When it comes to essentials for any man-cave, bat-cave, den, rec-room, or game room, the pool table should be high on your list. Now you can build a LEGO one for your next scene using these instructions by Tiago Catarino.
Tag Archives: Furniture
A smorgasbord of patterns
LEGO builder Peter Ilmrud takes us on a journey to very well appointed baths somewhere along the Mediterranean seaside. Although the model is adorned with all a trove of repeating patterns, the first one to draw the eye is the inlaid tiling in the new coral color, making use of the Friends marine life creatures, which come packaged together in a variety of Friends sets. The tablecloth is also worth noting, with its ornate pattern drawn from Bruce Wayne’s manor. And how many of you recognize the perfume bottle on the table — or for that matter, its light green color?
A countryside cottage to call home
17th Century Europe was a period rife with change, from feudal powers to the birthing stages of parliament. It also brought with it a decline in houses constructed of wood, giving way to stone and brick-built abodes. Benjamin Calvetti has replicated this style with stunning class, and his English Cottage is jam-packed with lovely details. The continuity in stone work, from the bordering fence line to the walls of the cottage, speak more of the local quarry than they do of a random handful of LEGO bricks.
See more pictures of this quaint cottage, including a fully furnished interior!
Rats and spiders and snakes, oh my!
This terrifying vignette by Victor has a lot of phobias on display: arachnaphobia, ophidiophobia and even musophobia! It is titled “Nightmare” and that is quite an apt description. Waking up in a room of creepy critters is pretty high up there on my list of nightmarish scenarios.
The spiders, rats and snakes dominate this little model but it’s the room with its furniture and details that are really the stars of the show. All the furniture is expertly done and gives the room a modern feel. The black and white cabinet on the left with its doors of varying sizes, the white bedside table and the plant stand are particular stand outs. The lamp in the corner is also nicely crafted. The bed is a terrific little build with some creative parts use to make the rumpled blankets and give the illusion that the minifigs are tucked not-so-safely in their bed.
Then there are the little subtle details. The phone charger is a brilliant touch along with the above-bed light switches and glasses on the brown bedside table. They really make the room feel lived in. The use of Olaf’s buttons tile to make an electrical outlet is particularly inspired. The printed tiles used to make the rug have been used in quite a few Star Wars and Nexo Knight’s sets, and the repetition of it makes the perfect floor covering. The attention to detail even extends to the bedhead on the sitting minifigure.
Good luck trying not to think about this as you’re falling asleep tonight. In the immortal words of Elvira, “Unpleasant dreams!”
There was a time when TVs did not have remote controls
TVs without remote controls meant that you had to walk to the TV to change channels. And sometimes you were the voice-activated remote controls–a direct order given by Mum or Dad to ‘change the channels’. Johan Alexanderson transports us back in time with his memories of yesteryears and the unboxing of the new family TV with a nice effect of foam peanuts spilling out. While the TV has the center of attraction, there’s also the box of distraction. What’s not to love about the giant cardboard box that came with it? The box and all those foam peanuts were also a form of entertainment. Fun fact–the cardboard box was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 2005, not long after LEGO was inducted in 1998. Long live LEGO, the TV and the cardboard box!
A splash of red
Building realistic-looking home decor is a niche that Heikki M has been a master of for years. The use of scale, colors, lighting and the absence of LEGO minifigures all factor into the illusion that you are looking at a real-world space. This latest model is directly inspired by furniture website photograph. LEGO bricks have never looked so comfortable.
Take it easy for a little while
Everything appears chill and cozy in Heikki M’s LEGO scene of an attic apartment room. The attic implied with the sloped ceiling and the brick wall in the back of the room are top notch techniques in a scene full of fantastic detail to take in. I also appreciate the use of textured bricks in the rug. Is it suggesting a raised texture, or someone who walked through? You decide, but it’s great either way.
Home of the Brick and Famous
If IKEA ever needs a reference for a builder to lead a creativity department for their recent collaborative announcement with LEGO, I’d nominate Heikki M. in a heartbeat. He has a knack for building and photographing realistic-looking homes that make you take a look at a build twice just to make sure it’s all built with bricks. This particular scene is of a Manor Hall with a grand piano as a central feature. Little details such as the subtle patterns for the cornices give it the subliminal cues of a real home. All we now need is a piano player playing Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata to give life to the room.
Cell blocks
It’s like a LEGO version of an HBO melodrama: when your environs change from stylish loft apartment to gritty prison cell in the blink of an eye. The master of LEGO interiors, Heikki Mattila, does it again with this latest creation — a stark departure from the signature modernist style of previous models. A classic “institutional” colour scheme complements some well put-together furniture, including an uncomfortable looking toilet. The whole thing is rounded off with that brick-built cell door. Great lighting on the photography too — those shadows create an appropriate sense of gloom.
Feel the rush
The title of this work by Leonid An is called Deadline! and aptly depicts the molecular structure of epinephrine (more commonly known as adrenaline) and a shadowed clock with one minute until midnight. I really like the use of the magnifying glass and the T-bars for the hydroxyl groups. This totally takes me back to when I was in college organic chemistry ten years ago — minus the stress of studying for tests!
Living room design ideas for minifigures
If I were a minifigure living in a LEGO world, I’d hire Finnish builder Heikki M. right off the bat! He has a knack for building realistic-looking indoor scenes that could fool you if you didn’t look close enough, and this is yet another of his amazing constructs. The trick seems to be to keep the lines clean and void of studs (except as intentional texturing) and to include everyday things to make it look as homely as possible. I think I even spotted an Eames Lounge chair with an ottoman with a slightly altered base!
A chair with a bit of bounce
Despite being official pieces, rubber bands are usually hidden away both in official sets and fan creations. While it may be their frequently bright colours or the fact that some see them as “cheater pieces,” we just don’t see them at the forefront of most builds. Bucking that trend is Victor, who has created this clever little chair using a handful of rubber bands and solid red elements to make them blend in. The use of the ribbed hose pieces makes the bands even less noticeable, and all the Technic connectors are rotated just right for a clean shot, with their gaps facing away.
