Displaying posts from July, 2012

Jordan Carlyle of NYC interior design firm Carlyle Designs emailed us about his work and thought we’d like to share some of his projects with our readers. You’ll see why I didn’t hesitate to say yes in a moment. First, a little bit about Jordan: Characterized by earthly surfaces, singular details and keen colors richly layered across an architectural framework, Jordan’s designs recast classic elements in modern settings. It’s an approach that pays homage to timeless notions of sophistication as surely as it spritzes them with modern zest and sheds the stuffy overtones of elegance to reveal its sexy young skin. Jordan’s understanding of the exceptional and his love for the refined continue to be the core of his design philosophy. I was shocked to discover Jordan is only 29, and not only am I already smitten with his work, it turns out he has collection of beautiful custom furnishings (Carlyle Collective) and produces contemporary artwork (for CB2 for over 4 years!) found here. I am thoroughly impressed. So impressed I need to do two posts. To begin, here are two projects – the first is an industrial loft gone elegant, and the second, a dreamy bathroom.

Caterpillar House, a modern interpretation of the ranch style house with a serious mid-century riff. It’s low slung and open planned, sitting comfortably in its surrounds. A rammed earth home rising from fields of waving grass. Environmentally sustainable and good looking. Caterpillar House by Feldman Architecture.

I’m lost in the London listings on onefinestay. “A fresh alternative to a hotel for a short stays, live like a local without compromising on service and comfort.” May be a slogan but it seems to be true. Look at this oasis in the bustling city. Love the grey walls (the listing says duck egg blue but my monitor is definitely reading more grey… I’m fantasising about that blue though), the pared back furnishings, a scattering of vintage and the historic details. Simplicity and style. So refreshing. Excuse me while I pop over to Beresford Terrace for a few days stay. I really need to straighten that sofa cushion ;)<

Carolina had sent in an entry for a pets on furniture recently (her pooch Ella is the first pet featured here), and thought our reader’s would like to have a peek into the rest of her home. Here is a bit of info: It’s been 6 months since I moved and every corner in my place has been planned with love. I’m a graphic designer and a typography lover, so my home kind of portrays my personality. I live in Porto Alegre, in the south of Brazil. The apartment was a “group project” between the architects Luiza Kroeff and Claudia Neumann, who designed the furniture and me and my mom Maria Araci, who worked on the interior design. Carolina’s love of typography is evident in her home, and her graphic design background too as her apartment has great punches of colour and impact with white or dark walls that make furniture and artwork pop.

If you’d like to send me photos to include in next week’s “pets on furniture” post, please ensure your photos follow my basic rules: First, the pet must be on a piece of furniture. And said piece of furniture must be clearly visible in the photo, so it takes center stage rather than your pet. Think of it more of a photo of a great piece of furniture that you want to show off…and your pet happens to be sitting on it. And second, the photo must be of decent quality. If it’s dark or fuzzy (from a camera phone) then it may not make the cut. Photos, your name, location and a brief description can be sent to desiretoinspirekim@hotmail.comand PLEASE don’t send closeups of your pet! Thanks!

***a little something extra is after the jump, featuring several of my cats!

This is my french bulldog Maximus.
– Arnela (Slovenia)

we have 2 new golden retriever puppies (Fox and Scully). these photos are of Fox when she discovered our Cero Stool by Australian designer Brian Steendÿk.
– Patti (Brisbane)

Can you see the suspicious look on George’s face?
– Elisa

1 – Luna enjoys the morning sun on our newly reupholstered rattan settee.
2 – Luna and two Raggedy Anns hang out on an old and many-times-reupholstered Sears & Roebuck rocking chair.
– Jamie (Seattle, WA)

I was taking pictures for my interior design blog when my little mutt, Limus, muscled his way in to the scene. To the best of our knowledge, Limus is a Chihuahua, Dachshund and Jack Russel Terrier, so essentially he’s a tiny dog with a Napoleon complex.
– Elisabeth

Our tabby Lucy’s morning couch nap in our  living/dining/kitchen room
– Wendy (North Saanich British Columbia)

Here are three pics of our eldest kitty, Moco. One is in our living room on her favorite rocking chair which, sadly, we have to keep covered because a hair ball on that rope would be a disaster! The other two pics are of her in our little covered patio area overlooking the back garden where you can see my reading couch and then also a bit of the semi-al-fresco breakfast nook behind the red planter. (4) Here’s a view from our living room into the covered patio. Moco is sleeping on the rocker which was covered with a quilt on that particular day.
– Pam

A while ago Greg emailed me about his new product, the Cat Crib, and sent me one to try out. (Here’s a video with details). I was excited because with 7 cats in my tiny house, I love anything that keeps them amused and off my furniture. I gave it a try with a chair I typically have on my front porch (turns out it’s the only piece of furniture I have with legs thick enough to strap this on securely) and because I was short on time and needed to get the chair back on the porch once photos were done, I doused the cat crib with some catnip and watched several of my kitties give ‘er a go. It was a hoot – especially when 25 pounder Felix decided he wanted in on the action. It’s an awesome space-saving cat bed. So here is Lucky – the first to really try it and have a little nap, then Mimin (who just wanted the catnip), then Milo (who really just wanted the catnip), then Edgar who is really tall and lanky so he looked hilarious, and then Felix, the porker who decided to also have a little nap.