Designed by Pedra Líquida (Liquid Stone), Casa do Conto (House of Tales) began over three years ago, however a fatal fire interrupted the project in March 2009. The owner and the architects went on to complete the hotel and subsequently collect several design awards in 2011. I am particularly intrigued by the interesting approach to ceiling design – covering six separate rooms, each ceiling is engraved with text that narrates a little story. Each quote was created by a different author, and related to the city and its architecture. These six “tales” were spatially organised by the architects and designed by graphic designers from R2 Design.

BUT… there’s always a (big) but somewhere. Once I get over the cool-town ceiling, part of me starts to feel like this interior is a bit of a missed opportunity…

Ok, so here’s the thing – I believe that this is one of the most conservative interiors I’ve ever posted here on yellowtrace. I never really think about the “style” of what I post about – I either love it or hate it and decide based on my gut. However, seeing the images of this particular apartment actually made me realise that I don’t really share too many examples of conservative interiors. Do you agree? Yes? No? Anyway, I TOTALLY agree with myself and that’s all that matters. Ha!

So back to our interior du Jour. Located in Singapore’s Brookvale Park, this 150sqm apartment was completed back in 2009. There is a lot to love about this place – hierarchy of spaces achieved through the interplay of volumes, cool and sophisticated palette with just the right amount of warmth, a celebration of craft and refined detailing at just about every junction…

I decided to dig into my archives today to share with you a beautifully executed workplace interior in Amsterdam. Why? Because I felt like it. And also because I was doing some personal research which made me think this little gem deserved it’s own 5 minutes in the sun. Besides, I’ve declared war on shitty commercial interiors, specifically workplace interiors, a little while ago, and feel like I am on a bit of a mission to always share a good example whenever I see one.

Anyway…! This office was designed by Dutch firm Origins Architecture for a creative studio OneSize, and completed a year ago. This is such a clever solution for an office which required a series of separate spaces without introducing (too many) solid walls. Freestanding timber structure subdivides the open area, and separates meeting from projection room and open studio space…

I fear I may be starting to sound like a broken record by now in telling you how much I adore heritage interiors. They are a huge love of mine – their decaying beauty captivates and inspires me, their peeling layers leave me intoxicated unlike most “new” spaces ever can. This 18th century apartment in medieval part of Barcelona belongs to Benedetta Tagliabue, a Milanese born Barcelona based architect who has done such a wonderful job in creating a very special home for herself and her family (her late architect husband and business partner, Enric Miralles, passed away in 2000).

This home is all about preserving the memories of the building, expressing the detailing and the artistry of the bygone era, creating a natural, comfortable, rich and authentic interior which appears to be a joy to occupy…

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock (which is most un-yellowtrace reader like, btw!) no doubt you would have noticed that THE food trend of the moment on the Sydney dining scene is all about South American cuisine. Brazillian, Argentinian and modern Mexican restaurants and takeaways have been sprouting like…. umm sprouts(?) all over our fair city for a little while now. Many of these places, particularly the Mexican variety, have taken on the stereotypical “Mexican aesthetic”, unlike the interior I wanted to share with you today.

Barrio Chino in Potts Point was designed by Mandy Edge (see her previous project featured on yellowtrace here), completed in a quick time frame and on a modest budget but with a lot of passion and heart. Mandy chose to steer clear of the more obvious visual references, and crafted an interior which references the raw, robust and gritty Mexican aesthetic subtly and effectively. Nice work lady! Another proof that budget should NEVER stand in the way of a successful interior. Below is a little Q&A with Mandy and her experience on this project…