Located at the southernmost end of a series of majestic Norwegian fjords and encircled by a mountainous stretch exists a landscape where even the most oversized personality can be made to feel humbled by nature’s grandeur. Lysefjord, renown amongst hikers, campers, kayakers, mountain bikers, and adventurers drawn to its awe-inspiring scenery, was till now mostly off the radar of the design-first traveling set. The Bolder Lodges is a small enclave of architectural cabin-style retreats furnished into a warm womb with a view that may tempt the architectural set to “rough it” within the gentlest of accommodations.

Each of the four cabins stand upon large concrete pillars to further elevate the structure and view.

Designed by Norwegian architectural firm Snøhetta, four 35m2 cabins – Stylten, Myra, Stjerna, and Eldhuset – are snuggly situated on the mountainside to offer guests exemplary views of Lysefjorden from above the tree line. Sheets of glass maximize the sensation of being part of nature even when safely nestled into the comfortable confines of each structure.

While the cabins themselves are comfortably cozy in dimension, the architecture’s tall ceilings and large panoramic windows create a “cliff’s edge” effect, inviting the sensation of hanging over a naturally occurring edge.

Natural materials such as wood, marble, and leather lean toward the darkly minimalistic, accentuated by an earthy palette and organic textures across the built-in bed and bathroom located on the ground floor. Each of the cabin’s upper floors is dedicated to a kitchen and dining area appointed by Vipp.

Guests can choose to pre-order provisions to stock their Vipp designed kitchens for in-cabin dining, with a refrigerator, induction cooktop and oven, Nespresso coffee machine, tea kettle and a selection of kitchen utensils provided.

Clad in untreated red cedar, the cabins’ exteriors reference the surrounding forest and are intended to patina into a natural gray finish as the elements blend the structures into the surrounding landscape. In contrast, oak wood dominates within, but Snøhetta has made sure to avoid uniformity in the layout to give returning guests a unique experience within each cabin structure with every visit.

The site is off the grid except for electricity powering the light and the amenities in the cabins. The naturally sourced spring water from the treatment plant under the parking is cleaner than the water in the local river running over the mountain.

There are also two 22-square-meter SkyLodges with two double bedrooms. Designed in a cube over cube floor plan, architect John Birger Grytdal has created accommodations as close to a tree house experience as one could imagine in Lysefjord.

It may be a cabin, but you won’t be roughing it. Soft cotton towels and luxury toiletries from Barbor appoint the fully equipped bathroom, complete with warm shower and flush-toilet.

What: The Bolder Lodges
Where: Ryfylkevegen 251, 4110 Forsand, Norway
How much: From $371/night for two occupants; a newly opened Grand Lodge offering two double bedrooms and two bathrooms is available with prices made available upon inquiry.
Highlights: The glacial carved landscape draws thousands of hikers and outdoor adventurers, with numerous trails to explore and 4,444 steps of ascending the world’s longest wooden staircase situated in the nearby village of Flørli. The Pulpit Rock (Preikestolen) in Ryfylke is a popular vantage point made even more famous by Mission: Impossible – Fallout; the view requires a moderately demanding 4–kilometer hike during the warmer months, but a guide is recommended during the winter.
Design draw: Each of the four cabins are dramatically furnished with Scandinavian designs from Vipp and Eikund, the dark interior palette resulting in a stark contrast to the glacial-bright views.
Book it: The Bolder Lodges

Photos courtesy of The Bolder Lodges

Go virtually on vacation with more design destinations right here.

Gregory Han is a Senior Editor at Design Milk. A Los Angeles native with a profound love and curiosity for design, hiking, tide pools, and road trips, a selection of his adventures and musings can be found at gregoryhan.com.

Designer Aleksandra Gaca’s pioneering efforts across the realm of 3D-woven textiles has won her acclaim for materials exhibiting a rhythmic topological complexity hinting of movement or even growth. Fearlessly experimental, Gaca’s weaving techniques have appeared within the interior cabin of a concept car, across 3D woven textile acoustic panels, and applied to her own chic shawl. Open to new challenges, Gaca partnered with Philips MyCreation to explore utilizing recycled fishing nets to “weave” a series of luminaires into the brand’s Coastal Breeze collection.

Manufactured completely with recycled synthetic polymeric fibers, all four pendant designs are composed of innumerable layers printed to evoke the textures of sand dunes, rippling water, and fish scales, each exhibiting the same characteristic blue green color of the fishing nets from which they were born from. A pleasing benefit of reusing the recycled synthetic polymers is the subtle gradient from green to yellow that only becomes visible when illuminated.

Small irregularities in the 3D-printing process are embraced by Gaca as a unique fingerprint each made-to-print light exhibits.

“I find inspiration in geometric and abstract shapes in architecture, and patterns found in nature,” explains Gaca. “My main focus is on developing designs that offer sensory experiences, just like the way nature does. I want to create fabrics that are not just visually appealing but also offer a tactile and even auditory experience, all contributing to a better living and working environment.”

Philips sourced the discarded fishing nets in collaboration with Fishy Filaments in Cornwall, United Kingdom to help reuse a portion of the 200,000 tons of new fishing net manufactured annually. The technology giant then needed to develop a new process to handle the material, first sorting, cleaning, then melting the nets to eventually be reformed into a 100% recycled filament that could be used to translate Gaca’s soft textile geometric patterns into solid lighting objects.

Previous 3D-printed luminaries within the MyCreation catalog were made with at least 55% recycled or bio-circular materials. The Coastal Breeze collection is the brand’s first using 100% recycled materials.

ThePhilips MyCreation Coastal Breeze collection is just one of numerous 3D-printed design styles the brand now manufactures on demand. There’s also Icelandic-inspired lamps, Japanese lantern designs, and intricately textured table lamps made to look and feel like wicker, amongst numerous other contemporary options.

With plastic waste being an enormous environmental issue, sustainable design will require more companies to adopt similar bio-circular sourcing and manufacturing processes, scaled to become the rule, rather than the exception to reduce carbon emissions, eliminate waste, and create a circular economy where plastic is reused in perpetuity.

Gregory Han is a Senior Editor at Design Milk. A Los Angeles native with a profound love and curiosity for design, hiking, tide pools, and road trips, a selection of his adventures and musings can be found at gregoryhan.com.

THE WELL at Chileno Bay is a spa transformation located within the Chileno Bay Resort & Residences, Auberge Resorts Collection, designed by Nina Gotlieb. This marks the brand’s first foray on the West Coast and its second on an international stage. THE WELL at Chileno Bay covers a vast 22-acre desert expanse in Los Cabos, Mexico, artfully merging contemporary amenities with age-old traditions.

Among the attractions are a distinctive Bath House, a peaceful Nap Garden, a Reflexology Pool, and open-air treatment rooms. The Bath House offers therapeutic sessions, incorporating regional healing practices. Adjacent to it, the Reflexology Pool and Nap Garden provide a tranquil setting for relaxation, with the pool designed to stimulate reflex points.

New York-based designer Nina Gotlieb transformed the interiors by drawing from Baja’s vast landscapes. The meditation lounge, equipped with suspended beds and a central fire feature, exudes a sense of calm, while the retail space showcases wellness products set against earthy textures and tones.

Photography courtesy of Auberge Resorts Collection.

Leo Lei translates his passion for minimalism into his daily-updated blog Leibal. In addition, you can find uniquely designed minimalist objects and furniture at the Leibal Store.

Porte + Hall’s newest doormat – The Outlier – proudly made in the USA, is an innovative design featuring tiny bristles that remove every last bit of dirt from your shoes, keeping it outside where it belongs. (But don’t worry, they’re flexible and easy on paws and bare feet!) The luxury mat’s design has been in the works for over two years, with every new detail and technological advancement geared towards making it different and better than the rest.

Created by Porte + Hall’s founder and interior designer Stafford Meyer, The Outlier delivers a sophisticated sense of arrival to the entryway or a welcome respite from water and grass in the mudroom. Three neutral shades are available to accentuate your home, highlighting the clean geometric pattern that adds visual interest without overpowering any space.

No matter who walks through the door, The Outlier doormat is up to the task of helping your floors stay spotless – say goodbye to puddles, mud, and soggy rugs. This doormat is incredibly versatile and ready for just about anything. Rugged and all-weather resistant, it’s been designed with strategically placed vents that maximize drainage, ensuring your doormat stays dry no matter the forecast. It’s easy to clean (sweep or hose down) and can be exposed to all of the elements.

Pebble

The Outlier doormat is built to last, engineered with high-quality materials that withstand the toughest of conditions while maintaining its shape and effectiveness along the way. It’s an ideal choice for anyone looking for a reliable, stylish doormat that’s sure to deliver.

Chestnut

Whether you have a back patio begging for a little love, a front porch that needs some added appeal, or an entryway that’s a hub for mud, The Outlier will keep all your places and spaces clean. To learn more about The Outlier or explore more of the collection, visit porteandhall.com.

Slate

Kelly Beall is Director of Branded Content at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based writer and designer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, from Fashion Plates to MoMA and far beyond. When not searching out the visual arts, she’s likely sharing her favorite finds with others. Kelly can also be found tracking down new music, teaching herself to play the ukulele, or on the couch with her three pets – Bebe, Rainey, and Remy. Find her @designcrush on social.

Helle Mardahl makes glass pieces – tableware, lighting, and art objects – that look sweet enough to eat, a fact referenced by food-centric product names like Bonbonniere and color names like Milky Rose, Blueberry Ice Cream, and Olive Punch. A Helle Mardahl cake stand is one part functional tableware, another part light-filled sculpture, Alice in Wonderland meets Versailles. A Bonbonniere vessel looks like a child’s candy: light and bright and decidedly organic. It’s no mistake that her new exhibition, The Sensory Society, takes inspiration from Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel, a pastel-colored confection in its own right. It’s easy to imagine Saoirse Ronan’s baker stepping into the space, which is filled with pieces from Mardahl’s Candy Collection: hand-blown pendant lamps in robin’s egg blue and Pepto pink, plus rows of bulbous baubles that recall exquisite pastries.

In this week’s Milkshake, Mardahl joins us from Copenhagen to talk us through her collection, which was born when she admired a certain glass lamp but had some notes: a different, more organic shape, brighter colors: “I thought, ‘Oh, it’s such a shame – what if it was a pink color, a purple color, a green color that I liked?’” she says. “Then the idea would just be absolutely amazing. So I made a different lamp, but with an organic shape, and that was the beginning of it. Suddenly, it became a bonbon, a candy world, right here, right now, in front of me.”

Now, she says, her aim is to engage all the senses with her pieces: “I see glass as full of senses: You have the taste, [which here] means that all colors are named after something you can eat. We have Milky Rose, we have Lavender, we’ve got Caramel, we’ve got a Blueberry Ice Cream. You can suck it, you can lick it, you can hold it. It’s cold, it’s organically shaped. It’s weird – it’s all that. Basically I think the more you can get of that, the more fun you can have, there’s so many layers to it. I’ve always thought like that: The more, the merrier.” For (even) more, tune in!

Diana Ostrom, who has written for Wallpaper, Interior Design, ID, The Wall Street Journal, and other outlets, is also the author of Faraway Places, a newsletter about travel.

Milkshake, DMTV (Design Milk TV)’s first regular series, shakes up the traditional interview format by asking designers, creatives, educators and industry professionals to select interview questions at random from their favorite bowl or vessel. During their candid discussions, you’ll not only gain a peek into their personal homeware collections, but also valuable insights into their work, life and passions.

Customizable keyboards aimed at the macro-heavy workflow of illustrators, designers, photographers, developers, and other content creators are nothing new. But Work Louder’s Creator Board arrives as a next level option, with both flavors of the brand’s mechanical keyboards outfitted with a plethora of programmable input options that can be added or removed as desired, alongside up to five rotary dials to give users precise control over whatever tasks requiring such attention.

Available in two sizes, Creator Board and Creator Board XL, both keyboards are populated with up to 236 programable keys spread across 4 separate key layers. That’s the equivalent of more than 3x the keys compared to a full-sized keyboard packed into a relatively compact footprint. Additionally, both flavors of the similar design are VIA/QMK visual configurator compatible, meaning the entire layout can be remapped for shortcut commands for maximum customization.

Available in 4 pre-set models, shown left to right: The Creator, The Maker, The Starter, The Worker

The standard Creator Board actually encompasses four different designs of the same keyboard with varying layouts mixing and matching the brand’s Work board, Nano pad, and Loop pad. The pads can be attached or removed from its modular grid base plate, allowing for expansion (or editing) as preference or workflow dictates.

The larger Creator Board XL offers everything the standard Creator Board has with the addition of a dedicated number pad joining the included Work board, Nano pad, and Loop pad. All five dials can be customized to control commands requiring incremental adjustments, including volume, brightness, zoom, brush size, or even scrolling.

You may have noticed the keys themselves are lined in an ortholinear grid layout rather than the standard staggered QWERTY design. Work Louder claims the grid “creates superior wrist and typing ergonomics” but this probably comes down to personal preference rather than any objective improvement in universal ergonomics. The good news is the order of the layout of the keys themselves remains the same as your run of the mill computer keyboard, meaning in use it should take a minimal amount of time for your fingers to adapt to the grid of keys.

API integration is not yet part of the package, but Work Louder says they are in the development stage to release customization software to further enhance supporting software such as Adobe Creative Cloud, Final Cut Pro, Ableton Live, Pro Tools, Blender, Maya, Twitch, or Affinity Suite.

The Creator Board isn’t necessarily a design we’d call subtle. Work Louder is working on a more svelte low profile model scheduled for release next year with a little less attitude. Outfitted with a more sedate countenance to its overall design, the Nomad-e will include a standard staggered keycaps layout and a customizable 1.9″ 170×320 pixels IPS TFT backlit display in four different colorways.

Obviously most people don’t need, nor necessarily want a $249-$559 keyboard with so many options. As the Creator Board name communicates, these are specialty input devices in the same realm as Teenage Engineering’s highly desirable catalog, aimed at creatives regularly operating under the duress of demanding deadlines, who rely upon shortcuts as a vital means of productivity, and who can ultimately justify the cost of a tool designed with standout upgradeability.

Gregory Han is a Senior Editor at Design Milk. A Los Angeles native with a profound love and curiosity for design, hiking, tide pools, and road trips, a selection of his adventures and musings can be found at gregoryhan.com.

Multi-talented visual artist Shantell Martin has teamed up with the world’s #1 card game, UNO, on the sixth deck of the brand’s Artiste Series. UNO Artiste Series: Shantell Martin adds a playful twist to gameplay, featuring Martin’s signature, illustrative style against a backdrop of saturated color. Throughout the deck, each card is adorned with fluid black lines that take on the shape of faces, stick figures, sailboats, and more. It hits shelves September 25th.

The ever-expanding UNO Artiste Series infuses the art of influential artists into individually themed decks. Since launching in September 2019, the brand has featured Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, Nina Chanel Abney, and Shepard Fairey. The most recent release prior to Martin, in 2022, showcased the work of Japanese contemporary artist Takashi Murakami.

“The UNO Artiste Series offers an incredible opportunity to infuse my art into one of the most iconic card games in the world,” Martin shared. “I’m honored to be part of the series and share my playful take on UNO, joining an impressive group of artists… My art is just like my life – never following a straight line – and I hope fans find comfort in the twists and turns along the way.”

Photo: Jason Tidwell

For its own unique touch, Martin’s deck also has a surprise – fun meanings and hidden messages on different UNO cards. The 8-card plays off of “don’t be late,” while four double-sided “Extra Cards” create two images of Martin’s original designs when combined. We can’t wait to get our hands on a deck for game night!

Photo: Jason Tidwell

Photo: Jason Tidwell

Photo: Jason Tidwell

Shantell Martin

To learn more about UNO Artiste Series: Shantell Martin or purchase your own deck when it’s released on September 25th, visit creations.mattel.com.

Kelly Beall is Director of Branded Content at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based writer and designer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, from Fashion Plates to MoMA and far beyond. When not searching out the visual arts, she’s likely sharing her favorite finds with others. Kelly can also be found tracking down new music, teaching herself to play the ukulele, or on the couch with her three pets – Bebe, Rainey, and Remy. Find her @designcrush on social.

Leaning back in a comfortable chaise lounge with a cold, condensation-covered beverage in hand. In our opinion, there are few better ways to spend a warm summer afternoon than this idyllic setup. But as much as we don’t want to admit it, kids are heading back to school, vacations are winding down, and the season is coming to a close for most of us. We know that our time spent outdoors doesn’t need to come to a halt when the temperatures start to drop, but these 12 modern chaise lounges sure will keep us daydreaming until next June rolls around. (And several of them are currently on sale!)

Dog Days Outdoor Sun Lounger by BluDot

6288 Amado Double Chaise by Tidelli

Florian Outdoor Lounger by Rove Concepts

Grotta Outdoor Wicker Chaise Lounge by Crate & Barrel

Finn Chaise by Design Within Reach

Nino Rattan Outdoor Chaise Lounge by CB2

Surf Sun Lounger by Karim Rashid for VONDOM

Haven Sun Lounger by Neighbor

The 405 Chaise by Loll Designs

Mesh Deckchair by Patricia Urquiola for kettal

This post contains affiliate links, so if you make a purchase from an affiliate link, we earn a commission. Thanks for supporting Design Milk!

Kelly Beall is Director of Branded Content at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based writer and designer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, from Fashion Plates to MoMA and far beyond. When not searching out the visual arts, she’s likely sharing her favorite finds with others. Kelly can also be found tracking down new music, teaching herself to play the ukulele, or on the couch with her three pets – Bebe, Rainey, and Remy. Find her @designcrush on social.

Located in the heart of Badalona, a city near Barcelona, stands a modern home that seamlessly blends the homeowner’s artwork with architectural ingenuity. Designed by interior designer Clara Lleal INTERIORISTA, the Art Gallery House is not just a living space; it’s an art gallery that encapsulates the creative skills of its owner, the artist and sculptor Juanma Noguera. At the heart of this project lay a challenge – to organically integrate the owner’s sculptures throughout the house. The result? A home that doubles as a gallery, where every turn reveals a new piece of art waiting to be admired. From strategically placed sculptures to paintings that adorn the walls, every inch of this house exudes artistic energy.

The designer retained the building’s original materials to carry on with an authentic industrial aesthetic. Unearthed solid brick walls, vaulted iron-beamed ceilings, and the revival of the original hydraulic pavement form the foundation of the home’s overall character. The materials chosen for new design elements follow this industrial theme, including concrete, black iron sheet, and a herringbone floor made from reclaimed wood. Amidst the grays, teak wood furniture emerges as a warm and welcoming contrast.

Natural light is key to this project. Skylights punctuate the ceilings, casting a natural glow throughout the interiors. An inner courtyard at the rear of the house serves as a secret garden, inviting light to cascade through to the interior.

An open living room, kitchen, and dining room welcome visitors with a high gable ceiling. Here, the designer faced the challenge of creating an inviting atmosphere in a large space. Iron sheeting spans a good portion of one wall housing storage before transforming into the modern kitchen.

A custom-designed central structure seamlessly transforms from a dining table to a staircase leading to the rooftop. This clever design is not just functional but a focal point with it’s built-in planter and herringbone parquet top.

Further exploration reveals the owner’s workshop and studio, which was left untouched.

Behind a large sliding glass door, there’s a bedroom suite with the bed, sink, and bathtub all situated in one room, while the shower and toilet are private behind diffused glass.

A pair of children’s rooms each include a loft bedroom and a sitting area underneath with a shared bathroom in the middle.

The powder room features a floating fire enameled stainless steel sink with the faucet hanging from the ceiling above.

To top the design off, a rooftop terrace received a complete renovation with a surprising stainless steel pool surrounded by synthetic outdoor decking.

Photography by Felipe Mena.

Caroline Williamson is Editor-in-Chief of Design Milk. She has a BFA in photography from SCAD and can usually be found searching for vintage wares, doing New York Times crossword puzzles in pen, or reworking playlists on Spotify.

Products of Place is an exploration into how generative AI might one day assist designers in making more sustainable products through the use of abundant local materials. Those materials just need to be uncovered first. The collaboration between SPACE10 and oio studio is a collection of conceptual dinner plates that could be manufactured from materials that are specifically plentiful in different regions around the world.

Viewable via an interactive map, the project unveils the potential for AI to discover locally plentiful materials while taking into consideration local industry, transportation, food cultures, and behaviors of the region’s population. The world’s current methods of manufacturing have become big drivers of the climate crisis – might Products of Place lead to one of the answers we’ve been looking for?

When AI was asked to identify unexpectedly abundant materials in different locations worldwide, the same theme often emerged: waste. ChatGPT found everything from agricultural residues, construction waste, and manufacturing offcuts, in cities who have a clear preference for coffee or cycling. The results were unexpected and revealed a lot of information about the areas explored.

Once created, the plates and the materials used to make them feel familiar yet strange. “The plates range from beautiful to a bit bizarre, highlighting both the opportunities and limitations of an AI-powered design process as it exists today. Human curation is still required to decide which concepts are good and should move into development. This new AI integration isn’t perfect – and we want to be transparent about the weaknesses of these platforms, as well as their strengths,” said Alexandra Zenner, Creative & Planning, SPACE10.

Copenhagen, food packaging + paper pulp

Not all of the plates created are viable, as the specs can only be as smart as the data that AI has been fed. “With Products of Place, we glimpse into a future where AI could be used as a tool for exploration and imagination, rather than pure efficiency. We see the results of this new synthetic process as a starting point for unimaginable products, rather than the final step,” said Matteo Loglio, co-founder, oio studio. AI has the potential to help designers create more meaningful objects with fewer product miles, lowering emissions worldwide.

Inchaeon, electrical waste + pine resin

Bangui, e-waste

Brisbane, tennis balls

Detroit, tires

Hamburg, shipping containers

Singapore, plastic waste

Kabul, rubble

Kaunas, ceramic waste

Khabarovsk, salmon bones

Vilnius, textile scraps

Khartoum, sorghum waste

To learn more about Products of Place, visit productsofplace.space10.com, or see it in person at SPACE10’s exhibition Design in the Age of AI, housed at SPACE10 Gallery in Copenhagen, Denmark. The project partnered with Copenhagen-based artist and design duo Wang & Söderström on the exhibition design, showcasing four speculative projects by different design studios.

Photography by oio.

Kelly Beall is Director of Branded Content at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based writer and designer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, from Fashion Plates to MoMA and far beyond. When not searching out the visual arts, she’s likely sharing her favorite finds with others. Kelly can also be found tracking down new music, teaching herself to play the ukulele, or on the couch with her three pets – Bebe, Rainey, and Remy. Find her @designcrush on social.