Bathroom makeover : Part 1

As you can see in the following "before" pictures, the bathroom needed a bit of personality. It's a nice size room, but there was just way too much white and not a lot of storage. There was no medicine cabinet, only one towel bar... It's a bit tight for a couple.

Before...

I would love to reconfigure the bathroom, change the towel bar (I really don't like the plastic ones) but there's only so much you can do in a rented space. Still there are simple ways to make it your own, make it more functional and give it a bit of personality. The color scheme for the bathroom is similar to that of the rest of the place, as discussed earlier in a previous post. Of course in a bathroom changing the shower curtain makes a big difference because it takes a good portion of the available wall space. I used a charcoal shower curtain, which definitely makes a statement. I plan to add a special treatment to the corner wall next to the tub. (more on this later)

On the opposite wall I used a dark gray paint (Gray from Benjamin Moore). The rest of the walls were kept white to not darken the space too much.

Against the dark wall, additional storage, in the form of IKEA's Estetisk CD Cabinet, were used to store extra items. They were installed a bit high to avoid hitting your head while brushing your teeth. I love the contrast of the wood against the dark wall.

There is still some more work to do to finalize it, but it's getting there. Stay tuned for more later.

M2JL :: STUDIO in Je Décore Magazine

I'm happy to report that one of my projects has been selected to be published in the June 2009 edition of Je Décore magazine. This clever magazine from Quebec is filled with tons of valuable information for DIYers. What's great about those magazines is that they are really made for DIYers. There's a lot of detailed information on various topics related to decorating your home. There's also a lot of inspirational space, including mine (on the far left) to give readers some ideas on how they can transform their home. There isn't a lot of magazines out there with that much information for readers. This is a really good one.

The June edition of the magazine is all about Harmonious Colors and is filled with color trends, practical painting tips and tricks on how to integrate color in your home. I'm looking forward to get my copy!



Here's the cover...


And here's my page.

Designer beach party

Hola! I'm back from Ibiza! What a nice place! For those who don't know, Ibiza is an itty bitty Spanish island in the Mediterranean sea that's well known for its dance clubs and mega parties. But I think Ibiza should also be known for its sensitivity to design and architecture. There are a lot of beautiful places there.

I discovered a lot of little modern gems here during my trip there and it was very inspiring. One in particular gem that I'd like to share with you is the design of the Azuli Beach Party. It was held at Ushuaia Beach Club, a nice little place looking over the sea.

On the way to the main entrance there was some Bali beds on the side of the walkway under large wooden canopies for groups of people who wanted a more private setting like this one surrounded by little palm trees.

There was also various sculptures of elephants and neat candle holders like this one.

The walkway to the main entrance was fenced up, and you were greeted by this lady at the entrance to the enclosed space (I'll call it the lounge), which in turn led to a semi-enclosed space (I'll call it the terrace). It had a very exclusive feel to it. Notice the white door. I was probably carved wood or wood with metal decoration on it but painting it all in white modernized it while keeping its character. Love it. Isn't the red stool great against it?

It was also possible to enter the party area from the beach where a wooden walkway led guests to a very cool archway (I which I had taken a close up picture of the other side).

The "lounge" area included comfy white sofas and stools and neat coffee tables on one side. There was also a bar at the center and a kitchen in the back on the other side. I love the black and red chandeliers against the white walls and ceiling. The space was very simple and comfortable.

In the "terrace" area, they used white Panton chairs with the chunky wood tables. I love the contrast of color and texture. The ceiling was made of bamboo mats or some similar material. I though it was a great idea. A second bar was installed in that same area as well as the DJ booth.

The table facing the beach entrance was painted with a glossy red as a accent. Very nice. I love this idea for a beach wedding for example, where the newlyweds table would be bright red. It definitely attracts the eye.

The bar on the terrace was like a little hut. In front of it was two large low wooden white washed benches and a wooden coffee table between them.

Here's a close up of the smaller table arrangement. I just love the contrast between the masculine table and the feminine chairs. The table is rough, chunky and square as opposed to the smooth, curvy and light chairs.

The party organizers found a way to advertise for themselves by placing little signage and lights on the ceiling and the DJ Booth.

I just love the attention they put on the design of the event and the location. I was a very nice place. One of many that I've seen in Ibiza. I'll be writing more about my many discoveries over the next couple weeks on this blog as well as on MOOT.