Originally from Russia, but now based in Sydney, furniture designer Alexey Oleshov is the co-founder of TEXTURE.design – a purveyor of unique furniture, antiques and artworks. His unusual coffee table, which he is sharing with us today, is quite the talking piece due to is unique combination of antique French doors, concrete and glass.
Alexey Oleshov
“It’s my own creation and part of the TEXTURE.design collection. This table is a handsome piece with a perfect combination of modern lines and antique spirit,” says Alexey. Featuring antique doors created in France in the 1920s, the table also sports wrought-iron curves and its many details are set under a tempered glass top that is supported by a recycled stone and concrete base. It’s quite a mix!
Alexey’s coffee table
“It has been known to stimulate conversation. Toughened glass and dynamic lines of dry-sealed concrete carry the energy of the city; while the wood, and iron greys of the inset piece evoke the warmth of the French home from which it came,” says Alexey.
Alexey is a fan of the artist Mark Rothko
And as for what’s on top, Alexey uses the table to showcase the things that currently inspire him – most of which have a story behind them. “I usually store my perfumes on the coffee table as I like to put them on before I leave for the day,” says Alexey who is favouring two at present; Le Labo Patchouli 24 and Kirkijan.
The designer also likes to use the coffee table to store art books and the novels he is currently reading. “Presently, Mark Rothko’s book is giving me colour inspiration. I adore his timeless art pieces and would love to have an original of his one day.”
The Rothko tome sits alongside a book that explores the famous champagne house Veuve Clicquot and a Peter Lindbergh photographic album. “It’s a beautiful book that inspires me for its art, culture and colour. Sadly, Lindbergh passed away recently, so this collectible is now a memoir to him.”
As for the designer’s coffee table styling tips, he is at pains to emphasise just how important the coffee table itself is. “It’s one of the most undervalued pieces in the room – it’s incredibly important in defining an area, creating flow and providing a space for ornaments and personal items,” says Alexey.
And when it comes to updating your coffee table items, Alexey advises changing things up from season to season. “Beautiful new items will help you energise the space. By simply adding and rearranging a few pieces, you can completely change the atmosphere and mood of the room.”
For more on Alexey and TEXTURE.design | Check out our other coffee tables
4 Renovation Projects that Offer Excellent Returns on Investment
Most homeowners renovate so
that they can take advantage of the immediate benefits: namely, living in a
nicer home. You want to be proud of your living space, to move around it
comfortably knowing that everything looks great and works well. But there’s nothing
wrong with looking further ahead.
Renovating to add value is a
completely valid reason to hire a general contractor – despite the immediate
advantage of living in a nicer space, you want to see some return on investment
as well. Unfortunately, in this regard, not all renovations are created equal.
Some renovations offer a better return than others, and knowing what those are
can make you a savvier renovator.
By no means an exhaustive list, the following four renovations rank among the best for ROI.
Room repair. Interior finish. young builder makes a plasterboard ceiling, standing on a stepladderBathroom Renovations
Young worker in uniform sitting on squats while fixing or fastening detail during bathtub installation work
According to Remax, the top real estate
franchise in North America, the conventional bathroom renovation is one of the
best ways to upgrade your home, value-wise. With the help of a good bathroom contractor,
your renovation can net you an average 62% return. The reason for this is that
when walking through, prospective buyers pay close attention to the bathroom; a
good bathroom can be a potent selling point, and, conversely, a poorly
maintained one can put a buyer off quickly.
Siding Replacement
Room with Gradation from Cement Floors to Hardwood Flooring Installed.
You might hear the term “curb
appeal” thrown around in reference to house value. In essence, that refers to
the attractiveness of your property as viewed from outside. It is, in other
words, the real estate equivalent of making a good first impression. Because of
this, siding replacement is considered one of the highest return renovations
you can get. Depending on the materials chosen, it’s also a fairly inexpensive
renovation.
Deck
Renovation
A new deck, especially a
wooden deck, ranks as one of the better value renovations. One estimate puts the cost recouped at 75.6
percent, certainly no slouch, especially for those planning to get some use out
of the deck before they think about selling. For a less expensive renovation,
you can also consider a fiberglass deck, which comes with the added benefit of
being relatively low maintenance.
Kitchen
On a good kitchen renovation, you may stand to recoup the entirety of your investment. That’s how powerful a beautiful kitchen can be. A modernizing facelift, giving the kitchen up-to-date appliances, modern design elements and well-crafted cabinets, is not only going to make weekday dinners a whole lot nicer, but it will add major value as well.
If you are lost as to a starting point for your kitchen renovations, don’t fret; that’s exactly what a kitchen designer is for, and hiring one can ensure your new kitchen has a focused design and smart functionality.
Even if you’re years off the idea of selling your home,
renovating is still a good idea. Especially with the above four renovations,
you get a better, more attractive home without sinking your money into
something that won’t pay off. As far as home ownership goes, that’s considered
a win-win!
