Image by R ARCHITECTURE on Unsplash
Passionate about interior design? Fantastic! I’m here to fuel the fire — bookmark these design websites and follow their newsletters for mid century and contemporary design inspiration.
Dwell
Dwell is a veritable mecca for modern home inspiration. In fact, Modern Homes Portland has been featured in Dwell a few times (see below), and it’s always an honor!
Dwell launched its magazine in 2000 to “bridge the gap between design professionals and design enthusiasts”. Although their print magazine still prints 6 times a year, their digital publishing platform launched in 2016, making design inspiration more convenient to the everyday enthusiast.
Handpicked — Favorite Recurring Articles
This year, Dwell has predicted design trends including botanical environments (so many plants!), reclaimed materials, earthy textures, and a revival of the American studio craft movement! I can’t wait to see what 2022 has in store.
Annual Design Awards
Every year in December, Dwell announced their awards for “innovative solutions and creative, context-driven design”. Design categories are judged by a jury of renowned artists, designers, and architects. 2021 judges include design marvels Kulapat Yantrasast, Tosin Oshinowo, Jared Black, Ed Be, Barbara Bestor, and Chris Cornelius.
Every year in December, Dwell announced their awards for “innovative solutions and creative, context-driven design”. Design categories are judged by a jury of renowned artists, designers, and architects. 2021 judges include design marvels Kulapat Yantrasast, Tosin Oshinowo, Jared Black, Ed Be, Barbara Bestor, and Chris Cornelius.
2021 award categories include:
- Dwellings
- Renovations
- Prefabs
- Small Spaces
- Gardens
- Kitchens
- Bathrooms
- Furniture
- Lighting
- Accessories
Modern Homes Portland Features
- A Dreamy Forest Home by a Renowned Pacific Northwest — Featuring my listing of the Saul Zaik “Mason Residence”.
- A Frank Lloyd Wright-Inspired Midcentury Home — Featuring my listing of the 1957 Usonian home, with design inspiration from one of my favorite architects, Frank Lloyd Wright.
- A Radiantly Remodeled Midcentury Rummer Home — Featuring a 2021 favorite, my listing of the 1968 Robert Rummer home.
- A Marvelous Midcentury With a Bright Blue Door — Featuring my listing from 2019; a William Fletcher International Style build.
Design Milk
A longtime favorite design publication! Design Milk is consistently fresh, modern, and magically ahead of the trends. They have said it themselves. “You’ll always hear it from Design Milk first”.
A little history… Design Milk was founded in 2006 by Jaime Derringer, who later expanded the company to include Design Milk, AHAlife, and Kaufmann Mercantile. The entrepreneur also co-launched a popular podcast, Clever, where she chats with designers and other creative minds. Design Milk has now tailored its focus to inspiring the community and highlighting emerging designers, artists, and architects!
Handpicked — Favorite Recurring Articles and Collections
Design Milk’s Trending blog curates a great collection of articles, constantly being updated with current interior design trends. If you are ever in need of design inspiration, this is a one-stop shop.
An annual tradition, Design Milk has recently announced the Pantone color of the year as Very Peri, a “dynamic periwinkle blue hue with a vivifying violet-red undertone.” We saw the 2021 Pantone dual colors of the year, Ultimate Gray and Illuminating often in interior design this past year. Check out an example of these colors used in a Robert Rummer home, posted on my Instagram!
Featuring a previously listed Rummer Home!
This may not be an annual article, but it’s a fun addition.
I always find it interesting to look at Portland from an outside perspective, don’t you? Author Vy Yang features modern spots throughout the city, including the Jupiter hotel, Woonwinkel, and Kengo Kuma’s architectural expansion of the Japanese Garden.
I always find it interesting to look at Portland from an outside perspective, don’t you? Author Vy Yang features modern spots throughout the city, including the Jupiter hotel, Woonwinkel, and Kengo Kuma’s architectural expansion of the Japanese Garden.
Dezeen
The name is a contraction of “design” and “magazine”, clever!
Dezeen expands the conversation of design beyond the home to include articles around the world’s most influential architecture, and design moments, and movements. The publication has been named the world’s most popular and influential architectural, interiors, and design magazine. They currently hold over 3 million monthly readers. For this reason, Dezeen holds incredible influence over the design industry. This is one of my favorite magazines to predict upcoming trends and emerging architects to watch.
Handpicked — Favorite Recurring Annual Articles
Every year the community awaits Dezeen’s longlist of architecture, interiors, and design awards for that year. Keep an eye out for the “Emerging design studio of the year” section. Some of the most innovative young minds make this list each year!
Scroll through this annual article for jaw-dropping photographs of architecture around the world. Dezeen features diverse architectural styles, photographed from unique perspectives. This may be one of my favorite articles of the year!
Old Brand New
Scroll to the bottom of the home page to sign up for the Old Brand New newsletter
In comparison to the publications we have featured so far, Old Brand New is run exclusively by the extraordinary Dabito. He is a self-made blogger, photographer, artist, “decor guru, tastemaker, passionate vintage hunter, and lover of all things vintage.” As someone who is passionate about mid century and contemporary design, I immediately clicked with Dabito’s melding of modern and vintage.
Handpicked — Favorite Recurring Articles
Dabito is well known for his one-room renovations that will inspire you to redo your home, one room at a time. Here are a few of his recent renovation projects:
Guest Bathroom Renovation Designed with contrasting green hexagon tile flooring and rust-colored zellige tiles on the walls.
Tropical Deck Makeover Transformed a narrow lawn area into a cozy outdoor space
Family Living Room Makeover Modern, vibrant design for a multigenerational home
Laid-Back Beachy Living Room Bright and functional, featuring 2021’s color of the year, Illuminating!
Quick Links
Feeling inspired? Keep the recurring blogs featured here bookmarked and visit them next year! Remember, design inspiration is everywhere — these fantastic resources are only a click or a tap away.
