Unique Perspectives
Combining ‘Water, Life and Light’
“Often it starts with an interview — just the client and myself,” explains Justin Muir, principal designer at City Aquarium, a company that has been creating custom aquariums and installations since 1998. From there, Muir begins creating works of art that bring together “Water, Life and Light.”
While Muir collaborates with the best interior and furniture designers in the world, some of his best inspiration comes from the social scene. “People give me ideas,” he says. “Watching others is really inspiring to me.”
When it comes to materials used in each project, Muir looks for exotic and unusual. In a recent project he named “Galactica,” Muir made use of chrome, wenge, leather and angelic platinum Koi, farm-raised in Israel. The project, he says, is “out of this world.”
The aquariums can cost an average of $30,000 to $50,000.
Be Inspired
From a beachfront home in Mexico to a ski-in/ski-out chalet in Utah, Inspirato — a new luxury travel company that combines the benefits of vacation rentals and high-end fractional clubs — is the new face of luxury travel.
Launched in January, Inspirato requires a one-time introductory fee of $9,500, from there, everyday affluent consumers have access to a portfolio of approximately 40 leased properties in excess of $100 million in 10 destinations. Members then will pay a per-night fee for their luxurious stays.
“Inspirato offers the quality, consistency, personalized services and amenities and access to resorts that you’d find in a high-end fractional or destination club, along with the flexibility and pay-as-you-go structure of vacation rentals,” explains Brent Handler, co-founder of Inspirato.
Diamonds Are Out, Crystal Is In
Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, but for luxury homeowners, it’s Swarovski crystal.
Bisazza, a leading producer of glass mosaic for interior and exterior decoration, has introduced The Crystal Collection, a new line of tiling that utilizes Swarovski crystals in its design.
“The collection shows how flexible the mosaic can be for any living environment,” says Rosella Bisazza, head of communications for Bisazza.
Priced at $93 per square foot, the mosaic tiles are offered in six patterns and combine the glamour of crystals with a subtle texture. According to Rosella, “the collection is elegant and pops at the same time.”
Traditional uses of the Swarovski-infused mosaics are found in indoor and outdoor spaces such as kitchens, bathrooms and swimming pools.
A Royal Flush
The throne has now become a true royal experience thanks to INAX’s introduction of REGIO — a spa-like toilet.
The minimalist design was created with a balance of automated function, comfort, hygienic cleansing and antibacterial technology in mind. From soft LED lights that illuminate the bowl’s interior and foot area to the heated seat, double-power deodorizer and air cleansing system, your experience is delicate and calming.
Continuing the Zen-like experience is REGIO’s automatic “Silent Stream Flushing System” for a quiet, air-driven flush that, according to INAX, is no louder than a gentle, murmuring brook.
Available in brilliant white for $5,900 and noble black for $7,350, the toilets offer self-cleansing systems as well as energy-saving components.
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