Displaying posts labeled "Sponsored"

Good morning dear readers! I wanted to send out a quick post to let you in on a little excitement going on over the next several days. A couple of months back I was sent an email asking me to be a part of something super exciting, and it is finally happening! Tomorrow night I am flying to Berlin with some other Canadian media folks/bloggers to take part with representatives from 46 other countries in an event that has been very secretive. The only info I have been provided is that Miele, the world’s premium German appliance manufacturer, is about to transform the way we taste and prepare food. Hands-down a revolutionary moment in technology in the kitchen. Yes, we are talking some #revolutionaryexcellence. I cannot wait to find out what this is all about!!!

I will be in Berlin, then Gütersloh and then Frankfurt and will head home Wednesday morning. I will be sharing moments here and there on Instagram @kim_dti, our Facebook page, and Twitter so keep an eye out if I have piqued your curiosity!! It seems I may have a bit of free time Sunday afternoon in Berlin and Tuesday afternoon/evening in Frankfurt if anyone wants to meet up (email me @ kim[at]desiretoinspire[dot]net). 

I have been an admirer of modern furniture brand BoConcept for as long as I can remember. They are masters at creating modern functional furniture that at the same time is timeless and works in every style of home. I also love the Danish vibe of their collections. Comfort and clean lines with a stylish simplicity that is so appealing. And they carry everything from sofas and chairs to dining tables, storage units, beds and all the accessories you need to add some pizzazz to your space. Very cool – I just found out they offer interior design services too. Genius! They’ll tell you what to purchase and how to arrange it too! Oh – and as a bonus – Mads Mikkelsen is featured in their 2017 catalogue. *SWOON* Here is just a taste of some stand-out pieces they carry….

Copenhagen Wall Unit

Flexibility is the key with the Copenhagen wall unit by BoConcept. Show what you want, and hide everything else through open and closed shelving units that can be customised to your specific taste. As functional and flexible as it is beautiful, the Copenhagen wall unit can be transformed into a bookcase, a TV unit, or even a sideboard. Choose from either a black or white soft finish for a lavish display in your home. 

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Osaka Sofa

The Osaka sofa by BoConcept features a light look and slim proportions. It ideal for small living spaces, but works equally well in larger rooms. The pure lines on the Osaka are softened with beautifully crafted details such as the elegant seams on the edges and optional tufting on the seat cushions. It is fully customisable to suit your taste and style, with a choice of over 120 different seating units, premium leather and fabrics, exciting colours, and elegant leg designs. You also have the choice between a classic straight armrest or one that curves slightly. You can’t go wrong with this stunning Scandinavian sofa.

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Milano Dining Table

The Milano dining table by BoConcept features a unique appearance with clean lines that will surely lift the style of any dining room. It also has a built-in extendable function that caters for extra seating for up to 12 guests. This modern dining table can be customised according to your wishes. Choose from varied sizes, tabletops and leg designs, to coordinate a striking setting for your home dining area.

Shop Now

Looking for more designer furniture to furnish your beautiful home?

Visit www.boconcept.com/en-au

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This post is brought to you in partnership with BoConcept

Summer is upon us, and day by day we’ll all notice our moods gradually improving as we feel the sun on our faces. But sometimes as the beautiful sunshine pours through our windows, the air inside our houses can start to feel a little stuffy. We totally get it – on a hot summer’s day, you want to plop down with a good beach read and not move a muscle. But you still want the air inside your house to be moving!

That’s where ceiling fans come in. The wind chill sensation that these genius light fixtures create on our skin means that we can turn the thermostat up a few degrees in the summer (or off completely) while remaining comfortable. Fans take much less energy than running an air conditioner, which is good for us and for our utility bill. Plus, it’s the closest thing you can get to a sea breeze if you’re landlocked on a balmy day!

But here’s the real question: Are ceiling fans a chic design move? If you’re anything like us, the image in your mind’s eye is the outdated (and slightly gaudy) fixtures most of us grew up with. Thankfully, modern ceiling fans have changed a lot since then. With their sleek metallic tones, gorgeous natural woods and interesting blade shapes, there’s a fan that fits every room. Seriously!

The Bedroom
Lighting the bedroom can be tricky. Sometimes you want something more ornamental than a simple flushmount fixture but something less grandiose than a chandelier. A ceiling fan is perfect, as it’s fluid in motion but not overpowering. 

We love how this airy, simple bedroom in New England looks with its neutral tones and hints of gilding. Thanks to high ceilings and a polished palette, the simple ceiling fan is unobtrusive and sophisticated hanging above.

Photo: Architectural Digest

The Living Room
This is the room where your family and friends congregate, aka where you need the most airflow to keep everyone comfy. As this homey living room demonstrates, you can’t go wrong with three rounded blades in striking wooden tones.

Photo: Lumens

The Porch
What if you want to sit out on the porch and sip some sweet tea on a steamy day? Hanging a fan (or two or three) overhead will have cool air wafting over you as you watch the world go by. 

We love how this Tennessee porch establishes continuity with its bright ceiling and fan; the designer matched their white shades instead of creating startling contrast.

Photo: Southern Living

Rules of Thumb
Wondering how to fit a fan to your space? Here are a few handy guidelines to follow as you’re picking out the perfect fixture:
-A 36-inch fan fits a room up to 100 square feet
-A 42-inch fan fits a room up to 200 square feet
-A 52-inch fan suits a room up to 400 square feet
-Rooms larger than 400 square feet may call for one large fan or multiple 52- or 56-inch fans
-Maintain at least an 18-inch clearance between a fan and the walls

Depending on where you live, you’ve still got a few weeks before the temperatures soar. You’ll thank yourself later for getting a ceiling fan now. Happy hunting, we hope a cool breeze is soon headed your way!

How does your bedroom make you feel? It seems more often than not that after we’ve decorated every other room in the house, we get to the bedroom, raise our shoulders and just go: “eh.”

The bedroom is the first and last place we see every day. Why are we arranging and putting our most loved possessions on display in our home’s public spaces (such as the living room and dining room) but not in our private, more intimate interiors?

It doesn’t really make any sense, does it?

Every room in the house should reflect our passions and inspire our creative thinking—shouldn’t the bedroom be the first place we start? The bedroom is where we share in rest, intimacy and even decadence; therefore, it ought to be designed in such a way as to help us fully express who we are.

If you’re an imaginative free-spirit who loves adventure and is excited by color, movement and the play of light, a Boho chic bedroom design will help you to release yourself to experience, not hold yourself back from it.

Here are four ways to craft a Boho bedroom style from the floor up!

Start with the skeleton
Achieving the Boho chic-styled look takes more than laying down an Aztec rug and lighting incense. Boho chic style is a lifestyle, not a movement. If you want your bedroom space to reflect your care-free attitude and eclectic manner, you need to (and this’ll seem antithetical to your gypsy ways) start with the basics: your furnishings.

If you want your bedroom to be a den of color, life and passion, you’ll need to start with simple, modern bedroom furniture that doesn’t distract from the feeling of the room. The bedframe should be angular and made with clean lines. A frame like the Vintage Bed designed by IonDesign keeps you up off the ground but won’t distract from the space’s art and textiles. Your furniture pieces should frame the space, not distract from it.

Even something as simple and modern as a box bed frame (made by you!) can work to your room’s full advantage.

Take a look at Brit + Co.’s low slung bed. It looks like the bed melts into the beautiful textiles and greenery of the space.

By melting into the cozy textiles and colors of space, you can envelop yourself in the experience of it and completely unplug from the outside world.

Up Next: Window Treatments
Before moving on to bringing in the throws, rugs and tapestries, you’ll need to dress your windows: the plastic blinds you pull down after the sun sets won’t cut it.

Check out the window treatment (seen below) featured on the Bohemian Collective’s Nest Blog.

The window itself features a large dream catcher complemented by heavy, belted teal drapes. The materials used in the dream catcher and the belts are natural, made either of hemp or leather. The rounded shape of the dream catcher and the strong color of the drapes is echoed throughout the room; we can see it in the plants, textiles and other furnishings.

When you start planning your room with the basics of simple modern furniture and window curtains, you can bring in your personal touches and turn the space into a place that is the physical embodiment of your free-wheelin’ spirit.

A Colorful Flourish
When you wake up in the mornings, you’ll want the first thing your feet touch to be soft. A textile rug will temper the hard flooring and bring a sense of delicacy and vitality to your bedroom space. Interior design blog Houzz tells design ingénues that they should “be adventurous with textures and patterns.” Waking up and going down to sleep in a space that is warm, colorful and playful will keep you feeling good and happy. A rug with a zig-zag pattern or antique floral motif will put you in the mood to relax and help you check out for the night. If you’re wanting to work, that same rug can inspire your next email quip or watercolor postcard.

Look at what Loom and Kiln did to this bedroom space. With walls decked out in white, the textiles take center stage.

The modern bedroom furniture is made strong by the artistry of the rug and textile pillows propped on the bed. The blush pink poof on the floor helps the eye to travel to the blush pink throw blanket slung over the slanted ladder. The entire space is brought together by using just a few complementary elements.

As you can see, dressing up your room in the Boho chic fashion only takes a few well-placed items. It’s time to get your groove on!

With over 100 categories the A’ Design Award and Competition is the worlds’ largest design competition. But it is not just an award. It is an indicator of quality and perfection in design, recognized worldwide, bringing your design front and centre before design companies and professionals. From Interior Space and Exhibition Design Award to Furniture, Decorative Items and Homeware Design Award. Architecture, Building and Structure Design Award to Lighting Products and Lighting Projects Design Award. Home Appliances Design Award to Bakeware, Tableware, Drinkware and Cookware Design Award and so many more. (You can find all the design categories here.) 

The A’ Design Award & Competition has ended for another year and the winners have been announced. Here are some of my favourite interior design related winners for 2017.

A’ Furniture, Decorative Items and Homeware Design Award

Lynko by Natalia Geci

Binhi by Ito Kish

Vacuumglow by Vadim Garnaev

Drop by Buket Hoscan Bazman

Trapesi by Phebos Xenakis

A’ Architecture, Building and Structure Design Award

Black Eagle by Perathoner Architects

Niop Hacienda by Xavier Abreu

Hotel Pino Nature by Vuk Amir

Pool House by Priyanka Khanna & Rudraksh Charan

Flexhouse by Evolution Design

A’ Landscape Planning and Garden Design

Yukyu En by Shunmyo Masuno

Wareth Gardens by Shiro Nakane

Puli Garden by Chao-Hsiang Chen

Simplicity & karla aliaga Mac Dermitt

A’ Lighting Products and Projects Design

Bubble by Tiago Curioni

Léon by Lewis Power

Colour Injector by Taras Sgibnev

Bent by Jana Nevrklová

A’ Design Award and Competitions are organized and awarded annually and internationally in a wide range of categories. Every year, projects that focus on innovation, technology, design and creativity are awarded with the A’ Award. While realized projects find opportunities to get published, reach new markets and meet a wide range of buyers for their existing products, the organization also helps the creative minds and startups to meet with the business people to realize their product ideas. If you’d like to register for next year’s competition you can do so here. 

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This post is brought to you in collaboration with A’ Design Award and Competition