Global Inspiration - Great Britain

Subject: The Case of Baker Street 65. 

Dear Miss Holmes,

I have purchased a house on Baker Street and have recently been advised that you might be willing to provide me expert help on its furnishing and decorating. 

The property in question is a nice Victorian terraced house, built in red brick, with fine features, narrow stairs, colourful tiles and window bays. I am afraid it is in desperate need of restoration. As a single woman in my twenties, it is my first home and I want it to be beautiful. My wish is a feminine, cozy, but at the same time modern interior, where I can recharge my batteries after an exhausting day. I am in desperate need of a reading nook, where I can drink my tea and immense myself in a good book. There are no pets to keep me company, but I hope it will change soon. 

I would not have troubled you with my letter if I were not concerned about the outcome of the renovation. I rely heavily on your help to solve this case. 

Your sincerely, 

Troubled Homemaker

Ice Cream Parlour

What could be better in the summer heat than an ice cream sundae? 

Enjoying it in a stylish setting, of course. 

Whenever I pick a new café or restaurant to try, I read the reviews and menu first, but it has to be a stellar review and a super exciting menu to go to the place if the interior does not live up to my expectations. I know that I am fussy, but the setting matters. Thankfully, most of the recently opened establishments boast with good design. Even ice cream parlours are beutifully created. 

The photo one the left is a place in Vienna (website: www.eis-greissler.at) I accidentally came accross on my last visit in the city. (I had known the photo beforehand, but had no idea it is located there.) I love the baby blue and white checked floor and the small details. 

I used this interior photo as a jumping-off point for my moodboard, but I went for a not-so-cool look. It means I added creamy colours, which also creates tension with the shiny stainless steel accessories (that Kitchen Aid mixer... so cool, in every colour). Instead of checked pattern I picked stripes, they are also timeless and elegant. 

I can imagine the male staff wearing those bow ties with white short-sleeve shirt and blue trousers. Probably not visible here, but the tie is decorated with ice cream cones! Similarly, female staff could wear hair band made of the same material. Actually, the girls working at Eis Grissler have blue and white checked hair bands! Good attention to the details. 

Mad Men Inspiration

It has been more than a year now that one of my favourite shows, Mad Men had its last episode aired. In my country the series did not meet with success, only the first two seasons were broadcasted, and only the first season was released on DVD. Hungary quite missed the hype and the revival of the Swinging Sixties. 

What a shame. I do not wonder, though, because my parents' generation has a bitter grudge against retro, I can always see it in my elder clients' reactions. For them the style is very much attributed to the forty years spent in the Soviet bloc, which meant  - among other things - poor design and limited access to quality goods. It was an era that people do not want back. For the younger generation retro means fun, and now it is easy to see the difference what retro really was behind the Iron Curtain. 

I like this era very much - for me it means my favourite music, huge American houses, movies set in the 60s New York, glitter, colours, style, James Bond, Arne Jacobsen and the Eamses. I could go on and on and on.

And now, after this longish introduction, let's get back to to the moodboard. Apart from Mad Men I drew inspiration from the late 60s and retro ads (like this, and this, and this). I used fonts typical of the era, and those used in Mad Men. The rug brings in the 70's white shaggy berber rugs (even though this one actually has a diamond pattern), yet the overall colour sheme is mature and sophisticated, more 60s than 70s. The cool blue hues are counterbalanced by the warm wood tones. 

The Bubble and Saucer Pendants were designed by George Nelson (in 1947), just as the Ball wall clock (in 1950) and the bench (in 1946). All of them are true Mid-Century classics. The sideboard is a two-toned piece, its colours  make it very 70s, yet it is modern due to the stainless steel parts. The wallpaper is authentic, original roll from the era. As it is very dynamic, I suggest using it on a not too big surface, between two wooden panels, like seen here on a Mad Men set, albeit between sandblasted glass panels. Used this way it will not dominate the entire room. 

The armchair is an Arne Jacobsen icon, the Egg chair in deep blue, while the sofa is a definitely retro-inspired, but new piece by BoConcept. The bowl is from the 50s, but I am not sure about the rest of the vases. It does not matter, grouped together they do have the right retro feel. 

No Post Today....

Hi All,

No posts today. I am busy with working on my Facebook and tumblr pages. Never in my life did I think it is such a time-consuming activity. I also gave the blog a long-needed facelift I had been planning for a while - the original title was meant to be temporary, and proved to be too simple. 

I also added social media buttons. Which means...

On Wednesday I will be back as usual with a new moodboard. Stay tuned! 

Have a lovely Sunday evening!

Modern Beach House Interior

Who said that a beach house interior must have some blue colour? Blue is supposed to be there when you look out of the window, so I went for a white look here, with some black accents. 

The inspiration for this moodboard came from the movie 'Dear John'. I haven't seen the film, just the trailer, and there's a scene when Channing Tatum is surfing. (I know what you think, but no, he is not my type at all.) This is how the surfboard became the main motif for this collage.
This set is designed for a young and hip man living an active life, someone dedicated to exciting sports like SUP or surfing. As he spends most of his time outdoors, interior is of secondary importance. It does not mean he wants to neglect it, it is just he goes for an easy solution. Combining black and white is exactly that, but with a bit of wood and some plants the look is not boring. Raw materials make the look a bit rustic - it is a beach cottage after all. 

In Memoriam Chris Hyndman

It has been a year since one of my idols, Canadian interior designer and TV-host Chris Hyndman died. Along with his partner, Steven Sabados, he has been my biggest inspiration in interior design ever since I watched the first episode of the show 'Designerguys' in 2002. After three fantastic seasons they hosted Design Rivals - if possible I loved that show even more. It was because of them that I picked up my old dream to become an interior designer. 

Rest in Peace Chris. I wish lots of strenght to Steven to go on without you. You will be missed forever. 

Italian Café

Last week when I wrote about a beachside café concept, I was requested to make a moodboard for an Italian café - so I hesitate no further, and here it is, an Italian inspired café mood board. 

It might be Italian-inspired, but I actually thought of New York when I created it - the Big Apple has an Italian quarter after all. I imagined a red-brick corner buliding, with huge glass windows letting the light in. With this moodboard I did not aim for a traditional look, so I made it more cosmopolitan and urban where the Italian vibe is slightly felt.
Whenever I think of Italian design, I see red. In a good way, of course. I would place a long, upholstered bench along the wall or the windows, with these red and white checked cushions on it - this pattern is so Italian, but now I decided against using it on a tablecloth. Red wooden chairs provide an exciting accent colour, but the rest of the colour scheme contains neutrals - black, white, grey with a bit of wood. I love the untraditonal black pendant by BoConcept - simple, but with a twist (notice the handle!).
The main theme of this moodboard is, however, chalkboard decor, that I feel goes very well with the Italian look. Chalkboards are widely used in cafés, and I am always amazed to see the variety of it. The funniest items here are the moustache-shaped chalkboards - they look also so Italian, yet they are very modern. Life is good.

I think I could do with a capuccino right now.