Minimal Chic

Minimalist interior style used to be something I could not love. There was a time - at least in my country - when minimalist interiors were so bare and streamlined that they lacked anything that makes a room inviting. They were like some Spartan spaces. 

Later on I realised that minimal is not a bare interior stripped of every decor, but an elegant, big space that is decluttered and only showcases the pieces of furniture and art that matter. So minimalism had - and sometimes still has - a bad interpretation.

Key design elements:

- furniture: the number of pieces is kept to the minimum. Buy only the essentials that are actually needed for your comfort. 

- storage: it is important, keep your things out of sight. However, the things that are visible attract the eye. 

- carefully designed lighting: it has a big role in highlighting pieces.

- colours: they are toned down, with only one or two very carefully chosen accent colours 

- materials: it can be anything: concrete, wood, stone. Let them show. The surfaces are clean, free of clutter. One rug and one or two paintings on the wall will do the trick. 

In the moodboard above I chose a grey colour scheme with black and a bit of caramel. Some of the furniture has an interesting shape, they counterbalance the very simple sofa and chair. The few decorations are simple but elegant. The rug provides warmth againts the concrete walls. 

Mid-Century Autumn

Mid-Century Modern has definitely an autumn feel. The kind of autumn that is dry, sunny, and abounds in warm colours. This is the mood I wanted to capture in this moodboard, and some mid-century pieces came handy: the wallpaper already sets the mood, and the leaves with sticky backings can be attached to wall to form various combinations. With lots of brown tones this interior is welcoming and calm. 

Colour Combination: Emerald & Ruby

Today I am particularly lazy, so all you get is this autumn-inspired colour combination moodboard. 

Wedding Invitation!

Yess, I got a wedding invitation yesterday. One of my best friends is getting married! I have no idea what present I will buy, but I will surely come up with something. It is a moment when I regret that in my country the wedding registry service is not really available. At least I have not heard about it from anyone I know. 

A wedding is a perfect occassion to buy monogrammed things, let it be mugs, bath towels or robes, etc. A monogram gives the sense of ownership over something, it is a great idea to personalize practically anything. As there are so many decorative fonts, monogrammes and inscriptions or quotes can breathe new life into any plain surface. 

Altough in my friend's case the proposal happened in another way (they went to play badminton), I had quite an idea for a proposal... The fiancé could ask his girlfirend to go shopping for household appliances, and the insider sale staff would be waiting for them with already arranged monogrammed mugs forming 'Marry Me' on the shelf...

I am a hopeless romantic, really. 

Farmers' Market

Let's enjoy the beginning of the new season with shopping at the local farmers's market. What would you buy? :)

Street Food Bistro

Street food is back in its full glory. At least in Budapest, where I live. The former Jewish district, where once it was not too safe to walk even in broad daylight, has been now transformed into a party quarter. It is thronged with people anytime you come here. Seeing the the new life of this part of the city is very exciting. I remember how empty it was earlier, and now, espacially in the summer, I can see the tourists with maps, looking for the lastest gastropub, English guys on their way to a bachelor party (it is always fun to see guys dressed in white lace dress, sporting a blonde wig). 

This phenomenon brought in the revival of sreet food bistros. Once hamburger meant cheap and low quality junk food - now it is a loved and sought after dish at pubs, made of high quality ingredients. 

Commercial and restaurant design also saw a new wave of style. Most of the new pubs and clubs have a worn, mixmatched, industrial vibe now. 

This vibe has inspired me to make this moodboard. The athmosphere I envisage is clearly insdustrial, the colours are mainly black and white with a bit of sun yellow. The interior is dominated by whitewashed (or black!) brick walls or coloumns, a huge wall decorated with letters (similar you can see on the placemat), and for fun the serving tubes could be in porcelain - indicating it is not some cheap food you can eat here. Just check the one in the left upper corner - it is porcelain, even though it is imitating the paper takeaway food containers. The serving stand for fries and ketchup is also a lovely item. For warmth I would suggest yellow shaded lamps, maybe (seat) cushions in sun yellow, and I added an arrow marquee light, too, they are so fun. 

The overall look is sophisticated, but not posh, simple, but with exciting details. 

Ice Cream Social Party

It is still not too late! The weather is mild enough, so let's organize an ice cream party! Just imagine an ice cream bar where you can make your own favourite ice cream, choosing toppings, dressings, fruits and cones. Of course all the ingredients are organic, and as healthy as possible. This is not for children, but who says adults can not love ice cream parties?

This time I went for a more mature look. The design is revolving around stars, stripes and checked materials, all in colours red, cream and blue, with black as perfect foundation hue. 

My favourite is the rug, the pattern of which can be often seen on ice cream cones. I am not sure where I would place it, but it goes so well with the overall design.