MINI LIVING
i’m working on a six month long project with MINI LIVING that i’m feeling really excited about! it’s a company created by MINI (the car brand!) that is focusing on sustainability in our homes (they’re calling them urban cabins). what would it look like if we used design to focus on creating living spaces that have a smaller footprint but that don’t take away from your quality of life? it’s focused on urban life and sharing space within a community, and maximizing what we get out of every square inch of our homes. the cabin in LA is only about 160 square feet so every design decision really counts. it was really amazing to see how they used the space, i actually felt like it would be possible to live well in something that small. part of the project was creating a video that will introduce the concept of MINI LIVING, which was filmed on location in LA and then we’ll be traveling to beijing and tokyo later this year to see the cabins being built there. i also hosted a dinner on the roof outside the cabin with a few friends and spent the night there as well!
i toured the home which was set on the rooftop in the arts district of LA, in a very stylish new area called The Row. you should definitely check out all the hip shops and restaurants happening there!
now let me show you inside! i love how the plants come through on the ceiling and make it feel like a greenhouse. in each location a local architect is asked to design part of the space and have it represent the city. in LA, Freeland Buck designed this center portion that felt almost like an optical illusion. colorful graphics, open air, metal and plants. it’s definitely appropriate for LA, since so much of our lives here have that indoor/outdoor way of living. (thanks, weather)
my favorite part…well that’s hard to choose. i absolutely loved the wooden panels that swung open and made the house feel open and airy, and i especially liked the tiny cutout shapes in the walls that created awesome light effects throughout the day. there were also a ton of fun surprises like the terrazzo tile in the kitchen, the iridescent mirrors, the moveable shapes that functioned as hooks, and the garden on the roof. it felt like the future in there!
the bed actually even rolls outside so that you can sleep under the stars! you can see my friend jesse and her babe checking out the view.
it was a really special night. i kept having this very grateful feeling all day. to be working with such a talented and kind crew and client, to be doing something i really believe in, and to be having fun while doing it! and i definitely started thinking about tidying up my life, living with less, and what actually creates happiness in a home…it was very thought provoking.
after everyone left, denise and i watched netflix in bed with a glass of wine and pushed the bed outside. it was a fun little adventure with my friend!
what do you think about MINI living? do you think less in more? i would love to know your thoughts!
photos by designlovefest
in partnership with MINI LIVING.
