Friday 31 January 2014

Space: a stylish outdoor setting



Today's space is not a real one, but part of the 2013 Interior Design Show in Toronto. It's an outdoor setting designed by the team of Earth Inc., photographed by Janis Nicolay. Real or not, I love it. I think it's a delightful mix of industrial and rustic style; the combination of decorative objects and textiles looks very stylish.

Got any plans this weekend? I have promised the kids to do some art supplies shopping, which is always fun. They have a school holiday coming up and we intend to be arty-crafty. Tonight it's of course the home-made Friday pizzas with a glass of red. I wish you a wonderful weekend!

photo credit:
Janis Nicolay via Poppytalk

Thursday 30 January 2014

Brighter shade than pale 20 - winter II



For today I had a completely different post in mind, a spring-looking BRIGHTER SHADE THAN PALE post, as I thought spring was just around the corner (I saw a white tulip in bloom the other day!). Then I stepped outside this morning and was greeted with cold weather. Shortly after it began snowing - thick snowflakes that take their time falling to the ground. The kind I would have welcomed in December. Suddenly my spring-post didn't feel right. Later today I will be lighting up the fireplace and making hot chocolate. Wishing you all a lovely day!

photo credit:
1: Keith Williams Photography (500px) / 2: Naomi Robinson of Bakers Royale / 3 + 5-6: Nicholas James Seaton for TOAST, October 2013 lookbook (first discovered via Bette's) / 4: Minna Jones of Time of the Aquarius via My Scandinavian Home

Wednesday 29 January 2014

Interior design: an old post office in Copenhagen




This stylish Copenhagen flat belongs to a Danish woman and her French husband. It is in an old building in the Frederiksberg district, which used to be a post office. It has an open plan kitchen that has wooden items and ceramics on display, and a yellowish poster from the Varde Museum that blends well with the neutral colours. There is artwork on the walls that give the home a certain edge. Most of the home accessories, like vases and candlesticks, look modern and there are classic pieces of furniture like the black Eames chairs in the dining area and the Flagermusstol, or the Butterfly chair, in the living room.


So far, the images have shown a look that has the Scandinavian vibe. Then in one corner we have this old and worn semicircular console table with a few decorative items, like glassware and a vintage mirror, and instantly the French vibe sets in.




And almost saving the best for last: The view from the apartment over Frederiksberg Allé. It makes me long to walk the avenues and streets of Copenhagen again.


photo credit:
Wichmann+Bendtsen for Bolig Magasinet

Tuesday 28 January 2014

artists Sasha Pivovarova + Igor Vishnyakov at home



One of the things that leave me inspired is getting a sneak peek into the studio of an artist. I love it when I come across such photo shoots in magazines or online. I’m interested in the artist's process, the look of his studio, what kind of sketchbooks she uses, the pencils and paintbrushes - the artist's paraphernalia. These images by photographer Robyn Lea were taken in the home of model and artist Sasha Pivovarova and her husband Igor Vishnyakov, also an artist and a photographer. The main focus was on the couple's art, but in the bottom left photo you get a glimpse of their Williamsburg (Brooklyn) loft, designed and styled by Todd Hase. The drawings on the living room wall are Sasha's (see a detail in the background of the photo right above it).


photo credit:
Robyn Lea

Friday 24 January 2014

interior design: designer Marie von Lotzbeck's home

Images from the Danish home of jewellery designer Marie von Lotzbeck and photographer Jacob Kirk that appeared in the Danish magazine Femina have been circling around blogosphere. I couldn't resist sharing a few on my blog. I'm the wood flooring type but I like the use of concrete in this home, it is in harmony with the brick walls and the white painted ones. I have said so before that I'm a big fan of steel framed doors, which are ideal for this space. There are plenty of details that catch my attention but I have to say that I would like to copy that white-shelf look entirely. I like the balance in the display of books and home accessories - it's stylish and beautifully done.

photo credit:
Kira Brandt for Femina | 1-5 via Coco Lapine Design, 6 via April and May

Thursday 23 January 2014

K&A: banana walnut bread

How are you today? It's a rainy and windy day in the West Midlands, the kind of day where I just want to light up the fire, grab a book and a blanket. Instead I'm studying and quite enjoying it. I just started an online course (not related to design), which I will maybe tell you about later. Earlier this morning I posted a banana walnut bread recipe on kitchen & aroma. It's a recipe I got at Starbucks in Canada a few years back and I made some changes. If you love walnuts like I do I hope you like the bread. Now my latte break is over and it's time to return to my lecture. Have a lovely day everyone!

photo credit:
Lisa Hjalt

Wednesday 22 January 2014

Space: illustrator Mats Gustafson's studio



This is the studio of the Swedish artist and illustrator Mats Gustafson, in his home in the Södermalm district in central Stockholm. I was reminded of it when I saw Catherine of the Cashmere Lover blog post his latest work for Dior. I'm always drawn to high ceilings; to spaces that have plenty of natural light, but in this one I'm also drawn to the furniture. The wooden drawing cabinets lured me in and the simple desk is right up my alley. The wall art makes the space even more special. The outcome is a stylish neutral space with nothing to distract the mind.

photo credit:
Magnus Marding | styling by Jacob Hertzell via Koolandkreativ

Tuesday 21 January 2014

styling: a French feast by Glen Proebstel


When I saw that large photo I knew I had to see more images from this photo shoot. Show me a table setting or anything with delftware and my knees are likely to go weak (the white and blue pottery that derived its name from the Dutch town Delft, where it was made from the 16th century onwards). I knew the photographer was the Australian Sharyn Cairns (one of my favourites) for Vogue Living, but I found nothing on their website. When I learned the styling was by Glen Proebstel (I should have known!) I hit the jackpot. The elegance of this setting fascinates me. One would think you couldn't go wrong shooting in such a grand environment, but I think Glen's attention to detail takes this shoot to another level. The man is a styling genius. Add Sharyn's talent with the lens and the outcome is stunning.

photo credit:
Sharyn Cairns for Vogue Living, Nov/Dec 2013 | 'A French Feast' styled by Glen Proebstel via Hart & Co. (No. 3 via Barsan World)

Monday 20 January 2014

interior design: a white rustic countryside home


Today I'm taking you into this white and rustic countryside 1902 home in Northern California that was featured in Country Living. It's not the overall style I fell for but the details, which I find well done and charming.

The black antique cabinet is a wonderful contrast to the white walls and wood, and I like how they use its shelf to display some of the pretty kitchenware. Open kitchen shelving always appeals to me, especially in homes with a rustic style, and I like the massive dining table and the mismatched seating. The mudroom was the space I first fell for when I saw this house tour.

I have a big crush on this mudroom, I love its rustic and natural touch.


The family photos on display make this one corner of the living room extra special (I'm sorry to point out the sloppy Photoshopping - see one frame in the bottom shelf).


In the white furnished master bedroom I think the old chest in front of the bed creates a certain balance. (In our new home we placed a bench in front of the bed where we keep a few books and we can put down our clothes. I highly recommend it if you have the space.) I also like the wood flooring in the bathroom, it adds warmth to the space.


photo credit:
Björn Wallander for Country Living via Bette's

Friday 17 January 2014

in a Swedish farmhouse



For almost a year I have been admiring this photo, regularly opening my country folder to get a glimpse of its special mood. The muted tones and texture lure me in, but there is something else I cannot define. Maybe it's the food and insignificant small items, that are part of everyday life, that make this photo so special. Or maybe it's the idea of living in a farmhouse. I found it on Pinterest when searching for something and I had no luck tracing the source. It wasn't until later that I discovered (thanks to H is for Home blog) that it was part of a Swedish farmhouse feature in Volume 1 of Elle Decoration Country. Unfortunately, I don't know who the photographer is. The magazine is a luxurious bi-annual featuring some of the world’s most spectacular countryside homes and they recently published Vol. 3, which I'm hoping to get my hands on soon.

Have a wonderful weekend!

photo credit:
Elle Decoration Country, Volume 1

Thursday 16 January 2014

Space: in Alberto Pinto's studio



This living room is the work of interior designer Alberto Pinto (born in Casablanca in 1943 to Argentinian parents of Italian and French descent, died in Paris in 2012). This space was part of his studio's headquarters at the Hôtel de la Victoire, a 17th-century private residence in Paris. What mainly drew me to this space was the oversized artwork on the wall by Spanish artist Manolo Valdés (b. 1942). I also liked seeing the room untidy; indicating the atmosphere of Pinto's design process. I'm picturing him drinking from the cup while viewing various samples and taking notes. The bookshelf ladder also caught my attention. This particular photo appeared in the magazine Town & Country (source discovered via Mark D. Sikes). For another angle of the room and more studio photos, please visit the website of Alberto Pinto.

If you are interested in Alberto Pinto's design and looking for a book to add to your coffee table, the latest book about his work is Alberto Pinto: World Interiors by Julien Morel and Marc Quinn, published in 2011. Let me point out another book written by him back called Orientalism, which I would like to browse through (the price range is £560-800, not exactly within my budget).

photo credit:
Town & Country Magazine via Pinterest