Summer Camp

The last days of summer are always more precious. The days are growing shorter, the light changes, the summer sunset has the promise of a crisp autumn. There has always been something magical about the last days of August. I tried to capture my late summer feelings in this moodboard - in fact, the middle photo was my jumping off point for this board. It shows the light, the clouds, the sunset in the way I see them around this time. And why not enjoy the passing of summer with camping out? 

Go green 3 - Extravagant and Classy

After a colourful and a muted colour combo I wanted to create something in between. I figured gold and a hint of blue would make a sophisticated look with the dark green of the sofa. These colours look bright and classy, and the patterned rug perfectly ties them up. 

However, I decided to give an exciting twist to the interior, so I mixmatched classic, modern and retro pieces to achieve an extravagant vibe. 

I love the Bellamour chandelier by Currey & Company - the curved panels of antiqued mirror reflect the light, and replicate the shape of classic chandeliers. Together with the Calabash pendant by Lightyears company they fight for attention. 

The Noguchi coffee table in black and the Eggchair in yellow leather by Arne Jacobsen are mid-century pieces, but became true classics. Notice how the Eggchair brings back the shape of the gold lamp. The cushions bring back the colours of the rug. 

This styling is probably my favourite of the three, because of its light and breezy spring feel. Which one is your favourite, and why? 

Go green 2 - Scandinavian

Yes, your guess was right, it is the Scandinavian style! I thought that after the last moodboard's vivid colours it is time to show something completely different. 

Scandinavians love using white - lots of ligh-reflecting white - in their homes. It means white walls (if you want to add texture, whitewash your brick wall) and white floors (or very light oak or maple). With a background like this you can still go for colours, but this time I decided against it, making the forest green the only colour here. 

I made sure that the furniture and accessories here are mostly from Nordic countires. The armchair in black leather is from BoConcept, just like the sofa. These universal pieces can find their way into most urban homes. The chair is especially my favourite, in spite of its thin shells, it is surprisingly comfortable, it supports my back very well. 

The tables are from the Tablo series by Norman Copenhagen - they come in various sizes and colours, and are utterly Scandinavian. It is said assembling them is easy, and no screws are recquired. 

The flower patterned cushions are by the Finnish brand Marimekko, the design itself comes from 1964, so if you thought it has some retro vibe, now you can be sure. The vase is the work of Alvar Aalto, another famous designer from Finland. 

The pendant lamps are by Louis Poulsen - if you remember, in my post about Arne Jacobsen I mentioned this Danish lighting manufacturer. Both pendants were designed by Poul Henningsen, whom I am sure I will write about in the future. The floor lamp you can also remember from the very same post. 

The overall look is Scandinavian, and just a bit feminine, because of the cushions - should you change them, you can have a more masculine interior. 

I think I collected many big Scandinavian designers here. In the next moodboard I will have to come up with a new look. Keep an eye on this blog. 

Go green 1 - Feminine New York Loft

So we have a classic shaped sofa in dark green. In forest green, actually, but I thought it is dark and a bit sad, so this is how the idea came to use bright pinky colours paired with light, vivid lush greens. They definitely brighten up the sofa, but to avoid the mess I toned them down with neutrals - this way I also enhanced the two lead colours. 

Please, note how the candleholder and the green lamp have similar features; also the green cushion and the green lamp (by Ciara O'Neill) have motifs on them. These are small things, but can tie the room together.

The armchair by Rémi Bouhaniche was inspired by the origami, and it seems super comfy. Depending on the colour it can look sophisticated or fun.

All these colorful, modern pieces could fit well into in a loft, with industrial features and brick walls, creating interesting contrast. The hues make it very feminine, too - gone is the dark sofa, this interior now oozes happiness!

In my next post on Friday I will show you another styling, one that is probably closer to what the Danish company envisaged for this colour. Can you guess this style? 

The green sofa project - 1 sofa - 3 styles

I am a huge fan of blue. (Odd way to start a blogpost about green. Let's start it again.)

Green, especially this forest green is not exactly my favourite colour. (Then why are you writing about it, you idiot? Delete.)

Green is definitely in. (You have already told about it in two posts in June - one about the new H&M Home collection and the other about an attic interior. Come up with something more original. And not so negative, please. Thank you.)

Experience taught me that the new trend colour, green is not exactly easy to match other colours with. (Not bad. Go on.) Naturally, the least difficult way is to use this colour on accessories, but why could not you use it on bigger surface? Like, on a sofa? (Maybe, because it is so striking?) 

Yes, this forest green is striking, it demands attention as it is just a big splash of colour. So, what can you do with it? 

Next week I will show you three ways to accessorize this green monster. (That is, for the record, the Cenova sofa by BoConcept, in forest green Napoli fabric.)

One sofa and one colour - three styles and three colour combinations. The Green Sofa Project. 

Stay tuned. 

Check the style here:

Style 1

Style 2

Style 3

Roof terrace for stargazing

He was a free spirit. 

At nights he took his motorbike out of the garage, and through the empty, dimly lit streets, his bike took him out of town, where the stars shone brighter, the grass was tall and wild, and he was laying on the ground for hours, gazing happily up the starry sky. 

A long time passed this way, and he thought this was how things were supposed to be.
Then came the moment when he finally found the one, the one he thought he would never meet; but settling down came with a price. She lived far in a big, noisy city where the street lights outshone the stars, the grass in the park was well-kept and cut short. She led a totally different life that included last minute meetings, presentations, rush hours and Starbucks takeaway lattes.  

The choice had to be made.

He gave up his motorbike, bid farewell to the sleepy town and moved in with her. The first months were spent with decorating the new home, the top floor apartment in an older red brick building - the love nest as she called it. 

Naturally she adored every moment of the renovation. He - well, he did not. What is so enjoyable in selecting cushions, discussing durable materials and harassing the carpenter with a new storage bench? And, by the way, he still could not make up his mind between green and brown. These natural colours reminded him of the tall grass outside of his birth town. After a mild row she bought furniture in both colours. He did not say a word. There was only one thing he insisted on: the Route 66 wall marquee. When she saw it, she just rolled her eyes with an indulgent smile. He did not notice, as he was too busy with hanging the string of light bulbs above the table. 

Over the coming months he gradually settled in, found a job and new friends. The rooftop terrace was the center of laugh and fun when their friends came over for late night dinner. It was good. 

But sometimes, in the middle of the night, when he could not sleep, he climbed out of the bed quietly and went upstairs, to the rooftop terrace. 

There stood her gift - the telescope.
He could look at the stars anytime now, whenever he wanted, closer than ever. So he was laying on the bench for hours, gazing happily up to the starry sky. 

Designer of the Month - Arne Jacobsen

Another favourite designer of mine: Arne Jacobsen, the Father of Danish Design. I love his works, so it is going to be a long post, albeit a very subjective one. 

Arne Jacobsen was born in 1902 in Denmark, as the son of a trader and a bank clerk. Showing extraordinary talent for drawing, the young Arne first wanted to be a painter, yet chose to study architecture under pressure from his father. Eventually he attended The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, where he learned from the leading designers. As a student, he won a silver medal for a chair design at the Paris Art Deco Fair - later on it were his chair designs he was the best at. Also in Paris he became acquainted with the work of Le Corbusier, and later on in Germany, also with the work of Walter Gropius and Mies van der Rohe, pioneers of the Bauhaus style. His graduation project was inspired by these designers, and won him a gold medal. He won another competititon in 1929 - the House of the Future was a round building, had a boathouse and a helicopter pad.
A year later he set up his own office and later he became professor at the Academy. He married in 1927 and had two sons, however, the marriage did not prove to be successful.

I have to mention another architecture competition he won in the 1930s. On my first visit to Copenhagen I was not familiar with these buildings yet, but I immediately noticed their simple beauty when we passed them on the seashore. It consists of three units, located close to each other in Klampenborg, just north of Copenhagen. Klampenborg is easy to reach by the local train called S-Tog.
1) The seaside resort called Bellavista was completed by 1934, built in Bauhaus/International Modernist Style. The timeless, beautiful white complex overlooking the sea had 68 well-equipped apartments with open floor plan.
2) For the Bellevue Beach accross the road  Jacobsen designed the lifeguard towers and the changing cabins - he went as far as designing the uniforms of the employees. I went there in October on my second visit (by then I knew why I had loved these buildings so much two years ago) and when I was just about to freeze to death, crazy Danes were having sunbath... in October, really.
3) A bit further up the road Strandvejen the Bellevue Theater can be found, the perfect example of Danish Functionalism. It was capable of open-air performances due to its retractable roof, in synch with how the whole project was mentioned as 'The dream of the modern lifestyle'.
In the neighbourhood, Skovshoved, closer to Copenhagen  there is a filling station designed by Jacobsen, and it is still in use today.  It is related to the Bellevue project, built in the same era.

During World War II. the Nazi racial law made assignments difficult to obtain for Jewish people. Although an unpracticing Jew, due to his background Jacobsen had to flee from Denmark in 1943. The Danish resistance helped the whole Danish Jewish community (including people like Nobel prize awarded phisycist Niels Bohr) to escape to the neighbouring country. He spent two years in Sweden, mostly designing fabrics and wallpapers.
Upon his retrun to his home country in 1945 he picked up architecture again, as Denmark was in urgent need of public and residental buildings. He designed both, including city halls (the 'Roman' clock above was designed for the Aarhus City Hall in 1942), banks, schools and home complexes - he moved into a house designed by himself. Some of these designs caused controversy and were not accepted at that time. Later on larger comissions found him even from abroad - like Germany, London and Pakistan.

His furniture were always created for other, mostly architectural projects. Since 1934 he collaborated with Fritz Hansen furniture company, and develpoed lamps with Louis Poulsen.
The famous Ant chair (in black above) was designed in 1952 for the canteen of the Novo Nordisk pharmaceutical factory but almost ended up a prototype, as the manufacturer Fritz Hansen was not convinced by its potential. This stackable chair got its name because it looks like as if an ant raised its head. (It does look like an ant, if you ask me. It might be called cute by some, but I prefer thinking of it as a chunky exclamation mark.) Above you can see the original three-legged version, but it is available with four tubular steel legs as well.  It is made of moulded plywood and is inspired by a similar chair by Charles Eames, after Jacobsen bought one for his own studio.
Around the same time the Ant was born, another small wonder was created. The Dot stool is simple, stackable and multifunctional. It comes in a range of colours.
The Seven chair (originally 3107) can be seen in walnut and with four legs above, but its variations are endless - many colours and bases are available. It can be an office chair or even a barstool. A further development of the Ant chair, it debuted in 1955 at the H55 exhibition in Helsingborg, Sweden. With more than 5 million copies it became the most sold stackable chair in history. After 60 years, it is still a fresh, timeless icon, widely used in pop culture and very much copied. Its shape is ideal for the human body. It is said that it takes 11 days to produce one chair, at the cost of nine sheets of veneer, two layers of cotton backing and five coats of paint. The fabric layer was utilized between the layers of wood to increase strenght and flexibility of material.
These chairs fared well on the market, as they did not take up much space, and there was big demand for lightweight, durable chairs at affordable price.

The Grand Prix chair (on the left, above a round table) got its name because it recieved the Grand Prix prize in Milano in 1957. Originally it came only with wooden legs, but now it is available with the undercarriage of the Model 3107, too. The seat parts are also identical with the Series 7. It has been taken out of production several times.

As a designer Arne Jacobsen was always a perfectionist. He did not liked or used the word 'designer', and kept referring to himself as an architect. His design process was slow - he did not know what he wanted to achieve, but kept experimenting intuitively and every small detail was of extrem importance. This of course meant frequent delays of the production.
His design inspiration came from abroad, he travelled a lot from his early youth, yet designed with the Danish traditions in his mind.
Sometimes he had enough of design and aesthetics, and escaped to the nature (he loved holiculture). 'Here you can't change anything' - he said. Yet again, he could not escape design for long. Even if he ate a pastry, the pastry had to look good to taste good. He said: 'A pastry usually tastes better if it looks nice. A cream pastry, now that looks nice - in fact, there is nothing I mind as long as it looks nice.'.
I can only relate to that.

I am not going into details about Jacobsen's post-war architectural projects, but there is one that must be mentioned. The twenty stories high Radission Blu Royal Hotel (originally SAS Royal Hotel) was built between 1956 and 1960, and can be regarded as the world's first design hotel. As it was very typical of Jacobsen to pay attention to every small detail (like he designed also the uniforms of the employees at Bellevue Beach, or the garden of an Oxford college), he designed everything from furniture to small objects like ashtrays, stainless steel cutlery, textiles for the hotel. I love how the organic shapes of his furniture are in sharp contrast with rigid geometric forms of the building. However, the hotel was heavily critcized from an architectural point of view. It was compared to a cigarbox.
Unfortunately, most of his work has been lost, as the hotel was redecorated according to company standards in 1980s. The management sold the original furniture cheap. It was an era when Mid-Century Modern was not fashionable any more. Only one single room, number 606 kept the original design with wood panels and blue and green colours - the colour combo I love the most. There is a whole book dedicated to this one famous room, the cover of it very much resembles to the exterior of the hotel.
The 'sideproducts' of the hotel were some fantastic upholstered furntiure. Let's see what they are.
The 3300 sofa (in black in the right corner below) and its armchair were originally designed for the SAS Air Terminal. The sofa is available in two- and three seater versions. The inspiration came from a couch he designed for his own home in the 1940s.
The Swan chair and sofa (both in dark brown leather above) are from 1958.  The entirely rounded chair is available in a wide range of upholstery; the star shaped leg comes in satin polished aluminium. Though made especially for the lounge and lobby areas of the hotel, it was also used for the Danish National Bank later on. Due to the lack of straight lines and edges the chair was technologically innovative.
The Egg chair is a timeless attention-grabber and probably the most iconic piece by Jacobsen. It is surprisingly comfortable, wraps you up like a cocoon. I had to represent it twice in the moodboard - there is a small one on the left with its back to us. Using state of the art materials, it is said to have been inspired by another classic, the Womb chair by Eero Saarinen. The Egg was also available as sofa, but only for a short time and as a limited edition.
The third chair he designed for the project was the Drop (no photo here) - made exclusively in a very limited number for the hotel, it is now relaunched more than 50 years later.
The lamps above with their rotatable shade were also made for the hotel project in 1960 and are available in different versions.

The Oxford chair (in the middle, seen from its left side) is a piece from 1963, made for the professors at the St. Catherine's College at Oxford (the garden of which is also a creation of Jacobsen). The extra tall back serves a symbol of prestige, but actually three back heights and two undercarriages are available.

I have not covered the tables yet. They were designed in co-operation with Peit Hein and Bruno Matheson in a variety of height and size.

Designed in 1970 for the Danish Central Bank, the Lily chair (in black in the middle, below the Swan sofa) is a late work of Jacobsen. It got its name because it resembles to a blossoming lily flower, and comes with or without armrest (here your can see it without it). Made from laminated slice veneer, the chair has a complicated moulding process.

The lovely espresso cups above are just examples of Arne Jacobsen's households supplies for kitchens and bathrooms. It included cocktail kits, tableware, faucets, door handles, etc. One of his flatware designs were used in the movie 2001 A Space Odyssey.

Arne Jacobsen died early and unexpectedly from a heart-attack in 1971, when working on the Danish National Bank. Some of his projects were completed only after his death.

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.