All posts tagged: architecture

Domestic Anthropology

Domestic Anthropology and Interior Design

Well this sounds very serious doesn’t it? What is Domestic Anthropology? It’s the study of human behaviours and how our cultures, traditions and societal changes have affected how we use our homes. I’m fascinated by people, particularly how individuals and families interact, move around one another and within their four walls. Everything I’ve learned about people’s habits, pathways and needs in the home environment has been banked and informs all of my design. As the world evolves those needs change too and the world has moved on a great deal just over the past 24 months, so much so that it seems like everyone is extending, redecorating or remodelling to accommodate this societal shift. I’ve always viewed the home as a living entity, another family member; they age and change just like as we do. This anthropological interest in our domestic spaces helps me to focus on providing alternative and creative design solutions. I’m not interested in putting things where they’ve always been, because… “well that’s where the laundry rooms goes isn’t it?” Actually, if it …

wall lights

Planning a build? When do I get an interior designer on board?

I’ve always hated the job title, interior designer, most people still don’t really know what we actually do, but as i’ve mentioned before, paint colours and cushions really are about 0.6%. Cushions in the Upper Brook Street Project I’ve noticed more interior designers referring to themselves as ‘interior architects’. I can’t class myself as that by any means, i’m certainly no architect, but I do make decisions around spatial planning, flow, lighting plans, first fix wiring and plumbing… Here’s what Google has to say about Interior Architecture V’s Interior Design: Interior architecture is the balancing of the art and science of designing an interior space taking into account all elements of the build.  Interior design is a broad ranging profession taking into account all aspects of planning and designing interior spaces in the built environment. I kind of see myself as being somewhere in between the two. One of the things I get BIG kicks from is solving layout problems. It might be as simple repositioning a dining table so it runs lengthways instead of horizontally, …

The Coach House at Middleton Lodge #designupnorth

The hubster and I have just got back from a mini break. I thought you guys would like to see where we stayed as it’s just a little bit special. Middleton Lodge is a Georgian Palladian mansion set within 200 acres of open countryside, on the outskirts of Middleton Tyas, a small village in North Yorkshire. Designed by the architect John Carr, it was built between 1777-1780 for George Hartley Esquire. Today, Middleton Lodge is now home to the Allison family who have lived here for nearly 40 years. Their home however, is also available for hire for private wedding receptions, functions and film location shoots. A short walk away from the main house is The Coach House. Originally built for the carriages and horses of George Hartley Esq, it’s now the ground’s hotel, restaurant and bar. The horse-shoe shaped building has that perfect Georgian symmetry and proportion, with rounded archways, feature windows, pale brick walls, and original beams. With the flowering beds in the central courtyard and the April sunshine beaming down upon us, this spot was like its …

Off Black & Shadow White

Following on from Peignoir and Worsted (i’ve stopped crying now btw) i’m going to give you a pre “final reveal” peep at how the living room at the Masonic Villas project is looking…. now it’s gone all monochrome on us. Please bear in mind, the room doesn’t have everything in it just yet. Still some pieces to arrive, lighting to fix, shelves to style and lots of artwork to hang. LOTS. But I already love it. Farrow & Ball’s Off Black and Shadow White have given this Victorian living room, bursting with original period features, a real contemporary, Scandinavian edge. Let’s take a look at how colour alone can transform a space. Before After (with barely anything in it yet) I want to live in this room. Before After See how this space has been completely transformed, without actually changing all that much?  Same furniture, same curtains, same layout-ish. With those Off Black walls, everything that sits in front of them just looks amazeballs. Shadow White, one of Farrow and Ball’s new colours for 2016 was chosen for the woodwork, …

20YY 36/370 (aka Cherished Gold)

2016 Colour Palette (COTY = Colour of the Year) So, Dulux have announced their Colour of the Year for 2016. Oh right, that’s good, what is it?  Cherished Gold was chosen to be “The Special” by AkzoNobel’s Global Aesthetic Center. Who’s that? A specially selected group of experts and international trend watchers from various design backgrounds: Architecture, textiles, product design, graphics and research. They’re all invited to discuss predictions for worldwide social and design trends. “This process allows us to nominate a number of trends, with one overriding idea that captures the mood of the moment; and then consider how this will influence the consumer.” Fancy eh? These trends and concepts are developed further, resulting in unique visual content that aims to engage and inspire us, the customers and consumers. “Our imagery communicates the latest trends and inspires the use of paint in interior design and architecture. It is a process that ensures our research and forecasting is firmly connected to relevant, modern-day trends.”  Colour Palette of the Year, 2016. Think of these as Cherished Gold’s BFF’s. Let’s see some …

Free Photography Printables #loveyourwalls

I’m so excited for today’s post. Not only did I get nominated for an IBA… my blog finally gets its own proper address AND a sexy new look to boot. You like? I’ve had to have a nice sit down and a scone to get over the excitement! But that’s not all. I’ve got something for you that I think you are going to love nearly as much as me. Some amazing FREE PRINTABLES. Get ready to want a gallery wall immediately. Mine is already under construction. My good friend and amazing “SHOULD BE!” photographer, Martyn Day took these on his recent trip to NY.  I cheekily asked him if I could a) have all the files and b) post them for you to print, frame and hang. For FREE! I gave him my best smiley emoticon and BOOM. Done deal. If you love brutalist style architecture, concrete, warehouse spaces, industrial buildings, raw materials and monochrome… these bad boys are for you. Part I. I gasped at this one. Did you hear me? Stunning. Ok, a little “information …

LivingEtc House Tours

I made a little trip to London this week to get involved with the Living Etc House Tours. I wasn’t sure if I was going to make it as i’ve been unwell for a while…. but I managed to get my butt down south and i’m glad I did. There were several amazing properties on the West London leg of the tour. I’m going to include just two in this post. Both completely different. Both stunning in creativity and execution. I’m not sure if i’ve ever been in any multi-million pound properties before… I have now. The Hogarth Hidden House – Kensington As seen on Grand Designs a few years ago, Ian Hogarth both designed and built an outstanding home in a small space located in Kensington. Hidden behind a rabbit hole style entrance, Hogarths’ house is concealed mostly underground. The 250sqm mews house features a nightclub dance floor, a fish pond, a waterfall and a wellness suite. There are several Eco features, including an air-source heat pump, solar panels and water recycling. The build took a year, …