Displaying posts labeled "Elegant"

What a weekend retreat this would be! A tract house on a verdant cove on Lake Austin was nearly awash in bad seventies architecture and interior design. But the site was incomparable, with the lake fronting two sides of the property. The new owners loved the location and even wanted to save the house, which spoke to them about casual lakeside living. Furman+Keil Architects rendered a stunning renovation to the wood and glass building, turning it into an indoor-outdoor house that’s perfect for entertaining both formally and informally. Fern Santini played up the new architecture with elegantly relaxed furniture and an expertly curated array of contemporary art by local artists. Touches of absolute luxury—such as plaster walls in the master bedroom, all-out glamour in the gold-and-white tiled master bath, and a Kyle Bunting rug in the dining room—are reminders that being casual doesn’t preclude being very very stylish.

I thought I would revisit the work of Parisian architecture and design firm Laplace since it has been about a year since Jo featured their work. Their aesthetic is eccentric and a glam version of modernism which lends itself so well to the absolutely stunning architecture (first few photos – *GASP*) that can be found in Parisian apartments. And I’m kind of loving the bizarre art installation in the photo above.

A modern take on tradition. Antonio Martins‘ master bedroom for the 2014 San Francisco Decorator Showcase pays homage to his Portuguese heritage but this is no dusty old museum piece. Hand painted, oversized blue and white tiles jumble across the walls while the show stopper is an 18th century rosewood bed. Showcase rooms are always over the top. They push the limit, shock or overwhelm. They are part art installation, part interior design on steroids but they are also great sources of inspiration. The crisp blue and white, the play of oversize images cut and pasted. Did you notice the old letters in the acrylic boxes? The play of the jungle of green against the blue?

I’m going a bit classic today with this post but I thought a little diversity would be welcomed. These spaces are crafted by interior designer Benjamin Dhong, who keeps things fresh and modern with the addition of to-die-for classic mid century chairs. WORK IT! Lots of wonderful textures as well.

Don’t let the white on white with gold accents fool you as you move through this Sydney house. A splash of colour on the front door, dramatic wallpaper in another room, cleverly patterned tile in the powder room give you just a hint of the riot of colour and wallpaper that awaits when you climb the stairs or venture out to the pool cabana. Interior designer Greg Natale takes it to another level with his bold pattern clashes, papered ceilings and bathroom tiling. A glam house, a wham house! Love the striped wallpaper down by the pool? Did the purple chevron paper in the Adore magazine post (the room complete with David Bowie and tufting) tickle your fancy? Both wallpapers are from Greg’s new stripe range for Porter’s Paints. Hollywood Regency meets retro meets rock star glam. Mix it up anyway you want.

The Greg Natale Collection is available from Porter’s Paints.