Inspiration For The Weekend.

Apparently the weather is going to be dreadful this weekend: rain maybe even thunderstorms! If so, there's one space I would love to spend my Saturday at, reading, perhaps surfing the net and why not having a nap getting ready for a working week ahead starting this Sunday. It's exactly this one.

By the way, friends are very welcomed.

Furniture reference:
Ripple Chair by Ron Arad (let).
Shadowy Deckchair by Tord Boontje(right).

Photo via Moroso

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Polka Dot Bedding Styles

Polka dots could create a great theme for your room. Let your artistic quality take actual and believe of all of the unbelievable items you can produce. Your room bed linen sets come in many designs from lady bugs to robots to poodles. Boy or girl, your room can be crafted to vigorous any style.

 Polka Dot Bedding Styles

 Polka Dot Bedding Styles

 Polka Dot Bedding Styles

 Polka Dot Bedding Styles

Polka Dot Bedding Styles

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Polka Dots

Polka dots are a good way of expressing how you feel in a room. They're very exciting and can lighten up a room with different and bright colours. In some situations, polka dots can be overpowering and can seem very out of place.

This is an example of  polka dots being used in moderation. As we can see, it is a great colour palette with a light brown dresser and a white back round with black polka dots. This room feels calm and elegant. We think its because this room is very basic and there are not that many bright colours. 

This bathroom is an example of what not to do. We think this bathroom is overdone and has too many colours clashing with each other. We feel that polka dots in bathrooms are okay in small doses, because it is such a small room and a small amount of polka dots can make it look overdone. The toilet seat cover is not working for this room. To make this room better, we would tone down the colours and put in minimal amounts of polka dots, if any.

We kind of like this room, but we think that it is a bit overdone. The prints and colours clash with each other. If we could change this room, we would take out the striped bedskirt and the patterned pillows, that way, the polka dots would be the center of attention.

Polka dots in accessories look great. They create a focal point in the room. The picture on the left is a polka dotted wall clock that we think would look great in a kitchen. The pillows on the right would be a great accessory in a living room or bedroom, as throw pillows.

Overall, we feel that polka dots are a great idea in most rooms. We think they should be used in moderation and shouldn't be splattered across the entire space.

-Vanja, Hayley & Alexandra

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MILAN DESIGN WEEK April 12-17, 2011

Find pictures of this important event on our Flickr page !

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The event we were waiting for all year round has finally arrived, the place to be if you are interested in the world of modern design, the place where rigour mixes with creativy , where beauty sometimes surpasses standard common rules. The 2011 Milan Design Week has been a great success and has brought us new ideas, new amazing products for ourselves, our homes, our living spaces. So let's start our journey and explore what's new for this seasons and those yet to come .

White has bonded with color - It is more common to see sparkle of colors in our minimalistic designs ruled by white and neutral tones. Seating furniture becomes more soft and acquire a "casual look" less strict and linear.

We have seen quiet an impressing number of statement armchairs like the one above with round curves and soft fabric covers . The accent pieces must have their glamour time and are not anymore thought as complements to fill up a dead corner of your home.

Fun extras are added to furniture pices like these real blue fur amrchair back cover. Put it in when you need to be pampered up in the winter season, have it off when it's summer time.

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The King's Speech & My Favorite Space.

Finally I got the opportunity to watch the well known "King's Speech". Of course the plot, the actresses and actors were my key of interest, though I must say the scenarios were a big curiosity in my imagination.

British movies are always very truthful when in comes to settings. They recreate all that English decadence pretty well - the energy, colors and textures are very touchable.

Lionel's "Consultation Room" is my favorite space in the movie, actually more than the castle. It is a great example of what I want to have in my future apartment: glass roof, wooden panels, wooden floors, big windows and textured walls.

Do you already live in the space you have once imaged?

I wander how many stories a space like this can tell us.

Here's another British decadent and beautiful space:
The Rough Luxe Hotel
Rough Choice

Movies with luxurious interiors:
James Bond and Coco Before Chanel

Photos are movie print screens.

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Best Home From All Over The World

Wooden surfaces give a reassuring result helping to create a relaxed atmosphere in the home or log structure. Log homes can easily be mutual with stone or plastered walls to realize elegance and style in your log home to suit your taste and obligation. International institutes have repeatedly tested for fire security of a log home and implemented a fire typical test in which log homes prove to withstand better than some other building methods. The developed process of logs also meets the high standards required by EU system. Earthquake confrontation is another exclusive mark of log homes. The log home has the aptitude to absorb and move with the tremor of an earthquake making it a safe stuff for structure, more than any other. Our unique log homes are delivered worldwide.

 best home in the world

 best home in the world

 best home in the world

 best home in the world

best home in the world

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Highlife.

Like shoes, sofas are designed for different occasions, don't you agree? Highlife is specially designed for spaces where people might be looking for privacy when in public spaces, which could be a paradox, though we do it anyway (I personally love to be in noisy spaces admiring people around me without being noticed).

With different hight backrest this "well dressed" sofa is designed to style an hotel lobby or that café where we like to stay for hours surfing the net, reading a book or maybe chatting with a friend. Yes, it is mainly to contract spaces, though it would suit pretty well in my dressing room.  

Hightlife was designed by Swedish studio Claesson Koivisto Rune for Tacchini.

The buttons give that casual touch often seen in a jacket or even a jumper though never loosing the elegance.

Fabrics and colors are another detail carefully selected by the design team. The devil is indeed in the detail.

More articles about sofas
A Sofa Is Like A Pair Of Shoes
The Devil Seats On A Minotti
Thoughts On Seatings
Cosy Seats Cosy Spaces

Photos via Dezeen

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Mirrors!

Spring is all about fresh, new design. It's about getting out of the winter drab and bringing life back into our homes, and we think one of the easiest ways to bring life is to bring light. Mirrors are a super simple way to bring light because they reflect light so well. They can change the entire feel of a room, plus they're convenient to have for a quick touch up.

Mirrors can make a space feel literally double the size it really is, and one of the smallest space in any home is a hallway. These cramped corridors can easily become suffocating, and a mirror is the perfect way to open up the space. We chose one with table and stools underneath it for our first example, but if the hall is too small for that a mirror alone will create an illusion of more space. Just remember to keep the mirror in sync with your colour scheme, you don't want it to clash or become to overpowering in such a tiny space. In this case, a more simple, main-stream mirror is definitely the way to go.

Unlike in a hallway where less is more, a statement piece wall mirror in a bedroom looks great. This mirror is a focal point of the room, possibly even the inspiration piece, and we love how central it is to the design and feel of the space. When you walk into this room, the mirror would be one of the first things that you see, which is something that we really like. Also, we like hoe the dark frame stands out really well against the white walls. But we can't forget how functional this mirror is too! Not only is it a great accessory and piece of decor, but it's great to have a mirror in your room when you are getting ready so you aren't constantly running to the nearest bathroom to check how you look.

Mirrors in living rooms add symmetry and flare.

If there's one thing you should remember when working with mirrors, it's to have fun with them. A mirror often takes up space on your wall that would otherwise be occupied by a picture, so why not make you mirror a piece of art as well as a functional mirror? There are many ways to get creative with mirrors, here are just a few examples:

•  Get a sculpture-like piece for your wall that just happens to be made from mirrors. Like the one pictured above, these tend to be very modern and work best as a centrepiece of a room. Try this kind of mirror in the living room with a chic, downtown feel and you should be set!

• Keep the mirror plain, but glam up the frame! There are frames for every style, budget, and space so just know what you're looking for for your particular space. Some are very fun, like our first example which has a frame made of old pop cans, and some are more sophisticated and classic, like the ornate one we have as our second example.

• Go for a shaped mirror. You can get a mirror cut in almost any shape, from hearts (above) to initials to odd geometric designs. The choice is really yours. So have fun with it and be creative, it will become a focal point in you room, after all.

-Hayley, Alexandra, & Vanja

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Our 3 Least Favourite Colours: #1- Orange

Out of all of the colours that make us cringe, orange takes the cake. There are various reasons that we don't like orange, especially bright yellowy oranges. One reason is that its a very strong colour. It easily overpowers most colours that it is pair with, leaving a mess of a colour scheme. This is another thing that we don't like about orange; it doesn't incorporate into a colour scheme very well. Finally, we don't like how furniture looks when it is covered in fabrics of this colour because it reminds us of a very retro, 70s feel, something that no one wants to be reminded of.

This is an example of how a colour scheme can be so easily lost on orange. We think they were attempting a somewhat analogous scheme, with the light orange-ish floors. But, as you can see, all other colour is forgotten in the presence of the intense pumpkin. The light wood which could have been a nice touch to the room just further washes the colour of the room out, which makes everything look more closed in and ultimately smaller.

We think orange is the worst when it is a fabric colour for furniture. It is hard to work with, mostly because about the same number of things rhyme with orange and match with it in interior design. Therefore it is usually used in an accented neutral room. This creates a centre of attention on the orange, which is a big no-no in our opinion.

But there are a few ways that orange can be tolerable. These ways are:

• Burnt orange. Its a more brown, neutral version of the average orange. This also makes is more sophisticated and classy. Pair this orange with dark woods for the best look.

• In a print. Especially in a child's room, a print with oranges, pinks, and greens can look really cute.

• Accessories. In a modern room, an orange accessory works well and doesn't become dated like it does in a era-neutral room

-Hayley, Vanja, &Alexandra

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Our 3 Least Favourite Colours: #2- Dark Green

Generally, we love green. We think that most shades look great in any room especially when use in accessories, but there is one exception; Dark Green. Yes, it can look classy in a library or office, but it also makes a room look like a cave. On the walls, dark green sucks practically all of the light out of a room. This makes dark green particularly hard to work with.

This room is an example of how dark green walls takes all the light out of a room. Though you can see that there is natural light in the room from an obvious unseen window, the only place you can tell this is the light carpet. The rest of the room sucks in the light and doesn't let any off. There is also a large chandelier that has been added in hopes of lighten ing the room, but unfortunately it hasn't helped at all. We find this room very dull and even somewhat depressing, definitely not a room we would want to spend time in.

This library type room is a little better than the last room, as in there is some light in it and you don't feel like you're entering a vampires lair, but it too is not one that we would choose to have in our homes. The green looks faded, and when paired with the dark green velvet couch and dated accessories it feels more like a museum exhibit than a place we would design. The shade of green also makes the room feel cold and almost unwelcoming. Overall, we think this room is a big thumbs down.

But there is hope for dark green yet! 

We think there are a few guide lines to using green in a room. a darker hue is not our preference, but if it's yours, try these tips:

• Use a green with warmer undertones! An olive toned green, which has warm undertones, can actually look really classy, while a forest green, which has cool undertones, is dated and dark.

• On walls, accent with green and keep the rest light! A green accent wall in an other wise light room will still be bright enough to prevent the cave effect.

• Less is more! One or two touches of dark green is much better than a monochromatic mess.

• Keep it natural! There is one place where we really like dark green; plants! in the right space, add flowers and shrubs to brighten up the room, which is usually the opposite effect of the deep colour.

-Hayley, Vanja, & Alexandra

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