Swedish Apartment with a Gorgeous Black Kitchen

I spotted this beautiful Swedish apartment over on Sotheby’s International Realty website this morning. The black kitchen with the marble backsplash is just so sleek and sexy in an understated way. And of course, the rest of the apartment is just looking as fabulous.

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Images via Skeppsholmen Sotheby’s International Realty

Ganna Design 甘納設計 | Project At Will – The Combination of Raw and Delicate

Next up from Ganna Design 甘納設計 again, is a project named “At will” that has won them the TID Award of 2014.

Similar to the Spoonful of Home Design_Project Chorus this apartment does exude the boutique hotel vibe too, but it is unique in its own way. There is a masculine air in the apartment yet it feels glamour and delicate. To me, the juxtaposition of different materials used is what making this apartment so strikingly beautiful. Raw concrete ceiling against perfectly laid-out wood floor in herringbone pattern; dreamy Heracleum lamp above a large kitchen island in aquamarine; floor-to-ceiling patterned tiles in the bathroom and an over-the-top frilly chandelier hanging above a clawfoot bathtub, bold and stunning!

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Photography by Photography by Siew Shien Sam / MWphotoinc | Images via Home Adore

Ganna Design 甘納設計 | A Family Home With A Boutique Hotel Vibe in Taipei

There are some design studios and interior designers that I will constantly look up for their latest projects because they are always so fabulous. One of them has got to be Ganna Studio 甘納設計 from Taiwan. Ganna Studio is helmed by designer couple Lin Shih-Jie and Chen Ting-Liang. They have a very distinctly stylish contemporary take on design, and their work has always feel original and full of surprises. In this and the next post, I’m going to share their 2 of their recent projects which I really like. This is the Chorus project, an amazing transformation of a 30-year old building into a modern, boutique hotel style home for a family of 4. Chorus 01 chorus 02

Above: The original partitions at the first floor were removed, to create one large open space for the communal area. The focal point of this floor is definitely the large kitchen and the long dining tables extended from the island,  with a mix designer chairs in all shades of pink and red. This is the heart of the home where the family gathers most of the time.

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Above: To create a more streamlined look, large panels of kitchen cabinets are built for storage and to house the kitchen appliances. The connecting wall of the kitchen cabinets was done in a cement wall finishing to mimic the colour of the cabinets. The 2 opening doors are actually the entrance to toilets at this floor.

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Above: The pink armoire is an old piece of furniture retained from the previous home, and given a new life with this vibrant pink colour. 
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Above: Instead of the conventional media unit or condole, the TV was placed in front of a large wall of bookshelves that hold the collection of books from the couple.

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Copenhagen | Visit to HAY House

Just 1 minute away from Visit to Illums Bolighus, is another Danish design store that you have to visit when in Copenhagen – the HAY house. Woo hoo! Seriously, what’s not to love about Copenhagen for an interior design enthusiast?

HAY House is located on the first and second floor of a grand building in Ostergade street. Visiting the shop is like stepping into a really nice apartment with large windows and beautiful herringbone wood floor. Every room is styled impeccably with furniture and accessories from HAY. It was almost summer when I visited the place, the Scandinavian sunlight streaming in through the large windows, the place looked every bit like my dream house :)

Here, you will find a large collection of HAY products, from stationaries, pillows and textiles to sofa, tables and chairs. Everything is approached in a straightforward and unpretentious way, but often with a twist in its design. The stuffs here are functional but never boring.

At the heart of everything that HAY does is the notion that contemporary design should spring from good idea, innovative technology and quality materials in combination with joyful, straightforward and uncomplicated aesthetics.

– from HAY

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Copenhagen | Visit to Illums Bolighus the Scandinavian Design Heaven

Visiting Copenhagen was quite a last minute decision in the planning of our Europe trip this year, but it was truly one of the best last minute decision made as we really enjoyed this city a lot.

Apart from the Scandinavian high prices, there are many reasons to love the capital city of the world’s happiest country. Beautiful architecture, lots of water and parks, new Nordic cuisine, stylish people on bikes everywhere and of course, Danish design and the many design stores around.

Illums Bolighus is the store that you shouldn’t miss if you only have time to visit ONE design store in Copenhagen.

“Imagine, no counters and formalities, the future – and it is gorgeous – is arranged in displays you could practically move into. It is the only shop in the world which can truly call itself the MOMA of modern living”  – Noted travel writer Temple Fielding on Illums Bolighus in the 1950s

Located at Amagertorv, the main shopping belt of the city, the flagship store is a 10,000m2 design emporium of modern design.  Erik Jørgensen, Carl Hansen & Søn, Louis Poulsen, Normann Copenhagen, Gubi,  Muuto, Hay, Ferm Living and many more … Illums Bolighus has it all.

I felt quite overwhelmed throughout my 2 hours spent in the store because there are just so many things to look at! (and just too many things I feel like buying!)The department store has a total of 4 storeys filled with little knick-knacks, home accessories, glassware, ceramics, lamps and furniture. Beware that you might just spent all your vacation money here because honestly, the stuffs here are really pricey and seriously good-looking :P

But of course you don’t have to buy sofa in order to visit here. In my opinion, it is totally worth a visit to just inhale or soak up the unique beauty Danish design.

Even the window display with the Panthella lamp feels ethereal. 

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