#pavilion with cedar ceiling

[dylanobrns]

DC Metro Backyard Porch

[gentlemensmuse]

Deck Pergolas Philadelphia Large elegant backyard deck photo with a pergola

[cainlogan908]

Cedar Park Charms: Discovering Enchanting Wedding Venues

Introduction

When it comes to planning a wedding, choosing the perfect venue is crucial. The venue sets the stage for your special day, creating an atmosphere that reflects your love story and leaves a lasting impression on your guests. If you're dreaming of a magical wedding in a charming location, look no further than Cedar Park, Texas. This picturesque city is home to a variety of enchanting wedding venues that will make your wedding day truly unforgettable. In this article, we will take you on a journey through Cedar Park's most captivating wedding venues, each with its own unique charm and allure.

1. The Rustic Barn

Nestled in the heart of Cedar Park, The Rustic Barn is a hidden gem that offers a rustic and charming setting for your wedding day. This venue features a beautifully restored barn with exposed wooden beams, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. The surrounding countryside provides a picturesque backdrop for your ceremony, with rolling hills and vibrant wildflowers. The Rustic Barn also offers outdoor spaces for cocktail hours and receptions, allowing you to celebrate under the open sky. If you're looking for a venue that combines rustic elegance with natural beauty, The Rustic Barn is the perfect choice.

2. The Lakeside Manor

For couples seeking a waterfront wedding venue, The Lakeside Manor is a dream come true. Situated on the shores of a serene lake, this enchanting venue offers breathtaking views and a tranquil ambiance. Exchange your vows on the manicured lawn overlooking the water, with the gentle breeze and the sound of lapping waves as your backdrop. The Lakeside Manor also features a spacious indoor reception area, complete with floor-to-ceiling windows that offer panoramic views of the lake. With its idyllic setting and elegant charm, The Lakeside Manor is sure to create a romantic and unforgettable wedding experience.

3. The Garden Oasis

If you're a nature lover, The Garden Oasis is the perfect wedding venue for you. This hidden oasis boasts lush gardens, cascading waterfalls, and blooming flowers, creating a magical and serene atmosphere. Say your vows in the enchanting garden gazebo, surrounded by vibrant colors and the sweet scent of flowers. The Garden Oasis also offers a covered pavilion for receptions, allowing you and your guests to dine and dance under the stars. With its natural beauty and peaceful ambiance, The Garden Oasis is an ideal choice for couples who want to embrace the beauty of nature on their wedding day.

4. The Grand Ballroom

For couples who desire a touch of elegance and grandeur, The Grand Ballroom is the ultimate wedding venue. This luxurious space features sparkling chandeliers, ornate decorations, and a spacious dance floor. The Grand Ballroom offers a range of customizable wedding packages, allowing you to create a personalized and unforgettable event. Whether you envision a lavish and extravagant affair or a more intimate gathering, The Grand Ballroom can accommodate your needs. With its opulent surroundings and impeccable service, this venue will make your wedding day truly unforgettable.

5. The Hilltop Estate

Perched atop a scenic hill, The Hilltop Estate offers breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside and a sense of exclusivity. This elegant venue features a stunning mansion with luxurious interiors and expansive outdoor spaces. Exchange your vows on the hilltop terrace, with panoramic views as your backdrop. The Hilltop Estate also offers a spacious reception area, complete with a grand ballroom and a covered patio. With its breathtaking views and luxurious ambiance, The Hilltop Estate is the perfect venue for couples who want to make a statement on their wedding day.

FAQ

1. How far in advance should I book my wedding venue in Cedar Park?

It is recommended to book your wedding venue in CedarPark at least 9-12 months in advance, especially if you have a specific date in mind. Popular venues tend to book up quickly, so it's best to secure your desired date as early as possible.

2. Can I bring in my own vendors, such as caterers and decorators?

Most wedding venues in Cedar Park allow outside vendors, but it's always best to check with the venue coordinator to confirm their policies. Some venues may have a list of preferred vendors that they work with, while others offer more flexibility in choosing your own.

3. Are there accommodations available for out-of-town guests near the wedding venues?

Cedar Park offers a range of accommodations, including hotels and vacation rentals, to cater to out-of-town guests. Many wedding venues also have partnerships with nearby hotels, offering discounted rates for wedding guests.

4. Are there indoor options available in case of inclement weather?

Yes, most wedding venues in Cedar Park have indoor backup options in case of bad weather. It's always a good idea to discuss this with the venue coordinator during the planning process to ensurea seamless transition in case of inclement weather.

5. Can I visit the wedding venues in person before making a decision?

Absolutely! It is highly recommended to schedule a visit to the wedding venues in Cedar Park before making a final decision. This will give you a chance to see the venues in person, envision your wedding day, and ask any questions you may have.

Conclusion

Cedar Park, Texas, is a hidden gem when it comes to enchanting wedding venues. From rustic barns to lakeside manors, garden oases to grand ballrooms, and hilltop estates, Cedar Park offers a diverse range of options for couples seeking a magical and unforgettable wedding experience. Each venue has its own unique charm and allure, providing the perfect backdrop for your love story. Whether you're dreaming of a rustic outdoor wedding or an elegant indoor affair, Cedar Park has the perfect venue to bring your vision to life. So, start planning your dream wedding in Cedar Park and create memories that will last a lifetime.

[wrighttimberframe]

Designing Your Outdoor Retreat Custom-Built Pergolas for Backyard Bliss

Looking to spruce up your outdoor space for the summer? Want to add some charm to your patio or deck? Need a dedicated spot for your beloved potted plants? Look no further than a custom pergola! This versatile structure comes in various materials like vinyl, metal, or cedar, giving you plenty of options to match your style. But wait, let me fill you in more; pergolas are more spacious and flat, often attached to buildings or freestanding. Now that you know about it, you’re all set to bring your pergola dream to life!

Here are some reasons to design your outdoors with custom-built pergolas:

· Building a pergola offers a clever way to give your landscape a clear purpose. It creates a defined space in your yard, perfect for entertainment, lounging, dining, and more. A pergola becomes a focal point for outdoor activities, especially if you lack a patio or deck connected to your house. Adding this structure to your yard gives you better control over your outdoor living space, making it a versatile and stylish addition to your home.

· Privacy is vital when you’re seeking a tranquil summer evening outdoors, free from prying eyes. If a privacy fence isn’t an option, consider a Custom Built Pergola with screens, drapes, or latticework on one or more sides as an attractive alternative. Strategically placing the pergola in your yard can also help shield unsightly views like the road, rusty playground equipment, or the neighbor’s shed. With a pergola, you can maintain your yard’s natural beauty while enjoying a private and secluded oasis free from any unwanted sights.

· Pergolas offer a garden lover’s dream with open latticework, allowing you to hang lush vegetation and create a heavenly garden space. Climbing plants thrive around these structures, intertwining with the framework to form a beautiful, natural ceiling or walls. Embrace nature’s embrace with a pergola that transforms your outdoor space into a botanical wonderland.

· Pergolas not only enhance the aesthetics of your home but also offer practical benefits like protection and shade. Opt for a 50/50 shade-to-sunlight ratio with top slats spaced to reduce 50% of incoming sunlight, creating a cozy outdoor haven. Moreover, canopies are gaining popularity, providing a versatile solution for sun protection during the day and a clear view of the moonlit sky at night. Embrace the comfort and charm of a pergola, and enjoy a delightful outdoor living space year-round.

Choose Wright TimberFrame for the best services.

At Wright TimberFrame, we craft durable and timeless pergolas, pavilions, and trellises. Our age-old timber frame techniques ensure exceptional craftsmanship, with each project featuring custom dovetail and mortise and tenon joinery for a unique touch.

Our location:- Timber Frame Pavilion 4079 S 420 W, Murray, UT 84123, United States

This Article "Designing Your Outdoor Retreat Custom-Built Pergolas for Backyard Bliss" is Originally Posted Here.

[groupsix]

Immersive exhibition research

1. Frameless

Frameless is an immersive exhibition now on display at the Marble Arch, London, until Until 30th April 2023. Featuring the work of several famous artists - like Klimt, Monet, Rousseau and many more - this exhibition has many rooms. They have divided the exhibition into four directions. Their team includes the award-winning creative team from FiveCurrents, the Emmy Award-winning production team who have 15 Olympic accolades to their name, including the London 2012 Olympic Games awards ceremony.

Transcendence: Surreal, out-of-this-world and fantastic, this gallery's artwork will take the audience beyond the boundaries of reality. 

Colour in Motion: interact with colour in a fascinating new way as the audience encounter every brush stroke and a splash of paint in each masterpiece. Our advanced motion-tracking technology will enable the audience to recreate the art with gestures and movements. 

The world around us: Be blown away by 360-degree views of the city and seascapes, immersing the audience in our world's beauty. 

Abstract art: walk through a labyrinth of colours, shapes and forms and discover the pioneers of abstract art.

The tremendous success of this exhibition is the placement of the motion tracking function, which is very powerful in the second gallery. As the viewer walks around, it simultaneously affects the movement of the brush strokes on the screen. They have also used atmospheric soundtracks, such as the dramatic soundtrack of classical and romantic period music in the World Around Us pavilion, to support the paintings in the exhibition. Combined with the size of the room and the omnipresent projections on all six surfaces, the viewer is genuinely immersed in the painting, and Frameless as an immersive exhibition provides a beautiful multi-sensory experience.

2. Silent fall

This full-sensory exhibition is a collaboration between Tetsu Murakami and Alexander Groves. The exhibition simulates the sounds and smells of the forest to blur the boundaries between technology and nature. It uses the sense of smell to simulate moments in nature, and they believe that smell is closely related to memory and is a stimulant. The smell can cause the viewer to have a quick recall and connect with visuals and feelings and even associate with stories. What I find striking about this exhibition is that the installation releases bubbles full of scent, allowing the viewer to experience the sensation of walking through the forest with their sense of smell. The team specially created the scents with perfumer Paul Schütze, using vetiver, patchouli, cedar, pink pepper and oak moss to simulate the scent of fresh leaves, woody bark, tree sap, earth and pine. So the exhibition is not only a visual feast but also satisfies the aural and olfactory senses of the viewer. It is an excellent commercial immersion exhibition!

3. The Summer Palace by Agustin Vidal Saavedra

This exhibition is in the new building, next to the tube station near Oxford Street in London. I was lucky enough to see this exhibition the last time I left the tube station, not knowing precisely what it was about, but I was blown away by the exhibition's content. Outernet London created this huge immersive space, and in collaboration with Agustin Vidal Saavedra, the exhibition is called the summer palace. The exhibition is inspired by the Sistine Chapel and uses the ceiling as a focal point for the action and the screen to create a circular dome that deceives the viewer's eyes. The dome overhead begins to reveal the descent of the gods from Michelangelo's Genesis. The exhibition uses animation, particle simulation and 3D visual effects combined with literary period paintings to give the viewer an incredible visual effect. The team used particle simulation to create galaxies, stars and explosions, and AI to increase the quality of the painting to an insane 8k resolution, and combined fractals, drawings, realistic space pictures and 100 million hours of rendering to bring the palace to life. When it is displayed on the giant screen, the presentation is fantastic when the visuals are combined with the audio, allowing the viewer to be immersed entirely while watching.

Reference

Allen, J. (2022, October 7). Frameless. The Nudge London. https://thenudge.com/london-things-to-do/frameless-london/

Frameless. (2022, May 25). Marble Arch London. https://marble-arch.london/news/frameless-marble-arch/

Anisah. (2023, January 1). 7 immersive art exhibitions in London to book for 2023. London Girl Munches. https://londongirlmunches.com/2023/01/01/immersive-art-exhibitions-london/

Frankel, E. (n.d.). A.A. murakami: “silent fall” at superblue review. Time Out London. Retrieved January 31, 2023, from https://www.timeout.com/london/art/a-a-murakami-silent-fall-review

Artist news, interviews, videos, and more from superblue. (2021, November 9). Superblue. https://www.superblue.com/article/bridging-meaning-and-amusement-a-a-murakamis-silent-fall-opens-superblue-london/

Nair, S. (2022, January 23). AA Murakami’s “Silent Fall” at London’s Burlington Gardens tantalises all the senses. Stirworld.com; STIRworld.com. https://www.stirworld.com/see-features-aa-murakami-s-silent-fall-at-london-s-burlington-gardens-tantalises-all-the-senses

Edwards, L. (n.d.). The Summer Palace. ArtRabbit. Retrieved January 31, 2023, from https://www.artrabbit.com/events/the-summer-palace

Outernet & Agustin Vidal Saavedra present the summer palace. (n.d.). Outernetglobal.com. Retrieved January 31, 2023, from https://www.outernetglobal.com/news/outernet-london-and-agustin-vidal-saavedra-present-the-summer-palace

Totoe, M. (2023, January 15). FLO London. FLO London. https://www.flolondon.co.uk/all-posts/9-immersive-art-exhibitions-in-london-to-book-now

Studios, V. [@VisiniStudios]. (2022, October 14). Frameless | Immersive Art Exhibition | London. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xr3vzwomk68

London, O. [@outernetlondon9970]. (2023, January 10). The Summer Palace experience at Outernet London. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWb2cB78Ga0

By Yang Ruisi

[hometoursandotherstuff]

We’ve seen homes for $2.6M before, but this one in Charles Town, West Virginia is exceptional. 

The grounds and the buildings on it are amazing. Look at this pavilion.

There’s even another house on the property.

A brick chapel.

A mini castle.

Plus a picnic area with swings. I think it has a lot for $2.6M, considering.

The entrance hall isn’t elaborate, but the living room is huge. You can see that it needs some updating, which may explain the price.

But, then there’s this.

This is a beautiful room- look at the built-ins and the ceiling. 

Unusual dining room.

Then there’s the fireplace in the kitchen.

It’s gigantic.

Everyday dining area. 

Extremely fancy main bd. with a matching blue en suite.

This closet is insane. It’s cedar, too.

There are 7 bds. and  8.5 baths. I’m thinking that the price is lower b/c it will cost a fortune to update all this, if the buyer wants to put his own spin on it.

Huge billiard room.

Of course there has to be a wine cellar.

This looks like a simulated medieval home.

Another family room. 

These look like some kind of a storage rooms. I don’t know if this one’s for shoes or canned goods.

Green & white checkered floor in the garage.

The pool area is very nice, but so fancy- no slide, etc. 

https://www.redfin.com/WV/Charles-Town/1100-Keyes-Ferry-Rd-25414/home/21940468

[architectnews]

Forest Hill Garden and Pavilion, Toronto

Forest Hill Garden and Pavilion, Toronto, Ontario Building and Landscape Design, Modern Canadian Home

Forest Hill Garden & Pavilion in Toronto

4 Jun 2022

Design: Amantea Architects

Location: Toronto, ON, Canada

Photos: Doublespace Photography

Forest Hill Garden & Pavilion, Canada

Toronto’s Amantea Architects has transformed the landscape of a single-family home in the city’s Forest Hill neighbourhood, clarifying its program while maintaining its lush, layered character. The Forest Hill Garden & Pavilion project comprises a fully redesigned backyard including dining terrace, patio, sports lawn, swimming pool and pavilion—all efficiently programmed within a 560-square-metre space—as well as a new front garden and entryway.

The exterior project began with Amantea’s collaboration on an extensive renovation of the primary residence. The client wanted to preserve elements of the existing landscape—notably the mature trees along the rear garden, which add to the backyard’s leafy seclusion—while extending the material palette and language of the house’s now-modern interior.

The landscape’s focal point is a new 47-square-metre pavilion spanning nearly the entire width of the backyard and pushed as close to the rear property line as permitted. Hovering above native grade on piers to mitigate its impact on the adjacent trees, the pavilion’s linear form is configured to preserve the existing vegetation. Clad in black to contrast with the surrounding foliage while visually receding into the background, the pavilion functions like a screen, creating the illusion of limitless space beyond. The house-facing elevation is an assembly of vertical cedar battens that gradually transition from wide and shallow at the building’s ends, which house storage and mechanical, to narrower, deeper and more widely spaced at its centre. The resulting moiré-like effect is especially striking at night when the pavilion is illuminated like a lantern, with warm light filtering through its screen and full-height translucent glass walls.

These glass panels admit ample daylight, limiting the need for artificial lighting while still providing visual separation; after dark, daylight is supplemented with tunable LEDs integrated into the ceiling. The pavilion’s core, finished with a warm and natural palette of marine-grade ply with cedar veneer and oiled cedar boards, is turned over to a washroom, a change room and a shower next to an opening in the roof that frames a birch tree and a view of the sky—zones deftly partitioned yet open to the surrounding landscape and pool activity.

From the interior of the pavilion, ipe flooring connects to the oiled ipe decks that frame the swimming pool. Mirroring the pavilion’s geometry, the new rectangular pool is lined with Algonquin limestone that extends horizontally on one side to form a deck wide enough for lounge chairs; nearest the house, the same limestone acts as a bridge to the dining terrace. The pool’s remaining sides are flanked by decks of oiled ipe that sit flush with the level of the lawn. The use of continuous walking surfaces throughout the backyard unifies the pavilion with its setting—an effect enhanced by a planted roof that visually extends the lawn to the perimeter vegetation when viewed from above.

Opposite the pavilion, the new dining terrace replaces an existing balcony-like platform framed by a masonry wall and accessed by a narrow set of eight stone steps; now, an extended sequence of wide platforms elaborates the transition from ipe dining terrace to limestone patio below, dispensing with the need for a guardrail and enhancing the feeling of openness. Raised to meet the level of the main floor interior, the new enlarged terrace also includes a generous custom barbecue station set against horizontal black-stained cedar lath with a powder-coated aluminum heat guard.

From dining terrace to pool, the elevation change is managed by a berm—sandwiched between two low limestone retainers, further subdivided by black aluminum planters and densely foliated to negotiate its steep descent—inserting a middle-ground to create a sense of distance between pool and terrace. Here and elsewhere, plantings (selected in collaboration with Tina McMullen) are structured for a modern look that nonetheless retains the loose, shaggy feel of the original garden.

In the front yard, Amantea updated an existing horseshoe driveway and intersecting front walk with new heated surfaces of concrete and limestone. The entrance, too, is modernized, with a new square stoop, orthogonal limestone bench and corresponding planting box framed in blackened metal; here, as in the areas flanking the front walk, a carefully proportioned composition of shrubs and low plantings replaces turf.

Forest Hill Garden & Pavilion in Toronto, Ontario – Building Information

Design: Amantea Architects – https://www.amarchitects.ca/

Site size: 1084 sqm Completion date: 2019 Building levels: 1

Landscape Contractor: Coivic Contracting Ltd. Pavilion Contractor: Niet Outdoors Planting Plan Designer: Bosque Landscape Architecture Structural Engineer: Blackwell

Photographer: Doublespace Photography

Forest Hill Garden & Pavilion in Toronto images / information received 040622

Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada, North America

Toronto Architecture

Toronto Architectural Designs – chronological list

Ontario Architecture News on e-architect

Therme Canada | Ontario Place, West Island Design: Diamond Schmitt image courtesy of Diamond Schmitt Therme Canada Ontario Place

Edition, 764 St. Clair West, Wychwood-Cedarvale neighbourhood, Midtown Architecture: StudioAC photograph : Double Space Photo Edition’s Second Location

La Belle Maison Mansion photo : Property Vision Media La Belle Maison Mansion

Toronto Architecture

Comments / photos for the Forest Hill Garden & Pavilion in Toronto designed by Amantea Architects page welcome

The post Forest Hill Garden and Pavilion, Toronto appeared first on e-architect.

[handymanremodeling8151]

Reliable Landscaping Services Landscaping Contractor Albuquerque NM| Best Albuquerque Handyman & Remodeling

More information is at: http://handymanalbuquerque.org/landscaping-service-near-me/

Albuquerque NM Landscaping Service: Best Albuquerque Handyman & Remodeling Company offers a proven track record of creative, quality landscape design and maintenance. You deserve the best in landscape design/build and maintenance...You deserve Gibbs Landscape Company. We have earned the reputation of being the market leader in residential and commercial landscaping.

REQUEST A QUOTE NOW

LANDSCAPING SERVICES Best Albuquerque Handyman & Remodeling Company began as a residential landscape company in 2000. Through 10+ years of service Best Albuquerque Handyman & Remodeling has earned the reputation as Nebraska’s premiere landscape company. At Best Albuquerque Handyman & Remodeling Landscape Company cultivating the environment is our life and livelihood. It is our number one goal to help our clients create and maintain beautiful landscapes while reducing the impact on the environment. Whether you are interested in landscape design and installation, maintenance services, seasonal color, or landscape services, our staff of award winning landscape architects and horticulturalist can help you create anything you desire.

Best Albuquerque Handyman & Remodeling Company offers a proven track record of creative, quality landscape design. Our fabulous designs have enabled us to win awards and have paved the way to establishing Best Albuquerque Handyman & Remodeling Landscape Company as the premier design/build company in Albuquerque NM. Homeowners who have followed our design/build approach find it not only produces a better landscape environment, but often saves them money.

Our landscape architects are constantly challenged to find something wonderful, new and different in their designs. Based on the rave reviews (and awards) that Best Albuquerque Handyman & Remodeling designs receive, we are convinced they are more than meeting the challenge. Our emphasis is on constant quality, but we also appreciate the colorful twist and turns that go along with creating a beautiful environment. Our landscape architects work with our clients from start to finish. This means our designers will work with you from the initial design to the completion of the project. They are on site to insure your landscape is completed properly. Definition is sometimes clearer or easier when describing what something is not rather than what it is. Landscape construction or hardscapes, as some refer to it, is everything in the landscape that is NOT planting. It is not alive. It does not grow. With minor exception it does not change its form after the job's completion. What you see is usually what you get - as opposed to the diversely fluid life span of the planted garden.

Landscape construction certainly defines outdoor space in the same way that planting beautifies outdoor space. Successful construction design and implementation has the ability to delineate space in a way that brings continuity and flow between the house and garden. It fortifies the functionality of the garden, pulling the user out as a participant rather than a mere observer. Its results are usually very immediate and in most cases permanent. It allows landscape to become architecture.

Outdoor rooms are created by intermingling and manipulating floors, ceilings, walls, and doors. Different media for each of those elements are chosen and integrated to bring about contrasting garden experiences. Garden walls might be fencing, wooden screening, solid panels of brick and stone, short retaining walls, or taller, free-standing enclosure walls. Floors can be segments of suspended decking, all types of paving, or visually can even be horizontal planes of water. Ceilings are normally partial ceiling such as awning, arbors, or trellises, but will sometimes become a fully functional ceiling as with the summerhouse, pavilion, or pool house.

We specialize in designing and installing outdoor spaces, utilizing materials such as pavers, natural stone, and modular block. Most of our retaining walls, outdoor fireplaces, fire pits, and patios are built using some or all of these materials. The seasonal program offers a solution for our clients who do not have a need for our weekly lawn care maintenance program. A specially trained crew will perform all the seasonal service functions which are as follows: • Deep Hand Pruning Albuquerque NM • Ground Cover Control Albuquerque NM • Hand Weeding Albuquerque NM • General Landscape Cleanup

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BEST LANDSCAPING SERVICES IN ALBUQUERQUE NM BEST ALBUQUERQUE HANDYMAN & REMODELING REQUEST MORE INFORMATION NOW.

Contact us: Best Albuquerque Handyman & Remodeling Best commercial residential handyman maintenance renovation professionals in Albuquerque, NM CALL (505) 859-3902 HANDYMAN 1 CALL (505) 404-7167 HANDYMAN 2 CALL (505) 225-3810 CLEANING CALL (505) 570-4605 JUNK REMOVAL CALL (505) 850-3570 MOVING Located in Albuquerque, NM WEBSITE: www.handymanalbuquerque.org   http://www.handymanservicesofalbuquerque.com/ http://www.serviceabq.com/

SERVICE AREA: 18 Cities within 30 miles of Albuquerque, NM Algodones, NM | Belen, NM | Bernalillo, NM | Bosque Farms, NM | Casa Blanca, NM | Cedar Crest, NM | Corrales, NM | Isleta, NM | Jarales, NM | Kirtland AFB, NM | Los Lunas, NM | Peralta, NM | Placitas, NM | Rio Rancho, NM | Sandia Park, NM | Tijeras, NM | Tome, NM | Torreon, NM | Alameda, NM | Five Points, NM | Los Padillas, NM | Los Ranchos, NM | Los Ranchos De Abq, NM | Los Ranchos De Albuquerque, NM | Los Rnchs Abq, NM | Manzano Base, NM | Metropolitan Detention Ctr, NM | Public Service Co, NM | Sandia Base, NM | Univ Of New Mexico, NM | Univ Of Nm, NM | UNM, NM | Village Of Los Ranchos, NM Albuquerque, NM - Standard ZIP Codes 87101 87102 87104 87105 87106 87107 87108 87109 87110 87111 87112 87113 87114 87115 87116 87120 87121 87122 87123 87124

[theclaridges]

Welcome to The Claridges Nabha Residency, Mussoorie

The Mussoorie has always been a popular tourist destination, undoubtedly one of the most enchanting destinations situated in the lap of the Gharwal Himalayas. Best place to stay in Mussoorie, The Claridges Nabha Residency is surrounded by dense cedar, silver oak trees and scenic valleys of Himalayas. Located in the quaint hill town of Mussoorie, by the moment you step inside this resort, you will dive in the splendid luxury & comfort that is why it's indeed a traveller’s paradise.

The contemporary style interiors with beautiful ceilings with large windows will bring you a sense of colonial vibe to the ambiance. The beauty of cosy rooms & suites make your stay comfortable and luxurious. The unique feature makes the resort an ideal destination for an ultimate occasion amidst the mist - kissed Himalayas. Encompassing stylishly bedecked rooms equipped with world class facilities, a spacious meeting hall, a rejuvenating fitness centre, a cosy library, a children’s play area, and delectable eating joints, the resort offers world class facilities and unrivalled luxury, that is why it becomes the best luxury resorts in Mussoorie.

The Claridges Nabha Residency as top hotels in Mussoorie offers you serene and cosy suites with modern comfort with impressive interiors and a breathtaking setting of the panoramic view of the majestic mountains; so choose from spacious and royal creation that makes you feel like home, besides just letting you experience a deluxe and luxury stay at top hotels in Mussoorie. The splendid amalgamation of the style and the extravagance will complete your spirits and raise your perception of luxury stay.

The expert chefs at the resort take you on an utmost culinary experience with an array of options ranging from offering an assortment of scrumptious Indian, continental and Chinese dishes 24*7. The pavilion has got an old school vibe to it. It is bedecked with elegant photographs capturing the time when India was a colony and Mussoorie was a popular summer retreat for the aristocrats and nobles.

[tsgbaltimoreandannapolismaryland]

Coastal Design Meets Country Living in New Hubble Bisbee Listing

HUBBLE BISBEE has just listed a gorgeous home - a property that marries the serenity of both countryside and coastal living with its airy design within an equestrian setting.

The home, 57 Blenheim Farm Lane, happens to be the neighbor of associate editor, Meghan Scalea. 

“Not only is this home stunning and evokes feelings of being at the seaside,” says Meghan, “but living within the Blenheim Farm community is a total dream. It’s the kind of neighborhood where we know all each other by name, and we look out for each other, yet we feel like we have privacy and can disappear on our properties. The private barn and paddocks just for residents are picturesque, providing a backyard oasis for horse lovers and families like us who want to enjoy all that country living can offer. The commute to downtown Baltimore is 40 minutes and often includes sightings of bald eagles near the reservoir, deer grazing in the meadows, and red foxes sneaking along the roads. It’s a natural paradise.”

View the full listing here.

(Above: Blenheim Farm gated community is home to a private barn with stalls and adjoining paddocks for residents’ horses).

Privately nestled in the rolling hills of northern Baltimore County, the exquisitely designed Craftsman style home at 57 Blenheim Farm Lane boasts impeccable living spaces both inside and out. Conceived by Robert Hammond of Annapolis and custom built by Duerbeck Construction, this 5 Bedroom, 5/2 Bath cedar and stone luxury home enjoys fine finishes and magazine-worthy interiors set on an incredible 3+ acre lot in the gated Blenheim Farm equestrian community, surrounded by sweeping vistas of protected conservancy land.

This stunning space opens up into a show-stopping great room accented by a beamed ceiling, custom trim work and built-ins, a wood burning fireplace, and a breathtaking full wall box-bay window flanked by French doors leading out to the wraparound porch. 

The adjoining cozy library features a fireplace and built-in bookcases and flows through glass pocket doors into the inviting sun room with a door to the patio, pool and cabana.

(Above: Library)

The incredible Trish Houck designed custom gourmet kitchen boasts Prevo maple cabinetry, granite and Calcutta marble counters, and professional grade appliances.

Accessed by the main stair, a back stairway or the 3 stop elevator, the second level boasts an expansive master bedroom suite where a private hall leads into the sitting room with a fireplace and custom built-in wardrobe cabinetry. The master bedroom features a central barrel-vaulted ceiling as well as two triple windows and French doors leading out onto a private balcony with gorgeous views of the surrounding countryside. 

Wonderful outdoor entertaining spaces abound including a large wraparound porch, a pergola covered bluestone patio with an outdoor fireplace and grill hookup and a large bluestone patio by the sun room leading to the 48ft pool with stunning landscape lighting as well as an architectural gem of a pool pavilion. 

Stone garden steps lead up to the terraced lawn backing to a paddock. Beautiful conservancy land surrounds the 3+ acres. Meticulous landscaping and gardens frame this incredible home, and the gated Blenheim Farm community provides abundant equestrian amenities including a shared barn, paddocks, and bridle paths.

CONTACT: KAREN HUBBLE BISBEE

2330 W. Joppa Rd., Suite 104, Lutherville

karen@hubblebisbee.com

443-838-0438

@hubblebisbeefinehomes

[pergola800]

Is Your Pergola as Attractive and Comfortable as you’d like it to be?

We’re here to help if you’re wondering why pergolas are used. As from Roman era to the twenty-first century, pergolas have endured the test of time. In the past, people have used them to prop climbing plants and create shaded seating spaces. These days, you can frequently find them in parks, gardens, and as exterior decorations for single-family homes. Continue reading to discover more about the reasons people decide to construct or buy a pergola from numerous pergola developers!

The Latin term “pergula,” which refers to a protruding eve, is how the word “pergola” originates. The history of the pergola developers is unknown, however some people think the Romans may have invented it. In the late middle Ages and the Renaissance, similar constructions like arbours and verdant tunnels were built.

On the Milanese Sala delle Asse’s ceiling, Leonardo da Vinci had been hired to create a horticultural lattice pattern in 1498. This was supposed to be vines covering a pergola construction. John Evelyn, both an English author and landscaper who toured the Tinità dei Monti’s cloister (walled churchyard) in Rome, made one of the earliest references to a pergola. He wrote about the building he sat under while witnessing hare chasing (rabbits being raced for pleasure by greyhound dogs).

Later in the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries, affluent European yards and landscape designs started hiring more and more wooden pergola developers. They are repeatedly detected in landscapes, parks, and as exterior elements for single-family homes nowadays.

So what makes pergolas attractive and comfortable?

On studying more about the pergolas and diving deep, we were able to unveil certain styles of pergolas or you can say essentials of pergola construction that oozes out the appeal and comfort of having pergolas.

Gives shade and provides protection against the brightly lit sunshine:

Depending on your choices, pergolas can provide both flexible shade and sun protection. They provide partial shade and partial sun shelter in their characteristic lattice-style shape. However, you have the creative option to create more shade or light depending on the gap between both the lattice boards thanks to your personal design and preferences. Rising and crawling vines, such as wisteria, can be added to an existing pergola to add more shade by covering the top of the lattice. For additional protection, you might buy a flexible shading fabric or a shade canopy which is easily available at retractable pergola developers.

Make a Covered Pathway to Another Building:

Your pergola can have greater protection from the elements if more shade is installed. A pergola might be an excellent alternative for you to think about if you want to create a safe walkway from your home to another building. With the installation of a pergola from numerous pergola contractors, guestrooms, unattached workshops, conservatories, and spas can have lovely protected paths.

Create a Space for Outdoor Entertainment:

You can give your outdoor area structure by using pergolas. It can be used as a space for outdoor cooking, exercise, reading, a makeshift “office,” or simply to enjoy your morning brew. They provide a balance of openness, safety, and privacy.

Hold up Climbing and Growing Plants:

As we noted earlier, historically, pergolas served as a trellis for creeping and climbing plants. For your pergola you can hire expert pergola developers to provide you some guidance on planting jasmine, passion blossoms, spud ivy, grapevines, blackberry, clinging blooms, cedar, wisteria, and trumpet vine. Flower baskets can also be hung as from rafters or pillars.

Affordable Beauty for Your Home:

According to studies, there are psychological considerations that go into both indoor and outdoor design, and fostering a sense of safety is one of these considerations. We can feel cosy and at ease in little corners, warm settings, and daylight. Massive patio covers, pavilions, and gazebos are more expensive than pergolas, which are equally as attractive and practical. To add even more cosiness and beauty, add outside lantern lights, soft drapes, plants, or elaborate privacy screens. The pergola contractors keep in mind all your needs and cater to the appropriate requirements.

Raise the Value of Your Home:

Do you know that putting a pergola on your house might make it worth more money? In addition, “homes with pergolas have seen an increase in value since outside living has become particularly fashionable. For a deck or backyard improvement, a safe range for ROI is between 50% and 80%. However, for the end customer, a beautiful pergola might generate an even higher return while adding the wow factor that will draw in prospective buyers to your home. That is a significant return on the investment, particularly for something that improves your quality of life.

In conclusion, people purchase pergolas for a variety of reasons. But whatever your motivation, we hope you now share our enthusiasm for pergolas by finding best pergola manufacturers and suppliers in Dubai. Imagine yourself savoring the sunlight in your backyard garden while holding a drink on a nice summer day. Freshly cut grass is in the air, and bumblebee hums can be heard coming from the blossoms. It sounds like heaven, which is further enhanced by the lovely pergola you are standing beneath.

Companies such as 800 PERGOLA, provide customized solutions for your pergola requirements which will fit in the budget of everyone, along with offering fashionable, sturdy and durable designs.

[licawilliams]

15 Easy Pergola Design Ideas

On the off chance that you have a nursery, regular pergolas with plants or climbing plants are extraordinary. Plant them with sufficient opportunity to cover the design so you will actually want to partake in the extra shade. In the event that it is a porch, you can likewise choose between regular materials like reed, wood, or bamboo, yet assuming you are searching for solid and dependable texture, material or textures with hostile to UV medicines will be your most ideal choices.

Try not to preclude the new brilliant pergolas that permit you to control their activity remotely by means of your cell phone! Examine for some, astounding pergola plan thoughts to assist with moving you to add one to your own open-air living space. Make certain to view each picture for additional subtleties and sources.

Here are the 15 Easy Pergola Design Ideas.

Open-air Entertaining Oasis.

A contemporary pergola protects an eating region that incorporates a kitchen/bar

An Inviting Backyard Retreat.

A substantial fire table highlights a custom cedar seat drifting over the deck. The eating space is characterized by a cantilevered, aluminum pergola and a link rail framework. There is likewise a barbecue and prep space. Cedar screen dividers make a sensation of closeness along the terraced arranged. Do take the advantage of the best Interior Designing Firms in your locality to drive the optimum benefits of the idea.

Encased Fireplace Area

The pergola is available to the components, so an open air appraised fan was utilized here — Curva Sky 52-in Oil Rubbed Bronze LED Indoor/Outdoor Flush Mount Ceiling Fan with Light and Remote (3-Blade). The wiring is in the recessed region over the pergola. The outside TV is weatherproof yet accompanies a cover which is suggested when not being used. A stone divider is utilized for extra seating close to the chimney and fills in as a grower.

Current Coastal Retreat.

The comfortable outside living space has a rich ocean side energy and an unbiased shading bed of sands and blues with natural accents. There needs a lot of seating for engaging, while a chimney adds warmth and climate.

Pool Pavilion Pergola.

The Mediterranean-style open air residing space includes a pergola connected to the pool house, covering an excellent outside lounge room in Woodside, California.

Pergola In The Woods.

The pergola was developed involved fallen reused trees for the design. Somewhere out there, the woodsy view is outlined by an enormous wooden photo placement.

Reflection Garden With A Pergola.

This quiet outside desert spring in Melbourne, Australia includes a contemplation moon door/day bed, intelligent water highlight, and a fire pit — all produced using substantial lines. The shading range comprises of blue promotion green with lime green features. This is a spot to stop, reflect and ponder

Current Pergola Design.

This rakish pergola adds an advanced touch while considering hanging wicker seats to influence in the breeze. A hanging table gives the ideal spot to an invigorating refreshment!

Awning Over The Patio.

An awning over the pergola gives extra asylum to this open air porch expansion off the house. A hanging wicker seat offers a loosening up alcove for perusing a book or watching the nightfall. Pergola Designs with Roof are always awesome.

Mediterranean Style Pergola.

An estate in Turkey includes this comfortable outside living space wearing white with blue and dark accents. Texture winds between the wood bars to give extra asylum from the components.

Pergola Sheltered Side Porch.

A pergola-protected patio includes a balancing swing for evening rests. The table is reused — an old gas table from the family’s earlier condo, given a new layer of dark paint and a leftover of delightful tiles from the kitchen.

Laser Cut Steel Pergola.

An outside kitchen and bar region is concealed by a laser-cut steel pergola for a brightening plan in your nursery.

Vertical Garden Design With A Pergola.

This nursery house in Mexico has a consistent association with the encompassing verdant scene. A raised deck with an upward nursery gives a desert garden to unwinding and engaging.

Cantilevered Pergola Design.

A little cantilevered pergola gives barely sufficient shade to this raised outside feasting space. The advanced plan highlights draping lights from the wooden bars. An inherent wood seat floats over the deck while giving extra seating to supper visitors

Swing Beds Hanging From A Pergola.

In an Arizona home, a couple of custom hanging daybeds are finished off with white terry material texture pads. The square fire table is from Restoration Hardware

Outside Living Room.

Plants and ivy develop on this pergola for rich overshadowing. Agreeable decorations give a casual setting to engaging loved ones

Rich Garden Oasis.

A family home in Brazil includes this outside feasting porch encompassed by a quiet nursery. Crates of greeneries dangle from the pergola structure.

Hope you find all these ideas easy & helpful!

[bayside-tammy]

Whitestone Oaks Homes For Sale in Cedar Park, Texas

This is a French country vogue assets community situated at the intersection of 1431 and Anderson Mill. Homes in Whitestone Oaks community square measure in Williamson County, 78613 of Cedar Park, Texas. Designers like Highland, Brohn, and Centerra produce the community of Whitestone Oaks. gourmand kitchens open floor plans, stainless-steel appliances, and high ceilings square measure just a few of the nice options of those homes. several homes during this community square measure in AN environmentally friendly program known as Live inexperienced. Homes created with the Live inexperienced Program have options like Dow Sill seal, T-play overlay, royalty gas heating plant within the attic, and BASF inexperienced foam insulation within the walls and ceilings. 2000 to 3500 is that the point sq. footage for homes during this premier communityWhitestone Real EstateResidents won't have to search terribly onerous to seek out nature. Many facilities square measure a brief drive from the realm, as well as Tumlinson, Union, Park Place, Lord Nelson Ranch, New Hope Timberwoods, Gann Ranch and Elizabeth Milburn Community. Lake Travis could be a mere 5-minutes from homes during this community, creating activities like canoeing and kayaking exceptionally simple for residents. A sports court, natatorium, hike and bike trails, pavilion, and playscape are obtainable to residents.Homes purchasable in WhitestoneHouses during this community square measure snuggled in nature, however residents can still have a straightforward time finding town locations. Restaurants like Austin's Sonic, Ernest Hemingway building & Bar, Moonie's Burger House, Los Pablo Neruda Mexican building, Luigi's Italian building, Bush's Chicken, Hunan Chef, Chili's, Marco's dish, and bulwark building square measure a brief drive from homes of this subdivision. Even higher, residents have an embarrassment of looking for opportunities obtainable to them! 1890 Ranch, Lakeline Mall, the Domain, the botanical garden, La Frontera, and spherical Rock Premium retailers square measure all nice looking venues extremely sought-after. Downtown capital of Texas could be a mere 20-mins from this neighbourhood and encompassing ones. HEB and Academy Sports & Outdoors are a brief chase away.Baybridge condos For SaleHouses during this subdivision square measure within the mythical being freelance administrative division. faculties like Mason atomic number 99, Running bosky MS, and mythical being HS service the kids living during this community. There are many colleges here for you students to attend. There are several once faculty activities and programs for college students to get entangled in. These faculties square measure guaranteed to be nice for your youngsters to age academically. Bayside Tammy is AN skilled in assets within the USA. you'll use her web site to go looking Homes purchasable in Whitestone and conjointly Search Baybridge condos purchasable

[cbyauthor]

Ch 2: At Your Side, Clear Space for Me

Read here on AO3!

One of the best things about working for the Lans was their commitment to not talking to anyone, ever.

It meant that when he was sweeping the stone path between the north and east sides of the complex, nobody actually had to come and tell him that he was needed elsewhere. A ping on his phone from the email request system took care of that.

A lightbulb was out in one of the apartments. Easy-peasy.

The apartment was 218. The one from the other day.

Just like last time, he knocked on the door, and it took a while to open. Just before it did, Wei Wuxian remembered to back up to the railing.

This time, he could see the man's face fully, and he blamed that for the few seconds of silence that passed by unmourned before the man—Lan Wangji, he was 99% positive—was the first to break the silence.

"Hello," he said, in a deeper voice than Wei Wuxian had been expecting.

Why hadn't he expected that? Maybe he'd expected a kitten's mew? He'd even heard Lan Wangji's voice before, even if it was only for two words.

"Hi," he said, smiling wide to cover his surprise. "You've got a lightbulb out?"

"Yes."

Lan Wangji backed up, and for a second, Wei Wuxian worried he was about to close the door again, but instead, he just pointed at a ceiling fixture that wasn't lit, a few feet inside the open concept apartment that was identical to the ones around it.

"Oh, right on. Easy. Let me grab the ladder and I'll be right back."

When he got back from the nearest storage closet, step ladder and lightbulb in hand, the door was still standing open, but Lan Wangji was nowhere to be found. Given every interaction they'd had so far, it wasn't exactly a surprise, so Wei Wuxian invited himself in.

The apartment smelled nice. It was the first thing he noticed, right after the complete blankness of the pale blue walls. It smelled like cedar and sweet apples, neither of the scents fighting with each other. Definitely not like Wei Wuxian's shoebox, which always smelled like popcorn, no matter what he did.

Technically, he was supposed to have someone watching him whenever he got up on the ladder, but this one was only a couple steps up, so there was no reason for him to put it off. A burnt out bulb waited for no insurance policy.

That being said…

It didn't take him long to feel like someone was watching.

He didn't turn to look, though, until the tiniest vibration of movement caught his ear, and he whipped his head around.

Lan Wangji was back.

He wasn't hiding. There was no way he didn't know that Wei Wuxian could see him, standing at the end of the short hallway with only half of his tense body hidden, one dark eye fixed on Wei Wuxian's every movement.

It was...intense.

But none of Wei Wuxian's business, really. His business was the lightbulb.

The light fixture's clasp was stiff, and the frosted glass breakable, so he took his time with it. Lan Wangji watched him the whole way, not moving his eyes once, if the consistent feeling of being observed was anything to go by.

Wei Wuxian didn't mind. Safety first, and whatever. And it wasn't creepy, or anything. There were no negative emotions attached to Lan Wangji's hyperfocus. It was just...attention. Nothing wrong with that.

When the glass cover finally came free, the process of switching out the burnt bulb was a quick one, but between holding the cover and juggling the package of new lightbulbs in one hand, something was bound to go wrong.

The old lightbulb slipped, and even though he made a grab for it, all he managed to do was bounce it cartoonishly on his hand a couple of times as he inched farther out of his grasp. At last, he missed, but reflexively lunged after it, leaning over only to—

End up nose to nose with Lan Wangji.

It really was one of the most attractive noses Wei Wuxian had ever seen—long, and prominent but still somehow cute?—but he couldn't look at it right now, or risk going cross-eyed from how close they were. Instead, he looked into Lan Wangji's eyes.

They were...not slitted yet. But thinner, oblong, and glowing from the inside with flashing silver colour instead of their humanoid deep black-brown.

Beautiful.

Cold glass was pressed into Wei Wuxian's hand and he looked down, barely catching a glimpse of Lan Wangji's long fingers disappearing back into the sleeve of his loose shirt.

When he looked up again, Lan Wangji was disappearing around the corner, all the way, this time.

Wei Wuxian's heart  was beating loudly, unreasonably fast for an accident that didn't even happen and would've had very few consequences.

Shaking his head, he put the box of bulbs carefully onto the top step of the ladder and fit the cover back on the fixture.

He hadn't heard any sound from around the corner by the time he was done. Craning his neck uselessly, he tried to catch a glimpse.

"Lan Wangji? I'm finished."

No response.

But Lan Wangji was listening. There was no reason to know it, but something travelled down the hall that let Wei Wuxian know that he wasn't being ignored. Just unseen.

"See you later," he called out as folded up the step ladder.

That, too, he knew was the truth, inexplicably.

***

It happened a lot quicker than he'd figured.

For someone who'd never shown his face anywhere around the complex before, Lan Wangji was sure popping up a lot.

It was the day after the lightbulb thing , and Wei Wuxian was working with an audience.

It happened sometimes. The juniors weren't always taking their online classes, and whenever they had a break, they seemed to gravitate toward him almost against their will.

Today, they were watching him from about ten feet away while he unpiled the stones that ringed the base of the Southside pavilion, preparing them to be stacked up in a better, more permanent way.

Tough work, but a lot more satisfying than sweeping dirt that would only build up again.

His wheelbarrow rocked with the force of the newest stone added to it, and the juniors who had clustered on its other side scattered. Instantly.

"Wh—" he started, but in another instant, he figured out that it wasn't just his loud noises that'd made them all jump for the nearest branch or shrub.

Lan Xichen was walking up the path from the central pavilion.

Lan Wangji was with him.

They made quite a pair. Both tall and long in their limbs. They walked the same, with smooth strides of assured confidence. Actually, they looked a lot the same, in the way they—

Oh. Wei Wuxian, you dummy.

The brother. The one everyone talked about in hushed tones, or sometimes fully out loud, ignoring Wei Wuxian's insignificant presence. The one they never named, just discussed, like he was fair game for judgment, who hadn't been seen in a long while.

Not seen in human form, at least.

If he'd hoped to stay inconspicuous, he lost that opportunity when he was staring, open-mouthed in their direction.

When they came close enough—still on the other side of the pavilion—Lan Xichen's eyes fell on him, and he smiled, nodding politely like he always did. Wei Wuxian nodded back, then looked to Lan Wangji, who was…

Wei Wuxian had thought he was beautiful in the dim lighting of his apartment. Out in the sunlight, he was godly, with his shining hair held half-up in a clip, and perfectly fitted jeans and—

Their eyes met.

"Lan Wangji," Wei Wuxian said, throwing up his hand in a clumsy wave.

Lan Wangji stopped. And waved back, nearly as awkwardly, his hand sort of curled up as it waggled back and forth.

Wei Wuxian smiled and took that as an invitation.

"It's hot, huh?" His shoes thumped on the wooden stairs of the pavilion as he crossed it, flapping the bottom of his sweat-soaked shirt to make his point. "Good day to be out, unless you're forced to be, right?"

The hand that Lan Wangji had waved at him fisted suddenly next to his mile long thigh.

"Lan Zhan?" It was Lan Xichen, his voice suddenly more urgent than Wei Wuxian had ever heard it in their professional interactions, and it drew his attention for the split second necessary for him to miss what else happened.

Lan Wangji had given them his back, and was marching back up the path they'd come from, his spine straight, his strides long and…

His cat ears out and turned down.

Lan Xichen followed, but not without a long look at Wei Wuxian, who could do nothing but wave again, and wonder what the hell just happened to their conversation.

***

The package delivery interrupted his lunch break, but it wasn't as if he was actually eating any lunch, so did it matter?

In the end he was glad he hauled himself to the main entrance, because the package—in a plastic bag, not a box, and probably clothes, from the feel of squishy contents—was addressed to a familiar apartment.

"Lan Wangji?" Wei Wuxian called out after knocking, then he hopped up onto the railing to wait.

And wait.

"Lan Wangji? It's Wei Wuxian, I'm here with a package."

Did Lan Wangji even know his name? Had it come up? He couldn't remember, but it didn't really matter. No one was coming to the door.

Should he knock? Maybe that would get his attention better. Buuuut that would mean getting down off the railing, and that didn't seem like any fun.

Maybe if he stretched his leg out really far...and tucked the package tightly under his arm so he could hang off the railing in an uncomfortable arch—

"Wei Wuxian?"

"Phuaa—" He tipped off the railing—forward, thank god—and stumbled to his feet. "Oh, hi."

"Hi." Lan Xichen smiled pleasantly, like he always did, then nodded at the package that was smooshed against Wei Wuxian's body. "Is that for Lan Zhan—ah, pardon me. Lan Wangji?"

"Yep." With an awkward huff of a laugh, he took it out from under his arm and brushed off the plastic.

"Great. You can leave it with me. He won't be answering the door today."

Involuntarily, his fingers tightened on the soft contents of the bag. "Is he okay?"

"Yes. I'm sure he'd love to answer, if he had opposable thumbs."

If Lan Xichen was surprised that Wei Wuxian cared, he hid it completely. Actually, he was managing to look both amused and concerned, all while his face was perfectly neutral. A true talent.

"Oh. That's…" Strange, actually. Not that Lan Wangji had the ability to turn into a cat, that was a given. But that Lan Xichen would talk about it in front of an outsider.

Enough time had passed that he didn't finish his sentence, just let it dangle there while he shifted his feet, the package still in his hand.

"Wei Wuxian, do you have a few minutes?" Lan Xichen asked.

"Sure?" He had all the minutes Lan Xichen wanted from him, since he was the one who'd hired him. (On Nie Mingjue's reluctant recommendation.)

"This way."

They walked together back up the hall to Lan Xichen's apartment, which Wei Wuxian had actually been in before. Just not for very long, and certainly not past the front room and into the little office/study room.

It smelled nice, like Lan Wangji's, but...not. Crisper, less sweet. Like all the apples had been replaced by one of those scents that are only marketed toward men.

"Would you like some water?" Lan Xichen asked, closing the tall white door.

"No thanks. What can I do for you?" Wei Wuxian asked, only a little intimidated by the sleek furniture. The books that lined the walls, he was fine with. The gigantic, shiny Mac computer? Hazardous to his cardiac health.

Lan Xichen leaned against his desk, a long, tall column of perfect self-assurance in the staid business casual clothes he was always in, even on weekends. "Not much, really. I just noticed that you and my brother have...made a connection."

"Uh, not really. I just deliver his packages." The reflective surface of a decorative glass bowl on a cabinet caught his eyes and he almost reached out for it, but stopped himself just in time. "And I changed his lightbulb one time. I was just saying hello yesterday, but it looked like he wasn't into it, so…"

"I'm sorry if this is a little too personal, too quick, but I don't think you realize how into it Lan Zhan was."

Good thing he wasn't holding that bowl. It would've been on the floor for sure.

"Oh? That's...kinda funny."

Lan Xichen hummed. "What I'm about to tell you isn't exactly a secret. Everyone around here knows, but no one talks about it."

He couldn't hold back a snort. Then he flushed at the raised eyebrow Lan Xichen sent his way. "Not a lot of talking happens around here. I guess. From what I've seen."

This time, it was Lan Xichen's turn to laugh, but it was a short, elegant huff. "No, they don't. But about this, in particular. Wei Wuxian, Lan Zhan's been in cat form for three years."

Wei Wuxian was suddenly very glad he'd said no to that glass of water, because spit takes were so cliche. "Three years?

Nodding, Lan Xichen fixed his eyes somewhere on the cool sage wall. "That's a long time, for us."

"Yeah, for anybody. The Jiangs never—"

A moment too late, his mouth clacked shut, his back molars sealing before he talked anymore about the family he didn't have the right to share about.

Lan Xichen's eyes sharpened a bit, and made Wei Wuxian feel as if he was "Ah, yes, you were affiliated with their clan. You lived there?"

"Yes. Uncle Jiang was very kind to me."

Those focused, perceptive eyes made the party line he'd always spouted when asked about his situation feel more disingenuous than usual, even though it was nothing but the truth. It was just that there was a lot more to it than that.

"And Nie Huaisang…" Lan Xichen trailed off, and it was only because his curiosity didn't seem malicious that Wei Wuxian answered.

"My friend. We all grew up together, me, him, and Jiang Cheng," And Shijie, but she'd always seemed to be grown already, not half-formed clay moulded by afternoons running around like wild animals.

Lan Xichen's smile was the warmest that Wei Wuxian had seen so far. Not that he'd ever thought he was cold, but now, Wei Wuxian could see that coolness was just his default.

"That's nice. My brother and I only had each other, really. There weren't many kids our age around the complex at the time. It's gotten better, a bit more diversified, but we were pretty alone. We would've been lonely, except that our mother…" Lan Xichen's thin, beautifully formed lips pressed together, and all the warmth in him vanished. "But she's gone. That was three years ago."

"Oh."

Wei Wuxian's heart ached, and the package crinkled under his fingers.

"Lan Zhan is...getting accustomed. Living in that form brings a lot of impulses out that are hard to tamp down. The transition has been difficult."

"I bet."

He had a lot of questions. Why was he being told this? It wasn't really any of his business, and neither was it Lan Xichen's business to share it, really. He was obviously concerned about his brother, but what right did he have to talk about this?

But out of all the questions he had, only one jumped out as the most important.

"What changed?"

Lan Xichen's thin, suave brow rose.

"What changed to make him come back, after all this time?"

Three years, hiding in the simpler, survival-based headspace of his animal form, without books, or driving a car, or speaking. It was almost unthinkable, except that Wei Wuxian had a few memories of what it was like to be without his parents. How he'd wanted to disappear.

Lan Xichen frowned, lines creasing his smooth forehead. "Nothing, as far as I can tell. Except that Lan Zhan grew up, I suppose. I don't believe he misses her any less, but perhaps the world became more of a draw than hiding from his grief."

That didn't seem right, and he could tell Lan Xichen knew it, but whatever the real reason was, it didn't provide as much comfort as the idea that Lan Wangji was healing.

Wei Wuxian set the package on the wide, uncluttered desk top, then stood back, holding out his hand. "Thanks for telling me."

Taking his hand in a firm grip, Lan Xichen shook it once and let go. "I thought it might help you in any future interactions you have. Lan Zhan has always been a little difficult to understand, and while I've tried to remind him of his humanity in the last three years, it's been—"

"I get it. His world is a bit bigger than it used to be."

A sigh passed those perfectly bowed, smiling lips. "Yes. It's been nice chatting with you, Wei Wuxian. I'm glad I took Nie Mingjue's recommendation."

***

When Wei Wuxian had been packing up to leave Yunmeng, eager to avoid the final confrontation with Auntie Yu that would've just had the same end result, he'd tossed a bunch of things in his backpack that he definitely didn't need.

A fork, the metal kind. An alarm clock, even though he'd been using his phone forever. A pillowcase he liked, that was fraying at the edges.

Most of that stuff had stayed at the bottom of his backpack for the entire time he'd stayed with Nie Huaisang, and had only come out when he'd been shown his cabin at the Lan complex and had actually started to breathe regularly.

He'd found a place for all of those things—except the alarm clock, which didn't even work—and forgotten about them.

Except for one thing.

A bright purple sparkly rubber ball that lived in between the mattress and the rail of his bed, and came out when he was stressed or thinking really hard about something.

It was definitely out now, ricocheting off the floor, then the ceiling, then back into his palm, again and again, until he barely had to think about where he had to put his hand to catch it.

Except that then, he got distracted thinking about everything that'd happened that day, and he fumbled the ball, diving to catch it, succeeding, then tumbling onto a heap on the floor.

From his place on the worn carpet, it was just as easy to think of Lan Zhan.

Lan Zhan. It suited him, and had sounded so nice coming from Lan Xichen's lips. Nostalgic, almost.

His back was starting to hurt, but he still didn't get up, tossing the ball straight up and snatching it out of the air again and again.

Again and again.

Until he saw the ball's trajectory on the inside of his eyelids instead of Lan Zhan's dark, intense eyes.

[architectnews]

Japanese architecture informs design of Minnesota house by Salmela Architect

A cluster of wood-clad buildings surround a central courtyard at this Minnesota residence by US firm Salmela Architect that was designed for clients who formerly lived in Japan.

The project, called Fifty-Acre Wood, is located in Stillwater – a historic town located along the St Croix River, just beyond Minneapolis. The house rests on a fifty-acre (20-hectare) parcel, the majority of which the clients granted to the Minnesota Land Trust for permanent conservation.

Fifty-Acre Wood is a home in Minnesota that was designed by Salmela Architect

Situated near a waterfall, the property features an oak forest and farm fields that are being reseeded with native grasses. The area supports a range of wildlife, including black bears, foxes, sandhill cranes and blue herons.

The owners are a married couple – Yuko and Paul – who met and lived in Japan before moving to Minnesota with their two young sons. Paul grew up exploring the St Croix River Valley and wanted his kids to have a similar experience.

It is comprised of a collection of volumes which house living and sleeping areas

In contrast to Paul's upbringing, Yuko was raised in the dense Japanese city of Fukuoka, and initially, she felt uncertain about living in a wide-open landscape.

"Her wishes were for a home that felt protected, with the inclusion of familiar cultural references in this unfamiliar setting," said Salmela Architect, a Minnesota firm known for designing homes in a regional modernist style.

The home has views out to the surrounding landscape

The architects conceived a series of buildings that are organised around a central courtyard. The design draws upon two references: a cluster of shed-roof agricultural buildings and a Japanese courtyard house with sheltered, exterior walkways.

The main dwelling consists of two pavilions that form an L-shape and are joined by a glazed passageway. Nearby are a detached guesthouse, a garage and a multipurpose building.

The interior boasts a simple and minimal material palette

"Each of the five structures is positioned according to function, solar orientation and relationship to specific features of the landscape," the firm said.

Facades are clad in cedar, and roofs are covered with standing-seam metal. Interior finishes include slate tiles, quartz countertops and ceilings sheathed in pale-toned basswood.

Paved walkways surround the home

In the main dwelling, there is a clear separation between public and private spaces.

One pavilion encompasses a semi-open kitchen, dining area and living room. It sits on an east-west axis and looks upon a gently rolling field.

The living areas have views across the site in all directions

"South-facing, floor-to-ceiling windows create a sense of interior-exterior continuity, which is reinforced by horizontal wood slats on both the exterior soffit and interior ceiling," the team said.

"This Japanese architectural reference helps softens the acoustics of the hard surfaces within the wide-open room."

Read:

Salmela Architect wraps Feldmann Residence in Minnesota with black stucco

In the kitchen, the team provided views in all directions. A large, northern window delivers sight lines of the home's courtyard, entry path and driveway, offering a sense of security.

The home lacks a traditional foyer. Instead, one enters through a threshold composed of "symmetrical blade walls" that lie between the kitchen and a mudroom.

"While the clients were initially hesitant about the atypical arrival sequence, they have expressed how comfortable it has been to welcome people into their home without the typical awkwardness associated with a formal foyer," the team said.

The home has an open plan design

The home's other pavilion, which holds bedrooms, runs from north to south and hugs the edge of a forest.

"The three bedrooms and two ofuro – shower and tub rooms – look out into the oak forest, which filters warm morning light through its leaves, signaling the start of the day," the studio said.

Tiles cover the floors across the shared living areas

The sleeping areas are arrayed along a corridor that doubles as a workspace.

"It remains shaded throughout the workday, creating an ideal glare-free environment until the low evening sun signals dinner time," the firm said.

The sleeping areas are accessed along a corridor

Throughout the residence, the team incorporated a number of elements to help reduce energy consumption. These include operable windows, a hydronic in-floor heating system, an air-to-air heat exchanger and a high level of insulation.

"Six-foot-deep eaves and a south-facing orientation enable an optimal passive solar strategy that maximises heat gain in the winter while entirely blocking the mid-summer sun," the team added.

Windows were randomly places across the walls

The home also features three skylight boxes that open and close, enabling hot air to escape. At night, the boxes are illuminated with electric lights.

Beyond the main home, the team created a guesthouse to the west, which provides a level of separation and privacy for overnight visitors, including Yuko's parents from Japan.

A sculptural firepit is framed by a squared window

To the north is a two-stall garage and the "barn", which is a multipurpose space for playtime and storage. The buildings are accessed by paved walkways that surround the courtyard.

"Exterior walkways ring the interior courtyard that is seeded with native vegetation – a microcosm of and counterpoint to the larger landscape restoration project," the team said.

The home was fitted with a number of environmental and green systems

Other projects by Salmela Architect include a home for a physicist and eye doctor that is meant to resemble a "scientific instrument with multiple viewing apertures" and a solar-powered house that was created for an architecture professor.

The photography is by Corey Gaffer.

Project credits:

Architect: Salmela Architect Team: David Salmela (principal), Kai Salmela (design lead), Emre Erenler Energy consultant: Malini Srivastava Structural engineer: Meyer Borgman Johnson Contractor: Cates Fine Homes

The post Japanese architecture informs design of Minnesota house by Salmela Architect appeared first on Dezeen.

[nightmare-afton-cosplay]

Raise a Mai Tai: These 9 Homes With Tiki Bars Are Lit!

MelanieMaya/Getty, realtor.com

Tiki bars may prove to be the hottest amenity this summer. With vacation plans scuttled and large gatherings at the beach frowned upon, a backyard paradise that evokes tropical vibes looks as appealing as a well-mixed mai tai.

These backyard paradises feature huts with thatched roofs and a belly-up-to-the-bar setup with stools, counter space, and an area for mixing drinks. Throw in some space for grilling, and a tempting Tiki bar may be key to surviving a summer of social distancing.

Floating on dreams of pineapple juice and ice, we set out to find homes for sale with Tiki bars. We found nine properties for sale across the country packing a tropical punch. And the amenity spans all price points, from $229,900 to $3,950,000, leaving you with cash to stock the bar with cocktail spirits, paper umbrellas, and ceramic Tiki mugs.

1300 River Ridge Dr, Vero Beach, FL

Price: $3,995,000

If you’re in search of a luxe bar along the waterfront, we’ve found the place. Flaunting Hollywood Regency interiors, this 5,000-square-foot home has black-and-white awning running the length of the home. But the swim-up Tiki bar in the backyard is the true highlight. A fire pit and infinity pool join the Tiki bar for entertaining fun.

Vero Beach, FL

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1415 Taurus Ct, Merritt Island, FL

Price: $459,999

Perched on a dock hugging a waterway, this three-bedroom home on a barrier island sits just south of the Kennedy Space Center. Built in 1974, the property is full of surprises. Four years ago, the owners installed a 10,000-pound boat lift, rescreened the saltwater pool, and extended the lanai. Sip a daiquiri right next to the dock and live your best life.

Merritt Island, FL

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3817 Indian Ridge Ln, Defiance, MO

Price: $884,900

Complete with faux palm trees poolside and a stainless-steel grill built into the Tiki bar, this four-bedroom home sits on a secluded 3-acre lot. On chilly nights, cozy up to the new deck’s fireplace. You’ll be the talk of the town once locals learn your Tiki bar is totally swim-up.

Defiance, MO

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1183 Claire Rd, Crownsville, MD

Price: $395,000

This ’70s-era home just 8 miles northwest of Annapolis is a delightful surprise. It comes with a Tiki bar with a faux heron, a rock waterfall and fish pond, and landscaping with tropical ferns. Five community beaches are nearby if you get the itch to—after a few mai tais—go for a swim.

Crownsville, MD

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3520 Birch Ter, Davie, FL

Price: $1,550,000

If you plan to (someday!) host a large gathering with a Hawaiian theme, this pavilion-size Tiki bar is perfect. Four open walls and a bar in the middle will ensure proper flow of fruity drinks, and the grass expanse lends itself to hula dancing. The five-bedroom custom home boasts nearly 7,000 square feet of living space, which includes an office, 22-foot ceilings, walk-in closets, and a chef’s kitchen for preparing pupu platters.

Davie, FL

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3376 Cedar Crest Loop, Spring Hill, FL

Price: $367,500

Artfully built into the side of a four-bedroom house, this petite bar is outfitted with a thatched roof and bar-height countertop. You can splash in the nearby saltwater pool or pass food and drinks through the window to your guests. And speaking of guests, the fourth bedroom has private patio access and an adjacent bath.

Spring Hill, FL

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5400 Little Pkwy, Sherrills Ford, NC

Price: $1,690,000

Log cabin and Tiki bar?! Welcome to this four-bedroom home on 26 acres just 50 miles outside Charlotte. With soaring ceilings and a refined log cabin aesthetic, this family-friendly property has a cozy feel. Poolside, the Tiki bar is its own mini log cabin with a thatched awning and bar-height counter.

Sherrills Ford, NC

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2940 Pleasantville Rd NE, Pleasantville, OH

Price: $454,510

Thirty miles south of Columbus, this two-bedroom home is set on 11 blissful acres, which offer plenty of room for outdoor entertaining. Fortunately, the current owners have done all the work, maintaining a private beach and Tiki hut. A wraparound porch further capitalizes on the wooded views.

Pleasantville, OH

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2321 Magill Ave, Clovis, CA

Price: $474,900

This Central Valley town does get warm, but the pool—and accompanying Tiki bar—is a cool relief from hot summer days. Upgrades are in abundance in case you want to bring the party indoors. The kitchen now features new quartz countertops and stainless-steel appliances.

Clovis, CA

realtor.com

The post Raise a Mai Tai: These 9 Homes With Tiki Bars Are Lit! appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

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