its a bathroom revolution with LAUFEN and KARTELL

What the heck is SaphirKeramik? Its Laufen's revolutionary ceramic recipe that completely turns old materials into completely new shapes. I know you have never seen bathroom sinks with a thin edge before? 

Before SaphirKeramik it was nearly impossible to design and fabricate sinks with delicate edges. It is changing the design language for ceramics forever. Not only is its radii profile extremely thin but also provides a harder and greater flexible strength than vitreous or fire clay ceramic. Its refined look is a nod to a more contemporary design. 

Love the Invisible drain outlets hidden below slots...

These Laufen beauties work in concert with the new Kartell by Laufen bathroom collection with an array of different colors:smoke, ink blue, amber, orange tangerine, chrome or gold. The colored plastic adds pops of colors in the bathroom against LAUFENS ceramic pieces. They beautifully work together.

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To Paint or not to Paint Structural Beams?

What to do when you are under construction and can't decide what to do with color?  I recently got a letter asking what to do with exposed structural beams, paint or not?  

Dear MoD Design Guru,

Please excuse our mess as we are under construction. we've been trying to find the right paint color for our interior/exterior.  Because the beams continue to the outside and can be seen from the inside and the outside we figure we need to pick a color that goes with the interior and exterior.  We have already painted the ceiling white in both the dining and the kitchen - though we will be repainting everything so options are open.  I've included a picture here to show our new tile.  This is the gutted kitchen. Overall the new house finishes are shades of grey -kitchen cabs will be high gloss white. The tongue and grove is kind of a pickled or whitewash wood.  Many professionals have suggested we keep that and just paint the beams.  Do you have any ideas for us? Thank you for your time, Diane Klee

Dear Diane, 

You have a great space here..... large windows, open floor plan and I love how the exposed beams extend from the inside out. Great bones. For that reason, don't even think about painting those beams!  I'm frightened that your designer already started to paint the beams in that pic on the right. The space seems a bit blah now...The integrity of the structural beams need to sing!! You also ask about colors....the givens are a dark gray tiled floor and dark wood beams. There are a couple of things you can do. See some images for inspiration:

Pair the stained beams with a light gray wall and ceiling. You're high gloss white cabinets will pop... 

(or) 

Pair the stained beams with a light white wall and painted white ceiling in between the beams.... clean and mod.

(or) 

Go with a dark heavy ceiling. Match the wood inbetween the beams to the color of the beams. Its a nice contrast to the light walls. You have enough light  from the large windows to pull it off.... 

 Good luck and send me pics when the renovation is complete. Would love to see it!

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VOLA at BDNY: circular focus in Bath design

Vola- one-handle mixer 

I fell for VOLA, a Scandanavian tap brand at Boutique Design New York. I am a stickler for purity in design and was thrilled to see the pure circle as a key feature of VOLA. Who can forget the classic faucet designed by Arne Jacobsen for VOLA more than 40 years ago....it is an icon faucet whose mechanical parts of the mixer are hidden. Now in a multitude of colors and metal finishes. Its ceramic disc technology has a fixed spout with water saving aerator.

And some beauty in the shower...

Delish...The two hand build-in mixer with ¼ turn ceramic disc technology really caught my eye. The layered and textural metal finish is beautiful. Look how uber fantastic the brass finish looks with geometric tiles below:

Vola 871 brass

The built in soap and round paper tissue dispenser are killer.... both discreetly built into the wall!

Vola- Round series

Hmmmm....relax, yes! The round series shower system has a sophisticated proportion and works so nicely with the rest of the Vola collections. 

Round Series shower system

Mmm...comfy cozy. Don't forget to wrap yourself in a delish warm towel from their perfected towel warmer bars!

See the VINE

Vola#precision#water#BDNY https://t.co/9wvAoUssiK
— Mod Design Guru (@ModDesignGuru) November 10, 2013

You can connect with VOLA on their WEBSITE


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MoD Must Haves: nendo deep sea glass table

MoD Must Haves

stylish, modern, novel 

for glass lovers

One of my favorite materials is glass. Today, there are so many different options to choose from as new advancements in technology move forward. Architects and designers continue to push the envelope and are using glass in design and architecture in avant-garde ways. In collaboration with the company Glasitalia, Oki Sato, chief designer and founder of nendo has shown that glass can be manipulated in color and cut in an ingenious way.

His glass furniture table called "deep sea" emphasizes the spectrum of blue with the use of mirror and fuses and layers colored film onto multiple glass surfaces.

 

See the gorgeous images...

 

The perception of depth is beautiful....  

 

I'm smashed by how the shade of blue deepens and intensifies as your eye moves down each successive piece of glass. 

 

photos by hiroshi iwasaki

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MoD Must Have: Geneva Sound System, exceptional sound for spaces

MoD Must Haves

stylish, simplistic, novel 

for sound lovers

Having seen the coolster GENEVA Sound System, I want one! It looks like a modern piece of sculpture than your typical stereo.... You can hook it up to its ipad/iphone dock and blast your music at your next house party.. For the techies, the system has a pair of full range stereo speakers, a CD player, an FM radio an external source inputs, stereo sub-woofers and is ll in one box! It has beautiful, exceptional sound...crisp...and is truly original. 

See the images:

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MoD Must Haves: Luxuriant porcelain dinnerware by Daniel Levy

MoD Must Haves

stylish, tactile, novel 

for porcelain lovers





Beauty and craftsmanship sums up the porcelain work by Daniel Levy. I have met Daniel and he takes pride in his beautiful work! Based in NYC, his fine porcelain dinnerware and accessories are all hand-made with colored porcelain slips and glazed and finished with multiple layers of 22 karat gold or platinum. Yes, the real stuff and it is applied on the thick sides of his latest pieces (see above image). Love it! His work is more than dinnerware, its art...I can only imagine how stunning a table would look with his creations adorning the table! Thanksgiving is coming up!!

See the Vine:

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today's ANGLE: Getting the ‘Feeling of Forest’ at Home

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If you’re lucky enough to live somewhere you can stand on your porch and be surrounded by the great outdoors, you might not want your living room replicating an evergreen glade. For those of us in urban areas, where the only foliage around is your neighbor’s sickly rhododendron, you may want to consider the myriad of ways for integrating the feeling of forest into your home.

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Okay, so I’ve heard that the indoor water fountain trend isn’t as popular as it once was – the miniature falls can smell funny and require frequent cleaning, but the sound of slowly trickling water still has the ability transport you to a woodland state of mind.

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Interesting branches and chunks of driftwood are used artistically for everything from picture frames to hat racks, vases and curtain rods. Dead birch branches are especially decorative. The branches can be used whole, tucked into a corner - an excellent way to confuse your pets!

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Whether you’re more of a hardwood or softwood type when it comes to flooring, starting from the ground up is always a good idea. While some tend to overdo the wood-on-wood-on-wood look, few things can bring the feeling of forest quicker than smooth, “used-to-be-a-tree” floorboards.

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For those who think “antlers” and picture a bevy of trophy heads lining a den or Joe Schmoe Big-Game Hunter with his two dozen rifles – there are many other ways to incorporate antlers into your décor. Like an awesome coat rack! Just though I’d point out, for anyone who doesn’t know it already, antlers fall off. Every year. They can most certainly be “harvested” humanely.

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This casual feline has the right idea. While not everyone wants such a literal look in their home, I imagine the woodsy mural would feel ultra-soothing every time you walk by. Scenic wallpapers are available in many shapes and patterns these days. Like the ocean? It’s all yours. Pine trees more your thing? Surround yourself in them! 

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I’ll be damned if this completely synthetic “branch” chandelier isn’t the coolest thing I’ve ever seen. Designed by Danish artists Thyra Hilden and Pio Diaz, the components for this light were, apparently, created using a 3D printer. So, it’s basically the opposite of what I’m proposing. But, so what – look at those crazy shadows, man!

Interior design enthusiast Jonathon Ensor is a freelance blogger for Empire Today. When he’s not writing about home décor, you can find him playing marathon Scrabble sessions with his wife and inventing his own outlandish pasta sauces.

MoD Must Haves: PIXERS SHOWTIME wall murals

MoD Must Haves

stylish, modern, novel 

for mural lovers

PIXERS is a wall mural company that brings interiors to life. Great graphics, vivid colors and customizable murals! Using environmentally-friendly HP Latex technology, PIXERS offers a HUGE variety to search from....…like 20 million different kinds of wall murals, canvases, posters and decals. Whats really special is that their murals are easily removable. Peel and reattach to another wall if you want to. Great for apartments where you cant do much work to the walls!

WHERE THE TRUTH LIES

Evidently, the PIXERS team loves TV as they just released an unique mural collection called SHOW TIME………… inspired by the 8 iconic TV series like Sex in the city, Sopranos, Mad Men, Breaking Bad, etc. The murals are artistically portrayed from recognizable scenes/themes from the shows. I really love their scale and painterly pale colors. Each design will offer a contemporary look to any interior space! Check out more images:

FIGHT THE DEAD. FEAR THE LIVING

LET FREEDOM RIDE

 REMEMBER MY NAME

 WINTER IS COMING

SLICE OF LIFE

GET CARRIED AWAY

See the complete collection here.

You can connect with PIXERS on their FACEBOOK and TWITTER.


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kitchenSWOON: Poggenpohl: sleek +Edition

+Edition 

Planning your dream kitchen? Are you wanting quality, classic detailing and modern appeal? Take a look at Poggenpohl, the leader in luxury kitchens who listens to their clients needs. Their new innovative kitchen collection called +Edition combines sleek, thin frame detailing along with a sophisticated mix of materials; the combination of natural walnut wood veneer with white lacquer cabinetry and black glass is stunning. I really like how its design creates a seamless visual link between the cooking and living areas.......lending to a modern, high-quality living. 

Having been to the Poggenpohl Park Avenue showroom for a wonderful BlogTourNYC brunch, I had the opportunity to see many of their featured kitchens.  There Neil Bailey, Poggenpohl's president of U.S. and Canada debuted their digital design gallery showcasing hundreds of different kitchens of all styles and types. 



I had a nice chat with Mr. Bailey and he told me that the design gallery cannot be accessed on the web, it can only be utilized in Poggenpohl's showrooms. The reason is Poggenpohl wants to emphasize the client engagement in order to create custom, innovative kitchen designs uniquely fitted to each client. The kitchen is an important space within the home and Poggenpohl gets that. It can be overwhelming to decide all the details and they developed this new gallery to help the client in the decision-making process.

Take a tour of some of the other beautiful Poggenpolh's kitchens.  You will see such brands as Blanco and Silestone featuring the new neutrals in kitchen design.

Modex sink - SILIGRANIT II Cinder

Today's neutrals combine grey, black and brown tones. Blanco's Modex sink in its new SILIGRANIT II Cinder color looks beautiful with Poggenpohl's crisp cabinetry lines. 

(all images courtesy of Poggenpohl)


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The Well-Traveled Home by Sandra Espinet

A signed copy of the The Well-Traveled Home by Sandra Espinet was on my doorstep last week! Woohoo!, thanks Kandrac-Kole and Sandra Espinet! It is dreamy... page by page of inspiration. She gives you glimpses into a fantasy world filled with a melting pot of texture, pattern and intricate detailing.... 

I feel very lucky to have met interior designer Sandra Espinet last year in New York City as we were both chosen to participate in the Brizo Blogger 19 Fashion Week event. She is lovely and her smile is infectious!

Her amazing book features a curated collection of her design talent influenced by her love of travel. Isn't the above picture of the exotic mirror and console gorgeous? Its just one of many amazing designs featured in her book.....She is hands down an expert at mixing the modern with time-honored pieces. Her family traveled a lot due to her fathers job; so the extensive exposure travelling through Europe, Asia, South America, Northern Africa has had a major influence. I'm sure packing and unpacking a new home each time had something to do with her design expertise.

She certainly celebrates global culture and decor that are allowed to speak and live in harmony with one another. From Thai carvings, Middle Eastern chests, to Mexican travertine, the photography in the book is beautiful!

Sandra Espinet says, "Well-traveled homes are living theaters that invite collaboration on a daily basis from any and all inhabitants - beloved families, old friends, new guests...and unexpected guests."

You can learn more about Sandra Espinet and see more of her work on her website and blog: "Life Through The Eyes of a Luxury Designer"

Connect with her on: Pinterest and Facebook

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