Daily Dream Home: Plett 6541+2 Residence

Today’s dream home is a stunning contemporary house in the coastal town of Plettenberg Bay on the famous Garden Route of South Africa. Rising three stories in the air in an awe-inspiring setting, the modern Plett 6541+2 Residence was imagined and built by Cape Town-based studio SAOTA – Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects.

Spacious both inside and outdoors, the warm and inviting 6 bedroom home boasts an imposing elegance that provokes its inhabitants to take advantage of both modern design and the striking surroundings. According to SAOTA, “the clients requested a 6-bedroomed family home with understated elegance and quiet grandeur, indoor / outdoor living spaces and uninterrupted views, with a ”lived-in beach-house” feel.” The client’s brief was exemplary executed and the results are magnificent.

Direct access to the beach with rolling dunes and calming breezes introduced the idea of panoramic views, which the architects put into play by the construction of glazed living areas on the upper level and revealing the views from inside carefully decorated spaces. Within this linear floor-plan, all rooms have access to the views and by choosing simple materials shaped with modern lines, the architects imagined a calming, bright and modern collection of interiors.

Family Mountain Weekend Retreat in Brazil Blending Rustic and Modern Styles

Weekend retreats have this amazing ability of constructing a slowed-down pace for its temporary inhabitants. In the case of this Mountain House in Nova Lima, Minas Gerais, Brazil, the interior spaces had to be designed to be suited for the people enjoying it – a mother, her two married sons, her daughter-in-law and her grandchildren. Spreading over 745 m2, this weekend house designed by David Guerra Architecture is surrounded by an ecological reserve, so this accentuated the owner’s desire to have a home seamlessly connected to the surroundings.

Natural materials were employed in the construction of this modern weekend home, building social and private areas on one single level facing the mountains. Decks and verandas make the transition between interior and exterior smooth and natural, whereas the swimming pool, shower, water mirrors and cascade convert the private outdoors into a welcoming entertaining and relaxation space that seems cut out of a modern fairytale.

Harmoniously combining the steel structure with rustic elements, the architects created a warm environment. Using reclaimed wood, stones, earthenware, bamboo, tile, fiber, metal, stainless steel, double glazed and laminated glass, glass tile, anodized aluminum, wood venetian and tecnocimento, the house was erected as an exemplary use of modern materials and technologies, awaking in its inhabitants a powerful desire to enjoy every weekend and vacation together.