Just Right…

…a small wooden structure has been created to complement ‘La Cabotte’, a vineyard on a hillside in southern France…designed by h2o architects…so charming, yes?  Santé!

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Fog…

…alright, Mother Nature, Chicago had an unusually brutal winter…may we please have an agreeable summer?  Chicago has been covered by creeping fog coming off Lake Michigan for the past several days.  It reminded me of a Kōnosu City, Saitama Prefecuture, Japan, residence…Distance of Fog by StudioGreenBlue.  Actually, fog never looked so alluring…

the project incorporates metal screens to provide sense of privacy within the open-plan space…

but the sun should be peeking through by noon…

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It’s Raining, It’s Pouring…

…yes, it is raining in Chicago…The Pour, a raindrop chandelier installation, by Design Haus Liberty in New York City, is much more appealing…

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Cathy Azria…

…it is June…and there is no need for blazing fires to keep us warm…we do, however, have an opportunity to turn our fireplaces into works of art.

Artist/designer Cathy Azria was born in Tunisia and lived in France until she came to London in 1980 to study sculpture. Living in London ever since and working for private clients, architects and designers, she designs sculptural installations for interiors. She draws her inspiration from natural materials, organic forms, the interplay of light and a conviction that what is functional in the home can also be beautiful. Fire is the area interesting her most at the moment. She began to design fire installations when her search for a contemporary fireplace for her own home proved fruitless. Since then, she has been exploring the whole concept of fire and light, using metal both for its sculptural potential and for the way that it responds to heat, transforming into glowing forms.

Cathy never has and will never, mass-produce. She works by establishing a train of thought, then developing and refining it in response to each client’s requirements. Every piece is therefore unique, signed and numbered by its creator.

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Arete…

…my favorite word in the dictionary, arete, means excellence.  André Simón of A/STUDIO , submitted his recent work, MIKA 350. The attention, care, and sensitivity used by Andre, both in the design and in the film, is beautiful.  The word, arete, is fitting…André captures the employment of tools, the utilization of sturdy machinery, the sound of rain, and the falling of wood shavings to tell the story of the master craftsman.

DESIGNED BY ANDRÉ SIMÓN…PRODUCED BY A\STUDIO…PHOTOGRAPHY BY LINO ESCURIS

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Five Fab Frills*…

…frill* is defined as a nice touch.  An all white selection shown here…

greyhours

triology collection’s triangle folded backpack

case scenario’s element iPhone 5 case

tokyobike

junpei tamaki design’s thaw

all frills found at minimalissimo

Walk on By…

…we often walk by fabulous spaces and take them for granted…

1,2,3,4,5,6,7

Wood You?…

…I wood!…

all images from Lorraine Pennington pinterest, 4

Lukas Machnik Design

…Lukas Machnik Design, located in Chicago, created a chic and sleek environment in this Bucktown Modern residence.  Kudos to Lukas Machnik, who is currently competing on NBC’s American Dream Builders, hosted by Nate Berkus.  You can read about Lukas and his experience here.

all images courtesy of Lukas Machnik Design

A Moment…

…to pause and enjoy…

Beach House, São Sebastião, Brazil /Studio Arthur Casas

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Garden Party…

santa barbara landscape architect, isabelle greene

gardens are for living: design inspiration for outdoor gardens by judy kameon…photography by erik ostea

la landscape architect, scott shrader

napa valley project/dar and paul wiseman interior design…photography by matthew millman

designer ruthie sommer’s coastal ranch near the santa ynez valley…ottoman from hollywood home

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Transform…

“There are two primary choices in life: to accept conditions as they exist, or accept the responsibility for changing them.”

– denis waitley

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Choices, Choices…

…it’s Monday morning and time to get to work making a difficult choice…fab kitchens by raad studio, NYC…both complete with blackboards…one with a ladder and mega counter…one with a bench and a view…which would you choose?

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Cube Me…

villa kanousan, bousou peninsula mountains of japan/yusuke karasawa

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The Perfect Red…

chair one/konstantin grcic

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