Stephen Miller Siegel

Modern timeless classic. So says the website of New York architect and interior designer Stephen Miller Siegal. Muted colours and unusual textures are trade marks but there is a lot to learn from the details here. A platter of beautifully aligned green apples mirrors a ficus in an otherwise neutral room. Texture enriches dark brooding rooms. Art work is massed in carefully curated groups. These rooms invoke salons and libraries and formal dining rooms. Modern timeless and classic.

Images from Stephen Miller Siegal

Mies van der Rohe-inspired apartment

The following photos are of a 500 square foot apartment in Chicago that was renovated and decorated by architect Peter Roesch and his wife. They have since sold it to friends, furniture included. It's simple, modern and clean-lined, with tons of storage to keep it clutter-free.

Bockman Forbes + Glasgow

The architecture and design firm of Bockman Forbes + Glasgow are masters of mixing the old with the new. Modern with traditional. It's my favourite combination, because it's unexpected and exciting. "The studio's design philosophy adheres to modern spatial relationships, a graphic silhouette, a refined use of materials and a strong, sophisticated color palette. Whether combining a cherry-red Regency chandelier with a Saarinen lounge chair or refinishing a classical column in white lacquer, it's the Studio's unique ability to reinterpret the classics that give all their projects that "wow" factor."

Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects

The firm of Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects began in the late 60's with Jim Olson, who based his designs on some simple ideas: "that buildings can serve as a bridge between nature, culture and people, and that inspiring surroundings have a positive effect on people’s lives." And as you will see by the photos below, it is absolutely breathtaking how the interior blends with the exterior. I always dreamed of huge glass garage doors that I could open and suddenly be outside. *sigh*

Meyer Davis

I've loved this shelving unit for such a long time. I can't even remember where I first saw it. An online magazine photo pool? In print in the hundreds of shelter magazines I can't throw away? At last though I have found the architects, Meyer Davis. The rest of their portfolio is just as inspiring. Timeless and chic, modern yet classic.

Images from Meyer Davies Studio