counter – Loftenberg https://www.loftenberg.com Stunning interiors Sat, 13 Aug 2011 12:05:04 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.3 A Labor Of Love In Poland https://www.loftenberg.com/a-labor-of-love-in-poland/ https://www.loftenberg.com/a-labor-of-love-in-poland/#respond Sat, 13 Aug 2011 09:30:08 +0000 https://www.loftenberg.com/?guid=0002a0d1f6458faafd79dd8372963393 An apartment in Poland, interiors designed and fabricated by the husband/wife design team of BioLINIA,  Becky Nix & Olek Zemplinski, is a labor of love indeed. The 3 year project included a move to Poland, a budget of $60,000, transforming 1,023 square feet from mere walls into a modern custom home.  Not only is it a love of space but also a love of place.  Located in Wilanow, a southern district of Warsaw, Poland and adjacent to the Wilanów Palace.  The new 5-story apartment building is in the heart of one of Warsaw’s newest and largest developing areas.

Efficient use of space and functionality are key for BioLINIA.  Using a marriage of  textures such as pre-finished plywood,  precast concrete parking blocks, concrete ceiling, steel cabinets, tile work while leaving space open and versatile.

The kitchen, the focal point of the apartment draws the eye to the perforated plywood ceiling that converges into upper vertical cabinets of the same material. Computer generated and CNC milled this elaborate organic latticework is inspired by radiating tree branches which are backlit as ambient lighting.  Bookshelves located below the kitchen’s island counter are moveable on casters exposing bar-style sitting area at the island .  The bookshelves also function as an office desk or sideboard.  Multifunctional modular furniture pieces were designed as a set of three to compliment the space.

The main living area houses a cube which contains hidden sliding doors, cabinets and a fold down bed.  Not unlike the Murphy bed though this one creates its own room by pulling out a panel.

A private master bedroom and bath is concealed from the main live-work space by a full-height sliding pocket door. The bedroom and bath area are separated by a perforated concrete masonry wall produced from geometrically- shaped parking blocks allowing light and ventilation to penetrate the bathing area. Radiant heating through a raised floor slab and adds substantial thermal comfort.  Custom concrete counter tops were constructed on site.  This takes DIY to a new level, only if you dare.  The end result being, something well though out and to be proud of.

]]> https://www.loftenberg.com/a-labor-of-love-in-poland/feed/ 0 Set Sail in London https://www.loftenberg.com/set-sail-in-london/ https://www.loftenberg.com/set-sail-in-london/#respond Thu, 24 Feb 2011 21:08:53 +0000 https://www.loftenberg.com/?p=2428 Enter this London loft and you might feel as if you’re ready to set sail. From the portal windows, to the art pieces hanging on exposed brick walls, an undulating wooden panel ceiling, a galley entrance to the open kitchen with a retro island counter and captain bar stools, the entire space maintains a balance of spaciousness with intimacy (a definite sense when in a boat’s cabin).

With a roof that offers a beautiful aerial view of London’s financial district across the Thames, this loft dweller must dream they’re out on the open seas. I just like how they took matters into their own hands and didn’t hold back on a specific theme. A bit whimsical, yet with a definite purpose, this London loft stands out, because, well, I’ve never seen anything quite like it. Who wouldn’t want to be “shipwrecked” here?

]]> https://www.loftenberg.com/set-sail-in-london/feed/ 0 Modern Mediterranean Decorating https://www.loftenberg.com/modern-mediterranean-decorating/ https://www.loftenberg.com/modern-mediterranean-decorating/#respond Tue, 04 Jan 2011 16:18:30 +0000 Mediterranean houses are big here in California.  The problem is many of them are done terribly.  Quite often you see these large, sometime huge, faux Mediterranean tract homes with matching furniture set, heavy draping, granite counter tops–and once you see one house you see them all. They all look the same!

You only have to watch Real Housewives of Orange County to know what we’re talking about.

So we were so happy to stumble upon a beautiful house in Santa Monica while browsing for real estate (just for fun, mind you).  Here is a great Mediteranean home that’s done right.  See how the furniture is light, nothing is matchy matchy, and the colors are so fun and bright?





Photo credit:  DavidOffer.comPS And just in case you are curious, the house is for sale for $3.795M.  That’s California for you!

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