Small White Kitchen – Before & After

This darling small white kitchen belongs to design enthusiast and blogger Dorothee LaFontaine of L’Appartement Living blog. A small space transformed into one with big style. Dorothee lives in Basque country in France. She remodeled the kitchen in her small apartment to work for her family and for the space. White floors to make the kitchen feel larger, open upper shelves because of the challenge of slanted ceilings made upper cabinets more difficult, a kitchen island peninsula for dining because they sit down for dinner every night and then all of the touches. Plants, pink appliances (a pale pink blender and a mixer), copper tone pendant lights, subway tiles, brass cabinet hardware (knobs are discreet but add gleam) and more. The vintage kilim rug adds playful color to the space. 

A perfect small kitchen. Don’t you think?

A Delightful Australian Home: North Bondi House by MCK Architects

The delightful North Bondi House was completed by Australian studio MCK Architects and is located in Bondi, a suburb of Sydney, Australia. According to the architects,“this project comprises a first floor addition and a ground floor reinvention to a space + light deprived semi. Floorspace has been sacrificed on the first floor to create a double height open core to the centre of the house, filtering natural light into the depths of the interior. Dead space has been otherwise eliminated where possible through open planning and recycling circulation functionality.” The result is a contemporary home with a tasteful design and an inviting atmosphere. We like the connection between the patio and the open plan living room with integrated kitchen. The arrangement is clever and stylish, with decorating details that we are certain you will find inspiring.  [Photos by: Douglas Frost]

A Delightful Australian Home: North Bondi House by MCK Architects

The delightful North Bondi House was completed by Australian studio MCK Architects and is located in Bondi, a suburb of Sydney, Australia. According to the architects,“this project comprises a first floor addition and a ground floor reinvention to a space + light deprived semi. Floorspace has been sacrificed on the first floor to create a double height open core to the centre of the house, filtering natural light into the depths of the interior. Dead space has been otherwise eliminated where possible through open planning and recycling circulation functionality.” The result is a contemporary home with a tasteful design and an inviting atmosphere. We like the connection between the patio and the open plan living room with integrated kitchen. The arrangement is clever and stylish, with decorating details that we are certain you will find inspiring.  [Photos by: Douglas Frost]

Colorful and Appealing Student Library in Melbourne by dKO Architecture

As part of the Australian Federal Government’s Building Education Revolution, dKO Architecture was commissioned to design the student library and associated facilities at St Joseph’s Primary School in Collingwood, Melbourne. Here is the official project description we received: “Today’s libraries are repositories and access points for vast quantities of print, audio and visual materials in numerous formats.  With projects of this nature the opportunity for architects is to create spaces that meet the challenges brought about by ever-changing technology as well as providing for a dynamic and diverse age group within the primary school learning spectrum. Quality of light and an intelligent use of space are paramount.  Careful consideration should also be given to managing internal traffic areas and noise control. dKO Architecture’s design has delivered an environment which encourages vibrant student interaction while accommodating quiet study areas, as well as considered and abundant storage for the vast amount of resources required in the modern day library.” Think this is the sort of design that will boost the kids’ reading appetite?

33 Exceptional Walk In Closets To Accentuate Your Fashion Collections

Walk-in-closets respond to many needs and wishes, from the need for a customized space for all your clothes and accessories to the wish of owning the most fabulous, exquisite and roomy walk-in-wardrobe there is. We would like to present you a list of beautiful closets that range from dark and mysterious to bright and luxurious. Some closets have a skylight that naturally lights your fashion collections and enhance their display, other closets feature exceptional dark furniture used to accentuate the idea of pure luxury and then there are those bright, vividly colored spaces where fashion and design meet to construct the perfect background for your clothes. Whether the walk-in-closets are long and narrow with floor-to-ceiling storage or large, roomy spaces with plenty of different storage areas built from beautiful furniture elements and displaying boudoir furniture, all the closets in this posts have something special that will remind you why walk-in-closets have become a trendy space in any home. Enjoy the photos and express your love for one or many closets in the comment section below.

Decaying Victorian Houses Made of LEGO Pieces by Mike Doyle

One look at these photos is enough to make anyone remember that creativity comes in many shapes. These impressive abandoned Victorian homes were all built with the help of LEGO bricks. The original idea belongs to Mike Doyle, who not to long ago finished his third collapsing home in this amazing series. According to Laughing Squid, the projects made so far are called Victorian on Mud Heap, achieved with the help of about 110k-130k pieces (first photo), Three Story Victorian with Tree, made of 50k-60k LEGO pieces (second photo) and TwoStory with Basement (third picture of this post). And in case you were wondering, each house took from 450 to 600 hours to build. But the creative mind behinds them explains: “To my eyes, patterns of decay find a more pleasing path than an untouched object. A roof collapsed by the weight of snow, side shingles ripped by the force of winds, substructures rotting, insects and weather gnawing the exposed surfaces. I can picture those windy days where a shingle flies off. Or the sudden creaking, cracking and burst of tinder giving way under snow’s heavy hand“. We find these decaying Victorian homes absolutely spectacular and are looking forward to seeing your reactions.

Office and Meeting Space Combined in an Eye-Cathing Building: KIT pavilion

KIT pavilion was designed by Japanese Architects Atelier K and is located in Kyoto, Japan. The building was especially designed as an office and meeting space for the Kyoto Institute of Technology. A giant cantilevered roof creates a dramatic visual effect and differentiates the project from its surrounding buildings. According to the architects, the multi-functional design “draws from and integrates the adjacent landscaping into the conditions of the interior. To the south, an ‘active yard’ consisting of a curvilinear ramp becomes the approach path to the entrance, while a ‘static yard’ finished with a carpet of white sand is tucked into the layout with three rooms arranged around it. Clearly read from the exterior as a folded surface, the roof and wall form cuts away sections of its elevation to enable natural daylight to enter from the west.” The interior design is clean and tasteful, with lovely modern arrangements, creating an environment that is highly fit for professional discussions. [Photography by Taizo Furukawa]