Adding a Touch of Color to Your Space

Colors change the essence of the environment.

With a bright white or neutral backdrop, adding colorful artwork, throw pillows, plant life, or pieces of furniture will add spark to the space. Vivid colors are bold and can be used to emphasize, contrast or create rhythm. Each color represents and invokes its own mood, creating a vivid feel.

With color, you can cultivate a balanced atmosphere in your home. Light and color exert influence automatically, and determine how people perceive the area around them. Every color, each with its own frequency, is a form of energy.

Take a peek at how some of these selections utilize accents of color to create mood and meaning in the space!

Photograph Courtesy of Pinterest

Photograph Courtesy of Pinterest

Photograph Courtesy of Pinterest

Photograph Courtesy of Pinterest

Photograph Courtesy of Pinterest

Photograph Courtesy of Pinterest

Photograph Courtesy of Pinterest

Photograph Courtesy of Pinterest

Photograph Courtesy of Pinterest

Photograph Courtesy of Pinterest

Photograph Courtesy of Pinterest

Photograph Courtesy of Pinterest

Photograph Courtesy of Pinterest

Photograph Courtesy of Pinterest

Photograph Courtesy of Pinterest

Photograph Courtesy of Pinterest

Photograph Courtesy of Pinterest

Photograph Courtesy of Pinterest

Learn more about Chromotherapy and how to utilize color in your modern home!

Coffee Table Books Create A Sanctuary

Coffee Table Books for Your Collection

Your coffee table is often the centerpiece of your living room, and everything that adorns the surface will be the focal point.

The books that you choose to display atop your coffee table will serve as greetings for your guests, and can also serve as a kind of vision board for your current dreams and inspirations. Choose wisely which wisdom and inspiration you wish to convey. Perhaps you are one to simultaneously skim through several novels, or perhaps you more enjoy flipping through volumes of photography or poetry. Keep a collection of every variety; cookbooks, style, travel, poetry, photography, or history. Whatever your fancy, be sure to take a little time every day to read!

Here are a few of our favorites!

Shop The Forest Feast

Shop Barnes & Noble

Eco Homes Enlightened Architecture

Modern Architecture Worth Moving For

Modern architecture is determinably minimalist, with open, light-filled living areas, and bold angles.

With a philosophy of form following function, modern architecture expresses itself through simplicity. Often using elements of wood, glass, and steel, the contemporary style of architecture emphasizes the structure and materials used in the building as opposed to embellishing them up with ornate designs. You will often see vaulted ceilings, exposed structural elements, and unique linear elements.

Take a look at some extraordinary designs in our selection!

Bold Shape and Structure

Create A Sanctuary Enlightened Decor

Transforming a Space with Mirrors

Mirrors are wave reflectors of visible light, and can illuminate any space.

The earliest mirrors in 6000 BC Turkey, were made from polished obsidian. In Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt, polished copper mirrors have been dated back to 4000 BC. Metal-coated glass mirrors were invented by Sidon, or modern-day Lebanon, and appeared in the first century AD.

Long have mirrors been a way of reflecting light onto your face, and pouring illumination into any space. In ancient Egypt, tombs and chambers were illuminated using an ingenious system of series of mirrors reflecting light from the ground surface. Mirrors are used in scientific apparatus, enabling the function of telescopes, cameras, lasers, and industrial machinery.

To create depth and spread light in any space, place large or a series of small ornate mirrors along any wall, and utilize the natural light of the home to reflect brightness into any corner. See how these modern homes utilize mirrors to brighten up the environment!

Eco Homes Enlightened Architecture

Modernist Homes Designed for Beach Sites

Oceanside Living. Blissful, salty breezes blowing continually, rich breaths of humid air, the rushing resonance of waves crashing, and endless horizons full of sun-kissed pigments.

Designing your modern home alongside the oceanfront with ensure you pave your way to a blissful existence. Amidst peaceful elements, you are creating a lifestyle of tranquility and simplicity. Away from the noise of urban zones, you will embrace the sounds, smells, and sensations of nature.

Explore with us these exquisite modern homes, designed to welcome all of the natural beauty of the surrounding seascapes.

Rockledge Residence, Laguna Beach

Exterior Lounge with Detached Guest House

Photographs Courtesy of Trendir

Photographs Courtesy of Trendir

Photographs Courtesy of Trendir

Photographs Courtesy of Trendir

Photographs Courtesy of Trendir

Photographs Courtesy of Trendir

Photographs Courtesy of Trendir

Photographs Courtesy of Trendir

La Jolla Estate by Fredman Design Group, San Diego

Photographs Courtesy of One Kind Design

Photographs Courtesy of One Kind Design

Photographs Courtesy of One Kind Design

Photographs Courtesy of One Kind Design

Photographs Courtesy of One Kind Design

Photographs Courtesy of One Kind Design

Photographs Courtesy of One Kind Design

Checkout our Bunglo Poolside Collection for inspiration to decorate your aquatic settings!

Host With Intention Plant Based Recipes

Weekly Healthy Recipe: Smoked Salmon + Arugula + Avocado Mélange

We are in the midst of the hottest part of the summer in Central Texas; your body is working hard, and it’s essential to replenish all the vital nutrients it needs!

Omega fatty acids can help lower the risk of heart disease, lower blood pressure, fight against depression, dementia, and arthritis. It’s important to remember that our body cannot produce them on its own; you have to consume them in food, or take supplements. The best source of omega-3 fatty acids, DHA and EPA, is in fish.

High intakes of dietary nitrate, like that found in arugula, have been shown to lower blood pressure, reduce the amount of oxygen needed during exercise, and enhance athletic performance. This is great when your body is working extra hard during the heat! Consuming 2 cups of arugula will provide an intake of 20 percent of vitamin A, over 50 percent of vitamin K, 8 percent of vitamin C, folate, and calcium needs for your day.

Did you know that Avocados contain more potassium than a banana? Avocados are packed with essential nutrients, and ideally should be consumed daily!

In avocados, you will find:

Vitamin K: 26% of the daily value (DV)
Folate: 20% of the DV
Vitamin C: 17% of the DV
Potassium: 14% of the DV
Vitamin B5: 14% of the DV
Vitamin B6: 13% of the DV
Vitamin E: 10% of the DV

Avocados also contains magnesium, manganese, copper, iron, zinc, phosphorous and vitamins A, B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin) and B3 (niacin).

Safe to say, in this yummy medley, you will be consuming a meal of superfoods.

Ingredients You’ll Need

4 (5- to 6-ounce) wild caught salmon filets
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 cups baby arugula
1 ripe Hass avocado, pitted and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

The Dressing

2 tablespoons fresh juice from 1 lemon.
Himalayan salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
2 cloves of minced garlic
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon fresh dill

Instructions

Begin by prepping your dressing so that the ingredients may have time to meld together. Mince your fresh garlic, and mix into the olive oil, lemon juice, and dijon mustard. Add in the fresh dill, cayenne pepper, fresh ground black pepper, and Himalayan salt.

Place freshly sliced smoked salmon in a bowl, and pour the dressing over, set aside, and allow the fish to marinate.

You may leave the arugula in whole leaves, or slice into smaller bites. Dice the fresh avocado into cubes, and mix into the greens. Add in the salmon, and pour the remainder of the dressing over the ingredients, stirring together.

Landscape Architecture Outside Living

Luxurious Porches and Sunrooms

The entryway to your home, whether through an open porch or sunroom, is the area that presents the first impression of your space.

Your front patio or sunroom is also be where plentiful downtime is spent reading or resting, and where you entertain guests for coffee, tea, or apéritifs. Your patio space with set the mood for the rest of your home, and should emanate comfort and elegance.

For luxurious decor, you will often see large hanging porch swings with an array of cushions, wide lounge chairs, and reclining chaises. Lighting should be kept soft and ambient, incorporating hanging lamps and candlelight. Adorn surfaces and corners with tall house plants, hanging plants, and flowers for an earthy, fresh feel, and keep surfaces clean lending room for books and beverages.

We hope you enjoy some of our favorite selections of modern luxury porches!

Photograph Courtesy of Blog Lovin

Photograph Courtesy of Pinterest

Photograph Courtesy of Elle Decor

Photograph Courtesy of Pinterest

Photograph Courtesy of Pinterest

Photograph Courtesy of Decor Pad

Photograph Courtesy of Maryland Decks and Porches

Photograph Courtesy of Remodelista

Photograph Courtesy of Pinterest

Photograph Courtesy of Service Central

Photograph Courtesy of Kurt Johnson

Read about how to make your home feel fresh and minimalist in Cleanse Your Home, Cleanse Your Mind

Create A Sanctuary Feng Shui

A Brief History of Feng Shui

One of the Five Arts of Chinese Metaphysics, fen shui, or wind-water, is a ancient traditional belief system that guides and governs the energy forces within architectural structures.

Closely linked to Taoism, feng shui practice discusses the arrangement within architecture in terms of the “invisible forces“ that bind the universe, earth, and humanity together, known as qi. In traditional Chinese culture, qi is believed to be the vital force, life force, energy flow, or material energy forming part of every living entity. Qi, in relation to feng shui, includes the orientation of a structure, its age, and its interaction with the surrounding environment, including the local microclimates, the slope of the land, vegetation, and soil quality.

The use of feng shui is dated back as far as 5000 BC to the Yangshao people that lived along the Yangtze River in China. Between 4700 BC and 2900 BC, the Hongshan people in Northeast China, who interacted with the Yangshao, adopted feng shui into their culture. Before the magnetic compass, feng shui relied on cosmography to set the orientation of structures. Early Chinese astronomers utilized a gnomon, or the part of a sundial that casts the shadow, as the first instrument to use circumpolar stars to determine the north-south axis of settlements. Rituals for using a feng shui instrument required a diviner to examine current sky phenomena to set the device and adjust their position in relation to the device. The magnetic compass was in fact originally invented by the Han Dynasty for the purpose of divination and feng shui.

In Western civilization, feng shui has become widespread, and is commonly utilized in interior design and architecture.

Bagua

In Yaodian, the cardinal directions are determined by the marker-stars of the mega-constellations known as the Four Celestial Animals:

East: The Azure Dragon (Spring equinox)—Niao (Bird 鳥), α Scorpionis
South: The Vermilion Bird (Summer solstice)—Huo (Fire 火), α Hydrae
West: The White Tiger (Autumn equinox)—Mǎo (Hair 毛), η Tauri (the Pleiades)
North: The Black Tortoise (Winter solstice)—Xū (Emptiness, Void 虛), α Aquarii, β Aquarii

You can use the bagua diagram in your own home, by using a compass, or the compass app on your phone, to check how you have intuitively placed things around your home, and re-arrange accordingly. Using the bagua diagram can, if anything, be an excellent way to decorate and arrange parts your home with intention!

Quick Tips for Feng Shui in a Modern Home

Image Courtesy of Gates Interior Design

Learn about Color Therapy to utilize more elements of Feng Shui in your modern home!

DIY Outside Living

Backyard DIY Projects: Glass Bottles

Upcycling, or creative repurposing, is the process of transforming used and discarded materials into products or projects for better environmental use and better quality.

By upcycling, you prevent wasting potentially useful materials, therefore reducing the consumption of new raw materials when creating new products. Reducing the use of new raw materials can result in a reduction of energy usage, air pollution, water pollution and even greenhouse gas emissions. The major environmental impact of glass production is the atmospheric emissions from melting activities. The combustion of natural gas or fuel oil, and the decomposition of raw materials during the melting, lead to the emission of carbon dioxide.

Glass bottles are already a brilliantly constructed work of art. Both their smooth, oblong shape, and array of colors make them a prime candidate for upcycling in your own home. When they go in the recycling bin, or often the trash, it is common for them to shatter and become useless for anything other than being melted down. It’s a shame to let such a beautiful sculpture go to waste! Imagine the possibilities of using beautiful blue hues of glass, or serene greens to create a privacy wall, outdoor shower, garden bed, or simple a lantern to hang a candle.

Check out these immensely creative and extraordinay applications of glass upcycling. Some are more complex and require a bit more knowledge of construction, and some that can be simply constructed in a weekend!

Breathtaking Structures

Photograph Courtesy of Pinterest

Photograph Courtesy of Architecture and Design

Photograph Courtesy of Wilder Publications

Photograph Courtesy of Pinterest

Photograph Courtesy of Architecture and Design

Photograph Courtesy of The Art of Upcycling

Photograph Courtesy of Architecture and Design

Glass Bottle Backyard Oasis in Deep Ellum, Texas

Photograph Courtesy of Milkwood

Bottle Cottage

Photograph Courtesy of The Art of Upcycling

Photograph Courtesy of Marks Veg Plot

Photograph Courtesy of Marks Veg Plot

Photograph Courtesy of Insteading

Market Hall Altenrhein Switzerland, designed by Austrian artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser. — Market Hall Altenrhein Switzerland, designed by Austrian artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser

Photograph Courtesy of Insteading

Photograph Courtesy of Offay Design Studio Blog

Photograph Courtesy of Lushome

Photograph Courtesy of Architecture and Design

Photograph Courtesy of Insteading

Simpler Designs

Photograph Courtesy of Pinterest

Photograph Courtesy of Flickr

Photograph Courtesy of Pinterest

Photograph Courtesy of Plant Care Today

Photograph Courtesy of Bob Vila

Photograph Courtesy of Architecture and Design

Photograph Courtesy of Architecture and Design

Photograph Courtesy of Insteading

Glass Bottle Cutting Tutorial!

Check out another awesome Backyard DIY using Cinder Blocks or Reclaimed Lumber!

Enlightened Designers Outside Living

Summertime by Bunglo

Summertime is here, and it feels so good. It’s the season to spend time alongside water, beneath the sun, and in the shade of trees.

Setup that hammock you bought last season, and cover it in throw pillows. Host a cookout in the backyard, or the neighborhood park. When the weather is warm, it is the time to bring people together to share a meal, cool cocktails, or simply relax beside the water.

Step away from your computer or television, and learn a new sport or outdoor activity.Change your lifestyle to be one centered around wellness and fitness, so that you will feel healthy and renewed. Finally take those tennis lessons, or get a membership at the new rock climbing gym in town. Get yourself out of the house and undertake a new project or adventure, even if it is in your backyard!

Just in time for summer, we have some gorgeous new designs for you to be surrounded by soothing shades, to make you feel cool and light.

: Summertime by Bunglo

Colors change the essence of the environment.

Learn more about Chromotherapy and how to utilize color in your modern home!

Your coffee table is often the centerpiece of your living room, and everything that adorns the surface will be the focal point.

Modern architecture is determinably minimalist, with open, light-filled living areas, and bold angles.

Mirrors are wave reflectors of visible light, and can illuminate any space.

Oceanside Living. Blissful, salty breezes blowing continually, rich breaths of humid air, the rushing resonance of waves crashing, and endless horizons full of sun-kissed pigments.

Rockledge Residence, Laguna Beach

La Jolla Estate by Fredman Design Group, San Diego

Checkout our Bunglo Poolside Collection for inspiration to decorate your aquatic settings!

We are in the midst of the hottest part of the summer in Central Texas; your body is working hard, and it’s essential to replenish all the vital nutrients it needs!

Ingredients You’ll Need

The Dressing

Instructions

The entryway to your home, whether through an open porch or sunroom, is the area that presents the first impression of your space.

Read about how to make your home feel fresh and minimalist in Cleanse Your Home, Cleanse Your Mind

One of the Five Arts of Chinese Metaphysics, fen shui, or wind-water, is a ancient traditional belief system that guides and governs the energy forces within architectural structures.

Bagua

Quick Tips for Feng Shui in a Modern Home

Learn about Color Therapy to utilize more elements of Feng Shui in your modern home!

Upcycling, or creative repurposing, is the process of transforming used and discarded materials into products or projects for better environmental use and better quality.

Breathtaking Structures

Simpler Designs

Glass Bottle Cutting Tutorial!

Check out another awesome Backyard DIY using Cinder Blocks or Reclaimed Lumber!

Summertime is here, and it feels so good. It’s the season to spend time alongside water, beneath the sun, and in the shade of trees.

Poolside Collection

Nomadic Treasures

Bunglo Summer Style

Check out some Backyard DIY Projects to get yourself out of the house, to feel productive and creative!