Chateau de Dirac
The Shirinda Residence by 3D Artist Joe Mortell
Rich bought a 2 bdrm. Victorian home in Birmingham, UK a year ago. The whole place was painted beige, it was the middle of the Pandemic, and Rich had lost his job. With lockdown in place and nowhere to go, Rich turned his focus into his house and transformed it into a colorful space.
As soon as you walk into the entrance hall, Rich wants to know, “Are you feeling festive yet?” In lockdown, transforming the home and documenting it on his Instagram page, @househomo, became a full time job.
This pineapple lamp was an early birthday present from his Grandma, and he love love loves it! They have a long running joke about pineapples because she HATES his pineapple tattoo.
“There’s nothing more joyful than walking into a bright, colorful room and people are denying themselves that!” says Rich. He describes his style as retro futurism; it’s a term used in fashion for designers like Prada and Louis Vuitton but he feels like it rings true in Househomo — lots of retro color palettes and textures with bold, unexpected color choices!
He redecorated the dining room twice; it was the first room he painted when he moved in and as his aesthetic grew it no longer felt right, so now it’s a full vibe and he can’t WAIT to have friends over for dinner parties.
He tries to absorb as much inspiration as he can before designing and tries to emulate them ALL in his work, which is probably why there’re always so many shapes and colors.
The master bedroom is little more serene, but he used a 1919 Art Deco wallpaper to make a feature wall.
“I think people are worried about getting it wrong or it looking silly, but homes should be fun and reflect your personality!,” says Rich. This is the fabulous guest room.
The biggest challenge was probably the bathroom; he’d never plumbed anything before but was determined to do everything himself, including tiling the floor, making a sink cabinet, and new tapware.
He tried his hand at making a whale tail floral arrangement in the garden.
This home is FUN! Love it!
The ‘Da Nang House’ in Vietnam is
a 4-story residence for a retired couple, their 2 children, and a grandmother.
Apart from the residential use of the structure, the front part of the ground level functions as a handmade card shop that is enclosed in mesh when it’s not open.
An indoor courtyard runs through all the floors and the wall is covered with small square windows that protect it from the harsh weather of central Vietnam.
The architects wanted to encourage the inhabitants to interact from different levels and enjoy the view opening towards the sky.
The architects designed an elongated structure with tall blind sides covered by concrete to minimize outside noise, dust, and strong sunlight.
All the rooms get natural light from the sloped roof providing vertical ventilation and bringing the light into the courtyard.
Arcs, curved doors — some with wooden frames— and circular apertures decorate the inside.
The interior design mimics the bent brick exterior, creating an interesting experience at each moment of the day.
They designed the bedrooms with a rustic look.
Each bedroom has a hall with plenty closet space and en suite baths.
The bathroom opens onto a terrace overlooking Central Park. A wrought-iron table and chairs look toward Central Park, while inside, a Crane sink, one of a pair in the room, is set into its own built-in niche.
Bathrooms, 1996
This midcentury home in Australia is unique b/c they used black paint on the walls, but it’s so colorful.
The bricks on the fireplace are noticeable under the black paint.
The orange-y-stained original wood of the home is brought out by the black paint and white floors.
I would never have thought that black walls would look so good in a midcentury home.
Besides the floor, a white credenza and pink rug also give the room a pop.
The kitchen has a tile backsplash, laminate counter, and stainless sink that are typical of the period, but it also has a modern open shelf and the new taupe-y/ gray paint that is replacing the gray trend.
An Eames table surrounded by mismatched MCM seating.
Colorful accents in the main bedroom.
The children sleep on simple wood pallets. Love the pink cuckoo clock.
Bright accents in the white bathroom and a large American Flag bath towel. Maybe it’s the home ex-pats?
