In Paris

Karine and Matthieu had a clearly defined idea how to renovate the house: open interiors and more light. Inspired by trips to Japan and by works of Charlotte Perriand and Alvar Aalto, they agreed to keep it simple: wood,  metal, polished concrete and beautiful textiles.

The couple had rented the house for ten years when they were offered to buy it. They commissioned François Murraciole and Agathe Perroy to renovate and adapt the building: it needed a thorough facelift. The architects redesigned partition walls to use the space more efficiently and added a small atrium to let more light in. The old, narrow and dark staircase was replaced by new one, made of steel and with innovative sheet metal handrails. A thick wall, running from the kitchen up to the fourth floor, functions both as a partition and a storage. The architects custom-designed many other details as well: handrails, radiators, sinks and kitchen surfaces.

Calm color palette of the interiors was chosen deliberately to provide a perfect, contrasting background for furniture and artwork. The pale-colored parquet that covers all the floor surfaces creates a sense of consistency. The final result is an immediate impression of space and light.

photo: Jean-Marc Wullschlege via: Vårt Nya Hem

Ray lamp by llot llov

Woolen and warm, it gives soft, diffused light. Ray by llot llov is a very versatile lamp design, you can use it creatively: hang it, lay it on the floor, wrap 12 metres cord in decorative  loops and knots...

"Because of our love for old things, our fancy for the ordinary and our joy in finding new interpretations, every piece of our work bears llot llovs special signature. Our idea of design is multidimensional: we avoid the drawing of boundaries, setting our preference on the experimental. llot lov look at the world, take risks, learn, understand and interpolate the world in an illogical, intuitive and creative way."

more knitted lamp designs:  knitted lamps, warm light :)

Fogo Island Studios by Saunders Architecture

Magnificent, raw landscapes of Fogo Island (Newfoundland, Canada) are a perfect location for photoshoots and art projects. The Shorefast Foundation and the Fogo Island Arts Corporation, organizations rejuvenating the local community through the arts and culture, commissioned Todd Saunders to design a series of six artists’ studios. The architect works and lives in Bergen, and designing for Newfoundland, where he grew up, feels like a great opportunity. The whole project will be completed by 2012.

photo credits: Bent Rene´Synnevåg

seen at: knoettehuset

Diesel furniture collection by Moroso

Metal studs, leather belts, vinyl records...  Diesel furniture collection created with Moroso.
Simply rock'n'roll!

Creative mix: Brooklyn townhouse

Jenna and Vince, a creative directorfor J. Crew clothing brand and a sculptor. As many other urban boheme couples, they used to live in a spacious loft... but it didn't seem like the ideal home to raise a child. Moving to a three-storey townhouse in Brooklyn was the right decision.

The new house is more functional and feels more cosy, but still - it retains the aura of a loft. "We wanted to create different atmosphere in each room. The opposite of an open space, "says Jenna.

Almost none of the furnitue pieces was bought in a traditional store. As in her work, she enjoyed mixing antique and modern, classical and crazy objects. "Each of them deserves adequate space, and interior should not be too loaded. When you follow this logic, the square meters fill in quickly."

photo: Matthew Williams / Photofoyer via: at casa 

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.

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