Displaying posts labeled "Small"

A South African pied-a-terre

Posted on Fri, 14 Mar 2025 by midcenturyjo

“A city pied-a-terre situated in a beautiful and historic Edwardian building, overlooking lush gardens with a backdrop of Table Mountain. A pale envelope showcases a collection of antiques and textiles.”

Victoria Court by Cape Town-based interior design firm Gregory Mellor Design.

Photography by Elsa Young.

Delicious colours in a Haussmannian apartment

Posted on Tue, 3 Dec 2024 by KiM

This 60 sqm Haussmannian apartment in the 18th arrondissement of Montmartre is an absolute delight. The main living space is neutral with a touch of elegance (and some smokey mirrors add to the faux grandeur), and then the bedroom area is awash in enveloping deep shades of burgundy/mauve/dusty pink. Perfection. Designed by Lauranne Elise Schmitt. Photos: Alice Mesguich.

A sustainable model for urban living

Posted on Thu, 28 Nov 2024 by midcenturyjo

The Wilam Ngarrang Retrofit project highlights the environmental, social, and financial advantages of retrofitting Melbourne’s inner-city apartments. Kennedy Nolan implemented a ‘minimal-intervention’ approach to upgrade a 1970s Fitzroy apartment block. The retrofit improved thermal performance, extended the building’s lifespan and enhanced tenant amenities. Key goals included achieving net-positive energy, reducing water demands, minimizing construction waste and carbon emissions and promoting zero-waste operations. The project retained the building structure, added efficient water systems, a 33kW rooftop solar array and heat recovery ventilation. Tenants enjoy up to 80% bill savings, with two units offered below market rates through non-profit real estate agency HomeGround.

Photography by Eve Wilson.

A playful colour palette in a Paris apartment

Posted on Tue, 22 Oct 2024 by KiM

The new owner of the place and his companion had clearly expressed their preferences for a style full of poetry and extravagance and a touch of nostalgia with references to the past. The tone was set for an apartment that had to be playful, warm, soft, daring, colorful, sophisticated and refined, a bit retro and nostalgic to live in withdrawn from the world as in a family home out of time, protective, far from the criteria of fashion and the trends of the present. Like a garment tailor-made for a personality with special characteristics, some choices were dictated by the owner’s Asian origins: design of the glass roof, Delft blue plates, enhancement of the collection of works of art, furniture and objects of Korean origin of exceptional quality. Wallpapers in bedrooms reactivate our childhood memories. This apartment translates the aspirations we had to invent an imaginary and poetic world by favoring fantasy, delicacy, and lightness.
I am always in awe of designer Marianne Evennou‘s work and this one is no exception. How she delineates spaces using colour, and uses colours one might never think to attempt in the same space is so impressive. The kitchen in this apartment may be tiny but it is GORGEOUS. Photos: Grégory Timsit.

The clients sought a small house to begin caretaking 300 acres of granite country, eventually wanting to build a larger permanent residence. The design, featuring two identical gable-roofed buildings, creates a sculptural landmark that blends naturally with the rural landscape. Using earthy-toned recycled brick, radial sawn timber and galvanized roofing, the materials harmonize with the surrounding rolling hills and granite outcrops. Entirely off-grid, the home supports water, sewer and electricity needs for the future residence. Its compact, highly insulated design utilizes passive principles with deep eaves and a burnished slab to maintain comfort year-round without air-conditioning. Nulla Vale House by MRTN Architects.

Photography by Peter Bennetts.