Top Stories – creatives at frank

VERNICE ITALIANA

It was a great honor for me to photograph an Italian design of the “Vernice Italiana” levels, a rare and unique occasion. Everything started from a group project in which my specific work was commissioned by Granger Press, a strategic design agency that carries out services for small and medium-sized enterprises, applying their own multidisciplinary vision.

Among the objectives of the project, there was the intention to spread products such as those of Vernice Italiana on the Chinese market, therefore an adequate representation of the very particular pieces of design was useful, for which I was strongly helped by my colleague Agos Zwiener who is in charge of set design.

Italian creativity, beauty, taste, irony, a unique fusion between art and design, it was as if every single object in the collection came from different eras and stories, from care and attention to detail. Original works of art and practical functional objects, mix in the exclusive design color and beauty, giving the typical mark of Italian creativity to furnishing and design and to the future home that will have the honor of hosting objects that seem enchanted.

Nova Park

I was recently assigned to shoot a new apartment by Einar Mattsson. The whole concept and styling was created by my old friend and interior genius Cristian (Temporärt). If you want to know more about these cool studio apartments, here’s a link: https://www.fantasticfrank.se/objekt/OBJ17365_1699917654

And just for fun, I did a little video on my iPhone too.

Have a great weekend everyone!

THE YARD SUITE HOTEL MILAN

A hotel that comes from pure chance, from research that becomes a vocation, brings in its environments the traces of a journey along a life, to the constant discovery of the new around the world. The Yard Suite Hotel is an original story that lends its narrations to travelers seeking excellence in a hotel in Milan.

Photographing trunks and hatboxes, I am struck by how they tell of ancient explorers, lovers of the world and its varieties, including double and single beds, attention to detail is a must in a place where refinement is the master of the house and excellence l goal constantly pursued.

Details and originality that do not go unnoticed by my eye when it rests on rooms and tapestries, high quality furnishings and incredible objects that seem to be recalled directly from a past of the early twentieth century. The atmosphere is romantic, of a romanticism made up of warm herbal teas and sweet readings, when to pause in certain environments gives the impression that in that precise moment you can receive everything you need, then just those are the corners of the world in which it will be glad to stay and very painful to leave.

Architectural inspiration

I know when you go to a museum, you should focus on the art. But for me, the architecture of the Joan Miró Museum is something really special. I love the rough concrete surfaces, and how the light is entering the building.

The museum is made up by three individual buildings; the studio where Miró started to work in 1956, and a late 18th century Mallorcan house that the artist used as a second painting and sculpture studio. And these buildings are just in the way the artist left them. The feeling is that he just went out for a little while.

But it is the third building that my heart beats a bit extra for, It is called the Moneo Building, and is the headquarter of the foundation. It opened in 1992 and is designed by the well-known architect Rafael Moneo.

Moneo’s building provides the Fundació Miró Mallorca with exhibition space, a library, an auditorium, offices, a shop and café.

If you want to find out more; check out their homepage

Picoadventures – a creative spark

When I got down and on to the jetty I couldn’t see the other shore. The closest headland seemed to appear out of nowhere and the light was wonderfully flat. I composed and fired off a few decent shots with my phone.

But it wasn’t until I turned around that the real magic happened. From the jetty, the view of the beach that morning was breathtaking. The trees were completely draped in ice and fog, creating a stunning contrast to the darker forest colours. It was a great shot.

What happened at the lake that foggy morning is what I call a picoadventure. A short moment where I get a creative boost which help me generate new ideas for future projects.

I’ve noticed that these moments are most likely to happen when I’m walking the dog, while travelling or when I’m exploring the surroundings of our country house. The photograph from Schiphol airport was taken when I was waiting to board a plane back to Stockholm. I had some time to kill and ventured out in a seemingly deserted part of the terminal. As I looked out I noticed these perfect lines and when the tail of an airplane suddenly passed by, I knew I had a picture.

One of my favourite moments was a summer evening when I was swimming alone in a lake and it started to rain. The heavy rain drops splashed hard against the surface creating a beautiful pattern. Everything was so calm and lively at the same time. I relive that moment through all my senses whenever I’m looking at that picture.

As a full-time photographer, I constantly need to refuel my brain with inspiration. And if you allow yourself to take a short break you will notice that a small adventure is very likely to be a lot closer than you think.

It’s alive again – but so much has changed

New, new, new. We’re doing a re-release of our design blog that was first born six years ago – it was a place for us to showcase our interior photographs from the homes we sell at Fantastic Frank. at one point we moved everything to our main real estate site so this blog took a three year nap.

But now 2019 (!) – we’re opening up this space again to be a playground for our creatives at Fantastic Frank at all our offices in Europe. It will be a beautiful mess.

/Fantastic Frank Real Estate

To keep the soul of a home

I think that most of us are attracted by older houses, but when it comes to renovate them, many choose the easy way out and modernizes them completely. To preserve the original features takes a good eye to know what to keep and what to do with them, but mostly it’s about having patience and respect for the past.

Last year I shot a beautiful project here on Mallorca, that made me reflect over the beauty of the history. It was a big renovation but it was done without loosing the character of the original building. And not least from an environmental perspective, how much interior details that just needs a little tender love and care to become a masterpiece.

Project made by Durietz Design and if you want to see more about the house, click here.

Old floors were kept and the ceiling paintings restored.

All windows were carefully taken care of. With a new color they were up to date.

The water tap from the old kitchen was kept in what became the new dining.

Perfect imperfections. The old floors just gives an authentic look to it all.

A modern bathroom with the wooden beams visible.

An old cabinet that was left in the house got some new color, and fitted perfectly in!

The staircase turned to contrasting black, to match the original floors.

In interiors as in life… contrasts and balance.

The keys for striking and customized interiors.

Dipping myself into interior books, magazines, blogs is one of my favorite activities. I could go on for days, completely trapped in those amazing pictures.

Likely this happens to many interior design lovers, but have you ever thought about which are the striking spaces, the memorable shots, the ones that steal your heart, mind, breath?

Interior design should not just surprise or astonish people. It should create a sense of style within a place. It should be a conversation between colors, materials, textures, geometry and, obviously, lighting, furniture and accessories.

And when all these elements fit together… that’s WOW!

When I start designing a place the key element is always contrast.

Having in mind the whole, I’m always looking for theunexpected detail, the vintage piece, the unusual fabric, plant or finishing. Things that create distinctness, that differ from the common, that makes the difference but in harmony with the entire atmosphere.

So.. as in life, contrasts and balance are always the two fundamental principles, the key is to use them correctly ;)

HARPER’S BAZAAR KOREA

Design is creativity, it is connection to the world, it is a bit of madness. Harper's Bazaar Korea. Color and linearity are interwoven to perfection in a harmonious composition that gives the rooms a touch of familiarity and at the same time elegance. Irony is not lacking in a visual game that combines classic and modern, minimal and exaggerated. "Secondo Pensiero", a recreated hotel conceived as a "second home" ready to welcome and reinvigorate travelers from all over the world in transit in Milan. Just the impression of being at home gives the rooms that touch of recreational warmth, comfort and elegance. In the second instance in my project I had the pleasure of taking snapshots in the very particular house of the architect of Venetian origins, Renato Montagner. Few frills and many daring details give originality to a place that could not have a different mood, born from the creativity of a mind that the space of space is its inner place.

Interior Design – details do matter!

If the things we use every day have great materials and design and are fun to use as well we come closer to „simple living“.

Ad // This article mentions a brand and refers to a concept store.

If the things we use every day have great materials and design and are fun to use as well we come closer to „simple living“.

We no longer need a lot of deco-objects as the functional things are already pretty and we can live more beautifully with less clutter. To achieve this approach every detail of a room is important to me – even sockets and light switches.

What makes an apartment look beautiful?

Which aspects of interior design is especially important to you? Which details do you care about when you want to take wonderful photos of rooms? These questions I get asked quite a lot on events, workshops or even by friends who want to renovate and upgrade their apartment. And for me it is always clear: the basic features of a room are at least as important as the furniture.

Imagine an apartment in an old building: the wall has a great texture and color for example and there`s wooden herringbone flooring with lots of patina and natural light is flooding the room through these old and huge windows… You just have to place a sofa there and it already looks stunning! Newly built apartmens however mostly do not have that „natural beauty“ at all but there is still a lot you can do to be satisfied with it`s “basic features”. For example: Get rid of all the ugly white plastic sockets and light switches. Often they have an awful quality and look and are affixed in rows of 3 or 5 sockets in every corner of a room. Too much for my taste!

Upgrade the basic features of your home

In my own apartment I therefore started to close several sockets. I you do so as well you have to make sure that current flow doesn`t continue and might get an electrician to close the sockets professionally, otherwise it can get dangerous! I then changed the old ugly sockets and switches to absolutely beautiful ones made of porcelain and bakelite that are available in the great stores of Manufactum.

For our living room and bedrooms I chose the light ones made of porcelain. The material is great and the subtle color fits in everywhere. Plus: I enjoy every turn on the rotary switch like a little child! The dark switches and sockets made of bakelite were perfect for our kitchen as we have black metal details on the shelves.

Of course in your home it can be something totally different that you`d like to change. Go for it and don`t hesitate. The effort is totally worth it and the interior on total will profit from these adjustments you make!

Selected Interiors #11

This weeks finest interior design photographs.

Falugatan 19 in Stockholm. Photo: Joakim Johansson. Interior stylist: Josefin Hååg.

New co-op in Berlin: Sleek Art x Fantastic Frank

To continue our ongoing flirt with art and interior design, that we started last fall with a short art guide, we are now teaming up with Berlin-based Sleek-Art at our Berlin office to further explore the topic of art in your home. Launched on 17 September 2014, Sleek-Art is an online art platform dedicated to curating and promoting a highly selective collection of artwork. Curated by Sleek Magazine, the platform brings the publication’s 12 years of art world expertise directly to collectors. In the next five months we will launch a short interview series in collaboration with Sleek Art, starting with an interview of Berlin-based Amy Binding, editor at Sleek Magazine.

What is your role at Sleek?

I am the collaborations manager at Sleek-Art, looking after and expanding the special and unique partnerships that support Sleek-Art. I am also the Picture Editor for Sleek Magazine.

What is your motivation to sell art online?

We believe that behind every great piece of artwork there is a great story: it is with these insights into the lives of artists, collectors and curators that we offer a unique new way to buy art. The site is also carefully curated by Sleek Magazine to bring the platform the magazine’s 12 years of art world expertise to the homes and collections of art enthusiasts.

What can art do to your home/life?

Collecting artwork is not just a matter of investment, but also a matter of passion! What’s better than surrounding yourself in your home and/or your daily space with objects and artwork that evoke a deep emotional bond?

Who is your personal favourite artist?

It’s hard to say as there are so many that I find interesting on the site! However, through my role as Picture Editor for Sleek Magazine, I am lucky to work with many new and exciting upcoming photographers such as Maxime Ballesteros, Peter Kaaden, and Shingo Yoshida. I also really love the textures and forms found in the works of Tomasz Kobialka and Louise Gibson and how they work with and manipulate found objects and materials.

Why do you want to collaborate with Fantastic Frank?

Both FantasticFrank and Sleek-Art appreciate great photography and artwork, and know the importance of having it surrounding you in the place you call home. Together with Fantastic Frank, Sleek-Art can bring a new artistic dimension to each property; filling the walls with stories of artists from around the world.

What to expect in the future?

We have a lot of interesting projects in the pipeline! We’re going to be working especially close with leading hotels and art fairs to bring Sleek-Art.net off the net and into real life!

5 selected artworks by Sleek-Art-artists:

A Living Room – an Art & Design Exhibition by Ignant x Fantastic Frank

For the last couple of weeks we have been working on an art and design exhibition together with the Berlin-based blog iGNANT – the result: A Living Room. Together we created a Fantastic Frank apartment in our Berlin office and filled it with design furniture by local interior designers such as Geckeler Michels, LLOT LLOV, ARTEK, NEW TENDENCY & Sigurd Larsen, while exhibiting hand-picked photographers from iGNANT’s weekly Flickr Friday activity.

Thursday night last week we opened the doors to celebrate the fusion of art & design in a vivid Berlin Living Room atmosphere. To eclectic electronic tunes, we enjoyed musty sweet cocktails, pale blue thistles with minimalistic design and poignant art. The exhibition was styled by our stylist Sarah van Peteghem & documented by Ana Santl from iGNANT.

The photography exhibition will be up until January 15. More info about the photographers & exhibition here or via caro@ignant.com.

A big thank you to our collaboration partners Belsazar, Bloomy Days, Gerolsteiner, Heineken for a great event.

De senaste veckorna har vi på vårt Berlin kontor jobbat med att utveckla utställningskonceptet ‘A Living Room’ tillsammans med Berlin-baserade konstbloggen iGNANT. För drygt en vecka sedan slog vi upp portarna till vårt kontor som inom några dagar förvandlades till ett vardagsrum med möbler från lokala inredningsdesigner och fotokonst med bilder från iGNANT‘s serie Flickr Friday. Bilderna från stylingen och vernissaget ser ni nedan. … om ni har vägarna förbi, kom gärna in och titta – utställningen hänger till och med den 15 januari. Samarbetspartner: Geckeler Michels, LLOT LLOV, ARTEK, NEW TENDENCY & Sigurd Larsen