Dornob | Design Ideas Daily

Island Paradise: Spectacular 100 Year Old House on a Rock

Posted: 10 Oct 2012 10:00 AM PDT

[ Filed under Contemporary & in the Architecture category ]

In Rhode Island's Narragansett Bay, a truly unusual home sits perched atop a jutting rock. Its owner and principal restorer, Henry Wood, has turned the beautiful home into a green, sustainable home with its own dedicated work force.

In the 40 years since Wood and his wife purchased Clingstone (known to locals as The House on a Rock), Wood, a working architect, has poured his talents and his energy into restoring and improving the incredible 10,000 square foot, 10-bedroom mansion. It sat empty for some 20 years before Wood and his ex-wife purchased it in 1961 for $3,600.

Some projects the family has already completed include installing a windmill on the top of the house to generate electricity, installing photovoltaic cells for hot water, and putting in low-water composting toilets. According to the family, the house is completely “off grid.”

Wood and his family spend most weekends there from spring until fall – except on weekends when renters have the run of the place. The breathtaking 360 degree water views are enough to make anyone want to spend time at the house – even if that time is spent working on various projects.

In addition to the weekly sessions Wood puts in at the home, there is a massive gathering around Memorial Day every year: the Clingstone Work Weekend. Dozens of friends, family members and admirers of the unusual home get together to tackle big projects and share in the ridiculously gorgeous home and its serene setting.

Keep Going - Check out this Great Related Dornob Article:

Recycled Paradise: Amazing Man-Made Floating Island

Outdoor-Lover's Paradise: Perfect Modern Open-Plan House

[ Filed under Contemporary & in the Architecture category ]

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Modular Sofa System Adapts via Movable Space Dividers

Posted: 09 Oct 2012 04:00 PM PDT

[ Filed under Furniture & in the Couches category ]

One of the trickiest aspects of interior design is the unpredictability of users and occupants – it is hard to know upfront how people will actually behave in the spaces we create.

This solution is aimed at addressing that issue, by making it possible to rearrange areas via strategically-positioned partitions that double as back rests. Such alterations can, of course, also be used to facilitate different daily-basis needs, like casual seating versus meeting setups.

The aesthetic is a bit of a mixed bag, and the functionality of the hole in each divider debatable, but at least the bright colors and holding slot help highlight the portions made to be shifted to accommodate new layouts. Designed by o4i and manufactured by Martela.