Max Enrich sculpts lamps from upholstery foam for Gaudi's Casa Batlló

April 11, 20211 min read

Pastel-coloured upholstery foam is cut into geometric totems to form a series of floor lights, created by Barcelona designer Max Enrich to contrast with the organic architecture of Antoni Gaudi.

Simply called Totem, the collection encompassing five lamps was commissioned as a homage to Gaudi’s Casa Batlló as the building remains closed to the public due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Blue foam Totem light by Max Enrich in Casa Batlló — The Totem collection was designed for Gaudi’s Casa Batlló

“I was invited to create a project for these weird times, as the house is shut down,” Enrich told Dezeen.

“I was considering a few ideas until I got there. The place is magnificent and its details and forms are imposing so I was considering projects that blend in with this space,” he continued.

“But I realised I was doing it wrong. It wasn’t about competing with the house but rather about creating an opposite: non-integration.”

Cuboid pink foam light photographed in Casa Batlló — The lights are sculpted from

Explore this stylish Grade II-listed house in Cheltenham bursting with character

April 11, 20211 min read

There are so many little details that make this home in Cheltenham special – from its interesting history (the house dates back to 1830) to its cantilevered staircase and ceiling mouldings. Located in Ashford Road, just south of the town centre, this house is in part of The Suffolks, an area considered to be one of Cheltenham’s most fashionable residential locations.

See all our amazing house tours for more inspiration

Part of an attractive and prominent terrace of six houses, this Grade II-listed property features four bedrooms and two bathrooms, plus some mighty fine period details – and it’s all set over four floors. Fancy a look around?

Ashford Road

Living room

Image credit: Knight Frank

There are two large open-plan reception rooms, divided by parliament hinged doors. Here, in the main living room, you’ll spot sash-hung windows, an ornate fireplace and beautiful cornicing.

The blue rug and sofa look … Read more

Architecture Bedroom Etsy item of the day Exterior Home Contractor Property Real Estate Room

Do you understand the 3 stages of property investing?

April 11, 2021April 11, 20211 min read

We are at the beginning of a new property cycle.

In fact the beginning of the next property boom; a time when a lifetime world will be created by a small group of investors.

But if history repeats itself, and most likely will, most property investors won’t develop the financial freedom they are looking for.

Why do I say that?

Well…you just look at what happened during the previous property cycle, and the one before that, and the one before that.

Despite property values increasing over the last few decades, with the value of many properties doubling and doubling again, statistics show that around 50% of those who got into property investment sold up in the first five years.

And of those investors who stayed in the market, 92% never got past their first or second investment property.

And you can’t become financially free by only owning one or two … Read more

Architecture Etsy item of the day Property Real Estate

A Surprise Garden Brings This ‘Pop-Up’ Home To Life

April 11, 20211 min read

A Surprise Garden Brings This ‘Pop-Up’ Home To Life

Architecture

by Sasha Gattermayr

The unconventional entrance is situated deep into the property, past the car port and shed and underneath the main bedroom upstairs. Photo – Tom Blachford. Styling – Ruth Welsby.

The front courtyard holds the entrance threshold and the dining room window seats. Photo – Tom Blachford. Styling – Ruth Welsby.

Operable louvres clad the exterior, which protect the main bedroom windows from direct light and streetviews. Photo – Tom Blachford. Styling – Ruth Welsby.

A netted area overhead filters natural light through to the garden. Photo – Tom Blachford. Styling – Ruth Welsby.

The clever landscaped zones act as both scenery for the belly of the house, and shield the street from view. Photo – Tom Blachford. Styling – Ruth Welsby.

Intricate exposed brickwork brings earthiness and solidity to the indoor-outdoor scheme. Photo – Tom Blachford. Styling

This week Abiboo envisioned a city on Mars for quarter of a million people

April 10, 2021April 10, 20211 min read

This week on Dezeen, a video fly-through showed architecture studio Abiboo’s proposal for Nüwa city, which was designed to be the first permanent city on Mars.

The city, which was envisioned to house up to 250,000 people, would be embedded into a cliff face.

It was designed by Abiboo for non-profit organisation the Mars Society to be a self sufficient and sustainable settlement.

“It is a sustainable and self-sufficient city with a strong identity and sense of belonging,” Abiboo founder Alfredo Munoz told Dezeen in an exclusive interview. “Nüwa is conceived to be the future capital of Mars.”

D render by Andrés Reisinger — NFTs will usher in a “creative and artistic renaissance” say designers

Interest in NFTs continued this week with digital designers telling Dezeen the technology will lead to a wave of artistic innovation as creatives can sell work directly to customers.

“We’re right at the beginning of the frontier,” 3D artist Alexis Christodoulou … Read more