Grand Design

Inspiring Matthew Hilton interview

Ruth Hyndman — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 20:44:41 +0000

I love this interview video with British furniture designer Matthew Hilton.

It is beautifully filmed, well conceived; holds interesting insights into the designer’s process and is all-round inspiring.

View interview.

To view Matthew Hilton’s website, full of amazing photography and locations, in addition to his furniture designs: http://matthewhilton.com

Below are some examples of his work:

Source: http://www.dezeenscreen.com/2011/09/16/interview-matthew-hilton/

Filed under: Furnishings, INTERIOR DESIGN

Interesting details, Casa Natalia

Ruth Hyndman — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 18:29:20 +0000

Casa Natalia (Agraz Arquitectos) has some really interesting interior and exterior details. I particularly like the simplicity and the use of interesting textural finishes on the front door and in the stairwell. Also notice the beautiful detail of the recessed light above the front door.

Links:

Behance portfolio

Agraz Arquitectos

Filed under: ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN, INTERIOR DESIGN

New work by Ruth Hyndman Interiors

Ruth Hyndman — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 01:14:19 +0000

BELVEDERE BATHROOM REMODEL

Link: Belvedere residence portfolio page

My Belvedere clients had already gutted the downstairs level of their home following a flood when I first met them. Drywall, flooring etc. had been removed from the site and fans were circulating air to remove damp and prevent mold.

Please click images to enlarge

Belvedere bathroom remodel, vanity wall

Belvedere bathroom remodel, tub surround & cabinetry

Belvedere bathroom remodel, Cabinetry

We designed the new bathroom to occupy the same footprint but significantly reduced the size and quantity of the ceiling soffits and eliminated the second door into the room. This created higher ceilings and a greater sense of space; as well as more wall area, along which cabinetry could be built.

Materials were carefully chosen to keep the project within a modest budget and a large amount of custom cherry cabinetry maximized the room’s storage potential. Beautiful tile work, interesting tub surround tile design and a harmonious combination of materials resulted in a serene, light and beautiful space.

Filed under: Bathrooms, DESIGNED BY RUTH HYNDMAN, INTERIOR DESIGN, Interiors

The Amazing Jaffa Apartment

Ruth Hyndman — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 20:28:01 +0000

The amazing Jaffa Apartment (2011), by Architect Pitsou Kedem of Tel Aviv.

Jaffa Apartment, Pitsou Kedem, 2011

(Source: http://www.trendir.com)

Filed under: ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN, Architecture, INTERIOR DESIGN

It doesn’t get any better than this

Ruth Hyndman — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 22:02:16 +0000

I feel honoured to feature the furnishings of Italian Jaime Tresserra.

I do not possess the words to sufficiently capture the magnificence of his pieces. Perhaps it is only through Jaime’s own, very understated sentences, that it can be gleaned effectively:

“TRESSARRA COLECTION was created in response to the needs of a special kind of consumer, whose aspirations reflect a particular life-style.

Our objective has always been to reject the industrial constraints which so often sacrifice beauty for the bottom line.

Faithful to this ascetic compromise we combine craftsmanship with the noblest materials to give shape to our designs.”

http://tresserra.com

It is the attention to detail and the craftsmanship exhibited in Tresserra’s work that so inspires me. In a world and a time which has us surrounded by the products of mass production and a driving focus on ‘value’, Tresserra reminds me of the other extreme.

I have included a few images below, but to do full justice to these pieces, you should view them at his web site, where you will enjoy his high quality images and closeups.

Tressarra Collection

Filed under: Cabinetry, Furnishings, INTERIOR DESIGN, Uncategorized

Twin Peaks Bathrooms: Before & After

Ruth Hyndman — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 17:45:12 +0000

This is a city condo, and as is so often the case, the bathrooms are small and have no natural light of their own; so we had to be thoughtful about how we treated the spaces.

Both vanities float 14 inches above the floor, which allows for the feeling of space and air and light. Being able to see the floor below the vanities makes the floor appear larger (and allows us to see more of the very beautiful floor tile). The vanities are custom made from a 20-year-old sheet of rosewood veneered plywood, a surprise discovery from the depths of the cabinet-maker’s shop, and which is exquisitely beautiful.

The rooms were finished with contemporary Grohe and HansGrohe polished chrome fittings and we kept the color scheme very light and bright.

Please click on the images below to enlarge

Twin Peaks guest bath

Twin Peaks Master Bath, view 1

Twin Peaks Master Bath, view 2

Filed under: Bathrooms, DESIGNED BY RUTH HYNDMAN, INTERIOR DESIGN, Interiors

Andrew Testa Photography

Ruth Hyndman — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 23:18:24 +0000

I stumbled upon this British photographer through an article for the New York Times. A clearly highly successful photographer and photojournalist, his work dazzled me. I’m particularly taken by his composition and the strong contrast in his black and white shots.

I’m featuring two of his photographs of the Moken ‘Sea Gypsies’ who live off the coast of Thailand. Their story is as fascinating as the pictures are incredible.

You can see more of his work and read more about him at http://www.andrewtesta.co.uk

Filed under: Art

Twin Peaks Kitchen: Before & After

Ruth Hyndman — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 21:39:02 +0000

It was a pleasure to have the opportunity to transform this small and very dated Twin Peaks kitchen into a beautiful, bright and highly functional contemporary room.

We worked with sequenced and book-matched anegre veneer which worked particularly well; it is quarter-sawn, offering a very straight grain and figured for some additional beauty.

We stained the oak floors relatively dark, in order to offer contrast with the anegre cabinetry. And the black counter tops completed the picture, bringing a deep contrast to the room.

Please click on the images below to enlarge

Filed under: Cabinetry, DESIGNED BY RUTH HYNDMAN, INTERIOR DESIGN, Interiors, Kitchens, Lighting

Swedish Art Deco in Eltham Palace

Ruth Hyndman — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 00:47:27 +0000

Eltham Palace entry hall

Photograph by Andrew Testa (Click on the above image to enlarge)

Next time I’m in London, first on my visiting list is Eltham Palace.

Former home of Kings Henry II, IV and VIII, Eltham was acquired in 1933 by Stephen Courtauld, an heir to the British textile fortune, and his Italian-born wife, Virginia. They commissioned architects Seely and Paget to revamp the estate into a “modern home suitable for their considerable entertaining needs”, in an elegant mix of styles that reflected the prevailing tastes of the day. Eltham featured an internal telephone system and a clock linked directly to the Greenwich observatory.

The New York Times notes that the Swedish Art Deco hall pictured here, with its Australian black-bean paneling and marquetry scenes of Venice and Stockholm, is a showstopper. I must say, I agree.

More images at: http://www.elthampalace.org.uk And by Googling “Eltham Palace images”

New York Times article at: http://travel.nytimes.com/2011/01/02/travel/02cultured-london.html

Filed under: ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN, Architecture, Furnishings, INTERIOR DESIGN, Wall coverings

Fantastic Tile

Ruth Hyndman — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 23:42:20 +0000

Walker Zanger 'Studio Moderne' collection

I’ve been doing the rounds of the tile stores this week, as I select tile for a bathroom remodel I’m working on.

While in Walker Zanger, I was taken by their ‘Studio Moderne’ collection (above), apparently inspired by Art Deco, Hollywood Regency and Classic Modernism.

The scale of these tiles is what so strikes me, with some of the tiles as large as 18″ x 20″.

Use with care, however, as only a very special space can handle such a bold architectural focal point.

Walker Zanger

Walker Zanger 'Studio Moderne' collection

Filed under: Wall coverings