Adoration for the pure rustic, photography by Fawn DeViney

I'm writing this post on what is a fairly dreary, wet and grey winter day in Sydney, so anything that will give me a sense of coziness and warmth is welcomed with open arms... and the photography of Fawn DeViney might just do the trick!! She has an amazing knack for capturing the soul of the object that she's shooting. The elements in her frame seem stripped off any cosmetic or artificial layers and exude a sense of pride simply through existing as everyday objects.

There is a soft-spoken beauty that Fawn DeViney captures in her work that we, unfortunately, don't stop to revel in as we go about our daily lives. She hones in on the detail of the most common objects that we simply take for granted, so much so that as we stare at the photographs, we are all of a sudden challenged into questioning our point of view on how we consider the object that we're viewing.

Is the crusty, perfectly cooked bread just something that we want to devoir when hungry, or has it now become an object of aesthetic inspiration? Does the sheer, bare smoothness of the lonely young branch not evoke a sense of sadness due to its solitude? It is now no longer an object that we pass nonchalantly by, when walking to the bus stop...

One of the other standout photos for me is the deep brown wooden chair. In having captured the detail of the imperfect chiselling around the chair's armrest, Fawn DeViney brings into the photo a warm sense of humanness, albeit the photo being void of any human presence. This aspect of an artisanal presence in her photography, mixed with a natural and soft colour palette, exudes a comforting feeling of a certain rugged honesty.

Source and imagery courtesy of - fawndeviney tumblr

The photographer also has a great 'published and recent work' blog - fawndeviney.wordpress.com

29 perfect little square metres

This nifty little apartment is a project that was completed in 2012 and is located in Wroclaw, Poland. Designed by the Polish architecture firm 3XA it is a very clever little space that makes the very most of a humble 29 metres squared. The colour palette is simple, welcoming and warm. The light dances gently over the natural surfaces and even the use of black is applied in such a manner that it adds depth and character to the space rather than coming across as overpowering or heavy.

There is a real sense of geometry to this little abode. The straight, crisp lines of the stairs, the hard edge of the overhanging mezzenine, and the simple square kitchen elements, are ever-so-elegantly juxtaposed by the subtleness of the black diamond floor tiles, the stained floor boards, the soft wavy curtains, and the textured, rugged white wall. Albeit its small size, the apartment is so rich with different surfaces, materials, and lines of vision that let the eye dance over the different elements.

Now, one wouldn't know any better unless being in on the secret, but that little door at the end of the cute diamond tiled floor corridor is actually a blind door. It leads to nowhere... it doesn't open... But what a wonderful way to deceive the senses and make one believe that there was more to this little apartment than just 29 square metres.    

Source - 3XA via homedsgn

Images courtesy of - 3XA

The softest of beauties, by Peter Gentenaar

This incredibly inspiring installation work by Dutch paper sculptor Peter Gentenaar dates back to 2009, but I certainly don't love it any less now then I did then. Not having had my blog then, I really wanted to capture this work on my blog, and so here I am, delving into this beautiful exploration of soft colours and textures, immersed into the most unlikely of enigmatic worlds.

The setting is the Abbey of Saint-Riquier in France, where more than one hundred of Peter Gentenaar's pristine paper sculptures were hung and poised ever so carefully, and depicted as sensual, silk-like objects. The installation is very appropriately named 'Mystère de papier' (Paper's mystery).

The fragility of the paper sculptures against the solid, historically firm arches and walls of the Abbey is so well captured in this selection of shots. What sings out, furthermore, is not only the juxtaposition of texture, but also the pastel colour palette of the sculptures against the grey, almost mysteriously ominous, interior of the Abbey. The size of the installations is also oh-so grandiose. The artist did not shy away from giving each piece its rightful presence, and this is further enhanced by the choice to hang the paper sculptures low, where the interaction with the user of the space is that much more confronting.

In describing his paper sculptures, which are reinforced with thin bamboo ribs, Peter Gentenaar likens them to that of paper leafs. And it is this exact lightness that they exude as they hang within the great Abbey of worship. One can almost hear a very soft wind rustling through each of the paper folds...

First spotted on - pinterest via pinner stylingsinja
Source - peter gentenaar via uponafold
Images courtesy of - uponafold

A stroke & a splash of WONDERFUL!!

Pinterest is a wonderful thing, really it is. I'm not paid to say this, far from it... but if you love design like I do, you can not only be up to date with the greatest and latest designs and architecture from whatever country, style, domain or designer you prefer, but also have the pleasure of knowing where each image came from, who designed the space, who shot the great photography, and who styled the dreamy setting...

So it is via Pinterest that I discovered the great blogging work of The Design Chaser, whereupon I found this fabulous selection of shots of a delectably simple yet mesmerising Copenhagen home published in the premiere issue of Elle Decoration Denmark. The styling is just soooo refined. I absolutely melt at the way rugged textures show off their sexy edges against the smoothness of the white interior. I also love the simplicity of black versus white, the balance between these two tones is just so perfectly strung that I cannot stop scrolling from one image to the next.

Such simple yet sophisticated interior invites a desire to add a splash of colour somewhere... and it's exactly what the stylist has done in some of the photos... the perfect touch achieved with the yellow chair, or a simple red stool, or perhaps the quirky round red dot splashes of the bag hooks.... and I simply adore the turquoise bathroom tiles...     

Original source and images courtesy of - the design chaser

Styling - stine langvad

Photography - line klein

Accessories designer - yvonne kone

Thoughtful sense of beauty

Totokaelo, pronounced 'toh-toh-kye-oh, is a charmingly modern store situated in Seattle. The forward-thinking boutique first opened its doors back in 2003, bringing the likes of Yohji Yamamoto, Ann Demeulemeester, and Mary Katrantzou to the city's fashion world... and hasn't stopped attracting demand ever since. The store's neo-natural style is oh-so cool, and the light-flooded spaces hum with warmth and funk. The store's articles are so very simply arranged, and are like delectable lollies that the soul cannot say no to. Propped against a minimal and neutral-coloured setting, the articles speak and hold their own like colorfully timid gems whispering soft invitations to the viewer. The textures want nothing less then to be caressed and taken care of...

On the back of its success, Totokaelo has recently opened a new sister store, Totokaelo Art-Object, featuring art, objects, furniture, lighting, tabletop and textiles... and, needless to say, the work featured is just as exuisite as their fashion lines. More info, great images and modern style inspiration can also be found via the brand's own blog.

Source - totokaelo via wmagazine
Images courtesy of - totokaelo & pinterest