Eclectic Homes

Stanford and Corrine Hudson know full well that their residence is landlocked in the fantastic state of Texas, but they like to envision it as an oceanside paradise. Corrine, originally from the island nation of Madagascar, says, “Sometimes I sit by the pool shut my eyes and envision the noises of the swaying cottonwood trees are sea waves.”

The couple calls their design “contemporary old-world exotic” and filled their 1950s ranch house with an eclectic mix of tropical and traditional pieces. Stanford says that in the end of a very long workday, “we want to unwind and feel as though we’re on vacation.”

in a Glance
Who lives here: Stanford and Corrine Hudson and their 5-year-old son Charlie
Size: 2,500 square feet; 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
Location: Dallas

Sarah Greenman

On a covered patio in the backyard, billowy linen curtain panels help prevent the brutal Texas sun. Corrine says, “This could as well be our family room, because we spend so much time out here.”

Patio furniture: Into the Garden

Sarah Greenman

Crisp white deck chairs with striped lumbar pillows, bright-colored umbrellas and sexy pink flowering shrubs surround the pool. Quality furniture is essential for your Hudsons. Stanford says, “Everything is very sturdy and will last. No plastic here.”

Sarah Greenman

The land is surrounded by tall cottonwoods, crape myrtles and thick vegetation. Potted ornamental potato vine, bougainvillea, birds of heaven and citrus present to the tropical ambiance.

Sarah Greenman

The house was updated in 1989, when the previous owners included this barn, which spans the period of the house and has a view of the pool and backyard. The dining area includes seating for eight in a sturdy conventional wood dining table. “This thing requires a beating,” Stanford says. “We eat here, do assignments here, play board games — you name it.”

The place rugs in the sunroom could be obtained outside and hosed off. “Everything needs to be durable and easy to clean when there’s a 5-year-old running round,” Corrine says.

Dining place: Voyager (now closed)

Sarah Greenman

Adjacent to the dining area is a complete bar covered in cobalt blue tile. The bar incorporates overhead storage for glassware and spirits.

Bar stools: Pier 1 Imports

Sarah Greenman

A cozy rattan seating set includes views of the pool and a lot of surface space to hold drinks. A palm plant, a potted bamboo, a giraffe print throw plus crisp white cushions create a tropical farm vibe.

Rattan furniture: Voyager (now closed); drum end table: Pier 1 Imports

Sarah Greenman

Sarah Greenman

The previous owners removed a wall between the sitting area and the dining area to make one large room. Buttery walls, white trim, French doors and dark wood furniture would be the ideal setting for your family’s library and sitting area.

“We’ve had those mad leather sofas forever,” says Stanford. “We’re excited because a brand new set of couches are on order from Restoration Hardware.”

This grand bay window, trimmed in honey-colored wood, is the centerpiece of the sitting area.

Sarah Greenman

The dining area has been transformed into a house office. A bench upholstered in a cheetah print with nailhead trim pairs together with palm-leaf houseplants.

The home office is decked out using masculine details, like a high-back leather cushioned seat and a heavily carved wooden desk and bookcases.

Sarah Greenman

Five-year-old Charlie is a budding pianist and loves making making music with this family heirloom. “I grew up with this particular piano, and I love getting it in the house,” Corinne says.

A trio of framed sheet music pages, family photos, back problems of National Geographic and an African sculpture round out this cozy vignette.

Sarah Greenman

Sarah Greenman

The foyer is a bright space using an Asian-inspired hardwood dresser topped with tropical accents. A coral and peach print hangs above a potted orchid plus a Japanese-style tray holding books.

Dresser: Voyager (now closed); print: Cost Plus World Market

Sarah Greenman

A little living room in the center of the house boasts a romantic hearth and seating area.

Sofa, matching chair: Rooms 2 Go; coffee table, side tables: Voyager (now closed)

Sarah Greenman

The kitchen opens to the family room and receives a great deal of natural lighting from a cutout above the stove to the sunroom. The couple is now working on the kitchen and also in the practice of painting and installing new cabinet faces.

Sarah Greenman

Charlie insisted the household take a photo in his favorite spot near the pool.

telephone: Share your vibrant family house with us!

See related

Abundant all-natural lighting in a home not only saves electric energy, but it gives you more private energy also. In a standard construction, lighting comprises 25 to 40% of your energy consumption (and energy bill), states that an architecture professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. That is one good reason to incorporate clerestories, tubular daylighting devices and much more windows.

Another reason to get additional lighting is due to the positive effect that natural lighting has on well-being. I can speak from some personal experience: After moving from an apartment with a sofa which was dark all the time into an apartment with three windows which get morning sunlight, I can tell you I am more rested, more ready to get up in the morning and also much more cheerful throughout the day.

Medical professionals are just at the start of this study, however so far, it looks like natural light can benefit homeowners in many rooms by reducing seasonal dips in disposition, promoting healing, increasing productivity and much more.

LDa Architecture & Interiors

For those who have seasonal affective disorder, getting a lot of light early in the morning can help reset their internal clock. 1 way to do this in your home is to make sure the bedroom will get lots of dawn light with windows and skylights. But I imagine that once you get out of bed, down a trip light-filled staircase such as these would help jumpstart your day.

John Maniscalco Architecture

Natural light penetrates just so much through every window, so consider installing multiple points of light. You can also organize your furniture so the most-used pieces sit where there’s the most light.

David Vandervort Architects

Obtaining light in is important for your health, studies state, but is looking out your chimney. Looking out in gardens brings faster healing in patients, claims a paper by HMC Architects. And should well-lit perspectives help those that are sick, how much more will they assist those that are well?

Jay Hargrave Architecture

Some studies show that a lack of natural light in dining places might raise the odds of obesity. In 1 study, mice that ate beneath daylight gained 50 percent less weight than those which didn’t. Makes you wish a glass-walled dining area like this one, does not it?

John Maniscalco Architecture

As long as there’s no warmth, light in a home office can increase productivity, minimize mistakes, lessen eye strain, and increase your mood. That’s a lot of profit for some easy window installations — or to get some proper furniture placement, as in this office, where the desk is positioned to maximize daylight exposure.

One study showed that standardized test scores in students improved 26 percent when they obtained natural rather than artificial light at school.

Sutton Suzuki Architects

If you are thinking about optimizing natural lighting, also consider minimizing fluorescent lighting — particularly in kitchens.

If you are a stay-at-home mother or dad and devote a lot of time in the darkened area of the home, you ought to be certain your body can remain in tune with its own biological clock. Being out of sync can mean fatigue, depression or what The Washington Post calls for a months-long case of jet lag.

Leslie Goodwin Photography

And most of us know that natural lighting in the toilet means more precise makeup application, shaving and self-esteem. If you seem yellowy and exhausted under fluorescent lighting, you are likely to think negatively of yourself. Who knew light can affect so much of your life?

McClellan Architects

Can you get vitamin D from sunlight through your living area windows? The chance is enough to convince people that the windows in this living area are worth it.

Inform us: When did you realize the significance of natural lighting?

More:
Tubular Daylighting Devices Bring Natural Light

Replace vs. Restore: The Fantastic Window Debate

Clerestory Windows Are Tops at Ushering in Organic Light

See related

The character of wood juxtaposed with the roughness of aged metal makes a marriage so packed with visual and character dimension, it can not help but steal the show. Whether you’re renovating your home or curious to work the tendency into your current area, seem to the following photos for inspiration. The mixing of substances might never be edgy or so gratifying.

Erdreich Architecture, P.C.

Because outdated metal and distressed wood are all organic elements, their attractiveness is obviously exceptional. Full of texture and colour, both of these will set any room aflame with character. The addition of a single copper presence in this primarily wooden kitchen, as an example, results in a potent statement.

AMI Designs

When working with aged woods and metals, elevate the visual measurement by using different species and types. In this kitchen, many different woods paired with bronze fixtures provide a variety of elements to hold interest.

Birdseye Design

A island made from distressed wood and metal is a functional advantage with identifying industrial design. Stools in a milder metal further optimize the mix.

Debbie Dusenberry, aka CuriousSofa.com

Capturing the look can be as straightforward as monitoring the best piece. This island may be small, but with repurposed metal and wood, its aesthetic impact is striking.

Debbie Dusenberry, aka CuriousSofa.com

Instead of pairing a wooden table with wooden chairs, keep a look out for chairs or stools in metal. Carry the alloy throughout the room with different pieces, like a light fixture.

The best thing about this look is that can discover pieces inexpensively once they are on your radar. Hunt down a distressed desk and seat in a flea market or antiques store, and add a metal toolbox for office supplies.

Dana Wolter

Boost an empty corner with a vignette made by a reclaimed wood plank topped with a metallic attachment, even if it’s just a photo frame.

Cristi Holcombe Interiors, LLC

If you presently have a distressed wood bit somewhere in your home, add some metallic pieces. A reading lamp can be an inexpensive choice.

Casatelli Marble

From the restroom, juxtapose a metal sink with wood cabinetry.

Palmer Todd

Entire your Engineered timber drawers with metal hardware for an edgy cosmetic.

SchappacherWhite Architecture D.P.C.

If you’ve got beautiful reclaimed wood walls in your home, you’re already halfway there. Again, this can be a time to keep your eyes peeled for cheap metal steals, like a metallic pot like this one that may double as a place to store blankets or magazines.

Jane Kim Design

If you have recently completed a space with newer metal, then operate in reclaimed wood, like shelving.

Birdseye Design

If you’re renovating or building and want to explore this look, consider walls made with reclaimed wood with corners completed in rustic metal. This is particularly interesting in a modern space.

Jensen Architects

Or try the opposite: a wall completed in metal. Pull in the repurposed wood component through the floor or perhaps a bit of furniture, like this classic mattress.

Don Ziebell

Staircases are excellent places to capture this look. Maintain the stairs unfinished and pair them with an easy wrought iron railing.

More:
Blending Styles: Farmhouse Meets Industrial

Pressure Less With Distressed Cabinets

See related

Dwelling in a three-story Victorian sounds like a dream come true to some homeowners, but for designer Shirley Meisels it was a struggle. The home was amazing but impractical because of her family, so she began hunting for an opportunity to downsize. Meisels found another Victorian tucked off in midtown Toronto. The 1,500-square-foot house had less space but still retained the high ceilings and structural bones of a Victorian. Meisels equipped it with functional storage, space-saving solutions, and classic furniture punctuated with pattern and color.

in a Glance
Who lives here: Shirley Meisels and her household
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Size: 1,500 square feet
That is interesting: A couple of days later Meisels purchased the house, it was on the front page of the real estate section of the newspaper, together with the headline”Ugly Duckling.” “I was really proud of the headline, because I could see the transformation in my mind’s eye,” she says.

Shirley Meisels

Despite its own”ugly duckling” standing, Meisels knew this home had good bones. The home is located in a part of Toronto where some of the last Victorians from town were constructed, so the majority of the homes have high ceilings. “A few blocks north, the houses are newer — maybe 1920s — and the ceilings fall,” Meisels says.

In the formal dining room, a chandelier highlights the room’s high ceiling, and Meisels’ classic vase set adds color to a clean-lined dining room collection.

Shirley Meisels

Vintage furniture dominates the chambers. The excitement of the hunt is partly what attracts Meisels to these bits — as well as the endless customizations. “These items tend to be more whimsical and less expensive, with good-quality basics,” she says. “I think this mix is what makes my house feel warm, inviting and a bit quirky while still maintaining its modernity.”

Meisels fell in love with this home’s Victorian bones and more contemporary layout — every room was more thought out with respect to space, storage and flow. “I actually realize that this home feels bigger than my old one,” she says. “We utilize every square inch , where before I was heating so many unused rooms.”

Chairs: re-covered at Robert Allen Entrelazos; ottomans: Target, re-covered in Missoni fabric; sofa: habit; lamp: vintage

Shirley Meisels

The narrow front hall supplied some spatial challenges. There was no coat cupboard, so Meisels needed to find out a way to incorporate storage without consuming too much space. Sliding at a narrow cabinet allowed for adequate storage and strengthens the wall as a divider between the dining room and hall.

Pendant: classic; wallpaper: Osbourne & Little, Asuka

Shirley Meisels

Meisels transformed one of the home’s first 3 bedrooms into her office. Built-in shelving plus a desk offers plenty of storage, and the space is big enough for a classic chaise and table.

Table lamp: Restoration Hardware with custom shade

Meisels made the master bedroom with performance in mind. She’s not someone who recalls to hang up clothes consistently, and it is partly why she constructed the dividing wall behind the bed. A pass-through cupboard is tucked beneath this wall; she could make a mess there and nobody would know it from a glimpse into the bedroom. “If I had a traditional cupboard, my clothing would be stacked on the ground at front,” she says.

Wallpaper: Elitis, Fleurs Découpées; bedding: Matteo; bed frame: habit; sconce: classic; chandelier: vintage

Shirley Meisels

Most of the house has neutral undertones, and Meisels brought the very same ideas to her daughter’s room. “If there’s a common tone to color, then you don’t actually have to match everything perfectly. My daughter’s room has pink, but it’s not actually a pink room,” she says.

Wallpaper: Anthropologie; bedding: Pottery Barn and Urban Outfitters, Bella Notte; bed frame: habit

Shirley Meisels

Meisels quickly learned to take advantage of as much space as you can — even it’s meant inches instead of feet. “Niches in walls, beneath stairwells and supporting cabinets are key and worth exploring,” she says.

Rug: Elte; chair: classic, re-covered at Robert Allen Cat’s Cradle

Shirley Meisels

A Calacatta marble backsplash and countertops provide the kitchen a contemporary but timeless appearance. Meisels kept the space clean but functional by installing massive pull-outs and pantry space into her cabinetry. “Function is the most important thing,” she says. “Really consider how you live. What are your habits?”

Countertops: Calacatta; backsplash: Calacatta mosaic; bar stools: Umbra; cabinetry: O’Sullivan Millwork

Shirley Meisels

A chalky gray exterior reflects the home’s contemporary interior layout. Synthetic grass makes the little backyard livable and vibrant, and saves money and time in the long run.

When remodeling a house, Meisels proposes designing from the inside out, with a clear layout in mind. “This way, you can prevent errors, like a window where you might have inserted a desk in a bedroom,” she says.

Shirley Meisels

Meisels was torn between using a little master bath plus a small principal tub, or devoting all of the space to a big bathroom. “I finally arrived at the conclusion that if any single space in the home was small and pokey, then the home would feel small,” she says. She left the idea of a master bathroom and instead built a generous family tub that would look at home in a bigger home. “People are always surprised when I tell them just how many square feet I have,” she says.

Tile: Luna Honed stone tile; vanity: O’Sullivan Millwork; wall paint: Revere Pewter, Benjamin Moore
More:
Builder’s Beige Gets a Makeover
Global Architectural Style: Victorian

See related

After reading the comments from previous weeks’ articles on home planning, it appears to be a lot of folks are thinking about living the paperless way of life. However, as you can probably imagine, no matter how much you really need paper from your life, receipts, bills and business cards will still make their way in your home. So it’s crucial to handle them by creating effective but simple systems for easy access later.

This implies:
Placing an active filing zoneDeciding the way you’re digitize your paperMaking sure you back everything upYou’ll also need a strategy for properly disposing of paperwork which now exists in the digital world.

Jeri Koegel Photography

Corralling

It’d be great if I had the discipline to scan paperwork as it comes, however I don’t. I also don’t have time to open up the scanner and record things away one by one. So I have made a place for “active files” to corral my paperwork prior to the lot gets scanned and digitally recorded.

And as you may be organized into some T (and therefore likely to skip this step), I think it’s important for one reason: Taking a second for your busy filing will help clue you in as to what needs to be scanned and everything could be recycled, preventing the custom of attempting to scan each record that comes in.

For example, after a couple weeks, I know I am not likely to return my Banana Republic shirt, and I can now recycle the reception. Or perhaps I have determined I don’t really require the pamphlet for my newest organizing conference. You get the picture.

CWB Architects

What to Contain Energetic Filing

It may be as simple as having a “To Scan” file folder which you process once each week to twice a month. I’ll usually process this file folder when I really have time to scan the things inside. Anything deemed irrelevant or no longer needed gets recycled or stained. The rest gets scanned.

Other files you could create: “To Do,” “Pending,” and some other project-related newspapers that require a spot to land.

I tend to think vertical when looking for a spot to store my busy files, and utilize hanging wall pockets. It is possible to use the interior of a cabinet door or the corner of a wall socket.

Mark Newman Design

Scanning

Flatbed scanners: You probably already have a flatbed scanner in your home; mine arrived as an all-in-one together with my printer a few decades back. And while those scanners work just fine for digitizing active newspapers on a weekly basis, you will probably die of boredom if you tried scanning your backlog of paperwork with those dinosaurs.

Sheet-fed scanners: If you’re seriously interested in going paperless and have tons of photos, business cards and newspaper which require digital archiving, then you will want to have a scanner that is thick. Normally compact in size, most take 25 to 50 pages at once. Here are my top faves.Fujitsu ScanSnap scanners. The Fujitsu ScanSnap S1500M is owned by me. It is a scanning monster and also can capture double-sided paper. These scanners also utilize technology called OCR, which permits you to search handwritten or typed files as soon as they are scanned.NeatReceipts makes scanners compatible with PC and Mac users, with a portable or desktop variant available.If you’re saying, “Bah, humbug” to scanning, you may always send off your paperwork to be flashed. I have clients who love 1DollarScan and Shoeboxed. The investment is significantly less than buying a scanner but may accumulate over time. It depends on the circumstance. Will the newspaper get scanned only if you pay someone else to get it done? Answer this issue before spending the big bucks on a new scanner.

CONTENT Architecture

Backing Ude

If you don’t anticipate your backup system, you’re bound to maintain the paper copy as a reinforcement, which negates the purpose of scanning everything in the first location.
Mac machines finally have a program called Time Machine which will automatically back up your data to an external hard drive.If you are using only an external hard drive to back up, you may think about having a backup external hard disk drive saved away from your computer. I’d suggest a safe or something comparable. If something bad happens to a computer, it might also occur to your external hard disk drive, so it’s best to have a backup of your backup.I strongly suggest also backing up your data into the cloud. Not only will your data be safe if something happens to a personal computer, but you are able to get your files from anywhere.My personal favorite cloud programs are DropBox, Evernote and iCloud — all free.

Isolina Mallon Interiors

Shredding

Disposing of your sensitive files is key to finishing up the paperless process. If you don’t need to purchase a shredder (or refuse to discover a spot to conceal this eyesore) there are loads of shredding tools out there.Most office supply stores offer shredding services for approximately 75 cents per pound. With most file boxes weighing 5 to 15 lbs. When filled with newspaper, it’s not a bad idea to have someone do it for you.Most large cities host shredding events where you could bring approximately five boxes of newspaper to be ruined. Do some research and find out what you can find.The Automobile Club of Southern California generally offers one or two totally free shredding events per year.
More:
Just Say No to More Paper
Online Tools Help You Move Paperless
The Paperless Office
The way to Use a Professional Organizer

See related

It’s wonderful to see so many salvaged sinks around lately. When it’s a large cast iron sink in a mudroom, a vintage kitchen sink full with dish drainer or an industrial bowl used at home, a salvaged sink could include unique flair to your kitchen, kitchen, mudroom or laundry area. Following is a look at how architects, architects, designers and writers are integrating these vintage fixtures into houses.

Joanne Palmisano, Salvage Keys

This image is derived from Joanne Palmisano’s publication, Salvage Secrets. The sink came out of an old factory building and is adding character to the beautiful kitchen in its next life.

Between Naps on the Porch

A fantastic potting seat within this Georgia townhome’s lawn involves a working salvaged sink, complete with dish drainer.

Dona Rosene Interiors

I’ve always admired this vintage sink and contacted interior designer Dona Rosene to find out more about it. Here is what she told me

“It’s a funny story because the sink was first to the house, that was constructed in 1926. The customer is about to upgrade the kitchen… and deciding if it goes or stays. It was in excellent condition once the owner took possession of the house and we managed to just use it since it had been for now.

The operator’s love for it has overcome the sacrifices she must create for ita)No garbage disposal along with several”experts” do not think it could be fitted for one. She hasn’t given up hope so we’re still searching for alternatives. B ) She’d really like to get a sprayer however, your choices for taps are extremely limited and pricey. C ) The sink is not as deep as a typical one and requires custom cabinetry underneath and around it to look right. Thus, you need to forfeit some cupboard space.

It is definitely a bit people have strong feelings about — they generally either love it or hate it. When the customer tells people she is considering a kitchen remodel that the first thing they ask is,’What about the sink?””

Home & Harmony

Rie, the blogger behind Home and Harmony, along with her husband have been pros at using salvaged sinks. For their kitchen they discovered a 4-foot-long old surgeon sink on Craigslist for $100, then spent 300 having it professionally reglazed. It’s a remarkably practical farmhouse-style sink that cost less than newer variants.

Home & Harmony

Rie’s laundry area comprises another used sink found on Craigslist. This time her husband painted it with outside high-gloss metallic paint, with a paint sprayer. They discovered that the taps on eBay.

Rie’s guidance for sink searching and salvaging success? “I feel that the trick to finding gems on Craigslist is trying out different search-engine stipulations. Different people explain their stuff in different ways, so the more potential searches you’re doing, the more options you’ll find. To find our antique sinks, I utilized various terms while hunting: old sink, antique sink, farm sink, farmhouse sink. My other suggestion is hunting frequently. I have been proven to search a few times per day for months before we find something that works.”

Gaspar’s Structure

This lucky homeowner already had this 100-year-old sink in the house; the builders were able to save it and flaunt its beauty during a renovation.

The vintage-style faucet is by Kohler.

Smith & Vansant Architects PC

This whole kitchen has been created around this oversized salvaged sink, which the homeowner was saving in her barn for several years. The counter tops and windows had to be worked around it, and it had been well worth the effort.

The wall-mounted faucet is by Rohl.

Smith & Vansant Architects PC

The same homeowner was saving this soapstone basin for her renovation, and it works wonderfully in her craft area. The architect, Pi Smith, designed a custom base to hold it.

See the rest of the home

DeForest Architects

This bathroom sink has a long history, both with all the homeowners (experienced salvaged fixture users) and before they discovered it. Here is their story:

“We purchased the sink many years ago from The Salvage Barn in Iowa City, Iowa. We were advised by a volunteer this may have been reclaimed from a remodeling of the University of Iowa’s Biology Building, but don’t have any means of verifying that. We didn’t yet own the Yum Yum Farm, so this sink dwelt in our back yard in Iowa City, growing different plants annually — herbs or yearly flowers.

It was well to the design phase of the Yum Yum Farm house that we ran a photograph of the sink by architect John DeForest to determine if he believed it would be a fantastic match for our residence. John agreed. Then we had the sink along with its own first metal stand refinished. The sink has been refinished by a ceramic fix guy, the metallic stand was refinished in an auto body shop.

We like the way the sink has a’counter’ built in. We also like the depth of this basin- it comprises splashes. We think the sturdy type of the sink adds to the farmhouse aesthetic.”

HARDROCK CONSTRUCTION

A salvaged cast-iron double sink is a fantastic match for this particular functional laundry room.

NowI feel compelled to share the flip side of using a salvaged sink: along with the drawbacks Dona Rosene outlined, there can be challenges for everybody involved in the installation procedure.

Be sure to be really nice to your architect, plumber and contractor when pushing for one. When I wanted to find out more about using them, I phoned my brother Clark (a general contractor) to determine if he’d experience with these (he didn’t ).

After he stopped telling me just how a lot of his customers are using , he said”Oh , I hope none of them read this salvage sink narrative and want me to do this for them. It sounds like a total nightmare.”

More:
Console Sinks for a Vintage Style Bath
10 Vintage Touches for Your Toilet
Your Kitchen: Farmhouse Sinks
Kitchen of the Week: A Warm and Eco-Friendly Update

See related

For many, luxury means opulence — rich carpeting, chandeliers dripping with crystal, and silk cushions. For others, luxury is all about simplicity — with less sometimes means you get to enjoy it more. This home in Österlen, Sweden, is a perfect example of the latter. The home was once an abandoned farmhouse, which the customers found in a terrible condition. However, the location in the summer beach town could not have been better, or so the family recruited Jonas Labbé and Johannes Schotanus of LASC Studio in Copenhagen to redesign the space.

The customers, a couple from Stockholm with 2 kids, were operating with a limited budget, so Labbé and Schotanus chose to stay with a very simple substance palette, re-inventing the farmhouse by opening up the space and blending traditional and modern elements. The end result is clean, minimalistic, and just luxurious.

Here it is before the family moved in with their own furniture, allowing you to focus on the property’s architecture .

LASC Studio

The homes in this area are often built in a style that is robust, using a central courtyard to protect residents from the spacious and subtropical atmosphere. While the customers were aware of what a traditional Österlen house looked like, they wanted something that would permit them to enjoy the outdoors.

LASC Studio

Labbé and Schotanus chose to maintain the original windows and flooring, but they eliminated nearly 2/3 of the walls within the home to open the room and give it a more lofty feel. They also installed more large window openings using window frames that dissolve in the plaster, which makes the glimpses of their outdoors seamless with the rest of the house.

The group at LASC also chose to add a renovated 1960s Danish stove. The gorgeous bit adds a rustic and authentic touch.

LASC Studio

The group chose to maintain the material palette quite minimal. Very little was utilized out of walnut planks, concrete, and white plaster. “We translated this as a struggle to rethink and play the notion of refuge,” Labbé says.

LASC Studio

Although bright pops of bold orange and blue are sprinkled throughout the house, the colors are usually straightforward and bare to replicate the landscape outside. While the pale palette connects with the outdoors, the orange and blue accents throughout the home were created as elements of comfort and nostalgia — they remind the customers of their time they spent living in China and of the summer days they spent in a nearby beach.

LASC Studio

The orange and blue are used mostly in transitional spaces, and seem to peek out and disappear again as you walk throughout the house.

LASC Studio

From the very start, they chose to infuse the 1,130-square-foot house with a look that they described as”immaterial luxury” Simple pine planks line the walls and flooring leading up the bold blue staircase.

“This is a very unpretentious house,” says Labbé. “It attracts the focus of luxury back to being about simplicity and experience.”

LASC Studio

Upstairs, a hidden door lends a playful and unexpected element to some light-filled bedroom . The pine door blends right in with the paneled wall, revealing a burst of neon orange when opened. “We like working in this manner — finding solutions and expressions that seem both familiar and unexpected,” Schotanus says.

LASC Studio

After the door to the bedroom is left open, the main living room downstairs is visible — making the home feel very much like a loft. The main aim for the group was supposed to open up the house as far as you can. While part of the process was removing some portions of this structure, it also involved re-inventing the current house by opening up windows and doors from the original walls.

LASC Studio

True to contemporary style in Sweden, product and decor is kept very straightforward and sparse. However, the area is heated up by natural sunlight pouring onto rustic and cozy pine paneling.

LASC Studio

Among the customers and LASC’s favourite parts about this endeavor was that the washing house connected to the main house. Both structures were created in precisely the exact same manner — a traditional exterior structure that has playful and contemporary ideas mixed into its design.

LASC Studio

The group wanted to make sure that the beauty of this Österlen countryside will be as present from the bath house because it is in the primary house. The shower floor was made from wood so that when the shower is switched on the noise of water falling on timber recalls the natural world outside.

LASC Studio

The tub was put towards the other end of the bath house, in front of a sunlit window. The seat underneath the window is warmed concrete. The easy design puts an emphasis on the view and creates a more blurred transition between the indoors and the outdoors.

More Tours:
Hey, Where is the Furniture?
Mobile, Modern Farmhouse
Scandinavian Style with a Twist
DIY Glitz and Glamour in Sweden

See related

Instead of funny decorations in materials that won’t last beyond Halloween, embed the holiday at the color and style of your everyday. Black and orange and ghostly clear are amazing colors that complement the Halloween theme but still get the job done for the rest of autumn too.
I want some fun during the month of October, and such pieces bring it won’t lose my focus from year to year. A number could become a part of your area indefinitely. I think of Halloween since the beginning of the entertaining season. Invite some folks over for a Halloween dinner to observe the magical transformation going on in your kitchen.
Halloween sometimes comes out kitsch, but these pieces may keep your cooking, dining and entertaining classy all month — and season — long.
— Mariko Jackson from The Little Foodie

Amazon

Kosta Boda Mine Large Black Plate – $40

The wisp of black on this gorgeous serving plate feels like a mist or cloud on a Halloween night sky. This makes a stunning piece for any dinner.

Urban Outfitters

3-D Faux Chandelier – $39

This very simple light decoration makes your dining table haunted and gothic without the massive expense of a true chandelier.

Amazon

Barbuzzo Candle Carver – $6.14

I adore this takes a very simple apple and leaves it a source of light. This may be even be used for smaller pumpkins. I really could find uses for all these candles throughout Christmas.

Crate&Barrel

Vine Pumpkins – $5.95

These beautiful vine pumpkins would sit well on your kitchen island on the dining table as a centerpiece. I enjoy the tone of the vine as contrasted with the standard orange of Halloween pumpkin decorations.

Amazon

Fondue Set, Orange Enameled Pot – $64.95

To get a dinner or dinner, put a cauldron on your desk and get to delicious dipping. Heat chocolate or cheese such as a witches’ brew!

Chef Tools

Le Creuset Braiser Buffet Casserole – $184.95

My favorite cookware is flexible enough to go on the stove top and from the oven. I’d use this for stews, curries, braising meats or any reassuring long-stewed dish you can consider. Inside this color it provides a bright spot to your dinner table.

Crate&Barrel

Spider Cupcake Holders, Set of 6 – $9.95

Display your Halloween cupcakes with dash. These spider cupcake holders add a little spooky to your Halloween celebration. I bet some of these would walk off!

Pottery Barn

Pumpkin Serving Bowls – $32.50

Whether filled with soothing soups or candies for grabbing, I’d make use of this pumpkin serving bowl season long. It has a natural color and grain that I prefer in an autumn setting.

Crate&Barrel

Marimekko Kumina Orange Napkin – $8.95

Stylish table napkins with wrought iron autumn squash blossoms. I adore the arch stalks that cut through the colors of orange.

Fitzsu

Iittala Taika 5 computer. Set in Black and White – $156

The detail on these dishes could sit in well on a fall afternoon tea party. The white and black is tasteful and just slightly spooky as a result of the hooting owl.

InvitationBox

Here are some darling invitations you could use for your Halloween dinner celebration. I love the detail in these types of pumpkins almost as much as I like paper.

Amazon

Riedel Sommeliers Black Tie Bordeaux Grand Cru Glass – $117.95

Just barely accented in black. You might swirl around a fancy drink for striking effect.

Amazon

Halloween Creepy Creatures Glass Markers, Set of 13 – $9.95

These fun suctioning ghouls and goblins will help you find your drinking glass in your next Halloween party — which is, if your kids do not steal them!

Starck

Starck Louis Ghost Chair in Clear

Are you currently sitting or are you floating? Even though the expense places these on a “when you win the lottery” wishlist, a set of these stylish Victorian ghost seats are really fun on Halloween. (Plus, you can get miniature chairs to the kiddie table!)

Etsy

Delicious Nigiri Sushi Baby or Toddler Costume – $60

These sushi infant outfits are great enough to eat in a costume party. The wasabi/ginger headband accent is the sweetest aspect of the ensemble. I’ll take all of them.

Anthropologie

Tea-And-Crumpets Child’s Apron – $24

Bring your little one into your kitchen to get an afternoon of Halloween baking. I wish they had one in my size.

Sur La Table

Tangerine Hand Mixer – $49.95

What better way to add to your cooking style than with this tangerine mixer? The color is inspiring for some Halloween cookie baking.

Nordic Ware

Pumpkin Patch Pan – $41.50

I crave pumpkin desserts all the month of October (and let’s face it, way beyond that). These would be ideal for individual pumpkin cakes or breads.

Williams-Sonoma

Kuhn Rikon Pumpkin Knife – $24.95

Carving pumpkins is difficult and dangerous. This knife should help me reduce squash and pumpkin easily, as well as split for Halloween.

Amazon

Totally Bamboo NewBoo Black Silicone Spatula – $11.54

The modern woman’s magical broom. I love the wooden dark-grained handle along with the sleek look of the heat-resistant silicone spatula.

Next: Decorate for autumn and Halloween

See related