This contemporary take on retro decor features a neon sign cityscape:

Comic book pop art hangs in this modern living room:

This minimalist modern look is enhanced with huge botanical photographs that flank the fireplace:

And perhaps sometimes you need to be more literal in your interpretation of art:

I love Nolen Niu’s use of bold colots and interesting shapes.  The Zero chaise lounge reminds me of something out of the Jetsons with its futuristic style and beauty; all reliant on a single piece of metal.  I also love the XO sofa that stands out not only because of its fuschia hue, but its dynamic shape.

Hakone, Japan, nestled near Mount Fuji, is known for two things: hot springs and the Open Air Museum.  The Japanese place eggs into the hot springs and they come hard-boiled and black.  When eating one of these eggs, it is said that your life will be extended an extra seven years.  The Open Air Museum has an extensive Picasso exhibit, devoted to his later works, including a lot of pottery.  The completely outdoor exhibits are modern and often fairly interactive (an architectural playground features a series of domes to climb in and a jungle gym made solely of colorful rope) and allow the works to be seen from various viewpoints.  I highly recommend it to any traveler.

Hakone Open Air Museum

sculpture garden in Hakone

Dome playground in Hakone

Hakone Open Air Museum

Hakone Open Air Museum

Lovers Sanctuary at Hakone Open Air Museum

It’s hard to get more art deco than Miami’s South Beach and the Delano is no exception.  This ultra-chic hotel caters to the modern palette with a perfectly landscaped yard, exquisite pool, gorgeous columned entryway and secluded cabanas.  The white motif is the definition of timeless.

Delano entry

The Delano Pool

the perfectly landscaped yard

guest room

Miami is known for its lavish lifestyle, tropical climate, and modern architecture. Oppenheim Architects are at the forefront of the pack, designing projects that reflect the gloss and aplomb of the Miami aesthetic while continuously pushing the envelope with creative and sustainable architecture. Below is a prime example of a contemporary real estate in Miami.

Villa Allegra

scope: 9,000 SF private residence. Architecture/ Interior Design

date: Project completed 2004

location: Miami Beach, Florida

Multiple rooms, both interior and exterior, have been added to a non-descript, one-story homes transforming it into a receiver of Miami’s tropical climate. While the effect is striking, minimal alterations were made to the existing structure.

Just as the kitchen is the center of the modern home, the bedroom, and, by extension, the bed on which you sleep, is the center — the source — of your productivity and happiness.

Modern interior design continues to develop new, stylish beds, with superior comfort and structure as their headline. This is one from Niels Bendtsen. We’re getting sleepy, very, very sleepy.

The Frame Lo Queen Bed

About the Frame bed:

Frame is a wood bed of balanced proportions that is comfortable and inviting. It comes with an all-wood Frame or optional upholstered headboard. The beauty of Frame is found in its details. Precision mitered corners provide an exact fit while also emphasizing the grain of the wood. The bed sits close to the ground and has inset legs; creating an impression of floating, at the same time the position of the legs prevent tripping. A European wood slat system fits neatly into rail slots for stability and aesthetic appeal. The upholstered headboard has an easily removable cover, for cleaning or replacement. Fabrics come in a variety of colors to match any interior.

Denver is the quintessential American city. It was a rugged western city, a pioneer vacation retreat, and now it has refashioned itself as a major 21st century metropolis. Denver’s contemporary homes and the city’s modern architecture reflect an appreciation for the environment and making use of sustainable materials. It also exposes the world to the many creative minds designing and building some of the most appealing modern architecture in Denver.

The Ozowa Residence:

This phased remodel transformed a typical 1950s suburban ranch house into a contemporary neighborhood icon. Definition was added to the low ranch by adding two tall “book end” volumes to each side. The project focused on defining form through materials that both compliment and juxtapose with the existing.

Phase I construction included a garage extension, exercise loft above a new 2 story family room and a 2nd level deck.

Phase II expand the master bedroom into a new master suite; a 2 story volume that captures day light from three directions while providing vistas of the distant lake and the private backyard.

About Roth Sheppard Architects:

Our collaborative design process stimulates exploration of the known and unknown to uncover opportunities. Through rigorous analysis, these opportunities provide the framework for transforming conventional problems into inventive solutions.

While problem solving addresses the pragmatic, innovation allows for discovery of the unknown. From regional police facilities to specialized residential, retail and restaurant environments, each solution ultimately creates unique experiences, strives for excellence and emotes the spirit of place.

White heat. That’s Miami for you. Whether it’s the beaches, nightlife or architecture, Miami is a one-of-a-kind city with enough creative mercury to make you sweat.

Miami’s contemporary real estate is plentiful. And design reflects character. Check out these images from contemporary architect Scott Weinkle.

From Weinkle’s Web site:

The Willer-Buchardi residence is a two story townhouse on Central Park West.  The decision was made to remove almost all existing walls and to construct a white floating cube that contains the Kitchen and a Guest Bathroom.  The floors were stained dark brown and the details were handled as seamlessly as possible to create a glowing ethereal space where openings are chopped into solid forms.  A white marble fireplace surround brings a crisp elegance while the bathrooms are almost monastic in their minimalist rigor.

We first reported on this year’s Las Vegas Builders’ Show back in November. And now the work–and our expectations–have come to fruition.

Builder: Living Homes sponsored the event. The theme was sustainability, green architecture, modern design.

The result?

A sleek, modular home, with amenities, character and style to boot.

Chicago Mag recently ran an article that listed 10 of the city’s modern architectural marvels. Terrific, staggering work is found on these pages, and the architects that built them–Gehry, Booth Hanson, Murphy/Jahn–get ample coverage and praise.

Chicago has always been a building city. It looks like that tradition will be served in this century as well. But as space grows sparse and costs and restrictions hamper architects and builders, the conception-to-construction challenges of the 21st century are considerable. Couple that with ever evolving modern Chicago homes, and you get  a city steep in possibility.

Still, the architects and work featured in Chicago Mag display verve, capability and perseverance. Our favorite this week is the Contemporaine, completed in 2004 by Perkins + Will architects, with Ralph Johnson serving as Design Principal.

Here’s a sample from the Chicago Mag article:

When Johnson talks about architecture, it’s evident that he has been fighting the good fight for modernism a long time, even when, as he says, “everyone wanted postmodernism.” His Contemporaine’s unadorned concrete—the material otherwise responsible for many hasty disasters—was carefully poured and modeled as if for a work of sculpture. The apartments it houses, which are enclosed in glass, fit together, as Johnson describes it, “as a Rubik’s cube.”

Visit Chicago Mag to view the enitre list. And check out more work from Perkins+Will on their website.