Togo sofa – a classic icon of modern design by Michel Ducaroy

Designed in 1973, for a French design company, Ligne Roset, Togo sofa became an instant classic, making the name of Michel Ducaroy famous all around the world. Born in 1925 to a family of designers in France, he became life-long collaboration with Ligne Roset in mid fifties. Since then they became a highly successful international design brand and the most famous of their products is Togo.
It is a very first all-foam settee ever designed. It is made from layers of polyether foam in a range of complementary thicknesses and densities. The low seat platform, together with the curves of the seat and the back, invites relaxation.
Togo is available nowadays in many different options and colors. In addition to the classic model, range comprises small settee, large settee, corner piece, settee with arms footstool and small version for children.
Colors vary from the very bright full vivid reds, greens and yellows for very contemporary interiors to darker shades of browns and blues. The line also includes black and white for more character interiors. It also comes with very extravagant upholstery (i.e. British flag).
Since its conception, Togo has became a modern design icon, selling more than 1 200 000 pieces worldwide. The concept was first adopted by the hippie generation who loved it for being different and for its invitation to laziness. Now it is found in the most chic interiors in the world, created by renowned designers, ranging from domestic projects to hotels to commercial units.

From Catalogue

From Catalogue

From Catalogue

From Catalogue

Children’s Togo

Children’s Togo

Hanne Graumann house Denmark

Kippara Road House CSA Architects Sydney

Red settees with fireplace

Togo living room Denver

Togo sofa WCH Interior

Togo sofa WCH Interior

Togo sofa WCH Interior

Togo relaxation space

Togo living room

Togo living room black glamour

Togo living room

Togo living room

Togo living room

Togo living room

Togo living room

Red sexy

Black with table

Three colorful small settees

Togo corner sofa

Togo living room

Togo corner sofa

Togo living room

Togo living room

Togo living room

Togo living room

Togo chic living room

Togo red interior

Togo living room

Togo living room

Togo with fireplace

Togo living room

Togo relaxation space

Togo living room

Togo living room

Togo playroom

Togo white & wood

Togo living room

Togo playroom

Togo living room

Green with lamp

Black small settee

Violet corner piece

Yellow sofa with arms

Togo classic red

Red

Red small settee with footstool

Red corner piece with footstool

Green corner piece

Fancy patchwork

Fancy blue

Fancy brown

What do you think about this unusual design? Would you buy one for your home?

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House Holman by Durbach Block Jaggers

House Holman

Program
Sited on the edge of a 70-metre high cliff, the plan of Holman House refers to Picasso’s painting The Bather. It contains a complex series of fluid living spaces set within a meandering perimeter that arcs, folds and stretches in response to sun, landscape and views. Living and dining areas cantilever out over the ocean, allowing dramatic views up and down the coast. The lower floor forms a base that is built from rough stone walls like an extension of the cliff below. These walls continue along the cliff edge to form a series of eccentric terraced gardens and a vase-shaped rock pool.

Photographers: Peter Bennetts, Brett Boardman, Anthony Browell, Chris Cole, John Gollings, Reiner Blunck

Awards
2004 Featured in Sydney Open Historic Houses Trust Tour, 2005 Wilkinson Award for Residential Architecture (NSW), 2005 National Award for Housing

Completed
2004

My home project featured on Ikea Family Live

It has been a very difficult decision to make in the first place and I was afraid of putting my home for a public view, after all it is my private space. Finally I gathered the courage and wrote “my home story” to Ikea Family Live. Then I got a positive response and additional questionnaire to be filled in (a long one) then to choose photos etc – a lot of work. While I was doing this, still was a bit apprehensive about “going public” but eventually decided to click the “Send” button and it was done…
It will be published next year in Ikea Family Live magazine. Exciting…but still scary…

Ok, the reason why I am doing this is because I dream about becoming an interior designer & decorator. To start my own company. I have not much experience, but plenty of enthusiasm and this is what I LOVE DOING. Since 6 years interior design became my big passion, I have a large collection of books & magazines, TV programs recordings, thousands of photos, articles, links and a lot of blogs I follow daily, from all over the world in many different languages.
To do it professionally is very tuff work and I am aware of the effort & engagement involved and the next important thing is to be patient. To start from nothing with no expectations in mind, and build some “portfolio” over the years. That requires to embrace this fear of going public, an interior decorator needs to be public to get new clients and much more activity. So if I don’t deal with this anxiety right now, at the beginning, this would clearly become a major problem in the future. And after all, you start from your own home – that’s your first project. Well, it isn’t the very 1st one for me. But experimenting in your own home is the starting point.

So, if someone needs an advice, I would gladly be of any help and of course for free.

This is the link to my Ikea Family Magazine article:
http://www.ikeafamilylivemagazine.com/nl/nl/article/33325
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The importance of your HOME

I would like to share my passion for interior design & architecture with the rest of the world. And things around it, like design furniture, art, DIY. Things which I find beautiful & inspiring – whether it’s a studio apartment, villa with swimming pool, interesting hotel/restaurant/holiday resort.
I come from Poland, lived in France and now I live in the Netherlands. Wherever I go, the first thing I do is to settle in – unpack my things, clean & organize, make it feel good, because it makes ME feel good. This feedback – the more you make your home the way you like, the more it makes you feel good – is the most important return on your investment (time, money and effort you spend on it). It anchors us to a place we live in/move into.
I discovered this early on in my life and realized that HOME is the base of everything. It is much more than just a “nice looking place” – it is our safe sanctuary which influences our happiness and well-being.
Home is a reflection of who you are. Whether you like to display your family photos, inherited pieces, things which tell your story…or keep it minimalistic & functional – it always tells something about you. Other people may not like it but the most important thing is that YOU feel good & enjoy it.
I was always curios about how people live in different parts of the world. The cultural aspect of it. How the way of life influences their homes. Nowadays we can take a virtual tour at homes all around the world and get inspired or learn from how the people live elsewhere. A very good example is Scandinavian living.

You may not realize yet how important your home is when your life is full of activities. But when the time comes to withdraw yourself a little bit from the chaos surrounding us, your needs change. It is mostly in those life changing moments of your life when you are likely to discover the importance of your home.

From the introduction of the book “Designer Apartments”:
“The home in which we live constitutes our principle reference point. It is not only the place in which we spend the most time, but it is also the lookout point from which we watch the world. It becomes a place within which we carry out many of the activities which shape our existence. It is our interests and needs that mold the space we live in. The home changes as the lives of its occupants change.”
So, whatever your style is, the most important is: ENJOY YOUR HOME!

Dutch design

The purpose of this article is to show you that there is much more out there than Scandinavian living, which is indisputably the top trend right now. There is so much more than white floors, white walls, eclectic mix & match and colorful wallpapers. Don’t get me wrong – I like Scandinavian design but there is much more diversity out there and many more different trends which are worth presenting to the wider audience.

We live globally and trends are spreading across the world, more & more designers open their shops outside their own country.

Going through interior magazines every day, I find a lot of inspiring interior design sites & stores. Here in the Netherlands.
I must admit when I moved here 5 years ago, I didn’t like Dutch design at all – to much country style and very much like old-fashioned English style which, as British would say “is not my cup of tea”.

A lot has changed since then, there is more designer furniture available, and even the country style has more modern look now. I started liking Dutch design, for the atmosphere of coziness and intimacy, for it’s characteristic big furniture and natural materials like good quality wood. Lot of very interesting accesorries which add the character to the interior. Whatever direction you go, I suggest to create a modern base in neutral colors, then accessorize it to your style. Accessories create the style whether it is classic, country, chic/glamour, warm/earth style or highly modern.

There is a wide choice of shops which often give you an interior advice for the total concept of your home. A lot of customized furniture, made especially for the client, built-in cabinets, furniture which is matching exactly the size of the room, and for bigger budget – anything you want, only your imagination is the limit.

Here is an overview of just a few of those inspiring Dutch & Belgium brands.

Scopes Design

Scapa Home

Rofra Home

Scapa Home

Scapa Home

Scapa Home

Linteloo

Linteloo

Linteloo

Linteloo

HORA

HORA

Mart Kleppe

Mart Kleppe

Mart Kleppe

Rofra Home

Rofra Home

Rofra Home

Rofra Home

Rofra Home

Rofra Home

Scapa Home

Scapa Home

Scapa Home

Scapa Home

Scapa Home

Scapa Home

Scapa Home

Scapa Home

Scapa Home

Scapa Home

My Ikea

When I started my home project in early 2010, I had inspiration article about Polish home from interior magazine. When renovation phase was over and it was time to start furnishing, I realized that this plan is impossible. Firstly because I couldn’t find the exact specific furniture here in NL and secondly (most important factor) I didn’t have much money left after the renovation and realized that it would cost a fortune.

I was disappointed at first. The plan landed in the trash and I went to Ikea to see what is possible on the budget. Then another shock – even Ikea was not affordable to furnish and accessorize all the spaces, at least not right away. So I drew new plans for each room based on Ikea products and tried to achieve the atmosphere I wanted in the first place. It took nearly 3 years, changes, rearranging. I finally feel good with the finished product, although it still needs painting here & there.

Paging through Ikea catalogue I found some of the pieces I have and thought I will make a scrapbook called “My Ikea” – pictures of products I have at my own home cut from the catalogue.