Find inspiration and expert advice on interior design to create stunning and functional living spaces.
There is a special feeling when you enter a space where everything has been designed with functionality and simplicity in mind. It’s not the intricate details that draw the eye in, but the clean lines, natural light and uncluttered materials that immediately make you feel at home. This Scandinavian kitchen and living room offers a glimpse into a world where comfort meets practicality, creating the perfect backdrop for family life.
In the world of interior design, there’s something undeniably captivating about spaces that blur the lines between indoors and outdoors. This American mid-century modern bedroom offers a perfect example, with its sleek, minimalistic lines and refined use of materials. But beyond the architecture, what truly steals the show is the enchanting garden just outside. Who wouldn’t be inspired to wake up here, where the boundary between the comforts of modern living and the serenity of nature fades away?
The pure essence of brutalism is on display in this kitchen, where the raw honesty of materials and the hard determination of minimalist forms dominate. This interior exudes a sense of power where every line is purposeful, every material is real and nothing tries to look like more than it is. The roughness of concrete and the natural strength of wood form a harmonious contrast that embodies the essential elements of modern masculine design. There is no room for ornamentation here – only function, strength and raw beauty remain.
If I’ve already introduced feminine notes to the previous kitchen because of its brutalist character, with Scandinavian elements and carefully placed decorations creating a warm, homely atmosphere, now let’s look at the simplicity of brute force.
Continue reading Brute force with you – Brutalist cuisine in a modern man’s home
This kitchen-dining room is like a modern woman: strong and sophisticated, austere yet playful. Raw concrete meets light wood to create a coolly elegant base, while carefully placed objects and decorations create a warm, homely atmosphere. Small details such as cutting boards on floating shelves and countertops, plants and uncluttered pots and pans all serve functionality while conveying the delicacy and femininity of the design. An interior where style and practicality go hand in hand, creating the perfect space for everyday moments.
Continue reading Elegant minimalism and playful brutalism in a Scandinavian kitchen
There is something particularly comforting about this kitchen. The slow flow of time, the warm touch of wood, and the presence of natural materials immediately evoke nostalgia. This is not just a place to cook – it’s a haven to slow down, reminisce about the past and forget the rush of modern life. To be here is to feel as if time stands still, and in all its rustic simplicity we return to a calmer, more harmonious life.
Continue reading The Kitchen of Tranquillity: Rustic magic with a modern touch
There are kitchens where every item is in plain sight. Almost everything is open, meaning shelves are used extensively, and some solutions even involve hanging kitchen utensils on a rod, freely displaying pans, spatulas, and colanders, not to mention larger utensils. On the contrary, there are kitchen designs where nothing is in front, nothing is visible — as if there were no kitchen at all. Some say in such cases, they don’t really cook; it’s just for show 🙂 .
So, we are seeking answers to when it’s advisable to use open shelves in a kitchen, and when it’s more practical to conceal everything in closed cabinets. Additionally, how do these two opposing kitchen storage methods fit into different interior design styles? Which style is more suited to open storage, and which to placement in closed cabinets? How does the layout of a kitchen, whether it’s integrated with the living room or a separate space, determine the practicality of open or closed placement? Furthermore, how does the size of the kitchen or the intensity of its use dictate the necessity of open or closed storage areas?
The vintage style, like retro or antique styles, is not a single style, but perhaps an experience of an era.
Some argue that retro is what has gone out of fashion in the last 20 years. What is older than that but not older than 100 years, or at least newer than 1900, is vintage, and what is even older is antique. According to these definitions, the content of these categories should constantly change over time. That is, what is now retro includes our items from after the year 2000. And then vintage is what came before that. So, as time passes, retro eventually becomes vintage, and if we forget to update our vintage interior, will it become antique? If I created a retro interior design in 2005 inspired by the 1980s, is my style definition wrong because it’s now considered vintage? – No way! I refuse to accept that – for me, it will always remain retro.
Another perspective is that only original items that are at least 20 years old can be called vintage. They say that retro is a modern thing, copying a bygone fashion, and you don’t buy the original now but a reproduction that just looks like the older one. In contrast, vintage can only be something original from that time, meaning it’s also structurally original. However, some narrow down the period and say vintage can be from 1920 to 1980. So, if you have a 1960s-looking radio that is original and uses radio tubes, it’s vintage. But if it just looks like that and is a modern manufacture with a hidden CD tray or USB port, it’s only retro-looking. Similarly, we can buy retro-looking stoves or refrigerators, and even if their design is from the 1950s or 1960s, we can’t call them vintage because they hide modern technology inside.
This is a more understandable approach for me, but the vintage umbrella term still bothers me.
Two basic principles:
- Produce the energy with highly efficient equipment!
- Don’t let the generated energy go to waste!
The transformation of the living room:
As much as it’s a priority to steer the population away from gas consumption, let’s admit that in an apartment block without district heating (central heating), heating and hot water can primarily be provided by gas, and secondarily by electricity. If many people switched from gas to electric heating, it would also cause problems, as many apartment block infrastructure and stairwell electrical systems are not designed for mass electric heating. Therefore, the possibility of massively increasing the amperage of apartments would also face limitations. Naturally, heating with air conditioning could be an alternative to direct electric heating, as it represents roughly a quarter of the electrical load, but many people do not like the warm air blowing, and the numerous outdoor units attached to the façades are already a terrible sight. For this reason, I believe gas will remain predominant to a greater extent.
But what can we do to keep our gas bill low?
Continue reading Energy cost reduction in an apartment block – DIY – window replacement, internal insulation, underfloor heating
Just as various interior design styles draw inspiration from the trends of bygone eras, so too does the nostalgia for older lighting forms emerge. With pendant lights, chandeliers, and other traditional-looking lamps, the variations seem endless. However, the question arises: what light sources should we use to ensure these lights appear authentic while also being energy-efficient? The so-called Edison bulbs from around the 1920s evoke the most emotion among those interested in older styles. These bulbs had relatively weak light, glowing dimly with a nearly golden hue. The plentifully used filaments, arranged in various winding methods, created uniquely beautiful shapes. Because they didn’t glow too brightly, we could admire the play of the filaments. The glass bulbs protecting the filaments also came in much more varied shapes compared to today’s mass-produced world.
This is why the old bulbs had a strongly yellowish light; we could look into them because energy efficiency was not a concern – longevity was more important. Energy efficiency? They were happy to have electric lighting at all. They glowed weakly, with a color temperature between 1800-2600 Kelvin. For the sake of authenticity, similar bulbs are still made today with similarly energy-wasting consumption. If someone chooses these light sources for their entire home and relies on them to meet modern lighting needs, they might be surprised by the significant increase in their electricity bill.
Continue reading Vintage style enthusiasts don’t have to give up energy-efficient lighting
