As the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) 2012 continues to showcase the work of hundreds of talented designers until the exhibition closes tomorrow May 22, the idea of high-efficient, modular styled homes has appeared in the most unlikeliest of areas in New York City.

(Photography Credit: Country Living)

Recently, three small cottages, in promotion of Country Living magazine, were installed at the base of the World Financial Center in Lower Manhattan, demonstrating an idealized version of country living. However, the idea of ‘less is more' has never been more alive in this setting as each cottage is about 220 square feet and there is an outdoor kitchen created as a means to fully realize the rural-themed mirage. Celebrating the idea of rustic living, these cottages will be on view until this Wednesday May 23.

(Photography Credit: Country Living)

Tour an outdoor kitchen/dining space designed by architectural firm Ruard Veltman and star-chef Marcus Samuelsson. Be sure to also check out the guest bedroom designed by Thomas Paul with Kreis Beall, owner of Blackberry Farm; and an entrepreneur's studio designed by Barbara Kurgan with Stephen Loidolt & Shauna Alterio, founders of Something's Hiding In Here.

(Photography Credit: Country Living)

Check out some 'before' images below of the cottages below. Let us know what you think in the comments section!

(Photography Credit: Country Living)

(Photography Credit: Country Living)

(Photography Credit: Country Living)

Another minimalist creation is a 420 square foot apartment, designed by Treehugger.com founder Graham Hill. As part of a new company called LifeEdited, this apartment is the first of many sustainably-green, small spaces that Graham Hill plans to create.

(Photography Credit: Trevor Tondro/New York Times)

Located in a century-old tenement building in downtown Manhattan, the environmentally sensitive apartment features movable walls, expandable furniture, allowing the inhabitant to convert this tiny space into a highly-luxurious, multi-functional home of the future.

(Photography Credit: Trevor Tondro/New York Times)

(Photography Credit: Trevor Tondro/New York Times)

Similar to the homes featured in Cristina Paredes Benitez and Alex Sanchez Vidiella's ‘Small Eco Houses' (Universe, $35) the Graham Hill apartment, embraces the same perspective that health and happiness is better experienced while living with less stuff, space and energy.

‘Small Eco Houses' showcases other inspiring examples of gorgeous small-scale living spaces packed with sustainable features, from recycled and local materials to natural lighting and landscaping.

Do you think going small is way of the future? Tweet us at @VedereOnline! 

The Gay Men's Health Crisis' (GMHC) AIDS Walk New York is the largest AIDS fundraising event in the world. Now in its 26^th year, the event has raised more than $122 million for HIV programs and services in the New York City area.

(Photography Credit: GMHC)

On May 20, Vedere will be participating the AIDS Walk New York along with members of Robin Baron Design and Susan Anthony of Anthony-Wright Interiors, both vendors on Vedere!

Vedere's participation in the event is thanks in large part to our Founder/Creative Director Christian Turnier as well as Operations Manager Yoyo Zhai and Lead Designer Ha Jin Cho who assembled our team. “Vedere is participating in the AIDS Walk to be part of the effort to help find a cure,” says Turnier. “And, we are happy to connect ourselves with greater creative community in New York City through this event to help in bringing about positive change,” adds Zhai.  

(Photography Credit: GMHC)

“We hope to bring more people to this movement each year as we are all affected by this and should work together to make a difference, concludes Turnier.

(Photography Credit: Vedere)

“When I was contacted by Christian [Turnier] to donate t-shirts to Vedere for the AIDS Walk, I was very excited,” says sponsor Jeff Jacobs, Vice President and Partner of Jack Nadel International. “It was my pleasure!”  

(Photography Credit: Jack Nadel International)

 More than 45,000 participants are expected to attend and celebrity guests include fashion designer Jason Wu, Tony Award-winning actress Audra McDonald, “Mad Men” co-star Vincent Kartheiser and talk show personality Wendy Williams.

(Photography Credit: MTV.com)

“I'm wishing Vedere a wonderful day on Sunday at the AIDS Walk!  Their commitment to supporting the causes they care about is an inspiration,” says Annika Connor of Active Ideas Productions, a vendor on Vedere.  

(Photography Credit: GMHC)

Are you planning to attend? Walk with us! Follow us at @VedereOnline to find out where we will be! See you there! 

Organized by the Hammer Museum in collaboration with LAXART and the Department of Cultural Affairs' Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery at Barnsdall Park, Made in L.A. 2012 is the city of Los Angeles' first biennial, featuring works by 60 L.A-based artists. Scroll through this article to find images from this year's crop of participatants! 

(Photography Credit: Los Angeles, I'm Yours)

(Photography Credit: Joel Otterson)

With an emphasis on emerging and undiscovered talent, the exhibition introduces new installations, videos, films, sculptures, performances, and paintings to the public that were produced exclusively for the biennial. Artists including Brenna Youngblood, Slanguage, Dashiell Manley will be featured as a means of highlighting the current trends and practices coming out of Los Angeles—an active and energetic art community.

(Photography Credit: Camilo Ontiveros)

(Photography Credit: Los Angeles, I'm Yours)

(Photography Credit: Los Angeles, I'm Yours)

Made in L.A. will take place from June 2 to September 2, 2012. The exhibition is also in conjunction with the inauguration of the Mohn Prize, a $100,000 cash award given to one of the 60 artists participating in the showcase. Funded through the generosity of Los Angeles philanthropists and art collectors Jarl and Pamela Mohn, the cash prize follows in the tradition of other awards like the Whitney Museum of American Art's Bucksbaum Award. A professional jury and the public will select the artist who will receive the $100,000 prize. In addition to the cash prize, there will also be the publication of a book on the finalist's work.

(Photography Credit: Alex Olson)

Moveover, Made in L.A.'s curator Ali Subotnick is also organizing the Venice Beach Biennial (VBB) from July 13–15, 2012. With tongue-in-cheek reference to the “real” Venice Biennale in Italy, it will be a weekend event in which 25-30 artists will set up vending stands alongside the veteran boardwalk artists, exhibiting new bodies of work, collaborating with the veterans on new projects, displaying site-specific sculptures or installations, and presenting live performances.

(Photography Credit: Los Angeles, I'm Yours)

What art exhibitions are you most looking forward to seeing this Summer? Tweet us @VedereOnline!

On Wednesday May 2, 2012, Drydocks World (DW), a shipbuilding and repair business with operations in Southeast Asia and Dubai, unveiled plans to build a string of futuristic Water Discus Underwater Hotels in the Middle East and eventually in other parts of the world.

(Photography Credit: Deep Ocean Technology)

A recent agreement between DW and Switzerland's BIG InvestConsult has granted the shipbuilding business the opportunity to be sole construction contractor of the world's first underwater hotel chain.

(Photography Credit: Deep Ocean Technology) 

Geared towards marine life enthusiasts and tailored to those who love all things luxurious, the planned hotel features 21 rooms, a dive center and a bar, all 32 feet below the surface of the ocean. Special lighting effects will be an important feature in guest rooms in order to create optimal light for guests to Instagram or snap photo of their undersea adventure.

(Photography Credit: Deep Ocean Technology) 

Water Discus Hotel is the latest of underwater construction in the Middle East, which also extends to the world's first underwater mosque, also in the works in Saudi Arabia.

(Photography Credit: Al Arabiya News)

Using plastic pipes filled with sand, a private group of Saudi Arabian divers built the mosque “When we put the final touches on it, it was time for afternoon prayers," said diver Hamadan bin Salim Al Masoudi, "so we performed group prayers in the first underwater mosque in history,” he tells Emirates24/7.com

Would you ever stay at an underwater hotel? Check out our pins on Pinterest then tweet us at @VedereOnline!

“Reinventing one's life is very similar to restructuring one's home,” says interior designer Gail Green, a vendor on Vedere. The interior designer who has worked with such illustrious companies as Hermes, also works closely with many people who are looking for decorator to help them in restructuring their lives to effectively make a fresh start.

(Photography Credit: Brian Stauffer)

“I love to problem solve,” says Green. “Turning the wishes and desires of clients into beautifully functioning and aesthetic environments, which in turn makes the client feel good about themselves is the endgame.”

(Photography Credit: Woman Around Town)

As Vedere mentioned in its promotional piece on "2012 Start Over Smart Expo," décor for the recently divorced has become a recent trend as the economy strengthens and more people are feeling empowered, ready to take their lives into a new direction. For these types of clients, Green helps to make the laborious process easier, creating a new home environment for entertaining friends and spending time with children. 

“I'm working on an apartment for a gentleman [in New York City] who is recently divorced and needs to provide a part-time living arrangement for his children,” Green says.  For Green, imaginative and clever design have played essential roles in this project as there is an economy of space. Green designed the owner's bedroom to house an adjunct area for his son, who can both sleep and do his homework there, while maintaining a sense of privacy for both.  “This is real problem-solving because walls need be manipulated in order to maintain a bright, airy, open feel,” she adds. “As the divorced individual's life is reinvented, as is the space!”

(Photography Credit: Gail Green)

For Green, 'divorce design' can serve as a positive reinvention. “It is a turning towards the future, albeit different, yet hopeful one, suggests Green.  As one leaves behind the turmoil surrounding divorce, one can use this period to institute changes for the better, creating a comfortable, cheerful home that makes one feel good about themselves. “It is a fresh start!,” Green simply states. “Sometimes, even a new coat of paint or a new sofa can evoke these happy feelings. “And, a quickly transformed home from dull and drab to peaceful and serene helps create reinvention in one's life.”  

Have you ever had to re-design your life for the better? Tweet us at @VedereOnline!