Casa Honoré: graphic elegance

Annick and Bertrand bought an old print shop in 2000. Within only nine months the renovation was completed. Gradually, the run-down house in Marseilles was transformed into a harmonious, beautiful family residence. Annick, as a designer, has chosen a tasteful, contrasting, graphic colour palette. Consistently through the whole house, large surfaces were painted in white, black and grey.

To preserve the authenticity of the place, the couple chose materials reminiscent of the vibrant industry that once existed here: door and window frames of steel, asphalt-painted walls, sand-blasted windows, polished concrete and small bricks from Toulouse.

When the children moved out, Annick and Bertrand opened Casa Honoré: a luxurious Bed & Breakfast mini-hotel with four cosy bedrooms. All the interiors feel unique and intimate, absolutely nothing in here was determined or standardized. The house was furnished with vintage pieces bought at antique shops and some of the furniture was designed by Annick herself. Natural materials, charming details and beautifully arranged plants create soothing, relaxing atmosphere. 

photography: Jean-Marc Wullschleger via: Vårt Nya Hem

Styling inspiration: birdcages

I'm hunting for a vintage birdcage... we decided to invite a feathery friend to our home. Do you have any tips where to get an old, nice birdcage or a new one, but vintage-looking?

...or maybe a birdcage lamp?

...or totally crazy and unreal: real victorian wooden birdcage?

images: 1,2,3,4,5

Mobile chandeliers by Michael Anastassiades

Fascinating kinetic lamps... somewhere between art and industrial design. A sculpture or a chandelier? Mobile chandeliers by Michael Anastassiades were exhibited at V&A Museun in Lodon.

www.michaelanastassiades.com

Nostalgic sepia

Raw and simple, furnished with basic objects, nothing unnecessary... the kind of house where children run into the kitchen straight in their muddy shoes... and it's ok. Where my Grandmother makes her famous home-made pasta. Where everything is real and sincere.

photography: Bernard Touillon and Nicolas Mathéus, via: Beulahdécor

Elephant ceramics by Michele Michael

Humble, unpretentious beauty that simply can not be not noticed. Organic texture of  homespun linen, opaque glazing...  handmade porcelain with unique, earthy feel, designed by Michele Michael, a home design editor and stylist.

Big-game

Big-game was established in 2004 by Grégoire Jeanmonod (Swiss), Elric Petit (Belgian) and Augustin Scott de Martinville (French). The team has developed a clear, well-defined design style: minimalist, geometric shapes and innovative concepts that suprise with their refined simplicity.

'Signs' coat stand, produced by Japanese Karimoku, won Wallpaper* Design Award 2010 (last photo). The stand movable arms pivot out from the frame when a coat it placed and, thanks to hidden magnets, snap back when not in use. 'Signs' comes in two finish versions: natural or gray stained wood.

St. Jakobus Church conversion by Zecc Architects

One more interesting adaptation by Zecc Architects: abandoned St. Jakobus Church in Utrecht transformed into a spacious residence.

see more adapted church buildings here: sacrum vs profanum

photo © Frank Hanswijk  via: yatzer

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