Items of Interest - Part 3

British artist Sam Orlando Miller's work has been in the design world for a few years now,  and while perusing Gallery FUMI in search of inspiration for my meeting I came across his mirrors once again and just had to include them in this weeks feature.  His play with different mirror finishes and colors, shapes as well as the positive and negative makes his work truly unique.  These are gallery quality pieces (and come with a price tag to match) each is hand-crafted and after seeing them in person, more stunning than you can imagine. As with most coveted design items these days, there are knockoffs a plenty (Restoration Hardware and West Elm to name a couple). So if you just have to have one, there are budget versions available, however don't expect the same detail, depth or craftsmanship - that is reserved for Sam's pieces.

 Sam Orlando Miller

The End of an Era

What an end to September and start to October!! Between a trip to London for a wedding and to get our apartment organised to sell, and work trips to Florida and California I am starting to feel a little more burned out than usual! And, alas my posts seem to suffer! I am quite excited however that after almost a decade of being a die hard Blackberry supporter I have made the leap to Apple and am waiting for my shiny new *gold* iPhone! Very excited at the prospect of Instagram and being able to tweet without my messages being lost in the cyber yonder...not really sure how that keep happening.  So prepare for me to (hopefully) be more in touch over the coming weeks and months.  An early New Years resolution as well.

Since the apartment is up for sale I thought that I would share the estate agent photos with you. I know I have done a couple of posts on it before (here and here), however thought that this was a good overview of the entire apartment - oh and you get to see the amazing new fold-away doors we installed in the spring. Sad to see it go, but excited for what NYC opportunities open up as a result! Keep an eye out as we are actively apartment hunting and I'm keeping my fingers crossed for another project.  Can't wait for the next one!

Photos courtesy of Chesterton Humberts

In Memoriam

Sadly the design world lost a very talented and inspiring designer today.  David Collins passed away after a short fight with cancer.  He will be greatly missed and his interiors will continue to inspire us all.

Photos Courtesy of David Collins Studio

Photography Week - Part 5

I thought that it would be fitting to have the last photographer in my series be British.  Simon Upton is a  London-based photographer who has shot some of the most incredible interiors in the UK and around the world for some of the most predominant magazines and designers in the industry. There is a simplicity about how his settings are framed, yet as a viewer it is clear to understand the complexity of each space. 

This week has been a truly fantastic adventure for me into the wonderful world of interior and architectural photography and has not only inspired me but has made me excited to have my projects photographed in the future.  I hope that you have all felt as enlightened as I have and that we have discovered some wonderfully talented people together.

Simon Upton Photography

Before & After : London Cafe

I am so excited for today's Before & After post as it is very close to my heart!! Friends of ours in London have embarked on an incredible adventure and have come out on top.  Leyas coffee shop was born out of their dream of converting an old deli in London'd Camden area into an artesian coffee shop.  The vibe is fresh, fun and trendy, and  it is wonderful to see how the owners managed to turn their vision into reality. 

WIth the use of reclaimed materials, old furniture and some very creative thinking, this interior has become a hip spot in this ever trendy area of the city.  I had a chance to ask one of the owners a couple of questions to get an idea of where their inspiration came from and how they managed to put this amazing transformation together with a cery little budget.

Where did your inspiration come from?

Inspiration came from loads of other coffee shops , mainly in east london, and my love of antiques. also rummaging through scrap yards and reclamation yards finding the odd pieces and trying to build around that.

Where did you purchase most of the furniture?

Most of it came through a small antiques shop in north london run by a 60 year old japanese man who would always suprise us with his new finds. other places were ebay, collecting from all over London and a few odds markets here and there.

What is the front of the upstairs counter made from?

The upstairs counter was always going to be the first piece people saw so we wanted to make something unusual. we luckly came across loads of old fruit crates, some were broken but we bought them anyway. we decided to make a supporting frame and nail loads of these broken fruit crate slats all over, we were happy with the look, so it then became our signature look that we applied all over. to tie upstairs with downstairs, we also did a similar piece to "hide" our under staircase storage cupboard. 

The sop is decorated very creatively, and so many materials have been repurposed.  There are some great little details that really make the space - check out the old coffee grinders and the little easels and chalk boards displaying drink prices (see image above for both). 

There is a brilliant mural going up the stairs to the food service area which is not just a great piece of street art but it really helps bring the space together.  

Leyas has delicious food, perfect coffe and a fantastic atmosphere.  For all those in London you have to go now, and for those on their way, I highly recommend this stop.  You can link up with Leyas on facebook and twitter as well.

Inspired By

Lanterns!  I have been missing London recently - must be the back to work blues after our trips there this summer - and wanted to share with you one of my favourite pieces of lighting done best by the British.  In the time I spent working in the UK, I did a lot of research and sourcing of lanterns for use on our projects.  This hasn't stopped since working here in New York, and in fact, I seem to be using them on all my projects lately. I am a fan of simplicity rather than all the extra details that one can find and tend to air on the side of over-scaled for ceiling fixtures as to me it gives a sense of presence in the space.  Lanterns also make me think of fall with their warm glow - especially when there are candles inside - and as today feels like the turning of the seasons here I thought it only fitting. Hope you have a wonderful Monday and here is to another week!

Anna x

Wall Lanterns

Howe London

Shades of Light

Remains Lighting

Hanging Lanterns

Charles Edwards

Holly Hunt

Charles Edwards

I thought that I would share some of my favorite images of Lanterns in spaces as well as I think not only is the form and scale of the fitting important, but it is great to see them in spaces.

House and Home - Photographer Michael Graydon

Pinterest

Pinterest

Jamb

Lee Broom

I have been searching for inspiration on a new project here in the city, and when I am stuck I always find myself heading back to old faithfuls that I know will shed some new ideas.  This time is no exception, and what I have found has inspired me indeed. UK based  Lee Broom has an eye for design, detail and materiality that really pushes the envelope. He has a new series of lights (well bulbs) that I think are just incredible.  The idea of clustering many different drop fittings together is nothing new, however what Lee has done is change the bulb! Like a filament bulb the source is the fitting, but with these you get a little sparkle and glamour while still keeping the fitting as simple and uncomplicated as possible. LOVE! 

This lamp is another of my favourites. Again, he has taken a tile and changed the way we look at it.  Creating large-scale table lamps out of different tile components. I think that these would jazz up any space and help to add a little texture!

And although I wanted to focus on lighting I couldn't do a post without including one of my favorite pieces of furniture - The Carpetry Sideboard. Drawing it's inspiration from Persian rugs, this collection put a modern twist with it's more muted color patelle and re-interpretation of pattern.  

 All photographs courtesy of Lee Broom