Today’s reader request is from Eva in Toronto: I was wondering if you could perhaps provide some inspiration on how to decorate and style some build-in units in a main living space? I would love to see how others around the world have filled these spaces with treasures/books/objects d’art so that I can do the same in my home. Simple enough request, but sometimes quite a daunting task to get vignettes looking just right. I constantly change items on display in my house as I am never happy with them and get bored quick. Observing how others display objects can help us rethink how our own pieces are used. For example, I have a bunch of spray painted black vases (leftover from my wedding) on some shelving, and I took a wide/short vase and stuck 2 skinny/tall vases in it. I have a stack of about 8 books on the same shelving, standing upright with the tallest at the back and shortest at the front that way you get a peek at the cover of each book (seen here). Hopefully the following group of photos help to inspire Eva’s built-in displays.
Lonny
all about you
Lonny
Hus & Hem
Lonny
Design*Sponge
Jen Fong
MH Studio
Lonny
Studiomama
Freunde von Freunden
Lonny
David Jimenez
Living Etc.
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Domino | Domino |
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vtwonen | Lili Diallo |
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Katrine Martensen-Larsen | RUM |
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Design*Sponge | Decor Demon |
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Piet Boon | The Selby |
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Freunde von Freunden | The Selby |
38sqm. Yes 38sqm. This redesign of a one bedroom apartment in Potts Point is by Sydney architect Anthony Gill. This clever puzzle box of a space is home to a couple and their young child. A custom joinery spine runs the length of the apartment providing much needed storage while delineating individual spaces including a clever pull out bed which slips away under the raised child’s bedroom floor when not in use. Clever, funky and fab. Tiny spaces rule! Photography by Peter Bennetts.
This reader request was sent in a while ago by Kristina: My mother is really struggling with adding a wall of built in shelving around her fireplace in her living room. I told her I would try to find some inspiring reference photographs. She wants to add a wall of bookcase shelving around the (brick) fireplace, hoping to put the TV above the fireplace. I suggested some double doored cabinets to put the DVD player surround sound etc. The room has HIGH ceilings so the bookcase wall would go all the way up, pretty vast. There is also a slanted ceiling, which is driving her crazy. I suggested a decorative round piece on the top shelf to tie in the slant. Any pictures would be helpful!! I am so glad Kristina added in that last sentence because despite looking at hundreds of photos of living rooms, I could not find any photos that were perfect for her mom’s dilemma. Instead I grabbed all sorts of photos simply of built-in bookcases/shelving around fireplaces to hopefully help with ideas – and for anyone else looking to provide storage around a fireplace.
the selby
design*sponge
Jerry Jacobs Design
Nathan Egan
Colombe Stevens
Warren Heath
Dana Wolter
Fawn Galli
Insight Design Inc.
John Lum Architecture
Marie Claire Italy
Marie Claire Maison
Markham Roberts
Apartment Therapy
Nathan Egan
New York Spaces
Oak Management
Turnbull Griffin Haesloop
The London Magazine
Wayne Vincent
Amanda Nisbet
…after this dining room.
I adore the Dear Ingo by Ron Gilad for Moooi light fixture (and my fav new store carries it here!), the thick wooden table, the Thonet bentwood armchairs, the Flos Toio floor lamp… but I could do without that rug.
Styled by Victoria Backman.