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Cool Origami-Inspired Decor Ideas for a Chic Modern Home

Yesterday, we were talking about origami, the ancient Japanese art of folding paper and showed you some unique light fixtures designed using this technique. In this post, we want to offer you a larger perspective on how it’s used in interior decoration as an excellent way to create personalized and creative spaces where you work or even in your home. We find some cool ideas showcasing that sculptural and artful origami allure, but there are hundred of possibilities from the simplest decorations made from paper to lighting, wallpapers, accessories, pieces of furniture, anything in your imagination.

Photo © Spacify Inc.

Characterized by an apparently chaotic form, with sharp creases and folds, the origami-inspired style would ideally complement any modern minimalist interior design. The clean and simple yet visually interesting shapes give to ordinary products an artistic appeal that made designers to think out of the box and create ingenuous and original objects with sleek, distinctive and light weight design. The materials bend and fold to form modern, elegant and surprisingly comfortable decor elements for interiors whose vibration resides in an extremely dynamic atmosphere. We hope you enjoy this display of design ideas inspired by this graceful art of paper folding and next time when you plan your remodelling project or look for an unconventional furniture item, try this Asian style.

Photo © Sarah Dorio

Photo © Sarah Dorio

Photo © Sander Mulder

Photo © Dottir & Sonur

Photo © Dottir & Sonur

Photo © Arcadian Home & Lighting

Photo © Holly Marder

Photo © FORMA Design

April 4, 2013
DIY Lighting with Original Origami Design by Jiangmei Wu

Being attracted of DIY lighting projects, we found these amazing lights where origami meet design and science. As you maybe already know, origami comes from the ancient art of Japan of folding paper and evolved over time into a modern art form, which has inspired artists in many fields, including interior design. Nowadays, the outstanding shapes and forms resulted when using this graceful art of paper folding has become a trend in contemporary design. Whether you want to create Asian-inspired interiors, add a modern edge to your decor through a touch of geometry or simply create unique striking designs , origami styling is an instant way to refresh your space.

The creative mind behind this do-it-yourself folded art project we show you in this post is designer Jiangmei Wu, who managed to design a series of origami-inspired lighting fixtures, unique in their feeling, thought, and craftsmanship. Combining this interesting method of paper folding with a mathematically complex design, advance digital techniques and eco-friendly materials, she manage to create spectacular and sculptural lights with complex and original-looking shapes like some pieces of art. Each crease pattern of Folded Light Art series was developed originally by experimenting with ways of making paper behave in a structural-sound way.

So, each one of the ten light is made of a certain number of digitally-cut and hand-folded high quality paper pieces of various forms, which come to life in your own hands, showcasing a elegant and timeless simplicity that embellish beautifully any modern room design. Their intrincate and artful patterns are highlighted by a custom LED light bulb, providing a soft, warm and inviting ambience. Take a look at these gorgeous results and check out the designers’ website for available DIY kits.

Photos © Jiangmei Wu

April 3, 2013
Modern Urban Islands for Public Spaces by Dan Yeffet and Lucie Koldova

Public spaces improvement projects envisioned by architects and designers manage to create a comfortable image and a strong sense of community, transforming them into great and vibrant places more connected to the activities going on in the these spaces. They need and deserve as much attention as we give to our interior designs, and we’re excited to see more innovative design solutions for the public sphere. Paris-based designers Dan Yeffet and Lucie Koldová designed this new Urban Islands product line for the leading producer of urban furniture, MMcite, showcased at Paris Design Week in 2012.

Flexible, with unexpected colors and great forms, Urban Islands shows a unique seating system which looks original and introduce a fresh design in our urban landscape. Thanks to its innovative modular solution, the different seating elements allow for various surprising combinations suitable for public spaces from pedestrian zones, parks, squares to exterior and interiors of public buildings. Their wooden top or HPL smooth surfaces together with beautiful, bright colors ensures an updated, modern look for these places.

Photos ©Lucian Bor and DYLK

April 2, 2013
Reinventing the Idea of a Bookcase – Original Multifunctional Furniture Piece

Although nowadays we tend to read increasingly often our favourite novels on e-books, there are still many people that enjoy the pleasure of reading printed books as before and what better place to keep them than in a bookcase? When looking to buy a furniture piece to store our book collection and also to compliment our interior designs, most of us purchase invariably items where books are placed vertically. But how about a change regarding your next bookcase, something unexpected and unique in the same time? Raw Edges come up with an original idea of a bookcase that turns to be an amazing multifunctional object, which certainly you will find very interesting.

Designed for Italian furniture brand Lema, Booken, as it’s called, is a light wooden structure that stores books in a totally different manner then we’re used to: vertically. It’s an attractive display for books with books, serving simultaneously as a bookcase, side table and shelf. Starting from the ideas that people don’t usually read again the novels they have already on their shelves, Raw Edges give the books a new function in his project: to be a support surface for others books or for any other piece of décor you may want to put on. Therefore, each book you’ll hang becomes part of the structural form, but always having the possibility to take out any of them to read it. Very unusual bookcase concept, but smart, very practical and a great space-saving solution for small interiors. Spotted on shoeboxdwelling.com

Photos © Raw Edges

April 1, 2013
Smartphone Apps-Inspired Furniture by Richard Hutten

Designers’ inspiration comes many times from unexpected sources to which you have never thought. It’s also the case of this fabulous smartphone apps-inspired furniture line designed by one of the Netherlands’ most successful designers internationally Richard Hutten for Artifort. The original looking “Apps” explores new forms in living room design, resulting in a fresh indoor furniture piece suitable for modern interiors.

The minimalist style reveals a simple yet creative cube-liked shape with rounded corners, that has a strong resemblance of the small icons displayed on a smartphone and we’re more than sure that whether or not you are passionate about technology, you’ll love these collection with unique design. The “Apps” consists of one-person (1.0) chairs and two-persons (2.0) sofas available in different appealing combination of colors. To ensure both their smooth and timeless design, but also a comfortable experience, they are made of a wooden internal structure, with webbing in the back and an ingenious seat that boosts the natural comfort of the thick layer of foam. Take a look and share your opinions with us.

Photos @artifort.com

March 31, 2013
Impressive Holiday Home with Futuristic Architecture

Villa F is an impressive single-family holiday home with a futuristic architecture and a privileged location in Rhodes, Greece. Responsible for this amazing project is the Hamburg-based Architecture and Research Studio Hornung and Jacobi Architecture, whose purpose is to get excellent detailing, highest possible quality and the creation of an integrated strategy involving the individual needs of the user, regardless of the budget. Stunning in its sculptural qualities, from far away the 220qm residence looks rather like a spaceship ready to take off than a holiday retreat, featuring unexpected angles of sight and volumes.

Villa F appears as a strong architectural form with a bent and faceted rectangular prism design developed directly from the outstanding characteristics and qualities of the site. Following the site contours, it’s located three meters above a curving coastal road limited on one side by a natural stone wall and on the other side by the Mediterranean Sea. To ensure from the beginning a high level of privacy, the architects preserved the pre-existing part of the stone wall and equally continued it. Both the exterior and the interior is original and eye-catching, one can enjoy spectacular views of the deep blue-colored Mediterranean Sea while taking advantage of the best modern living conditions.

A partially covered swimming pool and a separate area for quests embedded in the given topography draw attention when you come closer. A good indoor-outdoor connection was achieved by opening up the living and dining area towards the terrace, the garden and the infinity pool. Immense glass windows step aside and create a great entertaining and relaxing space. Its ultimate sleek, modern design with minimalist and elegant details turns this home into a tasteful and inspiring oasis of relaxation.

Photos © Hornung and Jacobi Architecture

Project details:

Project: Villa F
Collaborators: Peter Thomas Hornung, Elsa Katharina Jacobi, Jan Escher
Location: Rhodes, Greece
Year: 2011-undisclosed
Type: residential
Size: 220qm

March 30, 2013
Cheer Up Your Homes with Spring Fresh-Cut Flowers

Have you ever thought that fresh-cut flowers can be your secret décor element which enliven your room instantly? Without the slightest effort and the lowest cost, any style, size ad shape of a room can be cheered up with a bit of sunshine in the form of spring fresh-cut flowers. Few elements exudes abundance and a warm welcome in the way that these wonders of nature do, knowing also the fact that more studies have shown they increase the sense of happiness while decrease anxiety. Whether they are bright colored, fragrant, graceful, lively or on the contrary, dramatic, fresh flowers seems to be also interior designers’ best friend for striking interiors.

Photo © Dreamy Whites

The transition from the never-ending winter cool season to warmer and flourishing spring is the perfect opportunity to renew our interior décor, so that it mirrors the emerging colors and patterns outside. Fresh spring decorating calls for radiant ingredients that revive our home atmosphere: delicate colors, soft and lighter fabrics, floral patterns and bold accessories. The beauty of the blooms is just the icing on the cake which of course it cannot go unnoticed, furthermore being a splendid accessory with a transforming effect that celebrate the arrival of spring adding originality to your interior design. Nothing says spring more than tulips, daffodils, crocus, freesia, iris, lilac, alliums, forsythia branches, hyacinth, roses, peonies. All have delicious fragrances and vivid colors that will enhance and refresh any corner of your homes. They can be used simple or in different unexpected combinations to match with your room’s look. Try to be consistent and creative in making arrangements.

For example, you can choose to create a fresh-cut flowers bouquet in the same color as your accents in the room using a glass container with an beautiful satin ribbon in the same color wrapped around it. A small posy with forsythia branches, daffodils or tulip on the breakfast table is all you need to start a good day. For a modern look in your kitchen, choose alliums and put them in a glass cylinder. Their dramatic height and giant puffballlike purple blooms is a great decor element and you will be amazed at the difference it makes. Tulips create a casual and inviting environment. On the other side, a bunch of pink, white, orange or red roses will always bring a romantic touch to your interiors and when you’ll match their colors with your room’s hues the effect doubles. Also your daily morning routine can be more pleasant with a small vase with spring flowers onto the windowsill or sink.

Check out the following inspiring ideas for displaying fresh-cut flowers and make your own floral arrangements this spring according to the mood you want to create. See also other amazing 5 design ideas to decorate your home for springtime.

Photo © Structures Building Company

Photo © Croma Design Inc

Photo © Jodie Rosen Design

Photo © Tamar Schechner

Photo © Tiffany Eastman Interiors, LLC

Photo © CapeRace Cultural Adventures

March 29, 2013
New Stylish Furniture Collection for Your Pet Comfort

The era when pets were just pets with beds and bowls and nothing special about these things ended up long time ago, when they become family members. Since then, animal lovers have tried to give them a special place in their homes and offer them the best conditions possible. Thus, interior designers found themselves placed in a position to come up with pet-friendly design solutions to complement their owners’ décor, solutions that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing. This need of integrating pet amenities into their home design makes furniture manufacturers to create amazing furniture collections dedicated only to these distinguished family members.

To show you how much things evolved in this direction, we want to share with you in this post a new exclusive collection for dogs and cats that we recently discovered and fell in love with it. Belonging to FORMA Italia®, a line of innovative products for pets, “Suite” isn’t an ordinary collection, we can place it among bespoke luxury furniture the Italian company Chiavari produces for over 40 years and we think that pictures say everything. Its simple, elegant and beautiful minimalist design conceived for small sized pets reveals good taste, great attention to detail and high quality of manufacture, so “Suite” is definitely for those who love style and want to offer their pets the highest comfort possible.

Featuring a rectangular shape with rounded corners, the furniture pieces are available in 2 colors finished in gloss laquers (white for its internal frame and black/red for the exterior) with metal feet or cables in steel (optional), which allows you to place them either on the floor or suspended. The attractive design is completed by a soft upholstered cushion which comes in 4 nice patterns and thanks to some magnets it’s kept in place. Moreover, the materials used are always environmentally friendly as well as pet-friendly, protecting both you and your pets’ health. Each piece can be customized in dimensions and materials following the client’s requirements which is another plus for this collection. Have a look!

Photos © FORMA Italia®

March 28, 2013