What’s new in mainstreamimages?

We would like to introduce and welcome Christine Besson to mainstreamimages, she is a French photographer living in France and specialising in interiors. Christine has given us quite a large submission, which is now up on our site and we are starting to get to work keywording it.

Below is a sample of the many new features that we are adding all of the time to our database. I know that job drawers can become a bit empty at this time of year, so please contact Barbara features@mainstreamimages.co.uk for all of your feature needs or please use our site for all your single image requests.

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At a collector's house

Converted into a place of dwelling or an artist’s workshop, many textile mills in Northern France reopen their doors to a new lease of life. Most become lofts as they offer an interesting framework for someone who knows how to fill in the blanks. This 1901 building was perfect for an art collector who realized he had always wanted to have a large area without constraints to highlight the works he had acquired. Passionate about contemporary art, he tried to find a place for each painting and each sculpture. "In my house, I needed more walls....this is why some paintings have remained on the ground!” Half apartment half gallery the furniture has also been chosen for its aesthetic look, from the Egg chair of Arne Jacobsen to the white sofa by Mies van der Rohe nothing is left to chance. We enter in the very personal universe of one who has created it. Each piece tells a little of its history: a little history of the artist that has created it and a little history of the one who has acquired it... view feature

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Sweetness and light

Luxury chocolatier Louise Nason and her family have enlivened their spacious West London home with a pick and mix of quirky and clever accessories. The building work included opening up the basement kitchen and dining area. White walls and pale furniture keep it light, but items such as shell-like seventies lights and a starburst mirror add a touch of colour... view feature

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Home where the art is

Colourful and comfortable, Sophie Harding’s appealing Cornish home is the sort of place where you feel instantly at ease. Full to the brim with her collection of vibrant paintings, the house has a relaxed and friendly vibe that also stems from Sophie’s easy mix of second-hand finds with family hand-me-downs and the occasional designer piece... view feature

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Do try this at home

How to turn an Edwardian house into something much more 21st century. Childhood holidays in Ireland are what started Philip Narine's interest in buildings and decoration. "In the late seventies I went to stay with a friend of my mum's in a run-down country manor in the south of Ireland. The place was full of mad colours and battered antiques." When Narine bought his current home in North London, he set aside a year to undertake its renovation. Some of the works were dramatic, such as opening up the lower back of the house and putting in three concertinaed glass doors. He also removed the roof to rebuild the attic, making it into a spacious, split-level bedroom with sitting area that has a splendid view of Alexandra Palace. The effect of Narine's childhood holidays in Ireland is clear to see. His house has plenty of character, a strong dose of chic and just a hint of comfortable shabbiness in the mottled mirrors and aged leather armchairs... view feature

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The King has now left the building

"We've approached the work on our own apartment as a professional project, but one where we can experiment and take anything we like, 'all the way". By doing so, newlyweds Andreas Joyce Nygaard and his wife Heidi Pettersvold have been their own ideal clients. They both work for the prestigious Oslo and New York based architectural firm Snohetta, and this wonderfully orange, perfectly patched work of art is now their own home. The classical turn of the century apartment has been rehabilitated to show off their work, but more than that, it challenges how far interior design actually can be taken in a home environment. And it works!! On the wall in their bright kitchen thrones the King himself. Elvis has been reformatted and framed so everyone can catch a glimpse of him. In an adjacent corner hangs a lightbox fitted with an x-ray of Heidi's rib-cage. The apartment is testimony to the challenge they put to themselves: how to combine the apartments' original features with the constantly expanding framework of their main objective, which is treating spaces as rooms. Every single choice they've made concerning pallette, materials, tactility and form reflect their constant drive to push their own boundaries... view feature

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V for the View

One of Ørestaden’s landmarks, ‘V’ the house stands erect with its high geometric construction and distinctive balconies. Climbing up the yellow staircase to 9 Sal (owned by fashion designer Camilla Kurdahl and her family) and out onto the wedge-shaped balcony, can only be likened to standing on a ship. One is very much tempted to spread their arms and shout "I'm King of the World", for it is the feeling you get when you stand on the outermost point and feel the rush! When the couple first read about the fascinating housing project of architect Bjarke Ingels, they promptly fell in love with the idea to become holders of one of the coveted apartments. However there was the challenge that they should have enough space for their 3 children. Inside the apartment leaves you in awe of its cathedral like size, yet is bursting with light from its white interior that contrasts perfectly with the dark oak floor.. view feature

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Welcoming Christine Besson to Mainstreamimages.

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