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interior design

Mjölk

Monday 31 March, 2014 · 6

Mjölk is a beautiful shop in Toronto owned by John Baker and Juli Daoust.  they live in an apartment above the shop, which is housed in a Victorian building that has been wonderfully renovated, and recently featured in Dwell.

Located in the Junction, our gallery makes its home in a white Victorian building with a modern interior by local architect firm Studio Junction. Mjölk is both a gallery who exhibits work by both arists and artisans from Scandianvia and Japan, and also a lifestyle store; we look to our everyday life to find inspiration for the products we carry. Our smaller products can be used without thought, or quietly admired. In our eyes just the simple satisfaction of functionality and durability, is all you need for a successful product, but when you can derive beauty from the uttermost simplistic tools, then you have something special.

here are some shots of both their apartment and shop. images are c/o Dwell and Mjölk

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Anatomy Design: Blueberry Café

Wednesday 26 February, 2014 · 10

Anatomy Design is one of my absolute favourite design companies in South Africa. they are the geniuses behind some incredible products, and boast an interior design portfolio that makes me weak at the knees. they recently completed some outstanding work for The Blueberry Café in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, including refreshing the interior, the product range and the café’s brand identity. i asked founder Andrea Kleinloog about the inspiration behind the project.

Blueberry Cafe is this little hidden gem in the KZN midlands. We decided to overhaul the traditional idea of a ‘sweet country café’. So we painted the walls a crisp bone colour, painted all the steel work of the traditional shelves black (it’s normally rust red). We designed elemental shelving units that were literally made by the farm welder. They are so simple, but came out fantastically.

We wanted to create an interesting, curious space, with a retail element that offers the best available, not just what is easy to get. We had great fun toying with beautiful and fragile botanical logos/packaging elements – and even found the most remarkable set of prints from an antique store. Another great extension of the design language was being able to develop a whole range of home-ware for them – plates, crockery, tea towels.

the creative team also included Wendy Dixon (branding and graphics), Mia Widlake (product development & styling) and chef Bianca Davies, who developed the new menu. Photography by Samantha Maber.

Anatomy Design // Blueberry Cafe Anatomy Design // Blueberry Cafe Anatomy Design // Blueberry Cafe Anatomy Design // Blueberry Cafe Anatomy Design // Blueberry Cafe Anatomy Design // Blueberry Cafe Anatomy Design // Blueberry Cafe Anatomy Design // Blueberry Cafe Anatomy Design // Blueberry Cafe Anatomy Design // Blueberry Cafe Anatomy Design // Blueberry Cafe Anatomy Design // Blueberry Cafe Anatomy Design // Blueberry Cafe Anatomy Design // Blueberry Cafe Anatomy Design // Blueberry Cafe Anatomy Design // Blueberry Cafe

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Hotel San José

Saturday 16 November, 2013 · 16

i LOVE staying in hotels. i don’t travel often, so i don’t have that jaded traveller attitude to hotels and flying as if it’s all old hat. it’s always new hat to me. even the most boring, average hotel – i’m basically like, “wait, i get to sleep in this foreign place, i don’t have to make my bed, AND someone else is making me breakfast tomorrow? sign me up.” of course when a hotel is actually nice that feeling is multiplied by a thousand, which is what i imagine it would be like to stay at the Hotel San José in Austin, Texas. i have never had any inclination to visit Texas, but now i do.

Built in 1936 as an “ultramodern” motor court, the property has been transformed into a 40 room urban bungalow-style hotel tucked behind stucco walls and set amidst lush garden courtyards. More than just a unique place to sleep, the Hotel San Jose serves as a gathering place and occasional hub of community activity for locals and visitors alike. Dogs are always welcome.













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Home Talk

Tuesday 6 August, 2013 · 11

at the moment i am thinking about our home a lot. we are currently happily living in our Sea Point apartment that’s big enough for the two of us (and we are lucky enough to be right by the promenade) - but i know that we both dream of an outside space and everything that comes with that. a dog, a cat… and other little beings that like to play in a garden. one step at a time – i know, i know. but i can’t help thinking of that possible future place, which is why i want to have a Home Talk.

i had to kick off with possibly the most beautiful house i have seen this year. designed by architect Ray Kappe in 1967, who still lives here with his wife:

local favourite furniture designers Pedersen & Lennard just opened their online shop:

love the home of Kirsten Grove featured by Rue Magazine:

could see these two Magical Thinking rugs happily chilling in my home. buy: left & right.

Vanessa Jackman’s visit to Villa Extramuros in Portugal, which boasts beautiful interiors and exteriors:

cool wares from vintage shop Ethanollie:

like the little corner desk of this Parisian apartment:

sweet home things from Makers & Brothers:

the home of Wood & Wool Stool designer Ingrid Jansen:

colourful utensils by Sucre:

a simple DIY shelf by Scandi Home (adapted from these instructions):

at home with Jennifer Bewerse:

beautiful homeware by Neëst:

watercolour wallpaper by Emma Hayes:

Ermie has a selection of home goods for you to peruse:

and, a public loo in London that was turned into an amazing apartment by architect Laura Clark:

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Max Rollitt

Thursday 14 April, 2011 · 9

my parents have bought antiques over anything new in the furniture department as far back as i can remember. when i was younger i thought it quite fuddy duddy and would roll my eyes like any good teenager when they spoke about yellowwood dining room tables and cape dutch food cupboards. fortunately i grew up and came to cherish and appreciate these things, and it has certainly influenced what kind of pieces i would choose today.

which is why i’m quite taken with the portfolio of max rollitt, a dealer & restorer of antiques as well as a trained furniture designer & maker whose company also specializes in bespoke furniture and interior design. be sure to check out the inspiration section, which has a pretty rad click through collage feature.

whenever i see an antique chair i can’t help but think of parson’s pleasure by roald dahl. i’ve read it so many times, and strangely always root for the antique dealer – even though i know i shouldn’t. oh, the ending makes me cringe.

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Ford Wheeler is my hero

Wednesday 6 April, 2011 · 12

i hope you have seen the amazing amazing ny times feature on margaret howell – as it was deservedly reblogged all over the place recently. while i was over there spying on margaret for the millionth time, i decided to have a browse through some of their other style features (something i don’t do often enough, and should do because the ny times style magazine is truly great) – that’s when i spotted this feature on production designer ford wheeler.

wow. if ever there was someone whose aesthetic is the complete opposite of margaret – it’s ford wheeler. these photos show the interiors of his NYC loft, his country compound in upstate new york & his house in mérida, mexico.

The loft is assemblage in the extreme. The layers are amazingly dense. Everywhere, curious objects are clustered into vignettes, and each one has a story to tell. “Collecting is kind of like drugs for some people,” he once said. “It can be hard to determine when it is just too much.”

also thought this tied in nicely with the potted post from yesterday – look at the plant collection in his loft! i have to thank you all for your amazingly helpful comments, by the way… will let you know when i venture into potted territory.

ps: the selby did a feature on ford wheeler last year – go see his NYC loft in more detail.

story & images from the ny times style magazine

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Have a spare room for me?

Wednesday 23 March, 2011 · 12

to tell you the truth i don’t look at interior blogs & websites all too often. mostly because they make me so insanely jealous and fed up that i end up closing them almost immediately. now and then i go through a binge and purge phase of devouring as much interior inspiration as i can, though – this is one of those moments.

please click on the images for their sources.

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