Blog crush | Musta Ovi and the house building project

I recently discovered  Finnish blog Musta Ovi which I think means Black door. On her blog Maja, a thirty something Art director as she discribes herself, is documenting the process of building a new house combining Scandinavian simplicity with a Loft style. Add a bit of industrial touches and you have my own interior, which is in my opinion the best of both worlds. What do you think?

I really enjoy how she is showing the progress on every detail, from moodboards to inspiration pictures, to pictures from building materials on the raw concrete and unfinished floors, just how like it! Meanwhile she also finds time to show some DIY projects on her blog. I hope she will leave some concrete exposed to create a true Loft style and I can't wait to see the end result.

pictures via Musta Ovi with thanks 

Mobilia Amsterdam | Design & concrete

Mobilia Living, located at Utrechtsestraat in the center of Amsterdam, recently renovated their three-storey building, and I simply love the new and fresh look. Floors are styled with affordable design and beautiful classics, from furniture and lighting to accessories by famous designers to emerging talent.

I even found some recognisable walls, well almost... Just like at my home the original concrete wall is left bare with a 'dyed' framework. Definitely worth visiting when planning your next trip to Amsterdam. More pictures can be found at my Amsterdam city guide Amsterdam Next. 

pictures (c) by vosgesparis.com | amsterdamnext.com

Volkshotel | Hotel and meeting place for creative minds

Volkshotel is a brand new hotel located in the former Volkskrant building. And after a weekend of partying, music and special acts now open for guests, creatives minds and neighbours. I was invited to the opening weekend and just before the party started I had a sneak peek at some of the 172! rooms and the different spaces. It was a great night with lots of nice people, meetings, music, drinks & bites and a beautiful sunset on the 8th floor.

For 42 years the building was the home of one of the biggest, most progressive Dutch newspapers. After the newspaper moved out, the empty building transformed and thanks to the Foundation Urban Resort it became one of the largest creative workspaces in Holland, where hundreds of creative minds found a place to work. By the end of 2010 plans are made for a new hotel including the work studio's and Canvas. 

There are also 9 special themed rooms designed by creative minds, like the soixante neuf room by Rosa Winkel and the white bike room. 

Volkshotel is a place where everyone is welcome to come to drink, work, eat, meet and sleep.On the seventh floor the old canteen is transformed into restaurant Canvas, where you can have a reasonably priced breakfast, lunch or dinner with 360° views over the city. On the picture above 'the balcony' that goes all the way round. Canvas Club is open during the weekends. 

The old installation rooms are converted into Petit Canvas, a place for any occasion, including marriage reception and private dinners. On the 8th floor you can sit outside and have a sauna or use one of the 3  bath tubs.

Interior designer Bas van Tol has created an interior full of magnified newspaper cut outs and original elements of steel, wood, concrete and glass. I can't wait to try out the hotel myself together with our bloggerstour team later this year. Want to try out the hotel yourself ? Stay in the hotel on any date in July for 69 euro's a night!

Volkshotel
Wibautstraat 150
1091 GR Amsterdam
Metro stop: Wibautstraat / or walk from Amstel station in 10 minutes.

                          pictures (c) vosgesparis.com | amsterdamnext.com

Style is a simple way of saying complicated things | Inspiration

I have a crush for all things raw and unfinished... finding the concrete details at my own home were a real bonus and inspired me, in combination with liters of white paint, to create the home I now have. Ideas for your home can be found in many places, but I think fashion stores are a real inspiration and when being in other cities I always try to find really cool and different ones with great interiors. XXX Berlin was one of my favourites but also Stockholm based BLK DNM  If you think you know some I would love, Let me know!! 

Vienna based fashion store Wolfensson is another store that inspires me, and want me to change things at home... I simply adore the wall in the picture above! The black stripes of paint remind me of the press campaign for Tiger of Sweden I posted here |Rock &Roll elegance| that first picture in the campaign is my iPad's background ever since I posted.

pictures via wolfensson with thanks

SPRMRKT X WDSTCK | SPRMRKT concept store Amsterdam

When Nelleke Strijkers first entered the space she knew she had found the raw and unfinished area where she could do whatever she wanted. Her concept store SPRMRKT has a perfect raw and honest emotion that she is really comfortable with. At SPRMRKT you will find wearables, interior, exhibitions and more.

It is one of the shops I truly admire for years as it has this unfinished atmosphere I love. Totally painted in black, lots of black fashion, great bags and shoes... need I say more? It is also a store I can wander around maybe just a bit longer because of the music they play!

Lately Neleke has been working on making art and design more accessible at SPRMRKT as she noticed how young designers often struggle with a minimum income because of a minimum demand. Launching the co-branded concrete 'Van Vels' bowls and the 'stal collective' are the result of a collaboration between SPRMRKT and WDSTCK.

WDSTCK offers a range of multidisciplinary objects that each tell a personal story. The collection is presented at their gallery located in the middle of a forest in Naarden. From there, every object travels trough boutiques, art-fairs, conceptstores and museums until it finds a way to its future owner. 

This week I went to the opening of the exhibition of WDSTCK's new collection at SPRMRKT. Besides various architectural and interior design objects, the collection also included fashion and photography. WDSTCK's new paper magazine with the latest designs, background stories and visual essays was launched as well. Read the magazine online here |WDSTCK paper magazine| 

 

I really loved the photography with model Miriam de Boer wearing one of the pieces shown above. If you love the pictures you can see a few more at my city guide blog Amsterdam Next where you can also find more info about SPRMRKT. Some of the opening pictures at my facebook album

To see more of the collection, have a look at the making of the WDSTCK collection video shoot and the WDSTCK website.

                 

Pictures © Amsterdamnext.com | Vosgesparis

Industrial meets concrete | Concrete lamps by Studio Ned

Today I discovered these industrial lamps at Harvest & Co. made by Studio ned. If you love Industrial lamps with all its beautiful details and the raw feeling of concrete you might like them as much as I do. More on Harvest & Co. on my other blog Amsterdam Next

                                                       Pictures © vosgesparis

A white home with concrete and wood | Japanese architecture

If you love concrete in combination with plain white walls, I know I do! Simple plain wood furniture and semi transparant white curtains.... you have to love this home. A beautiful white home both in and outside. The 'house of trough' as this home by Japanese studio Jun Igarashi architects is called, is located east of hokkaido.

Pictures © Jun Igarashi Architects

New pictures of my studio | Something black & Industrial

I had my eyes on this little cabinet for ages... ever since it first appeared in one of the offices at my day job many years ago it was love at first sight. And now I finally could bring it home as it was not really used anymore.

And do I love it... I was looking for ages for a good place to store all my city souvenirs and trade brochures I wanted to keep! I stored them in cute white paper bags I customized: Collecting travel memories. (See more DIY ideas here and do send me yours in those natural and B&W colors I like for the blog) Ohh and all things from Milan I kept in this little Paola Navone for Merci suitcase on top of my locker: Painting a locker inspired by Milano

I also finally have a good place for all my clippings and I started adding little tags on the drawers cute hey, dont you think ;)

I also love this tattoo and I am very happy with my new Black Muuto lamp!

I love it when things look slightly different again and seeing my industrial table found a good place in the kitchen (when you just started following my blog, have a look here on how my studio looked 2 years ago: Black&White Studio) I guess I 'need' more of these cabinets now! 

When concrete meets wood | stylist Amanda Rodriques

Concrete and wood, beautifully styled by Stockholm based stylist Amanda Rodriques and photographed by Elin stromberg