Displaying posts labeled "Brick"

Exposed brick and rustic beams. Layer upon layer of history revealed. Within the stripped shell of an old building in Valencia, Spain is an elegant yet minimalist modern apartment by London-based Roberto Di Donato Architecture. A perfect marriage of old and new, refined and rustic.

Photography by João Morgado

Here I go again getting all excited about a classic look done just a little differently, traditional decor with a twist, in this case in an old 1860’s in commercial building with exposed brick and crumbling plaster. It reminds me a little of a faded old palazzo, just not so grand, perhaps a bit more gritty and down to earth. There are a few things I would change but I love the idea of fine living in an unusual space, that unexpected twist. Industrial Redux in Mississippi by Barry Dixon.

Keeping my industrial loft obsession going strong is this absolutely incredible apartment on the top floor of a converted factory in the British town of Loughborough. I’m not sure what I’m dying over most – the exposed brick, the ceiling trestles, the collection of Togo sofas, the massive antique crystal chandeliers, allllllll those windows, the view, the copper bathtub, the marble sink…… OMG!!! Available as a location space via Shoot Factory.

We’re huge fans of conversions here at DTI and this one is….majestic being the first word that comes to mind. That staircase!!!  Believed to have built in the early 1900s, this former brewery cooperage on a tight site in Central London had already been in residential use since the 1990s. By stripping back to the buildings fabric and preserving its original features it was possible to bring a new understanding to its potential. The existing basement was extended laterally to create a large open-plan family living area over which rises a triple height atrium – a space around which much of the accommodation is structured and through which passes a dramatic feature staircase. The vertical extension rises from the top of the building and is occupied by bedrooms and a generous roof terrace with far-reaching roof-top views. To distinguish this extension from the original brick structure a system of patinated bronze cladding panels and glass has been used. By Chris Dyson Architects. (Photos: Peter Landers)

See more of Chris Dyson’s work here, here and here.

There’s a movement stirring, a perception of the importance of what has come before, of architectural memory, a sense of place and space and the past, of how we can preserve it yet live our modern lives. It’s not a new idea but definitely an idea whose time has come.

“Workstead House | Charleston is the physical exploration of southern modernism—a design philosophy informed by the distinctive heritage of the American South. Originally built in 1853 on Charleston’s historic “Bee’s Row,” the grand, three-story home and accompanying carriage house were meticulously restored under the careful direction of Workstead, with every element curated in deference to, and reverence of, past and future, evoking a style—and lifestyle—both new and deeply remembered in South Carolina’s low country.

Workstead House | Charleston draws on the property’s unique, storied past, reincarnating heritage elements as modern luxury in a welcoming home. Materials are rich, honest, and meant to last. Original details such as stairs, floors, molding, windows and doors of the home were preserved and restored, with updated conveniences carefully incorporated. The result is an all-sensory experience of southern modernism.”