BLUEPRINT FOR MY FUTURE APARTMENT

See the entire home right here

I'm going crazy for Alvhem, the Swedish real estate website which I mentioned in my previous post. The vibes, colours and looks for all these homes are beyond stunning and I'm drawing a lot of inspiration for the future through their styling.

It's actually insane how fast taste changes. In the time span between when I stopped blogging and right now, my taste has changed dramatically. What I used to preach and pander on about " Drama, colour, movement " is something that's quickly fading into the background to make way for.... nothingness. No colour,  no movement. Just stillness and pared back colours and textures ( or lack there of )

The oatmeal and dust coloured bedding completes the bedroom to make it truly a nest of comfort for the owner 

This apartment grabbed my attention immediately. We tend to go through thousands of photos in a month of idyllic surroundings, rooms and destinations but rarely do we ever find the " OMG" moment. This was it for me, I found my oh my god moment. This room is the blueprint for wherever I move out to in the future. Most likely, it will be an apartment and although that thought brings joy to me, it also stirs up fear as well since my last three living situations came with awful neighbours who made my life hell. 

Clear, glass vases are sparkling to the eye and inject an immediate 'clean' and 'sharp' feel to any room 

The gorgeous thing about this apartment, is that it has all the good parts about the Scandi look minus the 'budget' vibe that came with it as the trend set deeper and deeper into the interior design world. I love the colours here, the natural fibers and the no fuss, no detail cleanliness that comes about that. My favourite pieces of furniture has got to be the round, white dining table and the wooden chairs. The entire apartment is decked out in only around ten colours with four being the leaders of the medley.

Although colour is receding further and further away for me in relevance, I will always have a place for it in my heart. I always feel like reiterating that because I don't see myself as one of those people who 'hate' colour. But when I look at my own life I never wear it or use it. But I love it... colour is an emotional experience for me, I can't let go of it completely. I suppose it's not being forgotten entirely, but rather it's taking a different turn.

This shot compelled me to save it to my computer because of how similar the set out is to the apartments that you find in Melbourne. All the other apartments on Alvhem are perfect but the design and aesthetic is really something that is more common in Europe and not in Australia. With this one, the design is generic, I've seen it many, many times on real estate websites in Melbourne and so it was a realistic and helpful choice for what is immediately achievable. 

Avoiding colour and pattern guarantees the home to have a more calming and serene atmosphere - two things I'm always trying to seek more of in life 

Another thing that I love about this apartment is that its look is easy and inexpensive to achieve. You can virtually get everything you see at Ikea and that's absolutely fine by me. There's no shame in shopping there like some people think there is. If you're a young person, realistically, where else are you going to go? If you have a good eye, nobody will care where you get your items from. Trust me, I and everybody I know do it all the time.

The best part is that I won't have to spend a fortune to complete this look for when the big day comes of me moving out again. What's the blue print for your future apartment or ideal home?

A STUNNING APARTMENT IN SWEDEN FOR SALE

There is definitely something about kitchens and their seamless way of communicating the story of the family ( or couple, or single ) that lives there

I have to say, it feels so good to be doing this again. Blogging about amazing homes and good interiors, it literally fulfils a part of me that hasn't been nurtured in a while in lieu of studying and getting as good a marks as possible at uni. Now i'm heading into my break, I'll totally have more time to focus on PFF and pick up where I left off as best as possible.

I came across this amazing apartment on one of my favourite online interiors haunts Gravity Home. They always find the kind of homes I love and this gem in Sweden is another example of how they get it right each time. This apartment is situated in Brf Stinsen and has been listed on Alvhem which appears to be a real estate agency in Gothenburg.

What really captured me to this home is the beautiful wallpaper just behind the dining table. I love a wallpaper feature, especially when its in a dining or communal area. The owner has managed to strike a beautiful harmony by keeping everything else tonal and minimal and letting the wallpaper sing its song of colour throughout the space.

I love older styled homes for all the intricate details that new builders can try to fake but really, will never be able to achieve. Older homes are a slight obsession for me because of their time-machine powers as well as their aesthetic value  

What's terrific about this dining area is the proof that you can mix colours upon colours and patterns upon patterns and avoid overwhelm. Just look at this space here. There's flowers on the walls, inca inspired textiles on the floor and cushions that follow suit in its energy. But it all manages to eschew any sense of jarring-ness and actually communicate a homey, warm and inviting vibe. It's the exact type of style I like. Loads of personality but welcoming and inviting in its wake. 

My favourite detail? The white brick style tile on the walls - love it ! 

An all white bathroom is elegant, clean and simple. Three things we all want to achieve and is the benchmark of any timeless home. Proving that brightness and lightness elevate any space, this apartment is such a versatile and lively foundation for ultimately any project or aesthetic vision. A lush outdoor area is the cherry on the cake for this apartment. The green is a perfect backdrop for summer lunches or just a cup of tea alone on a Sunday. 

I love balconies because they just embody homey weekend living. 

LATEST PURCHASES : WRANGLER, COS, UNIQLO, ASOS

 Guys, I know what you're thinking. Yalei has a shopping problem. I totally don't blame you for thinking it but I wish I didn't have this feeling of needing to justify my spending but I swear that my funds are totally under control! Haha, how do I even lead on from here? I decided to go to Chadstone on the Labour day long weekend because Chadstone is seriously one of my happy places. It sounds so silly to have a shopping center as your happy place, but whenever I go there I immediately switch to Chadstone mode which is literally forget your problems, your responsibilities, your anxieties - just browse, look and shop. 

If that isn't the best PR spin then I don't know what is and the funniest thing is, it's totally true. I had one thing in mind when I went there and that was to get the Rayon blouse from uniqlo. This is my FAVOURITE item from Uniqlo. I own three of them now - the light blue, the navy blue and the white. These feel so good on, really silky and slinky and they fall on the body in the most flattering shape. Right now they're reduced to $39.90 so I knew I had to grab the light blue which I'd been coveting for a long time. 

When I find a good print that I like, usually there's a 95% chance of me purchasing. That figure ups to 100% if the cut of the top is good. Good patterns are very hard to find. Usually most of them are either too retro, too naff or just wrong in general. This one was perfect because it's modern and not retro or naff at all. I tried it on and the colour was super flattering as well. I also liked it because it's quite reminiscent of the tie dye tops that Proenza Schouler did as shown here

Although denim is worn by pretty much everybody, it's still a common complaint I hear around with women ( especially, dunno about guys too much ) that denim shopping is a pain in the ass. I get where they're coming from because jeans are very hard to work with and double so if you're trying on REAL denim. For me though, denim is my favourite item of clothing. I think I own around five or six pairs of jeans which I think is a lot but I am definitely looking to start buying more pricey denim because let me tell you, the fit and feel is SO different from regular denim. 

I bought these Wranglers yesterday from Universal store. It was so funny because I went in with no intention of buying anything and ended up leaving the store with these. I don't regret the purchase one bit though because they fit perfectly. They slim me down and make my legs look longer than they are and best of all, they're real denim. It made me see that more times than not, you get what you pay for because these are my most expensive pair ( $140 ) but they feel as if they are.

Asos is like my go to when I'm literally bored and have nothing to do and want to browse somewhere that's cheap and affordable but still has good designs that are gonna look good. I haven't bought from them in a while but its made somewhat of a resurgence for me and this top is the latest item I've bought from them. You can have a look at it here, it's still on sale. I've gotten more into wearing darker colours lately because I've actually been making myself do it. I'm more of a light colours girl - beiges, greys, whites and the like. But dark colours have that instant maturity factor and you know how I'm always on that journey of trying to look older. 

I really love this top for its flowy shape and also the embroidery detail on the front. It's a really flattering top that would suit all body shapes and sizes and looks awesome with just a simple necklace and some jeans.

Denfair design loop is officially on now and I've got some events I'm going to go to for PFF. Keep your eyes peeled next week for those entries! There'll be photos of lots of nice furniture and tapestries and textiles as well. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend

Also, if you're interested here's my latest published piece on Est about A-Place, a new concept air bnb located in Warsaw, Poland 

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DESIGNER DIARY : JAIME BERIESTAIN

The Philosofia Book Cafe here
" We had to buy some 4,000 volumes to emphasise the book-cafe concept" 
I can't get enough of this stunning cafe. The golden glow of the interior creates a truly intimate atmosphere, stunning

More shots from the Philosofia book cafe . I adore the display case for the pastries and cakes and the open book stand just above it. Crazy for this space 

There are some spaces which are designed to make you want to be in them. Jamie Beriestain's spaces are those types exactly. Whether this was an intentional part of his design process or not, the warmth and femininity of his interiors communicates comfort and luxury which is what motivated me to feature him on Designer Diary this week.

Beriestain established his design and interiors studio in 2002 after ten years of study in his native homeland of Chile. His firm has amassed an impressive clientele including but not limited to Hilton Hotels, The Waldorf Astoria, The Mariott and The Hyatt Regency. Restaurants as well as residential projects are included also in his practice with regions such as Europe, The Bahamas and Ibiza included. Today, his team consists of up to 28 people all working around the clock to put pen to paper, bricks to mortar on his designs.

In 2016, Architectural Digest awarded him as the " Best Interior Designer of Spain " which is needless to say, a huge privilege and achievement putting him on the priority list of brands and commercial enterprises all over Europe.  

Diputacion Apartments here, Young yet refined choice of objects for this shelfie. Loving the bright pop of Orange and the set of blue vases on the top shelf 

Diputacion Apartments here, I am getting a slight Japanese undertone in this apartment from the light wood to the greenery 

Saint Gervasi Residence here, One of the focal points of this project was to instill a natural flow when entertaining and receiving guests : " It is an apartment designed to receive guests in the traditional way, with clearly divided areas : one for social life ( living room, dining room, terrace ) and the other for private life ( rooms, bathrooms..etc ) "

Saint Gervasi Residence here, "The initial concept was to create a Paris-Style noble apartment"

Saint Gervasi Residence Here

It's unsurprising that restaurants and hotels form a large part of his work as his vision and aesthetic go hand in hand with the ideal hospitality experience. The soft lines and plushness of his designs are nurturing and comforting, no matter which project we're looking at there is a softness to it all. Simply being in his interiors would bring a true sense of being 'well looked after'. 

Geneva Residence here

Geneva Residence here 

Geneva Residence here

Hotel Almanac Barcelona here, Really liking the golden glow that seems to be a frequent feature of his lighting design 

Hotel Almanac Barcelona here

Hotel Vincci Mae here

"The first thing needed is to understand and know my client well.  I need to know their needs, how they like to live, the colour scheme that they like, the type of textures they prefer to be in contact with" source

I like thinking about this quote from a decorating perspective. We often overlook the dozens of details that come together to make up a living experience for us. For me, Colour and materials matter to me the most. I love texture as a visual communicator and not just as a tactile one. I find smooth surfaces to be my favourite but then again, I also love the pixellated roughness of stone and iron. Colour, something which I'm crazy for is also something that affects us quite immediately. Our preferences tell others more than we think, giving all sorts of clues on how we 'like to live'. 

Pujades Residence here, Uplifting tiling and greenery combination 

Pujades Residence, here 

Pujades Residence, here 

Hotel The One, Barcelona here, My favourite is the booth and the row of round feature tables. Another aspect of Beriestain's work that I love is his choice of materials. Marble, leather and suede seem to be staples 

Hotel Almanac Vienna here, Bright, beautiful and Boutique 

Rambla Residence here, This walk in closet makes getting dressed feel like a real life shop experience 

Impar Restaurant, here, Part of Beriestain's design includes making a point of displaying objects in attractive and interesting ways. The glass lined casing and the masses of crockery in the back shelves make an example of this 

Impar Restaurant, here, The opening of Impar is set to be this year ( 2018 ) 

Be So Lounge & Bar here 

Hotel Paseo De Gracia here, Very trendy decorating happening here with the pastel pink chairs and globe lighting fixtures 

Jaime's Concept Shop here, He goes on to explain, " The initial concept of this shop was to design a space like it was an extension of my home and lifestyle. Actually, many of the products in the shop are also in my home"

Chic and stylish spaces with European ideals are at the centre of Beriestain's work. His spaces show sensitivity to visual and tactile experiences and are prime examples of luxury done right. Knowing ones own style values and having an allegiance to them allows designers to make a stand for their vision. How does he want to be remembered?

"The dream of any designer is that their designs are timeless.  That has been my goal since the beginning" source

We don't think this will be an issue given his masterful hand at beauty and proportion. 

All rights of photography belong to the original publisher, photography credit is always provided if known 

P.F.F FEELS : Intentional style & Trying

Recently, I read an article on Man Repeller Called " Is trying finally back in style? " which used Celion Dion's new found lease on life as its inspiration and it made me put this question into the context of homes. There's a certain pressure on viewers when they see settings that are 'too' assembled. We all love stunning flat lays but who ACTUALLY has three stems of roses falling nonchalantly out of their bag?

If anybody knows the artist of these photographs, please ID them in the comments! Would love to find out more of their work

Style when enforced comes across as pushy. Do you recallthe feeling of going into somebody's home and feeling almost uncomfortable at how much chintz they owned? Or maybe they were really into porcelain figurines? Perhaps it wasn't about objects or patterns but just that everything felt a bit too contemplated upon. Why do we get a bit " Hey back off with your style " when things are assembled too far?

I love the intentional style in this photo series though, those green shades are killer 

Everyone is trying to make a point about their style but in an indirect way. There's an expectation out there where we have to make our point indirectly and those who know how to do this are, in my eyes, totally exceptional. It's the key mark of communication when you do a little and get a lot and this translates into anything visually inclined.

Trying can look good but that's just the thing - it needs to look good. 
If you try and it works, then you never really tried in the first place. But if you tried and it didn't look good, then you tried AND you failed. Two things nobody wants to admit.

Here's one thing I can say about trying that's good for the whole world. When you try and you succeed, you can pass knowledge on. And if you've failed and then succeeded, we can benefit from your experience. Being effortless and succeeding makes us look awesome but it doesn't contribute anything to the tapestry of visual learning that we all do on a daily basis. This is why we hate 'effortless' people. They get everything and give nothing but what's that really contributing? What's that really doing to help other people play the game in a better way?

The thing about trying is that at the end of the day, it shows bravery and courage in small ways and large. You've had a vision about yourself and you want to put it out there. That's so much more powerful than just rolling out of bed looking amazing. That shows self awareness, direction and being able to make oneself vulnerable. You're making a claim to life and that scores 100 points from me.