I was so excited to see an article on the uber-talented and inspirational Martin Lejarraga in the November issue of Interior Design. The article featured the home of a young family in Spain who maximized a tight budget by focusing on a few wow-worthy design components, such as the above ground pool. The entire building shell is of a concrete construction except for a few steel panels serving an additional structural component. The three-bedroom, 2,350-square-foot home is truly a minimalist oasis – showing off Lejarraga’s eye for simplicity and form.
Walking on eggshells
Seems to be that birds and eggs are all the rage these days…
1. Wire birds designed by Javier Henriquez and Sebastian Lara of EosMexico {via} geek alerts
2. Cybertecture Egg for Mumbai by James Law {via} Inhabitat
3. Ingo Maurer Egg Installation at Milan Design Week 2009 {via} Design Boom
4. Nosinger’s Rebirth {via} Metropolis
5. 50th anniversary of the Fritz Hansen Egg Chair designed by Arne Jacobsen {via} Hive
For more info on all items that are sunny side up visit this Vogue Living (2009) article called Free Range
The Balloona Stool
I normally contribute to Design Tavern whenever I come across a very thought provoking interior – but how could I pass up the opportunity to share a thought provoking piece of furniture? Every time I come across the Balloona Stool Confetti by designer Natalie Kruch for Umbra – my heart just begins to flutter and jealousy ensues. I wish I had thought of that.
The Balloona chair consists of 500, intricately-tied balloons affixed to a wooden stool. And for a mere $200, you can purchase your very own here.
And I’m sleeping on a jet plane?
Getting stranded in an airport overnight is a real drag (trust me, it just happened to me recently) but imagine if this airport also offered some seriously interesting sleeping accommodations right next door, not so bad anymore? Well, that is exactly what has happened at Stockholm’s Arlanda airport. Parked directly in front of the airport is the Jumbo Hostel, the world’s first hostel on a plane. The double-decker 1976 Boeing 747-200 comes fashioned with a lounge, cafe, and 25 rooms to sleep in -ranging from your usual hostel-style bunk beds to a “fancy” private cockpit suite.
How Bazaar?
Patisserie
The Bazaar at the SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills is a series of eating experiences created by world renown culinary mastermind, chef Jose Andres (who by the way is also the mastermind behind some wonderful restaurants in the D.C. area like Zaytinya and Oyamel). The Bazaar is a collection of three restaurants – Bar Centro, Patisserie, and Rojo y Blanco, and is designed to create an adventurous eating experience. The design of Bazaar and the SLS Hotel was created by the famous Philippe Starck. Bar Centro is the largest part of the restaurant trio. The most interesting part of Centro is the extra large jewel box that is located in the center of the dining room. The glimmering jewel box is reserved for special diners only. Rojo y Blanco is very much influenced by Spanish design and includes an outdoor cafe. While Patisserie is a whimsical vision of pink decor.
Patisserie
Bar Centro
Blanca
Rojo
Mixing Work With Play – Creative Business Cards
Although my focus as a contributor to Design Tavern is on Interior Architecture, I could not help but share these uber-innovative business card designs. Recently featured on Smashing Magazine.com, these creatives have found an innovative way to mix work and play.
This first design is by Bryce Bell who has devised a way to take the typical 2 x 3 business card layout and transform it into a business card catapult – also known as the “Cardapult”. You can watch and learn how to make your very own version of the Cardapult here.
This second design is from the Columbus Society of Communicating Arts at cscarts.org. Here the business cards directly translate into a traditional set of playing cards.
This third design is from Webstock at webstock.org.nz. Webstock hosts web-related events and conferences to promote the improvement of websites and social media through inspiration and education. These creative business cards turn the bore of trading contact information with other professionals into an exciting game. Each employee is worth a certain amount of points, the more you engage with others, the higher your score will be.
Hot Spot in Paris
The French are often times described as being the most fashion-savvy people in the world. As a result, it would be unlikely for a new, hip-restaurant in Paris to be a success without an equally fashionable interior and La Société accomplishes just that. The 130-seat restaurant located in a historic building across from the Saint Gemain church is owned by the famous Alex Denis and Jean-Louis Costes and was designed by Christian Liaigre.
]Liaigre gave the interior a classic modern , lounge-like feel by using rich, chocolate tones of mahogany and leather furniture in contrast with patina finish parquet floors, a marble champagne bar, and white sanded walls. Contemporary art provides a unique addition to the interior with works by Peter Linderbgh, Sophie Lafont, Mathieu Lévy, Sara Favraiu, and Marc Rebollo.
La Société has already received much hype with famous guests such as Rachida Dati, Dolce & Gabbana, and the Fendi family and is currently featured in both Wallpaper and Vogue magazines.
Fro Yo Craze
TangySweet – Washington D.C.
This past weekend I was walking around D.C and I passed the newest Tangy Sweet {a frozen yogurt shop} — which just opened up its second shop in Penn Quarter. As I was studying the design of the front facade I decided that this would be a really fun post to develop, a look into the Interior Design of the frozen yogurt craze.
An article from Wallpaper magazine recently showcased this same story line , called “Top frozen yoghurt bars”. In this article the frozen yogurt craze is described as “a once-gaudy dessert which has traded in its Richard Simmons-type reputation for a stylish new look”. This article featured the design of Frolick in Singapore, Myberry in Paris, Oko in New York, and Pinkberry in California.
And if you have not already decided to go hit up your local frozen yogurt shop to check out what this craze is all about then you probably will very soon – as it is becoming the new place to socialize and meet friends. LA Times writer, Charlie Amter, also did a feature on the “frozen yogurt wars” and said, “Fro-yo shops such as Pinkberry and Valley Village’s new Menchie’s are attracting crowds that previously hung out at Starbucks or the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. Actual “scenes” are developing at some locations — partially because of their interior design, as well as customers’ increasing appreciation for the health benefits of eating yogurt over, say, drinking a Frappuccino”.