In honor of Halloween week we have been eating up dark interiors and industrial architecture, basically obsessing over anywhere a design-forward ghost could haunt until the end of time. Thanks to this Dezeen article we stumbled upon a project that we knew you'd all love for more than just its eerie history. The downtown Portland building where the project is housed was constructed in 1927 but had been abandoned for many years before the incredibly cool JHL Design got their hands on it. JHL Design is an all-women and family-owned design studio and based out of Portland, OR and we couldn't be happier to share their work with you all.

The chill is here, folks! Some welcome the briskness by layering with their favorite camel coats but here at Lekker we're welcoming the fresh air by bringing out the trusty fireside companions. We head into every holiday season focusing on and sourcing designs that will bring ritual, comfort, and warmth to our spaces as we spend more time inside.

A year round staple that creates those moments of warmth and togetherness is a fireside brand dear to our hearts called Eldvarm. You may have seen Eldvarm on the blog last year when we spotlighted niche gifts that hailed from all our nordic friends + they were also featured in this month's issue of Oprah Mag, which made our lives.

Eldvarm's Story

Firmly

Our 10,000 sq. ft showroom was reconstructed into the space of our dreams over the course of 9 months – we want to show you step-by-step of how we got here, what the process involved, and what we still have up our sleeves for the future. 38 Wareham St at its purest has been a labor of love and dedication, where weekends, early mornings, and thrice-daily coffee runs were our normal for almost a year.To coincide with the move we decided to rebrand, redesigning our logo, as well as updating our color and visual branding components in the process. This meant a huge overhaul of Lekker's physical and metaphorical identity, everything was changing at a rapid pace that we could only keep up with by relying on each other in new ways, and redefining what it meant to be a team.

This was truly the work of a group of people who care about each other wholeheartedly like family and don't give up no matter what the days bring. Even though we haven't caught up on sleep yet,

It’s been a while since our last Project Spotlight, but we can’t wait to dive back in and explore this newly-renovated Austin home full of unique and inspiring details. This small Texas ranch is nestled near Zilker Park, which sits at the juncture of Barton Creek and the Colorado River, comprised of nearly 350 acres of publicly owned land. A short walk to Austin City Limits, the home is now an easy place to explore the busting artistry of the city and its idyllic surroundings. The wonderful Mark Ashby Design transformed this small home into a dynamic, mid-century modern escape. The home underwent an intensive remodel, with its kitchen, sunken den, and bathrooms completely reimagined. It’s inspiring in its transformation — but more so in its attention to detail. Every aspect, from built-in textures and furniture to custom terrazzo tile, is thoughtfully designed, placed, and styled.

Just when you thought you were done hearing about a new showroom of ours ... we wanted to formally introduce our second showroom, a pop-up in our old space fully dedicated to a brand we love: Blu Dot.

Blu Dot has been in the Lekker realm since the very early days, and who would have thought many years later we'd have the only Dot Spot in New England (yes, our new pop-up is the only source for Blu Dot in all of New England!). This collaboration is so special to us, as our values and strengths align so well with our friends at Blu Dot. We’ve been working for months and months to make this possible, doing the heavy-lifting alongside everything it took to open our new Wareham St home. ⁠

The

This is a continuation of the product spotlight series in which one member of the team covers a design of their choosing! We hope to break down design in a way that is digestible and focused and tell the story of just how your favorite lounge chair or table made its way from a designers sketch to our showroom. And if you’d ever like to see a particular product featured, please let us know. This week, one of our design sales associates, Taylor, is up to speak about a lovely Carl Hansen outdoor piece!

The BK11 Lounge Chair by Carl Hansen

The BK11 Lounge Chair is the perfect fit for a relaxing and functional outdoor space, and there's no better time to appreciate

In an effort to share all the knowledge housed in the brilliant brains of everyone on the team, we're starting a monthly product feature where one lucky Lekker team member will do a write-up on something new, something old, something silver ... you get the idea! We hope to break down design in a way that is digestible and focused, like our project spotlight series, and to tell the story of just how your favorite lounge chair or table made its way from a designers sketch to our showroom. And if you'd ever like to see a particular product featured, please let us know!

This week Laura is spotlighting the Little Petra Chair by &Tradition.

When we first started Lekker in 2003, we were one of the first family-run businesses a part of the Washington St revitalization – Natalie and Curt packing boxes at midnight and teaching themselves how to run a business from the ground up. The passion and constant drive to make Lekker a reality all stemmed from the simple desire to bring modern design to the U.S. in a warm and accessible way. They took a chance and succeeded, and became a link in the chain of the South End business community that is stronger than ever in 2019.

A few months ago, we announced that we were moving to a bigger showroom in the South End to fit our big ideas. And now, we can finally

We're back here for another Friday with the project spotlight series – this week we wanted to share with you a home in Tel Aviv by Lindsay Bentis of Thread Art and Design! Bentis, a Los Angeles Native, established Thread in 2006 and specializes in residential design and construction consultation. She consistently creates interiors that are imaginative, complex, and pushing the boundaries of modern all at the same time. This special project in particular has filled us with all the hopefulness of spring and dreams about the long list of places we want to travel in the coming year.

Interior Design: Thread Art and Design

Photography: Amit Geron