Good progress has been made on the house planning front. I think we are nearly there and are now aligning the plans with the findings of the geotechnical expert, structural engineer and other relevant planning streams. Unfortunately, the results from the soil study were not exactly what we hoped for. Nothing unmanageable we hope, but a reminder that the most important part of any house is the part you don’t see. While we’re lucky to have an architect in the family, I still felt the need to get more involved in how the spaces might actually feel in the meantime. So I downloaded Planner 5D and started to build a basic version of the house myself. It’s far from precise and definitely no substitute for real planning. But it helped me translate sketches and technical plans into something more spatial. Playing around with volume, light, proportions and flow gave me a better grasp of what we were aiming for, and how to give more meaningful feedback. In the early phase of a project like this, it’s sometimes enough to sketch things out roughly. You begin to notice things. Like how much outdoor space actually fits onto a balcony. Or where the morning light hits first. And yes, I might have spent a little too long arranging outdoor chairs and testing how the building would sit in the slope. Any other recommendations regarding visualisation or planning tools? ✍️ #furninja #alpinehome #selfbuild #planner5d #modernmountainhouse #visualthinking #earlydesignphase #interiorinspiration #digitaldrafting

[🪑🥷♥️: Escaping Inside] Summer has settled in, and like many families in the city, we’ve naturally started spending more time outside. Our balcony has become the place where we eat, read, and sit together during the warmer hours of the day. We are lucky to be surrounded by old trees. Their branches offer shade and a soft filter of movement and light. It changes the atmosphere in a way that no parasol or potted plant really could. We kept the setup simple. A table, a bench, a few things that can stay outside without much care. It reminds me how comfortable a space can feel when you let the surroundings do some of the work. Good outdoor areas don’t always need to be styled or curated. Sometimes they just need to be used. This time of year always shifts how we live at home. And it is nice to have a spot that makes that shift feel natural. #balconyliving #summerinmunich #familytimeoutside #quietspaces #furninja #shadeandspace #softarchitecture #cityseason

It’s 4:40 in the morning and I’ve just come back from a few quiet days in Ireland with family. It felt good to slow down, to show our son a place that’s part of his story. Today I’m already heading out again, this time to Barcelona for work. The shift from soft landscapes to city pace is real. But maybe that contrast makes you notice spaces more. #earlymorning #familytime #barcelona #interiorreflections #furninja #quiettransitions

[🥷🔎: RAR Rocking Chair] Originally designed by Charles and Ray Eames in the 1950s, the RAR was one of the first plastic chairs to be mass-produced. It brought a new way of thinking about furniture — lightweight, molded, affordable, and adaptable. In many ways, it helped define the mid-century idea of democratic design. We’ve had one in our home for a while now. And like many classics, it holds a strange position: loved for what it represents, not always for how it functions. There’s no denying its strengths. It fits easily into small corners. It has a quiet sculptural presence. It’s light in look and feel. You can move it around without a second thought. And surprisingly, it holds up well — even with daily use and occasional toddler turbulence. But it also has limitations. It’s not made for long sitting. The low back offers little support. The comfort level is more visual than physical. And yes, in a house with kids, it becomes more toy than seat. On top of that, it’s still injection-molded plastic — which sits a little uncomfortably in a world that’s moving toward more sustainable materials. We keep it — partly for what it is, partly for what it meant. But we don’t pretend it’s perfect. #vitraRAR #designclassic #eameschair #honestreview #interiorreflections #formandfunction #furninja #quietdesign #sustainableinteriors #notjustaprettychair

[🪑🥷♥️: Making Rentals Feel Like Home] You don’t have to renovate a rental to make it feel considered. A few focused moves can shift the atmosphere, and most of them move with you. 1. Choose warm, dimmable lighting. Even the best interiors feel off under harsh light. Use dimmable LED bulbs in warm tones, they make any room feel more lived in. 2. Invest in statement pieces you’ll keep. A great lamp, a sculptural chair, or a solid side table can anchor a space. It brings personality, and you’ll take it with you. 3. Use textiles to soften. Curtains, blinds, rugs – they add texture and calm. You don’t need to overspend. These elements rarely move with you, so better to keep it simple. 4. Don’t ignore the bathroom. A new mirror, some open shelves, or even painted walls can make a big difference. Most rentals don’t think past function here, you can. 5. Make it personal. Books, framed prints, travel things, whatever tells your story. Design doesn’t need to be neutral to feel intentional. Small steps. Big change. #rentalliving #interiorthinking #furninja #warmminimalism #renterfriendly #quietdesign #mieteaberstilvoll #temporarybutintentional

[Before🗻/After🌋: Bedroom] Like the other rooms, our bedroom started as a blank space, and the real challenge was resisting the urge to fill every corner. Bedrooms aren’t for drama. They’re for slowing down, not showing off. We kept things simple: a low, soft bed with rounded edges, sculptural side tables that don’t take up too much visual space, and a pendant light that looks like a floating cloud. The cowhide rug is the one piece that speaks a little louder, just enough contrast to keep things from feeling too polite. No wardrobe either — just a sideboard and a few framed things we like. The goal was a room that feels calm, balanced, and a little tactile — not overly styled, not undercooked. Enough to feel finished, not so much that it starts shouting. We might still change a few things. But for now, we’re sleeping just fine. #bedroomdesign #beforeandafter #furninja #quietspaces #calminteriors #warmminimalism #homebuild #softgeometry #designinpractice

After months of sketches, ideas, and long conversations, these are the first drawings of what the outside of our house might look like. A small but meaningful step in this process. The house is planned for a hillside plot in the Alps, so the shape and materials are all about fitting into the landscape. We’re thinking of a stone base, most likely Nagelfluh, to anchor it to the terrain. The ground and first floors will be brick, and the top floor will be wrapped in timber for a softer finish. We’ve been calling it our Bavarian ryokan. There’s a quiet influence from Japanese architecture — in the simplicity, the connection between indoors and outdoors, and the way materials are treated. It’s not about copying a style, but about creating an atmosphere that feels calm, grounded, and clear. Still a lot of steps ahead, but seeing it take shape feels pretty special 🏠⛰️ #alpinearchitecture #homebuild #firstfacade #ryokaninspired #timbercladding #stonebase #brickstructure #modernlandhaus #furninja #designjourney

There is something about sitting by the lake that slows everything down. #lakecomo #familytime #quietviews #furninja #simplemoments #interiorandbeyond

[🪑🥷♥️: Rethinking Walls] Walls are often treated as blank canvases – smooth, white, and ready for a layer of paint. But why stop there? In our home, we’ve started to think of walls as more than just background. Materials like wood, leather, or even tile can completely shift how a space feels – adding warmth, texture, and a tactile depth that paint alone can’t offer. Wooden wall panels can bring in a subtle architectural rhythm, leather surfaces create a soft, elegant touch, and tiles offer a cool contrast in bathrooms or kitchen zones. Each material tells a different story, and together they create rooms that feel more intentional and lived-in. Not every wall needs a statement. But some deserve one. Latest inspo from our hotel room in Venice. #interior #wallideas #homedecor #materialmatters #furninja #love #wooddetails #leatherdesign #tiledesign #interiorinspo #texture #depth #spaces #wallinspo

[🪑🥷♥️: Embracing Wallpaper] Never underestimate what a wallpaper can do for a room. Wallpaper has this incredible ability to transform a space. It adds depth, warmth, and texture – elements that paint alone often can’t achieve. For a long time, we were hesitant about bold patterns, thinking they might be overwhelming or make a room feel smaller. But once we embraced it, we realized how much character it can bring. The right wallpaper can make a sterile bathroom feel cozy, a plain hallway come alive, and an entire living room feel more grounded and inviting. It’s not just about the visuals either – it’s about the tactile experience. Some wallpapers have a structure you can feel when you run your hand over it, adding another layer to how we interact with a space. Don’t be afraid of patterns. When thoughtfully chosen, they don’t take away – they elevate. #wallpaper #interiorinspo #wallpaperdecor #kidsroomideas #bathroomdecor #homeinspo #homedecor #furninja #texture #depth #interiordesign #spaces #homedesign #interiorstyling