Happy Wednesday!

Beautiful and dramatic. Light and dark. Wood and glass. Linen and stone.
Weathered and polished....


Check out the entire series over at greige, just beautiful!!

Natasha

Image by Mikkel Vang, always recognizable!

Everybody loves a makeover!

So, what do you do if you have a house in an attractive location (The Hampton's), but it's in need of a major makeover.... Did I mention your budget is tiny?? Well, if you were so lucky (as these homeowners are) to have Eddie Ross as a friend, why not simply ask for help!!!!?

This 1960's ranch style house barely made it into the '70's... and got stuck! Eddie Ross and his team to the rescue!! No doubt about it, good bone structure helps, so does tons of white paint, and a good eye for spotting a fabulous deal on furniture. A fresh new pallet in white and pretty blues, with pops of color, Voila!

The only major renovation to the house was taking away the triangular part of the front window, streamlining the space. Tall white curtains keeps the space soft, while still letting in tons of light!! Infusing the room with a few natural elements (shells, sea grass rug, bamboo side table, wood coffee table, flowers) keeps it fresh, pretty and livable.

What before was an eyesore (believe you me!), now has become a focal point. The bookshelf on the back wall, has been dressed in new crisp white paint, with a wonderful soft blue on the back. Decorating the bookshelf with artifacts, photographs and books, Eddie was able to bring in a little interest to the room, drawing you in.... Don't you want to take a closer look? Well here is your chance; the entire room, as it was photographed for Country Living, below...

Click to enlarge and read article.

As you can see in the image (top right) this space was in need of SERIOUS help, and I just love how this all came together. As these images are not new and if you have seen them before, so be it, I have had them in my file for a while, and I must say I love what was done here, how it all came together, the final makeover was a total success in my eyes! Job well done, Eddie!

Aren't makeovers fun? Love before and afters, since we so easily forget what was, in our excitement of the new :)

Natasha

Images via Country Living and Eddie Ross

No words...

... Just a beautiful quiet space! An old renovated warehouse in Bruxelles, Belgium....
Enjoy!!

 

Have a wonderful calm week!!

Natasha

Images by Morten Holtum via here

Travel Dreams!!

Look what I found while running errands on Saturday! The most spectacular book by Pauline van Lynden. After traveling the the region of India for 15 (!) years, believe you me, Pauline is sharing images that are not to be believed!!!


I have not yet begun to read the book, but can hardly wait, have you read it??
Oh, and I also picked up these pretty flowers at the market...

One of the many FANTASTIC images in the book; a man with traditional "headgear".

I guess both Gloria Vanderbilt and Diane Vreeland were right in saying; "Pink is the Black (GV) / Navy Blue (DV) of India"... It does not get much more vibrant than this!!

On a little paler note... tinted plasterwork at it's best!!

Just in time for Valentines Day, I see no better gift for the Design Blogger out there, and of course, who wouldn't want to read about such an exotic place?
You can get your copy of the book here. There are even colorful images of a few more pages from the book. Enjoy!

Natasha

PS. This is what was going on "behind the scenes" as I am trying to take the images above.. As cats do best, they need to sit ON TOP of what you are working on... ;)



Image #1 & #2 (& #6) NHH for Northern Light Blog, Image #3 - 5 Photo of pages in RaJasthan/Assouline book

It's the Weekend...

... and I am starting the weekend early! YEAH!!!
Any plans? I will be hitting the beach on Sunday for sure....
Take care everyone, have fun!

Natasha

Image via Line Thit Klein

Life's a beach...

While browsing through the December / January 2011 issue of Elle DECOR a little while back, I spotted (as I am sure many of you did) the Manhattan home of Australian Kiane von Mueffling, particularly the image from her dining room.... Who is the photographer behind that huge beach photograph? It looked vaguely familiar....

Well, his name is Christian Chaize, a Frenchman who has fallen in love with a small beach in Portugal! He lives and work in Lyon, France, each year Christian travels to the southern coast of Portugal, to a small beach called Praia Piquinia....

Christian Chaize is a self taught photographer who has won several awards for his photography. His commitment to this small stretch of sand has not only resulted in exhibitions, but also a series of work; Same beach, different years, different times.
The series is available here, and has been chosen for its cohesiveness as a group.

It's hard to pick a favorite from this collection , but I like the images chosen for this post (there are MANY more). However... the Yellow Beach Umbrella image wins out... I think... And I will tell you why; check out this link, from Jen Bekmans Gallery (via Flickr), you can really see the vibrant colors!

And how about this for a nice surprise? Totally different, and very dramatic!

Christian Chaize explains on his website that while nature photography is typically done horizontally, his series is done vertically, creating real depth in his images.

If you would like to see more, Christian Chaize has a website. He is represented by Jen Bekman Gallery in The States, and his prints are also available via The Jen Bekman Project 20x200, where art is made more affordable for "the rest of us" :)

See you at the beach!!

Natasha

Image # 1 via Elle DECOR, Image # 2 - 5 Christian Chaize

A beautiful space!

While this first image lets you believe you will be entering another Black & White space.... that is not so!

Converted from an old industrial space in Marseilles, France, there is nothing industrial about the space now, except from perhaps the polished concrete floors, come take a look....

Floor to ceiling windows and doors open up to the patio area.  All the glass lets in tons of light and also lets you enjoy the beautiful bougainvillea's and the tropical landscaped courtyard. Imagine sitting on this huge white couch..... the view below is what you see while day-dreaming :) !  Sign me up!!

I love not only the tropical foliage, but also that the polished concrete has been use as a surround on the pool, keeping the feel of the space very chic and cool! Black lounge rattan furniture also keeps the feeling calm, as they almost disappear from view....

A corner of the patio has been converted to this covered lounge area, complete with low built-ins, wicker lamp and a dining area. A lazy afternoon spent here sounds soooo good, or a late night dinner in the tropical air, even better!!
(Speaking of critters a few posts back; notice the huge grasshopper on the coffee table..)

 






Simple and chic with a punch of color....
Cool way of using the wall of the bathroom as a headboard. BUT, since it's clad in mosaic tile, I'm not sure if I would feel like I was sleeping in the bathroom?.... Literally!

Ending on a cool note, wouldn't you love a dip in this pool....

Notice the outdoor dining space, great long table with room for lots of guests, or a really big family dinner. If you look closely, notice that the table is the same as in the image above, but the chairs and the lighting fixtures are different! Which one do you like better? I think the low black chairs would be my choice, but I do like the contrast these provide, which is probably why it was styled different in the first place.... 

Have a refreshing day :) !

UPDATE: As Anna from Design Traveller so accurately pointed out to me, I forgot to mention (shame on me!) that it was through her lead that I found these images... Sorry Anna, thanks for the heads up!!

Natasha

Images via Vaart Nya Hem

A is for Art &...Charisma

 

WOW, right??

This huge work of art by Lars Thygesen, certainly makes a statement, don't you think... and then to know that on the opposite wall, you find the artwork below, gutsy and not for everyone!! But, isn't that the point of art? On top of that, the building housing all this color and excitement, is an old rail road station from 1865!! The couple living here are behind the Danish auction house Lauritz.com.

Color, art and interesting collections are what they are all about, can you tell?

Just before Christmas I received the second Visit Visit book, Kunst & Karisma, by Iben & Niels Ahlberg. I have been through the book several times, and each time my eye gravitates to a different interior, all in all eight VERY different homes, filled to the brim with art and self expression!

In writing this book review, I have been given access to never before published images (web), furnished by the authors of the book, for which I am grateful, Thank You!

The basis for this house is an all white and black interior, (I am sure, as a reader of Northern Light, you are well aware I have a fondness of this combo) but with Pops of Neon color, scattered throughout... All starting with the LED light behind the hood in the kitchen... it changes color, and dictates the rest of the color scheme in the house!

While the owners of this house have impeccable taste when it comes to fashion (they own their own stores) they have worked with a design duo (Design By Us), to pull the interior together! Feminine floral, Neon, Pop art and classic furniture melt together in a very interesting mix!!

Not my first choice.... but why not have a little fun in the bedroom? Hmmm..... ;)

Living with what you like and what speaks to you, really is essential and that's what this book is all about; Personal Art Collections!!

All featured homeowners are in some way or another "in the arts", be it furniture, fashion or floral... all very exciting and it is such a treat to be able to see "how the other side lives"!


































Meet Signe Boegelund-Jensen, a Haute Couture designer. Africa is where she grew up, Copenhagen is where she lives and John Galliano is where she honed her skills!
Signe's story is very interesting and her home is a studio in white and light spaces... keeping the focus on her creations! Actually, not only does she create couture, she also created this "Cup of Cream" hanging chair....

With an eye for detail, it's no surprise that the dark, glossy, coffee colored floors are authentic to the building (of 1908) as is the tall white paneling. Signe's fashion even makes it into the kitchen, I guess it's difficult to only be creative in one room ;)!
How fun would it be to explore in this apartment??

A few posts back (here) I shared with you a house filled with Multi Cultural accessories, owned by the design duo behind Day Birger et Mikkelsen / DAY Home... and I am sure some of the inspiration for the decor in this house (owned by Lars & Camilla Wiberg) came from DAY, as Lars used to work at DAY, as Sales Manager.

Above a glimpse of the kitchen, filled with art and artifacts, this is no longer "just" a kitchen, but a gathering space! (Aren't all kitchens at some point??)

Imagine this room with light colored walls, now renovated and painted a beautiful dark grey, showing off all the different travel goodies, mixing all sorts of periods, making it all work! LOVE this room!!

I spy a Sea fan! ... I know, I know, you are probably sick of these by now ;)
A collection of perfume bottles and other curiosities are kept close together on a glass tray, a powerful statement, a small piece of art in itself, great impact as a group!!
There is strength in numbers.

Love of interesting materials and objects carry over to Camilla's store Pour Quoi, making the shopping experience even more unique.

Contemporary Bungalow; probably my favorite home  featured in this new book...

Meet Chresten Rud, owner of "Couch by C", Furniture and Interior. With a trained eye for style and quality, his house is filled with perfectly scaled furniture, calm colors, an interesting mix of objects. An impressive collection of Black and White photographs by Joergen Angel, Bent Rej ("Rolling Stones In Concert", below) and others are displayed through out the house.

Perhaps my favorite image from the Kunst & Karisma book, this nook from Chresten's home! Love the light (great photography), love the over sized lamp, love the color of the silk shade, love the white chaise, love the kelim pillow and the Missoni throw as well as the B/W photography!

In the other end of the large living room, one huge piece of furniture dominates, without overpowering the room!! Colors are keep neutral and warm, art is not just hung on the wall, but also on display on the Italian coffee table, in the window sills and in the rest of the home. It's clear that Chresten is a frequent traveler, and brings with him artifacts from other cultures. The colors in the home are kept to a minimum, playing up texture instead, making for a calm space! I would love to be a guest here, learning the story behind some of the pieces...


































Last but not least, one image from a really cool home, which I will let you explore in the book, on your own....
My thought was this: Why does art have to hang on the wall or be propped on a shelf? Why not do it like this? Perfect for a casual summer house, or any other relaxed space for that matter.
Great idea, great use of color, great use of antique objects!!!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, the photographs are wonderful, and the differences in all these homes makes it interesting! There is something for everyone, the common thread is Art, all different kinds of art, keeping you engaged till the last page!

















Of course I can't show you all the homes, so I encourage you to check out the book! The cover of the book, along with the image above, is by Contemporary Thai artist Attasit Pokpong, you can read more about him and his artwork here, a post I did a little while back.

Visit Visit Kunst & Karisma (Art & Charisma) can be purchased here in Danish, and an English insert is available though the Visit Visit website. If you spot an item in the book, you would like for yourself, access to an address list can be found here. Very cool, I must say, making art and artifacts available to all of us! The team behind the book, Iben & Niels Ahlberg, have a website, check that out here. And for all of you FB people, you can follow along here. Why not "Like" Northern Light Blog on FB, while you are there??

Still not satisfied? Check out the Visit Visit Nordisk Eksotisk post I wrote here!
(The first book in the series) Now I am left wondering what the next book in the series will be about, any guesses?

Natasha

All image by Iben & Niels Ahlberg.
Open book image by NHH for Northern Light Blog.

Chinese Brushes

When traveling to Asia I was on the lookout for some of these bruhes... I found them, and brought home a few (too many if you ask Mr. Wonderful, who had to carry them around)! I already had a few in my house, but was happy to add to my collection, as well as send one to my mother and my sister.

I think they make for such an interesting display, and really love these red ones!!

Natasha

PS. That dyed red coral on the black base is FAN.TAS.TIC, don't you think??

Image via Skona Hem