Creating Healthy Human Habitats

How do we create the best human living conditions in cities?

Dr. Howard Frumkin, dean, School of Public Health, University of Washington, asked the audience at the National Building Museum’s Intelligent Cities forum to imagine they were zookeepers and just received a shipment of hundreds of frogs. Immediately, the zookeepers would need to create a habitat with the correct temperature, humidity, water and plants to ensure the frogs are healthy and live long lives. Cities are really just habitats for humans and our zookeepers are our elected officials, urban planners, and designers. However, Frumkin wondered if the ideal habitat is now being created for people - one that offers a healthy environment for all?

A City Dashboard

If a city were to have a “dashboard” tracking all the important indicators of a healthy human environment, “what would it feature?”, asked Frumkin. For Lucy, the dashboard would track traffic fatalities and the percentage of people driving alone to work. Lucy said traffic fatalities are actually higher in the sparser outer areas of cities. Kinney said air pollution and water quality are key data to track. Green made the case for “new intersections, miles of sidewalks and bike lanes, and percentages of people walking to work each day.”

Demographic Shifts 

Lucy sees a coming population shift that will also have major health implications. Currently, “poorer people have captured the better locations in the center of cities. They live in the convenient locations.” However, this trend is changing. With the revival of cities, “white flight has turned into white return.” As a result, the poor are moving to the suburbs. Just as in Paris, where the suburbs are the site of poorer immigrant communities, U.S. cities may soon face the same issues.

Read the full article here.

90% of Home Sales are Urban Housing

According to an article in USA Today, 90% of home sales nationwide are to young professionals looking for urban housing. The article completes the recent trend that has pushed the “McMansions” of yesterday completely out of vogue, in favor of downsizing and proximity to city cores.

Nothing at all surprising, but between the economic downturn and a desire to live with less of an environmental footprint, smaller more functional homes in downtown and mixed-use areas are fast replacing the suburbs – at rates surprising even to those of us in the urban real estate business.

To watch a news report about this from WKYC-TV in Cleveland, click here.

Top 10 Home Trends for the New Year

At the end of every year it is interesting to see what home interior trends have persevered and what trends look like they will continue into the New Year.  This year has been exciting uses of bold prints and colors, repurposing interior decor, and maximizing outdoor spaces.

The International Business Times reports that in 2011, these trends will continue but also a need for eco-friendly interiors will escalate and interiors will continue to be shared and broadened worldwide. For the top interior home trends for 2011, here are their picks of what the New Year has to offer.

1.) The urban oasis: It was once thought that those who lived in urban environments had to live in lush penthouses to get a comfortable and sophisticated home in the city. With the onset popularity of urban lofts, the desire to live in industrial and chic decor will continue next year. Softer textiles may be brought in to soften hard finishes, while those that enjoy the exposed materials will still enjoy urban living at its finest.

2.) Home getaways: The New Year will bring on new ways to make your current home a getaway from the hustle and bustle of the world. From outdoor oasis areas with lush greenery, to recreating vacation memories in your décor. The trend will be to continue making our homes feel relaxing and serene.

3.) Repurposing will outweigh brand new: With the onset of finding better ways to re-use and re-purpose, being green in 2011 will outweigh buying brand new. While a shiny new glass table may be beautiful, the shift for décor to use glass from a previous purpose will prevail. We will not stop buying new décor, but the satisfaction of repurposing is always a better feeling, and will look great too!

4.) Natural environments: As our world gets busier and busier, the return of home environments giving us a place to escape has been well sought after for years. In the New Year, home owners will find more ways to bring tranquility to their interior and exterior environments. The use of natural materials and finishes will always be a trend that doesn’t go out of style.

5.) Family conversation areas: As families grow and the years move on, there is a steady incline of increasing family conversation areas and spaces. Kitchens now incorporate an eating island area so kids can do homework and watch mom cook. Living spaces are becoming more open to engage members of the family in different rooms. In the New Year, look for more ways for engaging in our interiors.

For the remaining five trends, read the full article here.

Follow my blog with bloglovin

Generation Y makes room for dual-use furniture

From SiLive.com

by Christine Burn/Creators Syndicate

The new truth is that housing trends will be leading millions of Americans toward more compact living situations, which in turn will drive new emphasis on dual-use furnishings.
Petite housing is not a new idea, but the rise in popularity is definitely tied to current economic realities. There have been tiny models at other times in history. Have you ever seen a collection of small cottages built in a square surrounding a common patio?

Because these were popular in the 1930s and ’40s in Los Angeles, they have been a part of Hollywood films for what seems like forever. In the 1984 film “Swing Shift,” the character played by Goldie Hawn lived in just such a court.

Most charming is that these hut-like homes often share flowerbeds, trees and lawns. They often have names and appear to exist in a protected universe all their own.

Members of Generation Y, sometimes called millennials, are gobbling up unusually petite rental spaces that are only 500 to 600 square feet. As long as the place is wired for every possible electronic gadget and the building shares the more social functions, such as laundry, game rooms, exercise and juice bar, no one seems to care that they are living in closet-like places. It is fairly obvious that traditional furnishings will not work well in such pared-down living models.

In the photo is a coffee table/storage chest made from exotic wood that slides open for access and closed to hide items not currently in use. Designed by Jeffrey Braun, a film art director turned interior designer and furniture maker, it is called “The Hidden Agenda.” Braun is based in Seattle and has an affinity for urban living. He designed “The Hidden Agenda” with a nod toward the special effects seen in the film world.

There are much older examples of dual-use furniture. The traditional blanket chest or cedar chest is a classic. At once storage for linens and clothing, it also serves as a bench at the foot of the bed. There was a time when every respectable bride left home with a chest.

You can find fairly old examples of a wooden ladder that converts into a rather uncomfortable chair. Sofas have roots going to 2,000 B.C., but the true sofa came into existence at the end of the 16th century and early 17th century. It isn’t clear when the classic sleeper sofa was developed, but it must be the all-time winner of a piece of furniture serving two masters.

To read the full article, click here.

Artist Turns Coral Gables’s Eclectic Living Room into Artwork

From the Miami Herald:

Artist Fritz Haeg said he had a purpose in moving a family’s entire eclectic living room into the Museum of Contemporary Art in North Miami — complete with a coffee table, television set and a sofa made of multicolored circles.

“Reconsidering our ideas of what home is and how we use the homes we have in other ways,” Haeg said at a Saturday workshop to discuss his installation, Salon Colada: Miami, part of the museum’s current exhibit, Conventions.

Haeg sent out an open call in March, requesting a volunteer family for the project. He chose Coral Gables couple Keith Waddington and Mindy Nelson, who have hosted discussions in their now relatively empty living room on subjects such as art, tourism and literature.

They even invited their entire neighborhood over for a “Neighborhood Know How” session, where people shared stories and food as part of Haeg’s project.

Read the full article here.

Great Urban Living Decor/Home Shopping Resources

For those who like to live urban, there are a number of way cool shopping resources that you’ll probably love. I’ve put together a listing of some of my faves:

Apartment Therapy
One of the best! While not actually a furniture or design store, this is one of the best resources out there for finding urban and modern style resources. A calm, healthy, beautiful home is a necessary foundation for happiness and success in the world. Creating this home doesn’t require large amounts of money or space. It requires inspiration, connection to resources and motivation to do something about it.

Urban Living Shop
This store specializes in items for a modern Asian decor. Modern Asian Style is very simple, elegantly timeless, and uses traditional Asian design and color.

Departments are divided into outdoor living, dining, kitchen, bar, indoor living, bedroom, office, gift and aroma.

Urban Living Austin
Being an Austinite, of course I love the Urban Living store right here in my hometown. Chic and modern, the ambience and furnishings add up to city dwelling at its best. Sofas, chaise lounges, bedrooms, tables and chairs are all styled for modern tastes. Prices are affordable with beds starting at $289.00 and sofas starting at $539.00. This is also a great place to buy accessories, including the famous Jonathan Adler ceramics.
Lamps, vases, and local artwork from Austin area artists–everything you need to create a contemporary statement. Great styles at great prices!

Atom Designs
Atom is located in the heart of downtown St Louis, MO.  Owner Wendy Noory decided to utilize her 15 years of interior design experience to develop a modern, eclectic retail/trade boutique styled design showroom that reflects her innovative approach to creative spaces.

Plush Pod
Plushpod specializes in high end modern furniture and contemporary furniture decor.  Our designer home furnishings allow you to create a home as unique as you are.

STL Loft Style
Another St Louis store! Whether you live in a house, apartment, loft or condo, our beautiful lines of modern chairs and modern sofas will fill your seating needs. We also carry contemporary furniture to meet your other furniture needs. Our lines of chic furniture look great and are also efficiently designed to make the most use out of any space. This means our modern furniture lines work exceptionally well as loft furniture.