Open or closed?

This week we are deciding whether or not to have an open en-suite! Whilst I think it can look really good with an open plan bedroom and bathroom, I still wouldn't like it for myself.

I can't help to think of all the annoyance factors like hearing your partner shower really loudly or the noise from the electric toothbrush before your alarm even goes off in the morning.

Anyway, my brother really likes the idea for the Shoreditch flat but I'm still on the fence about it.

What do you think??

New chair by Philippe Starck

With his own interpretation Philippe Starck has paid homage to the Series 7 Chair by Arne Jacobsen, the Tulip Chair by Eero Saarinen and the DSR or Eiffel Chair by Charles Eames.

The silhouette of each chair is clearly defined with an interweaving hybrid of shapes supported on a slender base.

The Masters Chair will be available in seven colours, I definitely want some orange ones! Orders are now being taken for delivery in September 2010. Cost is £240 per chair

Garden room

My sister moved in to a lovely house by the beach last year, so I thought of her when I saw this. As the Swedish summer is quite short and chilly in the evenings, people usually build garden rooms to be able to enjoy the outside more. The rooms are usually glazed and attached to the house but I really liked the look of this. And since it doesn't have glazing, it can be built at a fraction of the price.

Sustainability is our responsibility!

The Fab Lab House is presented by the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia. It's a solar-powered home that produces more energy than it consumes. The interior surface area is 70 m2 and the space is arranged like a loft. It can comfortably accommodate a family of four.

I think it's great that more people and companies are thinking greener. We all have to take responsibility for the future of our planet!

Transparency

Transparent furniture is very 'in' at the moment. Looks great in airy and light spaces. The most popular piece is probably the Louis Ghost Chair designed by Philippe Starck, definitely one of my favourites!

Hope you've had a nice weekend!

Swiss luxury

Swiss company Berger Metallbau designed these exclusive residential homes with almost seamless transitions from indoor to outdoor. The range of sliding windows has won several design awards and perfectly melds with the building's architecture. It beautifully frames the view of a lake and mountains.

This is definitely my kind of house!

Get the look...

World Championship

I can't say I care much for football, but since it seems to be the only thing people talk about nowadays I thought I should at least mention something football related.

The Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg is my favourite of the football stadiums in South Africa. The stadium underwent a major upgrade for the 2010 tournament, with a new design inspired by the shape of a cabalash (african pot).

I love the earthy colours and softness of the building. It manages to look really contemporary and fresh without feeling sterile and stiff!

Today I made cushion covers...

Yesterday I helped my mum pick up a new rug to go with the white leather sofa they recently bought. We picked a purple (plum) coloured high pile rug. We needed cushions as well but we couldn't find anything we liked so I spent the day today making cushion covers! The first one took me about two hours to make but after that it got a lot easier! Cushions are a great way to liven up an otherwise plain interior. Try mixing patterns and colours for a more interesting look!

Orange summer

Well it seems as summer is finally here and the big colour trend for this year is orange / tangerine. Looks especially fantastic in the garden or terrace. If you don't feel like going all out, try adding a couple of cushions and some accessories. Definitely gives me a summer feeling! Have a nice weekend everyone!

Bisazza mosaic

Mosaic is such a versatile product. Its use in art has been traced back over 4000 years. Today they come in a variety of materials and sizes.

The Italian company Bisazza are the market leaders in modern mosaic. They custom make patterns and murals and have everything from simple white glass mosaic to 18 carat gold.

Gorgeous!!!

Luxurious bathrooms

In about a month, building works will start in my brother Yerco's flat in Shoreditch. The current roof terrace will become an open-plan kitchen living room with a small terrace on the side. And the current 2 bed, 1 bath flat will become 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. This week I will focus on getting the bathrooms right. The layout has already been decided so now I need to focus on the details.

I think master bathrooms should be romantic and luxurious but still practical. You need to be able to have a candle-lit bath with your partner in the evening but still have a good place to put on your makeup or shave in the morning! For this design I will use large slate tiles and warm wood like teak or walnut. And of course a classy chandelier. My favourite tiles are called Terra XXL and are made by a Dutch company called Mosa Tiles. They come in variety of sizes and colours so it's possible to make interesting patterns.

My first post!

I would like to dedicate this first post to my lovely friend Michelle who spent a few hours on Sunday convincing me that blogging was a good idea. She recently moved in to a new studio flat that she wants to decorate in a bohemian style. I think this style will go perfect with her warm and intense personality!

When I think of a bohemian look I imagine bold colours, patterns and layering. A combination of the old and used with the new and polished can look really good!