Marmol Radziner Designs A Loft in Los Angeles’ Arts District

Marmol Radziner Architects recently renovated a 2,000 square foot industrial loft in a 1924 warehouse in downtown Los Angeles’ Arts District. The homeowner requested a bachelor pad that was both simple and sophisticated where he could entertain guests and the result is a spacious home with a cozy, grey and black color palette.

The layout was restructured by removing unnecessary walls to create four new spaces defined by custom casework. The living room was raised onto a platform and covered with grey oak herringbone flooring. The rest of the loft kept the original raw concrete floors.

Two vintage lounge chairs, a daybed, ottomans, and a large sofa anchor the cozy, comfortable living room.

The dining room houses a large walnut table with a blackened steel base, along with black leather Cassina Cab chairs.

The kitchen is outfitted with custom black cabinets that helped define the new open layout. The backsplash behind the sink was tiled in contrasting white subway tiles.

The second bedroom was removed to make way for one large master bedroom suite that features a sitting area. Blackout curtains allow for better sleeping or movie viewing.

from Design MilkDesign Milk http://design-milk.com/marmol-radziner-designs-a-loft-in-los-angeles-arts-district/

from Home Improvment http://notelocreesnitu.tumblr.com/post/163644305219

Skagen’s Signatur Hybrid Smartwatch Dials In Connectivity

Named after the Jutland peninsula’s northernmost town, it wouldn’t be all surprising to mistake the contemporary American watch brand Skagen for one originating from Denmark, the name symbolic rather than historical. Nevertheless, Skagen has done well for decades representing the ideals of modern Danish design for the American market, minimalist timepieces with distinct features that belie their affordable prices. The Skagen Signatur Hybrid Smartwatch represent a continuation of the brand’s trademark sleek and modern design language, a collection of four timepieces merging the horological heritage of mechanical movement with unobtrusive connectivity features to keep wearer informed without distraction.

Skagen’s hybrid approach to the smartwatch manifests in a discreet notification system, one relying upon subtle cues rather than overt display notifications that may intrude on concentration, delivering the wearer updates using a secondary dial with four color-coded dial sections to silently communicate whether a call, text, or app notification needs attention (illustrated in action here).

Because its smart features are primarily shared/pushed over to a connected Android or iOS device, the Signatur only requires a standard replaceable CR2430 coin-cell battery to power its features, simplifying life of less required Micro USB connection. Interchangeable 20mm straps afford aesthetic flexibility, while each of the four styles present a distinct personality that should appeal across lifestyles.

Connected to an Android or iPhone via Bluetooth 4.1, the Signatur watches works in harmony with its own app to ensure exact time and date keeping, automatically adjusting the watch dial hands, while also diligently keeping tabs on daily sleep and movement activity – easily reviewable from the connected smartphone.

All four of Skagen’s Signatur hybrid smartwatch line is available online now, priced between $175-195 depending upon finish and band.

from Design MilkDesign Milk http://design-milk.com/skagens-signatur-hybrid-smartwatch/

from Home Improvment http://notelocreesnitu.tumblr.com/post/163642661319

Merging Styles in a Victorian Outside Chicago, IL

Opposites definitely attract when it comes to design. And when they do, oftentimes the results are stellar and surprising. In fact, some of the most eye-catching homes I’ve ever seen have been ones where two styles cohesively merge into one, causing me to wonder, “Why didn’t I think of that?!” One couple who has famously done just this is artist and designer Mindy MacNeil and her finance-savvy husband Scott. With the help of their friend, designer Shaleah Soliven, they’ve decked out their Victorian in a look that equally represents their respective sides of the design coin.

Located in the suburbs of Chicago, the 2,000-square-foot, century-old house boasts many historical details including original ceilings, wooden elements and hardware. Obviously, given the home’s bones, one approach to outfitting it was to lean into its character and amplify these vintage touches. Without a doubt, collector and flea-market regular Scott was down. Mindy, on the other hand, saw potential to modernize the home, adding sleek touches and bright accessories with a minimalist hand.

Luckily, moderator and pal Shaleah helped the couple find clever ways to incorporate both of their styles into various corners of their home. Firstly, the trio designed a “curiosity room” to efficiently house their beautiful taxidermy and throwback mementos. Guarded by a glistening suit of armor, the museum-like space is transportive, the perfect place to read a book and beckons the couple to come inside and let life simmer for a bit. Secondly, they searched for accents to pepper throughout the home that would satisfy Mindy’s desire to keep things streamlined but that also tiptoe the line between modern and retro. Turkish rugs, oil paintings and Schoolhouse Electric & Supply Co.’s offerings did the trick.

All in all, the process took a lot of time and quite a bit of creativity, but the compromise and collaboration that went into this project have definitely resulted in one house that’s very easy on the eyes. More importantly though, their efforts have resulted in a home where their daughter Isla can thrive. They say whenever she’s away for a bit, she always comes in and kisses the walls. Now that’s the ultimate seal of approval. Scroll down to check it out. Enjoy! —Garrett

Photography by Canary Lane

Image above: Upon entering Mindy and Scott’s home, you’re greeted by a vintage rug and wooden accents in a wide range of tones. In some spaces this array of stains could appear haphazard, but under the watchful eye of Mindy the shades come together to turn the dial to “relaxing” and “laid back.”

from Design*Sponge http://www.designsponge.com/2017/07/merging-styles-in-a-victorian-outside-chicago-il.html

from Home Improvment http://notelocreesnitu.tumblr.com/post/163642491584

Three Danish Companies Release Transparent Botanical Prints

Copenhagen-based design companies MOEBE, Paper Collective, and Norm Architects, joined forces to release a series of art prints that were designed specifically to hang within the MOEBE frame. Floating Leaves features transparent botanical photographs that give the illusion of actual leaves suspended within the frame.

The photographs were made using UV printing allowing a photo to be printed onto transparent foil. The prints, which come in three different sizes, are then

From Jonas Bjerre Poulsen of Norm Architects:

The Floating Leaves are inspired by the gathering of botanic samples and classic botanic illustration. Playing with a mix of fresh greens and elements of decay, the Leaves become an expression of passing time and changing seasons. Through the transparency of print and frame the leaves get a unique sense of multi-dimensionality rarely achieved in printed products.

from Design MilkDesign Milk http://design-milk.com/three-danish-companies-release-transparent-botanical-prints/

from Home Improvment http://notelocreesnitu.tumblr.com/post/163640961889

15 Art + Design Gifs to Make you Smile (and Laugh)

Sometimes I need a little laugh mixed into my daily design work. Whether that comes in the form of a super-pleasing video of color wheels coming to life or cats climbing up curtains, I’m not very picky. So Giphy is one of my favorite go-tos when I need a pick me up. I go back to some of my favorites on a regular basis when texting friends, so I thought I’d share 15 of my favorites today. From soothing paint smear clips to hilarious Liz Lemon moments (“Why can’t anyone look past paint color on House Hunters!”), these clips are a nice way to take a quick (and funny) break. xo, grace

Image above: Color wheels forever! (via Creative Bug)

Pleasing paint smears (via)

And color dots, too! (via)

So calming to watch furniture like this come apart and go back together. (via)

Artwork come to life (via)

Watercolor bird in motion (via)

I wish it was this easy to swap out paint and wallpaper at home. (via)

Or you can just watch someone else print wallpaper instead.  (via)

This embroidery video is so calming. (via)

Because we all love a good floral photo…especially when it moves. (via)

Pets are my favorite part of any home makeover. (via)

Me at the beginning of every home DIY project… (via)

…and me after I try to move to step two of a home DIY project. (via)

The main reason I can’t watch most design TV shows. Thank you for articulating so clearly, Liz Lemon. (via)

Finding that perfect spot in the sun. (via)

from Design*Sponge http://www.designsponge.com/2017/07/15-art-design-gifs-to-motivate-your-week.html

from Home Improvment http://notelocreesnitu.tumblr.com/post/163640809709

Interview with Danish Designer Anker Bak

Danish designer Anker Bak is one of a crop of new designers third-generation furniture company Carl Hansen & Søn is collaborating with to create new products to sit alongside their iconic back catalogue. Design Milk caught up with him to find out more…

What is the most important thing to know about you?

Things take time, and that is the mantra I try to live by. I try to be patient and not hurry things. That comes naturally to me now, but for ten years I struggled with it – maybe it is learned. I try to create so many designs but the goal for me right now is to stop and live out in the fresh air for three months, then I feel I can design something again. I have bought a small camper van, so I am going to a yoga retreat in Sweden then to Amsterdam for a dancing trip, then I don’t know. I just want to sit out in the air and draw some furniture. So things do take time you can’t hurry them up. There are thing you can hurry, but to find the right solution for a design you need to take your time. But I would never just lay back and wait for it to come to me, you have to be open and looking and observing, so I am taking a trip in the van to do exactly that.

What’s your earliest memory of being creative?

Well I am dyslexic so I was always using my hands. I am from a town near Legoland, so I always built Lego as a kid. But I also was working on different kinds of things – always with my dad. The first thing we made was this sling thing, then at boarding school, I was always in the wood shop, and I made a table when I was about 15 – I still have it actually!

Did you study cabinet making at school?

Yes, and then I won a Danish championship for cabinet making. I always thought I would like to be a cabinet maker, but all my friends were at college and they could use their brain and read and all the people like me who were dyslexic were going to do something with their hands. It just didn’t seem very sexy – it was not really nice to be a cabinet maker. I did it for six years full time, then I went traveling for a bit, then I worked as a production technologist and after that I had seven or eight years where I lived in a caravan I renovated, so I kind of went AWOL for a while and nobody in my family really understood what I was doing! But I worked with lots of nice designers in lots of nice places. And because I escaped from the cabinet making during that time, I started thinking I have to use my brain, so I decided to go back to school and do a degree in furniture design. But I would always want to use my hands as well – I even learned to knit!

Tell me about the Point Aid MB Crutch.

That is a passion project. I only make passion projects but this is a real labor of love. My Grandma was around 91, and she had a problem with her balance and she got her first government walker. When I saw her eyes when she got that walker – she is from a part of Jutland where you don’t say what you mean, you say it in a nicer way – but I could tell she wanted a nicer walker. She stopped going out walking, stopped baking, she just walked around her garden and from that day she just went downhill. I decided I had to do something. I designed something in between a crutch and the walker, and it worked really well for her. Because it’s made of wood, you have a nice feeling when you touch it. It is really light, lighter than a normal crutch and it’s really flexible. It is for my Grandma but I am working on the production part, because this product makes sense to put on the market. I would love to push the furniture industry towards the healthcare market. There are so many products in the healthcare industry have that the furniture industry could do better. I call it assisted furniture – furniture with function.

How did the Rocking Nest Chair for Carl Hansen & Søn come about?

The first time I saw Carl Hansen I was having a guided tour of the factory. I really enjoyed seeing the passion, the hand crafted material, the fact they produce everything in Denmark – there was something that just really felt right for me. Afterwards I sent an email with a couple of pictures of a prototype I was working on for a folding rocking chair I had designed for my sister. Two hours later I got an reply with two questions – do you have a prototype, and is it stable? I responded “yes and yes” and they said, “Come on over.” I walked into a meeting two weeks later, and the CEO Knud Erik Hansen asked me to fold the chair out so he could try it, he walked around it, he sat on it, then he looked at me, and said “We’ll take it.” Driving back to Jutland afterwards, I was totally paralyzed with happiness!

You said you designed the chair for your sister – what inspired its form?

Yes, one day I was visiting my pregnant sister and her boyfriend, and I couldn’t really get in the door because of all the baby stuff. When I finally got in, I went into the kitchen for a coffee, and she had this big rocking chair and I said, “Now we can’t even drink our coffee in the kitchen because of this big huge rocking chair,” and I immediately saw in her eyes how important it was for her to have a rocking chair for her and her child, so I designed one that could fold down. That way, the kitchen could be the space my sister and her daughter could have their time together and then when they had visitors, the chair could just collapse and be put aside in the corner.

You have said “Every time I create a new product it has to have a clear point for me, the consumer and society” so this is what you were talking about?

Yes, and as I normally say, it is never about the design, it is always about the story. Design is just a way to express the story. A product has to have a real problem to solve you know. I would never just make a chair because I seen a nice bit of wood somewhere. If I see a real reason to put it into the world I will put it there.

And that is about either solving a new problem or solving an old problem in a better way?

Yes, but what does it mean to solve a problem, is it a big problem or a small problem? The rocking chair solves a small problem, the crutch solves a big problem. I wanted to make the chair for my sister, but it is a beautiful chair and it is adding something new to the furniture industry so that would be the reason.

Danish furniture has so much heritage – do you think there is a danger of getting stuck in the past?

Yes and I really am afraid of that. The only reason Danish designers survive is because of our history, but in 20 years when my parents’ generation passes, nobody will remember the story anymore and then we are gone. Danish design is not working anymore. It is really important that we find a new way to express Danish design, and for me it is about adding more function.

Do you think a lot of your generation feel that way or are you unusual?

People are not thinking this way in my experience. They are just trying to survive, making the products consumers are asking for and not taking risks. People are afraid to stand out and do something that they really feel for. Also it takes time, so you have to be dedicated to it. But I am not dedicated to furniture design, I am dedicated to following my own flow, and that has led me to furniture design. I want to do what feels right, but most people don’t know what feels right for them because of the way we live today. When I was making the collapsible chair, people kept asking if the chair really needed to collapse because it is much easier to make one that doesn’t – and all I could say was that it felt right. I am so happy I stuck to that.

What are you most proud of?

I think the thing I am most proud of is the crutch, really because it solves a problem and it is something new in form bent wood. It is a new thing in the furniture industry, a new healthcare product, and it is doing something new in the production. I think it is a beautiful product too.

from Design MilkDesign Milk http://design-milk.com/interview-danish-designer-anker-bak/

from Home Improvment http://notelocreesnitu.tumblr.com/post/163639200479

Design from A to Z: P is for Paneling

The word “paneling” used to be synonymous with “outdated.” It conjured up images of dark-and-dreery basements or that neglected room in your home you haven’t quite gotten around to fixing up. Overall, it’s safe to say its reputation preceded it. Not anymore though! Nowadays, clever homeowners are taking back control of the design detail and giving it a modern update through paint, pattern and even texture.

Luckily for us, we’ve been able to stand witness to this design element’s resurrection through the ingenuity of those who have shared their homes with us. We’re so in awe of the work these guys and gals have done, in fact, today we’ve rounded up 10 great examples of the power of paneling for us all to ogle over. Some of these clever renters and owners even installed the wooden look themselves. Kudos, guys and girls! Scroll down to take a look at their handiwork, and enjoy! —Garrett

P.S. Check out the rest of our Design from A to Z series here.

from Design*Sponge http://www.designsponge.com/2017/07/design-from-a-to-z-p-is-for-paneling.html

from Home Improvment http://notelocreesnitu.tumblr.com/post/163637782459

Porcelain Takes Center Stage for Gabriella Levy’s Light Fixtures

Designers sometimes like to work with only one material of choice so that they can gain complete mastery of skills with that one material. For designer Gabriella Levy, it’s porcelain for its malleability and versatility. She founded her studio immerLit in 2013 (immer roughly translates to always in German), where she creates beautiful, functional art that combines craftsmanship, modern technology, and functional sculpture design in the form of translucent porcelain lighting fixtures and various objets d’art.

Because of the nature of porcelain clay, Gabriella can explore endless ways to facilitate the interplay between porcelain, translucency, and light. Her current collection includes pendants, lamps, and candle votives that create a dreamy, soft, almost cloud-like glow in a room.

from Design MilkDesign Milk http://design-milk.com/porcelain-takes-center-stage-gabriella-levys-light-fixtures/

from Home Improvment http://notelocreesnitu.tumblr.com/post/163637692699

The Science of Livable Design

The following post is brought to you by BLANCO. Our partners are handpicked by the Design Milk team because they represent the best in design.

It was only a generation or two ago the kitchen’s role within a home was primarily defined as functional – a utilitarian space hidden from view dedicated to the preparation of food and little else. Today, kitchens flourish as an extension of our living areas, hearth and heart of our homes, and where friends and family are most apt to be found congregating and mingling before, during, and after mealtime daily. If home is where the heart is, it’s most often located somewhere in the vicinity of the kitchen…a domestic home base increasingly expected to balance aesthetic impression with dependable function.

So it’s no longer enough to pick out the requisite premium kitchen appliances and cabinetry in planning the ideal kitchen. Discerning home owners, in partnership with kitchen/interior designers, now envision the kitchen holistically just as any other room within the home, demanding functional, aesthetic, hygienic, and ultimately livable spaces integrating the tangible and intangible to match their lifestyles and personal preferences – a goal coined as “Livable Design”.

Whereas web-connected smart appliances receive much of the fanfare in shaping the kitchens of the future, in reality the most interesting technological advances within the communal space can be hiding in plain sight. For example: Germany-based BLANCO, a kitchen technology manufacturer, offers an innovative and patented hydrophobic granite composite kitchen sink known as SILGRANIT®, an example of every day innovation – not “everyday”, but every day, as in a product that reveals its advancements with daily use.

“But what’s so exciting about a kitchen sink?”
To appreciate the advancements delivered by SILGRANIT® one needs to stop and consider the demands of the average kitchen sink during daily use: sharp edged utensils tossed with abandon, hot pots and pans delivered straight from the stove to await washing later, and the myriad of liquids and foods capable of leaving their marks in and around the sink. Oh, and it all has to look fantastic when not in use.

Where traditional stone or metal kitchen sinks show the wear and tear of daily use quickly, BLANCO’s combination of tightly molded quartz combined with a mixture of other proprietary ingredients results in their near-impenetrable SILGRANIT®, a material capable of surviving unexpected accidents, as illustrated by the dramatic gravitational example of metal meeting sink shown above. Blemishes simply rub away with a minimum of effort, stains are never given the opportunity to leave their mark.

SILGRANIT®‘s uniform, non-porous, and stain resistant surface also makes it a hygienic solution, easy to clean, and scientifically proven to keep it so. The Institut BioChem was commissioned to independently test the properties of SILGRANIT®’s Hygienic Plus hygienic protection formula.

Lab-testing verified SILGRANIT®’s ability to inhibit the proliferation of bacteria, offering a 100% food-safe surface. The secret lies twofold: first within the material’s water-repellent nature – a dry surface is an unwelcome environment for bacteria – in unison with BLANCO’s patented surface formula, resulting in reducing the growth of “hygienically relevant bacteria by up to 98%”.

BLANCO product manager Eric Gundersen also emphasizes some of their product’s innovations reveal themselves only under the harshest moments of duress: “The maximum temperature an average oven or range reaches is about 500 degrees. A cast iron skillet will really start smoking around 500 degrees as well. So we wanted to test this capacity with SILGRANIT®. If you grabbed a burning pan or pot – and dropped it in a sink – would the sink be able to take it? We literally put flames on the sink and discovered we couldn’t burn it. We want customers to feel confident that a burning pan will be ok, so SILGRANIT® is rated for a heat tolerance of up to 536 degrees Fahrenheit”.

Beyond SILGRANIT®‘s technical merits, kitchen design professionals like Gloria Graham Sollecito of Artful Kitchens and Cheryl Kees Clendenon of In Detail Interiors, praised the material for its flexibility aesthetically, as well as its functionally within a modern kitchen.

“It does not look as industrial as stainless, nor Old World like fire clay, offering 30 shapes and 8 color to choose from. THIS is flexibility and is key to my approach to design. No cookie cutter looks for me, so I need products that can morph according to my needs,” says Clendenon.

“Versatility is very important, so I like a product that gives you many choices that allow you to create a personalized statement every time. SILGRANIT® sinks are practically indestructible and you can accessorize them to get the most out of a small space,” chimes in Sollecito.

Performance, durability, and safety aren’t always primary motivations while sourcing a kitchen sink, but invisibly and dependably, innovative materials like BLANCO SILGRANIT® fulfill aesthetic expectations of the kitchen of today while also delivering a myriad of versatility of functionality appreciable with every passing use. With all of the talk of smart home technology, it may prove the smartest innovations within the kitchen may not be web-enabled, but ones engineered to passively serve our most important and basic of everyday tasks exemplifying livable design.

For more information on BLANCO’s products, visit blancoamerica.com.

from Design MilkDesign Milk http://design-milk.com/science-livable-design/

from Home Improvment http://notelocreesnitu.tumblr.com/post/163636449734

Creating the Ultimate Guest Room: How to Make Guests Feel Right at Home

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The ultimate guest room helps your guests feel incredibly welcome. Image: LKW Design Associates

Figuring out how to design your own interiors is one thing, but for some reason, when it comes to putting together a guest room, decisions feel extra important. Every host wants their guests to feel comfortable. In addition, there’s a little bit of pride at stake. The ability to offer particularly plush guest quarters is a status symbol.

That said, the question becomes: What does it take to create a great guest room? Which features will make your guests feel most at home and leave them talking about how much they’ve enjoyed their stay? We’re here to help figure that out.

We’ve put together a guide to creating the ultimate guest room. Read on to learn our best tips and tricks for how to set up your extra bedroom. Keep them in mind as you work on your own space and we guarantee your guests will think they’ve checked into a five-star hotel.

Leave some extra blankets in case someone gets cold. Image: Weiss Architecture Inc.

The ultimate guest room needs temperature options

Everybody has their own sleeping preferences. Some people need their bedroom to be ice cold and others would rather burrow under a mountain of blankets. Unfortunately, it can be hard to get an adequate night’s rest when we’re unable to create those conditions.

Most guests would rather spend their night tossing and turning than disturb their hosts by asking to adjust the temperature. That’s why it’s so important for guests to be able to make their room hotter or colder at will.

To do this, focus on the type of bedding you provide. Choose sheets and blankets that create light, breathable layers. Then, keep a couple heavier covers on hand so guests can access them. Aside from textiles, be sure to include a fan for those who like the room to stay cool.

Leave a basket of fresh towels for your guests to use during their stay. Image: Dreamy Whites

Include fresh towels

At some point in the visit, your guests will need to freshen up. Rather than make visitors ask for clean towels or carefully raid your linen closet, purchase a separate set of towels and leave them in the room when guests arrive.

There are ways to make your linens work double duty. In addition to their intended purpose, you can incorporate them as part of your overall design. Be sure to choose a set of towels similar in color or pattern to the other accents in the room.

Make sure there’s plenty of lighting on the bedside table. Image: Accouter Group

Add bedside lighting

We’ve all experienced a moment where we’ve tripped over friends’ furniture in the dark. Instead of making your guests navigate unfamiliar surroundings after turning the light out, include bedside lighting in your guest room.

As for how to pick the right fixture, consider both style and size. Obviously, you want to choose an option that matches your desired aesthetic, but it’s also important to make sure that the lighting is proportionate to the area. Abbe Fenimore, the designer at Studio Ten 25, says this interior design mistake is all too common. She recommends taking measurements of the area where your lamps will be before heading to the store.

If you have a little extra money to spare, you could also consider purchasing lighting that comes with extra features. Think about choosing dimmable lamps so guests can choose their own lighting level. Lamps with outlets in their base are also a good choice because they allow guests to easily charge their electronics.

Provide entertainment in case your guests wake up early. Image: Bee’s Knees Design LLC

Provide some entertainment

This is one of those features that will set your guest room apart from others. It’s difficult to get a good night’s sleep in unfamiliar territory. Most of us are prone to either lying awake at night or waking up at the crack of dawn. Rather than having your friends twiddle their thumbs while they wait for an acceptable time to get out of bed, the ultimate guest room will provide guests with entertainment.

Instead of automatically adding a TV, consider choosing forms of entertainment that can add to the décor. For example, something like the coffee table books in the picture above. Magazines are another good option.

Use these tips to create a guest room your visitors will love. Image: Blue Ocean Design

Putting together a guest room comes with a little extra pressure, doesn’t it? In addition to wanting your guests to feel welcome, there’s something satisfying about knowing you’ve created an impressive setup. If you’re looking for ways to wow your friends and family, check out our guide to creating the ultimate guest room. Follow our suggestions and we’re sure that extra bedroom will be so nice your visitors won’t want to leave.

Which features do you think are important in a guest room? What tips do you have for making guests feel at home? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

The post Creating the Ultimate Guest Room: How to Make Guests Feel Right at Home appeared first on Freshome.com.

from Freshome.com - Interior Design & Architecture Magazine http://freshome.com/ultimate-guest-room/

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