Category: Interior Architecture

03Jun

A modern home in New York City by Plattdana Architects

The team behind Plattdana Architects, a New York City-based architectural firm is about to change your mind!  That is if you think that modern design is not capable of being classic and cozy at the same time.  Hope Dana and Kate Platt are the principal architects of the firm and their main goal is to achieve homes with a classic and modern mix.  This duplex located in the Flat Iron neighborhood of New York City was remodeled and designed by Plattdana Architects, where everything from the herringbone floors to the seagrass wallpaper covering the walls in the library are only a few of their brilliant touches to accomplish a cozy and warm modern home.  Enjoy!

Plattdana Architects via belle vivir

Gorgeous herringbone floors are found throughout the common areas.  The light fixture is by Lindsey Adelman.

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20May

For the home: Unique wall treatments and textured walls

Few design techniques can transform a room as the enhancement of its walls.  Wall treatments have never been so exiting and unconventional from highly crafty fluted plaster walls to artistic pyramid paneling walls, architectural motifs that were accredited for exterior texture and furniture have been forever moved inside to residential interiors in never-seen-before ways.  Most of the time the effect is so impressive and powerful that little else is needed to complement the already aesthetic walls.  The more traditional methods such as the ones used in the first four rooms, fluted walls, are not an alternative for DIYers. It is a skill to leave only to professional hands.  The more modern texture walls such as wood block stacking, tiling and origami would be an easier choice for very clever, handy home owner.  For more easy way to add dimension to your walls you can go here.

Fluted plaster walls are spiced up with paint and finished up in a curvature a few inches off the ceiling.  I love the round endings, top.  Designed by Jean Louis Deniot via AD.

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19Mar

My Home in Rue Magazine

I’m thrilled and happy to see my work featured in the new issue of Rue Magazine.  It’s always so rewarding and encouraging to see when a lot of work and effort pays off.  Thank you Crystal and thank you Julia Millay Walsh for the fun interview.

 

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27Feb

For the home: Black Kitchens Worth to Emulate

Of all the black kitchens I’m posting today the first one below, is probably my favorite. It has a sort of personality that makes it very unique and real. If not for those reasons, then for the up to ceiling black upper cabinets with all-good benefits. I also love the touches of global-chic accessories on the counter top. The thought of a black kitchen would give anyone a disbelieving smirk face along with a swiveling shaking head but as you see, it is very elegant. Most people are much more used to seeing bright white kitchens than anything else and the first thought that comes to their minds when considering black cabinets for their kitchens is a dark dysfunctional kitchen. It’s all in the natural incoming light, use of material and contrast. Keeping most of the kitchen surface -walls, counter tops, ceilings and floors- in light colors would make for the right balance and contrast in the room. The finish on those outer layers also make a big difference; mirror and glass when used as doors, back splash or even walls bring in a lot of light into the space. Of course last but not least, there is also the option of installing artificial lighting that can go any where. Enjoy!

black kitchens via belle vivir blog kitchens with black cabinets and white counter tops

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04Feb

A Chic Manhattan Makeover by David Kleinberg

David Kleinberg design in Manhatta via belle vivir blog

This Manhattan apartment was designed by David Kleinberg and it exemplifies what I interpret as a Chic Home.  A home with a classic architecture furnished with modern art and a mixture of classic and modern furniture.  A chic space for me is a space where things juxtapose with tension and friction,  where according to conventional thought, things are not supposed to work but they do.  This home designed by David Kleinberg is a perfect reference to it.  Enjoy!

David Kleinberg design in Manhatta entryway

The design in this hallway explains more than anything of my whole idea of a “chic home.”  Classic architecture is juxtaposed with modern art such as the Jean-Michel Basquiat painting (right) and the unexpected texture of the stainless steel bench.   This a perfect interpretation of classic lines in a modern way.

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09Jan

Studded Nailhead Upholstered Walls: Elegant Wall Treatments

studded nailhead upholstered walls in home decor via belle vivir

Studded Nailhead Upholstered Walls is one of the most elegant and relatively inexpensive ways to add elegance into your home.  Bringing architectural interest into our home can be done by simply upholstering the walls in fabric or wallpaper and adding nailhead along the edges of the walls or in different patters as if forming a nailhead trim.  This type of wall treatment brings dimension to any room.  I’ve said before how I think that upholstered doors is the ultimate attention to detail.  That is of course if there are no upholstered nailhead walls nearby to compare them to.  The is definitely a great amount of work and effort that goes into creating one of these amazing studded nailhead upholstered walls.  Especially those that form specific patterns over the wallpaper or fabric.  This technique also brings instant coziness to any home decor style.  There is already wallpaper designed to look like studded walls making the process a lot easier, and none the less beautiful.  Phillip Jeffries has a collection called Rivet that comes in different color contrast.   Shown in the picture below  Enjoy!

studded nailhead upholstered walls in home decor via belle vivir

This image above shows one of Philip Jeffrie’s Rivet Collection where the wallpaper appears to have embedded nail heads.   You get the great result without the extra effort.

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