Displaying posts labeled "Black"

I love the New Zealand bach. The beach side cottage, the seaside shack, often painted black, pared back, perhaps even a little rough. Somewhere to escape, to interact with nature, to relax, to retreat. The Storm Cottage by architectural firm Fearon Hay with interiors by Penny Hay displays a robust exterior to the world but once inside it is warm, cocooning with a simple luxury. A stylish shelter in the wilds.

Lombard & Jack is the Melbourne-based interior design firm of Kath Lombard and Jackie Johnston that was established in only 2011. They’ve got some amazing projects under their belt already – each one with a dash of drama, a dab of glam, and a dollop of relaxed modernism.

A tiny two storey apartment by Prague architects SMLXL Studio makes clever use of a difficult layout (three chimney breast pierce the space). White painted brick, open plan living, pallets as furniture and a definite industrial vibe all add up to a stylish home for its young owner. The original story is from Czech magazine Bydleni iDNES with thanks to reader Bara for the link and translation!

Climb the stairs above the boutique and gallery space to find the bijou guesthouse. Maison Rika is the creation of Ulrika Lundgren, fashion designer and founder of the Rika label. (In a previous life she was an interior designer – of course!) Classic, elegant, warm and with a twist of vintage, the two bedrooms are stylishly comfortable. A perfect base to explore Amsterdam’s “9 streets” area.

Individual designs that fit individual needs. Sustainable, contemporary, with an emphasis on local materials and respect for site. Two projects from GASS Architecture Studios, located in Johannesburg & Cape Town, South Africa. The first, Westcliff Pavilion is a steel framed structure located on a ridge in Johannesburg. The two bedroom dwelling lightly touches the ground while its floating stone wall is a play on the local stone building materials and the notion of wall as sturdy and grounded. All in all a beautiful modernist box that sits softly in its surrounds.

The second project is the renovation of a flat in the Johannesburg suburb of Killarnery. Working within the existing constraints of the building but celebrating the beauty of its wall of windows, it is the new kitchen, though, that is a triumph. Oak and black tile ground the room and play against the light bright views from the windows.