Designer: Jiun Ho

My most recent interesting find is the portfolio of designer Jiun Ho. His spaces range from residential spaces to dramatic hotels. I am loving his entire portfolio! Its so earthy and serene.

An interesting detail he repeats is the two-tone draperies. Its a great subtle touch.

P.S. Bloggers may notice that I posted larger photos. For some reason editing the Html the way I used to didn't work anymore. It took a little time but I finally figured out how to get my big scale pictures, back! (I'm from Texas. I don't really like little;)

The Liam Sofa

Mitchell Gold's "Liam Sofa" on the left. My "Liam Sofa" on the right!

I wonder if they would trade? I'm not that interested in plugging Mitchell Gold,
I just thought this was funny. Around my house we try not to combine the words
"Liam" and "sofa".If you don't know what I'm talking about click HERE to read my sad story.

Well, Thanks Apartment Therapy!

On Monday, I wrote about different approaches to lighting a home painted in very dark colors.
As if on cue, Apartment Therapy posted a home that uses both natural lighting and dramatic artificial lighting.
I guess the 10 emails a day from them, paid off;)

usTogether Bathroom Designs

If you love white and the very latest concepts in bathroom designs, usTogether bathroom suite will certainly tick all the right boxes!

The sleek and very chic basin and bath have very unusual clear sides which remind me somewhat of a fish tank! This bath is not for you if you share a bathroom as there is no modesty afforded here!

The suite maximises space in small bathrooms, a much needed asset in many modern homes where space is restricted, by incorporating the basin and bath into one slim-line unit which fits neatly along the length of one wall.

White provides a crisp, clean and very chic look in a bathroom. Combine this design with white décor and white blinds the room offers a sense of minimalist and almost sci-fi look.

The white contoured shelving is used to draw the eye along the line of the design. No clutter is definitely the order of the day in a bathroom such as this.

The use of white for the décor enables the natural light from the small window to be maximised fully. Using a slim-line white blind will enable the light to still enter the room and yet offer effective privacy to the outside world. By tilting the louvers of a Venetian blind upwards some interesting light effects can be achieved to add to the sci-fi feel of this bathroom.

usTogether are a team of British and Irish designers who focus primarily on bathroom designs. For further information visit usTogether

Image source: notempire

Designing In The Dark

Is it even necessary to have any other color besides black?
If you looked at my wardrobe, you wouldn't think so, and looking
at this Norwegian apartment, you wouldn't think so either!

One thing I love so much about using dark colors
in an interior, is how muchany other color jumps out when
placed against the dark backdrop. This incredible
antique cabinet would lose much of its rich color
if placed against a white wall. (I'm trying to give some of
you a subtle hint).

On occasion I have been asked about my opinion on black walls.
Personally, any dark color can be used in an interior if paired w/ proper lighting.
This apartment has amazing natural light, which balances out the heavy use of black.
W/out the natural light, this place might be kind of morbid. If you don't have natural
light, you can always fake it by using dramatic effects like spot lights on the wall or art,
or well placed lamps and so on. That is my opinion, but I would love to know what some
of you think. Have any of you tried such a bold approach?

Found via: Dwellings and Decor Blog

Decades No. 2

I simply love the design and the idea of taking drawer fronts from different furniture pieces and mixing them together into one stunning chest of draws.

Decades No. 2 offers a practical storage space which is visually appealing and very ecco friendly! The discarded draw fronts were all sourced from flea markets and combine the draw fronts from offices and home furniture. This particular piece was designed for the Swedish Design Museum.

Recycling at its best in my opinion! A simple design concept which has produced a very practical piece of functional furniture. Incorporating different draw design styles across the decades brings a whole host of colour combinations together in a very stylish way. Each draw front has its own unique and original handle or knob, adding further interest and colour.

A great way to use a wooden blind to coordinate with the natural materials in the same room. Use in contrast or in conjunction with other wonderful salvage bargains the new in vogue ’Shabby chic’ interior design style will add a new concept to the meaning of shabby and very chic.

The Decades chest of drawers would look great in modern or traditional interiors as the mix of old and new provides a unique and very stylish piece of furniture. The white lacquered MDF shows each draw front off beautifully and enhances the natural and man-made material of each draw front in a very striking way.

If you would like further information and to view more images of Decades visit wisdesign

This Is Just Like A Dream I Had Once...

Shoes, shoes everywhere! Fantastic:)
Also, props for an amazing display.
(I think I've been watching Randy Jackson too much)

Design Find: Bendant Lamp

Ooh, ooh! I'm loving this piece
for its color and its great price!
Find at Uncommon Goods (Brooklyn, not Austin).

Blight - Modern Technology Introduced to a Venetian Blind

The humble Venetian blind has been brought into the 21st century with Blight, so called as a clever word combination of b (for blind) and light.

Designed by Vincent Gerken provides the same versatility of a conventional Venetian blind during the day with fully adjustable louvers to offer different diffused lighting effects to help keep rooms cool in the warmer months. As well as offering complete privacy from prying eyes.

The louvers have solar strips on each one with a battery housed within the header rail to collect the energy produced. As the outside light begins to fade the louvers become a light source for the room.

Blight gradually becomes brighter the darker it becomes outside. The designer has made it clear that he has not come up with a totally new concept of Venetian blind, just that he has added some modern technology to give a new function in addition to the existing versatility of a Venetian blind.

An innovative way to take full advantage of the sun’s energy in an everyday item which continues to a very popular window treatment in both home and office interiors. The modern steel look offers a sleek look which compliments modern interior design styles effectively. A great way to make a saving on fuel bills, particularly if used as the window treatment for a south facing window with maximum exposure to sunlight. Additional subdued lighting could be easily be created by adding floor or table lamps into the room if insufficient light is generated by the blind in large sized rooms.

Blight is one of the top fifty entries in the Greener Gadgets Design Conference being held in New York City on 27th February 2009.

For more information and image source visit inhabit

Back Together Again!

Its been too long since we had a Houston blogger lunch.
Luckily, we corrected that; this past weekend:)

Paloma (on the left) organized a wonderful lunch
at one of my favorite places, The Raven Grill.
I even got to meet a few new bloggers!
(Center: Courtney
of Under A Paper Moon.
Right: Meg of Late Check-In).

Kylie of Bandelle (On the left) and I have emailed and
so on, but this was our first chance to meet. Quick!
Blog readers, can you name the rest of these prolific bloggers?
Answer: Center top: Paige (I Heart You)
Top right: Lauren (Material Girls)
Bottom Right: Courtney (Inside the Loop).

Of course, goofy girl in the glasses is me.
We had a very fun time that turned into a 4 hr lunch! We
got a few annoyed looks from the staff (but they were still
quite gracious). It was great fun, girls...and we really missed you Joni!

Sunday Abstraction: A Love Letter.

Our first date was at a coffee shop.
We have since spent many fun times drinking coffee
and contemplating the world. But....
you know what I love the most is
being with you.
Te amo
Carolina

Landon Pigg - Falling In Love At A Coffee Shop

Eclectic Portfolio: Digs By Katie

A new favorite designer, Katie Leede of Digs by Katie.
I am thoroughly impressed by her ability to work in very different styles.
Y'all know I gotta love it:)

Neon Stack Lamp

I love the simplicity and colours in Roger Borg’s Neon Stack Lamp. As you can see it provides a soft lighting effect ideal for lounges or bedrooms.

The variety of colours he has combined enables this lamp to look striking with any interior design colour scheme. It would look great used in a teenager’s bedroom with a neon blackout roller blind, providing a trendy nightclub feel to the room. A blackout blind would be most suitable to enable attention to be focused on the Stack Lamp rather than any unwanted light filtration spoiling the lighting effect.

There are numerous different shapes, single plain white or neon colours included in his designs. No doubt you could choose your own colour combinations on commission pieces, but in some ways that may just detract from the design concept.

Some of Borg’s other lamp designs give the illusion that the layers of lights may topple over- again introducing a striking and definitely different lamp.

The colour Stack lamp is a series of free standing and lampshade designs by Roger Borg. The concept behind the light shade is to reverse the normal light source from the inside and provide a light source which radiates from the outside of the shade.

Borg explains his design concept ….‘the contours of the lamp shade are responsible for producing light, rather than concealing it.  there is longer a need for an interior bulb.  the bulb is the shape.  the shape is the light‘.

Visit Roger Borg to see his other light shade and lamp designs and image source.

Yellow Fever.

I'm loving this little guy!! As I'm posting this, there is only one photo left...a little pricey for me, but maybe one of you can snap him up.
Found via:S.hop talk and Simple Lovely

Trevi The Magazine Table Rack

I think the design, style and ingenuity of Trevi The Magazine Table Rack is amazing! The clean lines of the coffee table’s top and front plain white legs are injected with the vibrant curve of the magazine storage area in a dramatic and effective manner. The other end of the table is supported purely by the large curve which acts as the magazine storage area.

Trevi The Magazine Table Rack is ideal for modern interiors which are predominately white. The white edging and legs work well with the white opaque glass top, while the red offers a striking injection of colour into a room. White and more white can offer a sense of space and freshness.

With stripped pale floorboards and a widow treatment with full length Ariel curtains - these have a white background with a modern print of abstract large bold design- the room would look modern, chic and very stylish.

Placed in an informal area the coffee table offers plenty of room for cups and an sufficiently large area to look through the magazines! In line with this years interior trend of ‘no clutter’ Trevi The Magazine Table Rack offers the ideal place to keep newspapers, magazines and journals neatly stored and yet within very easy reach.

I love the vibrancy of the curve storage area when viewed from the side, the diffused effect when viewed through the opaque glass top offers a subtle colour change. A very practical and beautifully design coffee table designed by Adele Rotella.

For further information visit Yanko Design.

Good Times

Last week I had several opportunities for great shopping.
In fact, there were so many, I had to turn down a few events. First was the debut of
Barbara Hill's accessory line @ Found for the Home. It was a great deal of fun, and
there was a great turn-out. Barbara's furnishings were so witty and unique, they were a big hit.

BTW, I spoke to Barbara and told her I knew from my coffee shop.
Fortunately, I could tell she didn't remember me from the "Love your hair" comment.
So I guess that's a good thing;). Check out my Flickr site, there are many more photos of the nights events.
Also, I met a great artist named Mary Beth Woiccak. Her work is amazing, check it out here.

One event down, next was the return of the Urban Market. It was an incredibly beautiful day, and I basked in all the rusty and worn pieces. (Makes me feel at home). More photos here.

Feeling Giddy

This video is a fun treat for Saturday afternoon:)
Found via: Ill Seen Ill Said

The Fun House

From a Mad Tea Party to the Fun house. You all know how much I love eccentrics,
but lately I seem to be obsessed with them. Maybe, it has to do with how crazy my life is lately.
From the moment I laid my eyes on these photos, I felt a tug at my heart. What a great place!
This is the shop of T.C. Donebedian of San Francisco. His 1st Dibs site is a source of many unusual
objects but I think my favorite pieces are the tail light lamps.

Could anyone feel stressed in a place like this? Although, its so much more extravagant than I would
naturally choose, I love the curious objects and eye candy.

Droops

Created by student designer Camilla Hounsell Halvorson, this wonderful chair design called Droops is showing at the Stockholm Furniture Fair next week.

I can’t help but think of those gorgeous pom-poms I used to make from strands of left over knitting yarn! I feel the urge to cut through the fabric strips, tie a large length of ribbon securely round the middle and pull tight to make a huge pom-pom - but then of course I wouldn’t have a chair!

I love the use of lengths of fabric in all the lovely shades of blues and whites. It’s bright and clean and just so easy to look at, a bit like a donut, it makes you feel good inside! Droops look a bit like a donut as well-round, soft, squidgy and very more-ish!

If it’s made from salvaged fabric it will appeal to me even more! Just think of all the wonderful colour combinations you could use to make a chair like this. You could have one virtually anywhere in your home-each made in different colours to suit the room.

I have to admit I like circles and Droops fit’s the bill perfectly. Circles have no harsh edges, so easy on the eye and can be incorporated with modern interior design effortlessly. Coordinate the circles with some striking plain eyelet curtains in a colour which has been inspired from the chair and you have a real feeling of cohesion and style in a room.

For further information on Droops and image source visit Playmedesign

Patchwork Beanbag Sofa

The new ‘going out’ is staying in-a bit of a contradiction of words I admit-but with the continuing downturn in the country’s economy experts are suggesting that more and more people will be making themselves comfy in their living rooms rather than spending money going out.

Snuggle up on this great Beanbag sofa designed by Bertjan Pot. It reminds me of knitted patchwork squares made by the WI and other institutions which are turned into blankets!

The great thing about patchwork-knitted or fabric-is that you can basically use any colour combinations and textures and still arrive at an unusual design. These types of random patchwork squares mean you don’t have to adept at coordinating colours or creating symmetrical patterns. You can simply make squares and join them together to make all manner of soft furnishings. Cushions and throws would be smaller and easier beginner projects and once you have mastered the art larger projects can be taken on.

Why not make patchwork curtains? There would be no need for complicated headings as that would spoil the ‘home-made’ effect. You could use a curtain pole to either make a simple overlapped topping and slide your new curtains onto the pole. Alternatively using wooden curtain rings would give a real in trend ‘shabby chic’ appearance very effectively.

The world is your oyster so to speak! Make use of your new at home time, be inspired with bright colours which remind you of nice comforting things. An excellent way to recycle old curtains, clothes-anything you can get your hands on really. Experiment, have fun and enjoy spending time at home.

For further information and image source visit: notempire

A Mad Tea Party

I've mentioned before how much I love Alice in Wonderland. I'm quite certain the Mad Hatter
would approve of this tableware. In fact, these little dishes would probably run away once the party was over!

Find @ Horne.