Freshome.com - Interior Design & Architecture Newsletter

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Low-Maintenance Retreat in Norway: Summer House Skåtøy Posted: 11 Mar 2012 11:15 PM PDT Summer House Skåtøy was designed by Oslo-based studio Filter Arkiteketer and consists of a lovely summer cottage located on an island, South coast of Norway. The request of the client was for the architects to create a retreat opened towards the archipelago, while maintaining private outdoor areas. The project developers explain: “The starting point was an existing cottage from around 1940, damaged by dry rot. The new project is built on the footprint of this old cottage. The topography of the site is reflected in the section as two volumes; one volume containing a "sleeping cabin" (a sleeping area) cutting into another elongated volume containing the living and dining areas. These volumes create private outdoor space on the upper level connected to private outdoor space on the lower level. The Client wanted a maintenance free summer house. This resulted in a building clad in untreated timber, dry stone walls and sedum on the roof."A simple, ingenious design solution for an elegant and cozy home-enjoy it as much as we do? You're reading Low-Maintenance Retreat in Norway: Summer House Skåtøy originally posted on Freshome. If you've enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Freshome on Twitter, Facebook and Google+

Practical Apartment in Singapore Reflecting the Lifestyle of the Owners Posted: 11 Mar 2012 10:15 PM PDT We received some photos and information about an interesting looking apartment envisioned by Stanley Tham and Jwen Sim of KNQ Associates. Enjoy the description of the design process and don’t forget to share your opinions below. “The essence of a well-designed space should have a wonderful energy, apart from just looking good. It is with that belief that we wanted to create a look that will delight anyone the moment he or she steps into this 25th storey DBSS (Design, Build and Sell Scheme) apartment located at Bishan’s Natura Loft. The original living space was one uninspiring oblong room with an awkward corner near the main door. It didn’t take long for us to think of using the corner as a dining area. However, after considering the needs of the owners during preliminary discussions, it was clear to us that a dedicated study room, carved out of whatever little space there may be here, would be a far better use of space. In the end, we created a massive timber/ glass structure which provides partitioning and storage functions right next to the main entrance, effectively carving out a fully functional private study out of nowhere – perfect for the female owner, who often needs to attend overseas conference calls and work late. Shoes are stored on the entrance side of the structure behind mirrored doors while the other side serves as a book cabinet.“ The rest of the planning fell into place with ease. The ‘regularized’ living space can now be demarcated into 2 separate spaces – the entertainment/ communication area and the dining hall. Making use of the owners’ furniture and collectibles from their previous home, the space displays a very personal trait since the owners picked out those pieces almost all by themselves. All it takes is a little curtailing of the numerous pieces on our end so that the house doesn’t turn into a furnishing store! The decor is decidedly eclectic, drawing from traverse cultures and design styles. We always believe in making the bedroom fit for royalty. It is a much more important space in a home than one may realize. In the master bedroom, wall paneling fills one long wall, resulting in a sleek headboard feature. The TV sits on the opposite side of the bed. In the child’s bedroom, sleek furniture coupled with the bright contrasting tones make it feel fun and playful. The floating shelves and open storage are a great way to display favorite toys, yet there is still adequate closed storage to hide any clutter- the headboard comes fitted with a storage compartment behind it and is accessible from the top.” You're reading Practical Apartment in Singapore Reflecting the Lifestyle of the Owners originally posted on Freshome. If you've enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Freshome on Twitter, Facebook and Google+

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