Australia-Perth
From Melbourne to Perth. If I say Melbourne is a more fashionable city, then Perth is more relaxed city. This time we moved into a regular hotel from a modern hotel to stay in convenient location. When I walk around in the city I took some pictures of many buildings.
In many examples, I like that they keep the historical building style then turn it to an piece artistic part of new architecture. Old and New totally in harmony together. Still in Perth each building has an individual style, but with urban planning everything works well together.
I am living in Sugarland TX. Here is a very different style. Every store’s exterior is the same, even the store’s name is in the same color as well. They do not allow build individual building styles. As a city, the skyline always feels as if it is missing some passion.
In Perth the have a free transportation zone also in the CBD but using buses instead trams. I do love this public transportation. It is more convenient more eco-friendly.
Australia-Melbourne
Trip to Melbourne is pleasant, deeply impressed by their fashion design. Every shop exterior has individual style. Obviously this is does not make city a mess, rather it injects more energy into the street, and makes people easily recognize buildings where they want to go.
Above: Many shop’s entrance still use old tiles, it is classic and timeless.
Another deep impression from Melbourne is tram in the city. The CBD area is a free tram zone. Most places I want to go are all in the free zone. This is super convenient for someone who lives there. Also you can walk to somewhere in the sunshine, stop at a coffee shop to get a cup of coffee, and sit somewhere to close nature and beauty.
China-Anhui province
Architecture design- Shi Jing Guo Yuan
This fruit farmer’s inn keeps all the traditional building style with grey roof and white walls.
Above: Picture taken in the Shi Jing Guo Yuan entrance.
This fruit farmer’s inn main idea used clay pots for retaining wall and plant planters. It is a unique style.
Above: Picture taken in the Shi Jing Guo Yuan.
Early morning walking around, every corner can be seen to be decorated by clay pots. Every thing is natural.
Above: Picture taken in the Shi Jing Guo Yuan.
This fruit farmer inn is filled with surprise. Lotus flowers blooming everywhere, and every path you pass through you will find fruit. We were excited like children.
Above: Picture taken in the Shi Jing Guo Yuan fruits garden
Interior design- King Bed
With our families we selected different style rooms. Inside all furniture is collected by the owner. Most attractive to me is the bathroom. All of the sinks are adapted clay pots with stone. 
Interior design- Standard Bed
Fishman’s basket turned to toilet paper holder. Every room has a traditional broom outside, both decorative and functional.
Interior design- suite
Second floor of building has a suite with bedrooms and an open living area. All of the construction is traditional mortise and tenon with joining pegs for securing the timbers.
Interior design- Single house
Another form of building in this fruit farmer park.
Discovery Ancient Villages
In modern life it is easier to travel in the world. A trip to Anhui Province of China-my hometown. I am from this province but I am from the city, so I don’t have many images from this kind village. This is first time I go to discover these traditional styles with my families. Usually people living in this kind village are all from one family name clan.
Picture taken in the Tao Hua Tan of Anhui province China.
Architecture design
Ancient village of Anhui province is one type of famous architecture style in China. The iconic building has a grey roof with white walls, because the location is south of theYangzeriver, it is humid and hot during spring to summer. The structure is suitable for this style of weather, and by some description the villages look like a Chinese traditional painting.
Above: Picture taken in the Zha Ji Gu Zhen.
Village Life
In the village there is a live creek through all of the village. Local people’s daily life leans on this creek. Over a long time villages like this are getting depopulated, because there is little job opportunity. The locals almost are farmers and the young generation cannot depend on small farms so they have to find new life in the city leaving only old people and young child generation in the village. Now with B & B ‘s popularity and living in city having more and more stress, some locals move back to village start their own B & B business. Some of the city people found they are tired with city life so the renting old building and renovate to be a modern house for rent. starting their new slow life in the village.
Above: Picture taken in the Zha Ji Gu Zhen of Anhui province China.
In my memory there are lots of lotus ponds around buildings, even in the city in old times. Now we are surrounded by concrete buildings. When we talk about childhood happy times like it is yesterday once more.
Above: Picture taken in the Zha Ji Gu Zhen of Anhui province China.
Today the life of the ancient villages is getting more and more energy.
Above: Picture taken in the Zha Ji Gu Zhen of Anhui province China.
Geometric pavement design
The rocks, river stone, and bricks combined as a path in the ancient villages.
Culture & Lifestyle
Local craftsmen still insist on inherited traditional techniques to maintain their lives. 
India
A trip to India made me have different feeling in reality. In modern life it is easier to know about world.
Above: Picture taken in the garden of Laxmi Vilas Palace.
Architecture design
The Laxmi Vilas Palace. From these architectural forms, it is not difficult to see the glory of Gujarat and local craftsmanship of the builders. On the other hand we can imagine how the Royal family’s life was luxourious. With no hesitation I fell in love with all the buildings.
Local residents told us the building learn from Greek styles, many interior decorations were shipped from Belgium. However, becauseof the high skill of craftsmen, we can appreciate such a gorgeous building today.
For some reason I fell in love with all the windows and doors.
The Maharaja Sayajirao University (MSU). Friend drove me with her motorbike. Established 1881. It bears the name of the former ruler of Baroda State that supported the university.
A temple in Baroda from daylight and nightlight.
you can take pictures from outside of building but pictures are prohibited from inside.
Geometric pattern design
In India flooring is usually tile which makes it is cool under the feet and suitable for hot weather, usually people don’t wear shoes when they go to inside especially when entering the temple. From outside it is difficult to image how modern inside.
The tiles there exhibit an affinity with classic and modern. All flooring is made from marble.
Above: I would use this tile pattern in interior flooring.
Cultures
India cuisine uses a lot of stainless steel kitchen ware, and each small bowl contains a different curry with a different taste.
Singapore
We lived here for few years. Recently, looking through old pictures rekindled my interest in South East Asia design. I have always been interested about the Singapore or Indonesia lifestyle. Singapore seem to have squeezed the best out of the Malay-Chinese-western culture and combined them into a unique style-with their own features, customs, furniture and splendid design taste.
Above:Picture taken in the food court of Singapore Flyer.
Colours
With no hesitation I fell in love with the bright and happy colours. Singapore tradition houses look exceptional in contrasting colours. I can’t imagine ever painting my own home in these colours, but they seem to work very well with the ornate structures of the local houses. P.S. they use tile decorate on the façade and outside corridor too. Fantastic! Even outside is storm you wouldn’t be bored walking in the corridor with amazing design floors.
Colourful with intricate mouldings and tradition decorative façade. Notice that Chinese and Western elements have been integrated such as shutters and columns.
Each building has individual choice of colourswith its own identity of fixtures and trim.
So much of local decorating is based on multicuturalconnection and when we saw something we like, then we generally bring it home.
It is a special design with an inclusiveness that is hard to describe, but that everyone can feel as soon as they arrived.
Geometric pattern design
In Singapore, the flooring is usually tile which makes it is cool under the feet and suitable for hot tropical weather, usually people don’t wear shoes when they are home, so easy to clean. Smart!The tiles there exhibit an affinity with colour and motifs.
Above: I would love to have a tiled backsplash for the kitchen or bathroom.
Ikea furniture – featured mosaic table
Above:This is why my first project is a repurposed IKEA patio set modified to a tiled mosaic table, all the tiles came from the local shop.
Cultures
When you are there, one thing you can’t miss is local coffee shop called “kopi tiam”, which translates as ‘coffee shop’. This is a daily drink for local people. At first, when I tried ‘kopi’ it feels too sweet, but later I drank it all the time and with local dessert. If you pay attention to detail drinking kopi, local people use this special coffee cup – perfect match! A small cup set on suitable plate with traditional flowers, this would be very nice to cheer someone who likes tradition culture.
