Eco-friendly room materials and an electric supercar that goes 125mph...the 2010 Tesla Roadster

Interior Design: Eco-Friendly Room Materials
Road Trip: Look out oil tycoons, the 2010 Tesla Roadster has arrived
Design Inspiration: Sticky Bathroom by 3rdfloor
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Interior Design: Eco-Friendly Room Materials

Using materials that are eco-friendly isn't just a trend, it's quickly becoming a must. Homebuyer's are looking for energy efficient (and recycled) materials from top to bottom and from floors to appliances. But what exactly are eco-friendly materials?

Eco-friendly, in this case, simply means you are reusing materials that have been recycled rather than cutting, chopping or mining out all new materials to be used in your home.

A great thing about using eco-friendly materials, other than the obvious, is that the materials are much easier to find due to rising demand. For building you can find and use recycled metal tiles, bamboo, cork, recycled glass tiles, and reclaimed wood. Make sure to consult your interior designer and licensed contractor for all of the options available to you for use in your project.

There are many, many options available for creating and eco-friendly home, here are a few examples:


Recycled Metal Tiles: Add sophistication to any space with these tiles.

Bamboo:
An affordable, durable and easy option for your home.

Cork:
What a great way to add texture to a room, reduce sound (great idea to use on the walls of a media room), and give a unique look to a space (below):

Recycled Glass Tiles:
Gorgeous! Simply stunning when done correctly.

Reclaimed Wood:
A great addition to any room whether in stairs, flooring, furniture or cabinets.

 

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Road Trip: Look out oil tycoons, the 2010 Tesla Roadster has arrived

I guess we all knew the truth....that luxury electric supercars existed. But if you are like me you may have doubted it, as electric cars all seem to be so....so......hmm......weak? plain? boring??

Well, perhaps part of the problem is because oil companies have tried to keep electric cars off the market since the first ones were recalled in the 1950s and destroyed. But the stars finally aligned for Tesla, a once struggling company on the brink of bankruptcy.

And my goodness what an alignment it was. The 2010 Tesla Roadster is a sports car for every type of person. Can't drive manual cars? No problem. Can't afford the gas to drive a luxury supercar on a regular basis? No problems here. Want something that actually looks good and like a luxury supercar? No Problem.

The 2010 Tesla Roadster combines energy efficiency, beauty, and power into one gorgeous vehicle.

The most common gripes about electric cars are power and design. The traditional cars are slow, and rather plain but - as you guessed - the Roadster passes those tests without any problems. 

The 2010 Tesla Roadster comes as a 2 seat, open top, rear-drive sports car. The base version of the car goes 0-60 in 3.9 seconds and the sport edition does it in 3.7 - not bad for an automatic.

The base model has 288 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque, and the sport edition has 288 hp and 295 lb-ft torque, and both have a top speeds of electronically controlled at 125 mph (keep in mind: electric car).

But what about the battery? No worries, it comes with a custom microprocessor-controlled lithium-ion battery that will last you about 7 years or 100,000 miles. The Roadster can go 244 miles on 1 charge, and you can plug in to charge at hotels, gas stations, your home or garage - anywhere there is an outlet. It also has options for additional accessories that will help charge your battery if you aren't near a plug.

As with all luxury supercars, the 2010 Tesla Roadster isn't cheap. The Roadster Sport starts at $128,500 in the United States and €112,000 (excluding VAT) in Europe...so it's really affordable for a supercar. They are currently taking orders so you can go right ahead and give them a call.

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Design Inspiration: Sticky Bathroom by 3rdfloor

I came across this really great blog in the UK called MyDeco.com. It is a community of interior designers who can create rooms, comment on others designs, read about current design trends and tips from amazing guest bloggers, and check out great products for the home.

One design I saw and wanted to share was called 'Sticky Bathroom' by 3rdfloor. He has designed a room that gives the illusion of depth, combines modern trends with a younger feel and the room just really pops. I also love the use of stencils or stick-ons, little creative touches can add so much to a room.

Oh it's cold! ....but these designs are Hot.

Since most of the USA is blistering cold with the recent blizzard, I was inspired to write about something warm and relaxing. In my search I stumbled across a luxury villa resort in Bali, India called The Seri Villas. Not only is the place incredible looking, it's incredibly affordable for a luxury get away.

Once my real estate mind settled down, I started to notice the design and decor in the villas. As most people know, I simply prefer vintage looks. But, I have to say - this modern mix of luxury and class isn't so bad.

The soft colors, the high roof ceiling, the large glass sliding windows and the polished flooring really make the villa feel relaxing and cozy.

The other thing I love about these villas are the lighting accents. So many times people just forget about lighting if there are large windows. Lighting accents help balance and direct your eye around the room, and can really add to the wow factor in your home.

I love how the pool has lighting accents both in the water and outside. The blue pool also blends well with the white trim, black trim and yellow paint of the background sections of the villa.

What is not to love about the master bedroom? It takes a classic french bed style, soft neutral colors, and incorporates the modern feel with the wardrobe and bed frame. Fantastic!

Also, note the ceiling lighting and shelf. Design is always in the details, and when done well you can barely notice those georgeous touches.

This bathroom is perfect for this style of villa. It's very open and airy. Again, using neutral colors with the dark furniture contrast really makes the bathroom pop.

The other cool thing about these villas is that they have open air bathrooms. When I heard this at first I thought 'no way'. But, the bathroom is actually very private and only the ceiling is missing. There aren't any towers around, so no peeping!

What really made these interiors stand out in my mind was the fact that the design and layout of the villa was so perfect for the segmented and open air feeling that is so common to Bali. It makes a difference when the interior matches the layout and style of the house, a huge difference!