Displaying posts labeled "Library"

Taking advantage of Southern California’s ideal weather and lush gardens by bringing those vibes inside in this redesigned home by Peter Dunham. There’s a sense of elegance but casual at the same time. And I am smitten with the little potting shed space that was created under the poolhouse stairs. Photos: Sam Frost. Architect: Forest Studio.

The ground floor of this Victorian terrace had been extended over time, creating a series of seemingly purposeless, poorly-lit rooms. Our task was to reorganise the layout to create a warm yet hard-working family home in which each room serves a purpose. Home to a young family, it was important that the ground floor had space for both the children and the adults. Immediately opposite the front door was a functionless room that led through to the kitchen. By relocating the entrance to this room – adding steps and a glazed pocket door – we were able to create a cocooning TV snug for the children. Bespoke joinery lines the walls, whilst a weighty curtain encloses the room in the evenings. The drawing room has now become TV-free and is furnished with reupholstered mid-century pieces already in the clients’ possession. It leads on to a library, which makes use of what was a functionless thoroughfare – a feature of most Victorian terraces. A flight of burgundy steps connects the library to the kitchen, which now has a joyous palette of lilac and yellow. A crisp tide line of colour adds character to the walls, whilst a range of considered lighting options conjure different moods.
Another pat on the back for designer Sarah Brown whose use of colour is always so unique and cheerful. And she’s once again making me think a yellow kitchen is the ultimate.

A country home in Cornwall screams for quintessentially English décor with layers upon layers of colours, patterns, textures and architectural details in abundance. That is just what Mary Graham and Nicole Salvesen of Salvesen Graham did here and it created such an inviting and warm home that could stand the test of time for decades to come. (Photos: Simon Upton)

Speaking of an exceptional commission… Gert Voorjans had the honour of designing two libraries for a passionate bibliophile in France. Two welcoming environments where the architecture invites visitors to read. But also two micro-cosmoses, just as meticulously crafted as the books by the famous authors that line the walls. Although the historic books are the absolute protagonists on the shelves, Voorjans still managed to discreetly deploy his visual vocabulary here. Photos: Tim Van de Velde
My desperation for a library (I don’t even own a single bookcase or bookshelf) has grown exponentially after finding this project. And it’s not just one but two libraries. With the dreamiest staircase leading to the second one. My brain and my heart are exploding with envy.

How do you take a historic 1870’s home and create an addition and gut remodel, yet have everything look as if it has always been there?
Inspiration: The romance of New Orleans courtyards, 1870’s victorian architecture, a healthy dose of color, and a splash of modernity come together to create a family home that’s steeped in history yet totally fresh.
I am sooooo in awe of the unparalleled and glamorous approach Summer Thornton took to her historic home. That peach/pink library is soooooooo gorgeous I am going to go out on a limb and say it’s one of my all-time favourite rooms. Photos: Melanie Acevedo and Werner Straube