David Katon of Burley Katon Halliday built this stunning tribute to Modernism in Australia's Southern Highlands.
I came across it in Vogue Living Australia's May/June issue and immediately filed it away under 'dream home design'. Hmmm, if I could somehow incorporate Toyo Ito's arches and an inner courtyard... and a wee bit more funk to the interiors... Definite dream home material.
This is a photo of the new Tama Art University Library designed by Toyo Ito, that I have been unable to tear myself away from over the last 24 hours.
I love how the design is so light and graceful and its statement so ethereal. Its soaring arches and curved pillars echo classical architecture but the modern materials, large windows and spare finishing speak to a very contemporary aesthetic.
The structure has also been built on a gentle slope, and both floors follow the natural curve of the hill. It was also designed to hold 300,000 volumes underground, with a gallery on the main floor and a large reading area on the top floor.
I have been shaken out of my mad summer work mode to take up the challenge posed by Maryam of My Marrakesh. The challenge is to come up with some fresh ideas for the new bathrooms being built in her guest house in Morocco...
Drawing my inspiration from these gorgeous tiles from Ceramiche Provenza (above), I would work from a palate of ivory, gold and brown. (Sorry Maryam, my minimalist leanings are coming through)
I would start by placing the Provenza tiles on all walls up to chair rail height and then paint the rest of the wall and ceiling in an off white. For sink back splashes, tub and shower surrounds I would use a gold mosaic tile (example left) and for the floor I would use a sepia coloured ceramic tile like the one above from Fired Earth.
The bathtub and sinks would have to be from the Spoon XL range from Agape, because they are my absolute favourites...
Sadly, I could not find any modern faucets that I liked with a brass finish, as everything out there seems to be chrome, so I have chosen the Axor Starck X collection by Hansgrohe and ask you to imagine that they come in brass.
I want to apologize to Maryam for my lack of ochre and indigo. I also have a strange obsession with white porcelain (no doubt from living through the 70's and witnessing lavender bathrooms) which may not be appropriate in a North African setting, but if you wanted more colourful bathroom furniture Durat make great pieces from recycled materials in a fabulous range of colours.
