Living in the woods or close to a forest may actually be a solution nowadays when air pollution levels are so high. Check out this woodland Villa 1 in the Veluwe Zoom area near Arnhem in the Netherlands, which recently won the ’best private interior’ at the Dutch Design Awards. Designed by Powerhouse Company, the house uses large glass doors and windows to allow more sunlight inside and with direct view to the original scenery also mind blowing, the large space interior is clean and simple, with modern furnishings. One other thing worth mentioning is that the designers had to meet local regulations and that’s why half of the house has been built underground. - via DailyIcon

The same country, the Netherlands, this new house by JagerJanssen architecten BNA looks a bit like the one from the other days, that kept sound away - M House. And I’m talking about the exterior. True? It’s a 200 sqm two-storey house that uses a very simple design, with hard materials (lots of bricks) at the ground floor, and wood and glass on the upper floor.

But a nice large open kitchen that maximizes space, large windows and modern materials are not the only things to get me convinced that’s a dream home. One of the most interesting things about the House Baetens is the lovely balcony. Can you find something else? Do you like it? - via ArchDaily

Do you know what a BMW M series is? A highly tuned car that not only looks very sporty but also is. Well I guess that’s exactly what Mark Koehler Architects wanted when they built the M House (really has an M shape) in 2005 in Almere, the Netherlands, for the privacy of its residents and its street presence. Talking of privacy, the house must be using special wood to keep noise on the outside and also, the architects designed it closed on the street side and opened in the back where’s a garden.

I really enjoy the big glass windows that let natural light invade the whole living space, but my honest opinion is that if these guys want to have a modern house they should into buying different type of furniture. Don’t get me wrong, nothing ugly, but it does look a bit classy to me. And one last thing … when you say garden, you really expect more green stuff in there considering that it’s built more than 3 years ago. Right?

Ever slept under a cardboard box? Probably not. There is a unique project launched in the form of duvet covers by Le Clochard. When I first saw these pictures I wasn’t sure whether the bedding was made out or real carton or cotton, but after I’ve read a little about this project I’ve found that they are made out soft 100% cotton and you can really sleep under it. The Le Clochard Project by SZN hopes to help young homeless people in the Netherlands. A large portion of the proceeds from the sale of the quilt cover and the pillow cases goes towards helping young folks in the Netherlands find work or continue education. For those of you who would like to contribute to this project, or just have a really interesting duvet cover they are available from Snurkengoed’s website, in several sizes in a price range from about $73 to $117. A set of two pillow cases costs about $22. For international buyers you can purchase it from this website. - Via - Doobybrain