Valentines Day Gift Ideas

  

Breaking Film News: Most Awesomest Action Film Ever Made!!!

Breaking Film News: Most Awesomest Action Film Ever Made!!!: "This film makes Lethal Weapon 3 look like Leathal Weapon 4 BUY THE FILM HERE"

Book of the week - Color in Interior Design

Recommended BOOK OF THE DAY

The top 10 weird & wonderful house designs of 2010

 

  

 

Queensland Flooded

Our blogs are usually filled with such pretty images and positivity but today I want to post about some devastating news. South East Queensland, the part of the world I live is experiencing severe flooding. Fortunately not here on the Gold Coast but in Brisbane (an hour north of here). 

You've most likely heard about it on the news around the world.

I have good friends who live in Brisbane and our store in Brisbane CBD had to be evacuated today and closed tomorrow  :(

The water's expecting to rise to more than 3 metre's tonight and most likely to peaking to 5.45m on Thursday. It's just too surreal.

 

 

 

 

 

If you would like to donate to the victims of the floods, click here to find out more

To all South East Queenslanders, stay safe and thinking of you all xx

Kim Kardashian’s New House in Beverly Hills

Okay, so I have to admit I’m not really Keeping Up with the Kardashians, so Kim Kardashian and her new Mediterranean villa in Beverly Hills weren’t on my radar when she bought it earlier this year. Judging by the amount of e-mail I got from readers asking to see photos of it, though, I may be the only one who doesn’t watch her reality show on E!, which describes it this way:
“A tempest of siblings, business and fame engulf  Olympic decathlete Bruce Jenner and paparazzi fave Kim Kardashian as their huge Hollywood families collide.” (So dramatic!)




Kim’s new house has 5 bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms, and lots of fireplaces. It was originally listed at almost $5 million but was eventually reduced to about $3.8. I’m not sure what she ended up paying.



I like the kitchen with all the windows, the fireplace, and the dark walnut floors:



There’s another fireplace in the bedroom and a large seating area:



I love this outdoor living space, but I always wonder what happens when it storms. Is it someone’s job to run out there and put everything away at the first sign of rain?



Did you see the glam Kardashian Family Christmas photo, taken by photographer Nick Saglimbeni this year? They sure know how to amp up the drama, even for their Christmas cards!

Spherical Design in Rustic Western Red Cedar Wood Shingles

Tucked quietly in a corner of your existing home’s property or as an independent structure all its own, this compact garden shed is an insulated sphere measuring three meters in diameter. With this smart wooden prefab structure, you can extend your home’s living space without going through the cost and inconvenience of a home addition and renovation. A top-hinged gull-wing door swings open, resembling a spaceship to welcome you into this ultra-modern design. The small design lets you isolate the intended function of a space, so whether you use it as a home office, an artist’s studio, a guest house, a kids’ play room or an adult retreat, this cool shed provides peace and privacy aplenty. The spherical design is clad in rustic Western Red Cedar wood shingles, giving the shed a country-chic aesthetic. The small design lets you isolate the intended function of a space, so whether you use it as a home office, an artist’s studio, a guest house, a kids’ play room or an adult retreat, this cool shed provides peace and privacy aplenty. Interiors are fully plastered and ready to decorate in your style, your way. At the top of the dome, a skylight floods interiors with natural light. Whimsical as it looks, this small garden shed is big on function, featuring a 2.9-meter internal diameter ready to fill with your work and play essentials.

Difference between contemporary and modern design

If you are in the process of designing or renovating your home, you may be wondering whether to include modern design or contemporary design in the design layout. Well, the terms – modern and contemporary are closely related and people tend to use the terms interchangeably. However, in the world of design and décor, both the terms represent distinct and different styles.




History

Modern design was evolved in 1920s in Germany and was drastically sough to simplify the Victorian style. On the other hand, contemporary design was evolved many years later and has itself focused on variety and comfort.

Types

Both contemporary and modern styles have various popular types. Some of the popular modern designs are bohemian modern, mid century modern, and vintage modern. On the other hand, contemporary design deals with the monochromatic, minimalistic and neutral color scheme.

Features

Modern design is simple and sober and features minimal accessories. The modern design is characterized with angular frames, low profiles, geometric and abstract patterns in textiles, upholstery as well as in artwork. Natural materials like linen, leather and teak wood are mostly used. The lines are unembellished as well as straight. In modern design, the furniture is often raised from the floor with the help of legs in order to create an airy and open atmosphere. Colors used in modern design are neutral shades that are highlighted with splashes of color. Walls are generally cream and white in color. Floors are mostly made of cement or bare wood. In addition, sculptures and paintings are used as an integral part of modern design.
As contemporary design deals with “the present moment”, the style of the design is of the day. Contemporary design is known to feature reflective surfaces, clean and sleek lines, innovative graphical patterns, unusual colors, rounded forms, and asymmetrical designs. One has the liberty to play with colors and patterns in contemporary design. Lots of polished marble, Lucite and stainless steel details are embedded in the design. The other materials used in contemporary design are recycled materials and variations of chrome, plastic and plaster. The tenets of contemporary style are open ended. As a result, new colors and pieces can be incorporated over time.

Effect

Modern design is known to impart a retro effect as it features vintage pieces such as Eames chairs, Formica tables and ottomans. In contrast, a futuristic element is created by contemporary design through the use of modular shelving and pod seating.

Michelle Homme, owner of Homme (2354 Polk St.; 415/400-4299) in Russian Hill, definitely has a good eye. After all, the UC Berkeley grad and interior designer (who has worked for design firms such as Steven Volpe and served as design director for interiors for the golf club at the Resort at Pelican Hill in Newport Beach) regularly scours the Alameda Point Antiques and Collectibles Fair, the Pasadena Rose Bowl flea market, and estate sales for rare and unique goods for her store and her clients.

"I work based on my intuition and I try to avoid the 'supposed-to objects'," says the Southern California native who is most influenced by the classic rooms of designer David Hicks for interiors and Rose Cumming for her shop. "I love her irreverence of having bolts of fabric everywhere in her shop in New York, but for my store, I'm not buying with anyone in mind, I just buy what I like, and I am not limiting myself to one period, mood or influence."

We asked Homme, who is currently working on a Parisian-inspired apartment in Pacific Heights, and a loft-like space located on Pier 38, to reveal her go-to sources and finds in the Mission.


Tradesmen, 311 Valencia St., 415/552-8121

"It's an incredibly cozy space, the kind I want to hang out and just wear slippers in," says Homme of the well-edited store offering brass lamps from the 1930s to Danish modern credenzas. "And, I loved this lacquered chest of drawers."

Courtesy of Michelle Homme

"Although it's open by appointment only, the owner, Marc, is very accessible if you pick up the phone and dial the number on the window."

Farnsworth, 393 Valencia St., 415/503-1252

"Farnsworth reminds me of one of the cool shops you'd see in Palm Springs," says Homme of the store stocked with vintage hardware signs, modern floor lamps, and mid-century dressers. "It's not overly curated, but there's something for everyone."

"One of my clients is looking for a bar, and his father is a professional road racer, so I thought this fun bar cart on the left by BW Sanders would be fitting," says Homme. "The owner, Jeff Farnsworth, informed me that these carts were designed in 1960 and selected for the California Design Exhibition in 1963. The CA design exhibition was every three years and only lasted from 1960-1973."

Courtesy of Michelle Homme

"And, this 1950s Italian stool is great too," says Homme."

Courtesy of Michelle Homme

The Apartment, 3469 18th St., 415/255-1100

"The Apartment reminds me of my Grandmother's attic with unexpected nooks and distressed wood floors," says Homme. "But if you like something, make sure to buy it. If you wait, most likely, it won't still be around when you come back."

Courtesy of Michelle Homme

Exterior of The Apartment

"I love these chairs from the 1920s," says Homme, of the trove filled with one-of-a-kind pieces from vintage postcards to distressed wooden dressers. "They were marked 'San Francisco County Clerk's office. The owner explained that the city has all of this amazing furniture stored away. But, he managed to go to a rare sale a few years back and picked these."

Courtesy of Michelle Homme

"And I couldn't stop staring at this gorgeous Indian vessel," says Homme.

Courtesy of Michelle Homme

"I saw this bar and walked right by it," she says. "I would never have considered it until the owner showed me what it was. It's perfect for a loft, industrial office, or a bachelor pad. I love the swivel bar. And it's in excellent condition. It's great finding pieces that require little to no restoration."

Courtesy of Michelle Homme

"And, I felt like this was the winner of the day," says Homme. "At $975, it's an investment, but it's a lot of bang for your buck. You could add this to your living room and totally boast the style and fashion factor. This would easily go for a lot more in any antique shop. It's super chic and there are so many styles this could slip into."

Courtesy of Michelle Homme

Monument, 571 Valencia St., 415/861-9800
"The owners, Michael De Angelis and Samuel Genthner, have done such a great job curating Monument," says Homme, who frequents the store for their selection of Murano glass lamps, chandeliers from the 1960s and decorative brass wall sculptures. "It's been so great to see it develop over the years."
"I was able to find a few really affordable things here," she says. "I love this 1960's gilt wood mirror, which Michael calls the 'Mrs. Robinson mirror' by a company called La Barge, 'like the band he says.'"
 

Courtesy of Michelle Homme

"This would be really cool in a small office bathroom with some kind of 1950's or 1960's dramatic color wall paint," says Homme who is currently on the lookout for a similar piece for her clients. "There's a lot of style that comes with this mirror, so it would be ideal in a simple space." 

Interior Design... Tron: Legacy style

Have you seen Tron Legacy the movie?

No? Pff...you should see it.... Not for the special effects, or the soundtrack wich by the way, THEY ARE GREAAAT, but for the unique interior design. For a special movie about digital life, the designers realised that they have to embrace the concept: "The grid, a place of infinite possibilities". And for real, the environment they have created is beyond imagination. The coolest part is that is that entirely applicable in real life.

.

Kevin Flynn's house, if you look it from outside it looks more like a shelter. Inside, the things are totally different. The interior design is futuristic indeed, but unlike other S.F. designs, it is probably the point where interior design will reach in few years.



This Tron interior design style it is going to be the new trend for modern houses so soon that every house will have at least few parts from this style.Why? It combines modern accessories with classic elements, it respects the actual eco trend, and it's based on smart space usage.

I liked this combination of colors, black-white-light blue because it creates a sensation of cleanliness,
 space, modern.



As you can see the nonconformist floors are made from a white-opaque material that is lighted from inside. Actually the room's light comes from the floor. While the light from the roof is rather decorative.
The furniture has a classic style but is made of modern eco materials.The main table is made of glass, the chairs are crystal white, and the fire place is classy but with modern burning system.



It is interesting to combine the fine elegant lines with rough stone parts. It combines future with past, it combines the origins with the evolution....The grid, a place if infinite possibilities.

Frosted Glass Doors for Modern Interior Spaces

When you’re looking for beautiful doors to decorate your home, you might want to consider frosted glass doors as one of your choices.



Frosted glass can create wonderful, elegant and contemporary designs on the doors, and the benefit of frosted glass over normal clear glass is that frosted glass is difficult to see through, thus affording some privacy for your office, bedroom, or shower.

Though the glass may be translucent, wonderful light still passes through, and a house full of frosted glass doors can be a very well-light sanctuary, with daylight flooding everywhere. Daylight has been shown to do wonders for your mood and productivity, and also cures depression, so the more daylight the better.