Contain Yourself

We all know recycling is critical to the health and future of our planet, but it is also the smartest way to think about building materials for residential and commercial spaces.  Shipping containers, as prefab building elements, are growing in popularity at warp speed, and its easy to understand why. Think of them as indestructible building blocks that can be stacked, cut and configured to create spaces from simple to sublime.  Affordable housing indeed.  The following pics (thanks Buzzfeed) are just a few examples of what can be done when shipping containers intersect with lively imagination.  I'm already imagining my own....

The humble shipping container:

The rest is up to you.

Horsing Around

Equestrian art is fast becoming a modern element to incorporate into a residential space.  You don't have to be one of the "horsey" set to appreciate the almost architectural beauty of one of these four-legged wonders.  I'm loving the extremely large pieces, often focusing on a graceful neck or musculature.  Here are just a few examples that might inspire you to gallop out and look for a beautiful piece of equestrian art for your home or design project.  These are by the NC artist Jan Lukens. See more of his work at www.janlukens.com