Markus Andrews

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    Ménard Dworkind creates retro coffee bar in downtown Montreal

    Canadian studio Ménard Dworkind has unveiled a retro-themed coffee bar featuring Rubik’s Cube mirrors and a floor tiled to look like checkerboard Vans shoes.Situated in downtown Montreal, Caffettiera Caffé Bar features a monolithic black terrazzo bar that welcomes people into the open space.

    Visitors are greeted with the terrazzo bar upon entering the cafe
    Combining refreshments and a retail display, this main bar emphasises Caffettiera Caffé Bar’s social focus and curves down to meet the checkerboard mosaic floor.
    “The checkered floor was inspired by Vans checkered shoes,” Ménard Dworkind co-founder David Dworkind told Dezeen. “As Guillaume Ménard and I both grew up in the 90s we tapped into our own personal nostalgia.”

    The checkerboard mosaic floor is influenced by Vans shoes

    The cafe’s owner wanted to bring Italian coffee culture for Caffettiera Caffé Bar, where customers are encouraged to linger over a cup.
    “We placed a footrest at the coffee bar so clients can stand there and have a chat with the barista,” said Dworkind.
    “We included a long, standing bar in the middle of the space to increase the density of people with spots in the cafe, which helps to encourage socialising”.

    A standing bar encourages socialising
    Curved mirrors are mounted onto faux-wood plastic laminate panels, a retro material that aims to connect customers through a sense of nostalgia.
    “The 90s theme was the driving force for the colour palette”, explained Dworkind. “The use of plastic laminate fake wood panels on the wall and bright colours were all popular in the 90s. The Rubik’s Cubes to frame the mirrors in the bathrooms is another example of something from our personal memories of the 90s”.

    Rubik’s Cube mirrors feature in the cafe’s bathrooms
    Circular tables boast a variation of five coloured laminates in graphic shapes and framed photographs of iconic fashion models from the decade embellish the walls.
    Tables sit alongside two comfortable tan leather banquettes that face the main bar, making use of the small but open space to create a sociable atmosphere.

    90s nostalgia is emphasised by photographs from the decade
    All of Caffettiera Caffé Bar’s available space offers a chance for customer interaction. The banquettes intersect at a self-service station, behind which a backlit planter is enhanced by the mirrors’ reflection.
    “The long shared banquettes provide the option of sticking the round tables together, and since it’s linear people are actually all seated together”, explained Dworkind.

    Reupholstered vintage chairs match tan leather banquettes in the seating area

    Batay-Csorba designs Milky’s coffee bar in Toronto without furniture

    Curving furniture echoes the shape of the mirrors. Rounded vintage chairs sourced from classified ads have been reupholstered in the same tan leather as the banquettes.
    Continuing the cafe’s curving lines, the ceiling’s exaggerated cornicing is another retro visual element. As with the main bar and the checkerboard floor, the cornicing seamlessly blends the walls and the ceiling together.

    Dynamic blue cornicing brings the ceiling to life
    Lambert & Fils pendant lights are suspended from yellow telephone wire above the seating area, bathing the tables in a warm glow.
    Traditional Italian food products are displayed on a long shelf behind the main bar, where a selection of sandwiches and pastries are served. Cafe merchandise is also for sale.

    The products stocked on the large shelf behind the main bar
    Italian signs illustrating where to pay and order slide along an orange painted steel beam above the bar. Their locations can be rearranged by staff depending on each day’s flow of customers.
    Various 90s books, toys and stickers feature in Caffettiera Caffé Bar’s windows, and around the space, making it a wholly nostalgic experience.
    A similarly retro feel can be found at Baseball, a food court in Hong Kong designed by studio Linehouse, influenced by 70s films.
    Co-founded by Ménard and Dworkind in 2017, previous projects from the Montreal-based studio include a kitsch Chinatown-themed pan-Asian restaurant and a recreation of a 1970s New York pizza parlour.
    Photography is by David Dworkind and Alison Slattery.

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    Working From Home: Creative File Storage Idea

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    Work from home idea for creative file storage and desk organization made by repurposing two unrelated items to make a mobile hanging file folder organizer.

    I have been working from home for the last 11 years and have tried and used many pieces of furniture, office supples, file storage and desk accessories to make my work from home life productive while in a decorative style.

    I am lucky to have a room in my home that I made into a work place just for me. I call it my studioffice where I can do both the messy creative and crafty projects using paints as well as a pretty desk where I can take care of running my own business from the comfort of my home.

    When we moved to the lake I noticed that when I wasn’t creating projects in my studioffice and was using my computer, I would head out to the kitchen table where the view of the lake is better.

    When I did this I also took along a few files of posts I was working on as well as other things related to running a blog.
    By dinnertime on many days, the table was filled with all my paperwork that I would pile up when it was time to serve dinner.
    This was not a good thing as the papers became disorganized and not good for my production.
    To keep myself better organized when I worked at the kitchen table, I outfitted a basket file with all that I needed and placed it on a chair. This was better, but still not ideal.
    I had to come up with a better solution to keep me organized when I worked from the kitchen.

    Fast forward to cleaning out my craft room – studioffice last week. It was quite a mess after all the holiday projects I worked on in December. I took a hard look at everything in the room and realized I never sit on this white leather office chair.
    I love the styling of this chair, it is very chic and feminine, but whenever I sit on it, my lower back goes out on me. 🙁 Does this happen to anyone else when sitting in certain chairs?

    I have another office chair that I made over a few years ago using pink and white cowhide fabric that I use that is fine for my back.

    When I was taking the chair to the garage, I noticed that the wheel base was screwed on with large metal screws and easy to take apart.
    You know how much I like adding wheels to furniture. Seeing the wheels gave me an idea that I figured would not be hard to try out. I did just that I started experimenting with ways to make the basket file I use in my kitchen easily moveable around the table and out of the way when I wasn’t using it.
    I realize that many of you will never need something like what I created with an office chair and a hanging file folder organizer basket, but I decided to post about it to inspire you to ask yourself when looking at any item in your home…. ” What if?…”
    What if?… I did this or What if?… I removed that. Keeping your mind open allows you to give everything, especially stuff you are getting rid of a second look and hidden potential for a new use.
    Don’t look at the item as a whole though. Look at each separate part of the item by itself. Envision it combined with something else that may not be related to it at all.

    See if you can use parts of one item and add it to another unrelated item to come up with something new that can make your life easier, more organized or just for something decorative.
    Creative File Storage Idea

    Keeping an open mind to the possibilities and my needs allowed me to create a mobile file organizer that I can roll right up to the kitchen table when needed and then roll away at the end of the day.

    To give my mobile file holder more function, I placed a flatware caddy basket from the thrift store inside so I would have a place for pens, note pads, a stapler, scissors and other misc desk supplies that I use every day.
    For the flatware caddy basket, I used a small box to create a lift in the back of the file folder basket so the flatware caddy sat up flush with the top of the file folder basket.
    How to Repurpose an Office Chair To a Mobile Hanging File Folder Organizer

    Time needed: 2 hours.
    Creative File Folder Organizer to Use When Working From Home
    Remove Seat
    Remove the seat from the office chair. I used an Allen Wrench to remove mine.

    Measure Base
    Figure out the size you will need to make a wood box (or find a pre-made wood crate that will fit) that will go over the wheeled chair base. My base was 13″ x 19″. I made the box slightly larger than this so I could easily place in over the metal base and attach it.

    Make a Box
    I made the wood box from scrap lumber. I needed a top piece and 4 side pieces.I cut each to the size needed and used small finishing nails to make a simple, rustic looking box.

    Attach Box to Base
    Once the wood box was finished, I placed it top side face down and then centered the top of the office chair into it. I used wood screws to attach.

    Flip It Over
    Turn the whole thing over and place a file folder organizer box on top.Options: You can paint the wood or cover it with fabric to coordinate with your decor.Depending on the size of your chair base you may be able to buy a pre-made wood crate or box to use from the craft store.

    My new rolling file folder organizer may not be perfect, but it is exactly what I needed. The best part, I didn’t have to buy anything new to create it.

    For more work from home tips to help you stay organized and productive, head over to my post where I share how I store everything in my craft room/studioffice.
    If you have been working from home over the last year, you’re probably noticing that you’re inadvertently collecting supplies, and might not have a way to contain all of those random odds and ends. Whatever your home office set up is, avoiding a cluttered workspace is just as important as ever to stay productive.
    I bought the hanging file folder basket many years ago at Target. I looked for something similar to share with you. Here are a few I found:
    Chic & Stylish Hanging File Folder Organizers

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    House of Grey designs Highgate home using natural tones and materials

    The furnishings and finishes in this London home, designed by interiors studio House of Grey, were chosen for the health of its occupants as well as the health of the planet.Set in Highgate, London, the three-storey townhouse features custom timber furniture, a carbon-absorbing bathroom finish and a mattress made using natural, biodegradable latex.

    The living room is painted a deep sage green
    According to House of Grey, the design of the interior, with its palette of natural colours and soft textures, was guided by “circular salutogenic design principles”.
    This means it hopes to cut out waste and pollution, as a way of working towards a circular economic system. Salutogesis, meanwhile, refers to a medical approach focused on facilitating health rather than simply fighting sickness and disease.

    A clay plaster wall finish by Clayworks features in the WC

    In keeping with this, each material and resource the studio has used was researched for its impact on human and ecological health while in production, in use and once it has been discarded.
    “We are no longer simply finding design solutions, our work is now focused on eliminating the problem altogether,” said the studio’s founder Louisa Grey.
    “We have evolved to a place where we choose to work with materials and resources that are good for human health and have a positive ‘cradle to cradle’ impact on the planet.”

    A plush white sofa anchors the living room
    Finding herself unable to source “beautiful, contemporary” furniture made using sustainable manufacturing processes and natural materials, Grey commissioned artists and makers such as British furniture designer Sebastian Cox to produce bespoke pieces for the project.
    “I can never really find what I’m looking for, so at House of Grey we have started creating things for ourselves and for people that feel there is an inherent lack of choice when it comes to finding interior pieces with integrity that represent both their style and values,” she said.

    A custom wardrobe was designed by Sebastian Cox
    Cox’s pieces include a master bed with matching side tables, as well as a wardrobe and vanity unit made from materials such as ebonised oak and blackened ash, which the designer claims are able to moderate humidity and improve indoor air quality.
    The wardrobe interiors are made from cedar wood– a natural pesticide that can repel moths.

    Plaster walls of Jaffa Roofhouse imbue apartment with history and warmth

    “Thought-through details such as these culminate in an ongoing contentment in a space that improves human health with day-to-day use,” said the studio.

    The master bed features green velvet upholstery
    The bedding and mattress were supplied by UK manufacturer NaturalMat and, according to the brand, are made entirely from biodegradable materials.
    The master bed is upholstered using coconut husk fibres, also known as coir, which are coated in natural latex to create a springy padding.

    The mattress by NaturalMat is made using natural and biodegradable materials
    The bedroom also features natural lime paint by German brand Bauwerk in a colour that was developed in collaboration with House of Grey as part of a new collection that will launch later this month.
    It is made using a variety of natural bases including clay, stone, chalk, slate and limestone, and coloured using natural pigments such as ochre.

    Inbuilt shelving offers extra storage space
    “This natural lime paint provides a healthy alternative to widely available, chemical-based paints,” said the studio.
    “It is free of toxins and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), allowing your walls to breathe when combined with other natural building materials such as clay.”

    The bathroom walls are finished in Tadelakt
    The bathroom walls are made from a lime-based plaster surface called Tadelakt, which is waterproofed using a soap solution.
    Traditionally found in Moroccan architecture, it releases 80 per cent less CO2 during its production than similar cement-based finishes and most CO2 that is generated gets re-absorbed by the lime as it cures.

    The sink is made of natural plaster made from sand and unfired clay
    The bath and sink consist of a natural plaster made from sands, unfired clays, pigments and minerals, while in the toilet House of Grey used a two-tone clay plaster wall finish by Clayworks in the shades Moon Tonal and Buff.
    According to the brand, the natural clay has zero VOC emissions, low embodied carbon and is entirely recyclable.
    Gitai Architects has recently renovated an apartment in Israel, covering its walls in plaster to give the space a natural tactility.
    Similarly, Spacon & X drew on natural materials and plants to imbue Noma’s burger-focused spinoff POPL with a warm and relaxed atmosphere.
    Photography is by Michael Sinclair.

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    Asylum in Ratched designed to look like “a beautiful person with a really dark secret”

    Production designer Judy Becker treated Lucia State Hospital like a character in its own right to ensure that the gruesome psychiatric institution takes centre stage in Netflix thriller Ratched.The asylum is rich with unexpected architectural details – undulating glass-block walls or vast panoramic windows hidden behind floor-to-ceiling curtains – that are begging to be noticed.
    This is a stark contrast to much of Becker’s Oscar-nominated work, in which sets generally act as backdrops that merely complement the characters and action on screen.
    “I haven’t done this often but in the case of Ratched, I really wanted the building to draw attention to itself as a character,” Becker told Dezeen. “It’s a bit of a misdirect when you see this gorgeous building and the well-dressed patients but then the most horrible things are happening in this place.”
    “It’s like a beautiful person that’s got a really dark secret,” she added.

    Above: Doctor Hanover’s office has panoramic windows. Top image: The hydrotherapy room has a glass-block wall

    The show tells the origin story of Mildred Ratched, the antagonist of Ken Kesey’s classic American novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and head nurse at Salem State Hospital.
    But while the book and subsequent 1975 film adaptation depict their setting as a bleak, clinical place with whitewashed walls, Ratched’s Lucia State Hospital tells a very different story.

    The asylum’s lobby is an almost exact replica of that at Arrowhead Springs Hotel
    That’s because Ryan Murphy, the series’ creator who is known for spearheading hyper-stylised shows such as American Horror Story, Scream Queens and The Politician, wanted the set to look less like an institution and more like a fancy resort that had been converted into a hospital.
    “I threw away all my research on the grim asylums of the 1940s,” said Becker. “Sometimes it’s really warranted to do a very frightening-looking set design for a very frightening story. But the horror in Ratched is a little over the top, so you can balance it with all this beauty and that dichotomy works really well.”
    The show went on to become one of the most successful Netflix shows of the last year and was watched by 48 million people within the first month.
    Ratched’s set replicates a real grand hotel
    Set in northern California in 1947, the series follows young Mildred Ratched as she weasels her way into working at Lucia State Hospital.
    Through her story, the series explores some of the questionable approaches to mental healthcare at the time – from lobotomising patients by drilling a hole into their skull, to “curing” their homosexuality by locking them in a near-boiling bathtub in the name of hydrotherapy.

    Dorothy Draper often incorporated white stucco features and black and white checked flooring into her interiors
    To ground the show in reality despite its stylised depiction of these horrors, Becker originally planned to shoot on location at Arrowhead Springs Hotel near San Bernadino, California.
    Designed by Los Angeles architect Paul Williams in 1939, the complex features sprawling rooms and Hollywood Regency-style interiors by Dorothy Draper – one of the period’s most notable designers.

    Less exclusive buildings “are actually some of the most interesting” says Devs production designer

    But the hotel’s owners refused to allow any filming to take place on-site, so Becker and her team ended up erecting a near replica of its interiors on the Fox Studio Lot in Los Angles.
    Over the course of three months, the team reproduced Draper’s trademark stucco features and checked, monochrome flooring, as well as entire rooms based photos and measurements.

    Lucia State Hospital’s exterior was filmed at the Gillette Ranch near Malibu
    The lobby with its thick columns and chandelier reflected in the lacquered, black flooring was replicated almost entirely, while the inbuilt hexagonal shelves and sinuous fireplace mantel Draper designed for the hotel lounge were transposed into the patients’ recreational area (below).
    “It was a huge set,” explained Becker. “It looks like one place on screen but we had to build it over two different sound stages, which are these big hangars. There were so many rooms and so many elements and we would keep adding new ones as new episodes got filmed,” she continued.
    “Finally, there was no more space to build anything and we had to move the paint shop and some of the little dressing rooms outside to make more space because we just needed every inch of it.”
    “I like to work with a very deliberate colour palette”
    Since the set had to be furnished from the ground up, Becker worked with decorator Matthew Ferguson to source real period pieces from the time. To fill the huge rooms, these were bought in multiples where possible or otherwise, matching pieces were fabricated from scratch.
    “Everything was custom upholstered. I tend to do that because I like to work with a very deliberate colour palette and it’s impossible to find exactly what you need just lying around,” said Becker.

    The patients’ lounge features inbuilt shelves and a sinuous fireplace inspired by Draper’s interiors
    Green is perhaps the most prominent colour in the show and features liberally throughout the asylum, as well as in the cliffside motel where Mildred Ratched makes her temporary home while working at the hospital.
    “Green is a great colour because it’s very period-correct of the late 40s. And it can be a very unsettling colour or a pleasant one, depending on the shade,” said Becker.
    “If you use a green with more yellow in it, it tends to feel anxiety-inducing while one with blue undertones is more relaxing and makes you think of swimming pools.”
    Each shade that made it into the final show was painstakingly tested on different furniture pieces and in various lighting conditions, to ensure that it was conveying the right effect.

    Each patient’s room features different floral wallpaper
    Becker also added warm hues of coral and peach to keep the hospital feeling inviting and deceptively “non-horrific”, while the tiled floors and walls were held in neutral black and white so as not to clash with the costumes.
    “I think if you had green walls and green nurses uniforms and this and that, it just would have just been too much,” said Becker. “It probably would have won an Oscar if it was eligible because too much design tends to.”
    Fake foliage and curtains made windows look real
    According to Becker, perhaps the biggest downside to shooting on a set is the fact that the view out of the windows has to be created completely artificially.
    Often, directors will work with a Translight – a transparent polyester sheet that is printed with an image of the desired setting and lit from behind to create the appearance of a real exterior scene. But Murphy and Becker agreed that this fell short of the realism they were hoping to accomplish.
    “They pretty much always look fake,” she said. “Nothing is moving and the lighting doesn’t change like it would in real life.”

    Curtains and fake foliage created the impression of real windows
    Instead, she hid most of the windows behind semi-translucent curtains and set up a veritable greenhouse of real and fake plants on the other side to create the appearance of foliage.
    “We had someone on set tweaking them to camera so that the shadows and reflections looked real and not always the same,” Becker remembered.
    “There were fans blowing on the foliage and fans blowing on the curtains, so it was a very elaborate process to get the light coming through the window to look appropriate on camera. I designated an art director to be in charge of just this process because it was so important to Ryan.”
    All images are courtesy of Netflix.

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    Clever DIY Home Organization Ideas That Work For Me

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    Clever and affordable home organizing ideas that will help you to keep “Your Stuff” organized once and for all.

    It’s cold, wintery and January. It is also the time many of us like to declutter and organize so we can start the new year with a well-organized home.
    Well-organized living and work spaces truly can make our lives easier every day. When we have clearly labeled containers and learn to edit what we no longer want or need and remove it from the house, it adds up to less time looking for things and more time to enjoy life.
    I like to make my own storage, organizers and labels when I can’t find a ready-made solution for my organizing needs.

    For instance when I couldn’t find a ready made scrapbook paper organizer to fit the cabinet in my studioffice, I custom made one to fit perfectly using cardboard boxes.
    If you are a long time reader you may remember it. I have made quite a few DIY organizers and thought I would share a few of them that really made a difference.

    How To Store & Organize Tablecloths
    I don’t have a dining room anymore, but when I did, this is how I stored and kept my tablecloths wrinkle-free.  

    I hung them in a closet where I had some extra rod space.
    When organizing the tablecloths, I folded them long-ways and then hung them over men’s suit hangers that I equipped with cardboard tubes from gift wrap. The round tube addition lessens creases from forming.
    How to Add Cardboard Tubes to Clothes Hangers

    1. Simply cut a gift wrap tube to the same width as the rod on the hanger. Open the rod and slide the tube on. Close the rod.

    Option: If you don’t have a wood rod pants type of hanger, you can use plastic hangers.
    You just need to cut the cardboard tube lengthwise. Once it is cut, place it over the rod.

    When I make this type of tablecloth storage hanger, I duct tape over the cut to close the tube.

    2. I roll very large or oilcloth tablecloths on the long cardboard tubes that fabric yardage comes on. I make sure to always ask for these tubes when I am at the fabric store.
    Repurposing Furniture Into Hard Working Organizing Stations for Small Items

    My go-to for small storage containers/baskets is the dollar store. They have the best plastic baskets. I bought all 18 of these baskets for the same amount I would have paid for one or two at other stores like Target or The Container Store.
    When the baskets were labeled and placed in a trashed dresser with no drawers that I DIY’ed into a decorative organizer there is no question as to where like items should go. Which then makes them easy to find when needed again.

    If you like to be little crafty… you can add a lot of style to shoeboxes. If you keep the lids on, they make great stackable storage.
    For this mudroom organizer, I covered the bottoms of 3 shoeboxes using maps and stick-on metal framed label holders.
    How to Organize Misc Items in Kitchen & Desk Drawers

    I like to line my drawers with decorative paper; usually I use gift wrap or wallpaper. For this drawer I used pages from a graphic arts book.

    Then I use small baskets that I find at thrift stores to organize smaller items. This drawer acts as my kitchen desk drawer.

    I add the square or rectangular baskets in all my drawers that hold small items. So far this drawer only has two small baskets. I am always on the look out for more and will fit the baskets in the drawer to fit like puzzle pieces as I find them at the thrift store.
    You can also organize drawer like this using low-sided boxes, but I like the style of the baskets better so I will continue to search for more.
    Make Cabinet Doors Into a Message Center
    There are many organizing ideas on how to use the inside of cabinet doors to hold and organize items, but here is one to do on the outside.

    This fabric memo board got lots of use in the kitchen of my previous house. I made it with fabric and a dollar store foam board.
    These DIY home organizing ideas are only a few that I have shared here on my blog. To find more, head over to see all my Organizing posts and archives of Free Printable Labels.
    Ready-Made Storage Organizers That I Use
    As you can see I like to make most of my home organizers, but if you don’t have the time to make your own organizing containers, here are a few of the purchased organizers that I use around my house that have helped me to stay organized.

    1. The Home Edit and 3. The Complete Book of Home Organizing – are two of my favorite organizing books.
    2. Self adhesive metal frame labels are one of my favorite and easiest way to add stylish labels to bins, boxes, baskets and more.
    4. I use Small baskets like these to organize the contents of desk and kitchen drawers.
    5. This 2 tier slide out organizer keeps the stuff under my bathroom sink in its place.
    6. These Expandable Drawer Dividers work great in large drawers to create sections.
    7. This Wire Door Shelf Rack has made my small pantry store a lot more.
    8. The style of Wooden Hangers that I used to store my tablecloths.
    9. I use these Clear Fridge Food Bins in my refrigerator and my pantry. I like how I can slide them out and grab what I need and slide back in.
    10. This is my newest organizer that I use for storing rolls of Christmas Gift wrap.
    11. I use these Under shelf baskets on the shelves in my garage. They give me extra space to hold all sorts of stuff.
    For more home organizing ideas, check out these ideas from a few of my blogging friends.

    Designthusiasm | The Complete Guide to Kitchen Organization
    StoneGable | Organizing Spices In Your Kitchen
    Shabbyfufu | How To Organize The Kitchen Junk Drawer – For Good!

    In My Own Style | Home Organizing Tips and Ideas
    Maison de Cinq | 5 Tips for Organizing China Cabinets

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    Five standout pieces at the Ron Arad 69 exhibition

    A Brexit-themed chair and a crumpled bin are some of the pieces to feature in an exhibition at Newlands House gallery that showcases 40 years of work by Israeli designer Ron Arad.The exhibition is titled Ron Arad 69, in honour of the designer’s 69th birthday in 2020, and showcases 50 standout pieces from his extensive oeuvre.
    Some of the pieces date back to the 1980s, when Arad established his eponymous studio, while others are from the 90s and 2000s – as well as a select few works that were released as recently as last year.

    “For me, business is always a necessary evil” says Ron Arad

    They are all displayed amongst the grounds and historic rooms of Newlands House, a 700-square-metre gallery in West Sussex which occupies a heritage-listed Georgian townhouse and its adjoining coach house.
    It is headed up by creative director Simon De Pury, who says it was an obvious choice to create a show around Arad’s work.
    “Ron Arad is a giant in his field,” Pury told Dezeen.”He has developed his uniquely personal language; while he has been copied by many, his work remains strong and timeless.”
    The pieces in the exhibition have not been arranged in chronological order, but simply placed where Pury felt they looked best in the gallery.
    “It’s not a retrospective, it’s a sampling of works that I personally love from Ron’s career,” Pury explained.
    “I greatly look forward to seeing the contrast between the 19th-century architecture of the gallery and the resolutely 21st-century feel of Arad’s dazzling and bold works,” he continued.
    “I hope visitors will enjoy experiencing the beauty, elegance and also the sense of humour of his amazing work in the intimate setting of a house that helps the viewer imagine what it would be like to live with it.”
    Read on to get a glimpse of five works that feature in the exhibition:

    Now What, 2020
    More colloquially known as the Brexit Chair, Now What is haphazardly plastered with clippings of newspapers that were released on Friday 31 January 2020 – the day that Britain left the European Union.
    Now What’s rounded seat and Mickey Mouse-shaped backrest riffs off the curvaceous form of Arad’s Big Easy chair, which was designed back in 1988.

    Where Are My Glasses?, 2018
    These ombre-effect coloured vases were originally launched during the 2018 edition of Milan Design Week.
    To create them, Ron Arad asked experts working at Italian glassware brand Venini to blow glass through metal-frame spectacles – the spectacles act almost like a taut belt, which forces the vase to bulge outwards at the sides.

    Photo by Gary Morrisroe
    Blame The Tools, 2013
    Arad’s Blame The Tools sculpture is shaped to resemble a life-sized Fiat 500 car. Crafted from stainless-steel sheets and rods, the gridded sculpture is so heavy that it had to be hoisted by a crane into Newlands House’s front garden.
    “I like to imagine how this car would look if it stayed here and we let nature do its work, eventually you’d have vegetation growing through it,” said Pury.

    Crash Bin, 2006
    Danish retailer Vipp asked Ron Arad to customise one of its bins for a charity auction 15 years ago.
    Instead of making aesthetic changes, the designer crushed the product from the top down, making deep dents in its silver-metal exterior. Arad’s signature appears just above the bin’s foot pedal.

    The Rover Chair, 1981
    Found objects were used to form The Rover chair, which is the first piece of furniture to be designed by Arad.
    The chair’s worn leather seat was taken from a Rover P6 car, while its tubular steel frame is made from Kee Klamps that were once part of a milking stall for farm animals.
    Photography is courtesy of Elizabeth Zeschin unless stated otherwise.
    Ron Arad 69 is at Newlands House, UK, from 19 September 2020 until 7 March 2021, but the gallery is currently closed due to Covid-19. For more architecture and design events, visit Dezeen Events Guide.

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    Danielle Brustman decorates children's centre in Melbourne with pastel hues and rainbow murals

    Designer Danielle Brustman used pastel colours, marmoleum flooring and playful hand-painted murals to create the interior of the Brighton Street Early Learning Centre in a brutalist building in Melbourne.Each playroom in the concrete building, which was converted by Perkins Architects into a childcare centre, was allocated its own motif, which includes a river, meadow, star, sun and cloud. Brustman used these themes to come up with a narrative, treatment and palette for each space.
    “The brief and scope for this project was so exciting as the clients were after something bold and unique,” Brustman told Dezeen.
    “I regularly use colour in my interior design work but it’s not often I get the opportunity to be as bold with colours specification.”

    Top image: a rainbow mural decorates a wall. Above: the designer used 47 different colours within the centre

    She used 47 colours in total for the early learning centre, which is located in Richmond, Melbourne, adapting them based on the themes of each room and pushing the colour palette to its limits.
    “I wanted it to be complex and colourful whilst still adhering to a level of sophistication, gentleness and balance,” she said.

    Geometric designs decorate the walls
    Brustman also added several wall murals, hand-painted by Ben Maitland, to the design, which she hopes will be a source of inspiration and creativity for the children.
    The graphic murals feature star bursts, boats made from circles and triangles, rainbows and trees, among other designs.
    The rooms also have a seasonal feel. “The forest and river rooms have an autumnal feel to them, while the sun and cloud rooms have a more summery palette and atmosphere,” Brustman explained.

    Playful motifs decorate the walls
    Within the centre, the ground floor rooms relate conceptually to the earth, while the top floor rooms relate to the sky.
    Some of the original concrete structure of the building was deliberately left exposed when the space was repurposed to become a children’s centre, and has been complemented with natural, durable materials and decorative textiles that soften the space.

    The floors are made from marmoleum
    Marmoleum, which is made of 70 per cent natural fibre and 40 per cent recycled materials, is used on floors throughout the centre.
    Brustman’s studio also designed a number of customised rugs for the rooms, including patterned Tretford rugs made from goat hair.

    Coloured pendants were created by a local designer
    The reception area and stairwell were decorated with coloured pendants made from toughened glass, traditionally used for manufacturing laboratory beakers, by local lighting designer Copper ID.
    All playrooms have floating acoustic ceilings to tamper noise, as well as child-friendly soft wool and vinyl furnishings.

    The studio designed customised rugs for the early learning centre
    Keeping some of the concrete structure visible has created a contrast to the softer interior details, according to Brustman.
    “There’s something lovely and unexpected about the intersection between these original raw building materials and the softer, more colourful material surfaces,” she said.
    Brustman’s background is in set design, and the Brighton Street Early Learning Centre design offered an opportunity to create more dramatic designs than some of her regular interior work.

    Murals add colour and whimsy to the space
    “There is such freedom when you are aiming to please and tend to the imagination of a young child,” she said. “I think my design work is compatible with childcare design in that it’s playful and a little fantastical.”
    “My approach to this project has been different in that the same limitations are not placed on the design in terms of what is considered to be a current or tasteful palette,” she added.

    Even the functional spaces have colourful interiors
    Other colourful interior designs for children include Integrated Field’s design for a hospital in Thailand that features slides and a pool, and Atelier Scale’s playground with bright-yellow details in China.
    Photography is by Sean Fennessey.
    Project credits:
    Interior design: Danielle BrustmanArchitecture: Perkins ArchitectsBuilder: I BUILD MMurals: Painted by Ben Maitland

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    Five architecture and design events this January from Dezeen Events Guide

    A virtual version of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) plus remote site visits with SO-IL and David Adjaye as part of The World Around summit are among the events listed in Dezeen Events Guide taking place in January.

    Above: A representative of Virgin Hyperloop will discuss autonomous transportation at CES 2021. Top image: The World Around summit will see Ryue Nishizawa present his House in Los Vilos. Image is by Cristobal Palma
    Consumer Electronics Show (CES)11 to 14 January
    The world’s most influential technology fair is taking place entirely in the digital realm this year, opening up its programme of product showcases and more than 80 panel talks and keynotes to a global audience.
    Highlights include a reflection on the first year of 5G with American telco giant AT&T, Virgin Hyperloop’s take on the future of autonomous transportation and a discussion about privacy and trust with representatives of Amazon, Google and Twitter.
    This regularly scheduled programming is accompanied by a host of sessions about the ongoing pandemic, including a discussion with British pop star Dua Lipa about how immersive, digital experiences are allowing her to stay connected to her fans while music venues are closed.
    In/Visible Talks14 January
    In/Visible Talks is a design conference all about the creative process, which means that after a day’s worth of talks and discussions the event will culminate in practical workshops about everything from blind contour drawing to the design of exhibition layouts.
    For its fourth-ever and first virtual edition, the event is focusing on how design can be a medium for societal change by exploring what true diversity in the industry would mean, how graphic design can facilitate better representation and the best ways for creatives to collaborate with nonprofits.

    Norwegian designers point the way towards a circular economy

    DesignTO22 to 31 January
    Canada’s largest annual design festival will spotlight the work of more than 800 local artists and makers, including a showcase of furniture made from native timber and an archive of modernist Canadian graphic design.
    For its 11th edition, DesignTO is going “distanced and digital”, with window displays allowing those in Toronto to experience the event safely and in-person while a virtual programme will ensure that everyone else doesn’t have to miss out.
    Oslo Design Fair27 to 29 January
    Set inside the Norges Varemesse congress centre in Lillestrøm, the Oslo Design Fair has expanded beyond the standard categories of furniture, lighting and interiors.
    Under one roof and across four different exhibitions halls, it will bring together everything from Norwegian jewellery and fashion designers to gardening brands, illustrators, candlemakers and other craftsmen.

    David Adjaye will give a remote tour of his Winter Park Public Library complex in Florida

    The World Around30 January
    Now in its second year, The World Around forum has recruited some of the most innovative architects working today to discuss their latest projects via on-site presentations and guided tours.
    These are set to be broadcast on Dezeen from 14 international cities and will include Ryue Nishizawa presenting his House in Los Vilos, SO-IL showcasing recent work in Shanghai and New York and David Adjaye giving a remote tour of his Winter Park Public Library complex, which is under construction in Florida.
    Other speakers will include Francis Kéré and Counterspace founder Sumayya Vally, while Liam Young will present his latest short film in collaboration with the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV).
    The World Around aims to explore how architecture can tackle some of the most pressing issues of our time, from indigenous rights and racial justice to the environment. Earlier this year, the organisation held a symposium to mark Earth Day at Dezeen’s Virtual Design Festival, featuring talks, interviews and short films from the vanguard of ecological design.
    About Dezeen Events Guide
    Dezeen Events Guide is our guide to the best architecture and design events taking place across the world each year.
    The guide is updated weekly and includes virtual events, conferences, trade fairs, major exhibitions and design weeks, as well as up-to-date information about what events have been cancelled or postponed due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
    Inclusion in the guide is free for basic listings, with events selected at Dezeen’s discretion. Organisers can get enhanced or premium listings for their events, including images, additional text and links, by paying a modest fee.
    In addition, events can ensure inclusion by partnering with Dezeen. For more details on inclusion in Dezeen Events Guide and media partnerships with Dezeen, email eventsguide@dezeen.com.

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