Beautiful Private

Beautiful Private
Here at Flavorpill, we can’t really get enough of gazing lovingly at photographs of books. We know it’s what’s inside that counts, but one simple fact just can’t be avoided: books are beautiful, and they sure do warm up a room — or, in some cases, an entire building. Plus, at the risk of being totally sentimental, we think that the best books are often the most beautiful: even if their spines are shabby, the exude a kind of well-loved glow, beautiful from the inside out. We’ve taken a look at gorgeous bookstores and amazing college libraries , so we thought it was time to bring you a little inspiration for the home library — though we admit, not too many of these designs would fit in our own NYC apartments. Click through to check out our collection of beautiful private and personal libraries from all over the world, and let us know if you think your own collection should be on this list in the comments!
American entrepreneur Jay Walker’s private library — so important (and massive) that his house was designed and built around it. [ via ]
An idyllic private library in a home designed by Gianni Botsford, Cahuita, Costa Rica [ via ]
Miquel Mateu’s library at the castle of Peralada, Spain. [ via ]
Karl Lagerfeld’s home library [ via ]
Home library designed by Atelier Bow-Wow, Tokyo, Japan [ via ]
George Lucas’s library at Skywalker Ranch, a company retreat in Marin County, California. [ via ]
The sun-soaked library in a home remodeled from an old factory in Belgium. [ via ]
A private library designed by Thierry W. Despont, Toronto, Canada. [ via ]
Private library designed by architecture firm Ilai, photography by Lukas Wassmann. [ via ]
The Scholar’s Library, designed by Peter Gluck and Partners, Olivebridge, United States [ via ]
The innovative staircase library, designed by Levitate Architects, London. [ via ]
Donald Judd’s minimalist library, Marfa, Texas. [ via ]
The Brain, a filmmaker’s library and studio, Seattle [ via ]
The updated library in a 17th-century London townhouse, designed by Timothy Hatton. [ via ]
Part of Alberto Manguel’s private library, “a fantastic animal made up of the several libraries built and then abandoned, over and over again, throughout my life.” South of the Loire Valley, France. [ via ]
A private library designed by Lea Ciavarra and Anne Marie Lubrano, of Lubrano Ciavarra Architects, on Harbour Island in the Bahamas. [ via ]
A gorgeous view in a California home designed by Sally Sirkin Lewis. [ via ]
The modern library in Villa Dali, near The Hague in The Netherlands. [ via ]
A double level home library in a loft in Paris, France. [ via ]

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Article by SA Rogers , filed under
Houses & Residential in the Architecture category
Windowless houses might sound dark and depressing, but the careful control of apertures in a building’s facade can actually be a brilliant technique for enhancing privacy, making views more pleasant and creating the feel of a secluded sanctuary. Fortress-like from the outside, they’re surprisingly bright and airy inside, often thanks to courtyards, terraces and rear glazing hidden from view of the street and neighbors.
The client who commissioned this home from FORM is a photographer who wanted a studio and gallery for his work attached to his living quarters, all on a compact L-shaped lot. From the outside, it looks like an impenetrable box, but take the narrow alleyway into the gallery space and you’ll find a private courtyard that feels like an inner sanctum, echoing the atmosphere of the temple across the street. The building’s only windows look out onto the courtyard instead of the street, resulting in a mood of turning inward.
The shape of this residence in Austria by Cukrowicz Nachbaur might be that of an archetypal home, but its street-facing facade covered in timber slats certainly isn’t. Located close to another rural residence, this home gets privacy by arranging a two-story volume next to a one-story volume with a courtyard between them. All the home’s windows and sliding glass doors are arranged to look out onto this courtyard, aside from a few skylights, and first-floor porches are set beneath the overhanging second story to create secluded outdoor areas.
Modeled on the Emperor Nero’s house in Ancient Rome as well as the vivid works of Mexican architect and engineer Luis Barragán, ‘Domus Aurea’ by Alberto Campo Baeza features a gilded interior wall designed to reflect carefully targeted golden light throughout the space. Though the home’s openings amount to no more than some skylights and a narrow line of glazing on the first floor, the light bounces from one surface to the next. The architect placed the most public common areas on the first floor, the private rooms on the second and a swimming pool on the roof.
Situated on a tiny lot practically sitting right on top of its neighbors, this home by Hiroki + Tomoko Sekiguchi gains some measure of privacy by opening up to the sky instead. The sloped walls create a little more space between the home and the houses next door, and the living spaces sit atop a parking garage for the owners’ vehicle.
The Lollipop House by Moon Hoon is a South Korea residence with seven day-lit levels in a compact footprint, built of wood and metal with a candy-like shell.
In a surreal reversal of modern architectural convention, this Vertical Glass House trades a tradition of solid horizontals and clear verticals for an opaque shell and see-through walking surfaces. The design by Atelier FCJZ draws on Modernism's celebration of materials like concrete, glass and steel, but subverts them at the…
The latest contender for 'most scary yet exciting passenger cabin ever designed' has trumped its predecessor - the first version boasted horizontal strips of screen on both sides of the plane's interior while this latest one features effectively see-through ceilings as well as walls. The S-512 being developed by Spike Aerospace…

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The best private island resorts , strewn across the world's most coveted tropical spaces, are often the very definition of paradise. By keeping room inventory low and prices justifiably high, these islands reserve their experiences for the select few. From French Polynesia to Panama , here are 14 exclusive island escapes where personal space, endless privacy, natural beauty, and luxury abound. Read on for the best private island resorts in the world.
All listings featured in this story are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
This article has been updated with new information since its original publish date.
Actor Marlon Brando’s legacy flourishes at his former private getaway in French Polynesia , now a hyper-exclusive, eco-minded retreat where travelers go to escape it all. Relax in one of 35 stylish, palm-thatched villas, each a grand fusion of indoor and outdoor space, the beach just footsteps away. Enjoy island bike rides, treatments in the stickwork cocoons of the Varua te Ora Polynesian Spa, French-tinged and Polynesian-influenced dining by executive chef Pierre Lecorne, and nature tours led by in-house researchers. Make sure to save time to explore the other islands of the Tetiaroa Atoll, which also belong to the Brando family, throughout which untouched beaches, preserved reefs, and thriving seabird colonies are as gorgeous as when Brando first encountered the location in 1960.
At this secluded 14-island archipelago in Panama’s Gulf of Chiriquí, guests can choose from four casitas or three tented suites and have exclusive access to an entire island chain blanketed in tropical flora and fringed by white- and gold-sand beaches. Thirteen islands remain in a glorious natural state, free of human interference, meaning that a single island houses all the ultra-luxe creature comforts one could dream of in a private archipelago. There's a stunning open-air beachfront restaurant, swoon-worthy jungle spa, open-air movie theater, stargazing lounge, hummingbird garden, and watersports center with the latest and greatest water toys, from hydrofoils to flyboards. With no more than 24 guests allowed on the island at once, the archipelago is your oyster for pursuits in beach-hopping, sports fishing, hiking, birdwatching , archaeological explorations, and extreme motorized water sports.
Though the Maldives are best known for their overwater bungalows , there are also plenty of land-based stunners in the destination as well. Case in point: Naladhu Private Island Maldives , which regularly scores top marks in our Reader’s Choice Awards and reopened in November 2021 with a brand new look, courtesy of New York–based designer Yuji Yamazaki. The exclusive island has a total of 20 Houses, each with a minimum of 3,229 square feet of living space and a private swimming pool, many with direct beach access, and some with their own private beach cabana. The redesign brings a sleek new look throughout the Houses, with a mix of modern, colonial, and Southeast Asian influences, as well as a reimagining of the common areas including the main restaurant, bar, spa, and wine cellar. In keeping with its pre-renovation (and pre-COVID) mantra, all experiences at Naladhu are bespoke, including a “no-menu dine anywhere” concept in which guests can choose their cuisine, mealtime, and location on a whim. (We recommend a Champagne breakfast on a floating tray in the pool, and a feet-in-the-sand dinner on a quiet stretch of beach.)
With stunning blue lagoons, lush coconut groves, dramatic volcanic mountains, and endless beaches, the natural splendor of 3,500-acre COMO Laucala Island is some of the most remarkable in the South Pacific. Strewn across this extraordinary landscape are 25 over-the-top, design-driven Fijian bures (pronounced boo-rays), each with private swimming pools and amenities fitting for one of the world’s priciest resorts. This includes a house submarine plus a got-to-see-it-to-believe-it, multi-acre lagoon-style pool that begins with a raised, 80-foot-long glass lap pool and ends with a gradual slope into sands of the surrounding beach. A personal house buggy facilitates access to the rest of the island, the spa, multiple bars and restaurants serving local and international cuisine, a par-72 championship golf course, and a Cultural Village where guests can learn about the traditional ceremonies, rituals, and dances of the neighboring island of Qamea.
Thanks to private island resorts like this one , the Indian Ocean has become as much a part of the African safari circuit as the wildlife-rich plains. On Desroches Island, one of Africa’s most remote, Four Seasons guests can explore all nine miles of coastline via dozens of organized activities, including deep-sea fishing, tortoise feeding, and even yoga on the runway. Of course, you can also appreciate Desroches at your own pace, unapologetically lounging and day-drinking around your pool—every free-standing villa has one—ambling along the island’s beaches, zigzagging on bike trails, or unwinding at the Circle of Connection Spa. At the island’s southwestern edge, discover a tiered lighthouse, which doubles as a lookout point and restaurant and delivers one of the most memorable private island sunset experiences on the planet. For a lengthier Seychelles visit, consider combining a stay here with the equally impressive Four Seasons Resort Seychelles, Mahe, Seychelles , which straddles the dramatic granite boulders and powder-soft white sand of Petite Anse Bay.
Since debuting a fresh take on tropical chic in 2020, this adults-only private island has redefined the castaway fantasy right on American soil. There are a total of 30 thatched-roof bungalow suites (some freestanding, some within larger bungalows) across the four-acre island, many with four-poster beds and outdoor copper bathtubs. Thanks to a smart layout and smarter landscaping, you’ll encounter other people less often than you’d expect (a strict cap at 60 guests helps). All suites have water views, outdoor showers, and furnished decks; most also overlook private slivers of white-sand beach and are kitted out with hammocks, loungers, and fire pits. The Dining Room has sweeping sea views, and the spectacular SpaTerre complex is underscored by a breezy, two-story atrium. Paddleboard or kayak through mangrove mazes as eagle rays swim by, laze the day away on a beachfront hammock, or simply enjoy the day resting on a poolside lounger.
Little has changed in nearly 55 years at this under-the-radar Caribbean retreat , and that’s a good thing. Petit St. Vincent (affectionately known as PSV) has done some nips and tucks to its 22 open-plan, bluff cottages and beachfront villas over the years, including an update in 2021. But this has simply kept the Caribbean design aesthetic timeless—instead of tired—without compromising its classic appeal. The island is still void of distracting technology (read: no TVs or in-room internet), free of cars (pastel blue, 1960s British mini-mokes serve as the island’s official beach buggies) and uses its original flagpole communication system (hot tip: raise a yellow flag for immediate service). Discover the resort’s commitment to conservation by assisting in its coral regeneration program or explore the vast marine life around St. Vincent and the Grenadines through the sole Jean-Michel Cousteau dive center in the Caribbean. Alternatively, glide past the surrounding Tobago Cays on the house sailing sloop, Beauty , or sip rum-spiked cocktails at PSV’s feet-in-the-sand Beach Restaurant.
Among the Turks & Caicos wealth of gorgeous resorts, this 1000-acre private island leads the pack as a tropical hideaway, at once fitting for families and today’s style set. Accommodations, which range from ocean-facing rooms to beach houses and multi-bedroom beachfront estate, are statements in minimalism, often dressed in white voile draping and teak wood furnishings. An adults-only infinity pool is fringed by umbrella-capped lounge beds and borders the St. Tropez-style COMO Beach Club. Nearby is a sprawling family infinity pool as well as Play by COMO, a kids club where parents can drop the little ones for the day. As with all COMO properties, expect an Asian-influenced wellness concept with a spa specializing in time-honored Balinese and Thai treatments, and the option of a vitamin-rich, clean-eating menu at all restaurants.
This 400-acre private island retreat off western Panama is an exercise in tropical, barefoot chic, with eight design-forward beachfront casitas and one six-bedroom villa, all fringed by empty beaches and jungle foliage. Each casita sits on a private swath of sand with furnishings etched from washed-up driftwood, a highly Instagrammable front porch swing, an oversized net hammock, and a fully outdoor bathroom, including a tub in the sand. At the island’s sole restaurant and bar, half- and full-day guided activities are announced on the chalkboard every evening, from snorkeling trips to wildlife hikes to visits to nearby coffee farms. There are also daily yoga and cocktail-making classes, or the option to explore this paradise on your own (marked trails and a continuous shoreline help). Another standout of this property is its price point. While most private islands require deep pockets, rates at Isla Palenque begin at $780 per couple per night in low season, inclusive of meals and activities.
Located in the untouched Kadavu Islands, a 45-minute seaplane flight from Nadi International Airport, this private island balances romance and multi-generational travel in Fiji. Straddling the renowned Great Astrolabe Reef, the waters near Kokomo teem with colorful fish, manta rays, sea turtles, and thriving coral gardens, making underwater exploration a must for any visit (don’t miss the marine biologist-led manta snorkel excursion). Twenty-one beachfront villas, refreshed in 2021, range in size from a co
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