A South African penthouse

It's about energy and mood. A black and white palette with exotic colour accents. Artwork, sculpture, glassware and ceramics add soul, depth and character. Luxury is layered with practicality but above all it's about living in the centre of the city in an apartment that blends the inside and out seamlessly, the view being paramount. This three-level on top the Sandhurst Towers, Sandton, Johannesburg penthouse is the creation of  Greg Truen and Ina Fourie of SAOTA (Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects) with interiors by Adam Court of OKHA Interiors.

"In effect, we created a wall-less 900m² penthouse, with a garden, that gives the impression of levitating above the city mass. We created a continual flow from zone to zone, utilising materials that emphasised the sense of space, transparency and reflection.  We introduced organic textural/tactile elements through the use of timber and flamed granite to soften and add a counterpoint to the contemporary drama."

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Reader's home - a California dream

Peggy Dupuis (of Dupuis Design) wrote us about her recently decorated California home and I had to share it wih you all because she lives in quite the pad! The home is pretty spectacular, with breathtaking views, floor-to-ceiling windows, moveable walls to open the living room to the backyard which features a pool. YEAH, the parties that could be had at Peggy's house. :-) Thanks Peggy!

  

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Desert Nomad House

Desert and man-made. Inside and out. Vastness and intimacy. Modern and ancient. Desert retreat, museum and home. It's about location and built environment. Light and shade. A dichotomy of design. Looking in, looking out. Texture, materials and art ... oh the art. The Melanesian statues are to die for. Three steel and glass cubes by Rick Joy Architects, the Desert Nomad House, Tucson, Arizona is listed for sale here.

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The Modern Shop

This is just a quick post to welcome The Modern Shop to our sidebar. I have featured this shop before, back in October when I went to their grand opening (and when it was called The Modern Light). I am always eager to help promote local shops, especially ones as COOL as this because I often complain about the sh*tty selection of shops (for furniture and clothing) here in Ottawa. The Modern Shop is FOR SURE among my top 5. I have to admit I've been avoiding stopping by there lately because they carry such awesome furniture and lighting and I really need to get through my house additions first before I buy more stuff. They carry lines such as Flos, Hay, Modernica, MASHstudios, Moooi, Thonet, Jonathan Adler and MANY more. They'll ship anywhere, and offer free shipping on most orders within North America.
Now I'm thinking maybe I could stop by The Modern Shop today, just for a few minutes....

(I sooooo want a bunch of these....)

A cool bachelor pad

My brother-in-law Dave is always sending me links to homes that he has spotted on various websites, in the hopes that one day I'd find one worthy of blogging about. Well, I'm finally blogging one. He found the home here, but it was originally featured in New York Magazine. It's the 2100 sq ft Brooklyn bachelor pad of "Blue's Clues" star Steve Burns, designed by Mesh Architectures. I love the industrial feel, the exterior is totally rad, the catwalk on the second floor (inside and out) and the private courtyard. A home worthy of the pages of Dwell mag, if it hasn't already been featured there.

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