Lego has never been just for children to play with, adults everywhere love the ability to create something out of the colorful building blocks and many of us Interior Designers and Architects owe a lot of our childhood inspirations to this simple module and its ability to be designed, constructed, deconstructed and redesigned. That being said, once the majority of us reach adulthood, LEGO only shows up in our fond memories. But what if you had the chance to decorate your home or apartment with Lego modules, and what if those modules where giant, functional storage units or peg board style creations – would you jump at the chance to include them in every room?
Jumping at the chance is exactly what the clients of Hao Design Studio did when the concept was proposed to them, and are we ever glad they did, otherwise we wouldn’t have been able to share with you this selection of colorful, fun and functional LEGO looking designs used in this Kaohsiung, Taiwan apartment’s interior decor. While the LEGO references are not to scale and do not represent the actual LEGO colors, why should they? This is not a design based on real LEGO but a design that is LEGO inspired, and that is far more creative than relying on the tried and true.
Aside from incorporating the playful LEGO modules, HAO Design Studio also added a play pond in the form of a sunken seating area upholstered in a rich blue upholstery purposefully chosen to represent a swimming pool.
The swimming pool concept is further enforced by the chrome handrail that leads to the “deck” of the pool. The deck is what enabled Hao Design Studio to “sink” the pool.
The swimming pool is designed for all-inclusive family fun right down to a flat screen TV on a swivel base for ease of angling. If only the oversized mini figures could operate the TV stand by remote control, then no one would have to leave the pool to adjust the screen angle.
The deck was first raised up off of the apartments floor and the raised edge of the deck was then fitted with storage drawers designed to look like the muse for this project, LEGO.
Aside from adding storage underneath the raised deck, the walls are also covered in shelving,each wall features a unique and fascinating choice of shelving vignettes. One wall is covered in white doors for hidden storage with a few open cubbies backed with punches of bright colors. The green corner cubby is backed with a bright green LEGO look wall panels.
The other wall is covered in an arrangement of curvaceous open wood shelving in a clear finish.
The pool and deck are positioned on one side of the apartment while the dining and kitchen area are on the other and although the bar height table features a more refined statement within its slab of marble; it too proudly displays a collection of LEGO look modules.
The Marble counter has a waterfall edge on one side, but on the other is supported by a series of LEGO look modules stacked in an askew pattern.
The stacked LEGO look modules are actually storage drawers.
The LEGO modules add a punch of color but not nearly as much as the bold choice of tangerine on the face of the kitchen cabinets.
With all the bright colors popping up all over this apartment, it is nice to see the designers did not forget about the ceiling, more specifically, the ceiling fan.
Above the LEGO look blocks is a pixelated version of Vincent Van Gogh created by LEGO of course.
Past the kitchen at the beginning of the foyer, the open cubby with green LEGO look wall panel is layered with a variety of real LEGO accessories.
What better way to pay homage to a muse than to feature it in the design as well?
Across from the LEGO cubby is a blackboard wall with a chalk drawing featuring a completely different childhood muse, but one totally appropriate to the kitchen – the Cookie Monster!
The bedrooms are on the opposite side of the apartment and here; even the master bedroom revolves around LEGO museland.
I love the choice of bright green on the headboard wall and ensuite door.
Hao Design Studio
Photography by Hey! Cheese
