September 6, 2010
Design sense, either you have it or you don’t. Cortney and Robert Novagratz of Sixx Design do with their ability to push the limits so far out of the box that rules, as they say, no longer need apply.
They ignore all typical limitations often imposed on designers and that’s the way they like it. Their work defies and challenges all decor traditions and incorporates other unique artist’s work to create the likes of places and spaces never seen before.
Having as many kids as they do (they have seven) and a life as chaotic as theirs, can become a challenge, but to me it’s a factor that has no doubt contributed to their success. From private residences, to gyms, to hotels, no project is too big or too complex to tackle for this husband and wife team.
I’ve always admired such free-spirited designers who, without any true formal training, land themselves in a field that they truly love. Cortney and Robert have done just that and each and every square inch of their rooms reflects their dedication and passion for their profession.
All images from SixxDesign, Joshua McHugh, & Matthew Williams
August 19, 2010
I adore Italy. My ties to this country are important and always have been as my Father’s side originates from there. I grew up in a family that worked hard but also knew how to laugh at it all at the end of the day. Sunday afternoons were spent at my Nonna’s playing cards and preparing and cooking a family recipe for gnocchi made from scratch.
I’ve had nothing but respect for Italians. Their passion for life, love, fashion and sports are really what keeps them ticking. There is the old school side of the country in its architecture, traditions and food but these are constantly challenged with a modern and insistent movement. Its history can be read off of every building and road. Their genuine charm and fascinating culture, among other things, makes it one of the top European destinations to explore.
Some of my family have been to visit this romantic and idyllic place yet I still have not found the right time in my life to follow in their footsteps. I could imagine it being too tempting to visit every single village, town and city which almost makes the thought of going a little overwhelming. I’ve seen their photos and heard their stories and cannot wait for the day that I get to experience it first hand.
Images from: cgoulao, apartment therapy, only summer, my every day extraordinary, a cup of jo, apartment therapy, k.hurley, ivresse-de-vivre, the sartorialist, k.hurley, iceninejon, alvarolg
August 12, 2010
Taking ownership of your home does not only mean just holding the keys to it. It also means putting your stamp onto each room one square inch at a time.
It can be a slow process often stunted by life and its developments. In the interim, beautiful things can happen. Eclecticism and personality can surprisingly determine a sense of your own style without even realising.
As you get older and you find out a bit more about yourself, your taste and interests adjust. What you lugged around with you from your very first place now sit alongside pieces that represent you in your current state. Some items still stand the test of time whereas others no longer suit you and with reason. We are not who we were then, so why should our furnishings remain the same?
Just like life, our home will constantly evolve whether we accept this or not. It’s simply the choices we make along the way that determine the extent of this evolution. I am on an upward swing with ours now and since the momentum is building, there is certainly no looking back for me.
Images from: shootfactory, freunde von freunden, emmablog, skönahem, desiretoinspire, janeleni, frederikvercruysse, the diversion project, the diversion project
July 28, 2010
When I think of architects, I can only imagine the technicalities they must face on a daily basis when planning and designing homes.
Does the sunlight shine through flawlessly at all times of the day? Will the structure and skeleton of the house fit accurately within the aspired look? Could the ceiling height make or break the client’s brief? The list could go on but the obstacles remain challenges, even for the best of them.
The focus and determination to draft up a home from a hole in the ground has always astounded me, the results even more so. If you think about how, as a home owner, it is always best to live in your house for at least a year before truly understanding the ebb and flow of living in it. So how do the architects even begin to predict the intricacies of life before a brick has even been laid?
The tricks of their trade will always be part of a bigger and more complex science which could, and does, take years to master. In a profession where an architect’s work could be reflected on for decades and even centuries into the future, for now we can only revel in the true beauty of their craft as the building blocks of a what many of us call “home”.
Images from: contemporist, turnbull griffen haesloop architects, contemporist, william o’brien jr., black.white.yellow., elding oscarson, cambridge architectural, contemporist, calderoliver, dwell
July 23, 2010
Practicality doesn’t always fit into my vocabulary when it comes to style. I do however think about what needs to be taken into consideration when I design our rooms at home.
Of course, there wouldn’t be a point in making a room picture perfect only for it to be left uninhabitable out of fear of marring that perfection. I am learning more and more as we slowly renovate our home that there are options to keep style in your design that ultimately stays true to your life and its needs.
Having an entire home with wall to wall pristine white flooring has always been my way of thinking that style would certainly override practicality. It would take living it one to really understand the degree of maintenance you decide to accord to it. I can imagine how vibrant and fun these homes must be though once you walk in and are really able to see each and every piece sitting in and against the most neutral kind of backdrop. Almost like a completely blank canvas. Each element lives on its own as if it’s being displayed in an art gallery.
There are so many variations of the look from white washed boards to modern concrete filled rooms. I haven’t seen a white floor that I have not loved. What are your favorites types?
Images from: katrine martensen-larsen, my scandinavian retreat, kitka, sköna hem, tinekhome, sköna hem, kitka, gitteandersen, melificient, dwell, decor8
July 13, 2010
I’m not really considered as the “outdoor type” although I truly do enjoy nature. The inspiration it provides me is by far what I love most about it.
I can stare at the clouds and dream up shapes, I hold up leaves to see the intricacies of the pattern created by its veins, I often revel at the pure whiteness of a new snowfall. Each element nature creates provides detail, colour, pattern that all designers take home with them to eventually be influenced by.
I’ve found spending time outside makes all four of us happier, we feel content. There’s nothing like the smell of sunscreen on the little ones necks and coming home to a nice cool bath. With this heatwave upon us though, we’ve not been able to eat dinner outside in the evenings as much as we would like. These spaces are a perfect and are an ideal combination of nature and shelter.
Sunday morning spent reading newspapers with a warm drink in any of these would be a dream.
A collection of favorite summer spots. What are yours?
Images from, vavrinec mensi, dwell, apartment therapy, owen & wokes, australian design review, arent & pyke, dwell, saltspoon as seen on flickr, marmol radziner, contemporist
June 30, 2010
After the lovely Sharon from Layers and Layers posted about the One Picture Challenge III here, I decided I’d go ahead and contribute to the list of beautiful and meaningful interiors. I adore the whole concept behind truly finding a room that says it all and this one does for me. It comes from the October 2007 edition of Dwell Magazine, and I wrote about the entire home here.
June 24, 2010
In case you don’t know already, we have two young children with a home dedicated, for now, to a maintenance-free life. We’ve begun renovating our master bathroom in hopes that it would kick off a series of “decor renewals” to recoup a part of ourselves in our home since they came along.
We have been on the hunt to pin and determine our style. So many interiors have inspired us. From Scandinavian white-floored rooms with pops of colour everywhere, to mid-century modern decor with Eames chairs abound to LA homes right out of the pages of Dwell magazine with the hippest couples, children in tow, hanging out on their designer sofas. We’ve explored the spectrum and have loved every minute of it.
A few have definitely stood out for me and am slowly beginning to find a common bond. It all started with Nyla Free’s home tours blog series from last year’s Dwell on Design and following that, a perusal of Bloesem Blog’s “Let’s get personal” post featuring Emma’s home of The Marion House book. These modern interiors own a more “here and now” feel with such a deep-rooted casualness that lift my spirit and make me yearn to replicate that effect in my own home.
When a room has a lived-in feeling but still maintains its strong and polished composure, I get hooked. I can almost feel what it would be like to be there, taking in its every detail and the feelings that it evokes. Inspiration of this kind satiates my soul. It also allows me to better visualize the final product which in turn makes me dream of the possibilities for our own home.
Images from, saltspoon, the nyla blog, bloesem blog, lori andrews, the marion house book, simply grove
June 14, 2010
Whenever I’ve seen him on TV or flipped through a magazine to spot his interiors, his work exudes two things to me: passion and precision. How fitting is it is that only just after posting about these topics do I write about the incredible and now legendary style of Mr. Nate Berkus.
His passion for color is what usually gets me first. Not one hue for Nate seems to be off limits and to me that is a sign of a true designer. His rooms remain cohesive and his color choices although at times vibrant, never shocks or disturbs the eye. We are drawn into his spaces and the sophistication of his designs is what truly stands out.
His talent for precision is what I always admire next. You can sense his frame of mind and deduce his process when you look into his rooms. Not one item is out of place, every piece involved has the ability to exist harmoniously and honor the entire picture it creates. His floor plans, his accessorizing and detailing, his lighting, every aspect is thought out and never neglected which always makes for a well-rounded, original and approachable design.
Passion and precision. Two words that every designer, including myself, aspire to have but are my favorite ones used to describe Nate Berkus and his work. What are yours?
Don’t forget his new show which premieres September 13th, what a great way to kick off the fall season!
Images from, chicago home & garden, emily a. clark, elledecor, my home ideas, desiretoinspire, apartment therapy, high street market
June 11, 2010
Throughout this journey that Holley & Gill has taken me on, I’ve found myself with several newly acquired passions. For me, a passion is when you are suddenly no longer aware of what time it is, what you need to be doing and where you need to be.
It’s happened before when I’ve been blogging or planning designs, the times escapes me and I’m not bothered one bit about it. But this specific passion made my heart race and my creativity soar to heights I’d never felt before. It began on a simple sunny morning, our bedroom became our make-shift studio for the day. I began to style our shoot for our very first catalogue and the rest became a blur of giddiness and excitement.
Interior styling is what creates and evokes that emotion. A ray of sun coming from an open window, a chair slightly turned towards the lens, or even a “just tossed there” item can intensify an otherwise ordinary room. It creates a persona, you begin to see the story and it leaves you wanting to know more. It definitely left me with wanting more.
It is truly astounding when your original vision can branch out to create so many other outlets to explore and learn from. I’m extremely grateful for this ride and cannot wait to see what comes next.
What new passions have you discovered and how did they come about?
Images from, holley&gill, jakob solgren, happy place, happy place, agent bauer, design*sponge, decor8, arent&pyke
