Displaying posts labeled "Reader’s Home"

Federica recently sent us photos of her home in Italy so we could share them with our readers. It’s beautiful with plenty of windows letting in natural light and was designed by her father Bruno Pogliani. Thank you Federica!

Paul and his wife Elsa have recently moved into their new home in Singapore (an 86m2/925 sq ft public housing apartment). Turning to magazines and blogs for inspiration they have created this fabulous minimalist apartment, a perfect respite from Singapore’s hectic pace. Emailing with Paul he came up with an insight into Singapore’s growing design scene.

Things have really started to move design and architecture-wise in Singapore over the past 5-6 years. Lots of interesting stuff now, but I think we are still some way away from finding our own design vernacular. There isn’t a “Singapore” look, in the way that there is an American country-home look, or a Scandinavian aesthetic, or even the modern-Australian feel that so many of the Sydney and Melbourne homes that you have put up on your site have achieved. I guess it is a bit difficult with the cookie-cutter government housing flats that 80% of us live in, where everything is pre-fab. For a long time, the government was just trying to put together as much low-cost housing as possible to meet the demands of population growth. So build quality is alright, and the flats are relatively affordable, but they were absolutely zip in terms of design until recent years. More effort is being put in to the aesthetics of the new built flats now, but the one I just moved in to recently is about 10 years old, and was certainly built for function rather than form. I have always been a fan of mid-century modern and minimalist styles. What I tried to do with the flat is to keep it honest to its pre-fab/concrete/city-space background by taking on an industrial feel and meshing it with what the styles that I liked. It was challenging because neither my wife nor I have any background in design whatsoever, but really great fun. There are many other really interesting interpretations of public housing flats though – everything from modern baroque to faux-country house, and from Balinese resort to French petit-Chateau style. It will be interesting to see if all the different styles somehow converge into a “Singaporean” look in the future!

This next home is that of Melody, and it has an interesting past: “We moved in a little over 2 months ago and we’re still settling in.  The bf, chi and I transitioned from a 600sq ft apt, to this massive 1330 sq bungalow. It’s on Henry Ford’s former estate on a very old island in Miami Beach called Hibiscus Island. Ford’s VP built it in 1930 and it’s passed through a few owners since. It’s very bohemian, quiet, eclectic and inviting. Aside from some weird history that I’ve read about ford and his cohorts, we love this location. (One of my bungalow neighbors has a tiled swastika inlay-ed in her floor. She keeps it very hush hush with an Ikea rug over it at all times. Apparently the Nazi’s were big into Ford’s assembly line thing- and the dude is even mentioned in Meinkamph).
Anyways, back to my home… The main space that we use as our living room has 15 ft ceilings and a wonderful view of the bay. We have a couple who lives on a boat docked outside, you can spot it in one of the shots.  I have a mix of taxidermy, thoughtfully selected sentimental bits, tons of books in our fireplace because the boy is an avid reader, an ever growing family wall of childhood pics and memories and some handmade treasures and prints picked up on Etsy. The kitchen, as I’ve been told was his butler’s quarters. The Chi Parker loves to sunbathe in the kitchen because the terrazzo floors heat up nicely. My bar is rarely stocked, but holds some of my fav pieces: a found book ‘poems/tiny apts’, an antique chemistry vessel and a scull decanter my uncle made 45 yrs ago.  All in all the space is air enough that we don’t feel cramped but I’m sure I’ll keep filling it up with more yummy things.”
Melody has entered her home in The Selby/CB2 contest so go here for her entry and to vote for her. Thanks Melody – your home is fab and WHAT A VIEW!!!

I’ve got 2 reader’s homes for you today. This one comes from Ragnhild, a Norwegian who has spent the last 6 years in Copenhagen, Denmark. She is a freelance architect, graphic designer and photographer who lives in a large apartment with her friend Katrine, who bought it as a renovation project last summer. They have both worked very hard to turn the apartment into a stylin’ pad. Here is a little tour of their home (Check out Ragnhild’s blog “Mine Venners Hjem” which means “My Friends’ Homes” = she visits her friends’ homes and their friends’ homes and takes pictures and writes about their spaces, in both Norwegian and English).

A globe from a local secondhand store lightens up the living room, – together with ”Hans” the penguin. A stack of the Norwegian interior magazine, “Nytt Rom”  (New Room) works perfectly as a side table.

The chairs are also from the local secondhand store and the dining table is from Katrine’s childhood. The table got a tiny makeover with a bucket of chalkboard paint. My collection of architecture and design books is placed directly on the floor in lack of a bookcase. The photographs are my own. The nice wooden floor was discovered under several layers of carpets, boards and concrete.

The Bouroullec brothers’ well-known algues are decorating the wall behind the sofa from Bolia. The algues were a gift from a friend and former colleague. The yellow bird pillow was purchased at Habitat during a trip to Brighton. The graphic black and white pillow is home-made.

My favourite chair was bought for a very reasonable price at a “staff-auction” at R.O.O.M. and has been named “Haiald”. In the black leather chair lays the sheepskin rug “Ludde”. The pouf in front of the chair is from Granit and is filled with quilts and pillows for overnight guests. My mum bought the radio in the window with money she got at her confirmation.

In my bedroom stands Ewan McGregor’s directors chair for Habitat. A very helpful and patient moose from Hay is hanging over the chair.

Helmer, the drawerunit from Ikea got a new life with help from a dymo labelwriter. The little wooden monkey is a gift from a friend. Some of my own photos are hanging over the drawer unit.

An old beer case from the Carlsberg brewery works as a cd rack. The newspaper rack is yet another treasure from the local secondhand shop. The wall behind is stripped for many layers of wallpaper and has now become our own “Buenos Aires” wall.

The tiny dinosaurs in the bay window are a gift from a good friend.

Old frames found at various flea markets will some day contain family photos. So far Beck, a small sparrow and my favourite car “Fiat 500″  have the honour.

The kitchen door got a facelift with a few strokes of chalkboard paint and has also become  a bulletin board.

The kitchen window has a view of the backyard garden. The garden will soon be green and lush. Cups from Marimekko and a little basil is standing in the window sill.

The WC’s old, brown tiles are painted in a brighter colour and the door has become lemon yellow. The Garland lamp from Habitat got a splash of the same colour. The original floor tiles and the green bathroom fittings have survived the renovation.

Next to the front door we revealed a beautiful brick wall under layers of plaster. The door has also been introduced to the dymo … au revoir!

This next reader’s home is that of Dana Frigerio. It’s located in Lake Como, Italy and was built around 1914. Her husband is an architect with a passion for books, and Dana is a garden designer with a passion for interior design. Their furnishings combine both Western and Oriental antiques with some contemporary pieces. It’s a stunning home that really showcases Dana’s passion for design, and WOW check out her kitchen!!! (P.S. Their current focus is on their garden which I can only imagine how gorgeous it will turn out. And Dana has a gardening blog so have a looksie). Thanks Dana!