For the longest time, I've used Adobe Photoshop and InDesign for mood-boards and Sketchup for renderings. In my opinion (and with my budget), they really are the best tools for creating as-close-to perfect imaginings of spaces. But man...they are SO TEDIOUS and time-consuming! And I'm such an anal-retentive, OCD perfectionist that I'll spend hours just tweaking a piece of furniture to try and get an exact replica. (Cue infomercial woman shouting:"THERE'S GOT TO BE A BETTER WAY!")
Sometimes I just want to play around and get inspired...get the old creative juices flowing! Last year, I downloaded Neybers on my iPad, but didn't play with it very much. This week, I had to back-up and restore my iPad2 (thanks, Obama) so I was going through my apps to clean it up and decided to open Neybers. Well, I'm now obsessed. It is by far the easiest app I have ever used to create room vignettes. No, I wouldn't necessarily try to use it for a client's design, but for playing around and mixing colors, patterns, materials, furnishings, etc. it is a BLAST! It's so fast and easy that I've created several rooms today, and the great thing is I don't give myself the chance to second-guess and over-think every selection ("Hit the road, OCD") - I really push my creativity.
First up: Modern Geometric Scandinavian Kitchen (place-holder name until I think of something cheekier)
For a design app that was developed by a Swedish game company, I was quite skeptical....but check out those finishes! "Hello Carrera Marble pedestal table, aren't you stunning? Why yes, please, amazing encaustic hexagon tiles, cover all those walls." I should have known that since they are from the land of amazing Scandinavian design that it would be good....I just didn't know how good! And the amazing this is THESE ARE REAL PIECES FROM REAL MANUFACTURERS.
I started with the cabinets from Vipp, the creators of the classic Pedal Bin (which I also used in the design). This Danish company has been making this icon since 1939, and has now designed a modular kitchen concept that is sleek and timeless - "the kitchen that suits your bin" (which is pretty cute if you ask me).
(Also check out their new modular dwellings - The Vipp Shelter. As they say, "It is neither a house nor a mobile home. Rather it is a spacious, functional and livable industrial object." SWOON.)
To turn this Sprockets-esque kitchen on its head, I used colors that are fresh, soft and cheerful. I mixed metal tones of silver and copper to give it even more interest, and am pretty darned pleased with the whole shebang. What do you think??
Wanna find out where you can buy all these killer pieces? Well, I've done the work for you. You're welcome:
- Örsjö Star 6 Wall Track in Rough Copper
- Petite Friture RAY Large Pendant in Matte Terracotta
- Marrakech Design Encaustic Tile in Casa and Dandelion
- Smeg 50's Retro Style Fridge in Silver
- Polar Bear Print by Pulderfranck for Nordic Design Collective
- Mini Stacked Shelf by Muuto (available in Austin at Nannie Inez)
- Turn Stool by Seletti (available in Austin at Urbanspace Interiors)
- Model One Radio by Tivoli in Cobalt
- Copper Baby Lapin Lamp by Lampin and Me
- Mormor Porcelain Tablewear by Normann Copenhagen (available in Austin at Nannie Inez)
- Bottle Table by Cappellini in Carrera Marble (available in Austin at Scott + Cooner)
- Form Chair by Normann Copenhagen in Red/Oak (available in Austin at Nannie Inez)
- Paper Rug by Hay (available in Austin at Nannie Inez)
P.S. The company that created this gem of an app is Amagumo Games, and they were "founded on the belief that the joy of a game isn't in the win, it's in the play". How friggin' sweet is that??
