The journey at Solis East begins well before you step into the 7750-square-foot sanctuary: Members ascend by elevator, peering down at St. Lawrence Street before crossing a sky bridge to the entryway. “I like to think of it as a wellness spaceship,” Blessing Adedijo, studio manager, says of the newest pilates studio in Toronto’s east end. Just inside the door, a reception and communal lounge boast wonderfully ethereal qualities — the warm, marble-patterned monolithic central desk is softly lit by a skylight carved into the ceiling, and crowned with cloudlike pendant lights by Molo Designs.

From this calm arrival to the transition of the change rooms, boutique firm Simone Ferkul Projects has sculpted a space where material and light choreograph the body through motion. Gently illuminated niches integrated into Abet Laminati-finish millwork blur the lines between storage, retail and circulation. An open lounge with bespoke couches and tables (in Ferkul’s refined and sculptural signature style and manufactured by Morphe Contract) supports a welcoming atmosphere for both visitors and staff, with plenty of room to linger between classes.

Building on lessons learned from Solis’s previous two locations, Simone Ferkul has added community amenities and discreet, designated storage for industrial-grade disinfecting equipment and other necessary back-of-house elements — without sacrificing spa-like serenity.

The lighting scheme, designed by Simone Ferkul and brought to life with the help of Anony and Vyvyd lighting, modulates the experience. The Reformer Pilates studio is full of light, framed by expansive perimeter windows that bring daylight deep into the space. The Sun Room — the hot yoga and mat pilates studio — utilizes infrared heating panels and layered lighting to create an immersive, sensory environment. A wide corridor stocked with colour-coordinated Pilates equipment gives space and sanctity to the ritual of preparation. During class, sunlight trickles softly through the blinds, but it feels like the celestial orb is right there with us as we cycle through bear crawls and tricep pushups in the intensifying heat.

The cooldown and transition to recovery are equally considered: Showers and locker rooms are spacious, with warm materials and flattering lighting that encourage a moment of pause. Before heading back out into the city, I replenish my water bottle at the ceremonious filling station, amid animated post-workout chatter. The deep, quartz-patterned trough elevates necessary hydration to a sacred ritual — as if I am asking the fitness goddesses for benediction after offering up all the sweat I could muster.

At Solis East, Simone Ferkul adds a wellness destination to Toronto that offers a departure from the urban grind. What leaves the deepest impression are the smallest, most carefully considered details — in an industry changing with proliferating studios and Classpass culture, these are the enriching moments that can make or break a fitness experience.

Photography by Riley Snelling.

Dappled light is a phenomenon that might seem mundane for some, yet is one of the most unique experiences in our universe. Other planets may have wind, and rock, and atmosphere – but we’re the only one with trees, making their shade quite a special experience. Leaves flutter to and fro, a product of thousands of distinct elements, flowing skillfully together. Pulling on this distinct experience, Heath Ceramics is proud to present the Summer 2026 Collection, inspired by the work of Bienvenue Studios, featuring their Origins print series, reflecting the rhythms of our world.

Heath is rooted in the sunbaked hues of the California sun, founded in Sausalito by Edith Heath in 1948. Since 2006, the team has released a yearly seasonal collection, to breathe life into classic designs. This year, the theme is Seeds of Summer – featuring prints crafted by Zurich-based Bienvenue Studios.

Lilting gradients and gorgeous dappled prints come in two colors, Heath always preferring quality to quantity. Komorebi is a Japanese word used to describe sunlight filtering through leaves. This dappled effect is created on ceramic by spraying thick layers of glaze, and scraping back layers in specific areas, to emulate the soft glow of a forest floor. The process takes longer, and is therefore less common, yet creates a surprisingly luminous surface on which to display food, snacks, or fruit. We frequently discuss bringing nature inside in design, yet a tougher conversation is how we prioritize natural light, especially in commercial spaces.

A natural collaboration, Heath Ceramics and Bienvenue Studios are fueled by observation. Studying the intricacies of natural phenomena, each glaze design is modern yet rooted in ancient systems, similar to the pottery it decorates. This ‘Origins’ Series focuses on the concept of seeds, and the potential they carry. The small and perhaps mundane is transformed into a lifegiving object, prepared to spring into action whenever the right conditions are met. In this way, our nature is reflected in our bowls, flourishing when we take nourishment seriously.

To learn more about the Summer 2026 Collection from Heath Ceramics, visit heathceramics.com.

Photography courtesy of Heath.

With seamless flow between all areas of the home, indoor-outdoor rugs are essential in high-traffic areas where people and pets gather. While durable, most of these pieces are on the serviceable end of the spectrum, in basic shades and a few patterns.

Two new introductions from Revival Rugs offer plenty of summer-ready color and motifs that pop underfoot. Designed for easy maintenance and longevity, these versatile rugs enhance both indoor and outdoor spaces from kitchens to patios.

Shima takes its cues from floor mats traditionally made of straw, and favored in Asia. “This rug was inspired by handwoven tatami rugs in Japan, but our version is an update with additional striping,” says Ben Hyman, co-founder and CEO of Revival Rugs.

Made of recycled polyester with PET sourced from plastic bottles, this selection resists moisture and mildew, which is ideal for outdoor settings. The chunky flatweave pays homage to 1990s minimalism, with jaunty, thin bands that float on the surface. Shima’s peach colorway is as fresh as its namesake fruit, while Jungle, a verdant tone, calls to mind lush foliage.

Khder, another of the latest offerings in the line, showcases visual energy that references Moroccan design and features shapes that dazzle underfoot. “Khder is a play of asymmetrical blocks of color weaving in and out of the field of the rug,” Hyman notes. “Perfect to create movement in whatever space it is placed in, this rug looks better the more you walk, play, or snuggle on it.”

Made of New Zealand wool and cotton, this hand-tifted rug adds an artistic touch and elevates everyday environments. A medium .39-inch pile height provides extra softness and warmth on the ground level. And unlike many woolen textiles that can only be cleaned by hand, Khder is machine washable. With a mix of mauve and pink tones, the Rose shade provides the right mix of contemporary and vintage appeal. The Moss tint pairs light and dark green together for a more organic look.

Both Sima and Khder are offered in small, medium, and large sizes to provide coverage in a range of rooms. Optional pads in either plush or low-profile styles not only protect flooring but also preserve the integrity of the product, ensuring that these contemporary rugs will last.

To see more pieces by the brand, visit revivalrugs.com.

Photography courtesy of Revival Rugs.

Adaptive reuse—the architectural strategy of repurposing disused buildings into spaces used for entirely different functions—is sweeping the hotel industry. It’s not just a passing fad. Consummate travelers are in search of increasingly distinct destinations that can fulfill that collective desire for experience, one that seems to be replacing the outdated propensity to amass material possessions.

This approach answers the demand manyfold. It also just makes sense when considering how quickly raw resources—building materials—are depleting and that there’s more than enough existing “material” to work with in the built environment. Hospitality seems like the right sector to best articulate this mindset and for it to be more widely understood. There is also plenty of “material” to work with when it comes to formulating compelling narratives, the type guests are now seeking.

Dexamenes Seaside Hotel is a shining example. Facing the Ionian Sea on the west coast of Greece’s Peloponnese Region, this sparingly decorated luxury resort makes the most of its winery origins. Its industrial architecture is, surprisingly, best poised to frame the stunning landscape in its environs. Alongside a push for systemized hyper-efficiency, the aim of the modernist project after-all, was to create near seamless connections between the indoors and outdoors.

The history here is rich and deeply rooted but doesn’t need to be expressed in overly explicit or kitschy detail. No, there aren’t any paintings of grapes—what was once grown here. Nor are there expressive depictions of vines not so subtly brought-in as fabric motifs. Nods to the past are simply apparent in the unadulterated and carefully updated existing architecture. With the introduction of eight new Seaview Terrace Suites, large wine tanks—inherently sheltering in their form—have been given new purpose and relevance.

This clever intervention ties in well with the story of resilient adaptation that has defined the locale for the past two centuries. After its liberation in 1830, Greece and this region in particular went through a period of abundant currant cultivation. It was the country’s main export but by 1910, demand collapsed. With locals having to quickly shift gears, they developed a new wine making industry. Dexamenes was one of the first processing facilities, positioned near the sea so that ships could directly load-up from the previously mentioned tanks. Though this second wind of ingenuity only lasted 10 years—with the country falling into another period of unrest—the strategy made sense. And though the facility remained untouched or used from the 1920s onward, the strategy makes sense again today.

Dexamenes Seaside Hotel first opened in 2019 after a painstaking renovation process. Athens-based architecture firm K-Studio had adopted a light-touch, surgical approach in which the portions of concrete walls cut-out to make way for floor-to-ceiling windows were reused in other segments of the project; as terrace surfacing, With custom furnishings fitting into an almost extra-skeletal metal pipe system floating above weathered surfaces and textured glass insert walls, the brutalist buildings were all but left intact. A place that once played host to the hurried activity of processing and storing wine became a calm retreat.

The same comprehensive approach was applied when more recently adding the eight Seaview Terrace Suites. These accommodations—occupying a new structure placed atop the tanks—have the best views. Each comes with generous verandas enclosed by wooden, pergola-like canopies. The choice of material both compliments and contrasts the prevalence of concrete everywhere else.

This addition was also joined by the opening of the dex.Silo.01 culinary space, making—like most venues here—clever use of a tank silo. Depending on moon cycles and according to an ever-changing menu, the raw curved wall—delineating a massive skylight of sorts—plays host to carefully composed video projections and other types of programing.

What: Dexamenes Seaside Hotel
Where: Kourouta, Greece
How much: $185 per night
Design draws: A converted brutalist-style wine processing facility from the early 20th century turned into a luxury seaside resort with subtle design interventions imbuing the space with a sense of calm.
Book it: Dexamenes Seaside Hotel

Go virtually on vacation with more design destinations right here.

Photography by Claus Brechenbacher and Rainer Baumann

If we get granular, we are all a product of our environment, choices, and innnate programming. Revolving around a singular point of view, we have no choice but to embody the principles that were instilled early, even if we choose to release them later. The FIELD Collection by SIN serves a similar function within the home – lighting that explores the materiality of the shade as principle, perhaps inviting us to explore how we inherently diffuse ourselves.

The system is simple, yet considered: a panel attaches to the wall, with a plate inset in the back to hold a lighting element. Once assembled, the light receives a shade, coming in a multitude of materials. The shade is held in with a washer and screw system, allowing any flat plane to be a possibility. Coming in 120 possible combinations, the sky is the limit with these statement pieces, speaking to the longevity and attention to detail at SIN, all with the recognition that tastes might change over time. As each version, with its distinct finish, thickness, and density, will handle light differently, each too will add its own voice to the conversation.

This flexibility in design lends the FIELD system to many more places outside the home – offices, schools, and restaurants all have areas that could use a bit more warmth. Material choice and spatial configuration is essential for determining a look, ultimately becoming a partnership between the designer and the properties of light itself.

“FIELD began as a question of how light behaves rather than how an object looks,” says Virginia Sin, Founder and Creative Director of SIN. “By holding the form constant, we were able to focus entirely on perception: how light settles onto a surface, how it changes with material, and how it shapes the feeling of a space.”

Virginia Sin makes home goods for the heart and soul. Handcrafted and deeply considered, each piece tells a story of the moments that make up a life. Spanning sculpture, lighting, and decor, she holds the warmth and delight that design can bring close to her Brooklyn-based practice, creating objects with respect for the hands that make them.

To learn more about the FIELD Collection by SIN, visit virginiasin.com.

Photography courtesy of SIN.

Upon arriving at the newly opened Viceroy Los Cabos, one is almost unsure where the Sea of Cortez begins and the massive pool that surrounds and interlaces between most facilities ends. Designed by seasoned Mexico City architect Miguel Ángel Aragonés, the water-enclosed complex comprises a series of concrete volumes connected by a matrix of elevated walkways that bypass this sizable body of water. The spatial sequencing—from half-a-dozen restaurants, fully equipped spas and gyms, and various lobbies and lounges to private sanctuary-like guestrooms—is cinematic.

Inspired by the “poetic modernism” of Luis Barragán and Brutalist principles, Viceroy Los Cabos harnesses light, shadow, water, and silence as its primary materials. Though grand in scale, the resort unfolds as a series of more intimate spaces. One feels as though they are passing through a sequence of mazes, moving through natural light and darkness at just the right intervals. The only welcomed interruption, perhaps, are the woven, cocoon-like breakout structures set just above the pool’s surface.

In the 198 accommodations, a minimalist design scheme sets the stage for panoramic views of the sea. Some rooms appear to suspend above the pool below, framed by floor-to-ceiling glass. It is a far cry from the overtly maximalist ornamentation that defines other properties in the vicinity. That by no means leaves guests cut off from the rich cultural and natural offerings of the region. The blank-canvas approach actually helps make these features and attractions the star of the show.

The Sea of Cortez is one of the most biologically diverse marine environments in the world, and guests catching a glimpse of a whale is almost a certainty. Viceroy’s curated experiences include snorkeling, private boat journeys, desert excursions, and visits to local markets. There is also a rotating program of site-specific art installations, music performances, additional wellness activations, and special culinary experiences.

Restaurants include Cielomar, an upscale rooftop haunt serving Mexican fare. The sculptural interior of Otro Bar complements a menu of rare mezcals, while Casero is the main heart of the resort, where comfort food is served at breakfast and lunch. Near the distinctly beach-adjacent, oval-shaped pool that seems to hover over the setting is Nidito Beach + Poolside Bar, where mezcal and agua fresca flow freely.

The resort’s wellness offering is equally ritual-driven, blending ancestral healing traditions with contemporary wellness science. It incorporates a cold plunge, contrast therapy experience, hydrotherapy suite, and private treatment rooms.

Viceroy Los Cabos is defined by a more restrained, if monumental, form of luxury — an approach that lets everything else in the vicinity shine.

What: Viceroy Los Cabos
Where: Los Cabos, Mexico
How much: From $541 per night
Design draw: A Brutalist, poetic-modernist complex traversed by a single massive pool, with minimalist interiors that emphasize the surrounding natural setting.
Book It: Viceroy Lo Cabos

Go virtually on vacation with more design destinations right here.

Photography by Ema Peter.

Lightning can and will strike the same place twice. Yet the bolts, an explosive expression of electricity breaking through ionized air, are always different, never forming exactly the same. The same is true for glass – the specific temperature, pressure, and formulation of form defines everything about a piece. The terroir in which the piece was made is infused within, delineating bubbles, texture, and the fine marks of making. Each slightly different, yet all adhering to the generous curvatures set forth, three lighting collections, by designer Anna Dawson – Ribbon, Dancer, and Twirl – delight in the strength and softness of glass, playing with transparency, hue, and symbolism.

Inspired by memories of ribbon dancing with her grandmother, the designer presented her lighting collection at ICFF this year, the warm glow of glass working double time against the glare of tradeshow lighting. Shielding her booth from errant rays with a protective ceiling and bathed in a rich burgundy, a distinct shift in temperature and tone creates an immersive feeling when interacting with the booth. In Twirl, shown below, the forms are grounded in the feeling of spinning in space.

Dawson’s work is infused with a biomimetic quality, organic curves meet the somewhat stoic quality of glass, continuing the conversation of the ancient art. The colors and transparency evoke a sense of calm, a warm seafoam green and deep burgundy illuminated beautifully from the inside.

The Ribbon collection features two similar forms, flat elements draped across each other, ribbons in repose. Just as impactful whether positioned up to the ceiling, for a diffused glow, or angled downward, for a more concentrated beam of light, the light olive and rich browns of the shades are completely transformed when lit, exuding a warmth and depth that glass simply couldn’t achieve alone.

Here, we explore the Dancer Collection – which comes in six colors, Sienna, Dark Amber, Cherry, Warm White, Golden Green, Artichoke, and Egyptian Blue. In Dancer Symmetrical, shown below, the form is characterized by a flowing, almost hourglass shape. This piece is illuminated both at the top and the bottom, allowing diffused light to flow outward, as well as cast a glow on to the walls above and below.

In Dancer Asymmetrical, the same principles stand, but with a twist. This river has a couple bends in the middle, the path of light reducing in size, and given a bit of a wiggle. The light is expertly balanced throughout the sconce, creating a multitude of sunset-like hues anywhere in the home.

From California but now based in Brooklyn, NY, Dawson believes that design sensitive to emotion should not be overlooked. Our innate wiring continues to be the same, century after century, and design as a whole has yet to come to terms with this reality. Fluidity and ease of movement is essential to her work, providing the platform on which to build meaning. She shares, “I’ve always felt that the design principle of form follows feeling was both an antithesis to function and services a real need. Feeling good is a function design can service!”

To learn more about lighting by Studio Anna Dawson, visit https://studioannadawson.com.

Photography courtesy of Anna Dawson.

A graphic line, a flush of color, a well-placed shadow. Much like the face, interiors can be sculpted, lifted, warmed, and transformed through one decisive gesture. With Season of Grandeur, Swedish rug brand Nordic Knots introduces three new colorways—Emerald, Sakura, and Pecan—that move its palette into richer, more expressive territory without abandoning the restraint that has long defined its visual language.

The collection is framed through beauty as metaphor, positioning color not as decoration alone, but as a defining act. A smoky eye becomes Emerald. A rosy cheek becomes Sakura. A bronzed glow becomes Pecan. Together, the trio suggests that interiors, like fashion and beauty, are increasingly understood through mood, gesture, and personal signature.

That framing gives interior design a language that feels immediately legible. Beauty has always been about small changes with outsized impact, and Nordic Knots translates that logic into the home, where a rug can operate as a chromatic foundation rather than a finishing touch. As Liza Berglund Laserow, Co-Founder and Creative Director of Nordic Knots, explains, the brand often thinks of rugs and textiles as “the foundation,” or even the “fourth wall” that sets the tone for a space.

The campaign’s visual metaphors also sharpen the distinction between grandeur and excess. While Season of Grandeur suggests opulence, Nordic Knots’ interpretation is carefully controlled. “For us, grandeur is never about excess. It’s about atmosphere,” Berglund says. Rather than chasing spectacle or trend, the palette leans into calibrated richness: tempered colors with generous pigment payoff.

Emerald is the most cinematic of the three, a deep, jewel-toned green with a cool undertone — “the interior version of a perfect smoky eye.” It brings the depth of a midnight garden indoors, pairing naturally with dark wood, smoky bronze, blackened steel, and absinthe-adjacent greens. The effect is lush but not heavy, a color that understands drama as atmosphere rather than volume. In fashion terms, it is velvet after dark; in beauty terms, it is the eye that defines the whole look.

Sakura, meanwhile, resists the sweetness often attached to pink. Nordic Knots calls it “not your usual pink,” a blush with bite that favors fresh bloom over budding romance. Its styling notes — black leather, lacquered furniture, northern woods, polished metals — place it closer to runway contrast than nursery softness. Sakura is less powder puff than editorial cheek color: a tonal disruption that makes the rest of the room feel more alert.

Then there is Pecan, the palette’s warmest note: a radiant brown positioned as the bronzer equivalent for the home. Inspired by vintage wood, well-worn leather, and heirlooms that have absorbed time rather than performed nostalgia, Pecan carries a golden cast that warms without overwhelming. Its almost liquid luster makes the case that opulence does not always need shine or volume. Sometimes it is simply the right undertone, applied in the right place.

What makes the launch compelling is the way Nordic Knots communicates each product. By borrowing from the mechanics of beauty, the brand gives interiors a more intimate, embodied vocabulary. A room is not merely styled; a rug does not simply match the sofa. It sets the complexion of the entire space. That language places Nordic Knots within a broader cultural shift in which fashion, beauty, and interiors move beyond aesthetics and into psychology. People are no longer designing rooms solely to look composed. They are designing them to feel inhabited, expressive, and emotionally tuned.

Berglund sees this as part of a longer design evolution rather than a reaction to minimalism. “It’s not about leaving minimalism behind, but about enriching it,” she says, noting that the season adds depth and radiance while maintaining balance and control. That distinction matters. Season of Grandeur gives minimalist interiors pigment, pulse, and dimensionality.

To learn more about the storied Scandinavian brand, visit nordicknots.com.

Campaign images courtesy of Nordic Knots with lifestyle by Anders Kylberg.

In Sadovye, a 130-square-meter home designed for a woman and her daughter, St. Petersburg interior design firm Antwe began with one decisive gesture: to create “an object within a space.” At the center of the pristine, open environment, the studio placed a high-gloss oval volume in deep red Merbau veneer. Kept deliberately lower than the ceiling so it reads as a freestanding insertion rather than a conventional partition, the sculptural form conceals a main wardrobe, outerwear storage, technical systems, and essential household equipment within.

The volume also divides the apartment into clear functional zones, separating the entrance area from the kitchen–living space while establishing a natural circular flow around its curved perimeter. Its polished surface, positioned opposite the windows, reflects and amplifies the apartment’s abundant natural light and expansive city views. At sunset, the space is flooded with a soft pink glow that moves across the interior’s textured surfaces, from microcement flooring to custom satin stainless steel elements.

From the kitchen–living side, the oval structure becomes part of the kitchen system itself. Behind folding facades, the necessary functions of a modern kitchen are concealed, allowing the volume to remain a clean, articulated mass when closed. A Patagonia quartzite island anchors the composition, accompanied by Roquebrune chairs by Eileen Gray. The same logic of precise zoning extends into the children’s room, where a centrally positioned wardrobe with a portal divides the sleeping area from a dedicated play zone that can later evolve into a study space. This threshold helps the child transition between active play and rest.

The master bathroom is similarly organized through spatial sequencing. Accessed from both the hallway and the bedroom, it is divided into two zones: a sink area and a more private bathing space with a freestanding tub, connected by a walk-through shower. In the bathtub area, warm, low lighting creates a calm, immersive atmosphere, while rounded doorway reveals frame one of the apartment’s most expressive visual perspectives.

Art plays a significant role in shaping the interior, with contemporary works by emerging artists integrated as focal points along the home’s key visual axes. In the kitchen, an epoxy resin artwork by Alisa Spots, created in collaboration with Antwe and based on the studio’s sketch, appears at the vanishing point of a long, one-point perspective formed by the cabinetry, island, and rhythm of the windows. Its glossy surface reflects the surrounding space, deepening the sense of perspective. In the bedroom, a painting by Varvara Cheltsova brings graphic presence and tonal balance to the otherwise restrained composition.

Beyond the central architectural volume, red reappears as a carefully calibrated accent. In the master bedroom, a vivid red shoe cabinet contrasts with monochrome finishes and the cool stainless steel wardrobe system, while a pink travertine partition softly echoes the palette between the sleeping area and storage zone. In the guest bathroom, a translucent red epoxy resin sink becomes the only bold element. Lit from above by a directional light integrated into the mirror, it transmits a crimson glow onto the floor, extending the idea of “an object within a space” down to the scale of a single fixture.

To see this and other works but the studio, visit antwedesign.com.

Photography by Mikhail Loskutov.

‘Caffè’ in Italian. ‘Kaffe’ in Swedish. Across seemingly contrasting cultures, the word for ‘coffee’ carries the weight of ritual, social connection, and daily pleasure. In Stockholm, Nespresso’s Vertuo World pop-up found its footing between these two deeply expressive traditions: Sweden’s culture of fika and Italy’s espresso-bar ritual.

While the brand has been part of this at-home ritual for decades, Nespresso enters a more expressive era with the launch of its new Vertuo World campaign and the introduction of the Vertuo Up machine. Nespresso recently transformed Francesco, one of Stockholm’s most talked-about Italian restaurants, into an immersive pop-up café for two days. Located on Södermalm and known for its younger, culturally engaged audience, Francesco offered the ideal setting for a brand experience built around the ways coffee is increasingly staged, shared, and folded into contemporary lifestyle culture.

The activation translated Vertuo World’s larger campaign premise—that every cup of coffee opens a new world—into a distinctly local, design-forward experience. Across the global campaign, Nespresso moves through a series of visual worlds shaped by coffee, culture, and time of day, from a slow New York morning with Melozio to an afternoon Altissio espresso in Italy, an iced Double Espresso Chiaro by the pool, and a French Lavender & Vanilla Decaf to close the day. The campaign leans into curiosity, travel, creativity, and the question of “What else?” as an invitation to explore coffee beyond routine.

In Stockholm, that sense of exploration was given physical form. Francesco was reimagined through a palette of green and deep purple that reflected Nespresso’s new brand direction, while sculptural furniture, curated materials, and carefully selected Louis Poulsen lighting grounded the environment in a Scandinavian design context. Rather than relying on a fully temporary build-out, the concept showed how an existing café can be transformed into a branded destination through atmosphere, materiality, and carefully orchestrated details.

The menu became part of the experience as well. Francesco’s founder and chef, originally from Napoli, created a signature iced pistachio coffee exclusively for the pop-up, combining Nespresso coffee, pistacchio, ice, whipped cream, and finely chopped pistachios. Inspired by Southern Italian flavors and reinterpreted through a modern coffee lens, the drink became one of the activation’s most shared elements, alongside custom Nespresso-branded maritozzi.

“It’s more than a campaign, but a new way of experiencing coffee. We want to inspire people to think differently about their coffee moments, more creatively, more socially, and more personally,” says Petra Dahlman, Nordic Marketing Director at Nespresso.

The activation also speaks to a broader shift in Scandinavian coffee culture. While more than 80 percent of adults across the region drink coffee daily, Nespresso notes that habits are changing, particularly among younger audiences drawn to iced coffee, slower mornings, intentional routines, and social micro-communities.

In this context, Vertuo World positions coffee as a designable experience—one that can move between comfort and novelty, hot and iced, private ritual and public performance.

Francesco’s Iced Pistachio Coffee

Ingredients
1 tablespoon pistachio cream
1 double Nespresso Intenso
1 cup milk
5 ice cubes
1 tablespoon whipped cream
1 teaspoon pistachio grains

Procedure

• Brew the double Nespresso Intense
• Mix the pistachio cream with the double Nespresso Intenso until smooth.
• Add ice and milk.
• Top with whipped cream and finish with pistachio grains.

The drink reflects the overall concept. It is layered, indulgent and designed to be both consumed and captured.

Photography courtesy of Grand Relations. Signature drink recipe by Francesco Giudice, founder and owner of Francesco.

Jasmin Reese was born into a military family, and throughout her childhood she moved frequently. She lived in an array of residences from converted factories to vineyard homes, and was constantly adapting to new environments. These early transitions informed her worldview and understanding of how our surroundings shape our lives.

Reese put herself through college while working in high-end furniture showrooms, which sparked her love for interior design, and she realized that her intuition was an asset. “I have an uncanny ability to read a room, and I have a sixth sense about people and things that are going to happen,” she says.

Photo: Rosemary J Photography

It was when she used a bonus check to redo her office rather than go on vacation that Reese embraced her ideal profession. She moved to Chicago to study at Harrington College of Design, and launched her first interiors business on graduation day.

Reese founded her eponymous firm in 2014, and today has a 6,000-square-foot studio where she shares space with an upholsterer, which gives clients a behind-the-scenes glimpse at their custom pieces as they are being made. She’s known for signature elements like “color bomb” rooms and wallpapered ceilings, which bring whimsy to any setting.

With a number of projects to tackle at any given time, Reese doesn’t wait for the perfect concept to begin. “I am pretty reactive,” she notes. “I typically just start ordering materials or something related to the idea, and I journal every day.”

Today, Jasmin Reese joins us for Friday Five!

1. My Cat Nina

Here is my cat Nina playing with Samuel & Sons fringe. I love to watch her play, even if the fringe has a little static after.

2. Hercules Ring

I love this ring from the Grand Tour collection. A friend bought it for me to inspire me to always keep going. It’s funny because there are other options like Athena, Artemis, and Demeter, however she said I remind her of Hercules riding a bull, which always makes me laugh. I wear it on especially hard days when I know I have to be strong.

3. Driving Range

I love going to the driving range at night. My husband and I have been going for over 25 years in the evening, where we can be casual and enjoy the city sky.

4. Wedgwood Cake

I collect Wedgwood, and this is a birthday cake my husband had made for me that looks like the real thing. He spent hours looking for the bakery to make it, and so many bakeries said it was too hard of an ask. But Coco and Eve were excited about the project and did an amazing job. It was very expensive and hard for me to cut into it to finally take a bite, but I loved this special cake.

5. Sketches

Here is a collection of sketches I made of members from my martial arts class, Benjilany. The owner posts videos on Instagram, andI screen shot them and make sketches. I would love to create a wallpaper sometime.

Photography by Jasmin Reese.

Works by Jasmin Reese:

Guest Room
Red is one of our favorite colors to drench especially paired with vintage Wedgwood blue. We love adding layers of vintage to our projects and this guest room has a lot of truly special details.

Cat Canopy Bed
We designed this sweet little canopy bed for a cat. It was included in an auction that the River North Design District put on to raise money for PAWS Chicago.

Primary Suite
We used this lush velvet stripe from Christian Lacroix with saturated hues as a bolster in a primary suite. Details are everything and here we created a custom tassel to finish off this beautiful bolster.

Foyer With Chandelier
This foyer we designed is defined by saturated red walls and ceiling, creating a bold first impression. A tiered crystal chandelier with a warm brass frame serves as the focal point, adding softness through diffused light. Above, we added a cove ceiling with plaid wallpaper to introduce graphic contrast and dimension.

Powder Room
This Alexandria wallpaper by Designers Guild in the Lapis colorway reminds us of an English garden. One of our favorite things to design are powder rooms, as there is so much opportunity for delight and surprise.

Photography by Michael Alan Kaskel.

The similarities between Japan and Greece might not seem that obvious, but if there is a design studio able to cohere myriad cues from these hard-to-pin-down, ancient, and not simply defined cultures, it is Toronto- and New York-based firm Yabu Pushelberg. The more than four-decades-old practice has made distilling, interpreting, and combining distinctive touchpoints a hallmark of what it has achieved across typologies: from full-scale residences and hotels to retooled settees.

With the comprehensive fit-out of the just-opened Onuki Restaurant at the fresh-format Ilisian oasis-within-the-city destination, standout aesthetic elements play up the transcendent points of connection between both historically entrenched countries. Beyond that, the multifaceted Athens venue celebrates the appreciation for well-crafted cuisine and carefully orchestrated dining experiences shared by Japan and Greece.

“Within the realm of Japanese cuisine and refined hospitality, Onuki implies integrity, consistency of craft, and a depth of precision,” notes George Yabu, Yabu Pushelberg cofounder. “These attributes carry through the design, the food, and the service, all working in unison. The precision inherent in the chef’s creations and the subtly attentive service is reinforced by an interior that’s crafted with the same level of intention.”

There is a subtle balance of past and present, structure and play, refined tectonic articulation and detailed texture. Light and shadow move through a deft deployment of intricately interlaced screens, drop-ceiling sculptures, and mirrored surfaces. The near-cinematic effect extends from the open kitchen out to the seamlessly integrated poolside terrace and up to the second-level private dining rooms.

There is certainly a theatrical sequencing. Upon entering, one is greeted by bright geometric luminaires accentuating dark-wood detailing. Tile motifs carry throughout the space, marking another point of connection between Greece and Japan. A near-orange terracotta version wraps the bar and juxtaposes the indigo accents and pale limestone found outdoors.

Curated by chef and co-owner Stamatis Skriapas, the ever-changing menu interprets various Japanese staples with mostly umami-flavored ingredients found in the surrounding region of Athens. Every aspect of Onuki reflects the spirit of “Kizuna,” the enduring connection between chef and guest, season and plate, and the seamless blending of tradition and contemporaneity.

To see this and other works by the designer, visit yabupushelberg.com.

Photography courtesy of Onuki, with photos by Giorgos Sfakianakis.