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

Teeny yet super functional city pad of designer Szymon Hanczar

This teeny weeny 13 square metre apartment belongs to Polish designer Szymon Hanczar. While it's not his primary abode, as a lecturer at Wroclaw Academy of Fine Arts & Design he does need to spend a fair bit of time in the city. Not wanting or needing anything that was too big, Hanczar did however want to make sure that it was homey. As a result, he is extremely happy with the outcome because while the apartment is comfortable despite its small size, it also ticks two other key criteria for him, having sufficient storage and being hotel-like, a place he can stay at when in Wroclaw.

Apart from the WOW factor of seeing how people design so smartly for small spaces, this type of design is extremely relevant for how many people need to, or simply choose to live today. Across the globe, in all the wonderful big, busy, bustling cities of the world, people care less and less for space, and more so for location. They want to be in the thick of it all, amongst the buzzing, ever-evolving life in the city streets. They want to step outside their little pad and have quick access to funky cafés, relaxing parks, great museums, and so forth. They have little interest in being cooped up indoors, needing to maintain and clean large homes.

And living small does not mean living dingy or poorly. Hanczar's 13 square metre humble haven is proof of how a small space can be well designed and inviting. He has accommodated for all that is absolutely necessary for him. There is a toilet and small kitchen under the raised bed. There is even room for his bike which adds a modern touch of design against the white wall where it hangs. The furniture and joinery are minimal and above all very functional. The apartment has been kept very light in terms of the colour and texture of the materials used, so that it maximises light reflection and embodies an air of openness.

Source - contemporist.com & dezeen.com

Images - dezeen.com
Photography - Jedrzej Stelmaszek

Related Nest of Pearls post - Could this be the smallest house in the world?

ÉCAL Students Redesign Le Corbusier's No. 50 in Cité Radieuse

Apartment No. 50 is a privately owned apartment in Le Corbusier's Cité Radieuse. Jean-Marc Drut and Patrick Blauwart, the owners of the apartment, open its doors every year and invite different designers to overhaul the interior and create amazing spaces and moments. This is done within some limit of what can be touched and redesigned, as the apartment is historically listed and has all its original fittings. The owners have been inviting designers into their home since this project kicked off in 2008, including the likes of Jasper Morrison, Konstantin Grcic, and Pierre Charpin.

This year is the first year that a team of designers has been invited to No. 50, and after observing life in the apartment over a three-day period, the group of ÉCAL students were invited to create and produce bespoke furnishing over the course of one semester. The result is a bold palette of bright primary colours, enriched with product and furniture designs from a selection of well-known designers.

Drut, one of the owners tells of how this is a year-long process. The designers begin working in September, the instillation is set up in April, and then open to the public throughout July. One month after the close of the show, the pieces are returned to their designers. Every year, however, the owners do purchase and keep a select few items, adding further to the layers of history embodies by the apartment.

Source - wallpaper.com

Images - wallpaper.com

Related Nest of Pearls post - The serene & timeless work of Luis Barragán