">HomeOwnerNut

It’s the national day of sweethearts and I’m going to let the experts do the talking. I’ve rounded up some cool furniture for your interiors and some trappings to soak in the vibrations of love. You’ll find a romantic selection today, from cool chair designs from Vira to a completely unexpected love bed. But rather than wax poetic about these designs, I’m going to add comments from authors throughout the ages. While this blog is often about doors and windows, let this entry be about the portals to the heart.

Heart Cone Chair

Photo by Furniture Art Design

“Ah, come sit beside me and thou shalt know of the understanding of true love.” – Jiddu Krishnamurti

(Chair by Vera.)

Wind up here to unwind

Photo by Pool and Patio

“We never know the worth of water till the well is dry.”  – Thomas Fuller, 1732

I hear you knockin’

Photo by Pattie Tierney

“And now here is my secret, a very simple secret; it is only with the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupery

(Heart-shaped door knocker on campus at Princeton.)

Abed in love

Photo by Spoiled Doghouses

“Happiness is a warm puppy.” – Charles M. Schultz

The depths of love

Photo by Homedit

“Your soul is like the vastest sea, and mine a darting fish.” – Awodiya Oluwadamilare

Even if you don’t buy your sweetie a spa, pool or furniture, remember what Thoreau said:

“There is no remedy for love but to love more.”

As China gains economic might, the Sino landscape is blossoming with inventive architecture and fresh infrastructure. The country plans to spend $120 billion on new railroad lines, despite a temporary shutdown of high-speed trains after an accident killed 40 last July.  In 1970, 20 percent of the population lived in cities. Today it’s more like 50 percent, and rising.

Not all the new homes and commercial buildings are boiler-plated, functional post-Mao boxes. Have a look at what’s going on in unique Chinese architecture.

Green designs for 45 million passengers

Photo by Arup

Shaped like an airliner, the Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport Terminal 3 was designed to cut traditional energy costs by a fourth. It will be the first National Green Building Star Label certified airport terminal in China, according to sustainable architect-engineering firm Arup.

Unique house at heaven’s door

Photo by Dornob

Lixiaodong Atelier designed this reflection-pond home that sits at foot of the Yulong Snow Mountain in southwestern China. The house has a breath-taking traditional simplicity about it. Every room is oriented to view the mountain. Read more about it at Dornob.

He said, she said

Photo by Inman

Designs for the $125 million Comics and Animation Museum planned for 111 miles southwest of Shanghai incorporate playful interlocking “word balloons” in keeping with the comic theme.  The designer is MVRDV of the Netherlands. You can view an animation of the proposed structure at You Bent My Wookie.

They’re playing our song

Photo by Inman

The Piano House completed in 2007 in Anhui province has gotten a lot of press, but deserves another look. The Huainan Fangkai Decoration Project worked with Hefey University of Technology to build the black piano and clear violin that rests against it. The house serves as a practice facility and doubles as a concert hall. See additional photos at the Homedit blog.