Serendipitous. That’s what it is when you find a house featured in a favourite magazine (Inside Out), check their digital teaser (dammit not there) resign yourself to not sharing and then an email from the owner pops up in your in box. Matt Eastwood turned an ugly 80s ducking into this bright white swan. Project managing it he removed walls, joining rooms and creating the perfect space for his well curated collection of design classics. Matt you’re in the wrong business! Interior design calls. Check out all of Matt’s inspirations on his blog things i have seen.

It’s our next reader’s makeover as guest blogger and interior designer Jason Martin helps Maggi with her Brooklyn apartment. Maggi is looking for something unique and interesting for the space. I’m loving the “to and fro” conversations in these e-consultations and once again Jason has come up with some great ideas!. Remember Maggi does the “DIY” after Jason adds the “+”.

Maggi emailed…

Wow! Exciting! Here are the top three things on my apartment wish list:

1. I would like to create a more interesting arrangement of space in my apartment. I have three almost exactly equal-sized rooms with doorways between each (very symmetrical!). The space itself is pretty boring architecturally and I’d like to avoid mimicking that symmetry in the furniture arrangement. I would like to do something really unique and interesting with the space. If possible, I want it to be both dramatic and cozy.

2. I need to do something with my windows. There are seven of them and right now they are naked: a wasted opportunity, for sure.

3. I want everything to have a place and for that place to be (mostly) inside drawers and behind doors. I don’t need to see the visual clutter of my everyday “stuff”. I want the focus to be on the art and furniture instead.

By the way, the reason I didn’t send pictures of my bedroom is because that’s the one room I haven’t yet done anything with so it tends to be the dumping ground for all of the crap I need to sort through, file, hang up, etc. (Embarrassing and unattractive!)

Floor Plan

… and from Maggi’s inspiration files

Jason’s notes

Maggi,

You have such a wide range of artwork and activities going on in your small space that I think the best advice I can give you is how to make the apartment functional and efficient while still interesting. You need a home that can act as backdrop and not compete with what is going on in the space.

I think you could create a more interesting arrangement of your space by balancing the overall symmetry of the apartment with some asymmetry in each of the rooms. Build from the architecture out. The apartment doesn’t have much existing architecture so you have to create it. Here are my suggestions:

1. Create a sense of Enfilade with the doorways.
2. Unify the rooms with a consistent idea.
3. Create defined functions for each space

Create an “Enfilade”

Unify the rooms with a consistent idea

A low living space

Storage/office space

Dining Room

Bedroom Ideas- clean, simple, warm

So what do you think? I love the low sofa suggestion from Jason. It’s my latest sofa crush the Togo from Ligne Roset. Next week is Jason’s last guest post and it promises to be absolutely fabulous! Thanks again Jason for all your wonderful ideas!

Real estate stalking again. In Sweden again. No surprise there! Take a look at this teeny tiny apartment all decked out in white with pops of green and pink. Who says small can’t be big. Big on impact that is! From here.

WINKS – weekend links. Here we list what has come in during the week, things we’ve found and things we think you’ll want to see. If you’d like to see your blog or website featured email us and if we think it fits with our readers we’ll link you. So what’s in this week?

• New blog crush! Kellie has a passion for all things beautiful, especially fabulous interiors. Ada and Darcy is where she shares them. Bliss!
• I’m loving these sculptures by Spanish interior designer and sculptor El loco del diseño. To see more of these amazing pieces visit his website.



• Kim and I have a soft spot for Pink. Casapinka that is. Pink has a new Etsy store full of cute vintage finds (love the Vera scarves) and handmade goodies. Every girl needs a little pink in her life.



• The BODIE and FOU Summer Sale is now on! Up to 50% OFF on designer brands including Normann Copenhagen, Cote Bastide, Albetta, Fatboy, Kathleen Hills and many more…. Ends 20th July 09. Shopping heaven. (Oh and their blog too!)



• Glitz and glam. The UFO chandelier with a curvaceous and sculptural shape is designed by Brian Rasmussen for Studio Italia Design. You’ll find this innovative Italian lighting design company very illuminating. Sorry for the bad pun!



• Everything is more than OK at OK. Actually everything is gorgeous! I think I really really really need almost every item on the website. Honestly!

What is it that a photographer does? Focus light on film? Document the present? Perhaps capture the dream, the desires, the life before it’s lens. Helen Norman has an amazing portfolio. She’s been a leader in her field for many years and it shows. She draws you in with her images and makes you part of the world she captures. I can hear the chatter in the kitchen, feel the sun through the windows and almost touch the crisp linen. She’s a dream weaver. Do not miss any of her portfolio!