COOL STUFF | MAGAZYN ANTWERP

6 October 2014

belgium, antwerp, magazyn, shop, store, concept, hip, cool, design, trend, hand crafted, organic, natural, neutral, colour palette, concrete, polished, thomas haarman, simplicity, minimalism, product, cool stuff

This week I’m going to change your perception about Belgium with a double dose of hip design from the city of Antwerp. Cast aside your preconceptions of waffles, Tintin, inspector Poirot and chips with mayonaise – there’s some serious cool to be discovered.

First up is the homewares shop Magazyn an independent store in the heart of Antwerp founded by art director Thomas Haarman who has a love for simplicity, minimalism and all things hand-crafted. His careful selection ranges from furniture and tablewares to bathroom and office accessories, all in a neutral colour palette, made from natural fabrics in mostly organic shapes AND it’s all hand crafted.

Not only do I love the concept but I adore the shop’s minimalist interior and product display. The rough untreated concrete ceiling in contrast to the polished floor and smooth white walls making the products stand out and seducing the visitor to touch and experience the hand crafted nature for themselves.

More Belgian cool tomorrow with a home tour to die for. Stay tuned.

 
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belgium, antwerp, magazyn, shop, store, concept, hip, cool, design, trend, hand crafted, organic, natural, neutral, colour palette, concrete, polished, thomas haarman, simplicity, minimalism, product, cool stuff

 
 
MORE INFORMATION & PHOTOGRAPHY | Magazyn Antwerp
 
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PLACES TO GO | BRUECKE 49, VALS

3 October 2014

places to go, bruecke 49, vals, switzerland, thomas schacht, ruth kramer, b&b, bed and breakfast, hiking, therme, style, interior design, trend, intimate, welcoming, luxurious, contemporary, passion, danish, swiss, architecture, restoration, boutique, organic, healthy, relaxing

Now I’ve written about Bruecke 49 before – the beautiful boutique B&B – nestled in a small valley in Switzerland but their new photography and a chat with the owners has inspired me to feature them again.

I’m always impressed if people leave their career paths to follow their dreams and restoring Bruecke 49 into an intimate yet luxurious and contemporary B&B has been the life-long ambition of Ruth Kramer and Thomas Schacht.

The Swiss/Danish couple opened in December 2011 and as Thomas tells me they have been lucky to attract some wonderful guests who all share the same passions for design, art, literature, music and of course nature. He says:

At our breakfast table we have met rock-stars, some of the most wealthy people in the world, designers, architects, marketeers, artists, writers … and they have met each other. Friendships have been started and contacts made in our small “breakfast club”.

It must be such a satisfying and wonderful feeling to be able to give like minded guests this special blend of contemporary luxury and timeless beauty in a place you love.

The small village of Vals sits at the end of the Vals valley and consists of a small community of only 950 people most of them working in farming or as artisan craftsmen and guests are able to enjoy and buy some of the local products at Bruecke 49.

Surrounded by mountains it’s a hikers paradise but don’t forget to check out the famous Therme – built by Peter Zumthor who won the Pritzker Architecture Prize for his design in 2009 – for some relaxing spa time.

I’m delighted about Ruth and Thomas’ success, a large part of which has to be attributed to Ruth’s skills as an interior designer decorating the place with Danish design classics and eclectic local finds, giving it a warm homely feel.

Seasoned travellers themselves they know what a difference small details make. Individually styled bedrooms, a large living area with design classics inviting you to relax, a library with plenty of books, magazines and newspapers to browse, an outdoor fireplace and BBQ, a state-of-the-art kitchen, a healthy organic breakfast with freshly brewed coffee and of course the smell of freshly baked bread in the morning.

Ah… my kind of heaven.
 

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ABOVE | The owners Ruth Kramer and Thomas Schacht

places to go, bruecke 49, vals, switzerland, thomas schacht, ruth kramer, b&b, bed and breakfast, hiking, therme, style, interior design, trend, intimate, welcoming, luxurious, contemporary, passion, danish, swiss, architecture, restoration, boutique, organic, healthy, relaxing

 

 
MORE INFORMATION | Bruecke 49
PHOTOGRAPHY | Martin Kaufmann with kind permission by Bruecke 49
 
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CONTEMPORARY ALPINE CABINS IN THE DOLOMITES

1 October 2014

architecture, dolomites, south tyrol, contemporary, alpine, cabin, pedevilla architects, family residence, holiday rental, sustainable, local materials, stone, larch, experience, minimal, sleek, concrete, trend, style

Are you ready for some architecture? I’ve got just the right project for you today – a contemporary take on traditional alpine cabins.

Located in South Tyrol and designed by Pedevilla Architects this is the architects own family residence with an adjacent holiday rental. A smart move as the project has already been nominated for a few awards and I imagine will receive a lot of press over the next year hence there’ll be a lot of demand to inspect and experience the architecture as well as the breathtaking location.

The first thing that struck me was the contrast between the dark exterior and the bright interior with lots of light flooding in through large windows which also provide the most stunning views over the mountains. Great emphasis has been placed on sustainability and using local materials like local stone and alpine larch.

The house captivates with interesting angles and views of the surrounding landscape with no traditional beams in sight. Instead there is a wonderful mix of materials on display with untreated local timber floors, door and window frames contrasting with concrete walls and large glass windows. I love the sleek interior with large and small details like the double height living space, an open timber frame doubling up as a book shelf and wall and a thick rope as a handrail.

A place to fall in love with and one that architecture and design enthusiasts have a chance to experience for themselves. Just follow this link and book your stay at La Pedevilla.
 

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architecture, dolomites, south tyrol, contemporary, alpine, cabin, pedevilla architects, family residence, holiday rental, sustainable, local materials, stone, larch, experience, minimal, sleek, concrete, trend, style
 
 
ARCHITECTURE & PHOTOGRAPHY | Pedevilla Architects
BOOK YOUR STAY | La Pedevilla
 
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ALMOST… MEETING VICTORIA BECKHAM

29 September 2014

victoria beckham, store, london, dover street, vb, collection, label, fashion, style, trend, quality, luxury, detail, exquisite, fabrics, polished concrete, mirror, walnut, farshid moussavi, architecture, interior design, design, mayfair

I’d read a few interviews with Victoria Beckham in the run up to her new store opening in London’s Dover St and was curious to see for myself the alleged attention to detail that had gone into everything from the designs of the hanging rails to the generous size of the changing rooms allowing yummy mummies to bring their brood and get changed in comfort.

To be honest I wish I’d had my brood with me when I went to see the store last Saturday. It would have been a good ice breaker to start chatting to Victoria who actually arrived at the store with a few pals whilst us commoners waited patiently in line.

I have to say the experience was slightly surreal but also strangely normal. Maybe because she was surrounded by what looked like a bunch of good mates, or maybe because of her media exposure I felt as if I’d met her a dozen times before or maybe because I’m just super cool. Yeah… right!

What did blow my mind though was the interior design by Farshid Moussavi currently one of the most successful female architects around. I read that VB worked closely with her and I have to say that the minimalist design compliments her collection beautifully, showing off the designs and quality fabrics.

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I was surprised how the classic Mayfair facade hides an almost warehouse like interior with polished concrete floors, mirrored walls and a concrete zigzag ceiling on the first floor that cleverly hides the grooves and runners for the free hanging chain rails. Walking up the almost sculptural concrete staircase you can see the latest runway collection being projected on to the wall ahead of you before entering a world of luxurious materials, beautiful cuts and exquisite details.

It’s a fabulous shopping experience and one that I gather VB has put her heart and soul into. For me the piece de resistance was the scent of Diptyque’s Feu de Bois which was subtle but distinctly present and left me feeling as if I’d just been to a luxury spa.

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Last but not least I have to mention the amazing sales staff. One thing that always bugs me about high end fashion stores are the often snooty assistants who seem to judge you the minute you walk in. Something unlikely to happen at VB who I hear hand selected the staff who could not have been more friendly and helpful. I genuinely felt welcome and not just because of the glass of champagne (or fizzy elderflower cordial) but I had a lovely chat with the store manager who also informed me politely not to take any photographs of VB – fair enough considering the hordes of paps outside.

I admit I was tempted to try a few things on but in the end I was afraid my Dutch courage would lead me to spend a months rent on a beautiful winter coat that would look lovely in a Mayfair restaurant but slightly unsuitable for my daily playground outing.

 
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victoria beckham, store, london, dover street, vb, collection, label, fashion, style, trend, quality, luxury, detail, exquisite, fabrics, polished concrete, mirror, walnut, farshid moussavi, architecture, interior design, design, mayfair

 
PHOTOGRAPHY | Victoria Beckham with thanks
INTERIOR DESIGN & ARCHITECTURE | Farshid Moussavi Architecture
 
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MOOD BOARD | WEEKEND VIBES #03

27 September 2014

weekend, vibe, vibes, mood board, bedouin societe, bed linen, pure, tumblr, raysofthesun, scandinavian deko, annabell kutucu, interior stylist, interior design, trend, dark, raw, vintage, leather, gym, equipment, bed, lazy, day, sunday, iced coffee, latte, drink
 

Sending you some great weekend vibes with this little collection of images found via my beloved Pinterest – kinda describing my perfect slow Sunday.

Starting with a lazy lie in letting my thoughts drift away before kick starting the day with an iced latte and heading off to a flea market in search of some vintage treasure. I’m getting slightly obsessed with Annabell Kutucu’s styling who’s also responsible for the look at the San Giorgio in Mykonos and I love how she’s used vintage gym equipment to style the shot above. Fresh bed linen is a must at the weekend and as the nights draw in I find myself favouring darker bedlinen and colour around me to create a cozy space.

Happy weekend all and enjoy the mood board!
 

SLUMBER //
COFFEE //
VINTAGE GYM //
LINEN //

 
NOTE | All via my Pinterest boards
 
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