Chic DIY-inspired loft home in Los Angeles

Today we are bringing you something a little different from our usual posts here on 1 Kindesign. After scouring the internet for interesting and unique finds we fell on this unique Los Angeles home that is chalk full of DIY-inspired design that is so full of life. It is very inspiring and original and we enjoyed it so much that we wanted to share it with you! Here is some background information from the owner himself, Adam Pogue, who also has a fun instagram page entitled mrpoguemahone.

“I moved to Downtown LA three years ago and have never met my landlord. I responded to a craigslist ad that had been posted for a while. He gave me the code to the lock box and I would come here at different times of day, or night, and just hang out. I moved from a duplex in Boyle Heights that was kind of classic LA. It had an original Batchelder tile fireplace and built-ins and pocket doors, which were amazing, but I felt like I needed to respect those details and create space around them. I ended up wanting a space that wasn’t so specific, so I loaded my Scion Xb and headed over the bridge.

The space has gone through several transformations in the last few years. For a time, I had an IKEA bookshelf separating the “bedroom” from the rest of the space. I replaced that with curtain panels that I sewed together and dip-dyed. They’re not a solid separation, but they create an intimate space that feels separate.

I also created the rolling ottoman and benches for the TV and under the windows. The ottoman is upholstered in dyed black canvas and has a washable quilted top (I have two cats). The benches are 10′ x 12′ dark stained Doug fir on plumbing pipe frames. They used to be stacked with books on the lower level and the TV on top, but I wanted a bench, so I separated them. The wall behind the TV is stucco on masonry. I’m not so comfortable with hanging things in masonry, so my boyfriend (at the time) had painted a beautiful chevron pattern, which I recently re-painted.

I got the couch in an “as-is” section of a local shop like 10 years ago for $150. It’s huge and comfortable and I like the shape of it, so when it needed an update (and re-upholstering was too pricey) I ended up patch-working over the original upholstery. It took me a year of random hours with scrap fabric and spare time to cover most of the visible surfaces. I recently started re-covering the re-covering.

I also ended up painting the credenza and replaced the legs with wheels so I can easily roll it away for projects, or gatherings, that require more space. I originally made the hanging above the bed as a knotted fleece rug and the sconces on either side are upside-down plant pots with rope-wrapped wiring.

I found the glass coffee table and my workspace shelving at St. Vincent de Paul’s (amazing thrift store) for $85 altogether. The desk and the bench (between the “bedroom”) I got at a vintage shop, and used The Brick House refinishing method. And the plants! Some I’ve had for years, but most are from clippings. The stacked plants in the living room are attached to a drainpipe from the roof through the apartment

As for the rest, I try to choose things I love. I generally enjoy old, handmade and well-designed pieces. I set aside spaces for things that are sentimental. Kind of shrines in a way.”

Please enjoy the tour and don’t forget to leave us your thoughts about this unique home at the bottom of the post! If you have a home that you just remodeled or that you feel is very unique in design and you would to share with us, please contact us here.

Photos: Old Brand New Blog

Uniquely structured narrow dwelling in Japan

House in Byobugaura is a family home for a couple and their two children, situated in Yokohama Kanagawa, Japan designed by Takeshi Hosaka Architects. Located on a narrow plot of land of only 60 square meters, the architects could only build a footprint of just 30 square meters. To add additional space to the home, they built a basement floor and added two levels above ground floor per 30 square meters. The floors were designed to curve near all of the windows, allowing natural light and air to penetrate throughout all of the floors, particularly at basement level. This move increases the total floor area by a third.

In this open plan architecture, beautifully made furniture sits in the space as objects in a landscape. The pieces within this “roomscape” divide the space without the need for walls, but they also add warmth, as they are detailed in polished timber along with the floor finishes. Together they provide a textural contrast with the insitu concrete walls and soffit.

A steel spiral stair brings a more flamboyant sculptural sparkle to an admirably restrained space and where the circular hole for the stair cuts through the curved floor, a deformed circle is created that gives a tactile edge to the concrete. It just makes you want to touch it.

The exterior front and rear exterior elevations are simple. Three equal bands of glazing suggest a three-story building. It is only the heavily curved soffit that gives any indication that much of the space is actually below ground.

Photos: Koji Fujii Nacasa&Partners Inc

Lego-style 24 square meters apartment in Barcelona

When photographer Christian Schallert isn’t busy cooking, dressing, sleeping or eating, his small 24 square meter (258 square feet) flat appears to be an empty cube. To use a piece of furniture, he has to build it. Situated in Barcelona, Spain’s hip Born district, the tiny apartment is a remodeled pigeonhole loft (when Schallert first toured the apartment it was home to pigeons). Schallert collaborated with his friend, architect Barbara Appolloni, to come up with this unique design scheme, taking six months to complete. Christian says its design was inspired by the space-saving furniture aboard boats, as well as the clean lines of a small Japanese home.

The clean-lined apartment has each appliance and piece of furniture hidden away behind seamless wood-clad panels. By opening and closing these panels, the apartment can be adjusted to the needs of the moment. To sleep, he pulls on a leather strap attached to the end of the bedframe and rolls his bed out from under the balcony, his stairs become bedside tables as well as a sofa and additional seating space to eat when a fold down counter is accessed, and he can even swing his television out from the wall. To cook, he clicks a spot on the wall and a spring-loaded door opens to reveal an instant kitchen, with an electric stovetop, sink, countertop, microwave oven and even a small dishwasher. There is also a full-sized refrigerator and freezer, a small pantry and even space to store clothes and sporting equipment.

There is a 65-square-foot balcony, just outside the bed area, offering 360-degree views of Barcelona. Meandering up a flight of stairs from the small balcony, there is an additional terrace of 200-square-feet with an outdoor tub for two and a washer under a protective cover (he line drys his clothes). This is the ultimate bachelor pad, and since Schallert works around the corner from his home, he keeps all of his work things at his office. The small space forces him to be neat and organized, and since he travels a lot for work, it is the perfect space with little upkeep.

[Note: Christian recently moved out of his apartment after getting into a relationship and realizing while it's a great bachelor pad, it's not as ideal for two.] How cool is this space? Could you live in it? Make sure you view the video about the apartment below!

The panels and floor on this side of the unit are made of a mix of compressed wood and concrete called Viroc. The material has an industrial look but isn’t as hard as concrete. It doesn’t get too cold in the winter and works well in the summer too.

The shower glass cube and sink stay out of the way of the kitchen and bedroom modes.

The toilet is the only private space in this apartment, with a small window and built-in magazine storage.

Before the remodel:

Russian River Studio inspires creativity

Russian River Studio has been designed by Cathy Schwabe Architecture in rural Forestville, California. Designed for a photographer and a writer as a multi-purpose space for painting, drawing, writing, photography, creative dreaming, holiday meals, small workshops, and overflow guests, this 864 square foot building with porch and terraced extensions frames the top of the hill above a small existing dwelling. Metal siding, used to better protect the shaded north side, wraps the east end of the house at the transition to the porch-covered entry and wood board-and-batten used on the rest of the walls. Large, colorful wall panels at the interior serve as accents for the otherwise white walls and open to reveal work spaces. The large, light-filled primary space, with polished concrete floors and a ceiling painted blue between exposed wood framing, adapts easily to the changing uses.

Sustainable features were paramount to the design of this building, with its small size and open, versatile plan, allowed for conservation of resources and a reduced carbon footprint. The structure was sited and shaped to maximize daylight and natural ventilation. High-performance glass was used in doors and windows. Concrete flooring was applied for thermal mass. Low-flow water fixtures were used in the bath and laundry. Western Red Cedar was clad to the exterior of the home (except for the north side); locally harvested and naturally resistant to rot and decay. Metal siding was applied to the north side to resist mildew and decay, a common occurrence on north-facing wood and stucco-faced walls in this climate zone.

Photos: David Wakely

Gothenburg flat with bright and cozy atmosphere

This beautiful apartment in Gothenburg, Sweden was just recently renovated. The 656 square foot (61 square meters) home offers an unbelievably warm and genuine atmosphere. The fully equipped galley kitchen features a backsplash above the sink with light turquoise wallpaper hidden behind glass. Also offered in the kitchen is a small dining area at the window with plenty of natural light. The living room is light and airy with beautiful décor, white walls and comfortable furnishings. From the living room is a small sitting area just outside the doorway with a lush courtyard and children’s playground. The hallway leads to a wonderful workspace and a spacious bedroom with a large wardrobe for efficient storage. A rooftop terrace offers a wonderful seating area with views of the city below. Spotted from here.

Chic studio apartment with a stylish urban design

This uniquely designed apartment, spotted on the real estate site ESNY, is located in Vasastan, a large city district in central Stockholm, Sweden. This newly renovated apartment boasts incredible features throughout. The studio apartment home is small yet spacious and airy with only 419 square feet (39 square meters) of living space. The floor plan is well-designed; the open floor plan offers a living room with fireplace, kitchen, and an alcove bed with built-in office, smart storage solutions and a large bathroom with laundry room.

Sleek modular dwelling in the Mojave Desert

This prefabricated home has been designed as a collaborative effort between prefab developer Blue Sky Homes and o2 Architecture, located in the Mojave Desert region north of Palm Springs, California. The homeowner asked for a modest size, open and adaptable floor plan that was sustainably conceived with durable materials. What’s more, the design was to utilize efficiencies of factory fabrication to achieve economical sales price. The design would serve as a prototype for a future line of prefabricated “system-built” homes. Emphasis was given to flexible site placement; and ensuring minimal environmental impact while maximizing view potential and required privacy.

The home is a modest 968 square foot (90 square meters), 2-Bedroom, 1-Bath house with a seamless 30 square meter outdoor deck floats above the site on structurally efficient columns and beams of light gauge steel. The building envelope is composed by a grid of pre-manufactured wall panels and standardized building components. The bathroom module, containing all home mechanical, plumbing, and electrical services, is built off-site and delivered. Interior spaces are defined by the placement of storage cabinetry, eliminating interior framed walls. Solar technologies provide electricity, hot water and space heating.

The flat-packed building components minimize transportation volume and promote sustainability through material/structural efficiency and can be dissembled and relocated. The inherent nature of prefabricated design ensures low embodied energy and minimizes site waste. The prototype was completed after a construction schedule of 8 weeks. The prototype was completed in May 2009, with an 8 week construction schedule at $270/SF. Via

Visit the website of o2 Architecture here and Blue Sky Homes here.