Paris Apartment of Marc Jacobs



 

All right, I guess.

from House & Garden magazine November 2000

Hamburg Apartment

There's nothing baroque about the neo-baroque apartment of ad-man Wolfgang Behnken of Young & Rubicam, shown below. It is rather an almost miesian gallery of good design, with pieces by the Eames, Florence Knoll, Milo Baughman and Mies as well as a fantastic coffee table by George Nakashima. There are also many outstanding lamps: especially those by Serge Mouille and Christian Dell.

The apartment is mostly painted white, with few carpets and textiles, which really puts focus on the design pieces.  I suppose it does, however, require a certain type of person to live in this sort of almost barren atmosphere, but that does not change the fact that it looks stunning. Mr. Behnken also seems to have two livingrooms - perhaps one being the gentleman's room?

The kitchen and bathrooms are also very plain with their white mosaic tiles, and chairs by brit minimalist Jasper Morrison. Notice the construction-site-type lamps above the mirrors, which are actually of a quite beautiful design.

from ELLE DECOR italia



Happy new year!

/from Berlin

Father and Son Grung, Part II: Geir Grung

Geir Grung (1926-1989) followed in his father's footsteps and became an architect. He studied alongside Sverre Fehn, under the influential Arne Korsmo, and the three alongside Christian Norberg-Schulz, Håkon Mejlva, and P.A.M. Mellbye founded PAGON (Progressive Architects Group Oslo Norway) in 1950, an influential think tank that helped spur creativity throughout Norway's architectural landscape, bringing continuation to the pre-war functionalist ideals and shaping them into architecture for a new age. Sverre Fehn and Geir Grung would work together several times over the coming years, both shaping the finest work of post-war modernism from Norway.

Above and below we see Geir Grung's own house, Villa Jongskollen. The building lies upon some great Norwegian mountain, overlooking firs and fjords, like a nordic Farnsworth house. The idea of a raised living room, enabling the firt class view, is as clever as the rest of the house's planning. It is surely one of he most spectacular villas ever built.

More information on Geir Grung can be found in the Norwegian National Museum's exhibition on post-war Norwegian architecture. Or in this book.

Photo by Jonas Aarre Sommarset  

Økern Aldershjem (retirement home in Økern), a collaboration between Geir Grung and Sverre Fehn in 1955 that received the A.C. Houen Foundation diploma.

 

An ineresting residential building on President Harbitz gate 21, Oslo, 1967. Notice the large windows, generous balcoies and car park.

Pictures by Helen Frøyseth/Hardanger Folkeblad

The elecrical powerplant in Røldal/Suldal, by many regarded as his magnus opus. Now converted into a hotel, see below.

It has a leaf gold fireplace...

thanks Christin/fine ting og sjokolade!

Sylt House

Ad-Man Wolfgang Behnken of Young & Rubicam, whose Hamburg apartment I posted here, also owns a retreat on the island Sylt (the German equivalent of St. Tropez, Malibu, Båstad ,or what have you) - equally sparsely decorated with 20th century design icons - such as the Florence Knoll sofas, Serge Mouille lamps, and Hans J. Wegner Cowhorn-chairs along Kjaerholm tables. A rare vintage Jean Prouvé  Standard-chair  and desk is seen on the upper floor of this traditional Friezenhaus, and stacks of books and magazines are  scattered around the floor, whilst photography by superstars such as Annie Leibovitz, Richard Avedon and Helmut Newton are to be found here and there on the floor. I'll never understand it. Looks striking though, even though the palette is quite earthy.

from ELLE DECOR italia

Eating Pecan Pie Like a Stylish but Neurotic Texan

Looks like a still out of A Single Man, don' it? Or American Psycho. Whichever.
 
While on the topic of food I couldn't help but to post this picture from Wallpaper*, styled by my man Tom Ford, as well as the recipe for this southern usonian tradition.

1 cup of white Karo syrup
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbs flour
1 cup pecans

Beat the eggs and sugar together, add flour, then syrup, vanilla and pecans.

Pour into a 9in prepared pie shell.

Bake in an oven at 150°C for one hour.

Visions of Space: Ludwig Mies van der Rohe

A beautiful documentary by Robert Hughes for BBC FOUR.

Beige Bravoure Part I: Imagined Interior

A formula for a good office.