Freshome.com - Interior Design & Architecture Inspiration Newsletter |  |
- Contemporary Family Crib Merging Hormony and Refinement
- 10 Ways to Enjoy an Eco-Friendly Christmas
- 30 Creative and Versatile Pendant Lamps to Embellish your Rooms
- Outstanding Handmade Fitness Furniture with Electronic Virtual Coach
- How to Make Light Furniture Brighten your Home
- Elegant and Minimalist Apartment Decorated with Recycled Furniture
- 18 Select Ideas for Modern Indoor Stairs by Christian Siller
| Contemporary Family Crib Merging Hormony and Refinement Posted: 14 Dec 2010 03:29 AM PST Stanley Tham, chief designer for KNQ Associates has recently completed a lovely modern family apartment located at the The Tropica, Singapore. We received a revealing project description from the developers: “As Leonardo da Vinci puts it, Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. Nowhere is that more true than in designing a home. We like to think that a decor can be modest yet sophisticated. Indeed, keeping the walls in a monochromatic scheme and free of extensive built-up works provided a clean palette in which we are given free reign to ‘paint’. In creating a harmonizing space in which a young couple with 2 kids can live in, we experimented with the use of simple design elements. Colors set the tone here: red, blue and yellow pop out in the space, contrasting with deeper maroon, mustard and teal. Harmony and rhythm is created by eye-catching eclectic accessorizing and restrained decoration. Juxtaposing different patterns (think Mondrian pattern and zebra stripes) is a little example of how contrast can radically change the perception of a room and please the eyes.”
Ready for more amazing design ideas? Check below !
| ||||||
| 10 Ways to Enjoy an Eco-Friendly Christmas Posted: 14 Dec 2010 01:51 AM PST Christmas time is a great time to enjoy beautiful colors and enjoy friends and family around your home. This year, why not add eco-friendly practices to many of your family rituals, décor and entertaining? Eco-friendly and natural décor will bring your home an organic holiday touch, while preserving the festive nature of the season. Before you toss your live Christmas tree away, or you buy one more strand of holiday lights to adorn your home, read these 10 ways to enjoy an eco-friendly Christmas.
1.) Should I have a live Christmas tree: There is mixed information as to whether buying live Christmas trees are harmful to the environment. The majority of Christmas trees that are purchased at retail and home improvement stores are grown in tree farms. Therefore, they are not being cut down from nature's surplus of trees. 2.) Decorate your home with natural décor: Add fruit, nuts, and pine cones to your holiday centerpiece or fireplace mantle to bring in rich color and an organic touch to your decorations. Simple ornaments strung with dried citrus, apples, pine cones and cinnamon sticks will look great on your Christmas tree.
3.) Recycle your live Christmas tree: When you're done enjoying your tree for the holidays, take it to a recycling yard where they can be recycled for wood chips, and mulch for landscaping. This gives you peace of mind when enjoying throughout the holiday season. Many neighborhood waste collection agencies will have a plant clippings pickup for your home. Check with them to see if they recycle Christmas trees. 4.) Nontraditional foliage: Try decorating urns and planters with branches, berries, fruit, and straw to add a nontraditional twist on evergreen tree decorating. Large urns placed outside your front entryway of your home, or in a foyer or back porch can create natural grand entrances to your home.
5.) Eco-friendly Christmas cards: Giving away cards this year? Many greeting card manufacturers will print on recycled paper now at your request. Instead of mailing a physical card, why not send e-cards? Many people enjoy giving and receive electronic cards. E-cards are an inexpensive way to still send holiday greetings! 6.) DIY Christmas: Be creative this year and pull out your glue gun and knick knacks to make wreaths, garland and ornaments. Use old neck ties, shirts, yarn and seashells to adorn crafty projects this holiday season. Don't have ideas? Ask your kids, they always have great ideas from school. 7.) Leave out the holiday green: Looking for a minimalist approach to Christmas? Try bringing in décor that uses holiday symbols without the real version. Christmas trees made from recycled cardboard, and snowflakes cut out from last year's holiday greeting cards will bring the festive nature to your home, and keep the clean simple lines you are looking for.
8.) Conserve energy and resources: When the temperatures dip down lower this holiday season, use eco-friendly practices to lower your energy consumption. Lower the heat a few degrees at night, and when not in your home to lower energy bill. Use LED lights for decorating your home and keep lights on for a shorter period of time. Use newspaper and kids old doodle scrap pieces of paper wrapping gifts, and save money. 9.) Re-purpose your old décor: Do you have sleigh bells from last year that adorned a wreath that you don't use anymore? Use them this year as an ornament to a garland or wreath on your home. Repurposing holiday décor items for this year will give your home a new look, and save you money!
10.) Give the gift of life: Trying to think of what to bring to a Christmas party, or what to give as a gift? Seeds and small trees to be planted in the ground are wonderful gifts that will grow for years to come. Many home improvement stores and home décor catalogs sell plant kits that are prepackaged for holiday gift giving! Enjoy your holiday this season with eco-friendly ways to bring Christmas décor touches to your home. From decorating to giving gifts, the holiday shouldn't mean giving up your Earth conscious lifestyle. Use these 10 tips for a wonderful Christmas holiday and see if you start new traditions for the years to come! Freshome reader's do you have eco-friendly tips we can add to the list for holiday ideas? Add to the comments below. Ready for more amazing design ideas? Check below !
| ||||||
| 30 Creative and Versatile Pendant Lamps to Embellish your Rooms Posted: 14 Dec 2010 12:14 AM PST Pendant lights have a way of beautifying any room. Elegantly hanging above a table or gently diffusing light over your reading nook, pendant lights have come a long way from being just a light bulb on a cable. We hope you enjoy this display of pendant lights, some artistic, some highly versatile, but all of them having something special. After going through the list, it`s time to choose your favourites – we bet there are at least three designs that you would love to have in your home. 1. The Wise One Pendant Light Latvian designers from mammalampa used the hollow core of a tree stump to create this stunning pendant lamp:” bored by plastic, we yearn for living beauty.‘” Using natural materials and modern technology, they managed to turn a part of a tree into a beautiful and elegant lampshade, with soft light and a natural feel.
2. The Betty Series Made from laminated synthetic fibre, this beautiful white pendant light from Designlush looks like it`s made from dreamy strips of slightly curled ribbons. This pendant light is part of the exclusive signature Modernist line from Designlush, perfectly integrated in a residential or commercial space.
3. The MnM Pendant Steve Jones designed this contemporary pendant light for Innermost. Made using 100% natural wool, it spreads light through an acrylic diffuser that can be placed in a convex or a concave position. The narrow opening spreads a diffuse light that will complement the interior that hosts it. The lamp is available in four colors: charcoal, natural, red and purple.
Designed by Constantin Wortmann, this next LED pendant light goes well beyond the modern design, it almost looks out of this world. This one is a simple delight – it changes form depending on the vantage point of the beholder. Modern and elegant, the pendant beautifies a space looking for a contemporary touch.
5. The Favorite Things Pendant Light The Favorite Things pendant light from Chen Karlsson is not only a source of light, but also a place to display your favorite (small) things. Having a bulb made from glass underneath the direct light source, the lamp can be adorned with small decorative objects. It`s available in three colour combinations: charcoal/pastel green, light grey/gold and mustard yellow/navy.
This lamp is a creation of American artist and designer Marcus Tremonto. This piece made from carbon fiber borrows the most important features of the material – strength and lightness – to create complex thin curves that undulate for an amazing effect.
7. The Copper Shade Pendant Tom Dixon‘s Copper Shade Pendant elegantly disperses an intimate light, creating a romantic atmosphere. The technology used to create this beautiful light is at least interesting: “the Copper Shade is created by exploding a thin layer of pure metal onto the internal surface of a polycarbonate globe. The result is a highly reflective surface with a warm metallic glow.”
8. The Iguazu Neon System The name of this pendant light, Ignazu, comes from the Ignazu Waterfalls on the borders of Brazil and Argentina which are harnessed by man to produce natural electricity. The Pendant light is made from cold neon light, giving you the possibility to touch it and reposition it. Designed by Iris Design Studio, the circular light is both beautiful and modern.
9. The Stealth Pendant Light An amazing light uses its design to capture a visual moment of explosion. Characterized by an apparently chaotic form, the Stealth Pendant Light is made from a single plane of smooth Perspex, and folded into an origami like pyramid. Different colour combinations complement its unique shape: black/copper, black/pink or white/copper.
10. The Metallic Twig Pendant Light This next Metallic Twig Pendant Light from Designlush you`ve already seen on Freshome. It`s so beautifully designed to imitate nature, that it needs to be seen again and again. I have already put it on my Christmas list. It`s made from sculpting clay over metal armature with four finishes: copper, palladium, gold or powder-coated.
11. Celsius Lamp Elegantly displaying amazing shapes, the Celsius series from Lima de Lezando combines glass and plastic for a glamorous effect. Three maxi LEDs allow the simulation of 16.000 colours of light and it also has a dimmer so you can explore the full range of emotions this light can shine upon you.
12. The Neutron Pendant Created by LBL Lighting, these cylindrical pendant lights have a metal base which holds an acrylic light. These low voltage LED lights have clean, modern lines that enhance the idea of pure modernity. If you like modernist interiors, then this is a light to consider for your home.
13. The Dandelion Lamp This next pendant light, the Dandelion, seems to be a little feminine at first glance, but once you take a second look, the explosion reference in its design allows you to see its brilliance. Richard Hutten is the one who created the lamp, so we have him to thank for this creative approach to light design.
14.The Dragonfly .MGX Pendant Light This is a succulent design coming from designers Jan Wertel and Gernot Oberfell from Platform Studio. Made in Epoxy and produced with 3D printing technology, the Dragonfly imitates the curved honeycomb structure of insect eyes. For it to give a beautiful light and thus be more than a pretty thing hanging from the ceiling, the structure is closed on the upper cells and gradually opens up towards the lower part.
15. The Alma Light Stone Pendant With an eccentric shape the Alma Light Stone Pendant is designed by Joseph Novell and Joseph Puig. Clearly a modern light, this pendant has a white Epoxy finish and it can be suspended up to 2 meters in height. The cables are adjustable with an auto blocking system, so aside from having a form that reminds us of natural pebbles, this pendant is also highly adjustable.
16. Carved Pendant Light Another gorgeous and playful pendant light featured on Freshome some time ago, this pendant light is part of the Romantica collection from ALT Lucialternative. It has messages carved all over the lower part of its elegant, long shell. Italian words mark the continuation of an era in which words look best where you can see them.
17. The Joker Pendant Light Although it was designed in 1970 by Christian Ræder, this fun lamp is made from hand-folded PVC slotted together. Its futuristic shape allows for the Joker pendant light to be successfully displayed in a modern home, especially because of its open form and sculptural body. There are many colours available: black, blue, green, orange, purple, petrol blue, white, red and yellow.
18. The La Paz Pendant Light Showcasing a strong connection to the Edison bulb, the La Paz Pendant Light from Iris Design Studio is a beautiful representation of chaos in an artistic and beautiful manner: “The wonder of the piece is expressed in the way that diverse elements combine to create something that is, at its core, as old as the industrial revolution, but depicted here in a new, astonishing form.”
19. Emily Pendant Light Daniel Becker`s Emily light gathers a set of five slightly different shapes into a creation that will shine light on any chosen surface. Five organically shaped metal shields contrast with the elegant timber frame. Made from sheets of painted steel, Emily hangs on an oak frame that insures its modernity along with the slim cables hanging from the ceiling.
Korean design artist Kwon Jae Min created a unique pendant light made from thin sheets of locally-sourced wood. He thinks that “Object is the metaphor of that time.” Fissures that run along the pendant light give it an exotic apperance and accentuates the expert wood craftsmanship.
21. The Moonjelly Pendant Made from a strong combination of rubber, paper and metal frames, the Moonjelly Pendant Light is a sustainable lamp that has at least 50% of the paper in its structure coming from sustainable forest management. A shoji like structure keeps this lamp sturdy, but modern technology makes it immune to normal changes in humidity in the home.
22. The Trabant Series Trabant 1 and Trabant 2 were created by Joachim Manz for Tecnolumen. An apparently heavy type of pendant lamp, the Trabant is spherical in form and has a glass lens available either in matt or clear. The suspension cables allow for the angle of the lamp to be altered.
23. The Knotted Egg Lamp Australian designer Sarah Parkes is the creator of this next pendant light, called The Knotted Egg Lamp. Her label, Smalltown, creates mostly artistically knotted products, from home decorations to jewellery. You can clearly see the name of the lamp reflected in its form: a black knotted hanging lamp, made from 6mm polypropylene rope.
24.The Lum light bulbs Arthur Brault`s Lum light bulbs not only offer light for any room in the house, but it also protects your home from the danger of fire. It has a built in smoke alarm that also continuously charges the battery of the smoke detector. Even more, if the smoke alarm goes off, the light turns on to help you find your way out.
25. The Void Pendant Light This light comes from Tom Dixon`s exploration of the reflective metal form. Solid sheets of spun metal are pressed to form a double wall shade that shine and reflect light at the same time. The series of pendant lights remind us of the Olympic medals. It is available in three finishes – brass, copper and stainless steel.
26. Shade Pendant Light Atlanta-based designer Christopher Moulder conceived this aircraft-aluminium pendant light with a unique design: “Inspired by the seemingly overworked and simple lamp shade, Shade brings new life to an iconic form with a formal appearance reminiscent of a water drop splash.”
27. Scheisse Pendant Light Imitating a shattered lamp, the Scheisse Pendant Light from Scandinavian firm Northernlighting is a steel reminiscence of a former light bulb shape. This seems to have exploded in order to offer more light and an interesting design. Random shapes and wires were fused together to create a chaotic moment in time captured by the designers.
28. The Octo Pendant Lamp Secto Design are the ones who concentrated on wood and opened their minds to creating shapes and objects that would be a perfect fit in a modern home. Take the Octo Pendant Lamp for example: an ample design concentrating on a series of bent wooden ribbons that form a globe-shaped pendant light can easily offer the versatility needed in any room.
29.Ta-rae Pendant lamps Design Virus created these cute pendant lights composed of ten "Seoul colours" and gave them a Korean name: “Ta-rae is a word in Korean that represents bunched up and lumped threads or strings.” A thimble acts like the on-and-off switch – a creative way to completely design a functional object with a familiar shape.
30.Vessel Pendant Lamps The last light in our list of 30 pendant lights is actually a set of three glass pendant lights gathered together under the name The Vessel Series. Samuel Wilkinson came up with this design that has been nominated for a British design award. The three mouth-blown forms were created without a mold thus making them appear like unique holographic shapes.
Ready for more amazing design ideas? Check below !
| ||||||
| Outstanding Handmade Fitness Furniture with Electronic Virtual Coach Posted: 13 Dec 2010 10:52 PM PST In case you are on the look out for a professional fitness device that looks good no matter where it’s placed, here’s an ingenious solution. IQflow Fitness furniture is a revolutionary design that fits wonderfully in a modern interior as well as in a classic one. We received a detailed description about the product which we are certain you will find highly interesting: “The first designer fitness furniture offers more than 300 possible exercises and enables the users to succeed in reaching their fitness goals in a minimal amount of time altogether with achieving a perfect balance of body and mind. IQflow challenges the separation between living space and fitness workout and opens up new perspectives for everybody's wellness activities. Unlike the rigid operational sequences you are forced to execute on conventional training devices, IQflow emphasizes the feeling of creative freedom and motivates the natural urge to move. Behind this unique creation stands a professional fitness concept based on the basics of functional kinetics. It convinces the user by the possibility of aesthetically executing three-dimensional movements in combination with individually tailored fitness programs. IQflow thus unites a new form of development of free movements, serves weight reduction, enhances posture and strengthens the muscles. The integrated electronic personal trainer serves as virtual coach.
Already after the very first workout on IQflow the user feels the improved body awareness. 8 minutes of daily workout are enough to increase general efficiency.Inspired by the tree – symbol of life ever since – the elegant design fits into any sophisticated interior. The elaborated quality of this handmade high-class product is stressed by the use of prime materials like precious woods. The exclusive object is being manufactured according to the customer’s personal likings. You can chose among a wall mounted model, a free standing model or a rotatable room divider, to individually fit IQflow in any space. Inside the device titanium, carbon, high-grade steel and aluminum ensure a wear free and noiseless application which allows for integration of this designer furniture in the living area. Only 1 sqm of space (H190/W32/D29 cm) is needed to specifically work out the whole human musculoskeletal system.”
Ready for more amazing design ideas? Check below !
| ||||||
| How to Make Light Furniture Brighten your Home Posted: 13 Dec 2010 12:47 PM PST The presence of light furniture in a room can make it feel bright and cheery. The ability to transform a space from dull and closed in can instantly change with light furniture. For some warmer climates, lighter furniture makes the home feel cooler and more inviting. While even in colder climates, wintry whites and creamy neutrals are inviting too. To make your home feel brighter and more inviting, use these tips to see how light furniture can help.
If someone told you that you could transform your space with the introduction of one thing, wouldn't you try it? Light furniture is that one way to make your space feel lighter, brighter and more appealing without even trying. If your space feels washed out by too much light furniture, introduce color filled art work to your walls and artisan art pieces. Often times one or two eye catching pieces are all you need to make light furniture blend seamlessly into your décor and lifestyle. Freshome reader's do you have light furniture in your home? What are the pros and cons? Some think it's too hard to keep clean, while others love the airy feel it brings to their space. What do you think? Ready for more amazing design ideas? Check below !
| ||||||
| Elegant and Minimalist Apartment Decorated with Recycled Furniture Posted: 13 Dec 2010 09:33 AM PST Here are some images of a lovely apartment sent by Jaypee Pingol, one of our readers from the Philippines. We really like the overall feeling of space that this crib inspires, due to the white walls and well chosen furniture. According to our reader, the apartment has 130 sq meters and features rubber painted floors and furniture elements that are re-purposed. Jaypee says that everything has been converted to look modern, from the bed to the cabinets, kitchen nook, tables and chairs. As we were looking through the photos, we couldn’t help but notice how original some of the decorating elements are. The stripes wallpaper forms a striking contrast with the yellow chair, a lovely splash of color in a black and white environment. And who would of thought of reconditioning a bicycle and use it as an indoor ornament? Thank you, Jaypee for all these inspiring ideas!
Ready for more amazing design ideas? Check below !
| ||||||
| 18 Select Ideas for Modern Indoor Stairs by Christian Siller Posted: 13 Dec 2010 08:16 AM PST Siller Stairs is an Italian-based company producing unique contemporary stairway models from glass, stainless steel and wood. Its international trademarks are top quality and exclusiveness. Designer Christian Siller is the founder of the firm and he is currently developing all the designs according to his customers’ needs. For today, we chose to showcase 18 exquisite staircases that define and “upgrade” the interior within which they are placed. Delivering “character and soul”, these designs were custom made and achieved after a few serious planning sessions held between the company and the clients. Some of the stairs are transparent and seem to hover over the floors, enhancing the feeling of space. Modern and diverse, these charming models manage to deliver simplicity in its most elegant form.
Ready for more amazing design ideas? Check below !
|
4. The NLC Pendant Light 
20.The Crack Bowl Light
| You are subscribed to email updates from Freshome.com - Interior Design & Architecture Newsletter To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
