"For decades, Japan simply imported the wares of foreign cultures, but recession has led to invention. The country has begun creating the finest American denim, French cuisine and Italian espresso in the world. Now is the time to visit."

"During the robust economy of the '80s, Japan's exports ruled, and the country would import the best that money could buy from the rest of the globe, including Italian chefs and French sommeliers. Which made Japan an haute bourgeoisie heaven where luxury manufacturers from the West expected skyrocketing sales forever.

But now 20-plus years of recession have killed that dream. Louis Vuitton sales are plummeting, and magnums of Dom Pérignon are no longer being uncorked at a furious pace. That doesn't mean the Japanese have turned away from the world. They've just started approaching it on their own terms, venturing abroad and returning home with increasingly more international tastes and much higher standards…"

[See also Stateside: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/magazine/adam-davidson-craft-business.html ]

"american firm global homes has sent in images of his project 'the doubleroom' in sweden. the portable residence consists of a kitchen, bathroom, living and bedroom space all in one. the pre assembled structure can be easily transported to any location."

"Michael Jantzen at the always intriguing Tiny House Design

"Maxwell and Sara Kate are extreme when it comes to limiting their accumulation of stuff so they don't waste time figuring out where to put things. Because they know that they own only what they need, the focus of living then switches to actively choosing beautiful pieces with which to adorn their home." 265 sqft home

"Seldom measuring much more than 500 square feet, the buildings offer sharp contrasts to the rambling houses that are commonplace as second homes."