Kinuta Terrace by Norm Architects and Keiji Ashizawa Design

Emerged from shared design values, the collaboration between Tokyo-native design studio, Keiji Ashizawa and Copenhagen-based Norm Architects takes its root in mutual admiration and a love for material richness and timeless appeal evident in both design traditions.

In the spring of 2018, Ashizawa on boarded Norm Architects to collaborate on the renovation of two apartments in the Kinuta Terrace apartments complex comprising a total of 36 units. Kinuta Terrace was originally built back in the 1980s and features an integrated courtyard that gives residents the advantages of a single-family home.

The two design studios partnered with Japan’s leading manufacturer of wooden furniture, Karimoku, on carrying out the renovation, during which the idea of a furniture series arose. Combining a balanced industrial and natural look and feel, each space has been designed to let air and light pass through, creating a natural flow throughout the apartment.

Nature feels integrated into the apartment from most rooms, looking out into the courtyard, and you can’t quite tell you’re in a city as immense as Tokyo. text and pictures courtesy Norm Architects

Headboard tapestry & wall hangings by Alexandra Kohl

As a child I grew up in the South of Amsterdam, with the famous Vondelpark around the corner and On the edge of the neighborhood the Amsterdam forest. I used to go horse riding every week, and while most kids of my age went to a manège where they learned how to ride properly, how to add their helmets and their special boots, I went to a stable in the forest near my home and learned to ride a huge black horse wearing my willies and no helmet.

I loved our trips in the wood and although I haven't ride a horse for decades my love for horses never faded, no wonder I love the work of textile designer Alexandra Kohl. I previously wrote about a daybed she collaborated on with furniture designer J.M. Szymanski: A daybed different from all other I recently came across her work again through Instagram where I saw her woven pieces.

The material she uses for her wall hangings, head boards, pillows and other pieces are cotton and horse hair. Many of her pieces use hair from the horses who are rescued and rehabilitated by Our Farm in North Salem, NY. She has created a number of extraordinary custom textile works for avid riders with hair from their horses’ manes or tails. I totally love the different colours in her work and love to give you a small impression of these one of a kind creations on the blog today. 

headboard tapestry and close ups above, below a close up and different wall hangings For inquiries and more of her work lease visit Alexandra Kohl.

pictures courtesy Alexandra Kohl

A private residence north of Copenhagen by Norm Architects

Norm Architects have completed the interior refurbishment of Sandbjerg Residence, a charming country house north of Copenhagen. The house is located in the idyllic landscape of Northern Zealand, Denmark. Surrounded by meadows and forests, the house sits intimately secluded in a nook of trees that open up to a park-like garden that brings light and air to the residence. 

The exterior of the house is a tribute to traditional Danish country houses, featuring a matte-rendered chalky taupe coloured façade, paned windows, thatched roof and granite stone settings. Inspired by the family’s lifestyle and frequent traveling, the home also contains elements characteristic of hospitality interiors.

The overall mood and colour scheme of the exterior is translated into the interior with a raw, tactile material palette of wood, stone, natural fibre textiles and leathers dominating the open space plan of the house, combining farmhouse appeal, exclusive refinement and elegant, sculptural features. Resulting in warm, balanced spaces with roughly textured surfaces, thoughtfully in-built and bespoke details.

The bench designed for the main entrance of the house is made from sawn smoked oak and Royal Nubuk Leather from Sørensen Leather... I could bring this straight into my own home as it has this Japanese look and feel and beautiful sawn smoked oak surface.

In the bedroom section of the house, all walls are juxtaposed between lightly toned, bone-coloured walls and white oak. Some of the oak-panelled walls contain hidden or open storage as well as niches next to the bed and in the bathroom, serving as storage compartments or displays. In the master bedroom, large oak doors similar to those of the bedroom cabinets and wood panelled walls open up to the bathroom, featuring bespoke cabinets and basins, as well as a walk-in closet, elegantly resembling the layout of a hotel suite.

Photography: Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen

Launch of Ark Journal volume II & A selected by for Frama

Ark Journal recently launched their second issue 'VolumeII'  at Studio Zung in New York with an installation from Skagerak curated by Pernille Vest and Objects NYC. My favourite Norwegian artist living in New York, Fino Prydz [see also here on my Instagram] was there and kindly sent me some of the images he made.

Ark Journal is a Scandinavian magazine of interiors, design, architecture and art. Volume II focus on how architecture evolves and frames our existence and celebrates the soulful interplay of art, design and architecture by showing two of Jørn Utzon's rarely shown houses and an interview with Michèle Lamy, muse and partner of Rick Owens [on the blog here] I can't wait to read and see, hopefully I will find a copy in Amsterdam. 

Selected by: Ark Journal 
Meanwhile if you scroll down you will find some images of a new 'Selected by' at the Copenhagen Frama store at the end of this post. For this Ark Journal selected their favourite pieces from the expanding Frama collection. 

Selected by: Ark Journal 

Ark Journal: "In our curation, we sought to reflect Ark Journal’s overall visual direction and align our choices with the two Case Studies in Volume II. The Form showcases soft sculptural shapes while Monochrome Geometry features metal, minimalist expressions.

In our choices of Frama designs, the soft round shapes stand out against the sharply cut lines and there’s a strong contrast with the materials, the coldness of the metal finely balanced against wood, terrazzo and glass. We are also fascinated by the honest craftsmanship evident in the products and their refined forms where construction processes are largely concealed."

Read more and shop the selection here: Selected by Ark Journal

Pictures 1-5 ©Fino Prydz | 6-8 © Frama

Basic essentials and easy Autumn dishes

Fall has definitely kicked in and although I adore Summer, I do enjoy this time of the year. Once accepted there is no way back, I can fully embrace a warm sweater, candles and shorter days. Autumn is also the time I love to prepare more warm dishes. Italian food is always a favourite in any season

If there is anything I learned from the Italian kitchen, the best dishes are simple, need little seasoning and just a few essentials like good oil, salt and pepper. These essentials are always on top of my countertop, I love good oil and often bring a bottle with me from a vacation in the south. A nice looking bottle is certainly something that I fall for, as are the salt and pepper mills we got to capture as the latest accessories in the serie of pictures we made for bulthaup

The salt mill is made from oak, the pepper mill from walnut and I think their design is beautiful and a simple functional way of adding a bit of a natural touch to the countertop. 

Curious to see the other accessories we styled and photographed for bulthaup? See all our work for bulthaup on the blog here and a selection of pictures in our w/ Style portfolio.

This post is written in collaboration with bulthaup | Pictures © w/ Style | Concept w/ Style | Photography Wen van Woudenberg | Styling Desiree Groenendal