Displaying posts from September, 2008

Sorry couldn’t resist the pun. If you’ve been reading Desire to Inspire for a while you’ll know that I have a thing for church conversions. Some have been fabulous, some not quite. This one though…. oh be still my beating heart. Spatial problems have been solved by a raised floor for open plan living. Bedrooms which need to be private and cocooned are contained underneath. A series of voids, glass railings and glass walls open the space and celebrate the soaring ceilings. A separate wing reached via a walkway and deck breaks out of the space and allows the outside in.

In a world of minimalism, Scandinavian white floors and mid-century homage there’s room for something more. Lots more. Collections and art and middle eastern and asian influences and a grand tour vibe. New York based Thomas Hays has long been a collector of Asian art and antiques. I love the collections in these rooms and that they are luxe and layered. Beautiful objects are part of the owner’s everyday life as they should be and Thomas designs for his client’s needs and loves. As for that rooftop garden. It’s like climbing that stairway to heaven.

My sister found a link to an incredible home renovation that had me in awe. The Lorna house was built in 1954 in Phoenix, Arizona and was named after the home’s former owner of 40 years. Architect Shawn Kaffer decided to modernize the ranch-style house and WOW, did he ever. To get an idea of the extent of the renovation, here’s a quote from Kaffer: “God rest her soul, Lorna had stuccoed the entire house. I couldn’t sandblast with the way the stucco was applied, so I was out there with a chisel for about a year and half.” (??!!??!!) I thought I’d include some before photos as well.

It’s been quite a while since we’ve posted about David Netto. He is definitively on my list of top designers. Love his use of colour, or lack of colour in some cases, and particularly the artwork. I have a thing for lots of framed photography used in modern spaces. So graphic and attention-grabbing.

What’s our mantra when it comes to amazing photographers? Lighting, lighting, lighting. For Australian photographer John Paul Urizar his use of beautiful lighting is a perfect counterfoil to his simplistic approach to what he captures through his lens. I’ve included tearsheets here and some of his personal work. (LOVE those b&w shots!) Whatever you do, don’t miss the food…. yum!