The Step Chest

We received an email from Michael Ramsey of Greentea Design out of Toronto. The Canadian based Asian furniture retailer deals in both antiques and contemporary pieces with customers throughout North America. Their main claim to fame is that their contemporary pieces are made from reclaimed wood so as to be more environmentally friendly. We were intrigued by one of their pieces and the history

House in Zurich

House in Zurich

Bridget A Otto Thursday Two

In the second Bridget A Otto article entitled From 'funky' to fine, the NW Pro is Keri Davis of Keri Davis Design.The Problem: The master bedroom was poorly configured, the bathroom needed an update and the closet was insufficient.The second-story bedroom had an exterior door that led to a deck with stairs down to the backyard....There was no real place for the bed and it was awkward.The bedroom

Bridget A Otto Thursday

You know what day it is, it's Bridget A Otto Thursday and she has been busy. First an article on finding the perfect chair, entitled Take a seat. She has some nice pictures in pdfs here and here of some chair styles. There are no pictures from Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery. How did that happen?How about this chair and ottoman from Sherrill? Someone said recently that they tried a lot of

Saint Paul de Vence

Architect Yves Bayard and his wife, designer Jacqueline Morabito, have reconstructed a 16th-century sheep barn, located amidst an olive grove at St-Paul-de-Vence,into an amazing house. The white walls and concrete floor covered with a coating of wax, white furniture and translucent lamps add aeriality to the construction, an airy bridge to the library running across it. The ceiling seems especially high due to the narrow windows. The house is equipped with baroque furniture, manufactured on the basis of Jacqueline's sketches. The whole collection of religious items (a rosary, a crucifix, prayer books, black-and-white portraits by Le Corbusier and Jacques Prevert, and pictures of Andre Gide, Dzsunicsiro Tanidzaki and Kasimir Malevich on the second floor make it clear that this house is a place of constant search for Truth. The bathroom is fitted out with an oak platform with a bath on it, a mirror leaning against the wall. The well-groomed olive grove creates a picturesque landscape and yields well.

Magicians house in Italy

There is a wonderful house in Tambre dal Pago, which is just 95 kms away from Venice. When his architect was a little boy, he used to construct different things out of books. This project has brought into realization his childhood dream. Carved wooden elements the house is constituted with resemble books of various sizes. Inside, furniture, accessories, toys, lamps and curtains are also made out of wood. It brings a feeling of being in a surreal frozen world that takes its real form and drops off to sleep in turn. Finish materials used are few; wood comes in plenty. The walls throughout the house are covered with white plaster. The first level accommodates a dining room. A wooden staircase with rope railing leads to the second level featuring bedrooms equipped with books-shaped furniture. This amazing object as if made by a magician reminds an adult of their childhood.

Dominique Picquier's house in Paris

Dominique Picquier is famous for inventing and creating textile and various accessories. Four years ago she bought a former joiners shop, which fully satisfied all of her requirements.

Ah... La Provence !

The owners Kamilla Ragent and Pierre Jaccaud have turned their country house in Provence (France) into a refined guest house. The windows of the building overlook a marvelous view of Roussillon. The amazing dwelling with salient cracked walls, painted wooden shutters and a little fountain by the entrance represents a real labyrinth of rooms and winding staircases. The palette includes the rich colours of sage and sepia, plum and fuchsia, violets and lilacs. The interior design of the house is a genuine wonder world. Attention is arrested by the long curtains made from paper lanterns. The salon contains a real cloud made from thin branches -- it soars in the air and casts a whimsical shadow on a white mantle-piece. Ephemeral translucent curtains are also very attractive. Works of art neighbour on ordinary dishes in the kitchen. The refined dining room features a long peasant table. There are pictures, sculptures, photographs and books all over the place. Each guest leaves anything in his apartment that will remind people of him and bring in a new detail in the interior.