ASPIRE SUMMER 2O26 National
A glimpse into the personal spaces of renowned designers, showcasing artistic interiors and unique decor elements.
ADÈLE DENIS ELLEN HURST STÉPHANIE MONTAGUT JONATHAN REED HÉLÈNE ROUX ELSPETH KELLER SCOTT JANET VOLLEBREGT MANFRED WAGNER HOME at unfiltered DESIGNERS
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12 SUMMER 2026 il Campo TO THE TRADE AT SHARRIS.COM from the editor PERSONAL EFFECTS Knock, knock. There’s a particular intimacy to a designer’s own home. It’s where experimentation becomes instinct, professional polish collides with real life and the rules they so assuredly champion for clients often show up too — either fully embraced or quietly abandoned. In this issue, HOME PRACTICE , we step inside the personal spaces of designers who have turned the lens inward. Some homes are lifelong dreams realized slowly over time; others are spontaneous departures from what their owners thought they wanted. What unites them is a sense of authorship that feels especially direct, revealing what matters most — comfort over perfection, memory over trend, restraint in one room and complete abandon in another — a kind of creative honesty that can be harder to access in commissioned work. There’s also something reassuring in seeing even the most design-literate among us continue to revise, rethink and live alongside unfinished ideas. Consider this our house call. Thanks for welcoming us in! THE GRAY BRIGADE Summer at our Cape Cod family home, circa 2016 - my late father, Joseph; mother, Cynthia; brother, Cary; late sister-in-law, Mindy; and my husband Steven Mandel. U R B AN RETREAT TO THE TRADE AT SHARRIS.COM also: SUMMER ENTERTAINING Good food, good company and a reason to linger. From chef-driven kitchens to effortless outdoor gatherings, these stories capture the pleasures of sharing a home — and a meal — during the most sociable season of the year. MADE GOODS SOLENE BOWL SET meadowblu.com
14 SUMMER 2026 Schedule your showroom appointment 150 East 58th St, 5th Floor, Manhattan, NY 10155 An invitation to inspire Step into extraordinary. The newly renovated Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove Showroom in Manhattan is opening soon. Experience an immersive setting where expert consultants and on-site chefs personalize your visit, showcase innovative appliances, and help you realize your dream kitchen. W E L C O M E S U M M E R 2 0 2 6 SHIVAN & NARRESH India’s premier luxury lifestyle brand debuts its first poolside takeover with the Palmera Pool Pop-Up at Shangri-La Eros New Delhi. shangri-la.com
16 SUMMER 2026 N A T URAL C U R I O S I T I E S A L WA Y S C R E A T I V E . A L WA Y S C U R I O U S . A Full-Service Art House Since 2000 naturalcuriosities.com Couture Atelier Collection, Giorgio Taroni, Birds & Flowers, Series 3 PUBLISHED BY ASPIRE ONE COMMUNICATIONS, INC. _ € ‚ © ƒ„ƒ… † ‡ † € ‚ ˆ€ƒƒ‰Š„‹Œ Ž‘ ƒ ƒ„ƒ… † ’Žƒ“Ž‘ ‚‚ ” ‡•„„„– —„‰‘•˜ SUMMER 2026 PRESIDENT | CEO STEVEN MANDEL EDITOR IN CHIEF ART DIRECTOR AMY SNEIDER PUBLISHER MELANIE BROWN DESIGN AND PRODUCTION GLYPH CO MANAGING EDITOR DEBORAH L. MARTIN FEATURES EDITOR PAUL HAGEN CONTRIBUTING EDITORS JORGE S. ARANGO THOMAS CONNORS GWEN DONOVAN CARA GIBBS TATE GUNNERSONN KELSEY MULVEY WEB EDITOR KELLY WALTERS WEB CONTRIBUTING EDITORS GWEN DONOVAN NICOLE HADDAD ALICE GARBARINI HURLEY ANDREW JOSEPH SHERRY MOELLER KELSEY MULVEY CHRISTINA VALHOULI INTERN SALOMÉ STONYS PROJECT MANAGER LYDIA FITZGERALD MARKETING COORDINATOR GIANNA GIRONDA SALES FRONT ROW NYC FISHER MEDIA GROUP CIRCULATION DIRECTOR THOMAS SMITH CONTROLLER KATE VARELA AP/AR ADMINISTRATOR ALYSSA VALERIO At home in South Africa, designer Jonathan Reed and artist Graeme Black have created a retreat shaped by creativity, craftsmanship and a deep connection to the landscape. Photograph by Warren Heath p86 16 SUMMER 2026
18 SUMMER 2026 Artist Elisa Sheehan creates evocative works inspired by kintsugi, exploring the balance between fragility and strength. What began as a quiet morning ritual has evolved into a thoughtful practice celebrating beauty in imperfection. Using paint, eggshells, gold leaf and porcelain, Sheehan blurs the line between fine art and organic form. Her work ranges from intimate framed eggshell pieces to large-scale porcelain installations, each honoring what has been broken, repaired and made beautiful in unexpected ways. Installation of Sheehan's work. Photography by John Gruen € ‚€ ƒ „ € …† „ ‡ ˆ‰Š‹ ‡ ‡ Œ Ž‘ ‡’‡ ’ ’ ‡ € “ ‘ ‘ ‘ ’” • ƒ ƒ – ‡ —” ‘‘ ’ € ˜ — ˜ Œ ” Œ ’ ‚ ƒ † ‘ ‡ Œ ‡ ’ ‚ ™ ‡‡ ‡ ’ Œ ” ’ š ‘ › ‡ ’ Ž ‡ —œžŽ ‘ € ‘ Ÿ — ” — ” ‘ Œ ˜ ‡ ON THE COVER: The home of interior designer Hélène Roux. Photograph by Jann Deret page 46 C l o s e - u p o f S h e e h a n ' s k i n t s u g i - i n s p i r e d e g g s h e l l s
20 SUMMER 2026 With his book, The Soulful House : Stories of Beauty, Belonging, and the Spirit of Home , architect Jeffrey Dungan pens a love letter to his portfolio What was the inspiration behind Soulful House ? The book grew out of conversations with people who would walk through one of our finished houses and ask, “Why does this feel the way it does?” The answer kept sending me back to a word that doesn't quite belong in typical design conversations: Soulful. I'd also loved the arduous, sometimes painful process of writing my first book, The Nature of Home , and after seven years, I felt I had something new to say. How does the Soulful House reflect your identity as a designer? This book isn't really about what I've built; it's about what I believe. The projects are there to illustrate the ideas, but the ideas are the point. Anyone who cares about the places we inhabit, whether they're an architect, a designer, or simply someone who loves their home, will find something in it that speaks to them. The book is full of personal essays. What did you discover about your process while putting those thoughts into words? Writing forces a different kind of honesty than drawing. I discovered that many of the things I do instinctively have deeper roots than I'd consciously recognized. Putting it into words made me realize that so much of what I do is really an attempt to stir certain feelings in people. We know it’s hard to play favorites, but is there a project in the book that’s especially close to your heart? Our own home, which closes the book. I named it Villa Lindsey, partly to give myself a little distance, because designing for yourself has a way of getting in your head. Your house says something about you, whether you intend it to or not. That weight matters more than most people realize. HEART AND SOUL Albero GFF 100 bookcase gianfrancofrattini.com/Albero What do you hope readers take away from this book? Permission. A quiet permission to want more from the spaces around them. Not more square footage or more expensive finishes, but more meaning, more emotion. I hope the book gives people the courage to slow down, ask harder questions, and hold out for something that actually moves them. ‘ KELSEY MULVEY NOVA SCOTIA KIAWAH ISLAND TENNESEE RIVER HOUSE 20 SUMMER 2026 Photography by Adrian Gaut
22 SUMMER 2026 PIEGATTO Carved Landscapes A collection that treats furniture as inhabitable sculpture — monolithic in materiality and conceived through subtraction rather than construction. piegatto.com F l a n d e r s G re e n s e r p e n t i n e w i t h W h i te W h i s p D o l o m i t i U l t r a P re m i u m m a r b l e c h e c ke r boa rd Fresh off the heels of its monograph, Hill Country Wine Cave , multidisciplinary firm Clayton Korte returns to wine country with a striking residence in Santa Ynez Valley. Here, Brian Korte, FAIA, the firm’s principal, dissects the space The residence is perched above 50 acres of planted vines. How did the wine country location influence the overall design? The architecture defers to the landscape, embracing a quiet, rustic elegance that respects the site’s agrarian identity while creating a place of retreat and resonance. Its one-room- wide configuration [gives] every space cross ventilation and daylight, while expansive glazing strategically frames the most dramatic views, making the modest footprint feel spacious and open. How do the home’s materials promote the connection between the great outdoors and indoors? We curate materials with intention for their beauty as much as their practicality, and for their utility as much as their resilience. My favorite aspect of materiality is how distinct materials are crafted and how they are detailed to interact with one another. For example, the softness of veneer plaster revealed against natural white oak paneling or blackened steel. BOTTLE ROCK Wine country is known for its delicious grapes, but also its devastating wildfires. How did this threat inform the design? Along with careful site planning, landscape interface, and ignition resistance, an innovative roof assembly incorporated a Class A-rated underlayment between a Corten standing seam panel and metal deck, creating greater resilience. In a wildfire risk area like this, weathering steel is an obvious choice for constructing a building that can endure. What role did nourishment, in both a literal and emotional sense, play in shaping the home and its relationship to the property? The house completes a series of projects, including a vineyard barn and winery, and is the culmination of the client’s vision to live, farm and make (and enjoy) wine on the property. With minimal disruption to the land and a deep responsiveness to climate, materials and context, this home was designed to demonstrate how modern living can be rooted in sustainability, refinement, and place. ‘ KELSEY MULVEY 22 SUMMER 2026 DANTONE HOME Bubble Collection Swiss designer David Girelli brings structure and flow into balance with Bubble, his new collection for Dantone Home. dantonehome.com PIEGATTO Woodstone Bookshelf A monolithic mass of laminated birch reveals its function through excavation, with shelves carved from within. piegatto.com
24 SUMMER 2026 DESIGN DUO BARANOWITZ + KRONENBERG DESIGN STUDIO A STUDY IN STORYTELLING Alon Baranowitz and Irene Kronenberg at W Hotel in Amsterdam. Photo credit: Kasia Gatkowska THE CUBE Canary Wharf MR PORTER London. Photo credit: Stevie Campbell This or That WORK MODE: PEACEFUL, DARK- TONED SANCTUARY OR LIGHT, BRIGHT ATMOSPHERE? We are Mediterranean people, sun people. Sunlight for us is a state of mind. The sun is not merely something we live under. It is something we design with. UNDERFOOT: PLUSH OR POLISHED SURFACES? We are drawn to concrete flooring. In many ways, it embodies the Mediterranean spirit itself: modest, resilient and quietly beautiful in the way it evolves with time. COUPLE TIME: GYM WORKOUT OR SPA TREATMENT? Our idea of time well spent is far simpler. A good book, a glass of excellent wine and a piece of jazz playing softly in the background. Nothing surpasses that quiet companionship. When two storytellers join forces, there’s often a rapid-fire confluence of shared ideas and creative expression. Such is the case for Irene Kronenberg and Alon Baranowitz, married co-founders of the eponymous design studio founded in 1999. They have collaborated on projects including the MR PORTER restaurant brand with sites in London, Barcelona and Amsterdam; THE DUCHESS restaurant in Amsterdam; W Hotels in Amsterdam and Ibiza; and most recently, THE CUBE in London’s Canary Wharf. Kasia Gatkowska In what ways does your partnership shape a storytelling approach to your work? We live in a time where information surrounds us in overwhelming quantities; we often spend more time filtering it than truly absorbing it. Facts alone can feel dry, complex or fragmented and rarely hold the depth of an experience. As philosopher Walter Benjamin once observed, information can evaporate the moment it enters the world. This is where storytelling begins. A story takes information and gives it an emotional frame and a wider context. In this sense, storytelling gathers scattered fragments of information and gives them shape, restoring proportion, perspective and human meaning. Through this quiet transformation, information gains resonance. The story, one might say, becomes its soul. What makes your studio’s design philosophy unique? Context, or what architectural theorist Christian Norberg-Schulz described as the essence of place, remains our guiding light. Every project responds to its culture, its location and the audience it hopes to welcome. We follow these insights closely and allow them to guide us. In many ways, the story is already there, quietly waiting. Our role is simply to edit it and ensure it engages people in a way that feels both natural and memorable. How do you balance your personal and professional lives? We do not. For us, work and life have never been separate territories. They exist within the same landscape. Designing together and living together creates a rhythm that is deeply intertwined, multifaceted, sometimes complex and at other moments strikingly clear. Conversations about a project may begin at the studio table and continue over dinner, or while walking down the street. It carries everything a shared life does, with moments of sweetness and friction, clarity alongside doubt. Yet throughout it all runs a quiet sense of purpose. By Gwen Donovan
A M E R I C A N L E AT H E R .C O M
U B B O X D E K T O N O U T D O O K I T C H E N C O L L E C T I O N B NBON E.COM Inspired by nature, designed for life outdoors.
Built to Cook . Designed for Living . K A L A M A Z O O G O U R M E T . C O M T H E W O R L D ’ S M O S T E X T R A O R D I N A R Y O U T D O O R K I T C H E N S .
32 SUMMER 2026 Caren Rideau For Caren Rideau, founder and principal of Kitchen Design Group, planning ahead pays off. “Keep the menu simple and make sure everything is prepped before your guests arrive,” she states. “This way, you can focus on enjoying the party instead of scrambling in the kitchen.” On the menu: Fruit cobbler and grilled vegetables, both of which are “incredibly easy and guaranteed to impress.” “I like what I call ‘fillers,’” Rideau adds. “A small platter of grilled shishito peppers and veggies with color always brings contrast to a table and are delicious.” For the perfect finishing touch, sprinkle in pomegranate seeds, fresh herbs or grilled lemon for extra flavor and texture. Once the menu’s determined, the designer likes to set the mood with a chill playlist of Marvin Gaye, Amy Winehouse and Alejandro Fernández. “Great music instantly lifts the vibe and makes any summer party more fun.” RIEDEL Veritas New World Pinot Noir, Nebbiolo & Rosé Champagne Glass, $89 for two, riedel.com “ Good glasses for drinking wine make a difference,” she states. Tiffany Skilling According to Tiffany Skilling, the best summer gatherings are often spontaneous. “Everything tends to be a bit more impromptu in our neighborhood,” describes the Indianapolis designer. “Friends might stop by in the late afternoon for drinks and appetizers, or we will have extended family over for dinner.” Seasonal cocktail napkins from Caspari and a crystal dish filled with nuts are easy ways to instantly elevate your spread. GRAZA “Drizzle” Glass Extra Virgin Olive Oil, $22.99, graza.co As for food? Skilling swears by her caprese salad, which she makes with basil from her garden, beefsteak tomatoes and fresh mozzarella from her local farmer’s market. “I top it with VSOP Balsamic Glaze, Graza olive oil, and Maldon Sea Salt Flakes,” she shares. Nathan Turner “Summer entertaining should be easy,” notes Nathan Turner, a designer in California. While he likes to simplify his setup by cooking what he knows and sticking with a serve-yourself buffet, Turner encourages you to buy an abundance of provisions. “I’d rather have too much food and drink than not enough,” he states. “It feels hospitable and keeps people there longer.” Equally hospitable, he adds, is a thoughtful theme present in your menu, invitations and yes, the tablescape. “Have fun with your tables,” Turner shares. “It could be as simple as a color or a country, but it gives you direction and something to pull from.” Hudson Grace Nonna Ceramic Serving Platter with Handles, $188, hudsongracesf.com Want to host a multisensory soiree? Here, three designers share their top summer entertaining tips. Interviews by Kelsey Mulvey Hosts With the Most “The Californian in me loves this classic Heath dinnerware,” Turner explains. “I like to mix and match the colors.” Heath Ceramics Redwood 4-Piece Dinnerware Set, $192, heathceramics.com “You can never have enough platters,” he asserts. “Hudson Grace has great ones.”
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ASPIREDESIGNANDHOME.COM 37 36 SUMMER 2026 ASPIREDESIGNANDHOME.COM 37 PARIS, FRANCE COUP D'OEIL (at-a-glance) In the luminous Haussmannian Paris apartment of international communications consultant Giulia Felicani, Proustian echoes and fin-de-siècle elegance meet a contemporary sensibility. From the entrance, the view opens toward the kitchen; at left, a Josef Hoffmann banquette, Vienna, early 20th century. 36 SUMMER 2026
ASPIREDESIGNANDHOME.COM 39 38 SUMMER 2026 In Greece, a home contours the terrain while turning its gaze outward to the infinite blue architecture T h e L o n g V i e w T E X T T H O M A S C O N N O R S P H O T O G R A P H Y G A Ë L L E L E B O U L I C A U T D E T A L E A R C H I T E C T U R E & E N G I N E E R I N G 38 SUMMER 2026
ASPIREDESIGNANDHOME.COM 41 40 SUMMER 2026 While the structure is sympathetic with the topography, it expresses not a smidge of rusticity. “The design,” states Kokkaliari, “is resolutely contemporary.” The exterior is clad in local stone, while inside, oak is pervasive, from built-in cabinetry to staircases. The primary living spaces – sitting room, kitchen and dining room – are collected in the main building and face the sea. The open plan deployed here is mediated by a kind of layering, with a sunken, sofa- filled seating area and a perforated teak panel that hides a staircase and also serves as a base for a bench at the dining table. A retracting glass wall opens the living spaces to a broad terrace and an infinity pool, while a secondary outdoor space, formed between the home’s various volumes, features a long, sleek bench and a panel with a large aperture that frames the sea and the land below, both finished in lime-rendered plaster, consistent with the interior wall treatments. The panel will soon support a pergola to overhang a seating area on the level below. Despite the sophistication of its design and the grace within, this home is marked by a certain simplicity. Unfussy and grounded, it puts one in mind of the words of the renowned writer Nikos Kazantzakis: “I felt once more how simple and frugal a thing is happiness: a glass of wine, a roast chestnut, a wretched little brazier, the sound of the sea. Nothing else.” The primary bedroom and bath occupy a side wing. “The headboard and integrated bedside elements are in oak veneer, and the wall above is finished with a rattan upholstery panel – a warm, tactile treatment that introduces natural texture and absorbs sound, giving the room a calm and considered atmosphere,” notes Kokkaliari. T he amphitheater at Delphi. The Parthenon atop the Acropolis. These ancient works of art and engineering telegraph the glory of Greece. So, too, does the undulating sea, forever hitting the solid shore. Scanning the horizon above the waves is as fundamental to the Greek experience as a sip of ouzo and a plate of moussaka, and this home in the village of Kardamyli is one sweet spot from which to be immersed in a vista as timeless as the poetry of Homer. Designed by the local firm of Detale Architecture & Engineering, this seasonal family residence is situated on a slope on the Mani Peninsula in the Peloponnese. Although its sharp-edge geometry is in clear contrast to the untamed profile of the landscape, its disposition as a collection of fragments, rather than a single mass, echoes the natural tumbling over time of rocks and earth. “Rather than fighting the topography, the project follows a long-standing practice in this part of Greece of carving the landscape into a series of multilevel flat surfaces,” shares Head Architect Eleanna Kokkaliari. “These terraces give the house its characteristic stepped profile and reflect a sensibility that has shaped settlements in the region for centuries.” KARDAMYLI, GREECE
ASPIREDESIGNANDHOME.COM 43 42 SUMMER 2026 ASPIREDESIGNANDHOME.COM 43 PORTICO The structure’s direct, unadorned forms echo the simplicity of traditional agrarian buildings. I n our monitored, mediated world, the joy of the chance encounter seems almost like a thing of the past. Yelp and influencers have seen to that. Surprise isn’t prized; making the right move is. But for a first-time visitor to this home in the heart of Texas Hill Country, the sense of happening upon something – rather than merely arriving – resonates welcomingly. T E X T T H O M A S C O N N O R S P H O T O G R A P H Y C A S E Y D U N N Hill Country, Plainspoken Furman + Keil Architects design a straight-shooting Texas retreat that cuts through the noise — pared-back, site-driven and unapologetically direct architecture 42 SUMMER 2026
ASPIREDESIGNANDHOME.COM 45 44 SUMMER 2026 KITCHEN A custom, Mockingbird Made dining table in red oak with basket- weave dining chairs from Palecek . In the kitchen, cabinetry by Johnson Cabinets & Woodworking, Inc. and a custom stove hood designed by FKA . ART STUDIO The owner’s art studio overlooking the Colorado River. LIVING ROOM custom sofas from Ashby Collective , Tired Man Chairs by Eternity Modern , and a Sparrow Coffee Table from Four Hands Home . BEDROOM clad in whitewashed Douglas fir. The interior detailing and the building’s material palette generate a sort of minimalist rusticity. All the exposed wood in the main living area, where the pitched ceiling rises to 15 feet, is raw Douglas fir, and the floor is sealed concrete. The corner of the homeowner’s art studio is wrapped in expansive sheets of glass, offering a view of mature trees and the Colorado River beyond. The home’s furnishings, a gathering assembled by Austin’s Ashby Collective, are assuredly cohesive, from the custom red oak dining table trimmed in a dark walnut stain (accompanied by chairs with hand- woven, basket-weave backs and seats) to a pair of shearling-clad Tired Man Chairs by Eternity Modern perched beside a kiln-dried Sparrow Coffee Table from Four Hands Home in the living room. An antique Oushak runner anchors the workspace in the kitchen, where a refreshingly no-nonsense, FKA-designed steel hood hangs above the stove. Whitewashed Douglas fir covers the walls and ceiling of a guest bedroom, where a midcentury lamp discovered at the Round Top Antiques Fair sits atop a new dresser made of steel. Smartly designed and stylishly outfitted, this Texas retreat is a perfectly proportioned envelope for what really matters: good times, alone or with family, with nature all around. As they say in Texas, “If that ain’t a fact, God’s a possum.” “To achieve this, we tried to keep the scale of the spaces modest while maintaining an open plan in the public areas, interior and exterior, avoiding compartmentalized spaces to better serve larger groups. The exterior breezeways provide circulation within the structure while providing connection to other outdoor areas and pathways leading to the grill area, fire pit and shoreline. These breezeways, known locally as dog runs, also aid in mitigating the harsh climate.” As Miller explains, “The north-south breezeway at the entry catches the prevailing spring and summer breezes coming from the south, while the east-west breezeway creates ventilation by funneling breezes created by the river that blow up the bluff through the structure.” Designed by Austin-based Furman + Keil Architects, this empty-nesters' getaway sits on a bluff overlooking the Colorado River at the end of a mile-long gravel road. “Its siting on the riverbank was determined at the first meeting here with the client, who walked the old split-rail fence along the bluff edge until they came to a place where the tree line opens to allow longer views upriver,” recalls FKA principal Troy Miller. “They knelt to look through the fence and said, 'This is the view.’” A former homestead, the property is conceived as a camp, with corrugated metal, steel pipe, gabled forms, porches and breezeways echoing traditional ranch structures. “The guiding principle for the material selections, both interior and exterior, was to use materials that have natural finishes meant to age and weather gracefully in their environment,” describes Miller, who worked with Classic Constructors and the interior design firm Ashby Collective to realize the project. Comprising three volumes united by a roof that reads wonderfully in profile like a piece of unfolded origami, the building was designed to meet a two- pronged program. “It is always a bit of a trick to bridge the gap between cozy enough for two people and inviting and comfortable for 10-20,” observes Miller. I N T E R I O R D E S I G N A S H B Y C O L L E C T I V E A R C H I T E C T U R E F U R M A N + K E I L A R C H I T E C T S C O N T R A C T O R C L A S S I C C O N S T R U C T O R S
ASPIREDESIGNANDHOME.COM 47 46 SUMMER 2026 Goult, France home practice The former covered terrace is furnished with as much inten- tion as any room inside. GUBI chairs and a Carl Hansen & Søn table face a Maison de Vacances sofa, with tableware by Manufacture de Digoin, mirrors by Mathilde Labrouche and a pendant light by DCW completing the scene. Roux restored the original terracotta tile flooring and extended it around the pool, allowing the courtyard beneath the linden tree to dissolve seamlessly into the garden. The transition feels inevitable, which is precisely the point. On a sunny, arid plot surrounding the house, Roux replaced a former cherry orchard with an olive grove lined with lavender beds — a simple act of Provençal devotion. In the distance, beyond the silver-leafed trees, lies the village of Goult. VINTAGE THINKING In the Luberon hills of Southern France, interior designer Hélène Roux treats her 1860 farmhouse the way a great winemaker treats old vines... with restraint, reverence and very little interference T E X T C A R A G I B B S P H O T O G R A P H Y Y A N N D E R E T I N T E R I O R D E S I G N H É L È N E R O U X
ASPIREDESIGNANDHOME.COM 49 48 SUMMER 2026 The living is arranged around the original fireplace. Sofa by Maison de Vacances; cushions by Casamance; armchair by GUBI; tables by MOGG. Painting and small sculptures by artist Nathalie Collange. Green vase by Clay212; rug by Nanimarquina. here is a concept in winemaking called terroir, the idea that a wine’s character is inseparable from the land that produced it — the climate, the soil, the stones beneath the vines. Tamper with it too aggressively, and you risk losing the thing that made it worth drinking in the first place. Interior designer Hélène Roux of Les Montagnardes appears to have taken this very notion to heart. When she and her partner came upon a farmhouse in Goult — a village of golden walls and cathedral calm tucked into the hills of the Luberon — that instinct was immediate. The mas dates from 1860, and what it has is presence — a stone shell worn smooth by time, a courtyard shaded by a centennial linden tree and the sort of stubborn, unshowy beauty that Provence does better than almost anywhere else. What it did not need was a redesign, but rather someone patient enough to listen. Roux, who designed the house for herself and her family, speaks of the project less as a creative endeavor than as an act of stewardship. “We wanted to preserve the spirit of the place,” she describes. “We didn’t want to undertake a major transformation.” Like the winemaker who works minimally in the cellar, her interventions are mostly invisible. The exterior of the house was barely touched. Original stone ceilings were left entirely intact. The approach is one of subtraction rather than addition, creating something that feels at once deeply rooted and effortlessly refined. The interiors open with a kitchen and dining room of uncommon serenity. A polished concrete floor in a color calibrated to match the existing Ménerbes stone — blended so precisely that the join between old and new nearly disappears — establishes the room’s soft yet radical logic. “The difference between the materials is now almost invisible because the colors are so close,” Roux explains, “creating this sense of unity.” T The courtyard-facing façade retains its original faded pink render, its imperfections worn with the ease of something that has never needed to prove itself. Shutters painted in a grey-blue shade comply with local PLU planning regulations. Bench by Carl Hansen & Søn; cushions by Maison de Vacances.
ASPIREDESIGNANDHOME.COM 51 50 SUMMER 2026 A fixed picture window replaces the farmhouse’s original small open- ings, flooding the kitchen and dining area with light. A boxwood bead curtain by Maison 1909 discreetly conceals the air-conditioning unit. Table and chairs by Carl Hansen & Søn. Pink jug from La Trésorerie; enameled jug, salad bowl and plates by Manufacture de Digoin. Furniture and curtain frames share a single warm wood tone, repeating the note without laboring it, the way a well-made Côtes du Rhône returns to the same red-fruited chord across each sip. Nothing crowds the space. Even the air-conditioning units have been discreetly buried beneath window ledges in modest wooden blocks — that almost- invisible accommodation that speaks to Roux’s refusal of anything too loud or domineering. “We didn’t want anything ostentatious,” she states plainly. “The building was a farmhouse, and we wanted to maintain that simplicity.” Whitewashed walls appear throughout, a practical choice born of the darkness inherent in old houses, and one that transforms Provençal light into the principal design element. In the Luberon, that light has an almost golden opacity in the afternoons, thick and warm as pressing-season air, and Roux lets it do the decorating. Works by artists Nathalie Collange and Alexandra Ferdinande occur throughout, positioned, Roux admits, somewhat intuitively. “They were placed as they came,” she says with a smile, “and they will likely move over time, depending on my moods and new acquisitions.” There is a pleasing looseness to this, the same spirit you find in a natural wine: alive, unpredictable, resisting the urge to be pinned down. The kitchen is anchored by a La Cornue stove, a natural fit for Roux as one of the brand’s principal distributors is in her Savoie region. Cabinet fronts in stained oak are custom-crafted by her carpenter, and a Zellige backsplash by Marazzi catches the light with irregular, mineral-toned reflections that hold their own against the warmth of the wood.
ASPIREDESIGNANDHOME.COM 53 52 SUMMER 2026 In the owners’ bedroom, a headboard dressed in Élitis raffia wallpaper sets a tone of quiet, textural richness. Wall sconces and pendant lights by Alexandra Ferdinande of Tressages Pas Sages; bedside tables by Carl Hansen & Søn. Linen throw by Maison de Vacances; pillowcases and cushion covers by Casamance. The centerpiece of the terrazzo bathroom: the Hole bathtub, designed by Susanna Mandelli for Rexa Design, its clean, sculptural form sitting lightly against the warm, ochre-flecked walls as though it had always been there. The guest bedroom, carved from the former garage, is painted in Little Greene Olive No. 72 — a shade chosen to blur the line between room and garden. Cotton throw by Valentina Hoyos; green cushions by Maison de Vacances; patterned cushion by CFOC. Pendant lights by Golden Editions; floor lamp by GUBI. This guest bedroom, located in a former cellar, stays naturally cool through even the height of summer — a happy inheritance from its previous life. An opening was created into a new bathroom beyond. On the vintage dresser, a bust by artist Nathalie Collange and vases from La Redoute Intérieurs. Botanical artworks by Stéphanie Montagut; linen and cushions by Maison de Vacances. The bedrooms each occupy their own register. Some are intimate and layered, swathed in forest tones with pendant basket lamps; others are airy and almost architectural, with the farmhouse’s original beams running overhead like the ribs of something ancient. The green room — carved from a former garage beside the pool — is the boldest departure. “We chose green because it faces the outdoors,” Roux explains. “I wanted to create a feeling of inside- outside.” The bathrooms are spectacular — one’s terrazzo echoes the ochre of nearby Roussillon, its warm, mineral palette like the iron-rich clays of the hillsides themselves. Others are clad in beige- pink Zellige tiles with large stoneware basins, materials that feel simultaneously elemental and luxurious, as though sourced from the land rather than a showroom. Which, in spirit, they were. Outside, the transition from interior to courtyard was made effortless by extending the existing tomette tile flooring to the pool. “The circulation felt obvious,” Roux notes, and it shows. Olive trees and lavender were planted where there had been neither. The linden tree, ancient and unhurried, presides over evening aperitifs and family dinners, the gentle ritual of summer in the south of France. “Some enjoy a lazy day,” Roux describes of summers here. When asked what advice she would offer someone embarking on a similar renovation — a rural French property, a stone house with stories already written into its walls — Roux did not hesitate: Respect the spirit of the place. It is the same counsel a great vigneron might offer a young winemaker handed a storied parcel of old vines. The terroir is already there; your job is not to impose, but to get out of the way and let the place become, once again, exactly what it was always meant to be.
ASPIREDESIGNANDHOME.COM 55 54 SUMMER 2026 KITCHEN A palm motif from House of Hackney brightens up the wood-accented kitchen. “It’s one of the rare places in our home where it’s a little bit dark naturally,” Scott shares. “I wanted to do something with a lot of personality and vibrancy.” Cool, casual and deeply inspired by midcentury design, Elspeth Keller Scott’s Los Angeles home nails the mood T E X T K E L S E Y M U LV E Y P H O T O G R A P H Y J E S S I S A A C S T Y L I N G J A C LY N C A R T I E R Los Angeles, California home practice Modernist Crush 54 SUMMER 2026 Jenni Summer
ASPIREDESIGNANDHOME.COM 57 56 SUMMER 2026 PRIMARY BEDROOM An electric-blue headboard takes center stage, creating a space that’s both dreamy and design minded. DINING ROOM Not only does the geometric arch make a statement, but it also frames the custom dining room table from Stahl + Band and Mush Studios rug. hakespeare might’ve said "If music be the food of love, play on," but the design set would respectfully disagree: A beautiful home – one that’s tailored to reflect those who live there – can be just as nourishing as a mouthwatering meal or melody. Such was the case for Elspeth Keller Scott, founder of Keller Scott Studio, and her Los Angeles home. The designer first locked eyes with the midcentury residence after attending a particularly fruitless open house nearby. “Wow,” she recalls telling her husband, actor Reid Scott. “Talk to me when a house like that is on the market.” Fate was on her side when that exact house went on the market. Scott initially fell in love with the architecture, which she says evokes the works of Eichler, Ellwood and Koenig. So once the home was hers, she wanted to preserve its bones. “We didn’t move one wall, but we literally touched every single surface in the house,” she describes. “We just really wanted to make it look like it had existed in the house since 1968.” With her own spin, of course. The previous owner dressed the home in a “beige suit,” but Scott’s use of muted blues, grays and burnt orange celebrates the home’s rich history. “I do love to infuse color, and that truly just comes from a feeling,” Scott shares of her approach. “It’s an art, not a math problem. I can just sort of feel what the right ratio of color is.” Though Scott took a more restrained approach to color – as she puts it, “This isn’t a maximalist house” – the painted arch that occupies a once-bare wall in her dining room brings an unexpected “wow” moment to the retro digs. “If we were going absolutely by the book, you wouldn’t see so many arches,” she explains. “You wouldn’t see so much color. It would be colder and a little bit more serious here. But no, that’s not the vibe.” The curved fresco – painted in Valspar’s Toasty Fireplace – is paired with a custom “hospitality shelf” from Joseph Paul Company that gives guests a convenient spot on which to rest a beverage during a dinner party. Equally joy-sparking is the lapis velvet headboard that flanks the primary bedroom, though Scott argues the shade is shockingly versatile. “I’m a blue fan forever, and that’ll never change,” she declares. “It almost feels somewhat neutral to me.” When paired with a curved leather bench from Claude Home and angular light fixtures, the suite strikes a balance of old and new. But it’s the quieter moments, the spaces that really yield to the home’s architecture, that nourish Scott. Case in point: the sun-drenched living room, which she admits was a big selling point. “It’s really a place – to entertain, unwind, reflect – in case anyone has time for reflection,” she notes. After all, this home didn’t just provide shelter for Scott and her family; it was also a creative reawakening. “I actually had a 10-year screenwriting career prior to design,” she reveals. “This house was really the impetus for me to change careers. It became a confidence booster and my design calling card.” “ Keller Scott Studio is a Los Angeles based interior design studio specializing in residences owned by nice people. ”
ASPIREDESIGNANDHOME.COM 59 58 SUMMER 2026 ASPIREDESIGNANDHOME.COM 59 BROOKE DIDONATO: TAKE A PICTURE, IT WILL LAST LONGER Intro by Eleanor Sutherland Photography by Brooke DiDonato Thames & Hudson • $50 Some of us see a room and think of function first; a place to sleep, a place to work. For others, looks matter more; even if that chair isn’t the most comfortable, it looks terrific with that sofa. Photographer Brooke DiDonato sees a space and sets about upsetting the apple cart. “You sort of know what to expect in your living room or kitchen, so in a sense, they’re the perfect backdrop for something unusual to happen.” DiDonato’s penchant for turning everyday interiors into realms of the unreal is on full display in Brooke DiDonato: Take a Picture, It Will Last Longer (Thames & Hudson). The images, in which she usually appears – with her face hidden – ride a fine line between comedy and commentary. Standing on a stairway with striped wallpaper draped over her blue-suited figure, curled up nude in a firebox, her body parts sometimes displaced (arms where her legs should be), she shifts between something recognizable and something not quite. P h o to g ra p h e r B r o o ke D i D o n a to d o e s a n u m b e r o n d o m e s t i c i t y READ THE ROOM Amber Lewis and Four Hands Albi Double Sconce Cast your favorite framed photos and artwork in their best light with a spotlight-style picture sconce. Its aged patina brass finish brings a vintage character that only deepens over time. fourhands.com shoppe.amberinteriordesign.com “I started photographing myself somewhat out of desperation, but I wasn’t very comfortable as a subject, so I found creative ways to hide my face. People often remarked how the pictures felt universal, or in some cases, eerie, because the subject cannot be identified. That tension was really interesting to me, and over time, I began photographing all subjects this way.” DiDonato often shoots in the Ohio house she grew up in, built in the 70s and never redecorated. The color palette and patterns of the era add to the engaging peculiarity of her work. “The combination of dusty pastels and soft lighting is not intended to be a focal point, but rather, a tool to lull the viewer into a momentary feeling of stability.” Momentarily. Continue the visual journey on page 96 - THOMAS CONNORS LEFT Known for cinematic oil paintings that explore the quiet tension and mystery of American suburban life, Spanish-born painter Alberto Ortega constructs elaborate miniature sets as the basis for his meticulously staged compositions, creating works that channel the psychological stillness of midcentury cinema and the mood of Edward Hopper. “Art is really important to me,” Scott shares. “Choosing art with a client is always an adventure — and even more so with my own husband, Reid,” who, as an actor, travels often. While the two don’t always share identical tastes, both were drawn to the image of a father figure returning home, a theme that resonated deeply with them. LIVING ROOM A Lawson-Fenning table, library table from Martin & Brockett and Contardi pendant transform this light-drenched living room into a cozy respite. Art of the MATTER
ASPIREDESIGNANDHOME.COM 61 60 SUMMER 2026 Artist Stéphanie Montagut considering plants she might incorporate into one of her works. W o m e n MUSE ENERGY N a t u r a l Two artists – one in Brazil, another in France – create environments and artwork inspired by nature Architect and artist Janet Vollebregt at her dining table in Brazil, working on some of her art pieces. – J O R G E S . A R A N G O
ASPIREDESIGNANDHOME.COM 63 62 SUMMER 2026 The cylindrical enclosure with the oval window conceals the kitchen. To the right, by the sliders, are a bench with a bird head and a ritualistic “straw man,” both by local Indigenous artisans. Over the dining table are two 1960s pendants salvaged from a demolished Amsterdam building. Janet Vollebregt Alto Paraíso de Goiás, Brazil home practice A rchitect and artist Janet Vollebregt first came to Brazil from her native Netherlands to design a hotel, a project that eventually fizzled. But she and husband Xavier de Bode traveled the country long enough to fall in love with a hillside farm in Alto Paraíso de Goiás, a highland savannah in central Brazil. Reluctant to move across an entire ocean and hemisphere, however, they returned home, only to be drawn back a short while later to purchase a 54-acre plot with an old house on it. “The first three years I found very heavy, very different from my life in Amsterdam in high heels,” Vollebregt recalls. “I had to get used to all the animals. We slept in the old adobe farmhouse on mattresses on the floor. But after meeting my first tarantula, I never did it again.” De Bode undertook reforesting the land, while Vollebregt began applying her feng shui master skills and her studies in the Japanese energy-healing art of Jin Shin Jyutsu (for which she is a mentor) to envision a healing retreat called O.Sítio. “I wanted to integrate energy and what you feel in a space,” she explains about the compound she would eventually design. “Energy and poetry of a space or object are what count.” Today, there are three buildings. The original farmhouse was refurbished in 2006 but eventually “eaten by nature,” Vollebregt relates. She wanted its 2150-square- foot replacement to have a “respect for the history of the place.” So in 2022, and after the birth of their children, Zeus and Zahir Amazona, Vollebregt and de Bode erected Casa Arco do Sítio on the site, a stucco-and-clay tile structure whose name refers to the many arched doorways that punctuate the spaces. P H O T O G R A P H Y F I L I P P O B A M B E R G H I One of Vollebregt’s pendant pieces hangs between two paintings inspired by Brazilian street art, the one on the left of a spaceship with astronauts (referencing the area’s famous celestial events). On the table is Vollebregt’s Cosmic Egg. Casa Alto Paraíso, with its locally harvested stone walls, expansive veranda, and a roofline that mimics the incline of the mountain ridge.
ASPIREDESIGNANDHOME.COM 65 64 SUMMER 2026 LEFT The seating area of the open-plan Casa Alto Paraíso features a built-in sofa, a Noguchi coffee table, and a chair made by artisans through the Amazon Coastal Observatory (OCA) next to one of Vollebregt’s pendant sculptures. ABOVE Inside one of the arched windows of Casa Arco is a painting by São Paulo jeweler Cristina Pessoa above an upholstered bench Vollebregt used in an exhibition, and a table made of found wood and recycled fence posts. The pendant is by an artist in Bahia. Meanwhile, they had built Casa Alto Paraíso, a 6460-square-foot, three- bedroom, steel and stone structure, between 2010 and 2012. Perched almost 3,300 feet up the slope, it became the main dwelling. Its roofline follows the incline of the surrounding mountains and, like Arco, boasts interior windows and other features that are semicircular or round. When Vollebregt validated her architectural degree at the University of Brasília, one of her professors noticed a natural – and to Vollebregt as yet unbeknown – affinity with the work of the famous Brazilian midcentury designer Lina Bo Bardi, who also employed curvaceous forms. Finally, there is Casa Cabana, made of adobe and recycled materials, which was constructed on the site of a former shed. O.Sítio took years to complete, mainly, Vollebregt notes, “because I was working with local people who could not read architectural plans.” When they dug an access road to the property, she recalls, instead of the earthmover she expected, a group of workers showed up in flip-flops with shovels. The family rents out the buildings selectively when they are in Amsterdam.
ASPIREDESIGNANDHOME.COM 67 66 SUMMER 2026 P H O T O G R A P H Y N AT H A L I E B A E T E N S A quartet of Montagut’s collage pieces that combine engravings of classical Greek statuary with natural flora. A rtist Stéphanie Montagut likes to contemplate the garden of her home in Montreuil, an exurb of Paris. It is visible through glass sliders in a renovated warehouse that was formerly used to store antiques. “The opening frames a view like a painting,” she observes. “I often sit there before beginning my work, leaning against the banquette, the light and proportions offering calm and inspiration.” Stéphanie Montagut Montreuil, France home practice Vollebregt began channeling holistic energies into her artworks at least in part because “O.Sítio is located on one of the biggest crystal plates on Earth,” she says. “When NASA takes photos of the area, it emits light.” But, she adds, “I was also influenced by Buddhism, and other religions and philosophies. I was looking for a universal language.” This translated into works that were also architecturally informed: interactive sculptural installations and objects such as “building piercings,” spirit house-like structures where viewers can leave a message and wishes, totems, tree talismans, cosmic eggs and curvy metal works studded with crystals. “My work is an invitation to see through things,” reads her artist statement, “to be conscious of the invisible, but sensible.” The retreat she designed in Alto Paraíso is a physical embodiment of that invitation. LEFT Outside Casa Arco is one of Vollebregt’s “spirit house” installations, where people can leave messages or wishes. BELOW The stone wall curves around, partially enclosing a jacuzzi and pool. Behind it, the regenerated forest.
ASPIREDESIGNANDHOME.COM 69 68 SUMMER 2026 Montagut has a small upstairs studio but prefers working on larger pieces at this table overlooking the garden. A poured-concrete plinth by the sliders conceals firewood below, while plants dry at right and Montagut’s workstation sits at left. An old walnut bench and basket are vintage finds that offer a moment of pause by the steps. The juxtaposition of industrial space and nature says a lot about Montagut, both past and present. Raised in Périgord, where her grandmother, an extraordinary gardener, kept a farm, she began life as a country girl profoundly connected to nature. But her career as a brand image designer for luxury companies whisked her away to Paris and into a world of extravagance and glamour. Seven years ago, Montagut and her husband happened on the warehouse in this busy urban enclave and worked with François Pin – an architect known for projects such as the Denon Wing of the Louvre and the Museum of Jewish Art and History in Paris – to convert it into a living and working space. It proved to be a timely refuge. During the isolation of the pandemic, Montagut sought solace in nature again. Inspired by antique herbariums, she began articulating a medium that combined dried plants with words. “Over time, my work shifted from arranging nature on neutral backgrounds to creating dialogues between forms, finding echoes between plants and art history,” she relates. Throughout, the renovated space has supported and nurtured Montagut’s art.
ASPIREDESIGNANDHOME.COM 71 70 SUMMER 2026 Plant sources for Montagut’s art also vary widely. “If I’m working from a reproduction of a drawing by Auguste Rodin,” for instance, “the plant might come from the museum garden. I pick wildflowers growing in Montreuil or on the sidewalks of Paris. I gather them while traveling or walking, and from the Dordogne, where I was born and raised.” Absolutely all of it – personal history, art, home, life – Montagut considers as one holistic pursuit. “This is a home where art is not a separate activity; it is life itself, inseparable, immersive and inspiring.” A lively, colorful painting by French artist Paul Coupille hangs amid a collection of houseplants next to the main living space. The board-formed concrete shell of the space is both textural and decorative, and a contrast to a custom kitchen. The table is cobbled from vintage sawhorses and plank. A 19th-century walnut chest supports various objects from flea markets and Parisian galleries. Behind them are two lithographs by Dutch artist Bram van Velde. Kai Kristiansen chairs surround a handcrafted table by Arnold de Vinck. “The light in this house dances throughout the day,” describes the artist. “Rather than thinking only in terms of function, we focused on creating ‘corners’ for different moments – quiet nooks for reflection, spaces for work, areas for gathering. Each corner invites attention, calm and inspiration.” In both home and art, Montagut evokes a sense of memory and time. Not surprisingly, she is an inveterate forager of flea markets and other purveyors of the past’s artifacts. “I discovered my love for antiques at 13,” she says. “My first find – a set of ironstone plates – sparked a lifelong obsession. I have two ironstone plates left out of the six I bought. The others broke over time. I hardly dare use the last two anymore. What moves me is both beauty and story. These objects have a presence that comforts and inspires daily life.” The eclectic décor blends custom items such as a handcrafted dining table by Arnold de Vinck with a pendant from IKEA and higher-end pieces (the living room’s Maison de Vacances sofa and pillows and old plaster casts from Atelier Lorenzi in Paris). But the same sorts of haunts where she unearths vintage finds – dining chairs by Kai Kristiansen, a library ladder and an old wicker fish trap in the living room – are treasure troves for art materials too. “I assemble frame backs, book covers, engravings, photographs, reproductions of paintings, Polaroids, posters, cardboard, parchment and old papers,” she explains. “I choose them for their visual and aesthetic qualities.” Her selections span the art of classical antiquity, the Middle Ages, Renaissance painting and sculpture, art from the 17th through 20th centuries and Japanese wabi-sabi.
ASPIREDESIGNANDHOME.COM 73 72 SUMMER 2026 O ften compared to Venice for its network of canals, Sète, a charming fishing port between the Mediterranean Sea and an enclosed saltwater lake in Occitania, France, has become a popular destination known for its relaxed ambiance, balmy weather, miles of fine sandy beaches and renowned culinary and cultural scenes. Increasingly popular with tourists, the area’s pull is even stronger for Adèle Denis, a Paris-based interior designer and area native who recently built a two-story vacation home in the city center – the fulfillment of a longtime dream. “Sète has a very strong identity, with incomparable Mediterranean light, and the cultural scene is very vibrant,” Denis describes, noting that her parents still reside there. “Having a second home there allows me to hold on to and extend my childhood memories.” 1 A large-scale abstract canvas in earthy ochres and browns creates a striking focal point in the first-floor living area. The black acacia-wood cocktail tables are by AMPM. 2 A sofa and upholstered ottoman, both covered in black fabric, energize the otherwise neutral palette in a welcoming conversation area at the top of the stairs. 3 A study in contrast, rustic artifacts play off the slate cabinetry and marble countertops in the open kitchen. 1 2 3 Southern Soul Interior designer Adèle Denis shapes her South of France vacation home into a warm, modern reflection of her personal style T E X T T AT E G U N N E R S O N P H O T O G R A P H Y Y A N N D E R E T I N T E R I O R D E S I G N A D È L E D E N I S S è t e , F r a n c e home practice
ASPIREDESIGNANDHOME.COM 75 74 SUMMER 2026 Verdant greenery and rugged stone walls create a striking juxtaposition, separating the tranquil swimming pool from the hectic city center just beyond. Black accents, including lighting, hardware and pottery, add a touch of drama to the narrative. In the breezy first-floor great room, for example, a sculptural black metal chandelier softly illuminates the surface of a bespoke dining table made with steel beams and a stone top. Positioned next to the stairway to the second floor, an iconic accent chair by Faye Toogood commands attention, playing off the black hardware Denis selected for the fluted doors concealing the nearby built-in cabinetry. “The dark elements structure the space and bring graphic coherence,” Denis notes. Painted in the same slate-blue paint color as the built-ins in the living area, the fluted cabinetry also elevates the cupboards in the open kitchen, where they have been paired with white marble countertops, an integrated backsplash with sinuous gray veining and a heady mix of rustic artifacts. “The multicultural objects, natural materials, and color palette give the house a real soul,” Denis explains. The collection, which encompasses rugs, basketry and furnishings, provides a pleasing contrast to the streamlined architecture and restrained material palette. The stairway functions as a quiet gallery in its own right, its walls and landings lined with ceramics and framed works. Such pieces occupy windowsills, tabletops and a long, built-in wooden ledge with a live edge that doubles as a work surface in the upstairs office. Natural materials such as wicker and jute pull the interior in a more casual direction, befitting a house built for slow mornings and long conversations over cocktails. A patterned, woven rug with rich chocolate and rust tones complements plush furnishings covered in natural linen in the lower-level living area. A second, simpler version anchors a black sofa and matching upholstered ottoman in a conversation area on the upper landing. Indeed, relishing their new retreat, the designer and her family typically spend entire summers there, as well as many holidays and some weekends, strolling through market halls, taking boat rides along the canals, visiting art galleries and hosting friends and family for summer garden parties that go well into the night. “When I arrive in Sète, it’s an instant return to my roots,” Denis shares. “This house is a refuge, a place that perfectly reflects my world.” The canals, the light, the long summer nights – some places never really let you go. 4 With artwork climbing the wall and African objects and woven pieces arranged on the steps, the stairway functions like an art gallery. Straddling the line between furniture and sculpture, the black Roly Poly chair is by Faye Toogood for Driade. 5 A black chandelier by Marrakech-based designer Soufiane Zarib illumi- nates a long dining table with a stone top and a base made of industrial steel beams. 6 In the office, a built-in wooden surface with a live edge serves as both desk and display shelf for a collection of ceramics and woven objects. Clad with white stucco punctuated by black metal windows and doors, the retreat is also an ideal spot to create new memories. The striking yet simple exterior color palette has been carried inside, where it creates a crisp, gallery-like backdrop for a sophisticated mix of designer furnishings, original artwork and one-of-a- kind objects. “I wanted to create a dialogue between Mediterranean light, natural materials and a selection of ethnic objects collected during my travels,” she relates. “The common thread is a clean, warm and lively style, where each piece tells a story.” 4 5 6
ASPIREDESIGNANDHOME.COM 77 76 SUMMER 2026 ASPIREDESIGNANDHOME.COM 77 K ismet. Serendipity. Plain good luck. You don’t have to be all woo-woo to believe that life operates in mysterious ways, that the universe knows what you want and is happy to deliver. After a day at the beach in suburban Evanston, Illinois, Scott and Ellen Hurst were heading back to their car when they spotted a realtor pounding a “For Sale” sign into the ground right where they had parked. The Chicago couple was in the market for a new home outside the city, so – still wearing their swimsuits – they took a look. By the time they’d toured the house and hit the backyard, they were ready to make an offer. Built in the 1920s, the two-story brick colonial needed work, but nothing these two couldn’t handle. Ellen is managing director and lead designer at Boffi Chicago, and Scott is a partner at the global architecture and design firm Gensler. The first space they tackled was also the most outdated: the kitchen. They took down a wall separating it from the dining room and installed Boffi cabinetry in a putty color with a soft lacquer finish. The tall and shallow pantry units lining one wall are stopped short of the ceiling to provide a perch to display serving pieces. “We love to cook together, and so the kitchen was the easiest space for us,” shares Scott. “It took one evening and a bottle of wine, and we had the design down to a T.” T E X T T H O M A S C O N N O R S P H O T O G R A P H Y P E T R I N I S T U D I O I N T E R I O R D E S I G N E L L E N H U R S T A R C H I T E C T U R E G E N S L E R Featuring Boffi Cabinetry Breccia Medicea stone by DTK Stone Works PITT cooktops Love at First Sightline Returning to their car after a summer day by the water, Ellen & Scott Hurst happened upon the home they never knew they were waiting for C h i c a g o , I l l i n o i s home practice 76 SUMMER 2026
ASPIREDESIGNANDHOME.COM 79 78 SUMMER 2026 “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together,” is a motto personified by Ellen Hurst and her architect husband Scott. A balanced approach informed their home renovation, an ongoing process which has become a transcendent meeting of the minds. “We’ve come to see our home as a living project, always changing in small but meaningful ways. The house is never truly ‘done’; it grows along with us,” Ellen notes. What is your favorite space in the house? SH: We spend a lot of time in the sunroom. The eclectic mix of furniture really seems to mirror the wide array of activities in the space. On most days, the Saarinen table is home to an in-progress puzzle, late-night work or our son’s latest art project. EH: The kitchen is always central as we both enjoy cooking. In the warmer months, we open the French doors to the patio, and there’s no place we'd rather be. Tell us about your collection of white-toned serving pieces atop the kitchen cabinets. Are they a new grouping or old favorites? EH: The dishes have been assembled over the years. When traveling, we often find ourselves visiting antique shops where we typically find one or two pieces to add to the collection. Each one will have a story of “Oh, remember when we were weekending in Wisconsin and stopped at this place.” Most of these items were hidden away in our previous home. This house warranted layering, a bit of narrative to add to its history. We designed the tall pantry cabinetry to stop short of the ceiling and instead of concealing these items, we decided to showcase them. They get used daily, especially when entertaining. The thought of this collection was very organic and now our friends and family will often see some small serving dish or bowl and gift it to us. It's becoming a little collection of our lives, it seems. [ Design Duo ] This or That Kicking Back: Great playlist or great book? We seem to have playlists going for every occasion, mood and season. Scott was adamant about curating the sound in the house as well as out. Shopping List: Vintage or new pieces? Both! We usually spec new for the larger items in a space that needs to be a specific finish or dimension. For others, we add vintage pieces and enjoy refinishing them. Our dining room is a great example; it’s a new table paired with vintage chairs. Wood Tones: Matching or mixed? Always a mix for us. This creates depth, balance and visual interest in a space. Using the same wood tone throughout can often feel flat or overly uniform. – GWEN DONOVAN Featuring DePadova Square 16 leather sofa, B&B Italia Camaleonda chair by Mario Bellini in ivory velvet, DePadova Flying Landscape Carrara coffee table, DePadova Sen side tables, AJ lamp, vintage rug, Hoop chair by Hans Wegner, fireplace in black Negresco stone by DTK Stone Works
ASPIREDESIGNANDHOME.COM 81 80 SUMMER 2026 As partners in allied fields, the couple shared a shorthand that came in handy. But give and take is always a part of the program. “Ellen was adamant on white walls and putty-colored doors, so I knew I wouldn’t have a voice there,” admits Scott. "After 20 years together, you know when to trust each other and when to argue your position.” When it came to the basement, Scott wanted to lean into the darkness of the space and paint it entirely in Benjamin Moore’s Black Forest Green. “We debated that for a few years until she caved, and now we have an interesting, moody space to watch TV, play games or have a glass of Scotch by the fire.” The couple’s Chicago town house was smaller than their newfound home, so they were able to bring everything with them and then add pieces strategically over time. “I am a fan of merging different design styles while keeping the palette soft and neutral,” notes Ellen. “We brought in a few classic cane elements from Pierre Jeanneret for texture, along with Mario Bellini pieces for grounding.” Ellen was very intentional when it came to the disposition of their furnishings. “It could just be how you see something through a doorway and take a moment to appreciate that object,” she observes. “But it’s also how you engage with the space when you are entertaining, whether that’s a casual conversation between two or a bigger gathering. Working in a showroom environment, how space is perceived is not lost on me. If I see someone standing, I’ll shift in a chair as an invitation to stay longer and have a cup of coffee. I do the same in my own home. I always want it to be a place where you feel very at ease to stay and let a few hours go by.” Featuring DePadova Atalanta sofa, B&B Italia Camaleonda ottoman in leather, Pierre Jeanneret Kangaroo chair, Artek black wood stool, Saarinen Carrara table, vintage chairs, Flos 265 wall lamp, Flos Parentesi suspended lamps, custom bed, WO & WÉ sconce, custom Carrara sink and custom stone floor design by DTK Stone Works, Marseille lamp by Le Corbusier, DePadova dining table, Serge Mouille light fixture, vintage Johnson Chair Co. dining chairs, outdoor furniture by Paul McCobb P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y G R A C E B A D E R C O N R A D
ASPIREDESIGNANDHOME.COM 83 82 SUMMER 2026 Schönes Wochenende! T E X T T H O M A S C O N N O R S P H O T O G R A P H Y S A B I N E B U N G E R T In search of a contemporary, daring second home, Manfred Wagner and partner turned to architect Bjorne Martenson of Aachen-based AMUNT STUDIOS – who understood the brief H a m b u r g , G e r m a n y home practice
ASPIREDESIGNANDHOME.COM 85 84 SUMMER 2026 Accessible yet a world apart, this lakeside escape gives this Hamburg couple just what they need to unwind he countryside can be unforgiving. Even if you are not in the middle of nowhere, Mother Nature doesn’t always play nice. Critters, bugs, errant waterways – any number of circumstances that don’t usually bedevil city dwellers are common once you step from pavement to true ground. Built from reinforced concrete and brick with a metal roof, this engagingly assertive retreat outside Hamburg stands ready for anything, combining a bunker-like aspect with a generous, outdoors-embracing transparency. “Contemporary and daring is what we were looking for,” says Manfred Wagner, head of menswear for the fashion line Closed. “My partner and I live in Hamburg, in a traditional building constructed in 1902, in a very classic flat overlooking the roofs of the city. We needed a change. Building in concrete may not be in vogue, but it’s certainly in line with a very German approach to brut architecture,” observes Wagner. “Just think of Gottfried Böhm.” Böhm, the Pritzker Prize winner who died in 2021 at 101, was known for the inventively shaped buildings he designed in concrete, glass and steel. Seeking a singular building themselves, the couple turned to architect Björn Martenson of the Aachen-based architecture firm AMUNT STUDIOS. They met for the first time on the site, a gently sloping plot studded with century-old oak trees and hugging a man-made lake once used to breed fish. “It was so important for the architect to visit the plot we’d bought,” relates Wagner, “to see the views we wanted of the lake, framed by the trees.” With a roofline that pitches this way and that, the design, says Martensen, “Responds to its agricultural surroundings with simple materials and a limited color palette, using the topography to organize its internal spaces, as well as to create visual connections both within the building and to the outside.” At under 900 square feet and graced with large, lake-facing windows, the house reflects the owners’ desire for an intimate, light-drenched space with fine views. The open-plan living space comprises the kitchen, dining area and a living room equipped with a wood-burning fireplace in one corner. Although compact, the whole seems spacious, thanks to the light-colored brick flooring that rides up the walls like a wainscot. The house is furnished simply and joyfully. Classic Eames shell chairs surround the dining table created by Belgium-based furniture designer Marina Bautier. Moroccan textiles, acquired by the homeowners while traveling through the Atlas Mountains, cover the living room sofa. A mellow- yellow lamp (an E15 design) sits atop a console table, and a three-dimensional piece by artist Henrik Eiben commands one wall. The beamed ceilings are painted a soft green, which echoes the grass and trees outside and adds a tent-like coziness to the interiors. The couple enjoys inviting guests in for meals and good conversation by the fire. But they truly relish their time alone. “Our jobs are very demanding,” shares Wagner, “and being here by ourselves really recharges the batteries.” T
ASPIREDESIGNANDHOME.COM 87 86 SUMMER 2026 3 Baskloof House’s outdoor spaces are designed with entertaining in mind. The plantings are purposely chosen to mimic the impressive natural surroundings. Scarborough, South Africa home practice UNDER AFRICAN SKIES Designer Jonathan Reed and artist Graeme Black commune with nature at Baskloof, their Scarborough, South Africa home T E X T D E B O R A H L . M A R T I N I N T E R I O R P H O T O G R A P H Y W A R R E N H E AT H P O R T R A I T P H O T O G R A P H Y K AT I N K A B E S T E R Graeme Black and Jonathan Reed in the dining area at Baskloof House. Behind them hangs a tapestry called “Elephant, Zebra, and Mythical Warriors,” woven by an unknown artist in 1972, at Rorke’s Drift. hen the wintry winds begin to blow in the Yorkshire Dales, where Jonathan Reed and Graeme Black live in a meticulously restored and redesigned farmhouse surrounded by the green beauty of the English countryside, you can find the creative couple in the warmth of the Southern Hemisphere summer near Scarborough, South Africa, on the Cape Peninsula. The home is on the Southern Atlantic Ocean and is surrounded by the dramatic scenery of both the Baskloof Fynbos and the Cape Point nature reserves. W
ASPIREDESIGNANDHOME.COM 89 88 SUMMER 2026 The living room features comfortable sofas from Tonic Design in Johannesburg and a transformable, rusted- steel coffee table made in Yorkshire. The tapestry is “Zulu Wedding” by Thokozile Philda Majozi and Eunice Mbatha, created in 1974 at Rorke’s Drift. An original artwork for a woodblock print of a eucalyptus tree, native to South Africa and much like the one that lives in the home’s courtyard. A rug woven in Namibia provides the base for a sculptural, custom steel fireplace. Artwork by Graeme Black. “We both live in worlds where the creative process is at the root...” — JONATHAN REED
ASPIREDESIGNANDHOME.COM 91 90 SUMMER 2026 A dedicated workspace supports the creative pursuits that shape life inside the home. The indoor dining area, with its Scottish handcrafted table surrounded by Spanish chairs of elm and leather, connects to the outdoor kitchen and seating area. Baskloof House’s outdoor spaces are key to the couple’s life in the Cape. The garden was designed to become an extension of the surrounding environment, blending the boundary between house and hillside.
ASPIREDESIGNANDHOME.COM 93 92 SUMMER 2026 Zebras, eland, massive tortoises and ostrich can frequently be seen roaming the Cape Point Nature Reserve to the south. A pair of 1950s Bruno Mathsson swivel chairs provide the perfect place to take in the view. Reed offers a bit of poetry to describe their dual residency. “Baskloof House is a place to which we can retreat from the harsh winters of the north. We return to Yorkshire in April in time for the arrival of the lambs and the unfurling of spring.” Both men have also lived in Italy, and their work is international — Reed’s interior design practice takes him all over the world, and Black is preparing for Art Basel Miami Beach, where he will be exhibiting a collection of his tapestries in December 2026. This summer, the Thorns Gallery in Yorkshire will be showing Black’s oil paintings depicting the exuberance of the South African eucalyptus trees that surround their home. Both Reed and Black are inspired by their natural surroundings. Reed shares, “South Africa has an extraordinary landscape, light and flora. Its historical buildings date from the 17th century onward and have their own particular mix of European influences and a rich seam of a practical and agricultural vernacular. Even the city houses somehow have the sense of a farmhouse.” Black expands on that, describing how the environment informs his art. “The incredible light in South Africa is a constant source of interest in my practice. For the past few years, I have been working with the most talented weavers, creating beautiful tapestries of my paintings.” Black’s three decades in the fashion industry inform his practice. He notes, “One element of the fashion industry that I miss is the collaboration with other artisans. My life as an artist has circled back to the beautiful art of the woven world, which is surely one of the oldest forms of artistic expression.” “South Africa has an extraordinary landscape, light and flora. Its historical buildings date from the 17th century onwards and have their own mix of European influences and a rich seam of a practical and agricultural vernacular. Even the city houses somehow have the sense of a farmhouse.” — JONATHAN REED
ASPIREDESIGNANDHOME.COM 95 94 SUMMER 2026 The compact home is reflective of its residents. Reed explains, “We both live in worlds where the creative process is at the root. A design is the result of a series of thousands of decisions that relate to place, feeling and practicality, and the result is never the same. There is no formula, no bending to trends, no obvious cliché. As a result, our homes always feel like places created over a long time and not just in a number of months.” Baskloof House’s outdoor spaces are key to the couple’s life in the Cape. The garden was designed to become an extension of the surrounding environment, blending the boundary between house and hillside. The native plants used are the same as found on the mountain behind that forms part of the Baskloof Reserve. Since this is a summer home, outdoor entertaining is key. Reed describes, “We made an outdoor kitchen and dining area, and a stoep — a South African term for an outdoor covered living area. We mostly live outdoors, and we only retreat inside if there’s an onshore wind. The sea, being the South Atlantic, is freezing; hence the local penguin population!” The top floor of the home is devoted to the primary bedroom, which is open to the bath and the dressing room. Articulating brass reading lamps from the 1920s by Édouard-Wilfred Buquet. Mohair area rugs are by Frances van Hasselt.
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