Best of the Best! Top 10 Posts of 2018

The new year is just a few days away and we’re wrapping up our Best of 2018 and 2018 Year in Review posts with the biggest one – the Best of the Best! Top 10 Posts of 2018. That means the most popular and most loved posts from this past year all in one place for you to look back on in case you missed anything or just want a refresher. Curious to find out which post was the #1 post? Read on to find out.

10. IKEA U.S. Launches SPÄNST: An Unexpected Urban Lifestyle Collaboration with Chris Stamp
IKEA U.S. released the limited edition SPÄNST collection that was designed with Los Angeles-based fashion designer Chris Stamp, of West Coast streetwear label, Stampd, that was geared towards the younger, design-driven consumer living an active, urban lifestyle.

9. Kast Launches Collection of Patterned Concrete Basins Called Kast Canvas
British brand Kast Concrete Basins unveiled a series of patterned sink basins called Kast Canvas that explore the possibilities of what concrete can offer with elegant surface patterns.

8. Nest by Airstream: A Modern Fiberglass Travel Trailer
The innovative Nest by Airstream jumpstarted a new era for the recreational vehicle brand focusing on forward-thinking design that optimizes function.

7. 10 Modern Museums You’ll Definitely Want to Visit
If you’re looking to investigate some cool modern museums, we rounded up 10 from around the world that will surely have you wanting to visit.

6. Olympia Ceramica Introduces Vinyl Inspired Bathroom Sinks by Gianluca Paludi
Gianluca Paludi designed Vinyl, a bathroom collection for Olympia Ceramica that’s a mix between 70’s consoles and DJ setups with recessed sink basins that resemble turntables.

5. 11 Modern Home Offices That Will Make You Want to Get Sh#t Done
We searched around to find modern home offices that offered up some inspiration to help get our workspaces in order so we can work at optimum capacity.

4. Modern Laundry Rooms That Will Make Laundry More Fun
We rounded up ten modern laundry rooms that anyone would gladly spend time in even if it meant folding load after load of laundry.

3. The Morpheus Hotel by Zaha Hadid Architects: The World’s First High Rise Exoskeleton
Zaha Hadid Architects has a way of designing buildings so intricate and complex that the photographs look like renderings rather than completed architecture. One of their latest offerings is Morpheus, the flagship hotel for the City of Dreams resort in Macau.

2. A 1950s Micro Apartment Is Renovated for Modern Times
Located in Fitzroy, Melbourne, Australia, George is a jaw-dropping, 28 square meter micro apartment that was renovated by J-IN with a monochromatic color palette and plenty of storage.

Drumroll, please… And the most popular post of all posts in 2018 is…

1. How Ivy Ross Helped Change Google’s Culture of Design
The Head of Design for Google Hardware extols the tension of opposites, the necessity of exploring 127 samples of gray, and why she loves her Panda phone.

from Design MilkDesign Milk https://design-milk.com/best-of-the-best-top-10-posts-of-2018/

Best Travel Posts of 2018

In 2018, we traveled around the globe, both virtually and IRL, to check out the best of what the world has to offer outside of our every day. From modern hotels and other vacation rentals to travel guides exploring specific cities, we brought you all kinds of travel ideas you should go back and check out when you have time. But if you prefer a condensed version, you can check out the most popular travel posts from 2018 right now.

10. Nordic Charm Blends with Modern Design at the Ion City Hotel in Reykjavik
Designed by MINARC, the Icon City Hotel features 18 rooms + suites with interiors that make subtle references to Icelandic design.

9. Stay in a Frank Lloyd Wright Home for Your Next Vacation
On HomeAway, you can stay in four of the Frank Lloyd Wright homes that are available to rent in four different states: Hawaii, Michigan, California and Indiana.

8. The Crazy Rich Asians Guide to Design and Architecture in Singapore
A Crazy Rich Asians inspired introduction to the design and architecture of Singapore, by a Singaporean who is neither Crazy Rich nor fully Asian, but who thinks Singaporean design could use more love!

7. Casa Flora: A Boutique Apartment That Makes You Feel like a Resident of Venice
The Romanelli family created a boutique apartment rental, Casa Flora, as a temporary home for design savvy travelers seeking to explore another side of Venice, Italy.

6. The Anthemion House: A Mood Board of Blues, Greens, Natural Woods, and Brass
Anthemion House is a modern hotel in Kavala, Greece that underwent a seven month renovation by Normless Architecture Studio.

5. The Rolling Huts: An Architect’s Alternative Approach to Camping
Designed by Olson Kundig Architects, the Rolling Huts are glamping on a different, design-forward level from the architecture to the minimalist interiors.

4. Take a Retreat to This Scandinavian Modern A-Frame Cabin In The Middle of the Woods
Lokal Hotel’s second location is a high-design vacation home rental out in the middle of woods by the Maurice River in Dorchester, New Jersey, that’s a charmingly overhauled 1960s A-frame cabin.

3. Monochromatic and Minimalist: The Hotel Mono in Singapore
Hotel Mono is a monochromatic boutique hotel designed by Spacedge that’s a minimalist design lover’s dream with the perfect mix of old and new.

2. The Kumaon: A Minimalist Hotel Hidden in the Himalayas Offers More Than Just Incredible Views
Hidden away high above in the Himalayas, The Kumaon is a minimalist hotel designed by architect Pradeep Kodikara and Jineshi Samaraweera of Zowa Architects that offers its guests an unparalleled, immersive experience in nature.

And the most popular travel post of 2018 is…

1. When Tiny Is More Than Enough: The Monocabin in Rhodes, Greece
On an island like Rhodes, Greece, you don’t need much to have the most idyllic vacation of your life, which is why the Monocabin is the perfect place for you to relax, unwind and soak in the scenic beach views this island offers.

from Design MilkDesign Milk https://design-milk.com/best-travel-posts-of-2018/

Best Architecture Posts of 2018

We’ve trotted around the globe to share the best architecture offerings the world has to offer, from tiny houses to mansions to apartments to hotels. Whether you’re looking for inspiration or you’re just curious to see architecture in other parts of the world, it’s always fun to see how other people live. It’s the end of 2018, which means we’ve seen a lot of visually enticing projects, and now we’re taking a look back to see the most popular.

10. An 11-Foot-Wide Row House in Brooklyn by Office of Architecture
Little House. Big City. is a renovation project by Office of Architecture located in Brooklyn, New York, that’s a row house that spans a mere 11-feet-wide and after years of living with it the way it was, the owners decided to renovate and expand it so they could stay in the neighborhood they’ve grown to love.

9. The Kumaon: A Minimalist Hotel Hidden in the Himalayas Offers More Than Just Incredible Views
Hidden away high above in the Himalayas, The Kumaon is a minimalist hotel designed by architect Pradeep Kodikara and Jineshi Samaraweera of Zowa Architects that offers its guests an unparalleled, immersive experience in nature.

8. A Modern, Monochromatic House in Nir Am, Israel
A modern slash industrial house designed by Zarta Studio, with SHTAIGMAN in charge of the minimalist, monochromatic interiors that incorporate raw materials, like concrete, wood, and metal.

7. When Tiny Is More Than Enough: The Monocabin in Rhodes, Greece
Tiny isn’t often the word you want to describe your vacation rental but at the Monocabin in Rhodes, Greece, tiny is more than enough.

6. Plús Hús Is a 320-Square-Foot Flat-Packed Home by Minarc
Minarc has thrown their hat into the ring with their answer to California’s housing crisis – the Plús Hús – tiny houses that are 16′ x 20′ detached private units that are completely customizable allowing the buyer to use them for personal use or to turn into a rental.

5. Live That Luxe Life in a Shipping Container from Cocoon Modules
Athens, Greece based container architecture startup Cocoon Modules has partnered up with natural mattress brand COCO-MAT to renovate old shipping containers and turn them into ideal modern dwellings for nomads, emergency housing, or people looking for a weekend home.

4. A Cozy Flat in Odessa Designed for a Student by Fateeva Design
Working with just 17.3-square-meters (approx. 186-square-feet), Fateeva Design created the perfect studio apartment for a student in Odessa, Ukraine.

3. Nest by Airstream: A Modern Fiberglass Travel Trailer
The innovative Nest by Airstream jumpstarts a new era for the recreational vehicle brand focusing on forward-thinking design that optimizes function.

2. The Morpheus Hotel by Zaha Hadid Architects: The World’s First High Rise Exoskeleton
The Morpheus hotel in Macau, which is designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, is so intricate and complex that the photographs look like renderings rather than completed architecture.

And the most popular architecture post of 2018 is…

1. A 1950s Micro Apartment Is Renovated for Modern Times
Located in Fitzroy, Melbourne, Australia, George is a 28 square meter micro apartment that was renovated by J-IN with a monochromatic color palette and plenty of storage.

from Design MilkDesign Milk https://design-milk.com/best-architecture-posts-of-2018/

2018 Year in Review: Design Store(y)

There’s a real ease to online shopping but there’s also something special about stepping into brick-and-mortar stores. Not only do you get to see the products in person, you get to put your money behind businesses you want to support. All year long, we virtually visited smaller, design-focused shops that support hard-to-find brands and up-and-coming designers, which is why we like to share them in our monthly Design Store(y) column. Take a look back at the independent stores we featured throughout 2018.

The Primary Essentials: A One-Stop Shop for Unique, Artisanal Objects
The Primary Essentials is a one-stop shop in Brooklyn that’s the only place you need for finding items for your home that you won’t find easily elsewhere.

Los Angeles’ New Converso Showroom Features Rare and Important Works by Design Icons
Converso opened its first-ever West Coast showroom and the haven for design lovers exhibits one-of-a-kind works by the likes of Isamu Noguchi, Wendell Castle and more.

Knoll Creates a Moroccan-Inspired Showroom for Its Home Design Shop in LA
When Knoll announced that it was opening its first ever Home Design Shop in Los Angeles, we knew we had to fill up the tank and make the drive out to see the store ASAP.

From Coast to Coast: Australia’s Armadillo & Co Makes Its USA Debut in Los Angeles
Australian rug brand Armadillo & Co have now landed closer to home in Los Angeles, making their first ever retail store and showroom debut in the USA.

Discovering Emerging Talents + New Designs from a Shop That’s “not just a shop”
Pioneered by the University of the Arts London (UAL), not just a shop is a unique store that features new design-led products and artwork by student and alumni designers.

Exploring the Future of Workspaces with Work/Space STORY
In a special edition of STORY, Rachel Schechtman collaborated with Blu Dot to create the Work/Space STORY to explore the future of workspaces.

E-Commerce Brands Scratch Their Brick & Mortar Itch with Batch, a New Retail Concept Store
San Francisco-based Batch rotates their store collection every 10-12 weeks, appealing to both e-commerce brands and savvy shoppers.

GARDE Expands to Santa Barbara with a New Concept Store and Boutique Rental
GARDE Summerland is GARDE’S second outpost where you can shop contemporary design and stay the night at a restored 1920s farmhouse.

Melrose Avenue Shapes up with Bend Goods’ First Ever Showroom
Los Angeles’ design district expands even farther east on Melrose Avenue with the opening of Bend Goods’ new showroom and studio space.

Step Inside the Perfectly Curated, Light-Filled Spartan Shop in Portland
Whether you’re visiting it in person or just browsing online, Portland-based Spartan shop is one of those perfectly curated boutique shops that makes you spend hours perusing its collection of objects designed by independent designers and makers.

Still House: A Quietly Beautiful Respite in a Fast-Moving City
Still House is a boutique shop in New York that’s filled with beautiful, purposeful objects that help one to cultivate an intentional lifestyle.

A Commonplace for Everyday Modern Objects
Commonplace is a design-centric store in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that curates a collection of ordinary objects that are extraordinary in design.

from Design MilkDesign Milk https://design-milk.com/2018-year-in-review-design-storey/

Best Friday Five Posts of 2018

In 2018, we asked over 50 designers, architects, artists, and creatives to participate in our Friday Five column, letting them share any five things they choose, whether it’s inspirations, loves, favorites, etc. They all came back with a completely different list, each giving us all insight into their world. Curious to see which 10 creatives were the most popular in 2018? Take a look to find out.

10. Friday Five with Elyse Graham
Los Angeles-based artist and designer Elyse Graham, whose handmade sculptural works are born through experimentation of unusual materials, like plaster and resin, shared five things she loves, including an iconic designer and a cute baby with a cool name.

9. Friday Five with Jean Pelle of PELLE
In 2018’s first Friday Five, Jean Pelle of PELLE told us about five of her favorite things, including a rare car, musician, and a famed NYC restaurant.

8. Friday Five with Daniel Schofield
This Friday Five gets a deeper look into the world of award-winning British designer Daniel Schofield and how he thinks.

7. Friday Five with Philippa Price
For this Friday Five, readers got to enjoy the five things artist Philippa Price loves as we all wait to find out what else she has in store in the future.

6. Friday Five with Karen John
This Friday Five went deep with entrepreneur, Karen John of New York City based Heartwork, to learn what keeps her creative energy at maximum capacity.

5. Friday Five with Debra Folz
Take a look to see where Debra Folz continues to find inspiration that helps drive her work as a successful designer, in this Friday Five.

4. Friday Five with Adele Bates
For this Friday Five, we headed to the (cue Men at Work (SORRY!)) Land Down Under, aka Australia, to check in with Adele Bates, a Melbourne-based director of her eponymous multidisciplinary studio.

3. Friday Five with Lily Kwong
New York City based landscape designer Lily Kwong rounded out our month-long celebration of Women’s History Month with her green picks in this Friday Five.

2. Friday Five with Zoë Pawlak
Montreal-based artist and designer Zoë Pawlak gave us a closer look into her colorful world by sharing five of her favorite things.

And the top Friday Five post of 2018 is…

1. Friday Five with Orlando Soria
Instagram favorite, interior designer, and maker, Orlando Soria, took a break to share why he loves his hometown and why a controversial shoe deserves some love.

from Design MilkDesign Milk https://design-milk.com/best-friday-five-posts-of-2018/