Displaying posts labeled "Dark"

Lots of brightness and warmth in this Michigan home designed by Jean Stoffer. It is a wonderful example of how to break up lots of white with some dark moments. The black front door, the dark kitchen coffee bar, the charcoal tile and millwork in the mudroom, the navy wainscotting and ceiling in the dining room, the dark green nursery…. all add drama and coziness.

I can’t remember how I first came across the Instagram account of designer Elle Patille (@leydi_milagros_design), though I do recall being instantly smitten with her style. In a really profound way. Her Victorian heritage home is located outside of Toronto and I fell in love with every inch of it. And once I saw the before photos I was even more enthralled with her home and her talent as a designer. Her home was very very white not long ago (as seen in this House & Home feature), and I have to applaud her for deciding to do a 180 and go mostly dark. The drama the home now exudes is magical, and the dark backdrop is exactly what was needed to showcase her collection of curiosities. (Yes, there is quite a bit of taxidermy in her home – if you aren’t a fan please move on to the next post and comments on this subject will be removed). Her aesthetic is what she calls modern ‘horror vacui’ (“fear of empty space”) and it’s breathtaking. Also, her and her husband share this home with a slew of dogs and cats so she gets major bonus points for that.

For me, home is a place that understands how you’re feeling and how to comfort you at any given moment.  I knew there was a lot of potential when we purchased our home but I didn’t go into it with a vision. I did however go into it with a lot of emotion which allowed it to take shape without questioning it. In order to achieve this, I needed spaces that were healing and that tapped on every emotion… Spaces that were pretty but at the same time can give you the chills… rooms soft and romantic yet strong and masculine …  dark busy rooms that are thought provoking and bright clean areas that allow for a clear and creative mind. In turn, it became a sort of therapy – a release, psychological turned physical and ultimately it became not just a home for me but rather a refuge.

As parts of the world come out of lockdown I don’t think anyone would have any problem dragging themself into the office on a weekend. Most of us would be bolting in if we could. Still helps if it’s somewhere stylish 😉 Communico Workspaces, a shared office community in Cremorne, Melbourne by Pierce Widera.

Colin King is a stylist and designer based in New York, and if you follow him on Instagram, he can make styling some branches and rocks and a couple of vases in a table the most interesting and intense thing you’ve ever seen. Perfect imperfection is what he strives for and dominates.

There is so much drama when using dark colours in a space. Add in some touches of bold shades of mustard and blue and it’s a feast for the eyes. It has been a while since we featured the work or Parisian interior designer Marianne Evennou and I’m delighted to share more of her unique take on interiors.