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Construction,Home Improvement,Press Release Compiled by Team IAnD Photography: Bruce Damonte; courtesy v2com Studio Vara infuses warmth and a modern and spacious character into an uninspired white box of a loft in San Francisco… The two-level Soma loft residence is a 12-year-old beautiful white box with spectacular harbour and Bay Bridge views but was uninspiringly chopped up into many small rooms. Having worked with the owners on another home in the Carmel Valley, the designers work to bring a similar warm, modern and spacious character to it, accentuating the view, while offering two-bedroom suites for overnight guests. Removing the walls and soffits to expose concrete, and paring down to the essentials, the designers reimagined the space as a composition of planes and volumes in warm materials: concrete, wire-brushed and waxed European white oak, gunmetal grey panels and gallery white walls. These planes intersect in the open-plan, double-height living room, creating a fulcrum from which the apartment expands out. Tucking kitchen functions neatly into a compact minimalist white wall of white lacquer cabinets opens to expansive views over an oversized stone island with bar seating. A slender blackened steel stair of white oak treads and a frameless glass guardrail replaces the heavy original and serves as a focal point for the room.

The adjacent guest bedroom features a moveable wall of hanging panels that can be hidden away, allowing the living room to seamlessly double in size. On the upper floor, the master bathroom features custom back-lit steel mirror frames, travertine slab floors and shower walls and floating vanities made from wire-brushed waxed oak. A media loft overlooks the living room and is separated from the rest of the upper floor by a wall of custom cabinetry that doubles as a media unit and closet. Like many double height loft apartments in San Francisco, all windows are located along one side. Working with lighting designer Marissa Tucci, Studio Vara brightens the darker areas by highlighting architectural details with warm-tone LED strip lighting.

The lighting scheme highlights the kitchen cabinetry, media-loft built-ins, as well as along shower walls and backlit floating mirrors in the bathrooms. Using a vibrant Stark carpet purchased by the owners before construction started, furniture and art are selected to complement the natural material palette. Unique pieces include a custom steel and oak dining table and an upholstered bench. The entire exercise is led by a process-driven approach and a deep commitment to architecture as a material craft and a discipline grounded in ideas, with human-centric experiences at many scales. Soma Loft Residence is 2017 IIDA Global Excellence Award Finalist. Fact File: Architect: Studio VARA Interiors: Tony Ambus, Design Details Structural Engineer: Strandberg Engineering General Contractor: Upscale Construction Location: San Francisco to view images click on globalhop.indiaartndesign.com

 Travel & Tourism Malta is abundant with religious culture, and is in fact one of the oldest Christian cultures in the world. Grottos and shrines will captivate you with their histories; the walls telling ancient tales of religious saints. The key attractions, however, are Malta’s magnificent churches. There are more than 360 churches located across the Maltese islands. The buildings are full of character and represent the true culture of Malta’s people. Not only will you be able to admire the history of these churches, but the architecture, too, is something to behold. The churches are often decorated with red or silver domes and boast many handcrafted stone sculptures. The Parish Church of the Assumption Located in Mosta, and commonly referred to as the ‘Mosta Dome’ or the ‘Rotunda of Mosta’, this church is recognized as having the fourth largest dome in the world. Its cir-cular shape makes for a stunning interior, and the building is packed with history. The church was built in 1860 and took 27 years to complete. Astonishingly, it was built by the local community themselves. Since the building was dedicated to the Assumption of Mary, people of Mosta come together annually to celebrate outside the church with feasts and merriment. St John’s Co Cathedral Probably one of the most well-known churches in Malta, St John’s Co Cathedral is si-tuated in the capital city, Valletta. The building known to be one of the finest examples of high Baroque architecture in the whole of Europe. It certainly has a striking interior; with marble tombstone floors and beautifully painted ceilings, it is a must see during your visit.

This cathedral is also abundant with history. Built in the 1570s, it was dedicated to St John the Baptist, and is also as a shrine to the Knights and Officers of the Order, whose tombstones make up the intricate marble floor. Metropolitan Cathedral of St Paul This cathedral was built in the 17th century in Mdina, on the site of a Norman church that was destroyed by an earthquake in 1693. Tradition states that it is the site where Roman governor, Publius, met St Paul and was converted to Christianity. The magnificent building stands out from Mdina’s narrow streets, boasting another of Malta’s impressive domes. The interior holds some famous artworks, as well as beautiful marble tombstones. How to Get There To visit these fantastic historical spots, you will need to fly into Malta Airport. Taxis can be pre-booked before you fly to take you from here to your required destination. Journey times are usually quite short, depending on where you stay. Pre-booked transfer services are reliable, safe, and usually have friendly drivers who will take you straight to your desired holiday spots.

If you’re looking to arrange an easy transfer in advance from Malta Airport, taxis are definitely the way forward. Author Plate Lukas Johannes is a driver for Shuttle Direct, the number one provider of shared and private airport transfers all over Europe and northern Africa. If you’re looking for afford-able Malta airport taxis Lu-kas and his colleagues can make sure that you and your luggage get to and from the airport swiftly and safely.

Flooring is the term used for the enhancing your floors. Talking about current globe of floorings, the market is replete with any types of floorings like laminate flooring, linoleum, carpets and raised flooring. Hardwood flooring can definitely enhance the look of your home decor. The variation in style of flooring hardwood can suit to every place of your home like living room, bedroom etc. But many people still give preference to tiles as wood flooring can absorb moisture if you do not give adequate attention to it. It can also increase the resale value of your home. It has a classic look that can provide a cool aura in any room. If given proper care it can retain its look to very long time. Keep in mind heavy and regular spillage on it can spoil and crack it. Also clean it on a regular basis and dry the spilled water quickly. If it accidentally gets dents, repair it quickly before it further spreads.

The rusty and classic look of it will never go out of fashion. Your investment on it can surely prove to be lucrative. Another type of hardwood flooring is pre-finished hardwood flooring. It comes in different types of wood like Oak, exotic and Maple. It gives a clean touch to your home. It comes in various colors which suites your every taste and you can matches them with your home interior. Coming to laminate flooring, it is quite affordable and has great charm. Also, less time is required for its installation. So, you don't have to wait long for getting it installed. The hassles and problems during the time of installation can be chiefly avoided by use of it. Laminate flooring greatly suites your furniture items, the light color of it can be matched with your furniture. This is the reason why millions of people are going for it. The exotic decor it provides to homes is unparalleled. Also, many textures available in it make it an ideal choice. You can simply search over internet to find a good company of your choice in your area that deals with wholesale hardwood flooring and other types of floorings. You can consult with your neighbors, friends and kindred who already have a flooring experience in their home. They can help you in finding a good one of your need and requirement.

Home improvement jobs are a great way to increase the value of the house. There are some simple ideas about renovating your house in order to increase your house's value. The following advice will show you how to do so with the minimum expense and effort.

It is wise to trim any branches that are overhanging your roof. In a storm they may break off, fall and spear your roof. In a snowstorm they will dump their load of snow, which may accumulate as ice. Also, falling leaves from these branches may accumulate and cause dampness on the roof, and clog the gutters.

If you're tired of running out of hot water, consider getting a tankless water heater. Tankless heaters give you hot water only as you need it, without having to have a holding tank. By only heating the water you'll immediately use, you can also save money on energy. They also take up much less room than traditional tank heaters.

Update the lighting in your home to add brightness. Changes in lighting fixtures and adding additional wall lighting can bring a entirely new look to your home. Buy energy saving bulbs to reduce your overall energy costs and consider investing in a smart lighting system that will automatically turn off lights when not in use.

If you don't want to refinish your old and weathered wooden floors, you can instead, give your home a cottage style boost. Buy some oil based paint and choose some affordable stencils. Use the stencils and paint to re-design your wooden floors. Add some cute designs in varying patterns, to give a full on-cottage look to your home.

These tips can help you get more from your home without losing money. If you decide to sell, you can make your house stand out by making the correct improvements.

It can be very enjoyable to do some home improvement projects, particularly if you have a little bit of imagination and are willing to use it. Of course, no two projects are going to be the same so it is necessary for you to really think about what you are doing and how it is going to fit in with your overall lifestyle. You also need to consider the materials that are going to be used in the home improvement project. In this article, we will review a few of the specific items that need to be considered so that you will make the most out of the project, both in the way that it looks and how it is designed.The first thing that I would like to mention is the fact that the supplies that you use for the home improvement project are going to make a big difference in the project itself.

Many people try to cut corners by spending a little bit less on paint and other supplies but in reality, there is no substitute for quality. If you purchase any substandard products, it will likely show when the project is finished. Spending a little bit more on a high quality paint and other supplies will not only make it easier for you to do the home improvement project, it will make a much nicer looking project, overall.It is also important for you to consider some of the options that may be available, even among those high quality items. For example, if you are going to be doing any work in the bathroom or the kitchen, it is likely that you are going to be using some form of thin brick or glazed tile. When you begin to look at the options that are available, you might feel a little bit overwhelmed so it is important to keep things as simple as possible. Try to choose a line that is high quality, yet within your budget. That will help to narrow the field of choices and make it easier for you to decide.Are you going to be doing all of the work yourself or are you going to be hiring some or all of it out to a contractor? This can also make a difference in the project, especially when it comes to the planning phase.

A contractor is going to be able to give you specific guidance on the materials that are necessary for the job. They can also give you a rough estimate of how much it is going to cost, depending upon the supplies that you choose. Just make sure that you choose a reliable contractor that is well-known in the area for the services that they provide.Finally, be prepared to have the home improvement project disrupt your life for the length of the project. Depending upon the part of the home that is being redone, you may actually be displaced for a short amount of time. Just make sure that you plan for this in advance, both mentally and physically and you will be able to get by just fine.