Garden House Apartments, Sydney

 

Recently spotted via Est magazine is this stylish apartment from Garden House in Waterloo, Sydney. This project is a collaboration effort between developer Icon Co, JPR architects, interior designers, Hecker Guthrie and landscape designer, Myles Baldwin.
The aim for this low-level apartment complex was 'a modern embodiment of village living' - created by contemporary architecture, lush garden plantings, along with luxurious and comfortable interiors. The apartment interiors are fresh and beautifully detailed by the clever and always stylish Hecker Guthrie - that's a great looking kitchen and I admire the bathroom with its clever storage beside the basin.

Photographs via Est magazine.

Carl Larsson at Home

Cosy Corner c.1895

 I was browsing in my client's store recently (yes, I was there on a site visit but hey...) and I saw a boxed set of cards of Swedish artist, Carl Larsson (1853-1919), which I snapped up. I have always liked these charming, light-infused watercolours by Larsson and this card set were based on his home, a cottage named Little Hyttnas in the rural village of Sundborn, Sweden. Larsson lived here with his wife and eight children, and as shown in these watercolours, it was a charming setting of domestic bliss and idyllic country life. There's just something lovely about that blue and white stripe covered sofa and chair in the 'Cosy Corner'...

The Cottage c.1895

The Studio c.1895

The Dining Room c.1895

John Reynolds in HOME

The lastest issue of HOME magazine is out today and it is the annual Art issue. The adventurous home of New Zealand artist John Reynolds is featured on the cover and Reynolds himself is a guest on the HOME team, adding his artistic touches throughout the issue.
The Reynolds' Auckland villa was renovated with architect Malcolm Walker and I can't stop looking at that intricate kitchen splash back that Reynolds designed! Read more about it here.

Check out that kitchen splash back designed by John Reynolds

Photographs by Patrick Reynolds via Home NZ

Bridge House, Melbourne

 

This is the famous Bridge House, which was designed by architect, Robin Boyd (1919-1971) and it is located in Melbourne. It is a revered piece of Modernism architecture and it has been recently given a sympathetic update by architect, Stephen Jolson nearly 60 years after it was built. Dealing with the Robin Boyd Foundation and the council, Jolson must have felt the weight of responsibility during this renovation. As we can see from these photographs as featured in Vogue Living, the results are impressive. There is a lovely understated luxe and relaxed informality to the house, while the structure and other original details of the house have been exposed and celebrated. Read more about Boyd and the house here.

Photographs by Lisa Cohen via Vogue Living

Jamie McLellan for FvF

While I was exploring through the online publication, FvF earlier this week, I found a few interviews by designers in New Zealand - its always great to see New Zealand making its mark on the global map!
One interview in particular was with successful furniture designer, Jamie McLellan and it features his work space, a converted boat shed, in Auckland. Read the interview (and see more photos of his cool dog, Walnut) to find out how his work space came about here.

Photographs via FvF.

The FvF Apartment, Berlin

I have recently stumbled upon this online publication, Freunde von Freunden (FvF) - which is an international interview magazine that features a diverse range of creative people in their homes and working environments. It is a great read and introduces real people from different cultures, cities and artistic industries around the world.
Last year FvF collaborated with Swiss  furniture manufacturer, Vitra to set up The FvF Apartment. This is a similar set up to Studio Ilse's The Apartment in Copenhagen and the VitraHaus + Artek with Studio Ilse in Weil am Rhein - this time, the FvF apartment is located in Berlin and "is a physical expression of the online publication". The vibe is youthful, relaxed, multi-functional and stylish. "The apartment has been designed to be fully adaptable to the diverse and often unexpected scenarios of everyday life, reflecting how a creative, mobile and digitally orientated generation lives." This has also become a venue for events, workshops and presentations. Looks good to me.

Photographs via FvF.

RIP Sir Ian Athfield

It was with sadness to hear this morning that renowned Wellington architect, Sir Ian Athfield  (affectionately known as 'Ath') has passed away. He was 74 and recently knighted in the New Years Honours for his work in architecture. Over the last 40 years his architecture firm, Athfield Architects has re-shaped Wellington and other parts of New Zealand. 
The Wellington City Library, the Civic Square development, Chews Lane and the recent redevelopment of the former Overseas Passenger Terminal, now called Clyde Quay, are just a few of the significant projects that have made their mark in Wellington.
My experience with Ath is sitting with him having lunches at his Khandallah home when I worked with his wife, interior designer Clare Athfield, not long after I graduated from design school. He was down to earth and entertaining. While being such an important figure in our industry, he never took himself seriously and always had a twinkle in his eye.
His controversial home and office in Khandallah, a white plastered, Mediterranean style village studded with turrets and circular windows was declared by Ath as one of his most important works. The building is also especially significant to me and my siblings as it was here at a party that my parents met each other and went on to get married three months later.
RIP Ath - a huge loss for New Zealand and the Wellington architectural community.

 

 

 

 

 Photographs via Athfield Architects.