One should also take in the minimalist beauty of the quiet dining room, and perhaps reflect on the view of the traditional garden outside the sliding screen.

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Inspired by famed writers and poets, each room is individually designed to reflect the musings of greats such as Baudelaire, Calderon and Diderot.

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Unlike large glass mirrors which are subject to the vagaries of humidity, thermal dynamics and constant deformation from gravity itself, liquid mercury which remains molten at room temperature can reflect as much as 75 percent of incoming starlight with little of the fuss associated with large conventional mirrors.

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The IR light does, however, reflect off of any objects or people in the room, and the information carried by this reflected light is recorded by a holographic imager.

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Sculptures and cultural artifacts in the same room hark back to more traditional African forms even as they reflect the continent's encounter with Europe as well.

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The decorations in every room of the house, hung with care by volunteers from 37 states, reflect the theme using shiny stars, metallic garland, and twinkling lights, and invite visitors to give thanks to the military for their service.

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