DIARY
The entrance hall to your home is a wonderful opportunity to welcome and wow guests, it’s a lasting impression. It’s the opening scene of your play, it lures the audience into continuing the journey until the end and gives the first glimpse of your personality.
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In the quest for ‘the’ tile for a project and after hours of research I found the perfect specimen; Yuki and Arcaico Border tiles. They were perfect! The challenge however was far from over! These tiles could not have come from further away with no distribution network to talk off in Europe.
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Every April, hoards of designers, industry folks, and curious jet-setters descend upon Milan, looking for inspiration at Salone del Mobile and Milan Design Week. The sky is the limit, as interior and fashion brands alike seek to outdo each other in the creation of awe-inspiring displays and installations for their new and reissued products. The mania begins on Monday, April 8, and continues throughout the week.
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Verner Panton translated the inspiration drawn from his years of travels in some of the boldest furniture designs the world had ever seen. With his visionary designs and provocative material choices, playful shapes and bold use of colour, Panton created some of the most iconic Danish designs. The ‘S’ Chair, also known as the Panton Chair is possibly more popular today then ever …
I have made a selection of some of my favourite pieces that is a bit more subtle but at the same time makes a big impact in a room.
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23 Old Bond Street (probably one of the most prestigious retail locations in the world) celebrates the world of Stella, reflecting her approach to design, innovation and sustainability. She has created an intimate, personal and architectural atmosphere to constantly evolve and bring a textured emotional experience into the space. The grade II historic 18th century building’s original façade, including an ornate Edwardian entryway and a planted balcony, have been carefully preserved; a sharp contrast with the contemporary interior that is spread across the four floors connected by a spiral raw steel staircase
The space explores a play on texture, volume and light in themes that evolve throughout the building. Fluted concrete walls in a range of textures from top to floor complement glass cube cases, linear brass railings, and colourful ceramic gemstone fixtures and vintage furniture include pieces by Mario Bellini and Angelo Mangiarotti.
Further bringing personal emotion into the space is the use of sound, light and smell to create a multi-sensory experience.Natural light gleams through the shop’s urban indoor garden and the striking skylight, while artificial lights subtly highlight the space’s architectural details and product features. Upon entering the shop on the ground floor, a customised fragrance complements the clean air experience.
She has also introduced the ‘member and non-members only’ club, hidden on the second floor that will offer a unique journey into the world of Stella featuring installations such as personal family photos, an inside to the studio and inspiration behind the seasons collections. Various events and exhibitions will rotate constantly.
Make sure to visit next time you are in the neighbourhood.
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... or maybe a mix of both?
I never thought I'd be the one to say this, but I've taken a liking to arched openings!
It's really grown on me to the point that I actually don’t understand why I had such a strong dislike of them. Having said that for, post-war, small spaced, low ceilings houses, my opinion still stands!
If you are planning to open up between rooms in your house or are having a new architect designed property, please consider the ancient feature of arches. Bring out the soft edges to the forefront of design. Arches are making their way back into the design world in hallways, doors and windows. Arched passageways linking various spaces where strategically left open and framed to provide a striking contrast to the light walls.
Own it; when considering arches there are a few points to remember. Make sure they have plenty of space around them with a good ceiling height. Make it a feature and mix it with regular rectangular shapes to create a contrast for a truly unique look. Don’t feel restricted to only using one shape throughout …
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Sculptural Marble Kitchens
Marble is a material of lasting quality that ages with grace. It’s a natural material and no two slabs are the same, so your counter top will be a one-of-a-kind. Marble is extremely durable with a timeless universal appeal.
The myth that it’s not suited for kitchens is of the past, as new technology and research has found techniques and formulas to seal the marble. Your marble counter top must be sealed, regardless of which finish you go for! The choice between a honed and polished finish is a personal one but from experience, the honed finished, (created by sanding the surface so that it has a soft, matte finish), won’t show the scratches as much and it’s a little less bright.
Once your marble top has been sealed it’s easy to maintain using warm water and dish soap, as you would any counter top in the kitchen.
The selection of marble is wide, and comes in various colours and veining, with a big variation in price as some stones are easily available with some being rarer.
Marble is truly a piece of art and transforms your room to Kitchen Couture…
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A Fashion Collaboration
Alexander McQueen & The Rug Company
When Fashion designers collaborate outside of their familiar catwalk, something magical happens. They come with fresh ideas in an area they know no boundaries. Their work is without restriction and consists only of the freedom to create.This collaboration also happened to be some of the last designs of Alexander McQueen himself. Three years in the making, Alexander McQueen’s rug collection took craftsmanship to couture levels; with the collaboration winning the award for Fashions contributing to design. McQueen added fantasy and rebellion to his creation that was all about craft and quality. High drama and a gothic sense of beauty were constants in his work. His hand-knotted series of four large rugs and two coordinating throw pillows is The Rug Company’s most ambitious project of date.
The four-piece series included a cashmere ‘Feathers’ rug that drapes like a fabric and features a pattern based on a hawk’s feather. The wool and silk ‘Skull’ rug, by contrasts, comes with McQueen’s most famous motif in a suitably haunting grey design. The most lyrical is the ‘Hummingbird’design depicting birds in flight across an inky black background weaved with over 300 000 knots per square meter. This design was originally used in McQueen’s Spring / Summer 2009 collection. The collections final piece is the giant two-tone ‘Military Brocade’ design featuring a golden oak leaves border and a central skull from which an oriental serpent emerges. The design in hand-knotted wool with raised silk was taken from an embroidered coat from his Fall 2001 runway show. The rug designs are one of a small number of items McQueen put his name to outside of fashion and beauty. These rugs are truly a piece of art and I love them all but my personal favorite is the silk Feather rug.
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Integrating an office into your home requires careful styling consideration.
When positioning my working space I look for a calm area with as much natural light as possible. Plain white walls are essential as an “empty canvas” to build my collages onto. A generous working area allows me to lay out drawings, clippings and other creative tools with ease. The decoration of my home office has been carefully selected to inspire me on a daily basis but not so intrusive as to disturb my visual thought process. I look to include, coffee table books, plants, stylized stationary and office equipment.
If you need to fit your home office into a smaller space or merge into your living area, there are many creative ways of integrating without disturbing your natural style balance. Choose a desk that is not dominant but compliments your other furniture. Find a chair that is comfortable without being a typical office item. For desk, lamp and chair, look at local auction houses, flee markets or perhaps invest in a modern design classic. Minimize your wiring and leave only decorative pieces visible at the end of the day.
Be good to yourself with this space, you will spent more time here then any other part of you home. Style it properly and you won’t have to hide it!
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