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New Football Stadium of FC Bate in Belarus

With a poor infrastructure of football, Belarus seems to finally have a football stadium of international level, to fit for matches on group stages and playoffs of European cups in accordance with the criteria of UEFA. Currently under construction in the City of Borisov, Belarus, the new stadium of FC Bate is designed by the professional team from Ljubljana-based architect firm OFIS and as you can see from images, its impressive architecture will certainly become a dominant and powerful landmark.

Nestled in soft surrounding greenery, the stadium construction is made according with the existing intervention in the terrain and the natural advantages, maintaining the most of existing trees on the site. Thus, its approach is an environmental and used friendly one, where everyone has something to gain. With a total of 13, 000 seats, the new stadium of FC Bate has to be built as to obtain 4 stars according to UEFA categorization, have additional 3.000 m2 of public program and to also own external arrangements that provide separate access during matches and in everyday use, and quality traffic scheme. Its exterior architectural design have a distinctive modern character, a unified rounded dome which give the feeling of a single enclosed object and, although it’s a middle size stadium, its structure looks quite impressive and very large.

Internally, the rounded arena will ensure an extroversive atmosphere and good acoustics during the games. It will have a N-S orientation playing surface with enough space for the installation of the cameras, photographers and advertising screens. The playground is surrounded by 17 rows along the long sides and of 27-28 rows along the short sides, with a east upper gallery for VIPs and west one for the press. Extra program and service facilities will occupy 4 floors under the west stand area, while under the east 3 floors.

A naturally ventilated area, the foyer for visitors will have 4 accesses by stairway and will be found on the first floor level. Here visitors will have toilets, bars with drinks and snacks, a first-aid room and detention. There is a restaurant for VIPs and a bowling area in the eastern part of the stadium, whlist the southern part features gym and public fitness studios. The new stadium will include around 800 parking spaces and into the existinf forest area there will be parking pockets to be used for carting, skating, rollerblading, etc. So, what do you think about this stadium in Belarus?

Photos © OFIS

Project details:

Project team: Rok Oman, Spela Videcnik, Konstantine Bogoslavsky, Katja Aljaz, Janja Del Linz, Janez Martincic, Andrej Gregorič, Ana Kosi, Ieva Cicenaite, Grzegorz Ostrowski
Client: PC Bate and Government of Belarus
Location: Borisov, Belarus republic
Date: 2009-2014
Status: under construction
Type: Football stadium with public program
Budget: 20 mio EUR / football facilities, 30-35 mio EUR including public program and offices
Area: 32,000 m2
Max. Height: 24 m
Seats: 12.896 seats for audience, 620 VIP seats, 100 Press seats, 800 Parking spaces
Structure: metal, reinforced concrete
Roof structure: Metal beams with metal aluminium cladding
Exterior Finish: metal, polished concrete, glass walls

February 13, 2013
How to Decorate a Bathroom on a Budget
How to decorate a bathroom on a budget may not be the most pleasant thought to start with in a design project, but there are always practical and ingenious solutions to get our bathrooms looking amazing without spending a fortune. We don’t have to think that only buying very expensive items you’ll create a huge impact; many times simple and small changes can make a real difference and turn our bathroom experience into something very enjoyable. A well-designed bathroom will always add beauty, style and will increase the property value of the house as well.

Photo © Brandon Barre; Toronto Interior Design Group
- Planning. Whether big or small, any design project should rely on a good plan before putting your money in it, especially a project with budget constraints. You should be more specific here and prioritize the things you need and make a list with the most important ones and the least significant. Doing so, you’ll be able to know what you can leave. So before starting, it’s very important to note down what your budget is, what you want or need to change in the bathroom and after that, do some important researches regarding prices, models, trends, ideas if you don’t have the help of a designer makeover. Some items you already have in your bathroom may be reused by applying another new painting coat or transforming in something with other purpose, so don’t throw everything and this trick will help you save money for other things.
- Declutter and clean. A total cleaning bath is necessary because they tend to accumulate clutter over time. Everything that is not permanently fixed to the wall must be removed. Put on rubber gloves and clean the bathroom with super-effective products, if possible eco-friendly ones. Remove and renew the silicone sealant around the sink and shower area if this is necessary. You’ll see how large will appear your bathroom after you’ll do this, feeling like a new room. If you have in plan to change its direction, this thing will involve changing the pipes and will raise the cost of your project. Thus, you can modify only items that are not connected to pipes.
- Style. In this chapter, everything is based on personal taste and wishes of course, but you may consider timeless designs if you don’t want something specific. Modern style, for example, doesn’t have to be out of date at a certain time. It always give you the feeling of cleanliness and comfort, so it’s a good option.
Photo © John Lum Architecture, Inc. AIA

Photo © Susan Jablon Mosaics
- Color palette. The most popular tip nowadays when decorating a room is the use of colors. Why? Because if you know how to use them, the success of your project is guaranteed. Light colors are best known to open up the space, making the room feel more inviting and refreshing, while darker colors make the bathroom feel smaller than usually. Yet you can still use bold and dark hues in the bathroom, but mainly for decorations or highlights, not in larger areas like walls.
- Quality materials. No matter what you’ve proposed to add and replace in the bathroom like tiles, flooring, fittings, lighting, accessories, try to buy only good quality products as this will help you in long run and their maintenance is lower, so you’ll save money too. For example, you can opt for simple chrome fixtures instead of other expensive materials. They look quite elegant and have a strong impact. For safety reasons and to not have problems with them in the future as well, it’s better to call a professional to install them. One of the focal points is the vanity, which can cost a lot of money, but a creative solution may be to visit antique shops and look for a piece of furniture that can be refinished to fit in your bathroom.
Photo © The Design Studio; Eugénia Au Kim, I.I.D.A
- Lighting. Natural light is very important in a bathroom, that’s why bathrooms should have a window in the direction from where maximum light can come in. Unfortunately, there are many cases where bathrooms (from apartments) don’t have windows, and therefore they benefit from natural light. In boh cases, buying good lights can have a huge effects on your bathroom’s design and your daily activities. Adequate lighting will instantly enhance the features of the bathroom fixtures and create the illusion of a larger space. An effective idea to maximize the space and light is to install a larger mirror along the length of the wall.
Photo © The Design Studio; Eugénia Au Kim, I.I.D.A
- Storage. Make sure you find suitable storage solutions because even this aspect matters if your bathroom space isn’t spacious enough. Towels, toilet paper rolls, products, personal care products and other things should be properly stored to avoid spilling them on the floor. For instance, a all-mounted cabinet with different compartments is an ideal organization solution, or a full height slim shelving unit which along with their functional purpose, they can add visual interest too. If you have enough space, a corner furniture piece can add casual elegance and warmth to your bathroom; just take an old bedside table if you have, repaint it and there you have a stand-alone storage unit.
- Accessories. Bathroom accessories give exquisite design and ambiance to the room. Get shower curtains, bath rugs and everything you need in off season, when the demand is not so great. You’ll have it at lower cost. Remember that simple and stylish things have greater impact.
Photo © De Meza + Architecture
February 12, 2013
The 3 Pitfalls of DIY Generators
It is estimated that UK homeowners will spend an estimated £50 billion on improving their homes over the course of the next 12 months, as many look to create a more energy efficient living space.

However, this lavish level of expenditure may depend on the economic performance of the UK in 2013, which according to the European Commission (EU) is likely to reach new heights in the year ahead.

Short Cuts and DIY Generators: Why you should avoid them

Despite these positive portents, as a homeowner you may remain apprehensive when it comes to the economy. As a result, there is a chance that you may be tempted to cut corners when implementing home improvements, but this could undermine the integrity of your workmanship.

This is why you should avoid using a DIY generator, for example, and instead invest in a reputable model.

Consider the following:
- Health and Safety Requirements:
Whether you are working outdoors or in an area where power outages are common, the use of a generator can be extremely helpful, It is important that you invest in a reliable, working model, primarily because of the health and safety risks associated with generating electricity.

Unless you are a fully trained, experienced and licensed tradesman, you cannot be sure that your homemade generator is compliant with modern safety regulations and accepted best practices.
- Is your Generator Energy Efficient?
Cost is another consideration when creating a homemade generator, as you will need to invest money into building and operating it. You will need to balance this in line with the cost of hiring a proficient and professionally built model, in order to determine which provides the most financially prudent deal.

If you want to ensure that you are using an affordable and energy efficient model take in care an quiet Generator Reviews, then it is wise to hire a generator from an established industry professional.
- Reliability and Continued Use:
When some people create a homemade generator, they are encouraged by the fact that it may save them money over a sustained period of time. This theory is only valid if the finished model is fully-functional, as otherwise the cost of maintenance and repair may become overwhelming.

Generators are typically used in instances where an existing power source has failed, so they must be reliable and able to provide electricity in moments of need.

Professionally designed generators are more likely to fulfil this need, which means that they are more dependable and cost-effective through continued usage.

We hope that we have deterred you from building your own generator; is a small shortcut now, worth risking your life for?

Author Bio: This article was contributed by Mather and Stuart. As one of the leading generator hire UK resources, it provides consumers with access to most reliable products on the market.
February 11, 2013
3 Must-Have Home Furnishing Trends for 2013

Whether it’s fashion trends, music, culture, or interiors; it’s clear that particular trends really do go out, as quickly as they have come in the previous year.
This rule is particularly accurate when applied to interior trends as the minute you buy an on-trend piece of furniture; you may become aware that this piece of furniture is no longer fashionable or seen as a contemporary piece to keep within a modern home.
But how can this dilemma be solved? How can we ensure that we are buying into trends and items that are going to provide us with great value for money, for long periods of time? Simple; we stay up to date with the latest styles and incorporate them into our existing décor to enhance the room, rather than overhaul it.
Here are some of the top home furnishing trends for 2013 for you to consider:

Pastel Colours

As we are heading into the spring summer season, you may be thinking of ways to update and refresh your home’s colour scheme. Using pastel colours is the perfect way to experiment with colour as these paler shades will match with any furniture you choose, whilst they will also brighten up any room and make smaller rooms appear larger in some cases.
If you go for a pastel shade why not consider investing in some mahogany furniture which will look great as a contrast? In the winter months, you can always paint over the pastel for a more suitable autumnal shade, to save buying new furniture.

Photo © Mark Lohman

Photo © Matthew Millman; Jute Interior Design

Retro Patterns

If your house is in need of a face lift and a little ‘wow’ factor, why not go for a daring printed wallpaper? Retro patterns and prints can look very effective when used with the right furniture, so maybe contrast the busy wallpaper with some subtle oak furniture- or perhaps go for a plain white finish?
When you add a statement print to a room, there’s always the risk that it may look outdated over a long period of time. However, if you’re feeling adventurous and you like to push the boundaries, a retro print will add an interesting touch to any room.

Photo © Garrison Hullinger Interior Design Inc.

Metals & Marble

When buying into furniture trends you may only think about wooden furniture such as oak, but why not consider adding simple statement pieces with materials such as brass or marble?
For instance, a marble, glass, or metal coffee table will not only help to update a room, but will also feature as an interesting centrepiece. Pile your chosen table with large and colourful books, or your favourite magazines, to create a personal and unique touch.
Each year, trends will change dramatically from one season to the next, so make sure you invest in versatile and adaptable pieces of furniture that will work well with any trend.
This article was written by AHF.co.uk; one of the leading furniture specialists that will help you to find good quality and on-trend furniture.

Photo © Gosto design & lifestyle

February 11, 2013
Improve Your Health With A Good Night’s Sleep
While we are all educated on the importance of a good night’s sleep from a young age, few of us attempt to understand how it impacts on our physical and mental well being. Although regular sleep is certainly capable of lifting your mood and removing the circles from around the eyes, it also has a number of additional benefits that are not immediately obvious. In fact, there are studies to suggest that good quality sleep is exceptionally important to your overall health and performance over a sustained period of time.

A Good Night’s Rest: 3 Surprising Benefits of Sleep

With this in mind, how exactly can a good night’s sleep enhance both your general health and emotional stability? Consider these surprising benefits of sleep:
- Curb Inflammation and Joint Pain: While joint pain may be a painful affliction by itself, it is also linked with the onset of heart disease, a stroke, diabetes and arthritis. In addition to this, research in 2010 suggested that people who get less than six hours of sleep a night have considerably higher blood levels of inflammatory proteins than those who rest more. As a result, getting a good night’s sleep may help to hinder the aging process and protect you against serious health issues. This is hard to ignore, especially if you have been known to suffer from similar symptoms in the past.
- Spur the Creative Thought Process: While it may be commonly accepted that a good night’s sleep helps to improve mental performance, researchers at Harvard University have delved further into this theory. They have subsequently found that a healthy sleep pattern allows the brain to consolidate memories and reorganize them in a more effective manner. This is thought to trigger the creative thought process, and help artists or writers to complete their work to a higher standard.
- The Link Between Sleep and Weight Loss: Historically, the link between a good pattern of sleep and weight loss has been considered to be tenuous at best. Research undertaken at the University of Chicago may have changed this perception, however, after revealing that dieters who were well rested lost more fat than those who were not. While dieters who slept more ensured that 56% of their weight loss was fat, those were deprived of sleep tended to lose more muscle mass. This could take its toll over time, so anyone looking to lose weight would do well to plan for an earlier bed time.
Author Bio: This article was contributed by Lewis on behalf of Odd Mattress. To access competitive deals on some of the most affordably priced mattresses in the UK, visit the firm’s website today.
February 11, 2013
Decorating Ideas for Living Rooms
Decorating ideas for living rooms are virtually endless nowadays in terms of materials, finishes, styles, colors, shapes or sizes starting from furniture items, lighting fixtures, fabrics, carpets, to painting, wallpapers, antiques, accessories, etc., so you just need to find a professional interior design to put into practice your visions. Yesterday we spoke about the importance of lighting in living rooms and we suggested you to use table lamps as accent lights because these design elements are not only a source of light, but also fashion accessories and besides the fact that they will help you to achieve an inviting and cozy atmosphere, creating visual interest for specific areas, combined with other types of lights will create a charming effect as well.

Photo © Camilla Molders

Today, we want to continue to share with you ideas for designing user-friendly living rooms, spaces that in this modern days shouldn’t be so formal and stiff, but creative and comfortable. To add interest, personality and utility to a living room, you should think outside the box and find design solutions that you hadn’t even thought before, if you don’t have the possibility to work with an interior designer. The internet is full of amazing home decorating ideas, tips and products for all bugets, which will make your room decoration project much easier.

If you choose a focus, arrange the right furniture in the right configuration and combine colors and fabrics, be sure you can pack a lot of style into both a small living room or a large one. Whether you lean towards modern and minimalist, classic or you like to go boho eclectic, remember a living room is mostly for conversation, enjoy family gatherings and do generally pleasant and relaxing things such as watching TV or gazing at the fire. Therefore, it should be comfortable and transmits an inviting feeling. As a basic principle, which is in fact available for any other room whatever its size is, try to make a design plan that includes only items that are necessary, are used regularly and without them your room may not look the way you want. Get rid of those things that don’t serve a particular purpose and overload the room, keeping in this way a clean and stylish design layout. Here are some decorating ideas you can apply for a living room:
- Painting. Whether you hire a professional decorator to help you select the painting for your wall or you do it on your own, consider this stage very important as it could ruin all your other efforts. Colors have the ability to induce certain feelings, moods and if you combine them properly, you’ll witness fabulous results. Living Room Paint Ideas and The Psychology of Color for Interior Design are two posts we’ve written to inspire you and to show what you can obtain by taking into consideration this aspect regarding colors. These tips are available for wallcoverings as well, so whatever your choice is, be careful of what are their psychological effects.
Photo © Busybee Design
- Furniture. Pieces of furniture should be more versatile and placed in such a way as to serve more purpose than one. For instance, some models can be a sofa during the day and a bed in the night. One idea you can’t go wrong is to opt for items that are of neutral shades or white. The classic style is a great choice since it won’t look at all outdated over years.
- Lighting. According to your style and preferences and needs, there are lots of lighting fixtures to choose from when it comes to decorating a living room. It depends also on what type of lighting you want to achieve: general lighting, also known as ambient lighting to navigate around the room safely (chandeliers, ceiling or wall fixtures and even track lights), accent lighting to create focus on statues, plants, paintings or anything else in the living room (table and floor lamps, spot lights) or/and under-cabinet lighting to showcase objects that we have displayed in cabinets (spot lights). Another aspect regarding lighting is to know what ambiance you want to create: white cold light or warm light (incandescent bulbs, halogen lamps, fluorescent bulbs and LED lights available in many colors). The key to success it to learn how to balance the different lighting accents.
Photo © Walter Studio Interior Design
- Accessories. Decorative statues, pillows, vases, paintings all have their place in a living room design, if chosen with style and good taste. For example, if you think statues are a great choice for decorating gardens, find out that they can add personality to a living room too. But before buy one, check out what it represents, the symbolism it has. Pillows make your armchairs and sofa look more fashionable and comfortable, and may bring a certain theme to the space, while paintings offer many advantages if you decorate your living room with them. Have a look at some fresh ideas with abstract art here.
Photo © Abbe Fenimore Studio Ten 25

Photo © Andrew Snow Photography
- Flowers and plants. Bring nature inside your living room by including plant life. Whether they are potted plants or fresh-cut flowers in full bloom, they bring that “outdoor” feel to the space, adding in the same time therapeutic effects thanks to that amazing combination of green tones and bright hues. Very popular nowadays is the new revolutionary concept of vertical gardens and colored lichen wall arts. They help you create an original décor and natural-inspired edges.
- Fireplace. It can be the focus of any living room and is also very popular these days in interior design. The thing is you don’t have to arrange furniture to be facing it, on the contrary: you can place it in an intimate arc, square or rectangle around it.
Photo © Jane Lockhart Interior Design
- Awkard areas. If you have a large living room and you’re not sure what to do with the leftover space, try to be inventive and imagine creative strategies orf those empty walls or corners. A reading chair with a contrasting color scheme or a set of dining chairs and small table placed next to the bay window would create a cozy area and extra seating for entertainment.
Photo © Rachel Reider Interiors

Photo © Karen Maximo-Fernando
February 10, 2013
Table Lamps for Living Room

Choosing the right table lamps for living room is just one little part of the battle when remodeling, but one extremely important which you should pay greater attention. Why? Because you’ll see that even if you’ve picked the perfect upholstered furniture pieces, the appropiate tables and the gorgeous decorative elements but you’ve missed to select the suitable lighting fixtures that really bring to life the living room and highlight its unique design concept, your efforts may be in vain.

Photo © The Couture Rooms

Most of us tend to spend lot of money on the other design elements, only to find that our living room still doesn’t look warm and cozy and the problem may have been the lighting all the time.You’ll be amazed to see how your living room go from dull and dark to dynamic and dramatic, creating beautiful contrasts just by thinking twice before purchasing the lighting fixtures. Whatever your living room style is (modern, minimalist, traditional, eclectic, etc), lighting is very important adding personality and creating the right ambience and mood for social interactions. It can be dramatic, inviting or even fanciful, making a small larger or on the contrary, or bringing focus to a certain part of the living room.

While there are various lighting strategies to opt for (recessed lighting, pin lights, chandeliers, floor lamps, etc.), few can match the beauty and versatility of table lamps when it comes to lighting specific areas. Table lamps are both functional and decorative elements that we find in almost any bedroom, but they are very used in living rooms too, being the perfect way to add them taste and style. Table lamps act like accent lights, lighting up only their surrounding area. Thus, placed strategically, they create visual interest and lit selectively different zones in the room, which doesn’t happen when you have only a ceiling light. You’ll see that suddenly the armchair, for example, where you like to sit and read becomes a special design element well worth looking at, or your nice plant casts interesting shadows on the walls.

Photo © Archipelago Hawaii

Maybe they aren’t the first, the second or even the third thing that comes to mind when decorating your living room as long as you’ve already thought to a chandelier or a ceiling light, but remember that they’re more than simply a way to keep your end tables from looking empty. Their original shapes and patterns elevate them to a powerful aesthetic statement. Table lamps cast soft and diffused light creating added intimacy or on the contrary, drama, if you choose a bulb with higher light intensity. It may be a challenging task to find the suitable ones for your living room through the huge selection in all sizes, styles and shapes but also the competitive prices on the market these days, but worth the search. They offer a glimpse into your personality, add aesthetic appeal to the space, create a relaxed atmosphere and respond in the same time to your different daily needs.

Photo ©Rachel Reider Interiors

Photo © Philpotts Interiors

Photo © Kristen Rivoli Interior Design

February 9, 2013
Home Decor Magazines to Read on Your Tablet

Are you redefining your home entirely or only a room and you need great ideas and inspiration right away? Here are some home decor magazines full of information and latest trends available to download on your tablet. Offering bold, innovative and fresh content, their digital versions are created to make your life easier, better, richer and more dazzling. Enjoy instant delivery of the same great content of your favourite magazines, but with enhanced archive and search features. Whether you’re looking for the perfect wallpaper, a finishing touch for your bedroom or the latest built in oven, you’ll certainly find it in these exquisite digital home decor magazines.

ELLE DÉCOR

One of the most popular online resource for decorating, renovating and entertaining stylishly is ELLE DÉCOR and of course it’s available in digital format, both for iPad and Android device. With an international vision and the purpose to inspire the new generation of design professionals and consumers, and to make their world more beautiful, ELLE DÉCOR magazine covers ideas, fresh viewpoints, fashionable products that bring couture chic to every room of your home, and latest tools to help you with your home projects. Hip, glamorous, and packed with personality, each issue of digital ELLE DÉCOR magazine delivers amazing information that you’re waiting for. You can find it on App Store, Kindle Newsstand, NOOK Newsstand, Google Play Magazines, Zinio and Next Issue.

ELLE DÉCOR Lookbook

Available as a free app for your iPad, ELLE DÉCOR Lookbook offers hundreds of inspirational images from their archives organized by room and style and allows you to save your favourite ones and share them with your friends and clients. Hotspotted and interactive, the beautiful images gives you tones of ideas for your home. Moreover, you can get access to a wide selection of the best advice from elledecor.com and also you can see the editor-curated LookBooks.

Dwell

Dwell magazine features fresh and smart coverage of modern design and residential architecture in an interactive format for your tablet. Getting Dwell on your iPad, you’ll be able to see the best in modern home design through slide-shows and videos, photos and editorials of various product collections and you’ll keep up with the latest trends thanks to its dynamically updated stories. Besides, you can share the ideas you loved with your friends and clients. Very clear, easy to use and full of interesting content. Digital subscription costs vary by number of issues you want.

GoodHomes

A must-read for interiors enthusiasts, GoodHomes magazine shares tones of fantastic and inspiring decor ideas to help you create the perfect home. It features helpful advice, original and gorgeous decorating schemes to give your living space a lift, new products, the latest buys and beautiful real homes. Each month GoodHomes magazine shows you exciting shopping pages full of essential buys and expert buyer’s guides with reliable tips and advice. GoodHomes magazine app is designed for both iPad and iPhone and it’s free to download. Within the app, you can purchase the latest issue.

Heart Home

Heart Home is a British lifestyle magazine founded by Arianna Trapani, Carole King and Daniel Nelson that we discovered recently and we love to share with you in this post, although it’s not an app. It’s a quarterly publication available to read it online for free, in a format that is specifically designed to fit the iPad or Android device screen. Heart Home celebrate all that is unique and good about interior decor and lifestyle, inspire both designers and readers to create their own great British homes.

Zinio

Do you want to have access to top magazines around the world with just a click? Then, Zinio is the best way ever to explore the magazines that connect to you. Download this magazine reader and you can read your favourite home decor magazine titles and sync your library instantly to your Android tablet or iPad. In this way, you can keep up with trending topics, exclusive multimedia content in full-color pages or text-only mode, and enjoy also interactive features. Our particular favs in this roundup category include, besides the others above mentioned, HGTV Magazine, Living Etc, Vogue Living and Harper’s Bazaar Interiors. App is free, but subscription costs vary by publication. You can pick your first three magazines free.

Lekiosk

Founded in 2007, Lekiosk is the first 3D newsstand in the world exposing hundreds of French magazine titles, more than 90 of the UK’s biggest titles and other best international magazines and newspapers in digital format. This innovative service is relied on a high technology platform which focuses on a simple and intuitive user experience, so you can enjoy any magazine you want on any device including iPad and Android tablets. Lekiosk app is also free, but subscription costs vary by publication.

February 8, 2013