Interior Design, Design News and Architecture Trends

Blog

Cool Cafeteria Design Showcasing Modern Art Inspiration

We’re sure that all of you have entered in a cafeteria at least once in life and could remember how uninspired and unattractive design display most of them, so today we’re showing you a totally unique and in the same time surprising cafeteria design for which the internationally acclaimed artist Tobias Rehberger received the Golden Lion as best artist at the 53^rd International Art Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia.

We have to recognize that this cafeteria concept have nothing in common with those we know and it’s really a very inspiring place that reinvented the past ways of exhibition and turned its work of art into a trendy cafeteria. The modern art cafeteria called “Was du liebst, bringt dicht auch zum weinen” (“What do you love also makes you cry” in German) showcases geometric shapes and bright constrasting colors which intersects and interrupts each other forming complex patterns, a decorative style inspired by dazzle camouflage or dazzle painting used very much in World War I as a form of visual military deception.

The result was an amazingly cool environment that indeed created visually desorientation for the viewers and impressed through the ingenious use of customized furniture from Finnish furniture company Artek that complement and complete the whole design. This retro-inspired modern art cafeteria (if that makes any sense) pointed also the idea that catering halls deserve a more creative and artistic attention than they have in this moment. How do you comment this approach?

Photos © Katja Hagelstam and Wolfgang Guenzel

May 27, 2013
Iceberg-Inspired Dwellings Overlooking The Waterfront of Aarhus, Denmark

Scheduled for completion in 2013, these unique architectural buildings inspired by floating icebergs will have a considerable contribution to the development of Aarhus, the second largest city in Denmark, transforming the old façade of it into a living city with many cultural and social activities, large amount of workplaces and various array of housing types.

Amsterdam based architecture and urban design bureau SeARCH in collaboration with JDS, Louis Paillard and CEBRA envisioned this ambitious project, very suggestive entitled “Iceberg”, which is located on a splendid site on the waterfront of Aarhus and encompasses four L-shaped wings spread over 21,500 m2 that houses a series of different apartment types range greatly in size. This residential dwellings rang high in originality, its strengh consisting both in appearance and functionality: amazing “peaks” and “canyons” forms featuring balconies with glass that changes its color from deep blue to transparent to suit the color of the iceberg. The building’s orientation ensures plenty of natural lighting for those over 200 apartments and stunning water and city views.

Photos © Mikkel Frost

Project details:

Client: Pension Denmark, Braband Boligforening
Collaborators: CEBRA, JDS, Louis Paillard
Location: Aarhus, Denmark
Project: Residential; Urban planning, housing
Year: 2008-present
Budget: 32.600.000 EUR
Size: 21.600 m2
Status: Ongoing

May 26, 2013
Heat Up Your Magical Evenings With Style -Astrofire Outdoor Fireplace

Outdoor fireplaces are a very popular decoration item in exterior design nowadays and is an essential piece for romantic evenings or for party gatherings, creating a fantastic visual setting to any pool area, backyard, patio or garden. There are a huge variety of models on the market these days that come in brilliant colors, designs, styles and materials in order to fit different tastes, allowing for a perfect match to your already existing outdoor space furniture and décor. Sometimes is difficult to choose which is the most suitable for your outdoor room, but with a little of professional help, everything should be very easy.

These days we came across Modfire brand’s collection of amazing outdoor fireplaces and couldn’t help sharing with you the newest addition to their modern fireplaces family, which is called Astrofire. Blending clean lines and organic shapes, Modfire products showcases simplicity and beauty in their designs and the Astrofire doesn’t make an exception to the rule. In fact, Astrofire reinvents the modern outdoor fireplace through its fashionable circular design and striking colors that enhance your home’s visual appeal right away. The care for details and high quality of the brand result in a unique functional piece with its own personality, that become a stunning focal point where friends and family will gather to spend great evenings and weekends.

Skilful artisans hand-crafted it in Modfire’s Arizona studio from 14 gauge steel, hand-rolled into a wide conical shape and attached to a plate steel base with sleek tapered legs. Measuring 34” in diameter and 17” tall, it features a large 22” firebox for burning full size logs, three fuel burning options (wood, propane and natural gas) and is available in no more than six attractive colors (Tangerine, Maraschino, Azure Avocado, Ultra-Lounge White, Charcoal, Aqualuxe) which anchor your outdoor space beautifully. The Astrofire’s original looking design allow you enjoy its warmth in the evenings and its bold design elements during the day.

Check out FARO design if you’re looking for portable fireplaces.

Photos © Modfire

May 25, 2013
Playful Coffee Table in Mondrian Style from Sculptures Jeux

Match colors to create fantasy and enjoy playing games is the message that this furniture item wants to deliver. With a timeless design inspired by Mondrian style, “Hexa” is a very appealing coffee table conceived as a “furniture-game” for children of different ages, but its versatility makes it suitable for any modern interior that needs its colorful presence. The table is part of the great collections of “playful sculptures” of Italian brand Sculptures Jeux, collections that come to life from the French designer Bernard Vuarnesson’s modern vision.

The “Hexa” coffee table stands out thanks to the simplicity of the concept and the lively chromatism, a wonderful catchy furniture piece that kids will inevitably love it. Rectangles and clean lines intersect and form a colorful asymmetrical balance that give to this object a certain freedom of expression in any living environment. Its six reversible tops can be arranged in such a manner that the table would look each time differently, adapting to various needs.

This aesthetics game allows “Hexa” to be either a modern coffee table for your living rooms or home offices or a support for games and toys in your kids’ rooms. Resting on four legs, the table has a solid wood structure and six reversible tops that feature laminated finishes. They can be customized with other Sculptures Jeux finishes and colors to create your own favourite design. It also has an inner part that can be utilized as a serving tray. A playful geometry that won’t go unoticed! Take a look!

Check out other amazing coffee table designs we’ve recently featured on Designlike.

Photos © Sculptures Jeux

May 24, 2013
Creative Whole Story Albums To Display Your Memories

Memories. The most beautiful and perhaps the most precious treasures in our lives. They form our past and make us feel proud regardless of what we are today. Every event in our lives turn at a time in memory. Whether we like it or not, it remains forever in our hearts. There are moments that don’t want to remember, but there are memories that uplifts us. Memories that show us for what we live, that lead us to long forgotten lands, that induce us a state of euphoria and encourage us to move on.

Have you ever thought how would look like tomorrow without yesterday? On what would be the future based if you don’t know what it was yesterday (because we act today according to yesterday)? Well, we could talk a lot on this subject, but since memories create life stories, they deserve to be kept in gorgeous and expressive photo albums.

While these days, many of us store and access our photos digitally, usually one frame at a time, designer Debra Folz come up with an original and cool way that allows you to reach to your memories – the “Whole Story Albums”. Her project places in the spotlight the physical sharing of stories and the idea of exposing the entire photographic “story” at once. Thanks to a clever combination of traditional bookbinding techniques and modern engineering, the “Whole Story Albums” not only helps you to share the feeling of a unique moment with friends and family, but also looks amazing within your space.

With a book-like appearance, they’re were sculpturally designed to draw attention wherever you’ll choose to place them. These wonderful “Whole Story Albums” supports itself independently due to a reinforced front and back cover, which have a particular design making you believe that the book is melting down. The spine of the photo albums is removable and give the user the possibility to view your whole story at once. Have a look at the pictures and don’t forget that emotions doesn’t deserve to be kept in yellowy plastic bags.

See also photo frames ideas we featured on Designlike.

Photos © Debra Folz

May 23, 2013
Cradle, an Original Lounge Chair with a Hammock-Like Backrest

Each year, worldwide interior designers come up with amazing, fresh furniture designs that inspire us to create wonderful and original looking homes. In this way, international furniture fairs are an extraordinary opportunity to see what’s new on the market and how trends evolve. Renowned British designer Benjamin Hubert for example launched at Salone Internazionale del Mobile in April 2013 at in collaboration with Italian furniture brand Moroso a few great chairs designs, and one of them that we liked more we present it to you here, in this post.

It’s called “Cradle” and in our opinion is a fashionable furniture item dedicated to those who are looking for the comfort of a seat and the relaxation provided by a hammock. Ranking high in originality, this new lounge chair is practically a unique mixture of two typologies of seating -a common upholstered lounge chair and a net structured hammock. Breaking the traditional rules of seating styling and typology, the British designer took characteristics from both of them and create one original product with a very appealing architectural aesthetic.

“Cradle” features a hammock-like backrest designed using a custom-made cut pattern that allows a Kvadrat textile mesh to stretch in a controlled manner, in a three-dimensional way, in order to ensure correct support and enough comfort for the body. This sharp rectilinear backrest is supported by a steel frame which embraces somehow the uphostered seating block. It creates a nice visually contrast, making it interesting to observe in detail.

Photos © Benjamin Hubert

May 22, 2013
Modern Sofa Design Displaying a Pair of Side Tables by Pablo Llanquin

“Sofa Float” is one of the latest work of Spanish industrial designer Paul Llanquin, who has a proven experience with various products that are currently sold in different retail of his country. Striking simplicity and a modern-vintage look is what capture your attention at first sight making from it a fresh indoor furniture piece. The design is excellent and really eye-catching, not to mention that its body, which has a space to sit cosily 2 people, incorporates also a pair of side tables on one side and the other and it instantly transforms from an ergonomic seat into a comfortable bed for your moments of relaxation.

The side tables offer support for different stuff like a vase, a glass of water or reading books while store magazines inside them. It also allow you to lie using the backrest of the sofa as pillows. The wooden support creates a wonderful contrast making the “Sofa Float” a modern piece of decor that will change in one minute the entire ambience of your room through its simple presence. Here are some inspirational images with the product. Take a look!

Photos © Pablo Llanquin

May 21, 2013
More Counter Space While Showcasing a Creative Furniture Design- Slot Sofa

Whether we have a big house with plenty of space available or we live in a small apartment, nowadays many of us are looking for all kind of smart solutions in terms of furniture design, products that are multifunctional and space-saving, incorporate eco-friendly materials or display innovative designs. Functionality and aesthetics of a furniture item go hand in hand, being two aspects very important these days in interior design industry, and our expectations are different now than ten years ago for example.

Here, in this post, we want to show you a great furniture concept for all modern homes and particularly for small space living. Envisioned by young German designer Emin Ayaz, “Slot” is an upholstered sofa with modern minimalist design and clever storage solutions. Simple and elegant, “Slot” is interesting to be observed from every stand point, because its creative design captivates you due to its appealing color combination, seamless blend of materials and unexpected curves.

Its originality comes from the empty surfaces that it has, which turn to be a wonderful storage for various stuff like laptop, books, magazines, newspapers, but also a retractable coffee table when you need it. Just pull out the middle space and you’ll have an appealing and modern coffee table right in front of you. In this way, you don’t have to purchase such a table anymore and have plenty of space for other things in your living room as well. Besides the comfort it provides, this sofa design makes a great focal point for any living area. Do you find it interesting? What do you think?

Photos © Emin Ayaz

May 20, 2013