It is the time of year to work in your garden or (roof) terrace. Here are some picture of beautiful outdoor spaces. I hope you get inspired!

With its leaf motif, casting shadows of branches and leaves, parasol Shady Lace recaptures the sensation of sitting beneath a filigree of foliage. This waterproof lace parasol is designed by Chris Kabel for Droog Design. Chris about his design: “During my visits to factories,” he says, “I noticed lace often has floral patterns that serve […]

The burning fire basket from Gebr. Knip shows 24 one-word poems (in Dutch), which are all related to fire. Every time the fire glows or burns in the basket, the words flare up and disappear again. The fire basket is made of 4mm laser-cut untreated steel. In time the fire basket will rust away completely, […]

In this innovative garden house you can store all your garden tools, but there is also space for a bird house, a bbq. On top of that, there is even a seating area and a (very small) bedroom. Walden, designed by Nils Holger Moormann from Germany, is not only functional but also great to look […]

Would you rather create a pattern on concrete tiles than on grass, then check out Solid Poetry. Design Academy graduates Susanne Happle and Frederik Molenschot created ‘Solid Poetry’ for their graduation project. These concrete tiles reveal a flower pattern when they get in contact with water. This is so clever, to make use of the […]

Create a pattern in you garden with these stencils from Rlos design. Place the stencils on the grass, remove them after a couple of days and voila: a gorgeous pattern!

French company Rlos Design are behind this clever idea. The Jardin a la Francaise stencils can be bought in a pack of seven and cost €45. […]

Austrian company VITEO produces the most gorgeous outdoor furniture. Their collection combines ergonomics and durability with beautiful design. All products are made in association with local craftsmen and assembled in the VITEO factory. My favorite item from their collection is the swinging chair (left image). Other designs that you can see in the above image […]

The weather is improving and it is the time of year to make your garden and/or balcony ready for summer. That’s why I will have an Outdoor themed week here on the style files. All posts will be related to Outdoor design and activities. To get in the mood, here some examples of outdoor chairs, […]

For very small houses like the one in my previous post, this compact kitchen designed by Sietze Kalwijk from The Netherlands could be a solution. The Kydex Kitchen is a modular cooking facility, whereby the theme for each step of the design process was food preparation. The principle aim during the design of this “kitchen” […]

Can you believe that this apartment is only 18m2 / 194 sq ft? Still it has all the basic necessities like a kitchen and bathing area. It is very inspiring to see how this tiny home has been decorated. The interior design is tasteful and functional at the same time.
(images from Maison France)

Last year at the Dutch Design Week, I came across this giant stuffed kangaroo. I don’t know why I did write about it earlier, so I do it now.

Not only does this design by Eva Broekhuise look great in children’s rooms but it is also practical. The various pockets that can be attached to […]

Remember the rug with the tire pattern that was featured here on the style files not that long ago? Apartment Therapy also posted about this rug as well and this post got mixed comments. The general feeling is that people like the creative idea behind it but would not have the rug in their own […]

They are a delight for collectors, these wooden dolls from Alexander Girard. Girard (1907 – 1993) is famous for his bright coloured, lively patterned and rich textured textile designs. The designer had a deep interest in the folk art of South America, Eastern Europe and Asia, and drew inspiration from traditional handcrafted artefacts for his […]

I earlier posted about Mina Wu’s bloom socket, a power socket made beautiful with flower decoration. Here are some more designs that ‘camouflage’ ordinary objects like power socket and electric cables. L’Esthetique electrique designed by Tjitske Hemkes is a series of products positioned in and around the power socket. They offer a poetic view […]

Dutch designer Hella Jongerius created a fabric collection for NY based texile producer Maharam. These dimensions eliminate the traditional and generally accepted repeat in the upholstering of for example a sofa. And a set of two chairs will clearly appear to be members of the same family, although not two of them are the same.

The […]

It is a sunny day today and I am in the mood for bright yellow! This Marimekko mug and tray in the Keisarinkruunu pattern fit that summer mood perfectly. Evocative of the onion domes of Orthodox churches, the Keisarinkruunu pattern was designed by Maija Isola in 1966. The vivid black-white-grey pattern on a yellow ground […]

To stay in the spirit of travelling, I would share with you some great travel accessories from Flight001. This US based store has all the things you need to travel in style. They have an online shop as well but unfortunately they only ship to the US and Canada.
Above you can see a sample […]

I am flying to sunny California this morning for a well needed holiday! I will continue posting so you don’t have to miss your daily dose of design & style here on the style files.

If you are looking for a trip as well, perhaps this design package with Droog, KLM and Lloyd Hotel might […]

I LOVE the work of David Trubridge. This designer from New Zealand makes the most gorgeous furniture! David began making furniture after graduating as a naval architect in England in 1972. His sculptural wooden furniture and lighting is a new world mix of old-world skills and craftsmanship, sustainability of materials and purity combined with some […]

Trough Design Boner I learned about SUITE New York. This contemporary furniture and modern design showroom and store in midtown Manhattan showcases classic, iconic furnishings from top European and American manufacturers. They carry a gorgeous collection! My favourite is the Hive (image above), a shelving unit of bent aluminum covered in oak or American walnut […]