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Bright, Light Infused Loft in Amsterdam

Dutch architect Laura Alvarez transformed a dark, dingy, two-storey apartment in Amsterdam into this bright, light-infused loft space we'd die for. Charged with getting "rid of the dark, claustrophobic feel of the old apartment and introduce a bright loft atmosphere," Alvarez got to work, which involved gutting the space, removing existing walls and redefining this home as a whole. The resulting space features an open-concept, 70m2 main-floor footprint with a central "floating" staircase that is as much appreciated for its practical purposes as for its sleek style, leading up to the private bedroom level. Here, two bedrooms separated by a central ensuite offer a sweet retreat from the living and entertaining areas below. The loft's chic, minimalist aesthetic is made to soothe the soul while still satisfying the most demanding style cravings. Laura Alvarez via Style Park photo credit: Ewout Huibers

Ceiling Mounted Overhead Shower with Chromotherapy by Ponsi

Ponsi bring chromotherapy to the bathroom in a unique way with Colore, a ceiling mounted overhead shower. We've all seen tubs that incorporate chromotherapy, but a shower head is a nice new idea. With nine different colors, Colore offers fun design and mood possibilities for your bathroom space. Need to relax? Need to be energized? Set the appropriate color for the most inspiring shower ever. The simple rectangular-shaped enclosure made in soft silicon material and houses an ultra-thin stainless steel shower head. This sleek fixture is also equipped with an anti-scale and anti-drip system. Colore emits LED light in 9 different colors, and can also be purchased in the wall version or even suspended on four stainless steel wires. Sized at 340x280 mm. For more design possibilities, visit Ponsi.

Romantic Living Room Furniture by Bruehl

Morning Dew sofa and chair by Bruehl are a romantic option for living room furniture. Its unique design resembles an awakening flower, petals stretching for early morning sun rays. Visually interesting, the chair envelops you from all sides in support and style. Designed by Kati Meyer-Bruhl, Morning Dew won the Green Good Design Award in 2011, therefore not only making reference to nature, but respecting it in the process. We like that. We also like that these pieces come in a variety of vibrant colors to complement any interior color scheme. They are perfect options for contemporary spaces, for those looking to make a romantic statement with an ultra modern edge. Visit Bruehl to learn more.

Converted Barn Home: a modern take on tradition

There's something to be said about great converted barn homes, like this rustic farmhouse by SHED Architects. Maintaining the character while catering to modern tastes is no easy feat. We love that this countryside home carries the original shape of the structure, its wood clad facade and barn doors, and brings that characteristic aesthetic inside with natural elements like warm wood floors and walls, and exposed-beam ceilings repurposed from the barn. Contemporary touches like the living room window wall and open industrial-style staircase take this barn conversion design out of the "Little House" era and into the modern day. SHED Architects via DigsDigs

Garden House Design with Pentagon Roof

A garden house design with a pentagon roof and views to die for - it's an architecture lover's dream! This Japanese house by Apollo Architects & Associates wowed us right off the bat. The courtyard home plan incorporated this garden space right into its architecture, transforming a conventional house into something driven by geometry and nature. Surrounding the private garden space, this contemporary style home features rectangular volumes, stacked and staggered to give the home its unusual shape. While the main floor is made for privacy, the second level features a glass wall enclosure to capture the panoramic views of lush treetops and Sagami Bay and the ocean beyond. Apollo Architects & Associates via Arch Daily photo credit: Masao Nishikawa

Innovative Home Office Space in … the Garden

This innovative small house plan, fittingly designed by the forward-thinking architects at Innovation Imperative, is a sweet spot to escape to get some work done without ever leaving home. Small but sweet, this book nook was designed specifically to meet rising requirements for a live work home. This compact design makes a great addition to any house or garden, freeing up indoor rooms for living. It can even double as a small guest house! The Tetra Shed features an understated black facade, which opens like a beautiful piece of origami. This modular home is designed with flexibility in mind, and can be built to your specs (within reason), made of engineered timber clad with matte black rubber and lined with birch-faced plywood. When closed for business, this compact house blends right in among the trees. Innovation Imperative via Arch Daily

Rattan Hanging Chair by Expormim

The most striking thing about Nautica, a rattan hanging chair by Expormim, is its modern interpretation of the use of rattan. This visually light, playful chair, made for lounging and casual swaying, is the perfect companion for lazy afternoons in the sun. The design of the chair casts shadows as it moves reminiscent of light reflecting waves of the sea. It's soothing to the last detail. Designed by Spanish studio Mut Design, the hanging chair pays tribute to the original pieces Expormim ever put out. A nice return to origin but with a completely modern approach. Find out more at Expormim.

Cool Coastal House overlooking Bay of Roses, Spain

Spanish architects Magma couldn't have picked a better spot for this cool coastal house, overlooking the Bay of Roses - yes, it's as stunning as it sounds! This thoughtful house plan, raised high above Costa Brava, overlooks city lights, sparkling shoreline and the distant horizon visible through expansive glazing. Minimalist interiors feature a neutral palette of white, grey and wood, infused with natural light through the massive windows. The kitchen features floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors overlooking an outdoor dining area, set on a luscious wood deck with a pool, which illuminates at night and is enclosed in an open frame structure that can be covered with shades. Unique about this hillside home, it functions as a single-family house but can easily be divided into three separate homes, all sharing the stunning outdoor entertaining areas. Magma

50cm wide range cookers from Belling

Belling has launched new range of 50cm gas range cookers, further expanding its portfolio of 50cm freestanding appliances. The FSG50TC is a 50cm wide gas range oven with separate gas grill and the FSG50DO is a 50cm wide freestanding double oven gas range. The two conventional gas ovens, which are thought to be the only 50cm cookers currently being made in Britain, both have flame safety devices on all four hob burners, fascia-cooling systems and rotary controls.

Modern Middle Eastern Architecture in Tel Aviv

This exotic Tel Aviv home designed by local architect Ron Fleisher translates traditional Middle Eastern architecture into a modern minimalist living space. This modernist home features a cool, clean-lined exterior punctuated by mashrabiya screens that add a little adornment without going overboard. A traditional liwan (a narrow front hallway) leads into contemporary style interiors boasting high vaulted ceilings and a wonderful sense of space. The screened windows are as lovely to look at from the inside as from out. Buy by night with interiors its illuminated, this luxury villa attracts architecture lovers like moths to a flame. Simple, and beautiful! Ron Fleisher via Minimalissmo photo credit: Shai Epstein

Hat Table Lamp by Jake Phipps

Hats off to Jake Phipps for these fun, quirky hat table lamps called Jeeves. Similar to the Jeeves & Wooster hat pendant lights, the table lamp, instead, has a minimal base which supports the classic bowler hat. It's even adjustable, so you can 'tip' you hat for control of light direction. Sweet, right? But they're also pretty stylish, and their simple design makes them appealing for modern spaces. The base is made of steel and the shade is made of a wool felt with an anodised aluminum lining. The interior has a champagne color finish, giving it an appropriate little glam vibe. We love them. Visit Jake Phipps to see more.

Inside Outside Kitchen by OnDesign

Cleverly positioned right by the sliding glass wall, this kitchen works for inside and outside. There's so much to admire about this modern kitchen in Tokyo by OnDesign. Most striking is the dark, rich color palette - only possible because of the enormous amount of light thanks to that amazing glass wall. Next, the materials play together so well. The dark wood floors and the caramel colored wood panelling of the back wall contrast each other and help to define the kitchen's majestic presence. The rest of the kitchen is made up of a metallic body, which really contrasts a material like wood, in texture and in color. All these contrasts are what give this kitchen its shape and soul. Since so much strength oozes from the materials it's a good idea to keep the finishing touches light - like those three minimal pendants hanging over the island. Excellent choice in this case. via OnDesign. image credit: Koichi Torimura

Colorful Interior Fabrics by Cassaro

How attractive and colorful are these interior fabrics by Cassaro? They're so uplifting and aesthetically pleasing, sure to brighten anyone's day. These fabrics embody a striking combo of glamorous and global qualities, not something that is easily accomplished or found - so we really appreciate them. Cassaro's fabrics have the ability to appeal to a modern lifestyle while keeping heritage alive. Cassaro's fabrics come to life in their own in-house design studio, where they value quality, luxury and the environment alike. Visit Cassaro to see more.

South Korea Zen House with Seven Private Gardens

This South Korea Zen house designed by Moonhoon & Partners is as much about negative space is it is about what's built around it. The most striking elements are its seven private gardens - one for each room, plus one at the very center of the home. An external catwalk circles around a front garden, which can be opened or concealed with curtains. The house itself is simple, but by no means boring. The highly geometric architecture is like a playground for the eyes. Minimalist interiors are enclosed in a floor-to-ceiling glass wall; privacy comes as required, via a curtain that can be drawn to block out light and prying eyes. The connection between indoors and out plays a vital role in the design, which has a distinctive Zen quality and even includes a pool and a prayer room. To top it off, like a watchtower protruding overhead, a roof top loft offers a view of the courtyard below and the surrounding landscape. Moonhoon & Partners

Contemporary Sideboard: Mistral with Curved Doors, by Carpanelli

This contemporary sideboard from Carpanelli has it all: curves, quality and pizzazz. The Mistral piece of cabinetry is instantly recognizable for its shapely silhouette - a certain centerpiece in any room - formed from sheets of rich wood and accented in ornate inlays of fine walnut burl and metal, complemented by chrome-plated knobs and feet. Apart from its shape, the artful woodwork is another of its stand-out features, and one of the Italian company's signatures. Behind its undulating natural-finish doors, this sideboard boasts plenty of storage space, adding function into the mix. The Mistral is available in dark and light woods, in two sizes - 198x53x61h and 283x53x61h. More information is available by visiting Carpanelli.