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Yesterday β€” 7 January 2025Main stream

Google puts $1M into 3D design app Rooms after more than 1 million β€˜rooms’ created

7 January 2025 at 09:45

3D design app Rooms just landed more funding. Launched into beta in 2023, the app from ex-Google employees allows users to build and code interactive 3D rooms and mini-games using a library of more than 10,000 items, which can be further edited using the programming language Lua. Now, Google itself has invested $1 million into […]

Β© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

Before yesterdayMain stream

I stayed at a 5-star Four Seasons hotel in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. My $1,000-a-night room was a skier's sanctuary.

24 December 2024 at 04:02
A composite image of the exterior of a brown cabin-like hotel and the author standing in front of a bed in a hotel room with white walls and wood trimmings
The author's guest room at the Four Seasons Jackson Hole resort starts at about $1,000 during the winter ski season.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

  • I recently stayed at the Four Seasons Jackson Hole, a luxury ski-in, ski-out resort.
  • My 550-square-foot room had a private balcony overlooking the slopes.
  • I thought the room's luxury cabin vibe seemed like an ideal accommodation for a skier.

If I ever take a ski trip, I want to retire to a cozy room with cabin vibes and luxury touches. Ideally, it would be in a slopeside, five-star hotel.

Perhaps the Four Seasons Jackson Hole would fit the bill. In September, I spent one night at theΒ ski-in, ski-out resort.

Although the mountains were not yet covered in snow, my room β€” which has a starting rate of nearly $1,000 a night during the winter ski season β€” seemed like a peaceful place to rest after an active day of gliding through powder.

When I arrived at the Four Seasons Jackson Hole on a muggy day in early September, I imagined it covered in snow.
The outside of a cabin like hotel with people skiing in the snow in front of it.
Guests ski in the winter at the Four Seasons Jackson Hole.

Courtesy of Four Seasons Jackson Hole

The 63-year-old hotel chain has a luxurious reputation and 133 locations worldwide, each designed to reflect its destination.

"There's a sense of place at every Four Seasons," Kim Cole, the director of public relations for the Four Seasons, told Business Insider.

Cole added that the company describes the Jackson Hole location's aesthetic as "modern mountain chic," catering to hikers, bicyclists, and skiers in the winter.

After checking in, I explored the room with the typical peak-season guest in mind.
A hand holds a wooden hotel key card
The author's room key card was wooden with mountain etchings.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

The hotel has 106 guest rooms and 18 suites. The starting rate is $525 in the offseason and $995 in the peak winter season. BI received a media rate for a one-night stay.

There are also 31 Resort Residences on-site, built to serve large groups. These residences have kitchens and as many as five bedrooms. Starting prices range from $4,200 to $11,000, depending on the season.

Cole told BI that in the winter, guest rooms are typically booked with active guests who participate in winter sports, so I imagined how the room would feel as a skier.

I thought my 550-square-foot room blended traditional cabin nostalgia with midcentury modern luxury.
Inside a hotel room with a TV above a fireplace on the left, a green couch on the right, and wood shutters leading to a balcony in the back
Inside the author's room.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

My room had a king-sized bed, a full bathroom, and a private balcony.

Renovated by Wimberly Interiors in 2022, the guest rooms were designed to bring the outside in, with metal accents, stone finishings, and a soft, earth-toned color palette. This nature-inspired trend, known asΒ biophilic design,Β gained traction in 2024.

The bed was plush with warm, fluffy bedding and dense pillows.
Inside a hotel room with a green couch in front of a white bed book-ended by nightstands with lamps on them, and a large white headboard with tree carvings on it
The guest room's king-sized bed.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

The king-sized bed sat between mixed material nightstands with edgy lamps contrasting classic wooden shutters.

With one king-sized bed, the room sleeps up to three adults (or two adults and one kid). The room can also be arranged with two double beds, increasing the maximum occupancy to four adults (or two adults and two kids).

The nature-inspired headboard was a mesmerizing statement piece.
A close up of a wood-framed white headboard with carvings of trees on is
A close-up of the headboard.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

The headboard was the standout piece in the room. A cherry wood frame juxtaposed a bright, white image, giving it a midcentury modern look.

The image was a textured carving of trees that I could feel when I brushed my fingers over the branches. A light bar glowed beneath the board, making it easier to see the details of the monochrome image.

The bed was so comfy that I didn't want to get up β€” and with smart controls on the in-room tablet, I didn't have to.
A wooden nightstand between a bed and shutterd windows holds two brochures and a tablet on a stand in front of a modern lamp
The tablet had a stand beside the bed.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

The tablet on the nightstand served as the room's control center, commanding everything from the TV to room service. This amenity was added in the 2022 remodel.

The tablet would be especially handy after an exhausting day on the slopes.

The other nightstand held an eclectic shelf of books with a warm white color palette.
A close up of the nightstand shows a bottom shelf with books on it
Books line the bottom shelf of a nightstand.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Few things are more relaxing on a snow day than cozying up with a good book.

Luckily, my room had a small selection of biographies, historical literature, and novels ranging from realistic fiction to young-adult fantasy.

Publishing dates for these books ranged from 2003 to 2020, but I thought they looked much older. They were all sleeveless with a white or off-white binding.

Across from the bed, a large TV was mounted above a stone fireplace.
Inside a hotel room with white walls and wood trimmings, a table and chairs on the right, and a TV mounted above a stone fireplace in the center
A view of the room from the bed.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Rustic drawers were to the left of the fireplace, while a modern sitting area was on the right.

I noticed all the seating in my room was soft and cushy, which seemed ideal for sore bodies after an active day.

The room also had a private bar with gold trimmings.
A composite image of a hotel room coffee bar on the left and a stock of water and coffee essentials on the right
The bar and its offerings.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

The bar had an espresso machine, neutral-toned ceramic mugs, and Four Seasons branded water.

Beneath the bar, a cabinet hid the mini-fridge. It was stocked with alcohol and snacks like peanut M&Ms and gummy bears, which were available for an extra cost.

In the marble bathroom, the oversize tub had a bendy shower head that made me feel like I was in a spa.
Inside a hotel bathroom with beige stone tiling, a marble sink on the left and a bathtub on the right
The tub on one side of the bathoom.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

The bathroom had complimentary Le Labo toiletries.

The bathroom felt large, with a double sink vanity, a sizable shower, and a separate toilet room.
Inside a hotel bathroom with a walk-in marble shower on the left and a toilet in a separate room with a blue wall on the right
The other side of the bathroom.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

The mirrors and vanities were replaced by Wimberly Interiors in 2022.

Across from the bathroom, a spacious walk-in closet held bathrobes, a safe, and some classic, upscale amenities I've only seen in ultra-luxury hotels.
A composite image of a white closet with two robes hanging inside and a wooden built-in below a safe in the same closet
Inside the walk-in closet.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I spotted old-school amenities like a shoe horn and shine brush, which I've seen more often in high-end European accommodations than in the US.

The ample size of the bathroom and closet made the room suitable for up to four guests.

The private balcony seated one on a comfortable lounge chair.
A wood sliding door opens to reveal a small hotel balcony with a mountain in the background on a gray, rainy day
A peek at the balcony.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I spent some time on the deck, but since I imagined it would be less enjoyable in the cold, I appreciated that there were sliding glass doors to enjoy the view without the low temperatures.

Out there, I had a view of the ski lifts traveling up and down Rendezvous Mountain.
Ski lifts go up a green, tree-covered mountain with clouds fogging the top
Rendezvous Mountain is seen from the author's balcony.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

From the balcony, I spotted the slopes towering over the resort's courtyard.

Looking down, I pictured the green courtyard in a blanket of snow as bundled-up skiers got their bearings before hitting the slopes.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Interior designers share 5 bedroom trends they think will be huge next year and 4 on their way out

22 December 2024 at 04:24
A bedroom with sage-green-and-beige walls, a bed with neutral bedding, a potted tree, a beige carpet, and wooden side tables.
Designers predict natural hues like sage will be popular.

imaginima/Getty Images

  • Business Insider asked interior designers about the bedroom trends that are in and out for 2025.
  • Designers think hand-painted murals, wallpaper, and natural hues will likely be popular next year.
  • However, they said trends like matching furniture and recessed lighting will be out.

The new year is a great time to refresh your personal spaces, and the bedroom is no exception.

So, Business Insider asked interior designers to share the bedroom trends they think will make a big impact next year β€” and which we'll likely see less of. Here's what they said.

One designer said hand-painted murals will be popular in 2025.
A mural with three large yellow flowers behind a bed with brown bedding and two nightstands.
Hand-painted murals add a personal touch to the bedroom.

Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock

San Francisco Bay Area designer Jasmine Wang predicts people will start to embrace hand-painted murals in their bedrooms because they add artistry, warmth, and a deeply personal touch.

She said this trend will take shape with nature-inspired scenes, statement accent walls, personalized artistry, and vintage motifs.

Neutral, restorative hues will likely be popular.
A bedroom with sage-green-and-beige walls, a bed with neutral bedding, a potted tree, a beige carpet, and wooden side tables.
Designers predict natural hues like sage will be popular.

imaginima/Getty Images

Ali Burgoon Nolan, the owner and principal designer of Studio Burgoon, said restorative hues like sage, clay, and soft taupe will help ground bedrooms with calming energy in 2025.

"Drawn from nature, these colors create harmony, offering a tranquil retreat within the home," she said.

Jordan Miranda, the founder and principal designer of JM Living Concepts, also thinks we'll see more muted-terracotta and warm-taupe tones. She also thinks natural materials like wood and linen will be popular.

Reading nooks are becoming trendy.
A bench with pillows and a blanket in front of windows.
Reading nooks are the perfect place to recharge.

ben bryant/Shutterstock

The bedroom is a place to unwind, which is why Nolan predicts more people will "transform the bedroom into a space for reflection, rest, and rejuvenation from daily life."

She said clients might do this by incorporating relaxing design features like reading nooks or meditation corners into their bedrooms.

Celeste Robbins, the founder of Robbins Architecture, also sees built-in nooks being popular next year.

"There is something intimate and grounding about a built-in nook in a bedroom," she said. "It's a place to curl up, read, or recharge that is not your bed."

Four-poster canopy beds will help create thoughtful separation in the bedroom.
A canopy bed with black columns and white sheer curtains in a bedroom, with four brown and yellow pillows at the foot of the bed, and two nightstands with lamps on each side of the bed.
Canopy beds help separate your sleeping space from the rest of the room.

laughingmango/Getty Images

In the age of at-home work and smaller spaces, Miranda acknowledges that the bedroom often becomes a multi-use environment.

By visually and physically defining the bed as its own cozy sanctuary, a canopy bed reinforces the boundary between work or activity zones and restful sleep areas.

"A canopy bed is a way to keep the sleeping space sacred, creating thoughtful separation between the rest of the room where a desk or exercise equipment might also live," she said.

Wallpaper is also making a comeback.
A bed with a white headboard and pink bedding and two white nightstands with lamps in front of wallpaper with a large floral pattern.
Wallpaper is in for 2025.

John Keeble/Getty Images

"One of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to enhance a bedroom without major construction is using wallpaper to create a feature wall," Kristin Christensen, the owner and principal designer of Mod Earth Studio, said.

She said wallpaper is "in" again because it's an easy way to add personality and flair to a bedroom for much cheaper than construction or custom pieces.

On the other hand, all-white spaces are out for 2025.
A bedroom with white walls, wooden beams across the ceiling, a black, circular lighting fixture, a bed with white bedding and two colorful pillows, an oval standing mirror with black trim, and a white bench at the end of the bed.
All-white designs will be less popular in the new year.

Sheila Say/Shutterstock

Wang and Nolan both told BI they think all-white, minimalist spaces are on their way out.

Nolan said, they can have a "sterile" look and more people are leaning toward "richer, layered designs that invite relaxation."

"The all-white, ultra-minimalist look is making way for spaces with more warmth, color, and texture," Wang said. "In its place, expect to see more accent-wall colors, layered neutrals, and earthy tones that create a cozy, inviting atmosphere."

Matching furniture sets are on their way out.
A small yellow bedroom with matching black furniture.
Matching furniture is expected to fall out of favor.

Toyakisphoto/Shutterstock

Wang and Christensen predict the "bedroom in a box" look will be replaced with a more curated and eclectic approach.

"Designers are mixing and matching materials, finishes, and styles to create a unique, collected-over-time vibe," Wang said.

Christensen recognizes that matching furniture sets provide a convenient solution for creating a polished look, but individuality and self-expression are becoming highly valued by everyday consumers.

"People are increasingly seeking to create spaces that feel more authentic and lived-in," she told BI.

Industrial-heavy styles won't be as popular in 2025.
A bedroom with an exposed-brick wall, a black platform bed, an Edison bulb hanging from the ceiling, two black nightstands with lamps, and a window with a city view.
Exposed brick and industrial-heavy styles won't be popular in bedrooms.

Dariusz Jarzabek/Shutterstock

According to Wang, the ultra-industrial aesthetic will exit bedroom spaces next year.

"While industrial touches may still be popular in certain spaces, the overly rugged look with exposed brick, metal, and harsh edges is being traded for softer, nature-inspired designs," she said. "Organic textures, natural woods, and calming colors are now the go-to for a warmer feel."

Recessed lighting is also out.
A gray bedroom with recessed lighting, a white barnyard door that leads to a bathroom, a bed with purple and white bedding, and two white nightstands with lamps.
Recessed lighting can make a space look dated.

alabn/Getty Images

Christensen predicts that recessed lighting, a round lighting fixture installed into the ceiling or wall, will be replaced for its lack of ambiance.

"For years, recessed lighting was the go-to choice for many bedrooms, promising a sleek, minimalist look and ample light without taking up visible space," she told BI. "However, in recent years, recessed lighting has started to feel outdated, especially in bedrooms."

Instead, she said, people may opt for alternative lighting solutions with things like smart ceiling lights and dimmable fixtures, table lamps, bedside lighting, wall sconces, or pendant lights.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Details you may have missed in the White House Christmas decorations

6 December 2024 at 04:56
The official White House Christmas Tree in the Blue Room.
Holiday decorations are lighting up the White House's historic rooms.

Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post via Getty Images

  • First lady Jill Biden decorated the White House for the 2024 holiday season.
  • She chose the theme of "A Season of Peace and Light."
  • Hidden details in the Christmas decorations reference the theme and pay tribute to fallen soldiers.

The White House is decked out for the holidays once again.

For her final White House Christmas decorations as first lady, Jill Biden chose the theme of "A Season of Peace and Light," writing in the 2024 White House Holiday Guide that she and President Joe Biden hope for "the Nation to be blessed with the peace and light of the holiday season."

Hidden details in the decorations include symbols of peace and tributes to Hurricane Helene relief efforts and fallen soldiers.

Take a look at the 2024 White House Christmas decorations.

A beaming starlight sculpture above the East entrance referenced the theme of "A Season of Peace and Light."
The East Entrance of the White House decorated for the holidays.
The East entrance of the White House.

Susan Walsh/AP

Wreaths with matching gold ornaments were mounted on the White House gates.

The gingerbread White House featured a similar starlight design on its roof.
The gingerbread White House in the State Dining Room.
The gingerbread White House.

Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

White House executive pastry chef Susan Morrison constructed the gingerbread White House out of 25 gingerbread sheets, 10 sugar cookie sheets, 45 pounds of chocolate, and 50 pounds of royal icing, according to the White House Holiday Guide.

The official White House Christmas tree was sourced from North Carolina in a tribute to those affected by Hurricane Helene.
Jill Biden receives the official White House Christmas tree.
Jill Biden received the official 2024 White House Christmas tree on the North Portico of the White House.

Mark Schiefelbein/AP

The Fraser fir was grown at Cartner's Christmas Tree Farm in Newland, North Carolina, which was impacted by the storm.

"The Cartner family lost thousands of trees to the storm," Jill Biden said in her speech while receiving the tree at the White House. "But this one remained standing β€” and they named it 'Tremendous' for the extraordinary hope that it represents."

The 18-and-a-half-foot tree, which was displayed in the Blue Room, is decorated with the names of every US state and territory.
The official White House Christmas tree in the Blue Room.
The official White House Christmas tree in the Blue Room.

Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

The official White House Christmas tree was also surrounded by a carousel and featured candy-shaped ornaments.

The Gold Star tree in the East Entrance was made of six stacked stars, representing the six branches of the military.
The Gold Star tree at the White House.
The Gold Star tree.

The White House

The names of fallen soldiers appeared on gold star ornaments hanging on the other East entrance trees.

The families of service members on two Navy ships that Jill Biden sponsors made paper-chain garlands for the State Dining Room.
Paper chain garlands on a White House Christmas tree.
Paper chain garlands on a Christmas tree in the State Dining Room.

Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

The first lady is a sponsor of two Navy ships, the USS Delaware and the USS Gabrielle Giffords. The Navy families contributed to the White House holiday decorations as part of her Joining Forces initiative.

The decorations in the State Dining Room also included self-portraits drawn by students across the US.
A hand-drawn self-portrait on a White House Christmas tree.
A hand-drawn self-portrait on a White House Christmas tree.

Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post via Getty Images

According to the White House Holiday Guide, the self-portraits were included so that "children see themselves reflected in this year's holiday display."

The official White House menorah was displayed in the Cross Hall.
The White House menorah.
The official White House menorah.

Susan Walsh/AP

The menorah, which first appeared in the White House holiday decorations in 2022, was constructed using leftover wood from a White House renovation during Harry Truman's presidency.

In the Red Room, Christmas trees featured dove-shaped ornaments in keeping with the theme of "A Season of Peace and Light."
Dove ornaments on Christmas trees in the Red Room at the White House.
Dove ornaments on a Christmas tree in the Red Room at the White House.

Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

The dove cutouts held red envelopes that read "peace."

Read the original article on Business Insider

Gen Zers and millennials are clamoring for their grandmas' bathrooms

By: Dan Latu
1 December 2024 at 01:11
Toilet dressed as grandma with wig and glasses surrounded by floral wallpaper and pink tiles

Getty Images; iStock; Natalie Ammari/BI

  • Older bathroom styles are back in vogue as homebuyers and renters gravitate toward nostalgia.
  • Even younger people are opting for patterned tiles, matching sinks and toilets, and pastel colors.
  • One 24-year-old Florida homeowner paid $900 for a baby blue toilet and vanity from the 1950s.

In August, Miami interior designer Dani Klaric shocked her boyfriend with the new centerpiece of her guest bathroom: a secondhand toilet.

The preowned throne, in a baby blue hue reminiscent of the 1950s, was part of Klaric's plan to "de-modernize" the three-bedroom Miami home she bought in May.

Klaric, a 24-year-old content creator with 2.1 million followers on TikTok as of November 27, fought hard for her used toilet. When she couldn't find the exact shade of blue she wanted in stores, she tracked down a seller on Facebook Marketplace who specialized in saving vintage bathroom fixtures from tear-down projects.

Klaric drove a rented U-Haul five hours across Florida to pick up both the toilet and a vanity for $900.

"It's way more warm and cozy and has so much more personality," Klaric told Business Insider.

Neutral bathrooms have dominated the pages of design and architecture magazines for years, but old-fashioned looks are coming back. A new Zillow report on home trends based on key terms and phrases that crop up more frequently in for-sale listings said, "2025 is set to go full granny." Mentions of "nostalgia" in listings were up 14% from 2023, while the word "vintage" showed up in 9% more listings.

A vintage sink and vanity with pastel green tiles and rectangular blue accents.
Inside a GLB-owned property in Los Angeles with vintage bathroom decor still intact.

Courtesy of GLB Property

Los Angeles-based interior designer Shannon Ggem told BI that "grandma bathrooms" typically feature pastel pinks and greens, elaborate tile designs, and frilly decorations. Once considered dated, they are driving trends in homebuying and interior design β€” even among millennials and Gen Zers.

"People are so bored of all white and gray houses," Ggem told BI. "They're so hungry for character."

Even manufacturers are observing the uptick in interest.

In 2023, kitchen and bath manufacturer Kohler reissued two "heritage" colors from its archive, a rose blush called peachblow and minty spring green. It released a limited-edition line of toilets, sinks, and tubs in the hues.

"People are gravitating toward things that pull at those nostalgic heartstrings," Alex Yacavone, head of Kohler's design studio, told BI.

Homeowners are paying to get the look

Vintage pink tiles along a bathroom wall and alcove with a 1950s sink.
A Los Angeles pink-tiled bathroom that cost $25,000 to return to pristine condition.

Courtesy of GLB Properties

Interior designers told BI that younger homeowners are turning their bathrooms into time machines.

"I'm really seeing it grow with the younger audiences," said San Diego-based interior designer Rachel Moriarty. "They're taking that grandma aesthetic and running with it. They're making it cool again."

Moriarty recently said a San Diego client spent $5,000 restoring her bathroom's aquamarine tiles with black trim and 1930s Art Deco arches. Previous homeowners had ignored the tiles altogether or tried to paint over them. She and the client shopped for black glass knobs for the cabinets and vintage lights of the era to make the tiles stand out even more.

Ggem, an interior designer in Los Angeles, said a client is spending $85,000 on a total bathroom re-do to achieve a vintage look. The couple's home came with all-white, builder-grade fixtures they considered passΓ©, so they're adding a floor with a tile pattern and a mosaic design on the walls, Ggem said.

"The basic finishes didn't feel like they met the luxury level of the community," Ggem said.

A landlord with 30 LA buildings preserves their vintage bathrooms

Forty years ago, real-estate developer Gene Bramson saw historic apartment buildings in Los Angeles being ripped up for the sleek, modern aesthetics of the 1980s. Bramson, who loved the intricate tile work and bold colors found in many of those properties, bought some with the intent of preservation.

"I wanted to take these places and elevate them, bring them back to their original glamour," Bramson told BI. "I just had a great feeling that these locations can't be replicated."

Today, Bramson's company, GLB Properties, manages 30 properties throughout Los Angeles, with rents ranging from $3,250 for a one-bedroom to $11,000 for a four-bedroom.

A vintage bathroom with light green tiles on the walls and black tiles on the floors.
Biba de Sousa pays $4,000 monthly for a Los Angeles apartment from GLB Properties with carefully restored vintage tiles.

Courtesy of Biba de Sousa

In 2020, Bramson's daughter Ivana, who also works for GLB, noticed Angelenos clamoring for colorful bathrooms. So she started posting photos of ones in the company's buildings on its Instagram account, which exploded from 6,000 to 40,000 followers between then and mid-2024. Potential tenants started reaching out through direct messages on Instagram, Bramson said.

Keeping up these vintage rooms isn't cheap. GLB spent $25,000 to preserve and upgrade a pink bathroom in a one-bedroom apartment in one of their properties, sourcing vintage tiles, installing a princess tub, and hanging salvaged mirrors. Bramson estimated a renovation with stick-on tiles from Home Depot would have cost about $9,000.

"The bathrooms are the crown jewels of the apartments. I think people can sense it's not a quick vinyl tile cover," Ivana told Insider.

Tenants seem to agree. In 2021, esthetician Biba de Sousa moved into a GLB apartment in LA's Miracle Mile neighborhood. She pays $4,000 monthly for a two-bedroom apartment with a bathroom covered in green tiles and decorative black accents.

"It's just cheerful," she told Business Insider. "It feels like my grandmother left me the apartment."

Read the original article on Business Insider

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