Before the advent of the stapler, documents were held together with thread, string, ribbons, and, in the case of legal documents, red tape. In 1879, American inventor George McGill came up with the McGill Single-Stroke Staple Press, which closely resembled a Singer sewing machine and loaded one staple at a time. But it did manage to drive that single quarter-inch length of wire through several sheets of paper before folding the wire at both ends with a thump-like push of the machine. By the 1920s, the stapler had been reduced greatly in size and with a spring-load action was able to hold many staples. As the 20th century progressed, the stapler took on more streamlined curves, which have given it an even greater air of efficiency as it continues to corral the papers on our desks. 

Five to Buy

Above: The Ace Pilot Stapler was introduced in 1938 by Chicago company Ace Fastener. This retro model, made of aluminum, is 6.6 inches long and 3.5 inches tall; $38 at Schoolhouse Electric. 

Above: The Folle 26 Stapler was designed in 1977 by noted Danish designer Henning Andreasen and is in the collections at the Museum of Modern Art and the Cooper Hewitt Museum in New York. Made of lacquered steel and iron, the stapler is 6 inches long and a mere 1.75 inches tall; $78 at Craft & Caro.

Above: The Zenith Stapler was designed in Italy in 1943 and took its inspiration from cars of the time. It's made of steel and enamel and is 10.5 centimeters long and 8.5 centimeters tall; £38 ($63), including a box of 1,000 staples, at Labour and Wait in the UK.

Above: Spanish company El Casco made its name in the manufacture of revolvers, but during the Depression it decided to add desktop accessories to its arsenal. Precision-made of chrome-plated steel, the El Casco Small Desk Stapler is featured in the Remodelista 100 in the Remodelista book. It's 4 inches long and 4 inches tall, and available in red or white at Kaufmann Mercantile for $109 (though it's temporarily out of stock). The El Casco Stapler in black and chrome is $116 via Trade Concepts on Amazon.

Above: Made in Sweden, this Stapler is Kiosk's choice for good-looking office efficiency. It's provenance is a bit of a mystery, but the duo behind Kiosk say that "based on our research, we would guess 1940s." Made of steel with rubber feet, the stapler is 7 inches long and 3.75 inches tall; $52.

Object Lessons columnist Megan Wilson is the owner of Ancient Industries and curator of the Remodelista 100, a collection of essential everyday objects presented in the Remodelista book. Watch for her column every Tuesday, and have a look at her past lessons on iconic designs, including two office favorites: the IBM Wall Clock and the Trusty Stainless Steel Tiffin Box. We featured her Connecticut shop in our post Purveyor of the Practical and the Timeless.

N.B.: This post is an update. The original appeared on September 2, 2014, as part of The Organized Life issue.

More Stories from Remodelista

• Gift Guide: For the Tech-Obsessed
• Studio Visit: At Work with Two Downtown LA Pioneers

A retired couple bids farewell to life in the city and moves to Mount Yatsugatake on the island of Honshū with a desire to spend the remainder of their lives farming their own vegetables surrounded by mountains. They buy a plot of land to build their new house at an elevation with a harsh and tricky climate, too hot in the summer and cold in the winter. Carrying forth the Japanese tradition of coexisting harmoniously with nature, Tokyo architectural firm MDS designed a structure oriented to capitalize on the prevailing winds, optimal sun angles, and best mountain views—with not an air conditioner in sight. Let’s have a look.

Photography by Toshiyuki Yano via ArchDaily.

Above: A detail of the living room looking toward the combination kitchen/dining room. The charred wall is a Japanese tradition known as shou sugi ban. In Dark Wood: Shou Sugi Ban Torched Lumber we explore where to source charred wood.

Above: In the living room, sliding glass doors detailed with shoji screens slide open to allow in breezes, while the overhang is designed to keep out the high angle of the summer sun. The low angle of the sun during the winter, however, means the house can be warmed when it's cold outside. The exposed beams hide the tracks for the shoji screens and the sliding glass doors.

Above: A woodstove keeps the rooms warm during the winter.

Above: The kitchen and dining area opens to a washitsu, a Japanese room furnished with tatami mats.

Above: In the kitchen, housecleaning tools and utensils hang in the space under the stairs.

Above: A view back toward the dining area from the washitsu. The continuous shoji screens give the house a traditional feel.

Above: The second floor is an open loftlike space with a sleeping and office area. The door leads into the walk-in closet.

Above: The work area with shoji screens runs the entire length of the room.

Above: When the shoji screens are closed, the bedroom becomes a sanctuary.

Above: During the summer months, the north- and south-facing windows are opened for optimum breeze ventilation and mountain gazing.

Above: The wood details are an updated version of traditional Japanese wood architecture.

Above: A detail of a wooden screen.

Above: One is never far from nature, even in the bath.

Above: The house is oriented south in a fan shape to maximize the amount of winter sun that reaches the rooms.

Above: A plan and diagram of the first floor illustrates all of the considerations that went into the siting of the house.

Above: A plan and diagram of the second floor.

Above: A fully noted section of the house illustrating sun angles and breezes.

Above: The living room and veranda.

Two French architects find design inspiration on a trip to Japan in Before and After: A Charred Wood Cottage on a $45K Budget.

This post is an update; the original ran on October 27, 2014, as part of our Lessons from Japan issue.

See more interpretations of the Japanese shoji screen from around the world:

• Urban Alchemy in Toronto by Studio Junction
• Suyama Peterson Deguchi Architects in Seattle
• A Traditional Japanese Inn Made Modern

More Stories from Remodelista

• Apartment Transformation: Brotherly Love in Barcelona
• Steal This Look: A Library Loft in Barcelona
• Sunny Side Up: A Victorian Makeover in Melbourne

Japanese designer Kenichi Kandatsu would like to cast his country in a softer, kinder light. At Flame, his lighting company in rural Ashiya, Japan, he's helping to make that happen by presenting his poetic lamps in settings that are moody to the max.

N.B.: Flame's lights are sold at a number of design stores in Japan, but they're hard to come by outside the country. We consider them inspiration for projects we hope to undertake on our own.

Photography by Shinsaku Kato.

Above: Many of Flame's lights are inspired by European classics, such as this clear glass pendant design. The company is located in a house that Kandatsu built in 2010 as a combination showroom/store, headquarters, and living space. Considering a pilgrimage? Ashiya, in Hyogo, is midway between Osaka and Kobe.

Trained as a lighting designer, Kandatsu worked for a lighting parts company before founding Flame. He initially set up shop in Osaka, and, after a year and a half search for the right rustic setting, bought land in Ashiya overlooking the Ashiya River.

Above: Kandatsu collaborated with Tokyo fashion line Minä Perhonen on a series of Scandi-inflected Flame lamps.

Above: Several of the Flame + Minä Perhonen designs have embroidered linen shades. 

Above: For years Kandatsu has been collecting antique bottles one by one from all over; he puts them to great use as lamp bases with paper shades.

Above: Flame showcases its lighting in rooms furnished with Japanese antiques (that are also for sale). The spaces look as if they were lit by Edward Hopper. Shown here, Ladder, available with a fixed or moveable arm; ¥24,000 ($219.50) and ¥34,000 ($311), respectively. Flame's lights work with a range of bulbs.

Above: Most of Flame's lighting is made in Japan. Baba, the enamel design shown here, L and R, is ¥15,800 ($145). It's also available in clear glass (see top photo) for ¥14,800 ($136).

Above: Kandatsu created a sold-out series of glazed white lamps with Japanese ceramic artist Birbira. 

Above: Savoir, an enameled steel pendant, comes in two "dark, deep colors of dark gray" as well as pale gray: ¥24,000 ($219.75).

Above: A Minä Perhonen ceramic lamp with a crochet-trimmed shade.

Above: An embroidered Minä Perhonen shade for Flame.

Above: Relever, a new, "no frills, simple" clamp light from Flame, has a matte black shade and a shiny black satin cord; ¥36,000 ($330)

To see the full collection, go to Flame.

Looking for lighting advice? See:

• Afterglow: 10 Solutions for Romantic Lighting
• Remodeling 101: How to Choose an Overhead Light Fixture
• The Great Lightbulb Debate

Start shopping by browsing our hundreds of Lighting posts.

This post is an update; the original ran on October 31, 2014, as part of our Lessons from Japan issue.

More Stories from Remodelista

• Posh Japanese Workwear by Way of Paris
• Down the Stairs: A Staff Canteen and Cafe in Tokyo
• Weekend Guide with Petite Passport: Barcelona, Spain

All of us at Remodelista are mildly (make that majorly) obsessed with the Japanese luxe utilitarian clothing and home line Arts & Science, so we took note when we read about the company's "staff canteen," a cafe and kitchen shop located on the lower level of the Tokyo shop.

The company’s owner, Sonya Park, envisioned a space where her staff and customers could mingle over afternoon tea served on salt-fired pottery by UK designer Steve Harrison, lunch plates by Astier de Villatte of Paris, and glassware by the Japanese artist Kazumi Tsuji. For more information, go to Arts & Science.

Above: Everything in its place: the counter where lunch is prepared for staffers and customers,

Above: The simple space features a polished concrete floor and refectory-like furniture.

Above: Delicate glassware by Kazumi Tsuji (her work is available at Anzu in New York).

Above: Tea is served in salt-fired pottery by UK ceramicist Steve Harrison.

Above: A selection of coffees, jams (are those June Taylor preserves we see?), and sundries for the home.

Above: The cafe looks out over a small verdant garden.

See more of Sonya Park's impeccably curated shops at To Wear, to Dwell, to Eat. To see all our favorite shops in Japan, go to our City Guides.

This post is an update; the original ran on April 2, 2013, as part of our Cult of the Kitchen issue.

More Stories from Remodelista

• Posh Japanese Workwear by Way of Paris
• A Japanese Lighting Company Embraces the Dark Side
• Weekend Guide with Petite Passport: Barcelona, Spain

One of the perils of living in a loft, as I do, is that there's nowhere to hide. A shopping binge. Sautéed onions. In-laws. Everything and everyone is out in the open. But the hardest part of all is football season. When a game is on, our guest bedroom, which has the rare asset of a door, keeps me and the rabid football fan I married blissfully apart. I've claimed the room as my lair and recently upgraded it with new comforts: a reading nook, stacks of pillows, even an electric fireplace. Don't expect me to come out until they crown a Super Bowl champion.

Photography by Tom Kubik for Remodelista.

Above: To recast the room as a reading space, I added a Wall-Mount Electric Fireplace ($229 from The Home Depot) and situated an Eames rocker in front of it, cushioned with an Avondale Kilim Pillow ($40 at Home Decorators Collection). A five-by-eight-foot Troy Area Rug ($359 from Home Decorators Collection) connects the bed to my hangout area. To me, the new setup recalls a hip, rustic cabin I once stayed in at Big Sur.

Above: Putting textures to task, the wool rug takes the chill away from the concrete floor. We often host guests with infants, and the plush carpet is ideal for playtime. A short stack of pillows (the Romi Pillow, $24, and La Paz Kilim Pillow, $40, both from Home Decorators Collection) tucked under a reclaimed bench soften the metal hairpin legs and make the rug inviting to sprawl on.

Above: The pros of concrete floors (cool and industrial) surely outweigh the cons (things dropped on it may shatter). But a sheepskin rug and an upholstered Small Denton Vanity Stool ($89 at Home Decorators Collection) soften the look and feel of the space. The stool is also the perfect perch for my little niece when I sit on the bed and braid her hair.

Above: I'm a recovering magazine junkie, and the Jacob Ladder with Baskets ($249, including three suspended wire baskets, not shown, from Home Decorators Collection) lets me store a few current issues without hoarding them. The rungs are also a good place to store blankets; the Signature Cashmere Blend Throw with extra-long fringe ($299 from Home Decorators Collection) is shown here.

Above: A view of the room's all-white guest bed. I like the feeling of sleeping on a cloud.

Before

Above: A shot of the spartanly furnished room—before I added the proportion-changing ladder, soft rug, and fireside reading spot.

-Cheryl Locke

More Stories from Remodelista

• Pierre + Charlotte, A Melbourne Design Duo
• Last-Minute Holiday Gift: Homemade Orange-Spiced Wine
• DIY: Giant Origami Cranes as Holiday Decor

I've been transfixed with designer Sonya Park's line, Arts & Science, for a while now, but since it is based in Tokyo and has only a few global stockists, I can only admire the pieces from afar. So when I learned about Arts & Science's shop in Galerie Vivienne in Paris (their only location outside of Japan), I went on a pilgrimage.

The shop is located in the Second Arrondissement, where you'll find the former stock exchange, banking headquarters, and textile district. Partially designed by François Jean Delannoy in 1823, the neoclassical passages are covered with a glass dome that infuses the interiors with a warm glow—that alone is worth the visit. Galerie Vivienne is the perfect setting for Arts & Science, which, since its inception in 2003, has inspired a whole world around luxe utilitarian design, working with minimalist shapes in natural Japanese fabric.

In the small shop I was greeted by Taro, on the Paris shop staff, who really sort of breathes the A&S aesthetic—something I realized as he, wearing a perfectly shapeless black linen suit, described the spring collection. With its palette of light wood, black-painted furniture, and brass display pieces sourced from the Paris flea market, the shop's interiors serve as a seamless backdrop for the spring collection.

In Paris, visit Arts & Science at 39 Galerie Vivienne; for more, see To Wear, To Dwell, To Eat and Down the Stairs: A Staff Canteen and Cafe in Tokyo.

Photography by Alexa Hotz for Remodelista.

Above: A half column in the window displays the 2 Way Bag in yellow calfskin with a linen lining.

Above: A couple of Jabra Wallets in brown leather with an accordion-style card holder.

Above: Arts & Science's spring collection is a mix of linen and chambray, accented with mustard yellow.

Above: Park has a close relationship with Astier de Villatte, who stocked A&S pieces in their Rue Saint-Honoré shop long before the Galerie Vivienne location opened.

Above: The Chesterfield Work Coat is a new-old tailored jacket inspired by vintage work jackets and made in linen or cotton.

Above: An antique pendant lamp sourced from the flea market with updated wiring.

Above: The brass frame on a glass cabinet is in accord with the detailing of A&S accessories: buckles, latches, and zippers.

Above: Wallets in a stiff, black cow leather.

Above: The medium-size Simple Bowling Bag is made of brown or black cow leather.

Above: Select Astier de Villatte ceramics. In the past the two brands collaborated on a series of china featuring the A&S logo of a key and a gold rim.

Above: An antique porcelain finial at the bottom of the stairs banister. Upstairs, Arts & Science hosts clients in a showroom full of billowy dresses in draped silhouettes.

Above: Large vessels from Astier de Villatte.

Above: A brass-footed music stand holds a sign with the shop's opening hours.

For more places to visit in and around Paris, see our Travels with an Editor: Paris series and visit our Paris City Guide.

This post is an update; the original ran on June 3, 2013.

Location of Arts & Science in Paris:

More Stories from Remodelista

• Down the Stairs: A Staff Canteen and Cafe in Tokyo
• A Japanese Lighting Company Embraces the Dark Side
• Weekend Guide with Petite Passport: Barcelona, Spain

Last fall, when I dropped in on Mjölk, my favorite Toronto housewares emporium, owner John Baker invited me upstairs to see the newly renovated flat where he lives with his wife, Juli, and their two daughters. The first thing I noticed were the pale Scandi floors. When I commented on their perfection, John said, "It's much easier than you think to get the look." (He was referring to our post How to Create a Scandi Whitewashed Floor, which describes a more complicated route.) Of course I immediately asked John to share his secrets; here's what he told us.

Above: John and Juli's Toronto kitchen.

Above: "First, we applied a coat of Woca Wood Lye to bleach the boards."

Above: "Next, we added several coats of white wood soap. You could also coat the floors with a white pigmented oil or clear matte urethane for an even tougher finish. However, the soap treatment is the traditional Scandinavian way, and it will develop a beautiful patina with age. We have used this finish on both our cottage and home, and we are really happy with it."

Above: "We used 10-inch-wide solid Douglas fir boards from Peerless Forest Products in British Columbia. They're tongue and grooved and also screwed and plugged with matching Doug fir dowels (the boards have to be screwed, otherwise they would begin to bow with age)," John says. "It's not fancy stuff, but it's reasonably priced and we actually like all of the knots. Compared with the prices from Dinesen, the standard bearer, Canadian Douglas fir is cheap. It didn't make sense shipping wood from Denmark anyway, when we have so much of it here in Canada."

For another (slightly more involved) technique, see Izabella's post Scandi Whitewashed Floors: Before and After. Also have a look at:

• Dinesen's Custom Floors
• Remodeling 101: Wood Flooring Patterns
• Outbuilding of the Week: Tiny Cabins in a Norwegian Wood

More Stories from Remodelista

• Rehab Diary: A Guest Bedroom Turned Cozy Reading Lair
• Pierre + Charlotte, A Melbourne Design Duo
• Last-Minute Holiday Gift: Homemade Orange-Spiced Wine

Here's a novel concept: an übermodern Scandi hotel whose proprietors are so fixated on reconnecting guests with nature that they lament having to charge a fee. (But, yes, you still have to pay for it.)

Located in a forest outside of Alesund, Norway, the Juvet Landscape Hotel is sited on a gorge of the river Valldøla. (Juvet means "gorge" in Norwegian.) Owner Knut Slinning is a local, and his earnest desire to help people experience the natural beauty of his region is admirable: “I would love our guests to have a feeling that this is a fantastic place, that they had been visiting friends, and that they had a very, very nice time. And that I am sorry that they had to pay for it.”

Slinning commissioned Oslo architects Jensen & Skodvin to design seven small cabins, each with at least one entire wall made of glass. The results are minimal cubes of wood and concrete whose interiors are dark and truly spare; the structures are designed to focus guests solely on the outdoors while inside. Each cabin's massive glass wall frames a view of the forest and river gorge, unobstructed by so much as a curtain.

One interesting note: The hotel's design was aided in part by a Norwegian public works project investing in rural infrastructure. The project had a rule that developments were barred from copying ancestral Norwegian architecture, with the aim of demonstrating ingenuity in engineering and design as a hallmark of modern Norway.

For booking information, visit Juvet Landscape Hotel.

Above: With the ethic of being a guest in nature, the hotel's cabins are built on stilts; when they've finished living their useful lives, they can easily be removed.

Above: A porthole window in one of the cabin bathrooms offers its own unique view. The hotel spa sits so close to the gorge that guests are meant to "feel" the spray from the river during treatments.

Above: All view rooms, such as the hotel sauna, are intended to give the impression of being inside a camera.

Above: Occasional walls of bold color break concrete monotony in the spa. There are no curtains in the stark bedrooms and the natural light is bright in summer months. The hotel owners considered adding drapes, but guests urged them not to, saying that waking in the cabins is like waking outdoors.

Above: Bathrooms are among the few rooms with color. The cabins were first planned without bathrooms or showers to emphasize simplicity in nature, but in the end a few modern comforts were added.

Above: Walking into a cabin is meant to be a dramatic experience, as if nature is rushing in through the massive panoramic windows to greet you.

Above: The hotel owners didn't want the architecture to stand in the way of guests' experience of nature; they in fact want guests to realize that life in Norway has been a struggle for survival.

Keep planning your Norwegian stay: 

• A Hotel for Lovers and Lovers of History
• A Mountain Home in Norway, Christmas Decor Included
• Outbuilding of the Week: A Tiny Open-Air Theater in Norway

More Stories from Remodelista

• Posh Japanese Workwear by Way of Paris
• Down the Stairs: A Staff Canteen and Cafe in Tokyo
• A Japanese Lighting Company Embraces the Dark Side

Designed in 1939 by Swedish inventor Alvar Lenning, the Ankarsrum Original Kitchen Mixer is a Rube Goldberg type of machine, capable of doing seemingly anything (with the right attachments). It's especially celebrated for its bread-kneading abilities and its longevity; happy owners call it a once-in-a-lifetime purchase. During World War II, it even came with a collection of "crisis recipes" for Swedish households feeling the pinch of rationing. About a year ago, it came on the US market; it's available in a range of subtle pastels, with a glossy black and a glossy white finish to come.

Above: The electrical motor and the diecast aluminum components are cast and assembled at the Electrolux factory in Ankarsrum, Sweden. The Ankarsrum Kitchen Assistant features a 600-watt motor; $799.95 from Metro Kitchen.

Above: The Ankarsrum Kitchen Assistant is available in 10 colors, ranging from Mineral White to Pearl Orange.

To see more kitchen gadgets we have our eye on, have a look at our Small Appliance posts, including the Last Blender You'll Ever Buy and Dyson's Hot Cool Heater. And over on Gardenista, read about Michelle's battles with her smoke detector: Why Is My Smoke Alarm So Obnoxious?

More Stories from Remodelista

• Atomic Vision: The Sorrentina Stovetop Espresso Maker
• 11 Kitchen Islands Gone Glamorous
• 12 German-Made Kitchen Essentials

Pale pink is our new favorite wall color: Take a look at Danish accessories designer Yvonne Koné's just-opened Copenhagen boutique, where the shade assumes a sophisticated—and decidedly ungirly—guise that serves as the perfect backdrop for Koné's dark leather shoes and bags. 

A fashion graduate of the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, Koné launched her business in 2011, and has since become known for her pared-down, architectural approach to Italian-made leather goods, including a signature "bum bag" that has us reconsidering the fanny pack. She applies the same tantalizingly simple, well-orchestrated look to the Copenhagen apartment that she shares with her husband, an illustrator, and their three kids (the Legos, scooters, and skateboards were swept out of sight on the day of the shoot, she admits). Of her work, she says, "I'm very good at leaving out that last unnecessary detail." 

Boutique photography by Line Klein via Yvonne Koné. Apartment photography by Line Klein for Elle Decoration Denmark via Est Magazine; styling by Stine Langvad.

The Boutique

Above: Located in what had been an antiques shop in a landmarked building, the boutique was designed by Oliver Gustav, whose own interior design shop and studio is just a few doors away. He's the one who suggested the color: "Oliver and I are both big fans of gray," says Koné, "but this time I wanted something softer. Oliver presented me with an environmentally friendly, water-based, chalk paint made from natural pigments. He showed me this exact dusty, powdery pink, and I fell in love. It's called Skin Powder."

Above: Koné's satchels, wallets, and bum bags hang from hooks on an iron bar. The rusty lamp came from a Paris flea market.

Above: The shelves are painted with the same dusty pink as the walls, and both are finished with two layers of environmentally friendly sealer—the paint is custom blended and is available, like many of the shop accessories, via Studio Oliver Gustav. The floor lamp, detailed with brushed brass and matte mirror glass, is from an edition of 18 made by Danish designer Kevin Josias.

Above: For trying on Koné's plum pumps: an Oak Stool by German carpenter and film director Fritz Baumann

Above: Display blocks made of terracotta stand in front of one of the original arched windows.

Above: Evidently we like a lot of the same things that Koné does—such as fiddle leaf fig trees and Industrial Chandeliers by Brooklyn firm Workstead (a member of the Remodelista Architect/Designer Directory).

The floors are pine and were installed by the previous tenant. "They didn't wash or treat the floors for many years," Koné says. "When I moved in, I decided to emphasize the patina, but I wanted a less yellow tone, and I like the smell of newly washed pine. So we scrubbed with soap and water, and then treated the floor with two coats of gray stain and alcohol, followed by another soap wash. Now, they're easy to maintain, and we clean them every evening with soap flakes." Intrigued? There are a lot of ways to create a pale wood effect. See Izabella's solution in our Remodeling 101 post: Easy Whitewashed Scandi Floors and go to page 221 of the Remodelista book for a soap-washed approach similar to Koné's. Note the inset doormat, another Remodelista favorite.

Above: The boutique is located at 3 Store Strandstraede, next to Nyhavn, Copenhagen's 17th-century waterfront.

The Apartment

Above: Several years ago, Koné and her family lucked into their apartment in the middle of Vesterbro, in a 1910 art-nouveau-style building designed by architect Anton Rosen. Like the shop, it has tall ceilings and period details that are paired with clean-lined furnishings, such as the Mags Module Sofa, shown here, by Danish company Hay. The low tables are from eBay—"I think they were used in factories to stack," Koné says. "I bought them for a very low cost." For a long time, Koné kept the windows uncovered; they now have "very discrete white blinds."

Above: "We had the bookcases built and treated the pine floor with white oil; that's it," Koné says. She singles out the shelving as one of her favorite things in the apartment: "It was custom-made by Danish firm Kobenhavns Mobelsnedkeri. The design is so simple and timeless, and brings some personality." The next room is Koné's home office.

Above L: Dried poppy pods and a photo mural. Above R: An outsized industrial light found by a collector friend hangs from the living room's original plasterwork.

Above: Brass vases that were props from a theater are paired with an African hairdresser sign, a perfect addition to the apartment's black-and-white palette.

 Above L: There's even a balcony. Above R: The scrap-wood table was once used in a photo studio.

Above: A hallway leads to the kitchen and a shared kids' room. The runner is Tine K Home's Jute Kit. The hanging light—"very cheap and old"—was purchased on eBay Germany.

Above: In the kitchen a white Ikea cabinet supplies essential storage and replaces existing white wood cabinets that were new but made to look old: "I don't like fake vintage," Koné says. The table by Kobenhavns Mobelsnedkeri is smoked oak and was designed to fit the room. The odd lot of chairs are all inexpensive vintage finds.

Above L: A kitchen tableau on a lacquered wood counter: "I didn't like the reddish color, so I stained it black and after that lacquered it many, many times to make it durable and easy to keep." Above R: A vintage cupboard holds some of the kids' artwork.

Above: The master bedroom's platform bed frame came long ago from a futon shop. An old wall cupboard, newly painted black and white, is mounted over an old set of wooden file drawers from a doctor's office.

Above L and R: The black-and-white theme extends to the bathroom. For more, go to Yvonne Koné.

Have a look at Black & White Interiors in our archive. Ready to go pink? See 5 Favorites: The Power of Pink by color expert Eve Ashcraft, and Expert Advice: The 10 Best Pink Paints. And for more of our favorite Scandi Designs, peruse our Photo Gallery. On Gardenista, take a look at the Most Beautiful Flower Shop in Denmark.

More Stories from Remodelista

• A Romantic Farmhouse for Two, Japan Edition
• Apartment Transformation: Brotherly Love in Barcelona
• Steal This Look: A Library Loft in Barcelona

In 10 Secrets for a Better Night's Sleep, the "bedroom as sanctuary" plays a key role. Architects have long known that creating calm and killing clutter in your sleep space is simple and efficient with built-in storage. Here are 12 favorite examples.

Above: In his own bedroom, Vincent Van Duysen incorporates a headboard into a wall of bookshelves. At bedside level, the shelves turn into drawers with a pullout night table. Hear what the Belgian architect has to say about everything from essential objects to daily exercise in 20 Questions: Julianne Moore and Vincent Van Duysen Talk Design. Photograph by Martyn Thompson.

Above: In London interiors firm Sigmar's design for a bedroom, extra storage is created by building a wall out from the window, creating a window seat and cabinets at the same time.

Above: A bed with pullout drawers and a headboard with a recessed niche becomes a room within a room. Photograph via Vtwonen.

Above: Architect Jerome Buttrick carved out vertical shelving, complete with accessible light switches and outlets on either side of Remodelista editor Julie Carlson's bed. Photograph by Maria del Rio for Refinery 29.

Above: Paul de Ruiter Architects of Amsterdam integrate a bed into a built-in headboard and use the thickness of the wall to create storage on the sides. Photograph by Tim Van de Velde via ArchDaily. Take a tour of the rest of the house in Rooms With a View and Maximum Storage Too. 

Above: Architect Claire Cousins fashions a bedroom out of plywood in a loft in Melbourne replete with built-in storage. See more in The Plywood Makeover: An Artful Apartment in Melbourne. Photograph by Lisbeth Grosman via Desire to Inspire.  

Above: In a remodel of a Victorian house in San Francisco, architects Mork Ulnes commissioned furniture designer Yvonne Mouser to design an ingenious wood headboard that incorporates built-in storage while also providing structural reinforcement. See the complete remodel in The Architect Is In: Saving the Hippie Soul of a Victorian House. 

Above: Norm Architects of Copenhagen created a display niche that takes the place of a headboard.

Above: San Francisco architects Turnbull Griffin Haesloop incorporate bedside tables and a dresser into the headboard of a bed, which also acts as a room partition. 

Above: In Japan, mA-style Architects designed a double-layered house where the exterior layer is used as a zone for closets and storage. Photograph by Kai Nakamura via mA-style Architects. 

Above: Floor-to-ceiling cabinets are built flush into the wall of this bedroom. Photograph by Jonas Berg via Style Files.

Above: In my own bedroom, my husband and I maximized space by building our bed into an awkward niche and creating built-in storage above and pullout drawers below. More of our space-saving solutions can be seen in Living Small in London. 

For more space-efficient bedroom ideas, have a look at Sleep and Stow: Bed Frames with Built-in Storage and Steal This Look: A Well-Organized Closet on a Budget.

On Gardenista, Michelle presents a 186-Square-Foot Garage Converted into the Ideal Guest Room.

N.B.: This post is an update. The original ran in October 2014 as part of our Genius Storage Solutions issue.

More Stories from Remodelista

• Happy Holidays
• Object Lessons: The Classic Cocktail Shaker (Plus 5 to Buy)
• Trend Alert: Peasant Chair Roundup (Plus 5 to Buy)

The Belgian design aesthetic: Forever pleasing and always moreish. In this roundup, we catch up with our favorite Belgian architects and designers and circle in on their low-key luxe vibe.

Above: Belgian design impresario Axel Vervoordt, godfather to the rough-yet-refined Belgian look that has captivated the design world in the past decade, began with the classical before moving into the minimalist world of the wabi-sabi. See his latest project at the Greenwich Hotel in On Top of the World: A Belgian Antiquarian Designs a Penthouse in NYC.

Above: Belgian design master Vincent Van Duysen likens the Belgian aesthetic to the "art of living"; read more about his design philosophy at 20 Questions: Julianne Moore and Vincent Van Duysen Talk Design. His protégé Nicolas Schuybroek (see below) says, "Working out a door handle for him is as important as designing a tower. The strength of an architect lies in the fact that he can deliver everything, from construction to interior."

Above: Nicolas Schuybroek's own living room, near Ixelles Ponds, in Belgium, via Coffeeklatch. Schuybroek worked as a project director in Vincent Van Duysen's office for five years before striking out on his own a couple of years ago; he's already making waves (see Belgian Luxury on the Côte d'Azur and Stealth Statement Kitchens from a Belgian Architect). "Your personality gets shaped when you work for someone else. I owe Vincent for getting me where I am today."

Above: Stephanie Laperre worked as an interior architect for Vincent Van Duysen for almost a decade before forming Daskal Laperre with Daphne Daskal.

Above: The living room of Walda Pairon, the Doyenne of Belgian Design, features limewashed walls with a simple vintage wooden trestle table and an antique upholstered armchair.

Above: Karin Draaijer in Belgium is one of our favorite under-the-radar interior designers; see more at Karin Draaijer in Belgium.

Above: In A Belgian B&B, Surrealism Included, designer and gallery owner Sofie Lachaert displays a minimalist dining table by Maarten van Severen and wooden stools by Casimir. Photograph by Danica Kus.

Above: Interior designer Dorien Cooreman's restored farmhouse in Belgium features an understated luxe vibe; see more at Hotels & Lodging: Moka & Vanille in Belgium.

Above: Architects Buyse Seghers have us all rethinking our homes with A Fairy-Tale Castle in Belgium: The Architects' Version. Photograph by Frederik Vercruysse.

Above: Brussels-based designer Nathalie Goris collaborated with Matiz Architecture & Design on a West Village townhouse renovation in A New York Remodel by Way of Belgium. Photograph by Hidenao Abe.

Inspired and wanting to re-create the Belgian aesthetic in your home? Start small with 10 Easy Pieces: Linen-Slipcovered Sofas, or try your hand at this DIY: Bathroom Storage as Art Installation.

For more favorite Belgian archtitects, we visit Verdickt and Verdickt's Minimalist Greenhouse in the Woods on Gardenista.

N.B.: This post is an update. The original ran in October 2014 as part of our Belgian Masters issue.

More Stories from Remodelista

• A Fairy-Tale Castle in Belgium: The Architects' Version
• Copenhagen Cool: Yvonne Koné at Work and Home
• A Romantic Farmhouse for Two, Japan Edition

Linen is perhaps the most virtuous of all fabrics. It's produced from the flax plant, every part of which has a use: The seeds are ground to make oil for paint and linoleum flooring, the pulp goes into banknotes, and the fibers inside the wood stalks are woven into linen fabric. Flax is grown in many parts of the world, but it's best known and said to be finest in the Flanders region of Belgium, where, thanks to an abundance of small rivers and a rainy climate, it thrives without irrigation. 

Before the spinning and weaving take place, flax is transformed into linen using a medieval vocabulary of retting (washing and drying), scotching (removing the woody stems), and hackling (splitting and straightening the fibers). Linen has been prized for 10,000 years for its absorbency, thermal insulation, comfort, and durability. Belgian linen is also appreciated for its softness, which increases with each wash, and its elegance when draped from a rail. It's hypoallergenic too, and in the home it has practical uses in every room; here are some examples.

Five to Buy

Above: The Libeco Flea Market Tea Towel, 23.6 by 31.5 inches, is available in three colors (from left: Grigio, Sughero, and Crimson) from Libeco, Belgium's best-known purveyor of linen; $28.

Above: Restoration Hardware's Vintage-Washed Belgian Linen Shower Curtain, 72 square inches, is $49.99 marked down from $89; extra-long size also available.

Above: The bedding selected for Philip Johnson's Glass House, Rough Linen's Pure Belgian Linen Sheeting and Orkney Linen Duvet Covers and Bedskirts come in natural or white. Prices range from $140 to $220 for sheets, and they start at $250 for duvet covers and $200 for bedskirts. (Read Editors' Picks: 10 Favorite Luxury Bed Linens for testimonials about Rough Linen.) 

Above: Libeco recently added a line of Linen Cambridge Rugs to their collection. They're available in five sizes; prices start at $173 (23.5 by 33.5 inches) and go up to $1,034 (94.5 by 118 inches) at Gracious Style.

Above: Belgian Textured Linen Drapery from Barn & Willow starts at $184 for a 50-by-84-inch curtain panel (three other lengths available).

Object Lessons columnist Megan Wilson is the owner of Ancient Industries and the curator of the Remodelista 100, a collection of essential everyday objects presented in the Remodelista book. Watch for her column every Thursday, and have a look at her past lessons, including posts about Classic Mattress Ticking and the Classic Canvas Tote. Her most popular lesson to date is on The Pastel Enamel Pot.

N.B.: This post is an update. The original ran in October 2014 as part of our Belgian Masters issue.

More Stories from Remodelista

• The Ankarsrum: Sweden's Iconic Kitchen Mixer
• Atomic Vision: The Sorrentina Stovetop Espresso Maker
• 11 Kitchen Islands Gone Glamorous

Imagine cycling in the Flemish countryside and discovering an abandoned ruin of a once-grand house, 17th-century tower included. Most would probably muse about the possibilities, become frightened by the challenges, and then cycle away. Bram Seghers and Inge Buyse, however, are not most people. Founding partners of Buyse Seghers Architects, the couple bought the house to renovate and to live in with their two sons.

Known for their thoughtful design and sensitivity to light and proportion, the architects were careful to respect the architecture of the house, whose three-century span from the 17th to the 20th is visible in the layered marks of the exterior brickwork. “Even though the house had been continuously rebuilt, expanded, and altered, it was always thought of as one coherent structure, and we took the same approach," Seghers says. ”Our interventions do not have to be noticed; nor do we think that a strong contrast between the new and the old is always necessary.” 

The architects created a modern, open feeling by bringing in more light through the house with new windows and additional interior openings. A multifunctional plan means that the house can function as one large home or two houses with separate entrances, providing ultimate flexibility for family living. “My parents currently occupy the second living unit, and my brother uses the upstairs studio when he joins us at Christmas and Easter. We open up the interconnecting, oversize doors, and it feels like one large, loftlike space, full of family and children.” A perfect fairy-tale ending.

Photography by Frederik Vercruysse via This Is Paper.

Above: The architects discovered the picturesque property while cycling in the Flemish countryside in Lovendegem, a town on the outskirts of Ghent. The property consists of the main house (pictured above), a few outer buildings, and an English garden.

Above: In the entry hall, the bluestone floor tiles are arranged in a classic Belgian pattern.

Above: From the dining room, there's an uninterrupted view of the kitchen back to the entry wall, showing three different floor finishes, soaped solid oak, Rouge Belge marble, and bluestone tiles. 

Above: In the kitchen the pale green of the cabinets complements the Rouge Belge marble countertops and floor. "We chose the wall colors to harmonize with the natural materials used in each room," Seghers says. "Rooms that have marble floors have a soft gray on the walls."

Above: "The red marble is Rouge Belge, chosen by the slab and selected for the combination of white veining that adds freshness," Seghers says.

Above: The spare decor in the dining room with pale green walls is offset by the crystal chandelier, which was a family hand-me-down. "It came from Inge’s aunt," Seghers says. "We know nothing about it, but thought it was a perfect match. The crystal pieces give off beautiful light."

Above: The architects chose the white cotton fabric for the curtains for its ability to drape into soft but distinct folds.

Above: Large interior openings throughout the house provide glimpses of other rooms; the living room, seen here from the dining room, allows large amounts of natural light to flow through.

Above: A dark green classic French bistro teacup with saucer and milk jug set from Limoges sits on a stone fireplace mantel with a powdered white finish that has been handcut to the architects' design.

Above: A view from the kitchen into the living room and dining room beyond. The large doors in the dining room open up to an adjacent office. 

Above: In the office, the architects installed a small oval window, called an œil-de-bœuf, on the side of the house to allow more light in.

Above: Pale blue walls in the master bedroom complement the dark wood floorboards. "We always choose color on site, with painted wall samples in different tints," Seghers says. "We test the colors against the exterior light conditions throughout the day."

Above: A childhood desk lamp is repurposed into a bedside lamp.

Above: "Old floorboards that span the room were removed, restored, and reinstalled along with the original staircase," Seghers says. "We stained them a dark color and scrubbed them with a beeswax finish."

Above: Double doors lead to an expansive bathroom.

Above: The palette of the bathroom is off-white and neutral. The offset stacking pattern of the glazed porcelain tiles adds a simple but effective graphic note.

Above: Porcelain tiles line the walls of the shower. 

Above: A portrait of the architects Bram Seghers and Inge Buyse as captured by photographer Frederik Vercruysse. The photos for this series were a result of a collaboration between the architects and Vercruysse titled "Portrait of House." "Seeing Frederik’s personal work, 'Table Composition,' we were quite taken by the care and attention to detail and proportion he seems to share with ours," Seghers says.

Above: In the back, the architects opened up the house to the garden and mirror pond by adding windows and carefully widening existing openings. The side elevations were opened up by adding porte-fenetres and an œil-de-bœuf placed into a rocaille stucco finish. 

Above: A view through the back with the mirror pond frozen over. "The property itself is still in continuous evolution," Seghers says. "We are working on a design for a new outer building that will house our offices, still renovating the garden, and continually buying and designing pieces that will add to the interior over time."

Above: The entry level floor plan to Roode Port, the property's official name, illustrates how the house can be used as one large unit or separated into two smaller ones. 

Above: The master bedroom is located on the second floor.

Above: The third floor houses studios and additional family members.

Above: A cross section of the house.

Planning a cycling trip in Flanders and need somewhere to stay? See Glamorous Farm for Rent, Belgian Edition and A Bohemian B&B in Belgium. On Gardenista, we share 10 Garden Ideas to Steal from Belgium. 

More Stories from Remodelista

• Best of the Belgians: 10 Favorite Architects and Designers
• Copenhagen Cool: Yvonne Koné at Work and Home
• A Romantic Farmhouse for Two, Japan Edition

As we head into 2015, we're taking a look at design trends on the horizon. Join us as we investigate ways to refresh rooms, make good on our resolutions, and get a little more organized in the process.

Above: Sarah's living-room shelf still life: "I could easily be a hoarder, but living in small rooms means less stuff and a more rigorous approach to what comes in the house," she says. Go to Sarah's Refined Rental in St. Helena, California, to tour the cottage. Photograph by Matthew Williams for Remodelista.

Monday

Above: The most coveted storage containers are now available in glass. Vincent Van Duysen fans, preview the new designs in today's Kitchen Accessories post.

Tuesday

Above: London's star chef Skye Gyngell wanted a soulful and hardworking home kitchen. On Tuesday, we detail how to Steal This Look, from stove to cabinets to task lighting.

Wednesday

Above: Perfect for start-of-the-year self-reflection: modernist hand mirrors, many of which stand right up to the task. Watch for Wednesday's 10 Favorites post.

Thursday

Above: Stephanie Ross leads an enviable life: The owner of kids' fashion label Les Petits Carreaux divides her time between Paris, where the clothes are designed, and California, where the clothes are made. In Thursday's House Call, Izabella pays a visit to Ross's glam French quarters.

Friday

Above: New York hotelier Sean MacPherson knows how to put antique designs to fresh use. In Friday's Lodging spotlight, Heather shows us around his latest downtown NYC offering. To see another MacPherson creation, go to Honey, I Shrunk the Ritz. 

Find labware plant stands, an office space in a greenhouse, and a New Year's cleanse recipe on Gardenista this week.

More Stories from Remodelista

• Top 15 Interiors Trends of 2015
• Scandi Coffee Secrets from a Family of Caffeine Fiends
• Subtle Luxury: Vincent Van Duysen's New Glass Display Vessels

For those of us who worship the home, the new year inspires us to reassess our living spaces (and in our case, to revisit the Remodelista Manifesto that we outline in Remodelista: A Manual for the Considered Home). This year we're taking inspiration from Lea Korzeczek and Matthias Hiller of Studio Oink, whose work is like a breath of fresh air (their motto is "Throw away everything you don't need in your daily life"). 

Photography via Studio Oink, unless otherwise noted.

10 Rules We Live By

1. Classic and livable trumps trendy and transient.

Above: In a low-key living room designed by Studio Oink, a pleasing mix of midcentury pieces and vintage oil paintings makes for a calming (and timeless) environment. 

2. Ikea mingles well with antiques: A mix of high and low animates a space—and allows room for all budgets.

Above: In the couple's own Wiesbaden kitchen, a midcentury Panton Molded Plastic Chair mingles with a vintage wood dining table, rough-and-ready plywood kitchen cabinets, and a free-standing vintage glass-fronted cabinet.

3. Clutter is the enemy. For a sense of well-being, edit out the extraneous.

Above: In the couple's entry hall, potted greens (oxygenating powers included) beneath the wooden bench and a sheepskin throw set a tone of mixed textures that carries through rest of the apartment. Clutter is kept at bay with a three-part storage system in the entry hall that maximizes the available height.

Above L: Form and function: A window seat is created by cabinets that have been built to the same height as the window sill. Above R: The cabinets provide built-in storage as well as a surface for display.

Above: Built-in cabinets—valuable for their storage capacity—continue around the room at a lower height to provide more open wall space for artwork and shelving.

4. Thoughtfully designed and produced goods made with sustainable materials are a far better investment than big-box bargains. 

Above: Studio Oink sells a selection of one-of-a-kind new and vintage household accessories, including The Most Beautiful Oven Cloth in the World, made of 100 percent cotton with a leather strap; €12 ($14.32). "We love and respect old things, and we are trying to work in a sustainable and ecological way," they say.

5. Ordinary utilitarian items, such as wastebaskets and scrub brushes, can—and should—be as pleasingly elegant as center-of-attention pieces.

Above: Iris Hantverk brooms and brushes via Tea and Kate.

Above: A utilitarian light with a wire cage guard is clipped onto a pipe and provides task lighting with sculptural appeal.

6. A room full of neutrals needs a disciplined dose of color. Think throw pillows, textiles, ceramics, and artwork in vibrant shades.

Above: A tray with a Moroccan tile motif, dotted tea towel, and vase of tulips bring color and life to a corner of the couple's kitchen.

Above: A collection of glass vases contained on a small shelf offers a dash of color in an otherwise neutral space.

Above: Well-loved and much-used crockery is on display as well as easily accessible.

7. Yin wants yang: Masculine and feminine elements mix well and benefit from each other. Add too much of one or the other and your space will feel unbalanced.

Above: A masculine black leather Eames Aluminum Group Desk Chair is paired with a curvaceous vintage weathered rocking chair in the couple's home office.

Above: A sheepskin throw adds softness and warmth to the Louis Ghost Chair by Philippe Starck, which contrasts with the minimal built-in cabinets.

8. Beauty needn't come at the cost of comfort or utility. Steer clear of unwelcoming furniture and fixtures that don't do their job.

Above: A platform plywood bed, built to the height of the window sill, turns into cabinets as it wraps around the room, maximizing space and avoiding the need for other furniture.

Above: Lighting and power are integrated into the headboard in the loft bed leaving the small area free of fixtures. (See 12 Architectural Built-Ins in the Bedroom for more tips.)

Above: Built-in bookshelves and cabinets keep the work area organized. The loft above the desk area includes a bed for guests.

9. A mix of textures makes a room interesting. Mohair throws, potted ferns, velvet upholstery, yes; stray dog hairs, no.

Above: Sheepskin throws, sheer, light-filtering curtains, and wooden case goods warm up this otherwise austere dining room designed by Studio Oink.

10. Stay true. Live with what you love.

Above: A grouping of silver candlesticks becomes a centerpiece in a well-edited, clutter-free space.

For more clutter-free inspiration, see:

• Steal This Look: A Scandi-Inspired Bedroom, Small Space Edition

• Inner Sanctum: Maximum Calm in a London Townhouse
• Clean Slate Living with Johannes Norlander
• African Modernism: Light and Shadow in Cape Town
• 14 Lessons in Minimalism from the Glass House
• In Greece, A House and Landscape with a Slow Reveal

More Stories from Remodelista

• A Fairy-Tale Castle in Belgium: The Architects' Version
• Best of the Belgians: 10 Favorite Architects and Designers
• Copenhagen Cool: Yvonne Koné at Work and Home

When Belgian architect Vincent Van Duysen introduced his now-iconic oak lidded ceramic bowls a while back for When Objects Work of Brugge, Belgium, we were in instant covet mode. So we took note when Van Duysen recently introduced the stackable collection in clear or smoky glass: world's most beautiful display vessels? We think so.

Photography by Alberto Piovano for When Objects Work, except where noted.

Above: Van Duysen's containers—he refers to them simply as "pots"—range from bowls to platters to canisters. The just-introduced glass versions integrate seamlessly with the ceramic designs; all come with lids in varying thicknesses of sandblasted oak (shown here) or oiled walnut and are made in Belgium. Garde in LA, one of the first retailers to offer the glass, has three sizes in clear glass and oak starting at $235. Garde also offers the full range of Vincent Van Duysen Ceramic Bowls and Canisters.

Above: In addition to clear glass, the new collection comes in smoky shades of brown and black. The glass designs are available from interior designer Jan George in Sag Harbor, New York, in three shades of glass and three sizes starting at $185. 

Above: The Vincent Van Duysen 3-by-6-Inch Glass Canister with Oak Lid, shown here, is $235, and the Vincent Van Duysen 6-by-6-Inch Glass Canister with Oak Lid is $250, both from Garde. The glass is microwavable and dishwasher safe, but not recommended for the oven. Photograph via Garde.

Above: The Vincent Van Duysen 12-by-3-Inch Glass Bowl with Oak Lid is $395 by special order from Garde. Photograph via Garde.

Above: The Vincent Van Duysen Glass Canister in black (far left) is $185, and the taller size (far right) is $358 from Jan George. Note: The lids shown here are in oiled walnut; Jan George currently offers sandblasted oak lids.

Above: The designs will soon also be available at March in SF and Suite NY, as well as sold directly by When Objects Work.

We're longstanding Vincent Van Duysen fans. See:

• 20 Questions: Julianne Moore and Vincent Van Duysen Talk Design (and take a look at Moore's Van Duysen-inspired kitchen in Behind the Scenes: 5 Design Lessons from Julian Moore)
• Architect Visit: Vincent Van Duysen Kitchens 
• Black and White Grandeur from Vincent Van Duysen

More Stories from Remodelista

• Top 15 Interiors Trends of 2015
• Scandi Coffee Secrets from a Family of Caffeine Fiends
• Table of Contents: A New Start

Like most Swedes, my parents take their coffee drinking seriously: They prefer it black, hot, strong, and served twice daily. 

My husband, a java aficionado (who learned about coffee while living in Costa Rica), likes to use the manual Chemex, while my parents expect the ease of a coffee machine (with an on/off button and a heating element).

We currently live in Little Rock, Arkansas, and my parents visit from Sweden frequently. And as we gather around the breakfast table, it never fails: An irritating comment from my mother or father typically follows the first morning sip—the coffee isn't hot enough, they say as they repeatedly ask why we can't invest in a simple coffeemaker. Soon they line up in front of the microwave to heat their cups. They always come with their own Swedish coffee; for this year's holiday visit, they took things a step further and brought their own Swedish lidded coffee mugs, claiming that ours don't hold the heat long enough. 

Prior to their arrival, I told Brandon it was time to avoid the heated debate and invest in a coffeemaker. 

But could we find the holy grail? To please all parties, our purchase had to blend into our newly remodeled kitchen (much as we'd like one, we don't have a built-in coffee station), barely take up any counter space, and, most importantly, make great tasting hot coffee all day long.

After endless hours of research—we take our domestic purchases seriously; see Why I Love My Miele Vacuum—we finally decided to buy a Wilfa Presisjon Coffeemaker.

Above: The Wilfa Presisjon Coffeemaker is the creation of award-winning Norwegian barista Tim Wendelboe, who runs his own micro-roastery and espresso bar, Tim Wendelboe, in Oslo. 

The Wilfa Presisjon (Precision) takes its name from its performance: It reaches an optimal boiling temperature quickly and remains there. (A chart diagram of its temperature line resembles a hockey stick in comparison to the a bell shape of most coffeemakers.)

The coffee filter basket can stand on its own, thanks to a wide mouth that allows for ease of inserting filters and pouring coffee. The filter basket is pleated to allow air between the basket and the filter, which eliminates bubbling. See Brian W. Jones's site, Dear Coffee, I Love You, to read a detailed review of the Wilfa. 

Above: The best of both worlds: The Wilfa coffeemaker accommodates the Chemex (now my husband and parents can enjoy great-tasting coffee). Photograph by Izabella Simmons for Remodelista.

Above: Brought all the way from Sweden in my parents' luggage: Höganäs Coffee Cups. The stoneware design comes with wooden lids that retain the heat of the coffee (and double as saucers). They cups come in five colors; $12 each from Scandinavian Design Center. 

Above: Pouring myself a freshly made cup brewed by our Wilfa (as you can see, I stick with my own mugs; this one is from Royal Copenhagen). In the US, the Wilfa Precision Coffeemaker comes in two models, aluminum and black, and starts at $249.95 from Williams-Sonoma. Photograph by Izabella Simmons for Remodelista.

To learn more, see a Vimeo video of Tim Wendelboe demonstrating his Wilfa Presisjon. 

And for more coffee intel, go to:

• Expert Advice: Alice Gao Explains the Perfect Cup of Coffee
• A Coffeemaker Designed by a Portland Brewer
• 10 Easy Pieces: Coffee Grinders
• Trend Alert: Artful Coffee Drippers

And if you're heading to world coffee capital Melbourne, see Petit Passport's Top Five Coffeehouses.

More Stories from Remodelista

• Top 15 Interiors Trends of 2015
• Subtle Luxury: Vincent Van Duysen's New Glass Display Vessels
• Table of Contents: A New Start

From interesting mirrors to ugly marble to cut crystal to moody minimalism: our predictions of the design trends that will define 2015. 

Above: Moody, luxe minimalism; our favorite practitioners include Dimore Studio (shown), Faye Toogood, Joseph Dirand, and Nicolas Schuybroeck.

Cut crystal makes a comeback. Above L: Decorated Hobstar Glasses; $24 each from West Elm. Above R: Lee Broom's Cut Crystal Light Bulb is $175 from A + R Store in LA. 

Above: Mix-and-match linen bedding; photograph via Linen Works. Crate & Barrel and West Elm have jumped on the bandwagon with their own lines.

Above: Artisanal coffee-making equipment. Joey Roth's Moka Pot for Blue Bottle is a current favorite; also see our post on handmade coffee drippers.

Above: A while back we featured the home of New York potter Paula Greif, who set a goal to make everything in her kitchen by hand. Clearly, she was ahead of the curve; handmade dinnerware is everywhere (see Currently Coveting: Japanese-Style Tableware Made in LA).

Above: Pantone's pick for color of the year may be Marsala; but our wall color pick is pale, dusty pink (specifically, Pink Ground from Farrow & Ball, a favorite with Ben Pentreath).

Above: An organic look for appliances; see Calm in the Kitchen: The Amica Zen Oven by Amica.

Above: In 2014, we wrote about our attraction to ugly marble (see 10 Favorites: Exotic Marble in Modern Spaces); a current favorite use is the backsplash in Michael Verheyden's kitchen.

Above: Sculptural candles; a set of five handmade Nanao Candles is $26 from Uguisu.

Above: Interesting mirrors, as featured in this bath via Made a Mano (L) and these Obei Obei Wall Mirrors (R).

Above: Jewel-toned tiles in the bath, as seen in Faye Toogood's London home. Photograph by Henry Bourne for T Magazine.

Above: Not a trend yet (but we hope it catches on): innovative and beautiful storage solutions in the bath, such as Astier de Villatte's Glamorous Soap Dishes from France.

Above: In restaurant interiors, a move away from the industrial, reclaimed-wood look toward lighter materials and mixes of pastels. Shown here, Glassiere in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, via Nana Hagel's blog Far and Close. Also see Pretty in Pink: Spring at Somerset House.

Above: Herringbone patterns continue to look fresh, as in the Herringbone House by Atelier Chan Chan.

Above: Finally, the new "It" plant is the pencil cactus, according to Gardenista. Photograph of Philip Johnson's Glass House by Matthew Williams for Remodelista.

For more of our design forecasts, go to Trend Alert and Current Obsessions.

More Stories from Remodelista

• Scandi Coffee Secrets from a Family of Caffeine Fiends
• Subtle Luxury: Vincent Van Duysen's New Glass Display Vessels
• Table of Contents: A New Start

Several shades of gray come into play in Faye Toogood's subtly glamorous London bedroom. Get the look with the following elements.

Above: Faye Toogood's London bedroom, photographed by Henry Bourne for T Magazine.

Above: The Mod Upholstered Bed from West Elm is $799 for the queen size.

Above: The Venice Set from online luxury linens company Parachute is $249 (includes a fitted sheet, a duvet cover, and two pillowcases) and is available in a percale or sateen finish and in four colors (white, powder blue, ash, and slate gray).

Above: The queen-size Vintage-Washed Belgian Linen Bed Skirt is $149 from Restoration Hardware.  

Above: Toogood's opaline light fixture is vintage; for something similar, try Trainspotters or Drew Pritchard on 1st Dibs.

Above: Kirsten Hecktermann's hand-dyed velvet cushions are available in a range of colors and sizes; the Coraline Cushions start at £64 ($99.67). See our recent Spotlight on her designs.

Above: The Workshop Bar Cart is $899.99 (down from $1,399) at West Elm.

Above: Search Etsy and eBay for similar yellow table and desk lamps.

Above: A framed etching by the British modernist Ben Nicholson hangs over Toogood's fireplace; for poster reproductions that are similar, go to All Posters.

Above L: Farrow & Ball's Skylight is a pale blue-gray. Above R: Farrow & Ball's Cabbage White "takes its name from the distinctive wings of the cabbage white butterfly."

For more bedroom inspiration, see:

• Remodeling 101: Bedroom Lighting Secrets and Bedside Lamps
• 10 Easy Pieces: Wood Platform Beds
• 12 Architectural Built-Ins for the Bedroom
• Editors' Picks: 12 Best Pajamas for Lounging
• 10 Easy Pieces: Modern Wood Armoires

More Stories from Remodelista

• Remodeling 101: Bedroom Lighting Secrets
• Remodeling 101: Bedside Lighting
• Mix-and-Match Linens from France