A school project

 

Cassandra's post last week reminded me of these drawings I made last year for a school final project. We, the students, were provided with an empty space with specific square footage to design our dream office. That was a very fun and interesting project. For my dream office the two most important elements, style and comfort, had to go hand in hand. I decided to divide the space in four sections: my office, a conference room, the secretary/library room and the reception. Below is what would be my office. I picked the Herman Miller executive chair, my all time favorite. The drawing below is an elevation of the desk wall. Wood paneling cover the ceilings, wood beams below the paneling with recess lighting, a simple roman shade on the window, a comfortable couch with a side table for me to read or chat with clients, two chairs for meetings with clients.

Below is another wall of the office with bookshelves up to the top of the windows (this is a 20 foot ceiling structure) with a ladder, sconces, basket to keep swatches of fabric, drawers and closet with doors to hide what I wouldn't like to be seen.

Below is the selection of furniture. Some of them from 1stdibs and DWR. P.S these pictures were taken at night so they are not perfect.

The silent object

One of our favourite shots from our April/May issue is a Patrick Reynolds classic: a beautiful cedar-screened home on the shores of Lake Taupo by Richard Goldie of Peddle Thorp Architects.

The home presents an impassive face to the neighbouring subdivision - this is the southerly elevation we're showing here, after all - but is surprisingly porous inside, with a generous front porch facing the lake and a sunny courtyard in the centre. Goldie says the exterior cedar screen was inspired by the verticality of the vegetation in the area - there are lots of flaxes and grasses - as well as the orange shades of some local lichen. This shot of the home looking vaguely impenetrable also seems an appropriate response to what Goldie calls the "extraordinary brooding quality" of the lake.

Here's a shot looking back from the lake towards the home's front porch. All the screens are moveable, but Goldie says the idea is that they force people to sit down and relax to contemplate the view.

Bohemian Decor

 For the romantic ones there is green, white, pink and tiny pieces of gray.

For the highly energetic ones. Red, black, white and wood. You either love it or hate it.

top left picture from magazine, top right Annekaisafaber. left bottom pict. Jason Loucas right bottom from Annekaisafaber.

Our new cover

We're off to the printers today to press-pass the cover for our April/May issue. It features a beautiful shot by Paul McCredie that was taken from inside a holiday home designed by Herriot + Melhuish on the Kapiti Coast. Choosing our covers is always a nerve-wracking process. We're hoping this one has a sufficient combination of warmth and architectural detail to seduce plenty of buyers. We've focused predominantly on renovations in the next issue, but the home on our cover is one of two brand-new dwellings in the magazine.

Design Awards 2009 finalists

We happily present the finalists in our Design Awards 2009 - our picks of the best New Zealand furniture and homeware of the past year.

The 'Spiral Islands' light at the top of the image is by David Trubridge.

The 'Twig' coat stand is by Jamie McLellan for Fletcher Systems.

The black 'Knight' light is by David Moreland.

Both the orange and black steel tables are by Nathan Goldsworthy of Conscious Design.

The wooden lamp base by Ben Pearce with shade by Martin Poppelwell were produced by Sandi Reefman for her company Esther Diamond.

The red 'Hawk' chair is by Simon James.

And because you can't really see the fabric design by Ngahuia Damerell (inspired, she says, by the architectural idiom of Te Papa), here's another image of it:

If you don't mind us saying so, we think it's quite an excellent line-up. Our next issue of the magazine contains all the info on the designs and the winners, and will be published on April 6. We're also planning a series of exhibitions of the finalists' designs at the following locations:

Wellington: At the showroom of our Design Awards sponsor, Staple Furniture + Design (cnr Bond and Lombard Streets) from April 2-9

Auckland: At Te Tuhi Centre for the Arts, 13 Reeves Road, Pakuranga, from April 17-May 3

Gisborne: At Staple Furniture + Design, 38 Childers Street, from May 7-21.

We hope you can make it to see the objects while they're on display. We'll also be hosting a talk featuring the designers at Te Tuhi in conjunction with the exhibition there - we'll post details when we've finalised them.

checkered floor

I'm a big fan of checkered floors. They can transform any interior into a timeless classic beauty.

Kate Spade's kitchen

James Merrell

Lili Abir Regen

Country Living

Vanities: Get the look

All women want or have ever wanted one. Some are lucky enough to reserve an entire room for it, called the dressing or make up room. Regardless of the space you have, either one of these options would look absolutely fabulous. And I am sure that we all look gorgeous in one of these fantastic spaces. Below are a few examples of how to replicate these rooms.

The glamorous room at the top was decorated by Medeline Weinrib. You can get a similar look by using this mirrored vanity from Venfield, a colorful stool, white mirror and some white and blue porcelain and lamp.

This very eclectic room above is from Living etc. Below are a few choices to get this look. The desk/console is from WS, mirror from Ikea, a contrasting chair and chrome lamp.

This room above is from our sadly gone domino Magazine. I love how young and fresh this room is and below is a very good interpretation of it. A classic vanity, skirted stool, a garden stool, a colorful carpet to add some color and a few vanity accessories.

I just love this room designed by Charlotte Moss.

Get The Look

I like to customize everything I buy. Even if it is an Ikea kitchen cabinet. My husband is always asking me why I like to complicate things. Well, it's not that I like to complicate, it's just that I think that customized items and furniture are more interesting and special than those we purchase off the shelf. Customization doesn't always have to be expensive or done by professionals. We can do it ourselves by upgrading little details that can make a huge difference. For example, I like this cozy kitchen corner display (top image) that usually only custom-made cabinets have. But we all can get this look easier than we think. I put together a sample board showing how this can be done. First, you need two or three open cabinets, you can do this by removing the doors. Then, cover the interior of the cabinet with a wood grain wallpaper, install the china plate display that you can get here. This display can be cut to fit any length of open space and it comes in different colors. Add a few hooks from the lower shelf ceiling and hang a few of these very cool cups. Add accessories to decorate and you are all set. Try to incorporate different textures and colors like colorful plates, small porcelain bowls, cast aluminum salt and peper, etc.

Toko Ohmori

Aren't these illustrations by Toko Ohmori gorgeous? I think so.

P.S I am so exited and flattered to be The Blog of the Month. Huge thanks to Rebekah and Amy at Elizabeth Ann Designs.

image via chaikhana.

Liana Yaroslavsky

Beautiful display of vintage and femininity together.  It's rustic yet not masculine, feminine but not in a cliche way, romantic but not shoddy.  I am talking about the incredible house of the Russian Designer Liana Yaroslavsky in the outskirts of Paris. Enjoy!

Images from elle Spain.

El Convento

Every time I see Spanish Colonial Architecture I can't help but be immediately drawn to it. No need to mention that the next time I'm in Puerto Rico, El Convento is the place I'll stay. No question about it. The building housing this effulgent Boutique Hotel was built in 1646, an order of King Phillip IV to serve as a Carmelite convent, hence its very eccentric name.

I can't tell you enough how I would enjoy setting in this terrace while reading a book with the breeze caressing my hair. Oh I need some of that so much...

This suite was named after Gloria Vanderbilt who was the first guest on the night of the inauguration. I would like to walk bare foot over those handcrafted tiles. I can even close my eyes and feel the freshness coming under my feet.

Oh...to drink some mojitos and enjoy some tapas. Or maybe I would just stay still contemplating those always beautiful green and white awnings or those imposing wood beams.

Then I would jump into the pool and swim and swim those well consumed calories out.

Have a lovely weekend

And turn to the person next to you and let him/her know how much he/she is loved. image from le love

XOXO Julie

Pale Green

Simplicity can be beautiful. This house is an example of it. The pale green mixed with the vintage accessories are just to die for.

Top three images are from Coastal Living. The last one from this fantastic blog.