Did you know that Italian architect Gio Ponti designed an elegant washbasin for the Palazzo Montecatini? And that it's in production, courtesy of Rapsel in Italy? I didn't, and now I'm imagining excuses for a bath remodel. Here's a roundup of five architect-designed sinks:

Above: The most elegant washbasin we've seen: The wall-mounted Montecatini by Gio Ponti is available in titanic resin or in ceramic. Note the drain located to the right of the basin; pure genius. For information, go to Rapsel.

Above: Italian-born, London-based architect Claudio Silvestrin designed the "austere but not extreme" Le Giare collection for Ceramica Cielo.

Above: Architect Philipp Mainze's waxed European oak components are available through e15.

Above: Hard to resist: the Ottocento Sink by Benedini Associates echoes the lines of traditional washbasins. Go to Agape for dealer information.

Above: Designed by Andrea Morgante, the Nivis Washbasin for Agape features a recessed soap holder.

N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on June 16, 2012.

In the last decade or so, architects everywhere have incorporated a Japanese aesthetic in the residential bath; here are a few of our favorite examples.

Above: A bath in San Francisco by Cary Bernstein Architect brings the spa feeling home with a wood-slatted shower tray.

Above L: An outdoor bathing space by Bay Area architects Buttrick Wong. Above R: A bath from the portfolio of Australian photographer Lisa Cohen.

Above: A bath by San Francisco-based architects Aidlin Darling Design.

Above: A bathroom by MW/Works Architecture & Design from A Coastal Retreat in the Pacific Northwest, Mountain Views Included.

Above: A bath in Los Angeles by Michaela Scherrer Interior Design.

Above: A bath in a Soho penthouse by MR Architecture.

Above: A Japanese-style hinoki soaking tub in a compact, spa-like bathing space in the Hughes/Kinugawa house by architect Andrew Lister. Recreate a similar look with our post, Steal This Look: Japanese-Inspired Bathroom, as your guide.

Above: A bath in Belgium by Sofie Lachaert from A Belgian B&B, Surrealism Included.

Above: A bath in Stockholm by Sandell Sandberg.

N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on April 27, 2009.

We first spotted Carl Verdickt's Greenhouse back in 2009 and the project has been a favorite ever since. Antwerp-based Verdickt & Verdickt Architecten's minimalist take on the traditional agrarian barn form combines with a greenhouse-like use of glass—perfection.

The glass façade makes use of a transparent skin of super-insultating glass windows with transcluent polycarbonate layer to increase the reflection of the windows to ease the house into the shadows of its forested surrounding in Asse, Belgium. For more information, visit Verdickt & Verdickt Architecten.

Above: The exterior of the barn-style house on a sunny day in Asse.

Above: The house was built with a reverted layout where the private quarters are mostly located below the main floor's open floor plan; above sits a small section of private quarters as a lofted area.

Above: A Vola faucet and the NO Fruit Pendant (see our post on the light: Design Sleuth: NO Fruit Pendant Light from Dark).

Above: A revolving fireplace hangs in the center of the main living quarters.

Above: Warm neon lighting is carried throughout the main floor into the bath.

N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on April 10, 2009.

Designed by Stockholm-based architect Johannes Norlander, the graceful indoor/outdoor Kyparn Chair can be stacked when not in use.

Above: A pair of the armchairs on the porch of a small summerhouse; photograph by Patric Johansson.

Above: The Kyparn Chair is lightweight, stackable, and made from an unbroken, curving line of solid steel with pipe steel legs; it's £180 from Exterior Interior.

Above: All pieces of steel are electroplated and powder-coated.

N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on April 14, 2009.

UK architectural hardware company Izé produces architect-designed hardware with an aim to "enhance the miniature rituals in the ordinary and everyday life of a building." Among the offerings: the Lever Handle designed by Italian midcentury master Gio Ponti. Visit Izé for more information.

Above: The Lever Handle is made from brass as a base material and available in polished, matte and Supergold bright chrome as well as Superstainless stainless steel.

N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on March 26, 2010.

Architects Claesson Koivisto Rune were inspired by the mist and fog of the Swedish archipelago when they chose the palette for the Hotel Skeppsholmen in Stockholm. Located on a small island, accessible by bridge to Stockholm’s city center, Hotel Skeppsholmen is housed in two buildings that date back to 1699 and were built to house Sweden’s Royal Marines. Using a mix of custom-designed and classic fixtures, furniture, and lighting, CKR have created an urban oasis reminiscent of Arne Jacobsen's iconic SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen.

Photographs courtesy of Hotel Skeppsholmen (unless otherwise noted).

Above: A foggy morning in Skeppsholmen; photograph by Hannes R on Flickr.

Above: A lighting installation in the hallway with cords trailing down the walls.

Above: W08 Task Lamps by Claesson Koivisto Rune illuminate the bedroom's desk.

Above: A view down to the docks from one of the bedrooms.

Above: The hotel's exterior in the spring.

N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on December 14, 2009.

Our friends at Mjolk in Toronto, Juli and John Baker, introduced us to the colorblocked Totone rugs designed by Swedish architect Eero Koivisto of Claessen Koivisto Rune for Asplund a while back. Thanks a lot, you two! Now we're coveting one for ourselves.

For ordering information, contact Mjolk or Asplund directly.

Above: The Totone dhurrie rug is handwoven from 100 percent New Zealand wool. Photo via Kitka.

Above: The rugs come in a couple of different colorways, including blue and white and pale blue and brown. Photo via Kitka.

Above: The Totone in situ at John and Juli's summer cabin. Photo via Kitka.

Above: A trio of Swedish botanical prints hang above the Pirkka dining set from Artek.

Take a tour of the cabin at Unveiled: Canada's Most Beautiful Guest Cottage.

The late architect Yves Bayard, who designed the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Nice, reconstructed a 16th-century sheep barn with his wife, designer Jacqueline Morabito, in the town of Saint-Paul de Vence (home to the Fondation Maeght). We like the ad hoc window treatments: pieces of fabric casually tacked to the window frames. Photos via Kikette Interiors.

Above: Photography via Kikette Interiors.

Above: Ad hoc window treatments: pieces of fabric casually tacked to the window frames.

Above: A lofted second floor is edged in piles of World of Interiors magazines.

Above: White walls and concrete floors and coated in a sheer layer of wax.

Above: In the bath, a bath tub sits on an oak platform and a long mirror leans against the wall next a rustic sink.

Above: Throughout the home are pieces of religious art, portraits by Le Corbusier and Jacques Prevert.

N.B. This post is an update; the original story ran on March 13, 2009.

Over at Gardenista last week, Michelle and Erin found the 10 best deck chairs, discovered 7 ways to help fireflies (their population is on the decline), went foraging with Tama Matsuoka Wong (who devised a recipe for juniper berry vodka granita), stayed at a $100-a-night cabin with a million-dollar view, and shared 10 secrets for surviving summer house guests. 

Above: Gardenista contributor Yossy Arefi went foraging in the woods and found an icy dessert (more or less).

Above: Michelle sleuthed out the 10 best wood and canvas deck chairs.

Above: "I finally figured out how to survive house guests (cocktails are involved)," Michelle says.

Above: Erin went on a firefly hunt.

Above: Gardenista contributor Julie Chai found a million dollar view and $100-per-night cabins that feel cool and breezy even in July.

We're featuring Australia next week and it's easy to forget that while we might be complaining about the heat, it's winter down there. (We were reminded of this when we spotted some flannel bedding in an Australian magazine.) Stay tuned for a week of great finds, in the meantime here's what's piquing our interest.

•  Julie is obsessed with Danser la Musique, a musical trampoline installation by Chinese artist Chen Zhen at the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) in Tasmania (the attached bells jingle when you bounce).

• Aussie stylist Sibella Court's instagram photo of Danser la Musique.

• We're perusing Dezeen's new Australian Houses Pinboard; lots to see.

• Julie and Christine were lucky enough to lunch in the showroom of British Standard by Plain English in Hoxton Square with food by Pip's Dish. Photograph and collage by Kristin Perers.

• Green Juniper Berry Granita anyone? Just one of the ideas that Alexa is mulling in this Gardenista post on Tama Matsuoka Wong's meadow foraging.
• Kale salad is our go-to lunch in the the office. Here's a variation worth giving a try: chopped collard and kale salad spotted in this Greek style summer cookout.

• If you are looking to buy some serious art at more accessible prices, online auction house Paddle8 offers monthly themed auctions and benefit auctions in collaboration with non-profits. Shown above is an oil paint and oil paint skins collaged on canvas by Angel Otero as part of a fund raising auction for the Anderson Ranch Arts Center.
• We're looking forward to getting our hands on the August issue of Bazaar to see the Hollywood Hills home of Nata Berkus and Jeremiah Brent.
• To be filed under strange but true: wallpaper from the Beastie Boys. Check out Mike D. Wallpaper Designs.

• Adding this to the buy list: Gypsy Juice spotted by Sarah in Australian mag Est, one of her favorite online reads of late.
• Erin at Gardenista shows us how to keep moths away (no mothballs required).

• Stay tuned for next weekend's Designer Is In feature: David John from DISC Interiors will be taking us on a tour of the Spanish Colonial home of Glenn Lawson (co-owner of Lawson Fenning) in the Los Feliz Hills and answering any and all design questions.

Melbourne coffee maestro Luke Mutton of Dead Man Espresso recently opened a new venture called Common Galaxia, collaboring with Justin Lamont of Life Space Journey on all the fittings: the lighting, tables, chairs, trolleys, shelving, cutlery holders, even the sink. The result is an almost entirely bespoke space featuring a mix of materials: raw steel, untanned leather chairs, copper coffee canisters, plus pastel powder-coated fixtures and fittings. For more, go to Common Galaxia.

Above: A Two-Piece Light by Light Space Journey hangs over a custom table.

Above: Life Space Journey designed the coffee-making system.

Above: The dining chairs feature untanned leather seats and backs wrapped on a steel frame.

Above: A bucket sink by Life Space Journey.

Above: Custom powder-coated steel shelving over the work sink.

Above: A custom drinks trolley.

Above: The walls are paneled in wood.

Above: All lighting fixtures were custom made for Common Galaxia by Life Space Journey.

Above: Copper coffee tins line a wall.

Above: Life Space Journey created the clever cutlery holders than hang off the side of the tables.

Do you agree with us that Melbourne is that capital of stylish coffee shops? Check out Market Lane Coffee, Fast Espresso for Slowpokes, and A Coin Laundry Turned Cafe and tell us if you think we're onto something!

If an oversize oven is not your style—but efficiency is—Fisher & Paykel's next generation 60cm Built-in Oven range has a 77 litre usable internal capacity and offers more useable space than almost any 60cm oven on the Australian market.

While its design is sleek (finished in black reflective glass and stainless steel) its function is even more appealing, using the ActiveVent™ System (available in select models only) to manage the removal or retention of moisture in the oven and featuring up to 11 different cooking functions; all to optimize the balance between cooking performance, condensation management, and energy consumption. Tried and tested, the 60cm Built-in Oven range received the prestigious Red Dot Award at the annual event in Germany in March and a Good Design Award in the 2013 Australian International Design Awards. For more information, visit Fisher & Paykel.

Above: The 60cm Built-in Oven is available in five different models with varying cooking functions, with prices ranging from $1,299 AUD to $2,699 AUD.

Above: To add to the oven, a Fisher & Paykel Warming Drawer (available in black glass or stainless steel) can be installed underneath or above the 60cm Built-in Oven with temperatures varying from 45 to 65 degrees Celcius; $1,099 AUD.

Above: The 11 different pre-set cooking functions available on the OB 60SL11 ovens are: Bake, Vent Bake, Fan Bake, Classic Bake, Pastry Bake, Fan Forced, Roast, Grill, Fan Grill, Rotisserie, Warm and Self-Clean. If 11 functions are too many, the range also offers a choice of nine or seven functions—so you can choose the model that caters best to your culinary needs. To learn more about each cooking function's purpose, visit Fisher & Paykel. 

Above: The oven features a pyrolytic self-cleaning function in the OB60SL11 models, while the non-pyrolytic OB60SL9 model has catalytic liners to break down oil and fat for effortless cleaning.

Above: The oven features a cooling system that allows for a three-pane glass door (rather than a heavier four-pane door) to achieve cool touch status for safety in the kitchen (excludes the OB60SL11DCPX1 oven).

Loren Madsen, an installation sculpture artist, is the winner in our Reader-Submitted Bedroom Space category in our first annual Considered Design Awards. Loren designed and built the bedroom with his wife, Libbe, on rural forested land in Laytonville, California. 

For the Madsens, both California natives, their wild mountain home was a long journey in the making: In 1970, they bought 40 acres of land in Laytonville, three hours north of San Francisco, and built a communal-living cabin with friends. But mountain bliss didn't last forever, says Madsen: "The hippie life was too much work, so I went back to art."

The pair did time in the big city; first LA, then New York, where Loren Madsen's sculpture career thrived. In 2005, they decided to sell their SoHo loft (which had significantly increased in value since they purchased it in 1977), a move profiled in a 2006 story in The New York TImes. 

They escaped to California and built a house on their 40 acres: a 640-square-foot modified kit without frills but with all the essentials of modern life—a kitchen, bath, television, computers. They needed more room in a separate sleeping space, so Madsen got to work. 

As an artist, Loren is always building something—sculptures, home improvements, and recently, furniture. For the bedroom, he began with basic building materials: 2x4 framing, drywall interior walls, a ceiling of oriented strand board, and an exterior clad in stained plywood. He splurged on four wood-framed, double-glazed doors, a Japanese tansu chest, and Shaker furniture. As a builder, Loren has the essentials down—basic framing and finishing, plumbing, and electrical skills; he also credits his friend Larry and wife Libbe for their building skills and encouragement, respectively. Though he's a competent builder, we think it's his well-honed artist's eye that accounts for the clean-lined, low-impact bedroom space. 

Photography by Loren Madsen. 

Above: The Madsen's bedroom opens to the outdoors via four wood-framed, double-glazed doors. 

Above: From the inside, Loren says the view "makes waking up quite nice."

Above: The interior features simple Shaker furniture, a tansu chest, and clerestory windows.

Above: The Madsens carry their bed outside in the summer months (though lately, "the squirrels have been chucking pine cones onto the deck so we're still inside").

Above: Loren says the simple bedroom is "basically, a bed, dresser, and closet." His original design included a toilet, but he ultimately built the cabin without. As he says, "Walking thirty feet through the rain is not a big deal. When I awake I get variants of this view [below] over my feet." 

Above: The forested vista he now wakes up to "beats our NYC view," Loren says.

Above: A copper sink and a Chinese log chest make for a small washing up area. 

Above: A view of the bedroom structure from the main house about 30 feet away. 

Above: Framing the bedroom in 2x4s. 

Above: The bedroom, cozy and tucked in for the winter. 

Above: The original 600-square-foot communal cabin—designed by Loren and built in 1971—still stands on the property, which makes the site a summertime destination for friends. 

Browse the rest of our Considered Design Awards Winners, whose projects will be featured on Remodelista this week.

Located in Kyneton, in the Macedon Ranges of Victoria (or about an hour from Melbourne), is Ellis House—four bedrooms, two bathrooms, and three quarters of an acre of garden space—where visitors are encouraged to reconnect with a slower pace of life.

Creative director Tracie Ellis, who also designs the bedroom luxury linen line Aura Home, decided to renovate an 1860's building into a vacation rental as part of a personal, lifelong goal. Available for rent on a whole house basis, the house can accommodate up to eight guests; for more information visit Ellis House.

Photography by Sharyn Cairns for Ellis House.

Above: Exterior of the historic building and its verdant grounds.

Above: A moody color palette begins in the lounge area with walls painted three quarters up in dark gray. On the leather sofa are Cable Knit Cushions from Aura Home ($59.95 AUD each).

Above: Patrons from another time tend to loom over the library desk.

Above: Taxidermy and glass cloches in the study.

Above: A Spot Tea Towel ($12.50 AUD each) hangs from the Belgian-inspired, black painted door in the kitchen.

Above: Olive wood-topped storage containers and a collection of spoons for use in the kitchen.

Above: The dining room is outfitted with an English farmhouse table, antique chairs and church pews for eight-person seating.

Above: A headboard upholstered in Belgian linen from Heatherly Design in the main bedroom.

Above: Matte gray is carried into the main bathroom lit by a suspended vintage cage light.

Above: In the bath: vintage-inspired faucets and fixtures, towels from Aura Home, and a pairing of Aesop Classic Shampoo and Conditioner.

Above: On the bed is the Maison Natural Quilt Cover in linen and cotton ($199 AUD for the cover) and above, a Dutch chandelier.

Traveling to Australia? Take a look at our other favorite places to sleep, eat and visit in and around Melbourne in our City Guide.

Location of Ellis House in Kyneton:

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Yesterday, we posted on the interiors of Ellis House, a historic guesthouse in Kyneton, Australia. Today, we're dissecting the outdoor style of the house's wraparound porch and original 19th-century summer house. To recreate the look, we've sourced a few elements similar to those chosen by designer and creative director Tracie Ellis.

Above L: The Ellis House's cool blue-gray exterior color palette. Above R: Rattan seating and hanging flower pots on the porch. Photograph by Sharyn Cairns for Ellis House.

Above: Original to the property, the 19th-century summerhouse in the garden. Photograph by Sharyn Cairns for Ellis House.

Above: A slatted wood bench with knitted pillows and a navy throw blanket. Photograph by Sharyn Cairns for Ellis House.

Above: Ikea's new Älmsta Chair is made from lacquered rattan with a bamboo back for $99.99. N.B.: The chair is meant for indoor use, but at this price point, it might be worth the risk on a covered porch.

Above: A hardwearing blanket for outdoor use is Restoration Hardware's Washed Linen Indigo Throw loomed from a linen and viscose blend; $99 for the 50-by-70-inch throw.

Above: The Galvanized Steel Planter is €12.50 from Manufactum in Germany.

Above: For growing plants up the side of a house, the Flexible Window Trellis is made in Spain from slim willow twigs; €15 each from Manufactum in Germany.

Above: Used as an outdoor accent color, Farrow & Ball's Down Pipe imitates lead on exterior ironwork and helps to camouflage plumbing pipes against brickwork; $100 per gallon for the Exterior Masonry finish.

Above: From Ellis' line, Aura Home, the 50-by-50cm Moss Stitch Throw Pillow is made from a cotton/acrylic yarn; $59.95 AUD for the filled cushion.

Above: These Fiberclay Egg Pots are made from a fiberglass and clay composite for a frost and UV-resistant quality; $28 for the large at Terrain.

Above: The Storsele Chair is made from black-stained, peeled rattan coated in a clear lacquer finish; $119 each from Ikea.

Above: The Topless Wire Guard Outdoor Light is available in a choice of 21 finishes, including galvanized as shown; $158 from Barn Light Electric. For more, see our post 10 Easy Pieces: Barnhouse-Style Outdoor Lighting.

For more outdoor looks to steal (think pool pavilions, potting sheds, and modern lounge spaces), browse through all of our Steal This Look posts on Gardenista.

What started more than twenty years ago as an innovative drainage solution for showers without thresholds has grown into a full line of architectural linear drains, including a collection for outdoor use. The Site Sizeable Linear Drain Series designed by Australian-based Stormtech offers elegant and efficient drainage for pool surrounds, patios, balconies, and driveways. Infinity Drain, Stormtech's American sister company, offers Stormtech-designed drains for the North American market. 

Manufactured in Long Island, Infinity Drain offers the Stormtech designs that are suitable for North America (common installation methods differ from those in Australia). Made of stainless steel, the Site Sizeable Linear Drain Series models include the AG Series (Stormtech's ARG Series) with a linear wedge-wire stainless grate and the DG Series (Stormtech's PH Series) with a circular hole-perforated stainless grate, both available in complete kits or as components. Contact an Infinity Drain Dealer for pricing and ordering information (Australian residents contact a Stormtech Dealer).  

For indoor drainage, see our earlier post: A Disappearing Act: Infinity Shower Drains.

Above: The Site Sizeable Linear Drain Series is both visually discreet and effective. By joining channels and grates together, drains can become as long as necessary.

Above: A linear drain installed at the base of stairs keeps water from pooling.

Above: The popular AG-65 Site Sizeable Linear Drain (Stormtech Model 65ARG40) used to frame a pool. 

Above: Because the channel of the Site Sizeable Linear Drain Series is designed to work with a neutral pitch (meaning it can be completely level—no pitch required), it is perfect for using at the threshold of exterior doors to keep water from coming inside. 

Above: Keep your garage dry with the high-efficiency drainage (9 to 16 gallons per minute per outlet depending on model) of the Site Sizeable Linear Drain Series.

Above: The linear drains can be installed within a variety of hardscape materials from concrete to pavers to gravel. The grates can be removed for easy cleaning.

Above: Stormtech and Infinity Drains offer custom-designed drains for site-specific needs. Contact an Infinity Drain Dealer for more information.

Need an interior drain? Stormtech/Infinity Drain recently partnered with an Australian design rockstar to create the World's Most Beautiful Shower Drain. 

Possibly the cheeriest patio pieces we've seen yet: indoor/outdoor furniture from Melbourne-based Tait, made for "all the brilliant weather that Australia can throw at it."

Owned by husband and wife team Gordon and Susan Tait, the outfit manufactures all pieces in the company's factory in Thornbury and "sources local materials and commissions artisans as needed."

Tait has locations in Melbourne and Sydney; for more information, go to Tait.

Above: Designed by Adam Goodrum, the Volley Rocker features a zinc-plated steel frame, mesh seat panel, and rope handles (it's available in a range of powder-coated colors).

Above: The Volley Dining Chair.

Above: Tait's powder-coated steel Softline Planters feature hidden casters for easy portability.

Above: Good One Table and Stools, designed by Alastair Keating.

Above: The Good One Stools feature a punched-out cross detail.

Above: The Good One Stools are available in a range of colors.

Above: Gordon Tait in his newly opened Sydney showroom; photo by Michael Wee via HomeLife.

For more of our favorite furniture designers, sift through our archive of recent Furniture posts; posts such as Martino Gamper Furniture at Everyday Needs, A Stool Too Pretty to Sit On, and Phloem Studio: Homegrown Furniture from Portland, Oregon.

Hugh Altschwager, the mastermind behind Inkster Maken, a Melbourne-based design studio dedicated to handcrafted lighting, had to go home to find his true calling. After college, Altschwager moved to Melbourne to work in design and architecture; the lamp idea took shape during trips back home to his parents' family farm off the South Australian limestone coast, where he built a small, self-sufficient hut made from salvaged materials. During the construction process, he soon realized he was in need of a light source. Already familiar with the local materials—limestone and wood—he put the two together and created a light fixture that inspired him to launch his first handcrafted lighting collection.

The collection features pendants and free-standing lamps made from turned South Australian limestone and reclaimed hardwoods. The small collection is available online, but stay tuned: Altschwager has big plans for the future and a new range of products is in the works (not necessarily lighting).

Photographs by Lucy Feagins and Brooke Holm via The Design Files (except where noted).

Above L: The Small Pendant is $375 AUD. Above R: The Large Pendant is $585 AUD.

Above: The Desk Lamp, featuring a red cord and clamp.

Above: The Standard Lamp is $875 AUD.

Above: Altschwager in his home studio in Melbourne.

Above: The work studio where each lamp fixture begins as a single block of limestone, which is turned and finished by hand. 

Above: Altschwager's sustainable lake hut made from recycled materials. Photo via Inkster Maken. 

Traveling Down Under in the near future? Check out our Australia City Guide for visit-worthy places.

Founded by UK-born Julie Paterson in 1995, Cloth Fabric is a Sydney-based maker of screen-printed textiles. Paterson prototypes and develops all the designs in her beachside workshop in Sydney, basing her patterns on drawings and paintings inspired by the local landscape.

All fabrics are produced in short runs, by hand, in a tin shed in Country NSW; this small batch production method assures that the resulting cloth maintains its distinctive character. Visit Cloth Fabric for ordering information.

Above: A glimpse of Paterson's paintings before they are printed onto fabric. Photograph and house visit via The Design Files.

Above: A stack of graphic pillows in black and tan fabric.

Above: A set of Cloth Fabric pillows in a Sydney home designed by CK Design Studio.

Above: The Slate Mohair Throw is all-wool and made in Australia, will not felt, and is soil-resistant; $189 AUD; also available in six other colors.

Above: Julie Paterson in a studio tucked away in her Blue Mountains home; photograph and house visit via The Design Files.

Above: The Barefoot Berry Stripe Fabric is made from hand loomed cotton in small workshops in rural Sri Lanka by the Barefoot organization. The company employs mainly women dyers, weavers, and needle workers in independent centers around the country. Manufacturing happens on a smaller scale that the women prefer to work at; $77 AUD for a 137cm-wide cut.

N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on March 22, 2010.

An uninhabitable hundred-year-old worker's cottage is reimagined as a drama-filled bachelor's abode, full of edgy details and custom furniture and lighting. The street-fronting facade was reinstated to its pristine original state; the only hint that all is not what it seems is the gleaming gold painted front door. Overhauled by Glenn Lamont of Melbourne-based design and manufacturing practice LifeSpaceJourney (they're the team behind coffee bar Common Galaxia, featured yesterday), is this the ultimate bachelor pad?

To see more, go to LifeSpaceJourney. Photography by Armelle Habib via LifeSpaceJourney.

Above: The restored facade looks respectable enough.

Above: "Now that we painted the original front door gold, I can always find my place after a big night out," Lamont says.

Above: An original fireplace adds a traditional note to the otherwise pared-down space.

Above: A meticulously arranged group of amber apothecary bottles creates a decorative tableau.

Above: Vintage plough points mounted on the wall create a modernist collage.

Above: A view to the kitchen; all furniture, fixtures, and fittings are from LifeSpaceJourney.

Above: A yellow Vola faucet adds a dash of color to the black kitchen.

Above: A small bedroom is tucked behind the living area.

Above: In the bedroom, things are simple, with a suspended reading light and not much more. 

Above: LifeSpaceJourney's Copper Lights provide bedside illumination.

Above: A row of vintage lockboxes serves as a wall mural.

Above: A minimalist bath.

Above: A view to the small fenced-in deck area off the rear of the house.

Above: The steel firepit is made by LifeSpaceJourney.

Above: A tool shed is cleverly concealed behind the deck walls.

Above: A side view of the house.

Above: Entry to the rear deck area is via sliding steel doors.

For more of architecture and interior design in the region, see our previous posts: Rugged Sophistication in Australia, The Indoor/Outdoor Life in Sydney, and Slow House: A Serene Cabin in the Woods.