Skip to main content

Apartmenception! This white blob is actually an apartment within an apartment

The typical manifestation of a man cave isn’t literal; instead it presents as a garage, den, or basement filled with bar equipment, electronics, a pool table, and the like. Or it might just be a hobby room that reflects the owner’s interests.

Australian architecture firm Allen Jack+Cottier took a different approach for a client whose home is in a converted warehouse. Though the firm calls its design a man cave, it’s more like an apartment within an home that looks almost Flintstonian. Made of glass-reinforced foam and covered in low VOC white resin, the structure is separated into two parts, the sleeping room and the bathroom. There’s also an entertainment center and wardrobe tucked inside, while the LED-lit bed is built into a shelf. The oddly shaped floor tiles are leather, while the bathroom’s floor is made of teak. The warehouse’s occupants use the outside of the pod as a projection surface for movies. It’s sort of like a sculpture, theater, and escape pod in one. Plus, it kind of looks like a marshmallow.

The completed renovation is a finalist for the World Architecture Festival Awards in the New and Old category. While it doesn’t look like a typical man cave and doesn’t have much of the usual fare you’d find inside one, the whole place encompasses the owner’s taste and hobbies, especially the music room and large kitchen for entertaining, according to ArchDaily.

It’s not like the home needed an extra bedroom. The firm converted a warehouse’s two level into a single-family home, with three other bedrooms, six extra bathrooms, a commercial-style kitchen, giant music room, four-car garage, and swimming pool. The warehouse used to be a factory for food, then was converted to manufacture furniture in the early 1900s. Now it’s almost 11,410 square feet of living space.

Jenny McGrath
Jenny McGrath is a senior writer at Digital Trends covering the intersection of tech and the arts and the environment. Before…
Ultraloq showcases the first-ever ultra-wideband smart lock at CES 2025
Bolt Mission UWB + NFC installed on a white door.

Ultraloq showed off two smart locks at CES 2025 -- one of which is the first smart lock to ever offer ultra-wideband (UWB) support. The Ultraloq Bolt Mission UWB + NFC uses UWB technology to unlock automatically as you approach your front door. Similar functionality already exists on other smart locks, but UWB should allow the Ultraloq Bolt Mission to be more accurate than the competition.

The Bolt Mission uses technology similar to digital car keys, and Ultraloq says it can track the keyholder’s phone location with “centimeter-level” accuracy. As your phone gets closer to the front door, the Bolt Mission can be programmed to automatically unlock, giving you a hands-free way to get inside. Better yet, because the smart lock can detect both your distance and direction from the front door, it should prevent you from accidentally unlocking the smart lock while inside your home.

Read more
Ulticam shows off three AI-powered security cameras at CES 2025
The Ulticam IQ installed outside a home.

Ulticam, the new security camera brand of Xthings, revealed a lineup of three AI-powered cameras at CES 2025. The Ulticam IQ, Ulticam IQ Floodlight, and Ulticam Dot offer not just cool AI capabilities, but also free seven-day cloud storage -- which could make them a solid choice for value-minded shoppers leery about signing up for monthly storage plans.

The Ulticam IQ and IQ Floodlight are the main attractions, as they're packed with features that should pose solid competition for the best smart security cameras from Arlo, Nest, and Ring. The duo uses edge AI to quickly identify people, vehicles, and packages without needing to upload the video for server-side processing. This onboard processing should result in faster performance -- it’s also great for privacy and security, as your footage doesn’t have to leave your device.

Read more
Home Depot expands Hubspace smart home lineup at CES 2025
The Home Depot Hubspace logo on a white background.

Hubspace, Home Depot’s smart home platform, has seen impressive growth over the past few years, and that growth continued at CES 2025. Three new gadgets were revealed at the event, including a wireless power switch to control Hubspace products, a portable air conditioner, and a window-mounted air conditioner. All three are unique additions to the catalog -- and since there’s not much like them on the market, they should quickly become popular options in their respective niches.

The Hubspace Remote Switch is arguably the most useful of the three gadgets. Designed to look like a light switch, but with a removable remote controller, it works with select Hubspace light bulbs, fixtures, plugs, power sockets, surge protectors, and more. You’ll get standard on and off functions, plus access to brightness controls. Its sleek looks and versatility should make it a great choice for shoppers seeking an entry-level smart switch.

Read more