Daring Green...

After two years of living in our wonderful apartment I've recently decided that I'm finally ready to move on to phase two of the renovation, or rather interior redecoration to be more precise, as we won't be knocking any walls down. Phase one comprised of the necessary tasks one must undertake when buying an already lived in home, a fresh coat of clean wall paint, a retile of what was a once flooded laundry yet never well cleaned, and the replacement of a couple of decayed floor boards. So nothing overtly exciting. 

Now, I'm hoping this next phase will be more exciting, it 's less a 'fix it' phase and more of a design phase. But I'm at a cross roads. It being your own home, and you being the person who can implement any visual idea that you want, it actually makes it hard to know where to begin. Do I put colour on the wall or wallpaper, or what about a mirror to reflect the amazing view? And do I gather beautifully aged recycled wooden furniture or do I invest in ruggedly grungy copper accessories? All these things appeal to me, and maybe all can even work together if well mixed. But I want to be sure to avoid making our humble ninety square metre apartment look like Willy Wonka's chocolate factory...

So here I am, I guess more in a planning phase rather than designing for now. This week I've been exploring the idea of adding some green into the interior. It'd be a colour I've never thought to use before, but I think it could work well if done right and in the right measure. I definitely feel a little out of my comfort zone with green, but these images show just how incredibly well it can be incorporated if one can exercise self control...

Images - all via my pinterest

Vila Leopoldina Loft, by Diego Revollo

The above image stopped me in my tracks when I came across it. There was something so original in the canvas that hangs on the wall. The subject's eyes are so piercingly beautiful yet gentle, and the softness of her fringe so girl-like. I also wonder what she's listening to on her big head-phones... Beyond the uniqueness of the canvas itself, the photograph of the interior also has a great composition. The framed image plays with symmetry and gradient at the same time. The symmetry comes from the canvas' reflection in the coffee table, and the gradient of colour comes from the downward journey from the light creamy textured walls, to the grey minimalist sofa, through to the dark purple rug. It takes a special eye to make so many visual elements work in a space so seamlessly.

And the space in question is Vila Leopoldina Loft, by Brazilian architect and interior designer Diego Revollo. The 70 square-metre home was specially designed for the owner, who is an actor, with theatrical accents such as curtains playing a key role in the space. With limited use of doors, the curtains are used to divide the spaces where needed.

There is so much care and attention to detail that lives within the design of this home, and I'll leave you to enjoy the photos by yourself. But there's one thing that I found witty and quite playful in terms of visual repetition that I wanted to mention, and that is the reference to the swirl. In the living room area Leopoldina has used the Wiggle Side Chair by Frank Ghery, and then in the bedroom above the bed, hangs an image that looks into the spirally insides of a building. In an interior mostly dominated by straight lines and sharp edges, I love this subtle relationship between two soft and swirly elements, which complement each other... 

Source - design-milk.com

Images - design-milk.com

Related Nest of Pearls post - Paris apartment dreaming, with Paola Navone 

Paris home of fashion designer Eymele Burgaud

This is the majestic Paris home of fashion designer Eymele Burgaud. It is softly minimalist yet, at the same time, busy with moments of chaos and quirkiness. There are hints of craziness spicing up what is quite a classic foundation, and it's these hints that give us a look into the very unique character of the people that live here.

My favourite by far is the cosy armchair, pictured above, with layers of material, and holes in its arms, giving it a feel of something that has been used lovingly, and has been worn down over time through sheer enjoyment... like a great pair of jeans. And the chair leg jammed into the book, how clever!! How daring to intentionally break what is essentially a white, clean space with an injection of a little madness. Similarly the pillow on the armchair, squeezed by a beautiful leather belt, what detail...

Actually the more I look at these photos, the more I realise how evident it is that Burgaud uses her fashion design expertise to dress her furniture, and her home overall, as she would a mannequin, composing materials together to bring to life a world that is purely to her own style...       

Source - garancedore

Images - garancedore

Related Nest of Pearls post - Depth of Character in the 7th Arrondissement, Paris

Layers of paint and love define Kiki Slaughter's studio

Painter Kiki Slaughter builds her large-scale abstract artworks in the enchanted ruins of a 377-square-foot studio in Atlanta. The space is set within a 19th-century cotton gin factory converted to contemporary art studios and gallery venues, all sitting on 12 acres of land within the heart of the city. The bare, industrial bones of the artist’s studio space offer big windows, hardwood floors, exposed brick, and tall ceilings, of which many surfaces have become layered with pigment, in a similar fashion to her paintings. 

Amongst the surfaces covered with colour and pigment is a set of beautiful vintage French chairs that the artist had picked up at one of her favourite stores. Slaughter then had them covered in her fabric with a fun pop of pink piping.

The studio's paint-covered floors are juxtaposed by tall ceilings with exposed rafters. The colour hasn't quite splashed so far, and therefore we find that the ceiling is perhaps the only element of flat, natural colour. On the back of the main wall of the studio is a pair of large paintings titled 'Rebel Rebel' which measure an impressive 5x8 feet apiece (below image).

On another wall, a beautifully exposed brick surface, we find a large painting called 'Spring Cleaning'. It hangs above a collection of canvas strips which are soon to be made into a sculptural piece (below image).

Not far along, a beautifully humble and simple glass container sits quietly with one paint brush in it (below image). It is one of many that the artist uses to mix colors. "You can tell from its opaqueness that a lot of colors have been mixed!," Slaughter says.

There is such humanity and 'realness' in this studio. We take such care to keep our homes clean and pristine, but in reality we need to create and leave our mark. I find that Slaughter's studio is an amazing example of giving a presence and a voice to everyday objects. She hasn't just stuck to expressing herself on canvases, but also given colour and life to glass jars, the studio floor and walls, random rags, and beautiful French furniture.

Source - designsponge.com

Images - designsponge.com

Related Nest of Pearls post - Inspiration for a creative 2013