Design-Milk

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 Laserow Berglund, 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.