inspohome – State of Design

In the Mood for Hygge

January 14, 2019March 18, 2019 Stephanie ShamLeave a comment

With the recent dreary and cold weather in San Francisco, my instinct is to hibernate and cozy up at home, with a candle, a hot cup of coffee (or red wine, depending on the time of day) and a good book. This atmosphere brings to mind Hygge, the ineffable Danish feeling in those slow, quiet moments – those magical moments when you are truly living in the present moment.

Here are some “Hygge”-like spaces by Studio Slow for us to picture ourselves in (a girl can dream). So slow down, breathe, and let me take you on a journey.

First, let’s hop in the bath for a long, hot soak.

Now that we’re all relaxed, let’s grab a hot beverage from the kitchen…

…or maybe from this one (because we like to have options).

Now that you have your beverage, let’s head to the dining room.

This tomato soup / lobster bisque shade exudes calm & warmth…

…and is carried through onto the ceiling in the living room…

Maybe you squeeze in a little diary entry at this table.

It’s getting a little late – time to get ready for bed.

If you fancy emulating this Hygge vibe at your home, Reforma Stockholm, a Swedish furniture line, carries plenty of chic and affordable Scandi pieces (furniture and decor items). They carry a variety of international furniture lines as well as their own designs.

Currently, they’re offering 10% off your first order if you sign up for emails.

Here are some of my favourite pieces from Reforma Stockholm:

*This is not a sponsored post

Studio McGee

September 4, 2017September 4, 2017 Stephanie Sham2 Comments

The bright and clean aesthetic of Studio McGee never gets old. Despite having only officially launched in 2014, the firm is already one of the most well-known interior design firms in the US and has been published in the likes of Architectural Digest, Domino and House Beautiful.

There’s nothing more relaxing than whiling away the hours on a lazy Sunday afternoon (or Labor Day weekend, in this case) watching Studio McGee’s Youtube videos (link here).

Fresh, modern and timeless, it’s easy to see why their work is so well-loved.

Promontory Project

One of my favourite projects of theirs is the Promontory Project – this new build is a modern mountain home in Park City, Utah. The YouTube video is an absolute visual treat. As you can tell, I had a difficult time curating photos for this project – I just love them all!

Check out more of their work here.

Yellow Brick Home

June 5, 2017June 5, 2017 Stephanie ShamLeave a comment

I stumbled upon Yellow Brick Home about a month ago and have been hooked ever since. Kim and Scott are DIY experts – a husband and wife duo from Chicago who have turned their (almost 130-year-old) house into a beautiful home with their own bare hands. They also run The Pet Shop and The Print Shop.

Simple, all-American and timeless, their home is full of hidden treasures and fun little details, topped off with a generous sprinkling of love and adorable dogs for good measure.

A few things that stand out to me most (apart from their clearly impeccable taste) are:

(1) the paint colours – sophisticated neutrals that are just different enough from the standard neutral wall colours to keep things interesting but still timeless. If I had to pick a favourite paint colour from their home, it would have to be Benjamin Moore’s Intense White used on their living room and bathroom walls; the soft warm tint keeps the rooms warm and inviting but still bright and fresh;

(2) the light fixtures – many of which are from Rejuvenation. Again, simple, timeless classics;

(3) the gorgeous headboards;

(4) the rugs; and

(5) the amazing mosaic honeycomb tiles on the bathroom floor (which they also DIY’d themselves!).

If you enjoyed this post and/or enjoy DIY, I highly recommend checking out their Pinterest and Instagram for more!

Clean Lines by Griffiths Design Studio

“Simplicity, style and elegance is the signature of the most successful design ideas.”

May 9, 2017 Stephanie Sham1 Comment

Australian interior design is having a moment in my book (and on my blog, clearly). Griffiths Design Studio, led by Gillianne Griffiths, is based in Melbourne, Australia, and was founded with the philosophy that “simplicity, style and elegance is the signature of the most successful design ideas.”.

This apartment in Toorak, Melbourne, evokes a deep sense of calm and serenity with its clean lines and simple monochrome palette.

Highlight: the charcoal coffered wall.

Highlight: the whimsical but structured light fixture.

Black and white perfection.

Visual interest is created by mixing varying tones of grey within the same room.

Whoever said neutrals couldn’t be cozy was very wrong. A chunky knitted throw does the trick.

Clean lines keep the space looking airy and fresh.

Check out more of their projects on their official website.

Understated Luxury by Studio Tate

The penthouse exudes understated luxury in its finest details, from the carefully selected marble, to the intricately designed ceiling strapping and custom cabinetry.

May 3, 2017 Stephanie ShamLeave a comment

Melbourne-based interior architecture studio, Studio Tate, designed this minimal but luxe penthouse for an empty-nester couple. The couple favours monochrome interiors, so a predominantly black and white colour palette was selected. The penthouse exudes understated luxury in its finest details, from the carefully selected marble, to the intricately designed ceiling strapping and custom cabinetry.

Bold splashes of colour (such as the bright teal couch, chartreuse velvet armchairs and colourful artwork) prevent the space from being too monochrome and add visual interest. Areas that would benefit more from the calming effect of a neutral palette were kept neutral, such as the bedroom and bathroom.

Some of my favourite elements are the ceiling strapping, the mid-century modern furniture pieces, the clean lines, the glamorous touches of gold and brass, the pendant light over the dining table* and the statement-making marble selection.

*See my post on Douglas and Bec for a great selection of similar pendant lights.

More understated luxury to feast your eyes on, on Studio Tate’s website.

Breezy Bohemian in Pacific Palisades

May 1, 2017May 1, 2017 Stephanie ShamLeave a comment

This breathtaking Spanish Colonial house in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, was designed by Katherine Carter, London-born Californian transplant now residing at Venice Beach, LA.

Katherine lives by the philosophy that, “A well-designed interior and exterior should embody exceptional design that is timeless, unique, charming, luxurious, functional, comfortable, and most importantly speaks the client’s language.”

This house is the epitome of easy, breezy, Bohemian interior design. The white walls allow the Californian sunshine to flood the space, the wooden beams and window frames lend a raw, rustic feel reminiscent of the colonial era and the textured soft furnishings inject Bohemian coziness to the space. The house is the perfect example of how the fiddle leaf fig plant can make a whole room come together while bringing a bit of the outside in. The beautifully curated rug selection also provides the perfect finishing touch to each room.

Fun fact: this house belongs to reality TV star and fashion/makeup guru, Lauren Conrad.

Caramel leather, rattan and warm wooden tones infuse a sense of warmth, coziness and down-to-earth vibe to the space.

The white-on-white-on-white room is broken up through the clever use of texture. White honeycomb floor tiles add visual interest and provide a nice textural contrast against the white subway tiles on the wall.

That gold geometric pendant light adds a touch of modernity to the otherwise traditional entryway (and there’s that cheeky fiddle leaf fig peeking in again!).

Those wishbone chairs with rattan upholstery are the perfect Bohemian accompaniment to this casual dining space.

For more Bohemian gorgeousness, click on through to Katherine Carter’s website.

Hecker Guthrie

Do kitchens get any fresher than this? I think not. The kitchen equivalent of freshly washed, crisp linen sheets.

April 29, 2017April 29, 2017 Stephanie ShamLeave a comment

I’m about to share with you one of the freshest, brightest and most revitalising kitchens I’ve ever laid eyes on. Allow me to introduce you to Hecker Guthrie, an interior design studio based in Melbourne, Australia, led by Paul Hecker and Hamish Guthrie. The Australian design aesthetic is one that I often admire – free and easy, modern, youthful and always with a touch of that carefree Australian vibe.

Toorak Residence

What is your preferred kitchen style? Would you like to spend your lazy Sunday mornings in this Toorak Residence kitchen?

Kate La Vie’s Enviable Apartment

April 25, 2017April 25, 2017 Stephanie ShamLeave a comment

If you’re familiar with the beauty blogosphere and YouTube world, you’ve probably heard of, or follow, Kate La Vie. I, myself, have been following her blog and YouTube channel for years. What stands out the most to me about Kate is her impeccable interiors style and DIY talent. She has a gift for styling knick knacks and decorative items around the home. Her Parisian flare permeates her beautiful apartment in Glasgow, Scotland, and the Bohemian touches lend a casual, free-spirited balance to the space.

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Highlights: West Elm Monroe sofa, marble fireplace, raw hardwood floors, bright white walls.

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Highlights: Moroccan-inspired pouf, mid-century modern pink armchair, cushion covered with eyes (!), eyes print, cacti… okay, pretty much everything!

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How adorable is that baby cacti arrangement?! Kate DIY’d the mini planters herself. Genius!

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Herringbone floorboards (tick!), subway tiles (tick!), “marble” (but not actually real marble) fireplace (tick!), selection of cacti (tick!), tribal-looking bohemian mirror (tick!). Tick, tick, tick!!

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Which print is your favourite? For me, the palm trees win, hands down. Close second: the polka dots & pink marble hybrid print (oh, and let’s not forget the ocean waves print!).

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Beautiful brass touches everywhere ❤

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This gorgeous marble and brass bar cart is from Oliver Bonas.

Now into the kitchen…

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That mint green SMEG is everything. This kitchen was completely DIY’d and designed by Kate herself. The backsplash constructed with herringbone tiles is so unique and really stands out. The brass theme continues with the tap.

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Now into the bathroom…

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…and lastly, the bedroom:

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Brownie points if you noticed the change in headboard and the flooring. I personally much prefer the latter picture (with the new herringbone wood floors and (non-existent) headboard); warmer, fresher, less feminine and more modern. The warm wooden floors help to ground the space, whereas previously, the room appeared to be “floating” due to the combination of white walls and white floors.

I’ll leave you with Kate’s video of her apartment tour. Enjoy!