DESIGN FOR MEN

Some spaces perplex even me. The idea of letting it all hang out is hard to swallow prompting people to store most of their items out of site.  This apartment featured on OWI is all about exposure.  The consistent use of wood shelving throughout cohesively ties all of the rooms in the home together.  Additionally, the minimal furnishings prevent the space from feeling cluttered.  Essentially the items on the shelve function as artwork in the space.

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The living area / office combo features blinds lining the entire window wall, creating a nice screen adding even more texture to the exposed brick walls.

The barn door is propably one of the largest that I’ve seen creating more of the feeling of a portal at the door. Although I am a bit confused about why there is a skateboard in the middle of the room.  I always find it odd when just one element in an organized space is out of place.  But perhaps the owner uses the skateboard as transport from room to room.

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The detail of the accentuated edges of the shelves creates a nice slated wall at this platform area.  We find the same shelving in the kitchen/laundry as well which feels quite industrial and intimate.

The bathroom is definitely my favorite space tying in the shelving with the wood slats of the tub surround.  And I love the use of steel for the tub even though it makes me feel like I would be bathing in a large sink.  Nothing in this home is expected and clearly there is a little something to letting it all hang out.

Images from OWI, photography by Vercruysse Frederik

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Mad scientist meets 18th century romance in this stunning Amseterdam loft designed by UXUS Design.  I was speechless when I found this.  Located in a historic building along the canals of Amsterdam, the seductive space seemed like a perfect way to end my week long loft obsession.  Dramatic pooling curtains define the spaces in this open plan.  The collection of furniture and accessories are eclectic, industrial, medical, bazaar making the home feel gallery-like but not cold.

I must say that I was most blown away by the guest bedroom.  Two Eames molded plywood chairs stand guard at entry.  The dark gray wall is the perfect accent to the oversize painting serving as a dramatic headboard.  In the hierarchical design of bedrooms, this room is casually elegant while we see a much more formal master bedroom with four poster bed and a mesmerizing teal color splashed on the walls.  Can I just say how much I  love the sand colored drapery, no doubt inspired by hospital curtains – casually pinched at the top and playfully voluminous at the floor.  Even the entry to the bathroom is defined by a curtain.

The history of the loft is preserved and perfectly accentuated through interior design here.  Exposed brick is painted white, the prominent wood structural systems and flooring are left untouched.  As a design point, I love the use of consistent modern sputnik style chandeliers in the major living spaces.  Somehow this lighting strategy much like the architecture grounds the design.

The overall effect of this space is that it is a little unsettling.  At times, stunningly elegant and at other times I am thinking is the owner working on weird experiments in a hidden room.  Design should make us think and let’s just not think about the experiments.  This sophisticated space illustrates that even science can inspire an innovative and cohesive interior.

For more images from this design, check out Yatzer.  For more projects by UXUS, check out their website.

IMAGES from Yatzer

French designer, Valerie Pasquiou designs the homes of celebrities such as Lisa Kudrow, K.D. Lang and Ben Stiller. LoftLife Magazine featured her effortlessly chic New York loft and interviewed the designer.  My favorite room is also hers – the library shown above.  The books and cozy modern furnishings add warmth.

Pasquiou cautions designers against getting too obsessed with trends and playing the matching game.  The white color palette sets the tone and accessories and furnishings add color.  I love the blending of modern furnishings with antique, masculine with feminine.

It is refreshing to see a bedroom that is poised yet simple.  The bed is sans headboard – I have been doing this for years – who needs a headboard when one is surrounded by the texture of exposed brick walls.

Pasquiou in her cozy living room.  I love the mix of the organic in the lounge chairs and cowhide rug with the orthogonal coffee table and sofa.  A designer’s home often gives you the best sense of their style.  And I love that Pasquiou makes intuitive decisions that culminate in a sophisticated, yet approachable environment.

Images from LoftLife.

After writing about my recent bachelor pad project, I couldn’t help but think about inspiring pads I love.  My new favorite is the Belgium home of architect Vincent Van Duysen, featured last month in Vogue Living Australia.  I have been a fan of Duysen’s work for a long time – particularly his stunning Cascade chandelier for Swarovski, which I used in my thesis project.  Looking through the magazine, his home literally took my breath away.  Vogue describes the space simply as “the new minimalism”.  I agree…despite the predominant use of white in the space, natural and handmade materials  and heavily upholstered furnishings add warmth.

He purchased the neo-classical home  six years ago and I wish Vogue Living had captured some shots of the exterior.  The project took three years to complete, one year for planning and two years of construction.  Duysen had hefty goals for creating his ideal space.  To create his highly flexible and enormous living room, he brought in three large steel beams to support the load of the entire house.  The space currently works as a dining and living room featuring  two oak tables designed by him and slip-covered upholstered chairs and sofas.    I love the integration of wood in the treads and risers in the stairwell and the black/traditional accents in the kitchen.

The bedroom, like the rest of the space is surreal defined by the bookshelf surround at the bed.  My favorite room is the charcoal painted television room, I love the departure here.  The sofa, in charcoal velvet features rugged old pillows.  The space feels intimate, a perfect cozy space for the designer to relax during the winter.

I find this space especially inspiring as I am dying to create a loft space that is primarily white with dark colors infused in rooms.  While the furnishings are certainly at odds with what one thinks of as modern and minimal, the simplicity of the design celebrates the incredibly high ceilings and elegant bones of the mansion.