Thursday, March 31, 2011

Modern Neutral Living Rooms

The way to get maximum impact from an area rug is to use it as the "soul of your room". The color scheme, furniture placement and accessories should all connect back to it. Uplighting with a dimmer can create mood when entertaining. We used a shag rug and black wood veneer wallpaper as a wainscot for a masculine and swanky look for a swingin' single guy in downtown Denver. Photo by Tim Murphy.

This room, though dramatic on the surface, is very simple and cost effective. The walls are painted in wide stripes, which quickly give the room a lot of interest. The furnishings are straight-lined, bordering on modern. The textured rug, highly coordinated accessories, glass desk and great chandelier add the finishing touches.

In the grand salon, the ceilings were improved with artful soffits to create soft curves, which are also reflected in the furnishings and rug. The walls were dressed with an unexpected horizontal staggered-line tile and wave panel resin material. A beautiful bar was design and built for entertaining. Two conversation areas were laid out in the grand salon. The sofas are a deep chocolate mohair and paired with classic egg chairs and a custom entertainment console dressed with oversized hardware and ostrich leather.Design Tip: Walls don’t have to be painted or papered. Think about tiles, even in a living room.

Earthy tones combine this open space as living room, dining room and kitchen, giving a cozy ambiance.

The ebonized floors and stark white walls provided the perfect backdrop for furnishings in a palette of warm earth tones and various types of wood. The room was divided into two seating areas, with the primary area containing the sofa, chaise and two club chairs surrounding the SPI LINE Blanco Coffee Table whose nickel-plated frame...

To enhance the 11-foot ceiling and the flood of natural light from the large windows in the living area, 8-inch oak molding that surrounded all of the windows was removed, as was the ornamental crown and base molding that existed throughout the apartment. SPI opted to divide the living area from the dining area with large cube towe...

The textural elements of the stone fireplace and shaggy rug, along with hints of apple green, keep this modern space from feeling too sterile.

A cozy family room was created by installing a central chandelier to bring down the height of the ceiling. Additionally, the designer added a sleek shelf around the room for the owner to display his own photographs. Custom iron floor lamps, dramatic drapery and woven shades add texture add warmth to the room. Even though

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Full Exposure/Part 3

Rebellious roots (© The Modern House)

Rebellious roots

This London house overlooks the Victorian-era Highgate Cemetery. Philosopher and economist Karl Marx and punk impresario Malcom McLaren are just two of the famous figures buried in the backyard. 
The windows are almost entirely frameless on the cemetery side, while the street side is a curtain wall of honed black granite, steel panels and opaque glass, for privacy. The house is listed for $7.97 million.

See-through courtyard (© The Modern House)

Talk about a skylight!!!!

See-through courtyard

Inside, you'll be dazzled by 4,225 square feet of living space with four bedrooms and bathrooms. The kitchen has a retractable skylight that transforms the space into an open-air courtyard.

Staying cool (© The Modern House)

Staying cool

Designed by architect Eldridge Smerin, the house replaced a 1970s structure by John Winter. The idea was to design a building with significantly lower energy consumption than the original but with a greater floor area. The home has a green sedum roof, and its temperature is moderated by its stone and glass construction.


Monday, March 28, 2011

Full Exposure/Part 2

Cameron's house (© Meladee Hughes/Sudler Sotheby's International Realty — Hancock Office)

I designed one house in the woods like this, it felt like the ultimate tree house! There is something soooo serene about looking into the sites of nature that bring  a true sense of calm and meditation to your life.

Cameron's house

Remember the Highland Park, Ill., house of Ferris Bueller's uptight buddy, Cameron Frye, in the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off? Well, the iconic house is on the market for $1.65 million — crashed Ferrari not included.

The Ben Rose Home (© Meladee Hughes/Sudler Sotheby's International Realty — Hancock Office)

The Ben Rose Home

Cameron's house is known as the Ben Rose Home, after the noted photographer who owned it. It was designed by A. James Speyer and David Haid and built in 1953.

Into the woods (© Meladee Hughes/Sudler Sotheby's International Realty — Hancock Office)

Into the woods

The ultraswank house is dramatically cantilevered over a ravine. It's also set on more than an acre of gorgeous wooded property.

Star-worthy style (© Meladee Hughes/Sudler Sotheby's International Realty — Hancock Office)

Star-worthy style

Here, you'll find 5,400 square feet of living space, thanks to the enormous dining room, bedrooms and living rooms. Surrounded by glass, this exquisite home has Hollywood style to spare.

Melbourne here we come......



Soon there will be a choice other than the stock standard currently available in Melbourne, Minosa is expanding to south of the border; Melbourne.....If you are working on or are planning to work on a special project, then we want to know about it.


We can have a member of our motivated team visit you to run thru the Minosa collection & services whilst we look for a home to build the perfect Minosa Gallery.

info@minosa.com.au

The Revolution is coming! Get excited!

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Full Exposure/Part 1

Full exposure: Ultra-cool glass houses (© x-ray delta one)

Here I go again, if you follow my blog, I love, love, love glass houses!!!!!!
People who live in glass houses …
A modernist statement — the use of industrial materials such as glass and steel for domestic home construction .
These homes blur the line between indoor and outdoor spaces and are studies in transparency and reflection.
The saying that people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones predates the building of the first glass home, but it certainly is good advice for anyone looking to live in one.
Glass homes continue to make statements in residential design, though it does take a certain kind of person to feel comfortable with all that exposure. Life in a modernist fishbowl requires either a lot of chutzpah or plenty of private acreage — not to mention some tight security to keep those gawkers away.
For now, take a look at the best see-through homes on the market.

The Glass Pavilion (© Suzanne Perkins/Sotheby's International Realty)

This is MY choice, love the white and clean lines, I'm ready to move in!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Glass Pavilion

This Montecito, Calif., home was designed by Phillip Steve Hermann, who also designed homes for singer Christina Aquilera and comedian Lenny Bruce. It's going for a cool $35 million.
The Glass Pavilion is set within a 3.5-acre estate of oak groves in one of the wealthiest communities in the U.S. Inside – if you can call it that – is more than 14,000 square feet of living space.
The foundation (© Suzanne Perkins/Sotheby's International Realty)

WOW, WOW, I LOVE this room!!!!!!!!!!! Takes my breath away!!!!

The foundation

The home is almost entirely constructed of glass, with massive structural steel beams, and took six years to build. The large glass panels are Star Fire Glass, an incredibly clear glass often used for jewelry displays. The multiple fireplaces are made of statuary marble.

Extra space (© Suzanne Perkins/Sotheby's International Realty)

Extra space

The home has five bedrooms, five and a half bathrooms, a grand hallway and a large wine room. It also includes an art gallery where the architect, who designed the home for himself, displays his vintage car collection. The space accommodates more than 30 cars within its walnut-lined walls.

The view (© Suzanne Perkins/Sotheby's International Realty)

First of all you will need a lot of acreage for privacy, but I could do this...talk about serenity!!!!!

The view

Bathe within full view of the outdoors in an Antonio Lupi free-standing tub. Fortunately, there is plenty of security to keep the peeping toms at bay. The home is in a gated estate at the end of a long driveway and comes equipped with a high-tech security system.







Friday, March 25, 2011

They may be cheaper, but look were they end up!

For all of you that are considering the Minosa washbasin collection and feel they have seen or can buy the "same" product for half the price then this POST is a must read!

I was scouting eBay this morning as we are looking to post a few ex display vanity units & i typed in "Designer Washbasin" (as you do) and was quite amazed at what I found....The below is a extract of the eBay listing which you can see if you follow the link at the bottom of this Post.

Over the last 4 to 5 years we have had a massive battle with cheap copies of our bathroom basins that "look similar" and are in some cases 1/3 of our purchase price! We have had companies even use imaging from our website on their own website or replicate our images to try and fool the market place! In most cases we have design registration on our washbasins and can stop people from reproducing them but in the case of the Ovo we did not register the design! Lesson learnt.....

The Ovo washbasin by Minosa

Minosa created the Ovo washbasin way back in 2005, apart from the sales of this washbasin we can tell it is a success just from the amount of copies there are on the market here in Sydney, ....there is three or four copies getting around that are made from "Corian Like" products and this is one of them. It looks to be the Marblo version but it is hard to tell as most of the copies are identical, replica's of replica's. This replica sells for more than $500.00 (not including the waste) which for a lot of you is justification enough to buy the replica as it is half the price.....but to say it is half the product is being very kind indeed. The product on this link would not be 3 years old and they are already being sold on eBay for what can only be called a joke! To have so many of them for sale really makes me think and forced me to blog this!

The Ovo washbasin by Minosa

These products are just rip offs that are made from second rate materials (compared to Corian) generally mass produced in China from polyester based materials or Acrylic "like Corian". These copies are made/imported from companies that see a good idea and think they can profit from copying the design and mass producing; they create a smart "designer" looking website or display and sell them as "like" products. The only real similarity is the look! Look closely and you will see the difference.
The worst part is these products can be found in most of the prominent showrooms selling modern bathroom products Australia. It will be interesting to see how many of these products are displayed thru these "agents" over the next 5 years...my guess would be not to many.

The argument of replication is not what this blog is about, lets worry about that one another day....Today i want to highlight a few points about this listing if you are considering purchasing these replica basins from some of these retailers;

Although the below is for the "used" washbasins it is a true reflection on the quality of these washbasins.
Description - Minor superficial issues such as colour variance
Return Policy - No Returns Accepted
Quantity - More than 10

Corian will not suffer from "Superficial issues" nor will it discolour.

Minosa is 10 years young this year (amazing how quick it goes) and we have NEVER had a return or complaint about our washbasins surfaces in anyway shape or form, in fact in 10 years we have only ever had one return.....this was more of a upgrade than a return as the client had purchased one of the first Puddle washbasins some 7 years ago; they had fallen in love with the Ovo washbasin, so we traded in their older washbasin for a new one.

Now these copies may look "similar" and be made from "similar" materials but these products will not perform over time and this is eBay listing is a great example of this.....

Remember that in time you are only left with the quality!

Corian is the original Solid Surface Material and is highest performing Solid Surface on the market and has been for 40 years...PERIOD.

eBay listing
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/DESIGNER-LARGE-WASH-BASINS-DISPOSAL-RATES-BARGAINS-/320649060898?pt=AU_Basins_Vanities&hash=item4aa82c6222#ht_500wt_922


Thursday, March 24, 2011

Colorful Patios



Diamond patterns of color on the block wall complement the colorful furniture and accessories.

spanish-patio-after-2

The porch on a Spanish bungalow gets a color upgrade with tones of turquoise and blue.

patio backyard panels after

Colorful mosaic panels hide the utilities and complement the geometric patterns on the patio flooring.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Instant Room Part 2 of 2



Interview with Designer Joe Nye (Continued)

Babylone in Lin
"I've never been a big fan of embroidered fabrics — many sins have been committed in their name — but this one changed my mind. It has a particular elegance, and the luminous flowers add a note of glamour. They're in various pleasing shades of taupe, so it's not a screaming floral. The billowy quality of the linen background makes it great for curtains


Power's Court in Antique Green
"A dressy taffeta like this would be stunning on a bergère or fauteuil. I'm nuts for them, I use them in every room in every house. They're like jewelry."



Recamier Taffetas Stripe in Bleu Vert
"My favorite silk stripe ever. It adds richness to a room. I'd do two squishy down-filled sofa pillows with an extravagant fringe — this is your frothy moment."

I LOVE how this stripe pulls in all the colors from the floral. Joe really knew how to compliment the floral. This is how I design......great job Joe.



Semis Montrichard in S157
"I'm sitting on this right now in my living room! It has a quiet elegance, and it's great on a pair of slipper chairs pulled up to a coffee table, Billy Haines style."



Eaton Plain in Leaf Green
"It's got a watermarked strié, almost like a subtle moiré, that sort of shimmers. Dress up a club chair with it. The bonus is that it's hardy and easy to maintain."



Colorado in Anis
"To offset the shininess of BABYLONE curtains, upholster walls in this coarse-weave linen. The flat finish brings the dressiness down."



Indochine in Champagne
"I see this on a pretty, tufted round ottoman with lots of silk-covered buttons and a dressmaker's skirt — wide 6-inch pleats — that goes to the floor."


From the eyes of a designer, this is a good example of how it is done from our minds eye to reality!!!

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Instant Room Part 1 0f 2



Interview with Joe Nye
Los Angeles-based designer Joe Nye creates a room inspired by florals from Manuel Canovas's latest collection, and McKinnon and Harris furniture: "Using outdoor pieces inside — in a sunroom or even a living room — is fun and fresh."
Curtain Lining:
"I chose VANESSA'S FOLLY to line the striped curtains. Most people get lazy and just do white lining, but a contrasting color has a more finished, couture effect — like you thought about it."
Chairs:
"BEAUVOIR is the key fabric in the room, the starting-off point. You can pull lots of colors from it. But you have to be careful not to overwhelm the room with it — it's not a timid pattern. I see it on a pair of duVal Club Chairs."
Sofa:
"BRASILIA is a divine color, a wonderful mucky green, and the texture is really cushy. It's comfortable to sit on, even when you're in shorts, so I'd use it in a big way, on a sofa."
Curtains:
"Striped curtains are always a winner, and a turquoise lining would really kick off the bright raspberry. With a bold stripe like ELOI, I wouldn't do much in the way of trim. You want to keep it fresh, not fussy like silk curtains."


Beauvoir in Fuchsia
"These colors are loud and brash — but in a good way!" Nye says. "The pattern is a new take on an old standard, the Jacobean tree of life. It's fun, but it's busy, so it could get dizzying if you used a lot of it. The trick is to use it in a restrained way. On a pair of chairs, it would look special — it would be the focal point of the room."

Cotton Club II in Framboise
"It looks like a coarse sailcloth, but it's so soft you want to put your head on it. I would make two 22-inch-square pillows with tiny French pleats, one for each end of a sofa."

"I'm crazy for animal prints, so chic! They never seem to go out of style. I'd use this for a skirted table. It's a stylish way to add punch to a room



Eloi in Fraise
"Because it's all cotton, Eloi looks informal and canvasy, like a tenting stripe. For curtains in a sunroom, it's exactly the right look



Vanessa's Folly in Turquoise
"I use this all the time to line curtains — it comes in so many colors. I'd do pillows with it, too. Repetition is good — it ties a room together

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Modern Kitchen Designer by Erica Islas

EMI Interior Design, Inc. is a full-service residential interior design and build firm, founded by award-winning designer Erica Islas in 2000. Through her years of experience, Erica has developed a unique style of mixing old with new and giving each project a timeless feel. Seamlessly juxtaposing limestone, marble, earthy woods, textured fabrics and organic colors with materials such as metal and glass is what gives Erica's work a striking and harmonious feel.

EMI Interior Designs' philosophy is to create inviting and elegant interiors-- straying from trends that will only disappoint in years to come. Their design approach is to Architecturally space plan every square inch of a room to work both aesthetically and functionally. Each project is tailored specifically to each client, as Erica pays special attention to every detail that goes into project. Known for her incredible Kitchens and Bathroom renovations, challenges such as small spaces and children's rooms are welcome and embraced by Erica and her staff, as they creatively transform some of the smallest most unusable spaces to multi-functional rooms. EMI Interior Design is committed to using sustainable materials, wherever possible.


The Aga stove is the star of this kitchen, complementing the rustic beams and architecture of the home. A glass backsplash and CaesarStone countertops are details that modernize this super sleek custom space.


This open kitchen has a "lofty" feel. Continuing the dark ebony stained wood floor from the living room and dining room into the kitchen help the space appear larger. Carrera marble countertops and cream-colored cabinets produce a big contrast with the ebony stained hardwood floors.