Sleeping In The Forest

Who doesn‘t wish to sleep between the trees? This is in fact the theme of one of the nine rooms of the Forsthaus Hotel in Ramsen, Germany. This old forester house, in service for 150 years, is now converted into a very chic inn by Naumann Architektur. The project consisted of modernizing this old structure through the use of pop colors, clean lines and unexpected details, but keeping its history intact. They came up with the very interesting concept of telling the house's story through quotes printed on each of the nine guestroom doors — giving each room their own little story. Eight of the rooms are located in the main house, and the ninth is in the former wash-house for those who want to be a little more reclusive.

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Holiday Gift Guide: part 3

Rumor has it that women are very hard to please, but I've found that not to be true. Believe me, there are plenty in my circle of family and friends for me to know. It's just a matter of paying a little attention to what they crave and need — anyway, they're always giving us hints on what they like. When making my holiday shopping list, I have a blast when it comes to my gals. So let me help you have the same fun when checking things off your list. You can start by taking a look at these fabulous finds I picked thinking of the ladies in your life. Whether mom, daughter, sis, friend or partner in crime, there is something for everyone. BTW, I'm already compiling next week's list for the little ones in your life

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An Artist Playhouse

For artist turned writer Douglas Coupland, author of Generation X and new novel, Generation A, the travel time to get to his second home is only 25 seconds. Yes, that short as it sits right behind his primary residence. He bought the property in Vancouver, British Columbia, to preserve the mid-century architecture he felt was disappearing. He then decided to keep an open floor plan so he could showcase his art. Even though the house has two floors, it only feels like one. However, he kept the house's best features intact — the exposed paneled ceiling downstairs and the modular pattern of the rooms. One of the things I love about this place is that it doesn't feel stuffy considering the amount art in it. To the contrary, if feels accessible and playful. With such a gorgeous second home, I'm sure the primary residence must feel pretty jealous.

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Sweet Celebrations

The Holidays are fast approaching and it's time to start thinking about how to decorate your home and planning the get-together with family and friends. Don't sweat it! The new Entertaining Issue of Sweet Paul Magazine is already here to help you bring it all together. The pages are chock-full of innovative and gorgeous ideas plus mouth-watering recipes that will delight your guests. Don't miss it — it's really a visual treat!

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IKEA's Secrets

They have done it again! The Swedish company just came out with IKEA The Book, a 450-page account of their products and the creative minds behind their designs. Written by Staffan Bengtsson, the book takes you behind-the-scenes and digs deep into some of the secrets behind their success. It's a pictorial treat that shows some of their earlier designs and tells the tale of how IKEA came to be the international design phenomenon it has become. Unfortunately, the publication is not available in the U.S. but if you must own a copy, you can purchase it online at the Sweden Book Shop for about $60.

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A Mad flash to the past

Image via Daily IconImage via Metropolitan Home

Like in fashion, home decor styles come and go, but Mid-Century Modern seems to be a long-lasting favorite. Especially after the AMC hit series Mad Men came into our homes four seasons ago, captivating the attention of many, particularly Interior Designers. This 1960's fad was mainly influenced by Scandinavian design —a style full of clean and simple lines, geometric shapes, a variety of woods and subdued colors. In the last decade, there has been a surge of manufactures that have been reproducing many of the classics, making them accessible again. Stores like Design Within Reach, Modernica, Vitra are some that come to mind. The great thing about these icons is that they're very versatile, they get along with many other styles. As a matter of fact, there hasn't been a project where I haven't used at least one of these fantastic pieces — I'm a big groupie of this style. Now, if you want to join this Mid-Century Modern craze, below are some goodies that might help you get that Mad Men look.

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My top 10: Humidifiers

Isn't ideal when beautiful design meets Mr. Functionality? Humidifiers have always been those forgotten but necessary artifacts that comes out from hibernation once a year. While in the market to replace my old and not-so-attractive humidifier, I was thrilled to find out that designers are finally paying attention to making these kind of appliances more attractive in order to meet today’s contemporary lifestyle. Now you can get them in any size, shape or color and some are even kind to the environment. Actually any of these ten finds can be that piece de resistance that will make your room a little more comfortable and stylish this winter

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Artful living

If you ask any art collector what his or her ideal home would be, I'm almost positive this outrageously handsome loft is it. The Collector's Loft, in Greenwich Village in Manhattan, was designed by Dutch architectural team UN Studio. Their design concept explores the interaction between a private gallery and living space. They decided to replace some of the existing windows for floor-to-ceiling glass panels to frame the spectacular skyline views the city has to offer. The sensual curves of the walls serve as backdrop to their splendid collection of art, as well as separating the living areas. For flooring, the designers chose 1½ feet wide planks of douglas fir to maintain the right proportions. And of course, with almost 6000 square-feet of open space, minimalism was the way to go.

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