Home Tour: A Minimalist Apartment In Turin With Unique Home Office Space

A minimalist apartment in Turin, Italy

Open plan living has been a popular choice in home design for several years now. But there is something to be said for the new trend for broken-plan living. It gives us different areas to break off into when we want a bit of quiet time and privacy. In addition, it adds element of mystery when you can’t see the entire layout of a home all at once. And as a result, can make a home appear to be more spacious.

That’s exactly what happened with the renovation of this exquisite minimalist apartment in the heart of Turin, Italy. The home forms part of a Palace dating back to 1800 close to the historic Piazza Castello. Here, broken-plan living and warm minimalism were brought together in a design that combines open areas with walls and sliding doors to provide both space and privacy – and a very unique mezzanine home office space.

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How To Decorate Your Home With Pantone’s Serenity Blue

How to decorate your home with Pantone's colour of the year 2016 Serenity Blue

You may remember how I recently gave you some decorating ideas using Rose Quartz around your home. This time I’m going to show you how you can decorate with Pantone’s other colour of the year 2016: Serenity blue.

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How To Maximise Small Outdoor Spaces

How to maximise small outdoor spaces

During the summer months, it’s such a pleasure to be able spend more time outdoors and make the most of the warm weather.

Whether you have a garden or balcony, what could be nicer than sitting and relaxing outside with a book,  spending a balmy summer evening entertaining friends or having a candlelit dinner for two? And even if you have only a small outdoor space, it doesn’t have to preclude you from enjoying it to the full.

There are design lessons and tricks you can learn both from Scandinavian homes, where great value is placed on spending time outdoors. And also from Mediterranean regions, where the outside living space becomes an extension of the home during the summer.

So here are some ideas on how you can maximise your outdoor space, use it to its full potential and turn it into your own little oasis.

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Living Room Ideas Inspired By Scandinavian Design

Living room ideas inspired by Scandinavian design

The Scandinavian look is one of simplicity. It’s easy to live with and looks stylish too. It’s not hard to see why Scandinavian design is such a popular look for interiors right now.

Although it’s a look more often more associated with winter. (Conjuring up images of a cosy living room with thick knitted throws draped across the sofa and the soft glow from a cluster of candles on the coffee table.)  The style also works really well for the warmer months to create a light filled space with an uncluttered feel.

So if you would like to freshen up your space, here are some living room ideas inspired by Scandinavian design to help you create the perfect place to relax all year round.

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An Interview With Oliver Heath: The Benefits Of Biophilic Design

Oliver Heath Interview about biophilia and biophilic design on mochacasa blog

Oliver Heath is a biophilic design consultant, architect, interior designer, writer and TV presenter who has worked on programmes for numerous channels including the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 in the UK and Norway’s TV2.

He kindly agreed to this interview to talk about biophilic design, the benefits it can bring into our lives, as well as share some tips on how to to make your home more biophilic.

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7 Different Ways To Use The Picture Ledge Floating Shelf

Picture Ledge Floating Shelf from Mocha Casa

A Picture Ledge Floating Shelf is a great way to display artwork and decorative objects. You can quickly and easily change your display as often as you like, without having to think about knocking new nails into your wall each time.

But that’s not the only way you can use a picture ledge. They have so many other useful purposes too.

Here are seven other ways in which you can use this versatile floating shelf around your home.

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5 Things To Love About This Window Seat

Window seat with bookshelves and storage on mochacasa blog

Do you like window seats?

For me, they are one of those dream home features that hold such appeal. But when I came across the image of this one, I was completely smitten. It has all the ingredients for a perfect window seat.

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7 Good Reasons To Have Plants In Your Home Office

Desk shelves in a home office filled with plants and flowers

Do you have plants in your home? Perhaps fragrant fresh herbs growing in the kitchen, a collection of sculptural little succulents, or some lush trailing plants in your living room?

Plants are now a familiar feature in stylish interiors and practically considered an essential home decor element. We’re re-discovering the beauty of bringing nature into the home and embracing biophilic design.

Plants and Pacco Monitor Stand and Drawer on a minimalist desk

But often our desk or home office gets neglected. When in fact it’s just as important – if not more so – to have some plants where you work.

There are so many benefits to having them in your work space and it could help change the way you work. Yes, really!

So now it’s time to take things a step further by bringing some biophilia into your workplace.

Here are seven reason to add some plants to your home office today.

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How To Decorate Your Home For Spring With Pantone’s Rose Quartz

How to decorate your home for spring with Pantone's Rose Quartz

Rose Quartz is one of Pantone’s two colours of the year for 2016. This light blush pink is reminiscent of the blooming of a flower bud or soft clouds at sunrise. In colour psychology pink is considered a warm colour that signifies hope. And studies have even found that being exposed to pink can have a calming effect on us.

All of which makes it seem like a good colour choice if you’re thinking about adding some fresh updates to your home for spring. It can imbue your interior with a relaxed atmosphere and positive feel.

A little admission: pink isn’t a colour I’d have usually chosen for decorating previously. But this more restrained shade has made me reconsider. As you’ll discover, it can work really well in a minimalist or Scandinavian style interior. It adds touches of warmth and interest, without being overbearing.

Here are some ideas on how you can add decorate with rose quartz or use it as a subtle accent colour around your home and give your home a new look for spring.

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Home Tour: How An Apartment Was Transformed From Small To Spacious

The living room and kitchen area of a small apartment transformed from a studio to a one bedroom apartment by Sfaro Architects | Full story on mochacasa blog

What do you do when you need more space in your home but soaring house prices make it too expensive for you to move?

This is the dilemma one resident living in a studio apartment in Tel Aviv had when she found that her home had become too small for her needs. Although only measuring 40 square meters in size, she wanted to turn it into a one bedroom flat and increase the storage space – all on a limited budget.

In other words, she wanted to move into a bigger place without moving at all.

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