01 | Nerding Out on Shit Hot Ceilings | Part 1. 02 | Nerding Out on Shit Hot Ceilings | Part 2. 03 | I Think I’m Turning Japanese… 04 | Thin Black Lines. 05 | Inspiration Cloud. 06 | Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend. Apparently. 07 | Library Spaces. 08 | Fashion Photography vs Amazing Interiors | Take 2. 09 | Fashion Photography vs Amazing Interiors | Take 3 (Black & White Edition).

01 | To My Fellow Citizens of The Planet. 02 | Importance of Trust. 03 | Out of Sorts. 04 | Concept Mood Boards | Bohemian Boutique Hotel. 05 | Leap of Faith. 06 | Colour Blocking. 07 | European Adventure 2011. 08 | Things to do in Milan. 09 | Scenes From my Weekend(s).

As a practicing interior designer, one of my personal pet-hates are over the top, tricked-up, gimmicky workplaces that try too hard and look outdated from the moment they are conceived. Yuck! Unfortunately I come across far too many examples of such interiors almost daily. Why oh WHY is this still happening?!

***Insert angry roar of frustration and rage here***

Look, I’ll be the first to admit that it is not easy to craft a workplace which is interesting, creative, takes a risk, pushes the boundaries of conventional beige-and-dead-boring-workplace-aesthetic, embodies the company brand etc, yet manages to deliver a fresh,  functional and relevant interior. This is NOT EASY at all! But it can be done dammit! Yes it can – …

What is it about books? How do they manage to make a space so damn sexy I wonder? Is it because we all strive to be a bit smarter on some level, and feel as though a large mass of books is going to make us feel more intelligent? Or at least, make us appear that way in the eyes of others? But that’s enough with all the (silly) questions.

On a more serious note, as one of the images already suggests, books really do furnish a room. And they do it so well. Much better than a fancy wall finish, or a key piece of furniture ever could. Books create a sense of comfort and a certain warmth. They infuse a space with texture, colour, depth and character. In this increasingly digital and intangible world we live in, books and libraries give us a sense of security and the familiar, and at the same time they evoke a child-like wonder. I don’t know – maybe that’s just me. It is this combination of security and curiosity which personally allow me to think, and dream, and create…

I always thought that Scandinavians do it better… Stråhattfabriken (Straw Hat Factory) in Stockholm is a real example of this. Dating back from 1886 to 1887, this beautiful heritage listed building was recently redeveloped into stunning apartments ranging from one to three bedrooms. Gimme, gimme!

Developers, designers and home buyers – if ever you thought that residential developments had to look generic, impersonal and “blaaaah” – well… you better think again y’all! This is a wonderful example of how a cosy, warm, livable, modern interior (with a classic twist) can be achieved by moving away from typical “beige on “greige” color and material selections, and getting a little bit playful with joinery. Sure, it helps when you have a gorgeous heritage canvas and a flawless bone structure to piggy-pack off, but let’s not kid ourselves here – I’m sure you’ve …