RAW BEAUTY

Everything great always starts with a vision, like this fantastic lofty home in San Francisco's Mission district. Originally a Lucky Strike cigarette warehouse, the 1925 concrete building was converted into this sweet nest for British-born electrical engineer Clive McCarthy and his wife. After seeing the potential of the structure, he decided to buy it with hopes of transforming it into the contemporary home it is now. The whole building was gutted to create spacious areas for each room of the house, leaving the rawness of the original architecture seep through the design. How's this for industrial chic? Happy weekend!

Spotten in The New York Times / Images by Trevor Trondo

STREET SEATS

The Armory Show is a staple in New York's art scene. Considered one of the most important events in the city, The Armory is the leading international contemporary and modern art fair showcasing works from the 20th and 21st centuries. Bade Stageberg Cox has developed “Street Seats, a furniture project created for the Pier 94 Coffee Bar at The Show. The 50 chairs, found abandoned on the streets of New York, were repaired and given a new life with a coat of taxi cab yellow paint. Like the city’s residents, the chairs are an eclectic mix, migrating throughout the fair during its five-day run. The bottom of each chair is stamped and documented with the date and location it was recovered.” Aren't these awesome? These are just a few of the chairs from the project, but if you want to see all 50, you can do so here. Which one is your favorite? Actually, I have a couple. This would definitely be a fun DIY project to take on—of course, on a much smaller scale. BTW, you can get your hands on any of these as the chairs are available for purchase.

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COLOR BLOCKING

Are you mad about color but find yourself doubting how to inject it to your living room? Well, doubt no more. Here's a quick guide from our friends at House to Home that will demystify color for you. If you're in a monochromatic mood, mix textures, patterns and different shades of the color of your choice to add interest to the room. Also, with the large variety of fun wallpapers available to us now, you can pick a feature wall in your living room and use a colorful wall covering to create a focal point. One last but important tip: don't be afraid to be bold as bold can be a good thing. Dare to use combinations of colors you might have never thought of using. Accent pieces are a great way to introduce this color-blocking concept. Are you feeling adventurous now?

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COMFORT IS IN THE AIR

Once a cottage built in the 1860 by a local fisherman, this warm and cozy home is my dream of a house. I simply love everything about it. There is a certain spontaneity and free-style to its decor that's right up my alley. Located a few miles north of Copenhagen, this family abode is filled with charming details that makes me want to cuddle up on any of their cushy pieces of furniture. You can see more of their gorg house and read the complete story on the renovation here. Enjoy!

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SIMPLE BLISS

Light, air and space are the main ingredients in the home of Danish interior designer Tina Offshore Wind. The result is this fresh and sun-drenched first floor apartment in a villa north of Copenhagen, which she shares with her husband, son and adorable pet rabbit Thumper. There is a simple aesthetic comfort to it that I simply love, particularly the subdued color palette that's very representative of her design style: earth tones, gray, white rose with wooden touches. And for course, her selective use of furniture is perfect. Everything is carefully selected and placed so that each piece of furniture has enough breathing room around it, creating a very relaxing ambiance.

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BREWING IN STYLE

I'm in the middle of decking my kitchen with new Silestone countertops. And of course, as it always happens when you embark in any kind of home improvement project, other unexpected things started to happen. I'm telling you, it never fails. This time, my adored Morrison Coffee Maker broke and my heart with it too (double sigh). So I knew my hunt for another stylish one was not going to be easy. But to my surprise, I came across the new Krups Silver Art Collection and I immediately fell in love with its sleek look. It was everything I was looking for: modern, compact and chic. The line also includes an espresso machine, a tea kettle, a toaster and a juicer—all in shiny stainless steel, chrome and wood detailing. I'm beyond excited with this new addition to my kitchen. It's going to look fab on the new white countertopd which should be installed next week. Thumb up to Krups for giving us this fantastic treat.

SIMPLY BRIGHT

Sometimes it is the simplest things that are the most beautiful. It just takes a splash of good design and a drop of creativity to create that one piece that screams perfection. The Flask falls into that category. This limited-edition pendant lamp, designed by Florian and Sebastian, Schneider impresses through its simplicity. All it takes is a metal lampshade, an electric cord and a bulb and voilà, you've got a super chic fixture for your home. Flask was designed to hang either straight down or on a 90° angle, and it comes in white, sulfur yellow and mint green. Happy Friday!!

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THROUGH THE LENSE OF: HEIDE LERKENFELDT

Let's be inspired today by the beautiful work of the truly talented Danish photographer Heide Lerkenfeldt. I'm so into her delightful compositions and sense of serenity she captures in every frame. Her versatility as a photographer is amazing. Not only does she shoot amazing spaces and products, but she also does a masterful job with fashion, food and people. But don't take my word for it. Please, go browse through her portfolio and see for yourself. You will love her work as much as I do.

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