Furniture Fridays

I am so thrilled to have Igor from Happy Interior Blog with us today to share his favorite piece (note: it is one of mine too!!).  Currently based in Munich, Germany, Igor has lived and explored much of Europe and has a truly refreshing and bright outlook on design and the aesthetic of the world around him.  His posts are thoughtful, informative and full of inspiration.  Thank you so much for taking part in Furniture Fridays with us and Welcome!

When it comes to defining my own interior style I do have a hard time to narrow it down into a few clear sentences. I am way too much the 'mix & match' kind of guy. I have very simple lines at home, I like urban monochromatic approaches, I tend to add some vivid pops of colours through textiles and little decoration elements, I love quirky illustrations and ethnic inspired pieces. And all this I love to match with one or two beautiful design classics.

For a long time there's been one mid-century classic on my wish list: the Saarinen Tulip table. One day I would really love to own one of these. I would go for the plain, white one and depending on my budget I'd opt for the dining table version for a breakfast nook or the smaller sidetable for a reading nook. What I love about Saarinen's Tulip table is the fact that it features a very simple yet sophisticated design that is so peculiar and immediately recognized as a design classic. Ever since its debut in 1956, the Saarinen collection of dining and low tables is as popular as ever. 

And in order to reach a maximum of interior design ecstasy, I would combine the Saarinen Tulip dining table with some timeless Eames DSW chairs in various colours. Ok, now I got myself dreaming away!

Photo credits: 1, 2, 3

The Finishing Touches

I am currently in Aspen working my little tail off at an installation - sorry that I have been a little MIA this week in terms of posts.  We arrived here on Monday morning and have spent the past three days carrying boxes and furniture into the house and all around.  It has been in the high 80s (30 degree Celsius) with the sun blazing high in the sky and so it has made for a very hot and hard installation.  This, however, is one of my favorite parts of a project - when you get to see all the months and sometimes years of hard work pay off and everything comes together.

We are turning over the house in a couple of weeks (yup, this is the first trip of a few to Aspen over the next little while for me) and as per usual my mind is in overdrive as to how this is all going to come together.  I am thinking about setting the scene for when the clients see it completed, what the vignette's throughout are going to look like, and general styling of art, accessories and flowers is going to be.  I thought I would share some of my favorite styling images of the moment and see if you had any thoughts? What is it that you do in the final stages to get a project to pull together? I hope you all had a lovely weekend and I would love to hear from you on what it is that you think makes for great styling.

All Photos available through my Pinterest board Styling

From Warehouse to Townhouse

Dean/Wolf Architects

In an old warehouse/loft in TriBeCa, Dean/Wolf Architects have created what I think is a little piece of heaven.  Three double storey spaces were removed from the building to create incredible voids that run vertically throughout (see rendering above).  The interior screens are used as a way to delineate the spaces as well as tie the materials together vertically.  I am not quite sure how I feel about all the rusted steel and metal running throughout the house, but i guess I have a little more tolerance for it as it plays on the whole warehouse, industrial feel that the space is trying to evoque. This warehouse come townhouse has a great play on volumes, materials and light and although it might not be to everyones taste, I think is a great example of how architects and designers are always pushing boundaries.  

Trendland

Furniture Fridays

If you have experienced the intense heat wave we have been having all I can say is I hope it comes to an end soon - summer has really arrived and I don't know if I am fully prepared for it to be such a scorcher! Grab an cold drink, iced coffee or other, and please help me in welcoming the brilliant Holly from HvH Interiors to Furniture Fridays.  I have met Holly through this wonderful world of social media and admire and respect her eye, aesthetic and outlook on the world of design.  When she told me what her favorite piece wasI was so exited.  The thing I love most about this series is people's interpretation of Your Favorite Piece, and the diversity of items we have seen so far. I am excited at Holly's selection as not only is it unique to have our first visit of lighting to the series but it is one of my favorite pieces too! Thanks Holly!!

Hello Canoe Design readers! When Anna asked me to guest post on her fabulous Furniture Fridays series, I was super delighted and I knew right away what I wanted to share with you.

The 14 series pendant by Bocci.

First of all, I have a huge crush on Bocci in general. I love most of their products and I admire their expert and passionate craftsmanship. Second, they are a Canadian company (I'm Canadian too!) based in Vancouver with a satellite company in Berlin, Germany (I absolutely love Berlin and lived there for a year!). So you can understand my crush, right?

Back to the 14 series pendant. Designed by Omer Arbel in 2005, 14 series challenges the concept of the traditional chandelier. Here's what Bocci says about it: "Instead of a central sculptural object, the 14 series is an ambient chandelier, achieving its power through a strategy of composition and clustering. The 14 series fills the volume of a room, making the height and shape of its dimensions understood to the inhabitants in a direct physical manner."

Beautifully delicate as a single item or dynamically powerful as a cluster, I think that either way, the 14 series is purely magical. Each one is hand made and therefore each one is unique.

As I mentioned, I admire their craftsmanship so I leave you with a video of Bocci in action. They are actually making the 28 series in this video, a close cousin of the 14 series. Nevertheless, an amazing sneak peak into the process. You'll especially love this if you are interested in glass blowing.

I hope you liked my Furniture Fridays pick. Even though lighting technically falls under the "furnishings" or "fixtures" categories, I chose to go with this because I absolutely love this pendant light. Anyhow, lighting is a very important player in our interior spaces, as important as furniture can be.

Thank you Anna for having me over, and a great day to everyone reading.

Xx. Holly.

Images via the Bocci Gallery and video via Bocci Video

Flat Vernacular

Flat Vernacular is a boutique Brooklyn-based wallpaper company who specialize in the incredible.  Their papers are hand printed and each one is more spectacular and more depth oriented than the last.  As you may have noticed I currently have a thing for wallpaper (see post here), and so FV fit perfectly into this craving.  They have a collection of papers - some highlighted below - but can also help with any bespoke projects we designers can think up, a very handy tool when one is looking for a little something different for that special project.  We have several samples in the office and I can honestly say the quality and weight of the paper is beautiful and one really does get the sense that this is a truly special product.  Any ideas on where this could fit into your space?

I love the idea of wallpaper framed as art and so had to include this incredible custom piece - the detail is truly amazing and the colours are mesmerizing.

All Photos courtesy of Flat Vernacular

DGA

You know me, I love the integration of quality materials and good detailing and think that the two together make a successful project almost on their own. These principles coupled with an innovative eye for design give Dennis Gibbens Architects a stunning and successful portfolio.  Based in Santa Monica, DGA have been on my radar for quite some time with their innovative use of materials (check out the concrete wall below) and their confidence in mixing styles successfully.  The spaces have a grand, elegant feel without being too prescribed, and although they are clearly good at what they do, the spaces don't have that 'designer' feel to them.  

Photos courtesy of Dennis Gibbens Architect 

Inspired By

White! A few months ago I did a guest post on Dot Dot Dash about my love for the tone black. After my Furniture Fridays post last week where I can see that quite a few of the pieces are light and white, I realized that perhaps my current sensibilities have become a little lighter. Many people think that because an interior or object is predominantly white it means that it is stark and modern, I would have to disagree. It all has to to with creating the perfect backdrop for whatever the architecture, furnishings, art or accessories are in the space and letting them do the talking.  I hope everyone had a great weekend - we went to Boston for a quick two days so stay tuned for a post on that incredible city - and here is to a bright start to what I hope is going to be a great week! 

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