MOVING / Hello New Love Aesthetics

It has been exactly 6 years since I wrote my first post on Love Aesthetics and my digital brainchild was born. It is the project I've been involved in for the longest amount of time in my life. My blog has lasted longer than high school. Though Love Aesthetics has slowly been growing into a thing on its own and has outgrown the format of just a blog.

Thank you all for reading and being with me all these years. The best thing about running this blog has been meeting so many of you talented readers and making a lot of new friends. There is a Dutch expression 'stok achter de deur' which literally translates into 'stick behind the door', which means a threat in the most positive sense of the word, an extra motivation for doing something. So thank you all for stopping by each time (and leaving all the lovely comments, I've read each single one of them), you have been my 'stick behind the door' to update Love Aesthetics, to keep the ideas coming and to push myself to deliver better quality each time. I can honestly say that I love you!

Please do come and take a look at our new digital place! There are a lot of new updates waiting!
I've been working hard on it the last month together with Fleur Glansbeek and can not be more excited to finally invite you over!








/ NEW WEBSITE !
http://LOVE-AESTHETICS.nl

I N T E R I O R / Invincible Invisible

Spring calls for some rearranging. I like to decorate without using any decorative objects. The chair, clothes hanger, magazines and lamps all have clear functions and the soon to be empty clear cans will serve as little vases for individual spring flowers.

clear chair: Hema (old)
clear cans: Chinese supermarket
lights: local lamp store

I N T E R I O R / Old CDs as Mirrored Coasters

Instead of throwing away those old CDs and DVDs, I use them as coasters. While cleaning out old and damaged discs, I didn't want to throw away these iridescent and mirrored objects. They catch the light so beautifully when they are lying on the glass table holding a glass of water and the sun shines on them through the window. It is one of those little things that I can immensely enjoy.

I N T E R I O R / Sunday Office

Meet my Sunday office.
These snapshots literally show that there is no clear line between my work and personal life. Though everyone seems to say that you shouldn't mix business with pleasure, I have no intent to separating the two. (btw, feel so incredibly lucky to be working together with my wonder boy Romeo more often next year). Instead of the usual office hours on Monday to Friday from 9 to 5, I forget about the hours that get poured into my projects or how much cash they will bring in. It all becomes more about pushing your own skills and the quality of your work itself instead of how it will pay off.

Currently planning things for 2014 and it is so exciting! Workaholic is such a negative term for someone who dedicates time to something, or better said forgets about time. Being unproductive and doing nothing stresses me out more than long to do lists and when inspiration comes I like to take advantage of it and act on it while it is still fresh; even if it's 2 o'clock in the morning on a Sunday.

lego brick containers
white Moleskine
Maison Martin Margiela scent
shoe boxes

D I Y / Architectural, Origami, Marble Christmas Trees

Some temporary objects to decorate your apartment with.
It is almost magical to see a flat piece of paper take on architectural shapes by adding a few well placed folds. After picking up a book on origami at the library, my kid and I got to folding some paper Christmas trees. Though the end result of these trees was quite cute, I liked them more when they were half way finished and didn't want to keep folding and cutting the paper into an obvious pine tree shape.

/ Stick the adhesive marble foil on half of your paper.(optional)
/ Fold your paper in half both ways and diagonally, creating four creases as shown on the third image. The bigger the paper, the better. I used a square of 50cm x 50cm.
/ Bring two opposite corners together and fold them inwards creating a small square as shown on the fourth image.
/ Fold the two outer corners towards the middle crease creating a kite shape, do this on both sides. It should look like image number five now.
/ Open up the entire thing and notice the architectural forms that the paper will take on (image six). It looks like a building or a tent, you could leave it as is.
/ To make the shape more triangular, pine tree-like, fold the creases that you have creating inwards and outwards, alternating.

need:
/paper
/adhesive marble printed foil

D I Y / Layered Glass Picture Frame

Assemble the glass squares and rectangles with a picture in between and clip together. I framed this snapshot I took of Romeo's new haircut instead of the usual taping it to the wall. Next thing I'm doing is adding more glass and one or two more pictures to have them overlapping and looking like a 3D collage.

need
/ a couple of pieces of glass
/ a clip
/ a picture

D I Y / Multiple-Way Clothing Rack

My new workspace was in need of a place to hang clothes, something a bit different from a straight forward rack, something on which garments can be displayed better and styled into little groups. So I made this rack out of white PVC tubes (as opposed to metal tubes previously here, here and here) on which you can hang clothes on two sides opposite to each other. Cool thing is, when tilted and put on its side it becomes a longer (yet lower) rack. Ah yes! Multifunctionality excites me!

how to
/01 Cut your tubes to the right lengths: 3 x 1.70 meter / 2 x 1 meter / 4 x 30 centimeter
/02 Assemble.

need:
/plastic plumbing tubes
/6 x 90° corner connection
/2 x three-way connection

I N T E R I O R / Packaging and Mirrors

A while ago I brought back this box with some groceries but held on to it because of its funny graphics. We even had a little the-chicken-or-the-egg-discussion about this one. Anyhow, saw this lovely snapshot of our living room appear on Romeo's instagram featuring some glass, mirrors and the box!

I N T E R I O R / Lego

Much more fun than a cupboard; giant lego bricks for storage but also for just being beautiful objects in our living room. We got them at one of those shops that sell the most random things from glitter skulls to well, giant lego blocks in Amsterdam but which unfortunately is now gone (good news is that a HAY store is coming in it's place).

I N T E R I O R / Decorating Walls With Tape

Made a rectangle out of silver foil tape when I styled one of the shoots for Blackblessed and it still hurts a little that I had to take it down afterwards. So I decided to put up this temporary, geometric wall decoration up somewhere in my home; simply taping a rectangle to the wall. The slender sword lilies look even more beautiful when their visually framed by the reflecting lines.

I N T E R I O R / Inside Maison Martin Margiela

From the outside one would never know that there is a little Margiela universe behind the thick walls of the former convent. There is no sign, no logo, nothing indicating that these are the headquarters of the Maison. Ultra discrete. Only in my wildest dreams would I ever enter this place, it was absolutely insane being invited (and getting a tour) by Maison Martin Margiela, which traditionally only communicated with press through a fax machine.

Before I knew it, I was standing in their entrance hall underneath the iconic veiled chandelier. The entire place was of course decorated with all their legendary stuff and furniture; the painted couch, trompe-l'oeil everywhere, the bottle lamps, piles and piles of their deconstructed lookbooks, empty snow globes and I even spotted a fax machine. Almost everything in white and stripped from its identity, even the computers were partly covered hiding the apples logos. As a tradition from Martin, all staff from all departments were still wearing the white overall uniforms, creating a sense of equality and collectiveness. As a visitor there was just no way to figure out who is from the design team, who is in sales, who cleans the toilets.

Most doors were covered with a picture of a different door creating a trompe-l'oeil effect, these were pictures of the doors at the first Maison Martin Margiela headquarters. When they moved in 2004 this was a way to take a piece of their former home with them. Though they didn't change or cover up much about the identity of this building, none of the walls are painted but left in their natural old, sometimes dilapidating state. Which makes a beautiful contrast with all the white, the crafted clothes and accessories. It was just one big space where creativity flows everywhere.

I N T E R I O R / Geometric Glass Jewelry Trays

Although I don't buy much, I do love to go on a hunt for stuff, I wouldn't call it shopping. The mini diamond glass container is one of those lucky finds, it was the only single thing I bought on that day when I went thrift shopping with a few friends. (Oh and it only cost 30 cents, ha!) Careful picking and being consistent about it, has built me an almost curated collection of random objects. These three tiny trays were bought months, even years apart from each other, one was a birthday gift, but they go so very well together. That's a bit of the same feeling I get with the jewelry at COS. Specially with the set made out of delicate wire with heavy brass cylinders and the silver ring with the minimalistic slit (funny thing is, my boyfriend had made an identical ring in a thinner version for himself a long time ago). Just like the hunted down trays these pieces don't have a very new feeling to them, they are more interesting, they look like they have a bit of history, they could be industrial little objects that perhaps aren't jewelry at all.

MyCOS project via Fashiolista

diamond container: thrift store
round container: iittala lid
square container: iittala
silver ring: COS
silver/brass wire ring: COS
silver/brass wire bracelet: COS

D I Y / DIY Mini Clothing Rail, Facing Front

As you might know, I like to keep the stuff I love out where I can see it, and 'merchandise' my favorite pieces according to season.
Most clothing racks only show the clothes from the side, seeing all sleeves in different fabrics next to each other is nice.
But I wanted something that displays garments as they would be displayed in a boutique. So I made this mini clothing rail that shows clothes from the front.

Here go the instructions:
Take a table leg (the coffee-table length) and screw it to the wall.

INTERIOR | Decorating Workspace With Functional Objects

injection pen: Amsterdam souvenir shop
round stickers: wholesale store
white pencils: HEMA
silver foil tape: hardware store
Maison Martin Margiela x Atelier d'exercices notebook: Net-A-Porter
thumbtacks: HEMA

Yes, it is weekend, yes this has to do with working. Let's just say it's nice to work on your own projects in the weekend.
I have a notebook fetish, a stationary obession and a weak spot for pictures of offices and workspaces.
Love to arrange them nicely and almost decorate my working area with these functional little objects.

INTERIOR | Sunshine, Sick of Fashion

Dear fashion, I'm a bit sick of you.
Somehow directly fashion related things inspire me less and less, everything around me is just over saturated with fashion images.
All my social media channels are crammed with blurry runway images and pictures of shoes, you can count on it that Zara will
have a diluted version of that Balenciaga and Proenza Schouler collection on their racks in two weeks, that train is never late.
By the time the atumn/winter season starts and the real deal will hit stores, we will already be sick of it.
All these clothes seem to have no meaning, it doesn't seem to be about the design anymore. It completely lost its excitement for me.

The line where light and dark were divided fell exactly on the corner of a pile of magazines, dividing it into a dark and a light triangle.
I did not even have to adjust the pile of zines, it was insane how perfect that one little moment was.
Instead of fashion, beautiful spaces and these kinds of things are much more interesting to me and bring new inspiration right now.
*Don't worry, I'll be back in love with fashion, just right now my eyes just had an overload of it.

LIFE | Note To Self: Today Is Not Just Another Day

black pile: notebook, my fashionary (c/o), sketchbook
white pile: DIY anonymous books
left glass container: ittala
right glass container: thrift store


It is natural to get used to waking up every morning and having another day to spend.
And postponing the things you want to do, because you're so used of having tomorrows.
The reality is that our days are limited.
So I put up this little note to myself to remind me that today is not just another day.
(Please don't mind my irregular handwriting, I blame it on typing too much)

INTERIOR | Not Under Construction

Thoughts about things
Someone recently asked what we planned on doing with that unfinished lamp in our hallway, were we in the middle of redecorating?
My answer 'no, it's finished' just made her laugh, which made me laugh even harder because I was not joking.
These simple lamps made out of a single wire+bulb are nothing new on my blog, I'm sure youve seen one of them at some point (remember this little DIY?)
I love them, they are completely stripped of everything, I love to decorate with undecorated items, would that be not decorating?
Having fewer stuff feels like having more stuff. Unnecessary things aren't there, aren't seen so don't take up brain space, things don't have to compete for attention.
Things like these lamps give so much space to focus.

D I Y / Clothing Rack, Made From Plumbing Tubes

There have been tons of clothing racks made out of plumbing parts, here's my little version of it.
It is the easiest, most uncomplicated clothing rack imaginable, it is basically just a frame that leans against the wall.
And surprisingly it turned out sturdier than I thought it would be, and is also really easy to deconstruct and move around.


What you'll need:
/ 2 tubes of 2 meters in length
/ 2 tubes of 1 meter in length
/ 4 3 way joints for plumbing tubes
/ a roll of tape

step one.
put the long tubes against the wall in an inclined way. Mine are on the floor about 75cm away from the wall. It seems like really far away. But the more you'll incline them, the sturdier your rack will be. Doesn't seem like it now, but once it is assembled it will be.

step two.
Put your hanger on a height where it will not be touching the wall , like shown on the fourth picture, and mark this spot on the tube. This is the height where you will place the horizontal tube.

step 3.
Put a bit of strong plastic tape around the spot you just marked before placing the 3 way joint. This bit of tape will make the tube thicker on the place where the hardware comes, it will secure it and prevent it from sliding down. Make sure the hardware is placed on exactly the same height on both long tubes. If not, the rack will turn out wobbly.

step 4.
After you've placed all four joints, you can assemble the rack by connecting the long tubes with the short horizontal ones in between.

step 5. (optional)
I planned to put two screws in the floor on which you can put the tubes on top to prevent them from moving. But skipped this step because the rack turned out to be much much sturdier that I had expected, because of the weight on the rack it really stays on it's place and leans against the wall.

LIFE | Home Made Calendar : Get Shit Done

Get shit done.
That is what 2013 is going to be all about for me! Romeo and I have been making our own calendars for a long time, but the beginning of 2013 called for a fresh, new one titled; get shit done (got that powerful line from this poster). I am no graphic designer, so after posting a picture of it on instagram, I was beyond surprised to read that so many people liked it and wanted a copy for themselves.

So here you go guys: Click to download the file.
Just print it out on some thick A3 paper, hang it on a clothing hanger or large clip like I did, and get shit done!

*please let me know if that link is working, never done this before

INTERIOR | Round Hanger, Improvised Picture Frame

round clothing rack: courtesy of Annaleena
Picture frame is nothing more than a Celine ad cut from a magazine and taped to a plate of glass.

This round rack is now actually hanging in our hall, opposite of our front door. Besides how awesome the black geometric object looks in our petite all white entrance, it has a function too; one can just toss a scarf or a coat through the loop. How fun? Annaleena send it over from Sweden after she read how much I loved her designs. So sweet! Thank you Anna!