design traveller

16 January, 2011

Muffins by Lucie Koldova and Dan Yeffet

One more bulb-shape inspiration? Simple, very modern shape, oak wood base, hand blown glass. The style reminds me of Mid-Century furniture. Muffins ambient lights were designed by Dan Yeffet and Lucie Koldova. The series was launched during Designblok in October 2010. Manufactured by Brokis.

14 January, 2011

Converted church building in Cape Town

When Samuel and Danilo Benevelli heard that an old church building in Cape Town was for sale, they didn't hesitate. "It was like an angel wispering in my ear", says Samuel. The Italian couple spends three months in RPA every year, and the former church became their second home. Abandoned by the clergy in 1960, the building changed its identity several times: it was a dance studio, a woodworking shop and a photographer's atelier.

Perry Harrison-Hyde, an architect commisioned to adapt the building, preserved its authentic atmosphere and created modern, unpretentious, functional interiors. Retaining original heritage of the building reqired removing all the changes done by the previous owners. For example, scraping off several layers of paint, accumulated over a long period of time, revealed beautiful wooden floor.

Sharp contast between raw, authentic architecture of the building and well balanced mixture of furniture styles makes the interiors absolutely unique. Rustic floors and white cabinets in the kitchen correspond with gothic-style, arched windows. Metal chairs and lamps work as contrasting elements. Avant-garde art pieces add colour and spice up the white, airy, breathing interiors.

see more adapted church buildings here:
Adapted church buildings: private residences
Architectural restoration by MINIM interior designers
Sacrum vs Profanum - church buildings redesigned

photo: Nicolas Mathéus via: marie claire maison

13 January, 2011

Wheatsheaf House by Jesse Judd

The multi-award-winning Wheatsheaf House, lost in the depths of Australian woods, is a uniqe example of extravagantly modern holiday home. The structure, due to the risk of fires in the Vicoria region, has been shielded by a layer of metal and lifted on a platform. Its bold, graphic style, inspired by Mies van der Rohe works, makes the Wheatsheaf House architecture seem dramatic. But by the well-balanced contrast effect, it does not affect the forest landscape, it does not feel like an "intruder". “There’s no reason why you couldn’t pick it up and move it elsewhere”says Jesse Judd.

Do you like the hot red, plywood-covered, open interiors?

via: dwell

12 January, 2011

Countryside industrial

Industrial loft in a French countryside? I love this creative style fusion.... and notice all the oversized lamps... great interior design concept!

via: french by design

11 January, 2011

The perfect house

It takes a lot of imagination and love to create a beautiful family house like this one. Airy white interiors furnished with vitage pieces, decorated only with objects meaningful to the owners - exotic art 'souvenirs' brought from all of their journeys. Natural materials create cosy, warm atmosphere: wooden panels, soft woollen carpet, leather and velvet seating. All contrasted, spiced up with industrial metal: old, flaking coffe table, black, oversized floor lamp. Simple, functional, down to earth, but absolutely unpretentious beauty: the essence of Scandinavian style.

When Marie Olsson Nylander saw the building for the first time, she thought: "Never". The shabby, 70's house in distant Arlid, by the rocky Swedish coast, didn't seem appealing to the successful, busy city couple. But surprisingly to all, it turned out to be a place where everything has found its balance and perfect harmony.