Best Modern furniture Design: design

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hollywood production designer jon hutman

It's funny what can happen to you on the way to work. The other week I suddenly had to pull over because I had a phone call from Los Angeles to interview production designer Jon Hutman. He's the talent behind the looks for films including Something's Gotta Give and the recently released It's Complicated. Other examples of his work include The Time Traveler's Wife, The Holiday and Quiz Show. He was cheerful and fun to talk to as well as generous with his time.

Which five words best describe you? Obssessive, anxious, enthusiastic, energetic and serious.
What was your first job and what path have you taken since? I was at Westwood Playhouse at 15 years old - and I'm still working in the theatre. I've segued from one to the other: but I'm still ushering people to their seats in a very literal way.
What’s been your best decision? Getting out of bed this morning.
What's your proudest achievement? My daughter.
What inspires you? Usually the script I'm working with and the people I'm working with, and the story we're going to tell.
What are you passionate about? My work. The truth. Taking risks.
Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? I've always wanted to meet Francis Coppola.
What dream do you still want to fulfill? Living happily ever after.
What are you reading? City of Thieves by David Benioff.

portrait via boston globe

koskela's sasha titchkosky

After hearing real living style director Jason Grant rave about Koskela's shop for months on end I finally visited recently. I'd loved their Dickebush home in Patonga - where you can stay as a holiday rental (and we featured in the mag) - and their product designs, which you can buy at the showroom, so it seemed a fait accompli that I would like the place. Like the place? I loved it. It was like I'd died and gone to design heaven - but very much in the Australian-organic-with-style-and-feeling aisle.

I also love the company's motto: FOLLOW YOUR HEART, TRUST YOUR JUDGEMENT, DO IT WITH JOY. And that the couple behind the business - Sasha and Russel - left highly paid jobs to start Koskela.

What was your first career job and what path have you taken since? My first career job was as the deputy company secretary for the Australian Stock Exchange. I then set up and ran the communications division of the ASX once we listed the company. After doing this for a few years, Russel and I met and decided we both wanted to create our own company. We’d both worked for large businesses and had worked out what we liked and didn’t like about different companies we’d experienced. So we took major pay cuts but took hold of the reins that were controlling our lives.
What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? To follow your heart, trust your judgment and do it with joy.
What’s your proudest career achievement? Getting the Yuta Badayala project off the ground. This is a collaboration – the first of its kind! - with weavers from Elcho Island in Arnhem Land to use their traditional weaving techniques to create contemporary design products. It has been a dream of mine for quite a few years to work with the weavers and is quite a privilege to experience their rich culture. The first works are currently being exhibited at Object Gallery in Surry Hills.
What’s been your best decision? To leave working in big business and start up our own company. Many years of hard, hard work and tuna pasta in the beginning but it is so rewarding to see the business evolve and grow. We are now in our 10th year of business and it is still exciting. I feel as though the best is yet to come and that we are entering a very interesting phase in the history of the company.
Who inspires you? My partner, Russel – he’s Mr Enthusiasm.
What dream do you still want to fulfil? I would love to see the Koskela concept develop further and have Koskela showrooms overseas.

images courtesy of koskela and anson smart (dickebush)

lox+savvy's lisa loxley

I've been watching - and admiring - the fantastical journey that Lisa Loxley from Lox+Savvy is taking with her life and career. The first time we met was at Magnolia Square a few years ago. She was setting up her first stall. Since then I tracked her down to feature in Real Living magazine and we've met several more times (usally with me prying away Little C's hands from her bright and colourful paper goods), including at the recent Life In Style show. Each time I see Lisa I notice how much more confident she's become within herself and her designs. In a couple of weeks she will move into a design studio and she'll soon be heading to New York to show off her paper goods. I can't wait to hear the stories when she returns.

Which five words best describe you? Self-driven, creative, open-minded, thoughtful and quirky.
What was your first job and what path have you taken since then? My first real job was in a shoe store working full time, whilst doing an inspiring graphic design/illustration course at Billy Blue School that was most rewarding. I then realised I had to go back to my graphic arts apprenticeship to enable me get the best out of a hands-on, technical and design experience there was out there. Bringing together my apprenticeship, and the generations in my family that are involved in the printing and paper industry is the professional make-up of who I am today. When it’s in the blood you can’t escape it! At the completion of my apprenticeship, I opened up my own graphic design business, which I still run today and thoroughly enjoy. I am fortunate to say I’m one of those people who love what they do and you can’t really ask for more than that. This has led me to the evolving Lox+Savvy. It’s cliché, but it’s a life-long dream!
What’s your proudest achievement? Finally putting in motion my ideas & scribbles, and bringing Lox+Savvy to life.
What’s been your best decision? In terms of my career, doing the ‘hard-yards’ of completing a four-year apprenticeship in graphic arts, which has allowed me to be the wholehearted, hard-working person I am today.
Who inspires you? A various mix of people in my life play a different role in how they inspire me – morally, spiritually, holistically and artistically. Any person driven by a dream, continues to inspire me.
What are you passionate about? Chocolate, shoe sales, vintage shopping, buttons, recycling, cocktails with my best friend and, needless to say, my work. I’m also highly passionate about the way in which paper plays an important role within our environment.
What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt? Mum often reminds me on life’s merry-go-round, “Always be true to yourself and the rest will just fall into place”. This is something I always come back to in thought and reflect on during life’s challenges.
Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? Audrey Hepburn without a doubt – her unique spirit, grace and unforgettable style, and not to mention the important legacy she left behind with UNICEF. She is truly a remarkable woman.
What dream do you still want to fulfil? Travelling the world and introducing Lox+Savvy to it!
What are you reading? Catalog: The Illustrated History of Mail-Order Shopping by Robin Cherry – it has classic illustrations, timeless fashion, the colours & designs are classic and fabulous, and a great source of inspiration. The Sartorialist by Scott Schuman – which is more of a picture book, yet so intriguing & fashion of course is so very inspiring. In particular Scott’s ‘forward’ in the book gives an insight as to why he does what he does and how he provokes the capturing of each moment. My fave is on page 151, the ‘Barbieri’ men. Not many of these lovely timeless shops exist anymore! And in between time, I’m also a huge magazine junkie!

images courtesy of lox+savvy

designer maria muniz-villa

The images above are from the work of design agency Villa + Villa. The company does the lot - architecture, interiors and graphics. And one of the partners - Maria - is also an accomplished artist. Her works have been exhibited in the Charles Hewitt and Francis Keevel galleries. Maria is from Argentina but now calls Australia home.

Which five words best describe you? Generous, perfectionist, hilarious, hard worker, dreamer.
What was your first career job and what path have you taken since? Fashion designer's right hand.
What's the best lesson you've learnt along the way? That you can learn things in life from every single person.
What's your proudest career achievement? When 2 of my paintings were selected from among 500 to get into a museum in Argentina, and I got third. Over the moon, that is how I felt!
What's been your best decision? To move Down Under to my adored Australia.
Who inspires you? My husband, for being such a humble human being...
What are you passionate about? Treasures, old and new beauty, all pre-loved objects.
Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? Picasso.
What dream do you still want to fulfil? To be at my father's birth place Oviedo. Yes, the little town in Spain, where Vicky Cristina Barcelona was shot.
What are you reading? Do you matter? How great design will make people love your company by S. Emery and Robert Brummer.

images courtesy of villa & villa

french bohemian style - emmanuelle flahault

A funny thing happened after a recent photo shoot for Real Living. Both the stylist and art director came back in LOVE. They were so taken with one of the women that we featured in our "Style Tribe" shoot - in the April issue - that I was curious. They described Emmanuelle Flahault as one of the most beautiful women they'd ever met. I looked at the images and agreed she was mightily attractive, but there was something more. Let's say a je ne sais quoi.

So when I went to Life In Style I was determined to track down Nell, as she's known. She was busy - a testament to her beautiful designs and stand for her womens' clothes, accessories and homewares business Nell (she sources European fabrics to create one-of-a-kind designs). But when I met her I could understand what the men were talking about. She radiates calm, happiness and has a definite French flair, and, yes, perhaps a little je ne sais quoi.

Which five words best describe you? Generous, optimistic, cheeky, hard worker and mediator.
What was your first career job and what path have you taken since? Fashion designer assistant.
What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? To breathe when things get tight.
What’s your proudest career achievement? Receiving authentic and lovely testimonials from happy clients.
What’s been your best decision? To move down under.
Who inspires you? Coco Chanel.
What are you passionate about? Travels and tresors.
Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? Barack Obama.
What dream do you still want to fulfil? Having a large family.
What are you reading? The unbearable lightness of being from Milan Kundera.

images real living and nell

poppies for grace's alana waterson

For me, one of the treats of going to gift fairs is checking out some of the stands. At the recent Life In Style event in Sydney I felt like a kid in a candy shop when I saw the stall of Poppies For Grace. So much delicious stationery. I love the idea that three friends - Alana, Kate & Sarah - got together to create a business that they're passionate about (and that makes them happy). Meet Alana.

Which five words best describe you? Playful. Perfectionist. Hopeful. Dreamer. Happy.
What was your first career job and what path have you taken since? I've not had one! I've had jobs, but only short term relationships. ha ha. The only other job I had that I loved was working for a UK charity working with wild gothic teenagers. It was there I first discovered how much I liked to make things.
What's the best lesson you've learnt along the way?
1. To let our business be the extension of ourselves. It's the most natural way to be - you don't have to strain to be yourself.
2. Walking into stores and asking if they would like to buy our stationery is a brave thing to do. But once the moment is over you realise it was not as scary as you thought. Kind of like a first kiss (I was a shy teenager).
What's your proudest career achievement? Becoming an employer. I know its simple - but it shows how far we have come. It is also thrilling to be alongside others who get joy from Poppies. After all work is where we spend the majority of our lives.
What's been your best decision? Going into business with my best friends! What a joy.
Who inspires you? At the moment its Anita Roddick and Jamie Oliver - both have used their success as a way of doing good in such a public way that it inspires others to do the same. Common good is true beauty to me. I am truly inspired.
What are you passionate about? Creativity. There is always room for more artists and crafts people at my table. I am passionate about artists sharing their gift with the world.
Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? Frederick Buechner and CS Lewis - in the same room. We would have tea and cake and talk about fairytales and God.
What dream do you still want to fulfil? Well Kate is taking us to the New York stationery show - so becoming an international brand would be a thrill. We want to start a third and fourth Poppies website (the themes are still secret). We have two sites now - one for our stationery one for our wedding stationery. And, of course, there is this thing that bubbles away in me of becoming more and more socially and environmentally responsible.
What are you reading? Business as unusual by Anita Roddick and Healthy sleep habits, Happy Child - Dr Marc Weissbluth (I'm a new mum!!!)

images courtesy of poppies for grace

Cool Ideas For Pink Girls Bedrooms design

Pink color is timeless theme for girls bedrooms. For many people it is a symbol of tenderness and youth. This color is associated with fairy-tale princess or Barbie and almost every girl dreams about a charming pink bedroom. Pink color could perfectly fit as traditional bedrooms with classical furniture and amazing curves as contemporary, more severe ones. Combining this color with others you could get a various awesome designs. For example white and pink furniture looks very beautiful but if you want more bright bedroom then you might more like a combination of pink and green colors. Below you could see very interesting ideas to create the best pink kids bedroom. There are different examples of girls rooms which would be liked by as young as adult girls among them.

Pink bedroom interior design

Futuristic bedroom design in style home

Cool Ideas for pink girls bedrooms

Design in interior apartment

The presence of the separation wall can be felt from the entrance to the apartment. Although all benefits could be seen just from the inside of the apartment. It adds feeling of movement and hidden spaces because of its diagonal form. The furniture in the apartment correspond to futuristic design. It is simple with straight lines. The same could be said about colors in use. Black and white is always part of futuristic interiors. In the end, the apartment design with all its experiments made small space look much more bigger than it is.

Very the best interior design apartment

Design of this 49 sqm apartment in Barcelona gets its inspiration from Japanese origami art. One wall which separate all functions of the apartment made with this style in mind and that is enough. When the designer create the wall the apartment already had a shell of simple concrete walls. Some parts of ceiling are still uncovered so futuristic design also has rustic elements.