Kim's personal links
MY FAVOURITE DECOR SHOPS IN OTTAWA
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kitchen remodel in my last house
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my twin sister's mostly kid's rooms decor blog
z axis design is an architecture firm based in Toronto that I recently discovered whose work is impressive. Their kitchens are gorgeous, their cabinetry is divine and I absolutely adore the front entrance that blends seamlessly with the outdoors - SO COOL!
In Hong Kong, where space is at a premium, the OnebyNine studio architects took on the challenging brief to help design this 35 square meter apartment. Lukasz Wawrzenczyk and Ewa Koter, originally from Poland but now in Hong Kong, reworked the configuration, removed walls and created a more continuous space for living, sleeping and entertaining. As a quirky linking element, "Space Invaders" mosaics appear in several rooms. A small terrace with tropical plants is a perfect (and welcome) retreat from such a bustling, overcrowded city.
"Ever wish you had a friend with a stylish house on a beautiful hillside in Tuscany, one who knows the best local restaurants, towns and vineyards? Well now you do."
With a tag line like that you know have found the perfect holiday getaway. La Bandita is the creation of music executive John Voigtmann who had the crazy idea of ditching the big city and the celebrities and with his wife restore a derelict Tuscan farmhouse. It's relaxed, comfortable, modern yet rustic, stylish and no fuss. Sheep wander past the perfect pool, views go on forever and I wouldn't be surprised if lunch continued on till dinner. Down a long bumpy road is a slice of Italian heaven. The best things in life are always off the beaten track.
Maurizio Giovannoni, and architect and interior designer in Rome, emailed us about an apartment he designed: The apartment is a little penthouse (about 65 mq.) in Turku, Southern Finland. Before renovation, too many walls and doors blocked the spaces and the passage of light, and the most beautiful view of the historical sites of Turku was on the bedroom side. My principal goal in this project was letting the light flow in and creating a relaxing living room where my customer could do his creative work. The partial demolition of walls was a natural consequence, along with reversing the location of the bedroom and living room. After fixing this, we decided on the overall “concept” together with my customer, organizing all the details that colored the white spaces. That happened during my customer’s visit to Rome (due to my impossibility to travel in that period), and via 4oo e-mails between Turku and Rome. The result is what I now consider my style: a blend of cultures. There is nothing that stimulates me more than to study different countries and make some cultural themes recognizable but never intrusive in the project. In this case, the floor is covered with parquet of white ash, the shelves are birch and the kitchen table is also birch but colored with heat. Wood is an omnipresent element in this flat as it constantly is for Finnish people, but the real attention is catalyzed by the nature theme pictured on wall paper, carrying colours and contrasts and a typical Mediterranean “courage”. The furniture itself is a mix of the 2 cultures and of past & present: the grandmother’s armchair is a piece of Finnish vintage from the sixties as is the red floor lamp. The arc framing the wall paper is the famous Twiggy by Foscarini and the suspended lamps are Italian as well:Olimpia by Ideal Lux. Everything fits together in perfect harmony! (Photos by Mikko Ala-Peijari for Kauniit Kodit magazine)
I love this apartment. It's spaces like this that make me want to forget my obsession with neutral/natural decor and grab a can of spray paint - or buy a row of chartreuse green kitchen cabinets.
We mostly feature homes on DTI that have fabulous interiors. The following home is more about the architecture. It was sent to us by the folks of newly established Mexican architecture firm Central de Arquitectura. Located in Bosques de las Lomas, Mexico, it's an incredible feat of design with a huge concrete box on top of a smaller glass one. WHOA. I love anything cantilevered.
Wed, 27 Jun 2012