A church conversion - victorian to modern

One of our lovely readers sent us a link to this phenomenal church conversion in Melbourne, Australia. Bagnato Architects was responsible for this incredible transformation, marrying an 1892 structure with 2012 modernism. From the front you would never know how open and modern the interior is - and the lofty space under the roof is a DREAM. (My only beef - couldn't the electrical wires stuck to the front of the gorgeous church old façade have been buried underground or at least attached someplace less obtrusively)?

P.S. HAPPY BIRTHDAY JO!!!!!!! (Jo's birthday is the 12th, but with the 14 hour time difference between us I thought I'd get it in before it's too late!)

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A converted barn

WOW - check out this converted barn by architect Dannis Wedlick in upstate New York that photographer Michael Grimm sent over. I think my love for rustic spaces just increased ten fold. And forget my dream of wanting to live in a converted loft - make that a converted barn!

(See previous posts of Michael's work here and here)

A converted hospital

A couple weeks ago I was perusing Victoria's always awesome blog and came across a post about a new online magazine out of Iceland called Home & Delicious by husband and wife team Gunnar Sverrisson (a photographer) and Halla Bára Gestsdóttir (a designer). The photography is stunning, so I had to share some of this magazine with you, as I am a sucker for online mags and gorg photos. 

In the first issue they featured a wonderful conversion on an old hospital in Þingeri, that required alot of work - heating, electrical, windows, exterior doors. The homeowners did it right, and had the new windows and doors made to mimic the look of the old ones. Old floorboards were discovered beneath layers of flooring and were re-sanded. The result is a really beautiful, historical home that is simple decorated, but so effective as the decor does not distract from the beauty of the building. Serenity now. 

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Kerrie Kelly

Kerrie Kelly is an interior designer based in Northern California whose designs caught my eye while surfing the internet. Kerrie and her team of designers at Kerrie Kelly Design Lab have got what it takes - with various design styles in their portfolio they're pretty great at just about anything - from a bit traditional to more modern/contemporary. Kerrie and some of her projects may look familiar as she's been a featured designer and has consulted with several DIY and HGTV Network's "Crashers" shows. The garage conversion below (after the jump) is an amazing transformation - and it had me laughing. You NEVER see garage conversions up here in Canada. The garages of Canadians are precious and sacred spaces that save us from having to scrape ice and snow off our cars (which on bad days can take a half hour). 

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Stalking warehouses with cute little courtyards

Don't get me wrong. I LOVE a warehouse conversion. I love the space and the industrial remnants, the soaring ceilings and the often inner city location. It's gritty luxury and oh so hip but ... sometimes, just sometimes you need a little green space, an outdoor area to sit and see the sky and smell the smog fresh air. Now this warehouse has the perfect courtyard. I'd like to see this one in person. I have a feeling that its limited colour palette is a lot more serene and elegant than the photos suggest. But maybe, just maybe I'd throw a little dash of colour here or there. Link here while it lasts.

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