The Hermitage – Friend House Hotel, Ukraine

Welcome to the Friend House Hotel in Dnepropertrovsk, Ukraine. This Eco friendly hotel is the work of Ryntovt Design and is quite unique for many reasons. Located in the forest on the banks of the Orel river close to Dnepropertrovsk, its design was conceived after intensive ecological studies of the location with the ambition to create a piece of architecture which utilized the locations energy and natural materials.

The hotel is constructed from clay, reed, wood and shell stone, which are used to create a rustic and unusual piece of architecture. The rooms appear like squashed clay boulders under a solid timber roof, a creative nod to the surrounding forest and to the characteristics of the chosen natural materials. I can’t help but be reminded of a bird’s nest or Fred Flintstones home with this section of the exterior, but once you enter the interior you are met with a modern, minimal approach to these rustic materials.

The rooms are sleek and stylish and very inviting. Each room contains a living area, bedroom and bathroom which have been fashioned out of the clay. Windows carved from the clay walls allow natural light to flood the rooms and the create interesting patterns on the interior. The rooms are furnished with pieces created from the same materials chosen for the building, linking the exterior and interior spaces perfectly. The contrast of rustic and modern is so unexpected, but works so well together to create this refreshingly, unconventional space.

And nestled in the center of this hotel is another surprising feature, an apple tree orchard! Why, you may ask? Because it is Ukraine tradition for apple farmers to invite guests twice a year to enjoy the blossoms and harvest the apples from their orchard. Isn’t that a beautiful sentiment to include in a hotel design!

The Hermitage – Friend House Hotel, Ukraine

The Hermitage – Treehotel Sweden

Ever wondered what it would be like to live in a nest? Well this may be a little larger, a little more weather proof and a hell of a lot more comfortable!

The Bird’s Nest is one of the amazing structures built as part of the Tree Hotel in Harads. This is a truly unique concept for a hotel. Each structure has been designed by Scandinavian Architects as a response to the surrounding landscape with great consideration given to ecological values in both construction, location, materials and the functionality of each “room”.

The success of the first rooms has allowed the hotel to expand, new rooms were scheduled to open this year. I for one, cannot wait to see what the new additions are!

The Hermitage – The Tree Hotel, Sweden

Happy As Larry

 

Happy as Larry is such a perfect name for Amy’s business.

Not only are her homewares bursting with character through their fun use of colour and texture, she is also a bit of a saint with all her charity work in Nepal. Happy as Larry homewares actually make you feel happy because they are cute and bright and by buying one you are doing your bit for a great cause.

What better reason do you need to smile?

 

 

Artist Name: Amy Eaton

Artist Location: Perth, Western Australia

Type of work – Medium: Homewares Design – specifically in the area of felting and textiles

How would you describe your style of work?
Handmade, colourful, fun-filled with a quirky but safe edge for the modern home.

Are you formally educated or self-taught?
After Studying Fine Arts with a major in textiles, I taught art in High Schools before I started Happy as Larry. I loved it and continue to still do a little bit of teaching on the side.

Who or what inspires you? Where do your ideas come from?
Colour is my main inspiration. I love the way colour can make you feel when you enter a room. My kids are also another source of inspiration. A lot of my work has come about through necessity for my boys, for example the felt storage bags.

The Nepalese I work with and support are also inspirations. They are the happiest people and it just goes to show that you don’t need “things” to make you happy! I want my business to really make a difference in this world. I am passionate about fair Trade and empowering women to prosper in their communities.

Where can readers see / buy your work:

www.happyaslarrydesigns.com

We will also be showing our range at a few trade shows next year, keep up to date with all the latest by “Liking” Happy as Larry on Facebook

Do you have any words of advice for aspiring artists / creators?
Just go for it, believe in yourself and your work. Live it – it’s a real job!