The pleasure of discovering Koskela

Sydney weather is absolutely divine this time of year, and I was lucky enough to have some time aside this week to catch up with a wonderful friend for lunch, and ooooooh did I love where she took me. Hidden in an industrial, quite rugged, and very design-ey part of town, I had the pleasure of discovering Koskela. Owned and run by one talented duo, Russel Koskela and Sasha Titchkosky, Koskela is like no other furniture company I've ever stepped foot in. Inspired by their own lives and the things that surround them Russel's Australian furniture designs are both delectably beautiful as well as functional.

I loved this place because it immersed me in what I can describe as a beautiful jungle of delicious colour, form, depth and texture. The amazing space welcomes you with a funky little restaurant called Kitchen by Mike, where one can indulge in honest, candidly cooked and finger-licking good dishes. As I devoured my perfectly seasoned grilled chicken alongside a peach and rocket salad, I couldn't help peeking in what was the enticing furniture showroom beyond. So naturally, once we did explore the showroom my heart began to dance.

What a space!! The pieces are laid out with the most perfect care, and made to sing and come alive with additional accessories from other Australian designers. I say 'perfect care' though the space, at the same time, is so relaxed and inviting, it actually feels like someone's home, one's incredible oversized loft, oozing succulent ruggedness and open to one and all...

Another aspect that stood out to me is the sheer attention that everything is given. The company card I picked up on my way out was an experience of touch, a soft yet beautifully matte, slightly textured, card, carrying the same feeling and ideology as the showroom. Koskela's website is also an amazing place to visit, it is just such a natural extension of the showroom sensation that it simply leaves one's aesthetic taste buds hungry for more.

Photography by - Bisera Gondevska (me! :)

Cardboard box frenzy!!

Ok, so here I am, little ol' me packing away like mad as I prepare our big move from Paris to Sydney, and I'm thinking 'what's an honest move if cardboard boxes aren't heavily in the mix'?!?! Well at my place, they're everywhere!! Everywhere I turn, big or small, behind every door, flat or packed... They have entered my life at a speed faster than on can type 'box' in a blog post. Moreover, I'm convinced that they unpack themselves and multiply during the night, a little like those pesky metal coat-hangers.

So, with the simple goal of keeping myself calm and sane, and restraining myself from talking to the boxes for more than one hour per day, I've began to consider what beauty they may hide within if I just very simply looked at them differently. And just that very thought has got my aesthetic buds excited and inspired. I invite you to take a look at the below cardboard art. There are some very fun and quirky pieces, easy to digest, but I urge you to look closely at the first three. My absolute favourite is the first image showing a cardboard bow instillation. I love the texture, volume and relief in this work of art, and I lose myself in the simplicity with which the box unravels itself up and across the wall. Similarly, the second and third image below are very impressive. These two are by German street artist Evol. You can find much more of his crazy and inspiring work here.  

Images via - evol & pinterest

Fearless Paris loft design

This amazingly colourful and vibrant Paris triplex is a project undertaken by Paris-based designer Carlos Pujol. Originally from Barcelona, Carlos Pujol has achieved the dynamics of the below space by bringing together four former one bedroom apartments, as well as demolishing the existing roof and delving up into the additional space to create extra zest and character within the new-found height.

I find this space so relaxing, laid-back, sassy, and just so simply full of funk. The colours used are simply delectable, and I love that the use of colour is far from sparse. What also stands out for me is the splash of accents of minimalism and simplicity fused together with the vivid life of the colour pallet. Here I refer to the beautifully floating, rail-free stairs which mischievously interact with the nonchalant stack of books, or the sexy silk dress timidly hanging against the pastel textures of the rugged bedroom wall. Moreover, in the midst of this coming together of styles there is a slight quirkiness and fun added by such elements as the recycled glasses chandelier and the strong and powerful Superman coming at you from the roof.          

Images courtesy of - Carlos Pujol via planete-deco

Rugged and sexy converted London warehouse

This converted London warehouse oozes groove and sexiness, and I've decided that as soon as I come across a deserted, affordable warehouse I'm embarking on a project just like this and sprucing it up to just how I like it. What a space?! What a concoction of proportion, colour, texture, character and play on height!

Every touch, every accent of design seems to have been achieved in such a laid back and relaxed fashion... yet everything works so well and must have been rigorously thought out. How can one not appreciate the spaces created... the amazing long dining room table with the ensemble of mis-matching and fun chairs, the use of mirrors, both small and extra big, all adding to the play and perception of size, space, depth and proportion.

The backbone of the rhythm and life of the space are the walls. A sense of succulent ruggedness has been achieved through both the haphazard rendering of the high brick walls, and the recycled wood panel surfaces on which the eye can't help but dance over the depth and range of warm wood colours. After having lapped it all up thirstily I think my heart is most weak at the simple and girly act of using soft, pretty gowns as a curtain in the bedroom, and the shy little bathroom mirror with its humble sink. 

Source - house to home

Beautiful madness

Mitsugu Sato is a Japanese artist whose unmissable work I came across via a very cool 'pinner' I like to follow on Pinterest. As I scrolled through what was already a very sophisticated selection of imagery depicting art, design and edgy interiors, Sato's work just jumped out at me. I had to have more!

All I had was his name and a couple of images of his work, and despite this I had some trouble finding the information I longed for. I did, eventually come across the Skky.info website, it's one that promotes local artists. I believe it's in Japanese, therefore I understand nothing at all, but I did find what I was looking for, more of Sato's succulent work.

The pieces are simply magic. The detail and the depth with which each one is constructed is incredible. They exude a fragile beauty, despite their industrial origin and the hard and rough materials that make up their skeletons. What's more, there's a real exploration of tension, balance and symmetry... thin strings madly grasping heavy, rusty bolts... tired pieces of wood out of which protrude unforgiving wire frames...

Each piece seems to hold its own story, one of heaviness, a past life, and a sort of melancholy... the last stance, however, is one of piece and quiet beauty...

Source - skky.info