interiors

solstice to solstice by Mountain Rose Photography

I think all laundromats should be required to have libraries by Maria Perry

We love the split-personality appeal of this ultra modern dining table by Kisskalt. Two tables in one, half of the design is a modern, glossy, minimalist design while the other half is traditional German oak with carved legs and a natural finish. But there’s another cool twist to this dining table – it’s extendable. When you’re expecting a large group for a feast, or if you have a huge dining room to fill, pull the two tables apart to create an elongated piece. Slide it out to the desired length, and when not in use, one piece overlaps the other, transforming into a more-compact version of itself. The table measures 220 / 420 x 100 cm x height 73 cm (custom sizes available) and comes in a variety of wood types. For more info, visit Kisskalt.

Bringing bold patterns design and bright palettes into the spotlight, these Gan Spaces collection by Gandia Blasco are hot! These bold pieces by designer Sandra Figuerola are done in 100% virgin wool, so they’re as great to the touch as they are to the eye. The modular seating features simple shapes splashed up with standout color and graphics in a variety of scales, which can be arranged in any composition to suit any-sized space and accessorized with pillows. The seating and cushions are reversible, so you can switch up the look as desired. Complete the look with the candle boxes – a great floor or tabletop accessory illuminated from within to highlight that same pattern that sets this collection apart. Forget subtle or matchy-matchy – these vibrant geometric motifs come together is a clash of color and pattern that transforms your interiors into a stylish wonderland. More information is available by visiting Gan Rugs.

Minimalist, but a million miles from boring, we love these textured lighting fixtures by Suzusan-Shibori. Offsetting their simple white palette, vibrant textures transform these lamps into a visual and tactile playground. Their exciting textures come from a most-unusual choice of material in lighting design – 100% polyester, which is formed into their desired shapes. This modern collection of floor, table and pendant lamps designed by Hiroyuki Murase come in a range of sizes, shapes and patterns that look fab when combined in a varied array. Suspend a group of the ceiling fixtures above the sitting area or dining table as an overhead focal point, or arrange the floor lamps to create an illuminated display in your home. Check out these chic, contemporary lamps by visiting Suzusan-Shibori.

This contemporary cozy chair by Normann-Copenhagen is as inviting to look at as it is to sit in. A modern interpretation of the classic ear design, the Bunny chair designed by Iskos-Berlin is characterized by its vibrant colors, soft edges and a silhouette shaped by tightly wound bindings. Plush arms, a super-soft seat and solid back lure you to lean back and get swallowed up in cozy comfort, and you may never get up. The contemporary chair comes in trendy tones of pink, grey and purple, and retails for 3,000 EUR. More details are available by visiting Normann-Copenhagen.

How do you fit 1000 Microsoft employees into an office and achieve social interaction and collaboration? Hotdesking.

Just in time for our earlier discussion on hotdesking, we’ve come across some images of Microsoft‘s Amsterdam headquarters. Designed by Sevil Peach and Veldhoen + Co., a leading activity-based workplace consulting firm, the office space has no assigned desks and no offices for senior employees. The office layout also gives the company a chance to actively show off the flexibility of their software in a working environment.

To enhance working collaboration, the design boasts a variety of types of work areas that include “teamwork benches, enclosed and semi-enclosed meeting rooms, open informal meeting areas, concentration booths, individual work carousels and work lounges.”

Beyond work, employees are also given opportunities to mix, mingle, and relax throughout the space using another set of office design parts; a coffee shop and indoor and outdoor staff dining, as well as relaxation zones and sleep pods. The coffee shop is located on the first floor, in an area designed to hold large numbers of employees to encourage interaction from entry-level employees to executives.

Employees are also given lockers in which to store personal belongings.

Microsoft, in a 2010 press release believes that the space has worked wonderfully. They note that the new style of working has given the following benefits:

• A 30% reduction in real estate costs
• Increased productivity
• Enhanced market reputation and ability to attract and retain top talent
• Increased employee mobility
• Benefits for the environment

What about employee resistance? Microsoft did not just spring the idea onto employees either. The design process took several years, included employee feedback, and was a natural step for the already mobile workforce. [For additional information on this process, read this interview]

Photography by Gary Turnbull, Harold Pareira

Architects Foster + Partners have attached a 35-storey tower onto the side of two renovated 1920s buildings in Vancouver’s financial district. (more…)

TU Delft Library - South Holland, Netherlands by Namijano

By using various bespoke furniture items, interior decorator Maria de la Osa managed to create a stunning feminine appeal to this Madrid house, turning it into a space filled with patterns, serene colors and bespoke furniture. A mirror table adorns the middle of the living room, gently reflecting the colors and textures of its surroundings. The spotlight in the living space is on the beautiful transition between the space used for entertaining and the space used for dining – a double-sided furniture item that shelters books on one side and kitchen cabinets on the other. The dining area is a semi-secluded space with white Knappa pendant lamps hanging over the dining table accompanied by a pair of walnut Queen Anne chairs with red velvet seat.

Spread along the white background, soft touches of mauve, pink and turquoise and carefully chosen patterns are invaded by natural light coming from the large windows and glazed door leading out to the terrace and garden. Upstairs, the bedroom, closet and bathroom create an oasis of relaxation and a visually pleasant collection of spaces. White frames on the closet doors, with glossy black details seem to be the opposite of the bathroom’s black-framed lacquered steel and glass white counters. Stylish and charming, this Madrid home can be considered a ready-to-move-in dream home.

You're reading Charming Madrid Residence With Feminine Touches originally posted on Freshome. If you've enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Freshome on Twitter, Facebook and Google+

Submitted by agilepulse.

Our most controversial story this week announced writer Alain de Botton’s plans to erect temples for atheists across the UK – read the story and join the debate here. It also emerged that Disney were selling a T-shirt inspired by the 1979 album cover of Unknown Pleasures by Joy Division, but don’t rush to order one as they’ve all sold. We also showed a robe made of golden silk harvested from over a million wild spiders and a tower built by flying robots.

Our most popular story featured a blackened timber house surrounded by sheep on a Portuguese island and readers showed a lot of love for the bottle-shaped shutters of a wine shop in Prague, but argued about the sloping zig-zag roof of a market in Majorca.

This week the sad news reached us that Moss design store in New York is to close. More happily, retailers Habitat appointed Polly Dickens as new creative director, William Knight was announced as the new event director of trade show 100% Design, Jeremy Till was appointed as the new head of college at Central Saint Martins and Tord Boontje is to open a shop in London.

John Pawson unveiled his proposals for the new Design Museum in London and Grimshaw were selected to masterplan the home of the Wimbledon tennis championships.

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for regular updates and discussions throughout the week.

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Few people love guns. However, this unusual door-knob entitled Bang Bang Handle and designed by Nikita Kovalev does not necessarily appeal to the violent type, but rather to the extravagant persons, the ones who like to stand out of the crowd. I did not find any information about this design actually being produced, so I imagine it is currently just a concept. It is also not clear how exactly the product works. Does pulling the trigger have anything to do with activating the handle mechanism and opening/closing the door, or is it just there to intimidate? All in all, this door knob is original, which is why we decided to share it further in the first place. It also comes in a variety of colors, which makes it easy to integrate in various contemporary interiors. It is up for you to help us solve these design-related dilemmas. How do you believe this product works and most importantly, what do you think of it?

You're reading A Rough Door Knob Design: Bang Bang Handle by Nikita Kovalev originally posted on Freshome. If you've enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Freshome on Twitter, Facebook and Google+

Heineken recently opened a new headquarters office in White Plains, NY. Business Insider got a tour (more pics and info here), but check out a few shots below:

Following their Eurovision Song Contest win last summer, Azerbaijan rushed to commission German firm GMP Architekten to design a new stadium that will be complete in time to host this year’s competition. (more…)

Library Rocking Chair

This 60 metre-long metal bridge is a route for heating and power pipes, rather than people. (more…)