What makes a classic piece of furniture? Which living design is timelessly popular and always contemporary - and why? Aesthetic quality as a function of clarity of design, rigorous color and styling are just as important as the durability of high quality materials and perfect workmanship. And of course, if not more important - is the functionality of this furniture that is right from every standpoint. Masters & their Pieces - best of furniture design presents the milestones of style of furnishings and their creators: the bold design of the 1920s, the upswing of the economic miracle in the 1950s, the colorful trendy creations from the 1970s or the restrained designs of the new classics of today and beyond. The most important European furniture designers of the 20th and 21th centuries and their most significant works are prominently displayed.

Who has never dreamt of living in the tropics? Lying in the sun, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere, sitting under the cool shade of abundant vegetation - just like finding a place in paradise. This new release features a beautiful range of residential architecture and designs from Costa Rica to Florida, from Thailand to South Africa. Every project is an invitation to feel good and relax with swimming pools, open-air spaces, as well as thoughtfully designed interiors of indigenous materials and local ele - ments. This volume displays a breathtaking series of in - spirational exotic settings. With their refined esthetics in timeless spaces, whatever their shape or size, all selected tropical dwellings are true dream homes.

Affordable building lots in central locations in the large cities and metropolises are rare. When there are no available gaps in the urban structure, attic conversions and extensions are an interesting and favored form of redensification. This volume explores approximately 60 attic projects, as extensions, conversions, or new construction, which utilize the previously used storage space for new use. Existing buildings are expanded upwards and adapted to the contemporary desires and demands of their use. Some constitute a homogenous extension of the existing facade and augment the view in a barely noticeable way. Others use the design freedom above the eave height in order to create a 21st century architecture which contrasts with the historical building substance. Penthouse