Our New Video "Modernism & Glamour - Filmed in Montecito, California"

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Modernism & Glamour from John Maienza & Gregg Wilson on Vimeo.
This is our new Video "Modernism & Glamour" This video shows the result of our extensive rebuild / renovation of  a mid century, Hollywood Regency Style Estate, originally designed by the famed designer John Elgin Woof who's  career spanned five decades from the  1930's -1970's. Woolf's client list was a virtual who's who of Hollywood. Here's a great link to an interesting article written by Vanity Fair editor at large Matt Tyrnauer "Glamour Begins at Home" written about Woolf, his work and his unique legacy.

See also:
Previous Post : Fashion and Glamour, "Valentino the Last Emperor"

Video Music:
Zero 7 - Song: Polaris
From the Album "Simple Things" released June 12, 2001
No copyright infringement is intended and Music can be purchased here on iTunes.

An Eco Luxury, Net Zero & LEED Platinum Home Under Construction in Montecito, CA

Here is an update on the Eco Luxury House we are building at Butterfly Beach in Montecito, Ca. We collaborated with our friend and colleague Michelle Kaufman on the design of this home. Early on in the process we had intended this house to be a modular or prefab home because at that time we had the belief that this was the most proactive way for us to be as green as possible utilizing Michelle's five eco principles . This was not necessarily the case, and in the end we are actually building a custom home built on site that is as green or greener than our original prefab plan. In fact we are right on track to be the first LEED For Homes PLATINUM CERTIFIED home in Montecito and also hope to achieve and annual Net Zero Energy Equalibrium.  I know that Michelle is thrilled that we are determined to figure out how to make the most sustainable project as is possible now. It is the positive result of what turned into a somewhat unfortunate experience.

There is a sad tale with a happy ending that took us in our current direction. As many people know Michelle Kaufmann's company MKD Homes Closed it's doors in June of 2009.  We were slated to begin the prefabrication process of the original design for this house just as the factory and Michelle Kaufmann closed theirs doors. This was a terrible consequence of the poor economy last year. After we stopped reeling from this unfortunate news, we reorganized our process (at a cost of 4 months and substantial redesign expenditures) and became even more determined to build a sustainable home. In the end, we are building a very high end, high quality, custom, sustainable home. We are happy that Michelle reorganized is practicing architecture and design is still a champion of sustainable and even eco luxury design. Here's the new Michelle Kaufmann Studio.  Also, MKD Homes are now offered by  MKdesigns by blu homes which we think is fantastic that all of Michelle's intellectual collateral will continue on.  We wish Michelle and blu homes smooth sailing ahead!

Here's a Link to Our "Net Zero' Post
Here's a Link to Michelle Kaufmann's Blog Post aout this Eco Luxury House
See Also The New York Time: The Rise of 'Green' Modular Homes by Francesca Lyman

Super Green Super Yacht - Sustainable Luxury Yachting...Hmmm

This eco-vessel will harness the power of the sun and the wind thanks to a collaboration with the state-of-the-art technology firm, Solar Sailor Ltd. of Australia. Solar Sailor's proven technology, (which is currently used in commercial vessels) provides this stunning yacht the ability to be emission-free, running up to 8 knots on solar energy alone. This has numerous advantages, not least providing significantly reduced running costs.

Alastair Callender is an award-winning design graduate, who has taken the Superyacht world by storm with his aesthetically beautiful "Super-Green Superyacht" design, called Soliloquy. This man's passion for yacht design and for a sustainable planet has resulted in a new futuristic and innovative design for a superyacht.

      

Soliloquy's Designer of the progressive UK firm Callender Designs,  has announced that he has been invited to display his model and designs of Soliloquy, throughout the Abu Dhabi Yacht Show this week.

See Also: Solar Sailor , Abu Dhabi Yacht Show 2010, 

Fantasy or Reality? Eco-Luxury Air/ Sea Cruising of future...

You may want to hold off if you are thinking of planning your next luxury cruise. Seymourpowell, leading design and innovation company brings us a visionary transportaion concept, Aircruise, or "Clipper in the Clouds" is a giant vertical airship powered by natural energy and designed to carry travelers in style and luxury.  The Aircruise started as a self-generated project, a vision inspired by Korean giant, Samsung C & T and their interest in new building materials.  The concept design is for a hotel in the sky with low passenger numbers and huge internal spaces offering room for living, dining and relaxing as well as "scope for dramatic and inspirational public spaces."

  

 

The initial design proposes a bar/lounge zone, four duplex apartments, a penthouse adn five smaller apartments. At 3 miles high, the giant airship features glass floors to feature breathtaking views from the sky.

Powered by hydrogen fuel cells and solar energy, this truly eco-conscious luxury airship will emit zero-emissions while cruising at up to 90 mph.  In other words, it will take you from New York to London in 37 hours...without poisoning the fish. Hopes are high for realizing this dreamboat by 2015. 

Hopes are high for realizing this dreamboat by 2015.


See also Ecofriend, Designblog and Telegraph

Sustainable Lighting Can Be Beautiful - Its Not Just About Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs

Artist Profile: Brian Schmitt - The funniest home videos are here

Brian Schmitt of Schmitt Design in San Francisco, Ca designs some beautiful handcrafted lighting that is also sustainable.  The bamboo veneer shade panels are produced from sustainably managed bamboo forests and create an inviting warm glow.  The innovative design is combined with an energy-efficient light source. The shade panels are inserted with out the use of glue or fasteners and are able to be shipped flat to minimize packaging.

Recycled Glass Tile: Luxurious & Sustainable for a Modern Estate

Glass bottles take more than 4,000 years to decompose and approximately 5 out of every 6 bottles end up in our landfill.   Oceanside Glasstile creates beautiful art tile with it instead.  It takes more than two million pounds of bottle glass from curbside recycling programs in a closed-loop process that aims to have appositive impact on our communities and the environment.  Their glass contains up to 97% recycled material as well as being durable and making lasting design statements.  They have also developed a co-processing partnership to eliminate their manufacturing waste from going into a landfill.  They are committed to ongoing advancements and environmental leadership.  We have specified this gorgeous glass tile in our current eco luxury project  on Butterfly Beach in Montecito as well as in this luxurious modern estate we should you here.

Post Author: Tamara Wallop for Globally Gorgeous

Farrow and Ball Designer Paint and Wallpaper goes Green - Low VOC paint is eco-friendly

I am thrilled that Farrow and Ball paints have finally gone green with their product line by producing environmentally friendly, eco- friendly low VOC paint and wallpaper.  I have always thought of Farrow and Ball as producing the most beautiful paint and wallpaper products. They produce the chalkiest flat paints I have ever seen and the highest gloss paint I have ever used, in combination the effect is stunning. 

At this Luxurious Montecito, Ca. Estate we created a Grey on Grey palette. Using Farrow and Ball Wallpapers in combination with chalky grey flat paint on the walls and with a very high gloss white trim paint. The Bedroom Charcoal wool carpet from Stark Carpet.

Grey flat wall paint  with high gloss white trim paint.  

Silver Travertine Floors and Oak Flooring with beige wax rub.

 Murano Glass Chandeliers are from Donghia. Bedroom Ceiling Fixture is From Boyd Lighting in San Francisco.

Grey Stripe wallpaper and stripe drapery  Charcoal Starck Carpet

Read more about A Greener Farrow and Ball on their terrific website;.

Green Gift Guide: Give Eco-Friendly Gifts for the Holidays

Eco Friendly Gift Ideas.  Shop Sustainably here is a great link for Green Giving.

GreenGiftGuide

Luxury Green: Maienza- Wilson Latest Project in Montecito

Please Check out Michelle Kaufmann's Blog about our latest project in Montecito.

"First Home in Montecito slated to be LEED Platinum begins Construction".

We are placing a huge cistern in the underground here that will allow us to store captured site water runoff as well as rain water harvesting from the roof structure. We will use stored and filtered water for irrigation. Below you can see that the pool was poured first as the pool structure will become part of the foundation for the decking around the house and pool cabana. The cistern is buried under ground just to the right of the pool in the photo below.

Modernism & Glamour in Montecito,California

We meticulously restored and rebuilt this John Elgin Woolf estate in Montecito. The home was originally designed and built in 1959 for the Huntington family and was teh scene of many Hollywood parties when the estate was purchased by Joan Cohn Harvey. In rebuilding the property we completely respected the glamourous era into which the house was originally built. The modernity of the mid-century was blended with the technology of the 21st century, resulting in an unparalleled sophistication. John Woolf was the creator of the Hollywood Regency Style and had who's who in the film industry client list 1930's-1960's.

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