Displaying posts labeled "Neutral"

It’s like I say time and time again. If you have to drag yourself into work on a weekend it helps if it’s somewhere stylish. The offices of Elizabeth Krueger Design.

Today’s second lake house is not only off the grid it’s off the scale for stylish, unplugged living. This weekend getaway is all about natural materials and soft muted tones. If it was mine I’d be living here more than just on weekends. New Buffalo house by Chicago-based Elizabeth Krueger Design.

As many of you know by now, I absolutely adore Mexico, and have dreams of moving there one day. When Edward sent us photos of his incredible home in Mexico, I was so excited to share it with you all. It’s stunning, and I love how you have no idea what you’ll find on the other side of the very unassuming front door. My wife and I are from England, and live in the beautiful city of Merida, state capital of the Yucatan in Mexico. Many of the old colonial buildings in the city centre have been renovated, some very grand, some quite modest. Casa Cool (CasaEA64) is an old colonial but with contemporary addition. We used a local architect with  their construction people. The house is in the city centre (Barrio of Santa Ana), but as you can see from the garden, quite secluded for a city property. The architects drew up the plans taking into account our requirements.
My wife and I did the decoration using our possessions and stuff acquired from our travels. The plan was not to make a Mexican ¨theme¨ house, but to keep it all rather eclectic. We tried to keep it simple and free of clutter, thinking that empty space is as important as ¨things¨. The idea was to continue with the high ceilings because of the heat in the Yucatan. But we also wanted every space to have its own source of natural light. We wanted to blur the distinction between interior and exterior. Thus the large sliding windows by the kitchen which is the heart of the home. Internal courtyard means plenty of open doors to assist airflow. Bedrooms are air-conditioned, but we rely on natural cross breezes for ventilation in the living spaces. Ceiling fans and air-gaps provide this. Floors are white polished cement with local pasta tiles in diamond pattern to mimic the Moroccan Beni Ouarain. The patterned floor tiles in the studio are original. There are 3 Scottish portraits hung vertically in the entrance. The frames of these were made from the cedar wood of the old original front doors which were beyond saving. Little things like that provide a bit of a link with the history of the house and added a touch of character to the place. This home could not be more perfect and if I get the opportunity to move there one day, I hope to be able to find a home this enchanting. Architect: Taller Estilo Arquitectura Photography: Apertura Arquitectónica

A light and airy open plan was central to Framework‘s renovation of this one bedroom apartment on the fifth floor of the Schouwenhoek, an original apartment building by P.A. Warners, one of the founders of the Amsterdam School of modernist design. Gone are the small rooms branching off a central corridor while a rounded, concrete staircase beckons one up to a rooftop terrace and chillout room. Stylish, modern living while respecting the bones of this modernist building.

Photography by Kasia Gatkowska

“I prefer to work with modern styles, to mix them and to use details from different eras and cultures. I believe that the «fusion» principle is the most natural way to create really “live” interior that is individually and personally oriented. In my projects I use technical innovations, advanced engineering, new materials, as well as elements of traditional crafts, vintage objects and elements of contemporary art.”

A restricted neutral colour palette and clean contemporary lines with the design spotlight thrown onto textural layering. Don’t you just want to curl up on that sofa and make yourself at home? Duna, an apartment in Kiev by Olga Fradina.

Photography by Yevhenii Avramenko