Hotel Fasano Boa Vista

'Boa Vista' indeed. Both inside and out!
Hotel Fasano Boa Vista is in the Brazilian countryside, just outside Sao Paolo amongst 13 natural lakes and with beautiful views ('boa vista') of the Ipanema mountain range. The hotel itself was designed by Brazilian architect, Isay Weinfeld and has a strong connection to the nature around it. Sustainability and the use of local materials were also key. The owner, Rogerio Fasano was heavily involved with the interior specification and makes a huge understatement when he says 'there is a slight Sixties and Seventies influence'.
Isn't it glorious?

Images from Fasano Boa Vista and Sleeper

Mid Century Iceland

There is a plethora of on-line magazines out there and they keep getting better with every issue. I find it pretty difficult to keep up so, if you have a favourite please pop it in a comment. I love a virtual click through with a cuppa.

I recently happened upon the second issue of Icelandic magazine, Home & Delicious which features, as you'd expect, interiors and a smattering of delicious recipes with beautiful photography, predominantly by Gunnar Sverrisson, at the back.

This is Gljufrasteinn; the family home of  Nobel prize author, Halldor Laxness. It was designed and built in 1945 and is now open to the public as a museum. He wanted a mixture of country and modern without pretension and filled the, then, new build, with craft pieces and art by his wife and family. It was considered ahead of its time then and its practicality is still relevant. Also, the colours and those tiles rock my world...

from Home and Delicious 

The Zoo

I thought I'd had my fill of all things safari after visiting Edinburgh Zoo (for the first time) a couple of weeks ago, but by the looks of theses photographs, it appears I'm still drawn to interiors with skins, patterns and textures inspired by the kingdom of animals. I went with quite a few members of my family, some of which were over from Australia, to see the famous pandas. As exciting as the pandas were, my highlight were those of another monochromatic nature.........As the heavy rain of the Scottish summer drenched us, my mum and I, separated from the group and pushed a sleeping Sebastian, in his plastic covered pushchair, to the top of a ridiculously steep incline, to see the zebras. There were five of them, all sheltering from the rain, standing under the viewing platform. They were beautiful...perfect. And so close. It was the end of the day and the zoo keepers started calling them up to their shed. The zebras ignored them for a while but after a couple of whistles, they flicked their stripey, funnel-like ears and trotted up the field like obedient dogs. Magnificent.
The point of my rambling? Inspiration from nature in design is, as always, excellent. I love the giraffe inspired rug in this beautiful, masculine interior. 

Much to my disappointment, there are no giraffes at Edinburgh Zoo (Sebastian had a toy giraffe with him on the day to compensate), if there were, they may have stolen the show but for now, the zebras reign...in the rain. 
P.S. The shiny, wet hippos (mum, dad and baby) grazing, came in at a close second place.

Interior photographs by the super talented Phillip K. Erickson. Zebra photograph by me on my iPhone 4, then edited with Instagram.

Pattern on pattern on pattern...

...well, what else would you expect from Margherita Missoni's Milanese home?

photography by Mark C. O'Flaherty

Project Upcycle...

I have a couple of little furniture refurb projects awaiting my attention, cluttering up the flat. I know what I want to do with them but finding the space and the time with the baby around is proving a little challenging. Whenever I need a little motivation boost I take a look at Trash; Edinburgh based designer Caroline Key's site packed full of brilliantly renovated furniture projects. Her pieces are a little bit different, from the run of the mill before and after projects you see. Caroline works with bold colours and geometric patterns, often letting the original wood finish shine through, producing a pretty spectacular result...

I might just give in and send my furniture her way....

A Coloured-in Council House

This unrecognisable council house, in Hackney, is owned by artist Francis Upritchard and her furniture designer husband Martino Gamper. The colourful home is full of inspiring and sculptural bits and pieces, with little stories. That parquet floor (not generally native in council housing), for example, was given to the couple as a wedding gift. The friends, who gifted it, inscribed their names in some of the pieces, and helped them lay it.
It just goes to show that with lots of creative imagination and some hard work, anything is possible...

If you've got 5 minutes to spare, the story of the impressive transformation is detailed here.

Mixing it up

This home is very close to mine...geographically. If only it was close to looking like mine...
A veritable feast of styles and influences placed side by side resulting in a very stylish and comfortable family home. The contemporary, spine-like staircase and extension with circular glazed door leading to the garden has a grown up, art deco feel. It contrasts, beautifully, with the original Georgian building which, again, contrasts with the eclectic mix of mid century classics, far east artefacts and an abundance of art, photography and sculpture inside. The perfect example of letting your home evolve with you as you collect the things you love. Perfect.

 Images from Location Scotland

Bedroom Envy III...

White, with cosy textures, retro details...and a view...

via

Primrose Hill Drawing Room

As promised in yesterday's post, here's one of my favourite interior projects by Retrouvius. It may only be one room but the textures are never ending. Raw concrete, irridescent tiles, grey painted floorboards, velvety upholstery and neon accents. Cold, but oh so hot!

Oh, and I'll be needing that chair...thanks.
Images from Retrouvius

Bedroom Envy II

The best thing about this bedroom could be the juxtoposition of architectural details with contemporary furnishings; the awesome screen behind the bed; the tumbling, oversized, white silk curtains; the elegant, retro furniture; or just that it looks so clean and fresh you almost don't even notice that the walls are painted blue and not white......all these things could be the best thing about this bedroom but the best thing about this bedroom is actually the fact that you get this house with it...If you like this you should see the living room and the rest of this Salzberg house by Robert Couturier & Associates

Crazy Retro Colourways

Awesome interior by India Mahdavi