MODERN HOMES - THE RANCHER

When I first saw this image, a few descriptive words that came to mind sophisticated, timeless, calm, subtle, simple, modern, minimal ... This home showcased on Molteni & Co reminds me of why I love architectural interiors.  It is the detailing of such architectural interiors as this one that makes me love the beautiful subtelty of what we do as a profession.  For the sophisticated eye to appreciate a floating floor plate, flush drywall ceiling and floor details, recessed drapery tracks, frameless full height glazing, corner glass butt joints ... all breath taking.  If anyone knows who the architect is of this amazing home or the stylist who has reflected an interior that speaks a carefully selected refinement of finishes.  Some of my favorite designers work with this amazing company, to name a few of my favorites: the glove chair & clip bed by Patricia Urquiola, the 505 system by Lca Meda, the Less table by Jean Nouvel.  A must see showroom in Vancouver is Italinteriors where Molteni & Co, meets Unifor,  Dada Kitchens, Citterio, and Cassina. 

(For those with a furniture & dsign fetish - FYI - during my last visit to NYC, I was excited to hear that Molteni & Co. will be opening up a flagship store in Manhattan.) - love this company!

MODERN VANCOUVER - GASTOWN PART I

Photography by Jonathan Cruz Photography

Geothermal building with a green roof - environmental details in addition to re-using, rebuilding and recreating an amazing interior space, Inform Interiors is a destination retail space and experience that every modern design enthusiast must see when visiting Vancouver.

Gastown is a cool and hip neighborhood filled with great little boutiques, restaurants and shops. None of the expected main stream big box stores ... rather a collection of unique retailers and eateries that set the tone of bringing upscale design to a the less obvious street scape. This little pocket of historic Vancouver offers a cutting edge to building character for the city. The cobblestone roads now meet a new wave of modern transformations which encompass the best of loft living and the design studios of creative minds behind recent face-lift exterior facades. Inform Interiors re-opened their showroom and will re-launch in spring'08 a new flagship B&B Italia and Boffi showroom in their previous location. (stay tuned - the Inform family is cleverly building local pedestrians and design lovers like me into modern addicts anxiously waiting for the big opening)





Images provided by Obakki
Architecture & Interiors by Mcfarlane Green + Biggar4
Historic Gastown is now the home to an A-list of must sees from a cool hip shop for modern mom and pops, visit Modern Kid which offers kid-friendly "easy on the eye" design for the modern novelist while fashion fronts like Obakki (tops as my favorite fashion retail interior for Vancouver) or Hunt & Gather bring a unique collection of one of a kind pieces made right in the store by costume designer atelier.




Images of Obakki above are through my eyes. Some of my favorite details include exposed concrete walls meeting seamlessly with polished concrete floors. The extension of corian meeting reclaimed fir to reverse beveled drywall details lit from behind to give a diffused wash of light to highlight the exposed brick walls. Love, love the architectural detailing. The interior reflects the quality and craftsmanship of the Obakki label right down to each detail.

MODERN INTERIOR DESIGN - AVROKO

Finley Residence

Architecture & Interiors by: Avroko
Location: New York, USA
Specialty: Restaurants, Hotels, Residential, Convept Development, Furniture
Project Highlights: Sapa, Quality Meats, European Union, Park Avenue Summer
Interior Photography: Avroko

It is a pleasant surprise to find out that one of my favorite New York based interior design firms Avroko who specializes in restaurant design, also has some great examples of residential interiors. Above are some images of their residential work. During my last visit in New York I had the treat and privilege to enjoy 3 fabulous meals in three amazing restaurants Sapa, Quality Meats and European Union. To read more about their work, check out a great blog article of images from my blog friend Andrew of BuildBlog or you can view collection of my favorite Avroko designs - see my slideshow.

Park Avenue Summer

MODERN HOMES - MAJORCA + SINGAPORE + LONDON

Images provided by SHOOTFACTORY
View the complete inspiration library of images as a slideshow

Thanks to amazing blogs out there like one of my new favorites by Justin Anthony of materialicious he shares with readers his amazing sources on residential architecture, design, craftsmanship, materials and products. An excellent resource. Featured on one of his articles is an amazing company SHOOTFACTORY based out of the UK. "shootfactory is a full-service location agency, representing UK and international properties, studios and venues for TV, film, photo shoots, product launches and events. With over ten years’ international experience in our respective arenas of photography, styling, location management and production, we are committed to providing our location owners and clients with the best service, advice and support." Shootfactory is great option for clients to consider to turn their vacation properties into a source of income while not in use.

Here are a few examples of the many amazing interiors Shootfactory features. My top cities for modern inspiration MALORCA + SINGAPORE + LONDON.

MAJORCA - "Modern lifestyle studio in SE Mallorca (Majorca). Superb daylight. Open plan. Internal and external studio spaces. Props and lighting."

SINGAPORE - "Spread over 3600 sq ft, the indoors and outdoors merge seamlessly in this open plan apartment. Custom made furniture by the designer mingles with modern classics, industrial materials with soft textures."

LONDON - "Striking architect designed and photographer owned timber house. Bright and minimalist rooms with large expanse of glass. Stylish diner-kitchen room with outside space. Parking. Loading gates." The amazing architecture of David Adjaye

MODERN INTERIOR DESIGNER - PATRICIA GRAY

I am a longtime admirer of Vancouver-based interior designer, Patricia Gray. It has been inspiring to see her work transform over the years and see her approach to modern interiors be featured in well known magazine publications like Interior Design, Western Living, Architectural Digest and of course my favorite source of information, the blogging community. Through friends Kim and Jo from one of my favorite reads in the morning - desire to inspire ... I noticed a familiar name in the comments - what a pleasant surprise to see Patricia Gray join the blogging community of design lovers! An even more pleasant surprise was to see my blogs featured on her blog roll. I felt like a little kid at the magazine aisle excited to buy my favorite design magazine ... I just had to write to Patricia to thank her for visiting. Small world we live in as it turns out we have a few more connections in common.



In my recent efforts to get back to blogging, Patricia's personal blog (at the top of a growing list of favorite design blogs) has renewed by own personal blogging energy. Here I share with you my interview with Patricia on her design views.

Interior Designer: Patricia Gray
Company: Patricia Gray Inc
Specialty: Interior Design, Furniture & Product Design, Project Management
Started: 1982
Background: Kwantlen College / Parsons School of Design - Paris, France
Current Location: Vancouver BC

INTERVIEW
- Out of all the cities in the world, why do you choose to work in Vancouver?
I was raised in Vancouver. It is my home.

- With respect to your work, what is it that you feel makes you successful? unique?
I feel successful when my clients fall in love with their homes. Unique when I am using my own designs not someone else’s.

- How do you like to approach design?
I like to start on the interior architecture of the space. I make sure the envelope is right then add in the furnishings, artwork and accessories.

- What inspires you?
I am inspired by beauty in all forms.

- What inspires your work?
My work is inspired by clients who have faith in the creative process and want me to design something that is unique for them.

- Who inspires you?
I am inspired by Albert Hadley, Michal Taylor who have been my Mentors since Design School and who I consider to be great Interior Design Icons, and recently I am inspired by Michael S. Smith for his brillance in interpreting the past in fresh and modern ways.

- What do you dislike and wish you could change about design in Vancouver? pet peeve?
I think we live in one of the greatest cities in North America. We have a contemporary, cosmopolitan design genre here that is totally unique to us. The only thing that I long for is to have more design resources available here.

- If there was one thing about your industry that you do that you could change, what would it be? ex. an interior, building, a product, process
I would change the way that Interior Designers are perceived. In European countries they celebrate Interior Designers and Architects and honor them for the contributions they are making.

- What do you feel you are contributing to the industry that is innovative and progressive?
I try to create designs for clients that are not trendy or fleeting, but that are unique and specifaclly suited to the architecture and to their specific life style requirements. That takes a lot of faith on the part of the clients and a willingness to follow through on all the details. I am very dedicated to Smart Design, Eco, Green and & Envioronmentally Friendly practices.

- Describe what your desk looks like (cluttered, heaps of magazines, bottle of Tylenol, etc.)
All that is on my desk is my laptop and the files that I am working on that day, and always fresh flowers.

- What do you need from your work environment in order to be productive?
Beauty, inspiring music, and my bulletin board where I post all my inspirations.

- Do you have a pet, what kind?
I have a 4 ½ lb Yorkshire Terrier named Nicole. She comes to work with me everyday and has her own business card: VP of Security. She is best VP of Security we have ever had. She guards the front door ferociously against couriers.

Thank You Patricia for sharing a little more about you. It is such a privilege to have personal insight from the talent behind the amazing designs we admire. To read more about Patricia , here are links to more interviews by some of the blogs I admire: Frankie of life in a venti cup and Vanessa of Turquise LA for LAapartmenttherapy

MODERN ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN - VANCOUVER

To view the complete inspiration images see slideshow

Architecture & Interiors by: Omar Arbell
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Specialty: residential and commercial renovations to custom furniture and landscapes
Project Highlights: Renovations of Penthouse Suite, Vancouver + Inform Interiors + Salt Tasting Bar
Interior Photography: Michael Boland Photography

(be sure to check out Micheal Boland's work, he has an amazing portfolio of capturing modern architecture and interiors)
Getting back to blogging, I look back at the past year and am proud of  Vancouver for the increase of modern design projects, it's a slow start but great to see that modern aesthetic is starting to be recognized more and more every day. An architect I have long admired is Omar Arbel. After seeing the transformation of a penthouse renovation, the opening of the cool Salt Tasting Bar, the renovation of the new Inform Interiors showroom - I'm speechless. It's inspiring to come across Omar's work being featured in more and more design articles to also experiencing installations of his designs like the Bocci Lights. A beautiful choice of light fixture hung throughout STK in the meatpacking district in New York.

To gain a "behind the scenes" insight into the building of a cool new interior in Vancouver, check out the blog story behind Salt where Sean shares the inspiration of combining the design talent of Omar Arbel with the details of local furniture designers like Brent Comber. Got to love learning more about the design & food lovers joining the blogging community.