Wood Highlights

Definitely not afraid to incorporate some wood here. The walls and ceiling are all clad in cedar and the island is walnut. I like it though. It's not overdone and they've paired it with nice accents. The red cabinets are sweet. Colored cabinets work when paired well. These highlight some of the red tones in the cedar as well as in the badass, 18-foot long, 3-inch thick walnut top on that island. Crazy. Reminded me a little of this. You also have the slate color in the island as well as the cladding of the windows bringing out some of the darker tones in the wood.

photo by Paul Dyer via Remodelista

The Clock Tower

I've come across this before while doing some research and it always catches my eye. This is The Clock Tower in Brooklyn, New York. A little background on this place. She was originally built back in 1915 and dubbed one of the largest poured concrete buildings in NY. A former machine room for the clock is now a 6500 square foot apartment with some badass views and a killer contemporary kitchen.

A refined, elegant straightforward style. The original design and character of the building speak for themselves. No need to mess with the history. The kitchen is a nice soft compliment. Today I'm also over at my guest home Fred Flare, hence all the crazy highlighted references.

photos via Contemporist

The Block Lamp

Check this crazy lighting option. It's the Block Lamp. A little play on fire and ice. An instant hit by Finnish designer Harri Koskinen.

photos via Design House Stockholm

Details In The Dining

It's one thing to find a killer restaurant with amazing food and great service. It's another to find one with such detailed craftsmanship and creativity in the interior design.

Lighting is huge in any restaurant and certainly a highlight of this place. They didn't hold back and it's so well thought out. It's a blend of balance and creativity. The image above is a custom made walnut box and below is a brass branch-like fixture with glass globes. Artistic and functional.

A lot going on in this private dining area. On one wall you have a combination of steel windows and doors forming the privacy yet keeping the feel open and connected, and on the opposing wall the finish is made up of exposed timber ends. Rustic reclaimed wood on the floor tie in nicely with the barn doors that open to the kitchen.

photos by Paul Bardagjy via ArchDaily

Food Shop Design

A little food on my mind to kick off the week. As I've mentioned in the past, the wife is a crazy good, badass cook and super passionate about food in every way so from time to time I'll find myself looking for design inspiration via the food industry. This is an organic chain of stores/cafes from the UK called Daylesford Organics. They too are passionate not only about the food they produce but also they way they put it out there. A nice rustic vibe to the exterior of their store front with the mix of cobble and field stone.

The clean, light and straightforward design is carried on through the interior of their shops.

photos via Contemporist

Smooth

A modern, smooth vibe. This place has that 60's feel to it. Clean lines, an open flow in the design and some funky furniture. Check it.

The views overlooking LA from your master suite don't suck either. The larger roof overhangs are not only a design element here, they're also helping shade this space.

The accents and wild retro furniture set this sitting room off and the vertical wood paneling help soften the space.

Finish it off with cocktails by the pool at dusk. For those who don't know, Thursday is my guest spot over at Fred Flare. You can check it here too.

photos via design to inspire

Towerhouse Farm-Verticle Living

The idea was to make the place look like it was all built by hand. Just such a classic and priceless statement you don't hear or see much of these days. It's also a crazy take on single family living. The house goes up not out. A genius design full of craftsmanship by an architect dedicated to making his vision a reality.

photos and design by Summerour Architects

Not So Traditional Kitchen

So what if it's a little cozy and doesn't necessarily fit into that "model" kitchen layout. I love the non-traditional feel and the overall heaviness of the room. It's clean, warm and rustic all rolled together. A nice touch too with dual soapstone farmhouse sinks and dark marble tops. A serious working kitchen.

photo via design to inspire

Brick Tile

Waterworks has amazing product and this is a sweet little collection they call Grove Brickworks Field Tile. They are tiles cut from actual brick. They're rustic and raw and you'll find chips and pinholes throughout. A ton of character and a variety of colors. They are worth checking out. The faucet is also by Waterworks. It's part of their "Henry" collection. A line named after the automaker/industrialist Henry Ford.

photo via Cool Hunting

Old Church New Home

I love a good story of salvaging history. This was an old church that was transformed into a theater and now a crazy custom home. It's definitely not your typical layout or design but they got after it, embraced the history and paid respect to the tradition of the architecture.

As you can see above with the finished product, they kept the character and style but cleaned it up with a softer color and a sweet little warm, outdoor living space.

Inside this place is wide open and bright. You can still see the original detail in the interior structure of the building.

A closer look at the cool, fresh outdoor living space. Just off of this is a small dipping pool. Thursday I make my guest appearance over at Fred Flare.

photos via Contemporist

Tub Setting

A cool setting here with this tub. They dropped the floor and fabricated a custom stainless steel pan to hold the rocks. A creative little idea. I like the contrasting colors of the tub and the sink as well. It's just right and is a good example of how you can mix items and still make them work. The tub is by Wetstyle. Handcrafted.

design by Abueg Morris Architects photo via Remodelista

Open Bath, Open Vanity

Privacy is not an issue or they just don't really care if anyone sees them I guess. Either way they've designed this so well it almost feels like you're outdoors. If you look close enough though, they did actually incorporate some roll-up blinds about 3/4's of the way up the glass wall window. The open design in the room goes hand in hand with the open design in the vanity. I'm working with some kickass clients right now and we've been looking to find another creative/edgy way to work the vanity. I find myself drawing a little inspiration here as well as from a previous post.

design by Mell Lawrence Architects photo via Remodelista

Tile Walls

The right tile, with a cool shape and texture can compliment a few ways. These are Heath Ceramics Dimensional Collection. They're badass and I've posted about them before. Check the contrast here with the painted brick wall in the background. A genius little design element. It's subtle but each brings texture. Smooth and rough. Also, the glossy vibe and clean lines of the tile work well with the warm walnut panels on the walls.

photo via ArchDaily

Mix of Wood

Mixing the wood here in this kitchen. The walls are clad in 1x8 knotty pine that's just butt jointed together and the floors are in oak. I like the contrast between the two.

Blue stone in the hall and some tall tongue and groove wainscoting on the walls as you peer into the kitchen. Don't forget the custom iron rail. It works well with the overall design. Subtle and strong.

photos via Remodelista

Timeless In Mexico

Taking a little trip way back to the 19th century. This is a sweet old hotel in Veracruz, Mexico called Maison Couturier. Classic and timeless architecture built by French immigrants. They have done an amazing job preserving this historical gem and keeping that original spirit alive.

Wood ceilings, plaster walls and oversized brick floors. Check the old school rotary phone. Vintage. And you know that's original. I like the little accent with the black headboard wall and the green hanging reading lamp.

A cool view of the thickness and rustic vibe of the brick floor.

And finally a killer black bath. Classic. Proof that the brick pattern (or subway) tile just never seems to go out of style. You can also check this out over at my usual Thursday guest home, Fred Flare.

photos via Design Hotels

Rich Character

Warm, welcoming and just rich. An overall great vibe to this space. I like the balance of wood from the floor to the ceiling and the way they both compliment the white walls and trim details. The wood ceiling gives off just enough character without overpowering the space too much. The stone fireplace follows suit.

A cool detail with the mantel. They spanned it the width of the room and it immediately becomes multifunctional. Simplistic and rustic. Once again you have balance and character.

photos and design by Feldman Architecture

Wine Cellar Viewing

It may seem a little uncommon and rare to incorporate a random piece of glass into the wood in your dining room floor, unless you want to show off your wine.

Check this. It's a small viewing area into the wine cellar in the lower level. A sweet little idea or teaser I guess. A creative design element and conversation piece.

photos via Seattle Homes & Lifestyles

Butcher Block Stair

A cool little custom approach with this set of stairs. It's a butcher block type of application. They've taken approximately 20 stringers (typically you'll use 3 and then cover them with treads and risers) and sandwiched them all together forming this solid mass of stair.

photo via Remodelista, design by Mork-Ulnes Design