House with stunning views in Cape Town, South Africa

Unusual architecture:check; Seemingly impossible location:check; Rim flow swimming pools: double check.

If this stunning 7 bedroom villa commanding a 270 degree view of mountain, downtown and ocean doesn’t generate E-N-V-Y from you we don’t know what would. Designed and furnished by Stefan Antoni Architects this little gem in Cape Town comes with Poggenpohl kitchens, top notch home automation and security systems, industry grade air conditiong, Wifi, the works.

Fancy spending a night here? Be ready to shell out about Rs.1.25lakh ($2800).

Architect’s description:

A minimalist home commanding a 270 degree view of Lions Head, Camps Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. All living spaces have a great connection to the covered or uncovered terraces. The living spaces are highly transparent to take full advantage of the views. The architecture is notable for its use of cantilevers, linear arrangement and limited palette of materials.

Minimalist? You got to be kidding us.

Luxury Italian Villa for Rental

Law of attraction believers, you might want to pin this up. This palace of a luxury villa is located at the heart of a 2700 acre private estate on Tuscany border in Italy. The owner, Count Antonio Bolza, specializes in refurbishing isolated buildings spread across the estate which he then markets them to premier clients. Design and good taste runs within the family. The Count’s son, Benedikt Bolza, is in the list of Architectural Digest’s AD100 and his brother Niki Bolza is an interior designer as well. Together they are masters in giving new life to century old farmhouses like the one below.

Modern Vineyard Villas In Portugal

If you are the kind of person who fancies owning a vineyard and brewing your own brand of wine, this is the place for you. The L’AND project in Portugal targets the type of tasteful gentlemen who might envy Russell Crowe in the movie ‘A Good Year‘. The project, which is still under construction, is a major undertaking which includes 5 different architectural firms from across Europe. The architects have been briefed to provide a sophisticated natural experience for the inhabitants with modern style of architecture that reinterprets Mediterranean patio houses. The interiors too reflect this modern taste and deviate very much from the typicalrustic charm you normally associate with vineyards and villas. They have provided some awesome images of the designs:

The Stunning ‘Glass Pavilion’ by Architect Steve Hermann

This just hit our inbox. The format of the email was quite familiar – ‘Home of <insert favorite celebrity name here>’. Yes, we have had our shareofthesebefore and it didn’t take us too long to find the original whereabouts of this home either. This modern marvel is the magnum opus of California based architect Steve Hermann. Now listed at Sotheby’s for sale at Rs.108 crores ($24 Million), this 14,000 square feet 5 bedroom wonder seemingly also includes a vintage car collection. The architecture is iconic and the architect’s obsessive attention to detail shows through in every shot of the home.

The stark openness in the design is the only thing that scares us here!

Villa in Mykonos

Mykonos is a tiny little island in Greece that has a modest population of about ten thousand people. Though small in area, the island is a popular tourist destination thanks to its fabulous beaches and vibrant night life. Much frequented by cruise ships and jet-setters, Mykonos indulges its visitors with luxury destinations that are blessed with fairy tale views of the seas. One such particularly fascinating spot is the Mina One villa located in the southwest part of the island. Designed in traditional all-white Mediterranean style and offering 'Santorini-like' views, the place just blows your mind. Don't blame us if you are feeling a little droopy after seeing the images below. Have you made up your mind about where to relax here? In those sofas under the shade...? The pebble covered infinity pool...? Or would you rather prefer that Jacuzzi...?

House With Insane Sea View

Are you willing to shell out $25,000,000 for a house? If so, this is what you could gun for. Sprawled on 11,000 square feet, the Razor house commands mind-boggling views of sea and nature. Designed by Wallace E. Cunningham, (one of AD top 100), the house sports 4 bedrooms, 6 baths, a fabulous two level guest house and features private access to Black’s Beach. Maybe it is the floor to ceiling glass or the look of that garage, but it definitely conjures up visions of the Iron Mans’ House.

UPDATE (Jan 7, 2012): The DailyMail reports that the mansion has been sold to a ‘mystery buyer’ in the Eastern Coast of United States for USD 14.1M.

Paradise In Maldives: Six Senses Resort, Laamu

Poised serenely over majestic turquoise waters, a palm fringed villa with sea suspended hammocks, padded day beds, and dining above a window of bright lagoon, awaits you at the Six Senses Resortin Laamu, Maldives. Built from sustainable materials, these unvarnished beachfront and overwater villas offer a chic picture of paradise. Six waterside and over ocean lounges and restaurants provide food grown in the island’s organic garden, for hungry guests spending days sun lounging, snorkeling around Laamu’s house reef, and dolphin and turtle watching. Connected by beautifully weathered wooden jetties, and secluded by bamboo enclosures, the retreats are airy with high ceilings, and open air bathing alongside a private water garden. An all glass bathtub is suspended above the sparkling Indian Ocean, allowing you to soak up more of paradise. Up on a treetop deck, panoramic views of seascape and an unobstructed sunset are a feast for the eyes, and the soul. With transparent sides and cut away floors, the villas are designed to immerse in the sensational views. The hut like appearance lets us drift away into a fantasy of simple island living, but there is no denying the superb finish of this amazing resort; bespoke furniture, sleek fittings, and luxurious bedding offer indulgence on the highest scale. Could this be one of the most beautiful places on Earth? We think so.

The Viceroy Hotel, Bali

We received a lot of queries about an image featured in our Dozen Spots That Make Us Say ‘Wow!’ post we did a while back. That particular image, the 2nd one in that post, was uncredited as we couldn't pin a source to it back then. Given the attention it was receiving we decided to dig around a bit and have now the whereabouts of this paradise. It is The Viceroy in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia and it is one of the most serenely beautiful vacation spots in the world. With its excessive indoor and outdoor pools, majestic mountain views, and lush green surroundings, it is quite a surreal place.

Tropical Beach Villa

Thai getaway Casas del Sol, in Koh Tao, brings a customized contemporary twist to the luxury beach bungalow, embracing progressive designs by Australian Interior Designer, Christina Saenz de Santamaria. The fresh concept seen throughout the villas has been labeled as ‘Boutique Beach Chic’, which is defined as understated luxury with a modern tropical influence.

The Dazzling W Retreat and Spa, Maldives

A turquoise lagoon sparkles beneath the W Retreat and Spa on Fesdu Island, Maldives, setting a serene backdrop to the natural looking, yet impeccably designed, water bungalows and villas. This private island is packed with luxury, a place where you can feel cast away in the glorious sunshine, whilst relaxing on a cushioned daybed by your own plunge pool; even taking a shower or getting dressed in the morning is an enchanting experience with clear glass panels underfoot, allowing constant views to the lagoon fauna below.

Stunning Underwater Hotel: The Water Discus

Deep Ocean Technology comes to life in the shape of this magnificent Water Discus Hotel proposed to be constructed in Dubai shortly. The structure would comprise of one underwater and one above-water disc, connected by three solid legs that are fixed to the sea bed, and a daylight filled vertical shaft containing a lift and stairway.

Dapper West Indian Viceroy Villas

On the coast of the British West Indies, a collection of stunning homes are located over 35 beautiful acres of land, spanning approximately one mile of exclusive beach frontage. The peaceful northern isle, of the Queen’s Leewards, is a sanctuary of calm inlets and protected coves, sun reaching palm trees, silky white sand and turquoise bays.

Majestic Jade Mountain

Surrounded by the stunning scenic beauty that is St Lucia, Jade Mountain reaches up toward blue skies above Anse Chastanet, the 600 acre beachfront resort below.

The Delectable Hotel Du Cap Eden Rock

The amazing Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, on the southern tip of the Cap d'Antibes, on the Côte d'Azur between Nice and Cannes, gazes out over a magnificent Mediterranean Sea view and the Lérins Islands, and is backed by twenty-two acres of mature gardens and a green pine forest.

Super Luxury Singapore Apartment With In-Room Car Parking

Car enthusiasts will adore the hi-tech Hamilton apartments, situated on swanky Orchard Road in Singapore, that come complete with integrated showcase-style car parking area, which you can admire right from your living room armchair!

Luxury Villas In Phuket, Thailand

This stunning Thai spa resort is Sri Panwa, a five star luxury hotel based in Phuket, where beauty reigns both inside and out. The interior of a Private Pool Villa is filled with classic and contemporary Thai style, for an unfussy yet luxurious hideaway.

Serene Caribbean Rental Villa

'Island Views' is an inviting Caribbean villa overlooking a calm ocean scene, and filled with fresh and simple décor, African sapele wood ceilings and artistic lighting.

Spectacular Hotels That Make Us Say Wow

Though we focus primarily on houses here at Home Designing, it is impossible to overlook the steady stream of splendid hotels we come across on a regular basis. We decided to put together a list of ten of our favorites - places to dream about over and over, to get away from it all in the highest of style. Here they are...

$1.2 Million Luxury Caravan by Volkner Mobil

This state-of-the-art motorhome, known as TheVolkner Mobil Performance Bus, comes complete with a fully-fledged kitchen, a high-end entertainment system, and even a secret storage space designed to tuck away a supercar! All of this luxury starts at a price tag of around £750,000 and rises to a fully-loaded £1.2million (not including the supercar) depending on the buyer's own choice of fixtures and fittings.

Transformative YO! Home: Big Design in a Small Space

Using technologies that are usually relegated to car design and super-yachts, YO! Home’s founder, Simon Woodroffe created a modern, forward-thinking alternative to the small urban apartment. At the touch of a button or the pull of a handle, twelve moving parts transform the tiny apartment into a luxurious living space with all the amenities of a much larger house. With a mere 262 sq ft. to work with, he created a dynamic living space with master suite, second bedroom, sunken sitting room, cinema, dining room, office, full size kitchen, breakfast room, bathroom/spa, party room, wine cellar and storage. We’ve shared the amazing features of the futuristic prototype below.

Acapulco’s Brilliant Uber-Modern Hotel Encanto

Overlooking the golden sands of Mexico's Pacific coastline, Acapulco's uber-modern  Hotel Encanto, offers guests a luxury getaway like no other. Built in 2010, by Miguel Angel Aragonés architects, the resort takes advantage of its luscious natural surroundings through a free flowing design which incorporates lengths of glass walls that bring the  panoramic vistas of beach, ocean and a nature preserve  indoors. With just 44 guest rooms, 20 with private pools and 24 with private terraces, the resort maintains an intimate, exclusive feel. Ambient light highlighted by a spectrum of brilliant color  plays up the architecture and ambiance of the hotel at every turn, day and night.

St.Tropez’s Luxury Villa, Peninsula 1

Amending the time-honored adage, ‘art imitates life,’ to ‘architecture imitates life,’ begins to give one a sense of St. Tropez’s luxury villa, ‘Peninsula 1.’ Much like the beautiful bodies that frequent the nearby Nikki Beach, Peninsula 1 sprawls in the Southern French sun and gazes beyond a blue horizon to soft Alpine Peaks.

Four Breathtaking Greek Villas

While there are many luxurious villas in Greece with astounding seascape views, countless amenities and extraordinary architecture all promising days, weeks and months of vacationing and relaxation, we found four that we fell in love with. Villa Begonia, touted as one of the most exclusive and luxurious of the villas in the Mediterranean. Villa Eudokia, a secluded gem of a complex overlooking the Ionian Sea. The Athenian-inspired Villa Kalliopi on the bay of Kalafatis with its curvy architecture. And lastly the cliff-dwelling Villa Delphina poised on an outcrop jutting out over Mirtos Bay and lovingly furnished by its owners, a pair of world travelers with an affinity for collectibles.

A Monaco Penthouse set to Rival the World’s Most Expensive

These visualizations are not merely a creation of the imagination. They represent a soon-to-be very real building called Tour Odeon, which is set to rival its neighbour: Monaco’s and the world’s most expensive penthouse, worth a cool $305 million. Expected to be completed mid-2014, work on the façade will begin in July. As the visualizations will attest, the price tag is indicative of the sheer luxury and fantasy of the concept that is at the very heart of this project and culminates at its summit, with the addition of a billionaires playpen: the penthouse. Complete with waterslide access to its private infinity pool that overlooks the Ligurian Sea, the penthouse also boasts an expansive private lobby and interiors by Alberto Pinto.

High Gloss, High Contrast, High Drama Interiors

The finest of finishes, incredibly sharp aesthetics, intense ambiance and perhaps most notably, intelligent design, is exemplified in this collection from Steve Leung Designers. Established in Hong Kong and branching out to four centers in Mainland China, Steve Leung Designers’ decidedly modern approach could not be said to be minimalist nor modest. Often associated with a certain vastness, the term ‘modern’ is applied liberally to everything from progressive architecture, installation art and self-assembled IKEA flat packs. Steve Leung Designers however, project a luxurious and expensive modern image.