ode to the tiny house

We marvel at the cleverly thought out small space. With the exorbitant cost of living in most areas today and limited inner city space it seems things shouldn't be any other way.  We have definitely seen a shift over the last decade toward paring down, and living more artfully with only the necessities at hand. The reduced impact on the surrounding environment is definitely a driver of small space living, but it doesn't have to feel cramped and haphazard.  Small space for thought.

1. The Little Red Treehouse 2. Mini House 2.0 3. Kenjo 4. House K  5. L41 Home 6. Sweden's Smallest Apartment 7. 62.03 degrees 8. OH House 9. Suite Home

the sound of green music

Many people relate modern design with cold and austere environments (hear us laughing?)  We are completely inspired by our peers around the globe pulling green space into everyday lives and giving new life to our urban environments. Roof meadows, vertical plantings, urban farms, complex "form beyond function" symbiotic green wall systems that take the place of ugly barriers and collect water from construction sites; every time we turn it seems there is a more innovative way of integrating foliage into our lives. The benefits of living walls in the urban center are not limited to aesthetic stimulation - green walls cool city blocks, reduce loud noises and can improve building efficiency, to name a few. Long live the leaf!

1. Garden and House - Tokyo Japan 2. Hof House 3. Chinese Coin House - Santa Cruz Bolivia 4. Brooks Avenue House -  Venice California 5. A Green Roof, With Wildflowers - Japan 6. New Orleans Botanical Gardens - Louisiana 7. SportPlaza Mercator - Amsterdam 8. Knightsbridge Renovation - London 9. Bathroom as a Garden

our love affair with Marcio Kogan

I may be married but it's hard not to fall in love with Marcio Kogan, and somehow I think my husband would understand...the stark minimalism contrasted with intricate materiality is stunning and the indoor-outdoor interrelationships are truly phenomenal; perhaps it would help if we lived in São Paulo before attempting to leave that much of the inner world exposed, but we can dream, right?  Feast your eyes on these beauties.

As seen above: Casa Mirindaba, Bercario Primetime, Decameron, Cabogo House, C16H14O3 House, Osler House, Panama house by Marcio Kogan

modern pattern trends: color and kaleidoscopes

Floor .1 - Milliken, Wallpaper- Cole & Son, Textiles - Maharam Kvadrat, Pillows - HAY puzzle, Trays - HAY Kaleido, Inside + Outside - The Victoria Tower, Floor .2 - FLOR, Mobile - Artecnica Themis mobile, Bedding - DWR Judy White, Wall .1 - IXXI loco, Wall .2 - Judy Kaufmann

Just can't get enough of these pixelated patterns that are popping up in every medium.  We are soon to realize a fantastic geometric wall of color of this sort in a local bakery project that we are collaborating on.  This bakery/shop, soon to be announced, will open on NW 25th near the Thurman neighborhood.  Can you say FUN?   

modern. barns? Moomoo house and more.

1.  H House - Hungary 2. Warburg House - Alberta, Canada 3. The Barn House  - Belgium 4. Huis Dijk Blauwestad - The Netherlands 5.  Moomoo house - Poland 6. Stealth Barn - England 7. Buricova-Kubicek house - on the border between Austria and the Czech Republic

A lot of controversy surrounds the mixing of styles and making modern what is deemed a piece of history.  Our design philosophy wholeheartedly embraces the juxtaposition of styles, the warm embrace of old wood with stark white walls and black façades which give way to bright open spaces.  Just wanted to share these simple, sculptural home-sweet-barns from all over the world.  Fantastique!