To kick off the month, it's time for another round of Where In the World Is This? If you'd like to skip ahead, you can check out the listing here. Otherwise, take a look at the following shots, and see if you can guess where this house is located.
This grey clapboard saltbox has a charming porch across the front and a chimney at each end. Though it's in a traditional style, it was built in 2006 and is a very roomy 7,000 square feet. (This includes the attic and cellar, but not the two-car garage or pool house.)
The relaxed, Cape Cod-farmhouse vibe is evident in the kitchen; beadboard cabinets painted sage green and an apron sink add country character. It's too bad the fireplace (right) is almost blocked by the lamp in this photo, because even when it's not in use, it lends real warmth to the space.
A sun-soaked, conservatory-style breakfast nook looks out over the lush green lawn and in-ground pool. This is the only room in the house that's a little more formal, thanks to the chandelier and plinths, but it's nice to see that the space could be dressed up a little.
In the living room, the grey horizontal panelling from the exterior continues behind built-in bookcases but is lightened by a creamy beadboard ceiling and wide wooden floors. I'll be perfectly honest: given the room's slightly rumpled, unpretentious feel, I think the moose head is a perfect touch.
I could probably enthuse for a whole blog post about that pink roadster and miniature silver armchair, but let's skip the toys and go right to the enclosed bed. Not only is it perfectly in tune with the cottage notes in the rest of the house, it creates the perfect child-sized reading and sleeping spot, and can easily be closed off to hide an unmade bed.
Now for the reveal: this house is actually in Schoten, Belgium! Even though it's just outside of Antwerp and about 45 minutes from Brussels, the house comes on sizeable acreage, and much of the town itself is still forested and rural. For this kind of country living, $2.4 million doesn't seem too bad.
For more on Belgian style, check out our Flemish-inspired decorating finds.
Photo credits:
1-5. Emile Garcin Properties
I stumbled upon this Brazilian interior and couldn't help but share it.
There are so many eclectic elements in this space, but somehow they all work together effortlessly. The three styles of very different chairs, the mix of antique, vintage and contemporary pieces, the bulb clusters sitting in nets and the lived-in look of the not-so-curated bookcase are pulled together to create a fantastic, unique space. It's so refreshingly different — I love it. What do you think?
See our gallery of photos from Vintage Remix for more ideas.
Photo credit:
1. Méchant Design
The more I speak to retailers and consumers about patio furniture and what they're looking for, the more this theme of indoor-outdoor decorating pops up. It seems that everyone wants to decorate their outdoor spaces with an "indoor" feel.
Depending how much space you have (sprawling home versus urban condo), many people will rely on their outdoor space as an extra room for the warm months ahead. This could be one of the reasons we're paying more attention to outdoor decorating.
This Roxö table from Ikea provides seating for up to four people, and is small enough for a condo balcony. Pair it with a few of the bright orange or turquoise Roxö stools for a pop of colour. You can even stack them under the table to save space when you're not using them.
For a lounge-worthy chair, check out these new Brommö chairs, a cool $60 each.
If you have the luxury of space, set aside a place for a dining area with comfortable chairs. In the summer months, it can double as a second dinning room. Andrew Richard Designs has several outdoor options with an indoor feel. These Producer chairs are made from teak and stainless steel and fold away easily come winter. Plus, they're comfortable enough to use as casual seating.
West Elm has come out with a very attractive outdoor collection called Jardine. One of my favourite pieces is the daybed. I love the light wood with the crisp white cushions. This daybed would be a great jumping off point for any outdoor space.
Don't forget about storage! This trunk has plenty of room for throw cushions and outdoor serveware, and can double as a coffee table or bench.
Last but not least, consider an overhead cover-up if you don't already have shelter off your balcony or house. The Home Depot has a wonderful selection of umbrellas and pergolas. Suzanne Dimma showed this one at a recent appearance on Steven and Chris.
See more outdoor spaces with indoor elements in our photo gallery.
Photo credits:
1. Roxö table, Ikea
2. Roxö stools, Ikea
3. Brommö chairs, Ikea
4. Producer chairs, Andrew Richard Designs
5. Jardine daybed, West Elm
6. Jardine trunk bench, West Elm
7. Hampton Bay 9-1/2' pergola, The Home Depot
Only a short time ago, I was working away on the prop styling for the June 2013 cooking story. Unlike the photos in the magazine suggest, it was freezing cold outside with no sign of summer — or spring for that matter! To create the feeling of June, I went with an outdoorsy, easy-breezy palette of minty greens and soft pinks with lots of white. It reminded me of all the early summer flowers we have to look forward to, and worn picnic tables full of homemade cooked food. Hurray for summer!
As you can see, I always have lots of styling options on set. This great mix of tableware is from a number of different retailers, but they're all similar in style. Unfortunately, there are usually a few pieces that don't make the cut, but I keep them in mind for future photo shoots.
The same goes for linens and glassware. It's always good to be prepared with multiples. Sometimes we like to show recipes in a serving bowl, but other times we show the recipes plated and ready to eat. This means glassware, linens and cutlery are key. They also help to add a bit of decor to a photograph that's mostly about food. I fell in love with the rose coloured goblets from Pottery Barn and wine glasses from Crate & Barrel (both pictured above). They may be a little feminine for everyday use, but they're perfect for a special outdoor dinner party on a warm June evening!
Now this is where I'm giving away all my secrets! What looks like a pretty garden scene in the magazine actually looked like this in studio. Once stylist Ashley Denton adds the finishing touches and the talented Donna Griffith puts her lens on it, the result is a convincing outdoor location.
It's this fooling the eye that I sometimes love the most because of the challenge in capturing a location or feeling that might not be accessible when we're shooting. From the raised table and chair (on boxes and books!), to the faux beadboard wallpaper from NLXL, you can see we have a few unexpected tricks up our sleeves.
For more behind-the-scenes photo shoot tricks, see Morgan Michener's blog post.
Photo credits:
1-3. Joel Bray
Superstar Dutch designer Marcel Wanders, founder of Moooi, touches down in Toronto this Friday, May 3rd, to unveil his latest designs for Klaus, the exclusive Canadian dealer of Moooi furnishings. On May 4th, he will speak at the Hair of the Dog Brunch hosted by the Design Exchange from 11 to 1:30 p.m.
Wanders is a product and interior designer who shot to fame with his knotted chair design for Droog in 2006. Since forming Moooi in 2001, he has gone on to design products for Ålessi, Christofle, B&B Italia and Target, and very hip architectural projects and interiors. We asked Wanders about some of his latest endeavors, and reveal some of his new Moooi offerings at Klaus.
House & Home: You have said that product designers should make fantasies real, and your designs and interiors — particularly the trippy South Beach Mondrian — really illustrate this philosophy. Where do you think your whimsical sense of play stems from?
Marcel Wanders: If you want to give people a new experience, you have to kind of surprise them with something they have never seen, it gives them a sense of euphoria. Whimsical things are unexpected, you understand them as being very fun and beautiful, but I think the idea of fantasy should be meaningful. I don't feel fantasy plays an important role in a lot of design, and I think it should. I am trying to put fantasy on a higher level in my work.
H&H: You're a judge for the upcoming DX emerging designer contest. What kinds of things do you look for when assessing a young designer's work?
MW: It's difficult because you get only a little part of the story of design. I try to understand the reasoning behind the work, and why people are doing something. Ultimately, I don't love to criticize someone else's work, I want to support and excite these people.
H&H: You set up a program at Moooi to teach designers about business. Why is mentoring young designers in this area important to you?
MW: We have a young designer program to give feedback from professionals in — and outside — of the design world. I don't know if I am a role model but I think everyone in the universe is either an example or warning, it's up to us to choose which we will be. Designers working within the industry convince companies to invest, produce and sell their ideas, to make sure that people working in the company will still have a job tomorrow. It's a responsibility for a designer. If you aren't interested in listening to what companies need, then do a different job.
H&H: You've made a shift from product design to large-scale projects like commercial spaces and hotels (the Miami Mondrian is shown above). Is that a natural progression from product design?
MW: For me it's kind of a logical step, I don't want to do the same type of thing over and over again. Design is the study of relationships more than anything else. It's always interesting to see the relationship of objects to their surroundings; I am exploring this within the interior designs I am doing.
For more insight, read interviews with Jonathan Adler and Vicente Wolf.
Photo credits:
1. Yoox.com
2-4. Moooi
5. CubeMe.com
You may remember Vancouver company Gallant & Jones was featured in the July 2010 issue of House & Home (Style Files, p. 30). Their beautiful handcrafted chairs are still available, as are their stools, trays, totes, blankets and... tents! Yes, tents! Now carrying a quirky line of tents from FieldCandy, Gallant & Jones' outdoor products are sure to put a smile on your face.
Outfit your deck with something other than moulded plastic chairs. Gallant & Jones' folding deck chair frames are crafted using North American white oak and covered with the prettiest assortment of fabrics.
The FieldCandy tents are too much fun! There are six trompe-l'oeil options to choose from. I can't describe how happy that watermelon tent makes me, even though I have no interest in camping!
Gallant & Jones also has a beautiful blog. Check it out for more inspiration.
Photo credits:
1-3. House & Home July 2010 issue, photography by Janis Nicolay
4. FieldCandy, from the Gallant & Jones website
Comment Guidelines
We welcome your feedback on Houseandhome.com. H&H reserves the right to remove any unsuitable personal remarks made about the bloggers, hosts, homeowners and/or guests we feature. Please keep your comments focused on decorating, design, cooking and other lifestyle topics. Adopt a tone you would be willing to use in person and do not make slanderous remarks or use denigrating language. If you see a comment that you believe violates any of the guidelines outlined above, please click “Alert a Moderator.” Thank you.