘course.” Jake paused, glancing over his shoulder and back into the house for a second, noises of distraction sounding out from him as he fumbled for his words, and Sam stuck his hands into his pockets as he rocked on the balls of his feet, waiting to hear what his brother had to say. “It’s just, you know, normally you have dates or plans of Saturday nights. I figured you’d be with a nice girl at a bar or something. A tinder hookup, you’re a popular guy..”

He finished off his sentence with a laugh, and Sam knew the words weren’t insulting, but they still stung, the idea that he so predictably spent every Saturday night with a random chick who always turned out to be not quite what he was looking for in his life, she never quite seemed to fill the gap of what he didn’t even know he was looking for. “I haven’t really been feeling up to it, lately.”

Jake’s expression seemed to soften from slight panic as he watched him, and Sam felt heat crawl up his cheeks at his brother’s evaluative face, assessing him and trying to work out just why he was really here, and what he was really feeling. 

“Can I please come into my house now?” He cracked a smile, choosing instead to try and breeze right past the awkward tension of the conversation between the two of them and Jake huffed out a laugh, nodding and lifting his arms down from the frames on either side of the front door from where he had been caging him out previously. 

“Sure, yeah. Just- just give me a minute, okay?” Before he even had a chance to reply, Sam was watching with wide eyes as his brother dashed away and into the house, disappearing into the sitting room and back to the mumbled voices and gurgles he could hear from Alice. He didn’t hesitate to step across the threshold, closing the door behind himself with a soft click and following through the house.

Flickering candles were sitting around on all the temporary furniture that had been set up as they had let to choose light shades and bulbs, and it gave the place a cosy and dim glow. He smiled, watching over the room and freezing as his eyes settled in on the scene in the middle of the empty room.

A picnic blanket had been laid out, glasses of wine sitting around the outside on folded napkins as not to leave marks on the new floors, Chinese food and wrappers that were still steaming, barely even opened as cutlery and chopsticks surrounded them, and each member of the group present looked up at him.

His brother, wide-eyed and slack-jawed as he clasped his hands in front of himself, a slight wave of worry began to flit across his features. Roger, his wine glass raised halfway to his lips as he paused, a happy smile on his face as jovial greetings and questions began to pour from his brother-in-law’s lips. Alice was reaching out to him, her little pig-tails bobbing in joy as she practically bounced, her hands making little grabby motions and Sam wiggled his fingers at her, mumbling a child-friendly greeting as a distraction for himself as he found his bearings.

Finally, he glanced up, swallowing thickly as your eyes met his for only a moment, before you were tearing them away, a polite smile on your face that was directed at him and he cursed himself, because he’d never seen that smile before.

He’d seen your reassuring smile, the first one he’d been given when he had met you all those months ago, as you told him not to worry about his stupidity and that you’d be okay, and he shouldn’t worry. He’d seen your nervous smile, the day Jake had asked you to join him for lunch and you’d first climbed that ladder all the way up to join him at the window. He’d seen your carefree smile, the one you’d given him every time he told a stupid joke and you’d laughed for a while together, holding your stomachs and wiping your eyes. He’d seen your smile of pure joy the moment he’d told you he’d stay behind and watch the sunset with you.

He even had smiles he didn’t like, such as the one he’d seen moments later, the fake ‘I’m okay’ smile you’d shot him. He didn’t like the uncomfortable and anxious smile you’d given him the day he’d exploded and you’d slipped away before he could apologise, and he definitely didn’t like the polite and dismissive smile you were giving him now. It made him feel like an outsider, the sort of smile you gave someone you might pass by in a supermarket whom you vaguely knew but not well enough to actually say hi. 

It made him feel like he was a stranger in your life, and he hated it, because that was exactly how he’d made you feel.

This was his fault.

Watching as you tickled at his niece’s side before standing up, and brushing the dust from your pants. His eyes widened, he knew what was coming next and before he could reach out to stop you, you were already mumbling excuses and removing yourself from the situation, his hands sweating and getting clammy, and he wiped them on his jeans as he gaped at you.

His brother and his husband were insisting you stayed, and you were simply thanking them for a lovely evening, and promising you’d do it again soon, despite the fact that you hadn't finished your wine and you hadn't even eaten yet.

He had waited for so long for this chance, and now that it was here, he watching you breeze past him to the front door as you buttoned up your soft-looking blue coat and pure desperation and panic filled him as he stood rooted to his spot, unsure what to do in his frozen state. 

Jake shoved him, Sam stumbling over his own feet as he finally snapped to it, and he caught the front door as you swung it shut behind you, chasing you out into the dark garden as you made your way down the path and toward the streets. “Do you think the garden would look good with those little solar-powered lights that go along the edge of the driveway?”

You came to a slow halt, pausing as you left your back turned to him for a second, your shoulders slumping as you finally turned to face him, confusion covering your face. “What?”

He shook his head, cheeks heated as he mumbled to himself about his stupidity, but you were talking to him, and it was something, even if it was about garden lights, and even if you were looking at him like he was insane. Taking slow and cautious steps toward you, he tried not to scare you off, and he ignored how much it hurt to watch the way you stiffened as he stopped a few feet away from you. “The garden. I’m thinking all along the edge of the driveway to light it up, it would look nice, right?”

“Uh, yeah, I guess so. Wouldn’t it just be a call that the new owners would make, though?”

He hummed, dropping his eyes for yours when you refused to meet his gaze, a sigh leaving him. “Yeah, but the thing is, I can’t stop thinking about.. the house. I lived in a lot of places before and they felt great, but with.. this house, there’s something different. Something special. I want to keep.. it. I really, really like it.”

He wasn’t sure you were understanding anything he was saying, but he chanced a glance up, at you, your soft gaze on him as you finally looked at him, and he offered you a small and tentative smile. He reached out, daring to take a step closer and he extended a shaky hand to take one of yours from where they were hanging limply by your side, and he distracted himself by playing with your fingers for a moment as he considered his next words.

“Please don’t leave. I’m really sorry. I am!” He could hear the pleading tone in his own voice, and he didn’t care, because all he wanted in the world was to stand here and talk to you, and currently, you were staring at him silently. “Please, talk to me.”

“It’s fine, really. Don’t worry about it.”

“Stop telling me that when I do things that aren’t fine, it’s fine!” He let out a ragged sigh, running a hand through his hair in anger as his shoulders slumped in defeat. “It’s not okay that I was too busy texting to see you walking by, and it’s not okay that I said you were a stranger. You’re clearly not! You know my family, so you can’t be a stranger an-”

“Sam.” His jaw snapped shut at your tone, his eyes wide as he halted his rambling, your own eyes scanning over him gently, your shoulders rigid and your body tense before him. “Stop, really. Just because I’m your brother’s friends doesn’t mean you want to be my friend, and that’s okay, it’s okay. You feel invaded upon when I’m around, and that’s okay too.”

He shook his head rapidly, his lips still sealed tightly shut as he waited to check that you were finished talking, your head tilted to the side as you sighed out at his refusal, and he realized it was his turn to talk again. “That’s not it, I swear! I like you, I do!”

He knew his statement wasn’t enough, and he let out a low growl as he tried to find the right thing to say, his lip caught between his teeth, brows furrowed so deeply he was practically squinting, and he thought through everything he could say, he thought about just what he was feeling, trying to express how to fix this. 

“I’ve missed you. Every day. I waited for three weeks for you to walk past so I could apologise. I miss you, and I need you. You make me smile and you make me happy. You are my friend, and you’re important to me, and I shouldn’t have said that, I was just angry and upset and-” His throat practically closed up on him as he choked down his feelings once again, word-vomit threatening to take over, and he swallowed thickly, his eyes dropping from yours for only a split second, before he was looking back up at you again, determined to say his piece while you were still listening. “My mornings don’t feel right anymore, because I don’t get to see you, and hear you wish me a good morning.”

It seemed something had gotten through, because your fingers twitched in his hold, squeezing his a little and he resisted the urge to grip your hand, so tightly he never let go, to lift your hand and place it over his heart as he hugged you, or to use it to tug you closer until you were crashing into his chest. “I text it..”

“I don’t get those texts.” Letting out a cautious sigh, he adjusted his hold, threading his fingers through yours to link your hands together, your own fingers curling around his loosely and he didn’t bother to hide the small smile on his face at the action, stepping closer to you as your wanted breaths mixed in clouds within the cold night air. “I don’t get anything, and I’m sorry.”

“I forgive you, Sam.”

A shiver rolled over his body, his eyes stinging as e blinked back tears, the relief flooding his body washed away the sinking and nauseous feeling that had been swirling in his gut since the night it had happened, and he had to check he wasn’t swaying on his feet from how far in the clouds his heart was soaring at the moment. “I should have stayed and watched the sunset with you. I just bailed, and that was a dick move, an-”

“It was just a sunset, Sam. You had a date, and that was more important.” Your shoulders rose and fell in a casual shrug, your eyes watching the way his fingers were twiddling with yours in the now tight hold he had on his hand and he allowed himself to let out a sound of disagreement, his fingers tilting your head up and cupping your cheek as he guided you to look at him. 

“I would’ve rather watched the sunset with you.”

You huffed at his words, your eyes wide and he forced you to keep your gaze locked with his, your cheeks heating up under his hand, and the edges of his lips dragged up into a tiny smirk, his tongue poking out to lick over his lips. “Well.. it’s in the past now. It doesn’t matter anymore. I forgive you, okay?”

“Okay, sweetheart.” His shoulders dropped down, small smiles being shared between the two of you as a once again comfortable and light silence weighed between you both. The second you took a step back, his hand tightened around yours, tugging you back in close to him, his head shaking as he grunted in disapproval at your attempt to leave. You crashed into his chest, your eyes wide as you pressed a hand over his heart as you stepped back, far enough to look up at him. “I don’t want you to leave yet. Don't leave me, again.”

“You should go and be with your family, and I should go home.” He shook his head, dropping his head down and letting his eyes close, his forehead resting against yours. “I’ll see you around Sam, I’m not going anywhere.”

“See, you say that, but you don’t come by anymore. You don’t eat lunch with me and you never walk past. If I let you go now, I don’t know when I’ll see you again.” You let out a small breath at his words, the warmth of it washing over his lips and he twisted his head, his nose bumping against yours, feeling the way you twitched a little on the contact and he smiled, being able to picture your face in his mind, your eyes closed, the same as his, smiling lightly as you held his hand and felt his heart beating steadily under your palm. “I want to see you.”

It was a while before you even reacted, and his words seemed to fall on deaf ears for a moment, until he felt you shift, your head sliding to rest on his shoulder as your chest pressed to his, your arms looping around his waist as you hugged him gently and he didn’t hesitate this time, he didn’t hesitate to wrap his arms around you and squeeze you tightly, holding you to him, with no intention of letting go anytime soon.

“Please.”

“Okay, look. If you’re free, you should come with Jake and Roger to the princess prom.” He let out a laugh at your words, his chest rumbling underneath you and your fingers tightened in his shirt, scratching at his skin lightly through the material as you let your giggles join his in the quiet night.

“The what?”

“Princess prom. It’s the theme for this year's new parents and kids introduction party. All the current nursery children and their parents will be there. We have newcomers and their parents come, and the kids can all play together while new parents can ask current ones about the system, the way we work, and they can talk to all of us, the teachers, too. The children chose the princess prom theme.” He felt you shift against him a little in what he assumed was supposed to be a nonchalant shrug, and he hummed at your statement. “It’s next Sunday, so if you’re not busy and you want to st-”

“I’ll be there.” He pulled back, holding your jaw in both of his palms as he looked down at you seriously, sending you a short nod in confirmation. “I promise. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

“O-Okay.” You leaned into his touch, his thumbs, stroking over your cheek as your head tipped to the side, and you nuzzled into his palm just slightly, his cheeks heating up as you did and his heart skipped a beat, one of your own hands coming up to close over his and hold it there for a second longer. “Well, your brother has all the details. You don’t have to dress up in a suit, or tux, or anything. You can just dress formally, you don’t have to go all out if you don’t want to. The kids will all be in their favourite Disney prince and princess costumes, I think. They’re all very excited.”

He chuckled, already picturing Alice in her purple rapunzel dress, the one she insisted she wore to every family meal they had, and every time they went out somewhere that required Jake to wear a tie. She even had the braid head-band extensions to match. “What will you be wearing?”

“I will, of course, be wearing a ridiculous ball gown and a tiara. I’m royalty, you know?”

“Mhm, you certainly are.” He grinned as you scoffed, shoving at his shoulder and he slipped his hands down from your cheek, taking both of your hands on his as he rocked on the balls of his feet. “I’ll wear a suit to match you, okay? What colour is your dress?”

“Navy blue.”

“I will get a blue tie, and I’ll match you.” He added a wink on the end of his sentence, enjoying the way your cheeks lit up red, a cheeky smile finding its way onto his features as you grew flustered under his stare. 

“You don’t have to do all tha-”

“I want to. I really want to.” You merely nodded, before giving him a dazzling smile, one full of joy and care and warm emotion that he just wanted to bask in, and he had missed it so. “I’ll see you Sunday, okay?”

“Sure, I’ll see you on Sunday, then..” With a final grin, he raised your hands up to his lips, pressing a series of kisses to the backs of both hands and your knuckles, before giving you a final parting wink and jogging backwards up to the house, watching as you blushed, turning and heading away toward your own home. 

He had never been happier to have not been on a Saturday night date in his life.

[mcmansionhell]

2018 McGingerbread Hell Competition Winners

Happy New Year, Folks! I’m pleased to announce the winners of this (past) year’s McGingerbread Hell Gingerbread House Competition!!

First off, I cannot find the words to say how much joy each and every entry to this competition has brought me. Every single one of the participants put their 100% best McMansion Hell face on and the results were charming, hilarious, and, if we’re being punny here, downright sweet. This may be the best idea this blogger has ever had. 

Second, let me say that the when I say the competition was fierce, I mean, it was fierce. So much so that I drafted the fellow judgement of two of my favorite colleagues, my literary agent Caroline Eisenmann, and fellow architecture critic/Editor of Chicago Architect Magazine Anjulie Rao to help me narrow the 43 contestants down to 8. 

Just a note: Last names of the winners have been abbreviated for privacy reasons. If you would like your full name to be published instead, please email mcgingerbreadhell@gmail.com with your preferred name. 

We’re going to start our line up with the 5 honorable mentions in alphabetical order, after which there will be a break to take those of you scrolling through this on the dashboard to the full article where the top 3 McMansions will be revealed. 

Without further ado... 

Honorable Mention #5 : Manoir de emporte-pièce by Anya D.

The judges were impressed by the whimsy, creativity and finely detailed execution of Anya’s house. Caroline summed it up best: “what else is a McMansion if not a bunch of smaller houses wrapped into one package?” 

Anya writes: 

Hi I'm Anya and I'm 12. I made my Gingerbread house from Gingerbread I mixed and baked myself. The house shapes came from a cookie cutter. It's held together with royal icing frosting I made. The shingles are almonds and the house off to the side is the dog house and has candy dog bones on it. The "lights" on parts of it are candy balls. I hope you like it!

Honorable Mention #4: AMAZING Custom Home with Quality Features by Sydney E.

The judges were impressed by the house’s fine craftsmanship, attention to detail (especially the peppermint columns, the gumdrop crenellations, and the chandelier in the back) and great sense of humor. Anjulie remarked: “Love the inclusion of the nuclear family.” What really had us in stitches was Sydney’s wonderfully rich description, especially this part:

 “...You'll know you're living in the lap of luxury when you see the ENORMOUS GOLD CHANDELIER in the dining room. But it's the ROOFTOP PATIO with no discernible purpose or point of entry that will really set you apart from your neighbors. "Hey, how did you get up there?" they'll ask, but you're not telling (mysterious!). The landscaping will make you feel like you're in the countryside, in a sea of royal icing TURF GRASS (shown here, lightly dusted with coconut snow). The FOUR TREES on the property are either too far from the house to provide any shade (stately!) or extremely close to the house and actively obscuring at least one window (posh!). The entire house, the front walk, and the driveway are all bordered in royal icing ENGLISH IVY, which is definitely never going to be a problem for native plants (colonial!).”

Honorable Mention #3: Suburban Hobbit House by Jennifer K. & Cara M.

The judges were impressed by the difficulty of execution in Jennifer and Cara’s house, especially the dome, the cleverness of using almonds as cladding, and the hilariously barren “asphalt” lawn complete with soul patch. Kate remarked: “Pretty sure I saw this exact house in Bergen County, New Jersey.”

Jennifer and Cara wrote about their house: 

Made of solid gingerbread in shape of skulls (had the pans), graham crackers, lots of icing, nuts, chocolate, a candy cane, grape tic-tacs, decorator sprinkles, butter-rum Lifesavers, fondant, Tootsie Rolls, and a loaf of rosemary bread. Round center mass house with back porch nub, two wings, a charming turret. We totally meant for it to look this way.

Honorable Mention #2: European Charme by Núria O. 

The judges were very impressed with the fine detailing (such as the columns, balustrades, and front door), the crisp, clean execution of the design, and total commitment to the McMansion Aesthetic™ from front to rear, including the completely barren lawn. 

Núria describes the house in finely practice Realtor-ese:

Beautiful gazillion-square-feet chalet featuring lots of personality and European flair. This cozy 4-bedroom, 10-bathroom cottage is made of sturdy construction-grade tan-beige gingerbread from top to bottom. Roof plates are structurally tinted, not painted, ensuring a durable color that will last until the last crumble is eaten. Windows glazing is made of gelatine sheets coated with black-coloured blueberry jam to ensure privacy as you lounge by the bay window or enjoy the views from the beautiful faux-balcony. 

All doors are solid gum paste, with royal icing on all window frames as well as the balustrade. This home is ideal for entertaining, with its luxurious two-story entrance featuring genuine Spanish _neula_ columns with doric capitals, ornated pediment and a quaint half-tindered wall that gives true European _charme_. Utilities are housed in a lovely turret next to the service door. The garage accomodates two SUVs or six European sedan cars. The magnificent brown-sugar-paved front yard features icing plants and a signature landscaped crushed-sprinkle turf patch on cookie soil. The same type of grass was used in the large, sunny backyard which also has a patio area.

Honorable Mention #1: Existential Crisis on 34th Street by Caitlin R. 

The judges were very impressed by the house’s clever use of different baking materials and attention to detailing, especially in the icing work. Kate was especially excited by the rounded gingerbread turret, and Anjulie loved the “Existential Crisis” detail and monumental marshmallow columns. The description had Caroline especially in stitches.

Caitlin describes the house:

This nine-bedroom mansion is made from the most exquisite of gingerbreads. Lovingly handmade from scratch, and crafted by local artisans, it's ready for your own sweet family. Grecian inspired columns impose your might on the neighborhood, while a pebble-clad tower with bay windows adds a touch of country charm. Architectural details include a 'stonework' wall and chimney, sweet dormer windows, and a luxurious back porch. A myriad of windows let light into this expanded historic house - the original building dates all the way back to 1982! Come by today, and soon you'll be calling this three-and-a-half story, Greco-Chateauesque Italian Revival Americana, 18,600 square foot mansion - home!

Now on to the TOP 3 PRIZEWINNING HOUSES!

It all comes down to this. It was stiff competition through and through, and the judges deliberated long and hard about who the top 3 spots should go to. Each house showed tremendous ability in craftsmanship, detailing, and McMansion Engineering. Without further ado: 

Third Prize: Saccharin Sanctuary by Christa H.

The judges were wowed by the amazing craftsmanship and attention to detail present in Christa’s house. Caroline was impressed by the use of Cinnamon Toast Crunch as shingling, Anjulie loved the jellybean stone accents, and Kate found the use of sticks of gum as fake-stucco siding to be very clever. The execution of the lawyer foyer, turret, and appropriately nonsensical rear exterior put this house in to the third place slot. 

Christa’s description, in perfect Realtorese: 

This fabulous 1.5 story house features a gorgeous columned entry, double garage, show-stopping turret, and the picture perfect back patio. Built from the finest gingerbread and white chocolate... you can be sure that this house has a superior foundation that you can trust for years to come. Jelly Beans, spear mint Lifesavers, Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Double Mint gum among other award winning materials make this house’s curb appeal unforgettable! List Price: 🍬574,900  Est Mortgage: 🍬2,240/mo Listed By: Sugar & Space Reality®️

Second Prize: The Hundred Thousand by Louisa G.

The judges were blown away by, as they say, the sheer size of this lad. The monumentality of such a massive roof must have taken some serious gingerbread engineering, all while perfectly encapsulating McMansion Roof Culture. The engineering, clean execution, attention to detail (millions of nonpareils!!), and true, well, McMansion-ness of this house vaulted (ceiling) it into 2nd place. 

Louisa describes the house thusly: 

The Hundred Thousand has no equal. This 37-piece towering gingerbread edifice was baked and constructed over four days during the heat of an Australian summer, by an Australian and a Finn, using a Finnish gingerbread recipe. Inspired by Mt. Nub, The Hundred Thousand boasts a porcine screaming porch, eight ahoy-mateys windows, a royally-iced gable front that almost but not entirely obscures the front door, and palatial grounds landscaped with topiary sweets, all topped off with a soaring roof tiled with hundreds & thousands. 

So many hundreds & thousands were used that the builders ran out of material - causing the construction project to grind to a halt for almost ten minutes, until the Australian’s father arrived with more much-needed building supplies. The Hundred Thousand was fixed together using high-quality caramel, and is internally braced by two large gingerbread cross-panels. This fantastic abode required nearly 2kg of flour and eight eggs (provided by the Australian’s chickens) and was constructed as large as the oven would allow, measuring a whopping 40 cm across on the front facade, and nearly 30 cm high. 

And finally, (DRUMROLL PLEASE)

First Prize: Casa de McGingerHell by Beth and Tina C.

From the moat, dome skylight, and lawyer foyer, to the rice crispy treat retaining wall, and chocolate rocks, this house, in the words of Caroline, was “truly next level.” The judges were blown away by the incredible attention to detail and clever use of different materials, specially the pretzel railing on the bridge, the marshmallow penguins, and we all freaked over those sugar glass and water elements. From the several different types of windows, bizarre massing, and three car garage, this house encapsulates the deranged opulence of McMansions in the sweetest way possible. 

Beth and Tina describe their house: 

Located centrally and literally dominating the entire living room, this McGingerMansion features over twenty handcrafted stained glass windows, a double sized garage, and three hand laid rock face walls! This gingermansion also has not one, but two incredible water features including a delightful frozen waterfall in the spacious backyard. Boasting several pre-decorated pine trees surrounding the property, this festive gingermansion showcases several dozen strands of lights and as well as a handful of charming wreaths. 

The one hundred percent genuine pretzel log deck overlooking the backyard is the perfect place to entertain friends and family alike, especially during the holiday season! Standing at just over a foot and a half tall, this truly massive gingermansion has a total composition of just over twenty pans worth of gingerbread. Call now to schedule a tour today; this gingermansion won't last long! *Disclaimer: As required of us by law, we must disclose the presence of a minor pest infestation in the form of roughly a dozen cute, but possibly rabid penguins on the property.

On behalf of the judges and McMansion Hell, we would like to thank everyone who entered the competition for their amazingly wonderful houses, and for the funding from McMansion Hell’s Patreon supporters whose generosity made running the competition and supplying the prizes possible. 

Stay tuned for this year’s new and exciting McMansion Hell features:

- The conclusion of the 50 states, starting with Virginia next week.  - A series of essays on kitsch - Looking at McMansions decade by decades - McMansions in film and media - Updates on the McMansion Hell Book

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