Tag Archives: Interior

For a pair of LEGO Adventurers, the rivalry may never end

It’s only been 25 years since we were introduced to the Adventurers LEGO theme. And we can see how much Johnny Thunder and Sam Sinister have aged since then in this unique creation by Gregory Coquelz. The scale here is fantastic, providing a detailed look into the retired lives of these rivals, something that would be difficult to convey at minifigure-scale. Tiny details like Sam’s monocle and the bent brim of Johnny’s hat are brilliant bits of character creation. And I love the Easter eggs paying homage to past adventures like the Baron’s photo, the Anubis bust, and the T-rex head, each holding a revered spot above the mantle. Even the detail put into the board game makes it instantly recognizable as Monopoly. Good luck keeping that gem of a dessert out of Sam’s clutches, Johnny! I’m sure he cheated anyway.

No cake for Sam Sinister

This interior looks so good it’s hard to believe it’s only LEGO

Architecture and interior design come together wonderfully in this LEGO build from Dad’s Bricks (Joe). Great care is evident in every little aspect of this piece, from the framing of the composition to the design of the background artwork. The inspiration for the build comes from classical and traditional Chinese mansion interiors. This style features nice wooden furniture and an elegant look to the architecture. The build possesses a fluid movement, pulling the eye through to the plant life and nature-focused artwork. The parts selection is so well thought through, upon first glance you might not realize it’s composed of LEGO. One of my favorite details in the build is the inclusion of a teapot and cups on the back table, giving the interior a bit of a lived-in quality.

[LEGO] Classical and traditional mansion interior design

A room built for concocting

No one sets a LEGO scene quite like Victor van den Berg! I mean, check out the old-school laboratory he’s brewed up! Each flask and beaker are carefully placed on the table, drawers overflowing with ingredients, and a wall of shelves loaded with tinctures and concentrates adorn this gorgeous room. Brown arches and pillars carve paths through the dark tan bricks, above a floor tiled to complement the multicolored bottled spread throughout the lab. Add all that to the lived-in touches of the workspace like the armchair in the corner or the cord of wood in a crate next to the wrought iron fireplace, and the space radiates a homey charm.

The Lab Room

But nothing adds warmth to this workspace like Victor’s excellent use of light. From the fireplace, the hanging lanterns, and especially the windows to the rear of the space, light illuminates the build in an uneven and realistic manner. But the focal point has got to be the sunlight pouring in through the skylight. It highlights all the detailed instruments and vials on the central table, best viewed in the photo below. As someone who’s put in a couple of years standing at the lab bench and read a few too many books on the history of science, the equipment here is spot-on for that of the age. Nothing like determining the index of refraction the old-fashioned way!

The Lab Room

A Nice Turkey Dinner Works All Year Round

Sure it’s January but that doesn’t mean we can’t have a nice gathering with immediate family involving fancy turkey dinners. In fact, during this ongoing pandemic, a fancy dinner at the dining room table could be just what you need to break away from the monotony of lockdown life. That being said, Jonas Kramm’s dining room model is good to go for all seasons.

09 - Dining Room

The interesting use of elements is what really draws me to this model. I really love Kramm’s use of the tennis racket element in his wicker chair builds. The blonde hair-piece next to the turkey element really makes an appealing souffle. Other eye-catching uses of parts include a single red stud in a bowl either serving as ketchup or cranberry sauce and of course, the lamps made out of the black sausage pieces connected to golden eggs. Kramm’s model is just filled with a warm family vibe.

After all this time? Always.

In this fast-changing world, certainty and peace can be so hard to find. However, the key to happiness is closer than one may think — ask a LEGO fan! Basic System bricks haven’t changed a bit over the last 60 years, so Emma Widmark takes a look into the future and predicts that even 40 years later, the answer to any worry will still look the same. It’s such a wholesome build; I can’t stop smiling, spying a ton of cute references. I’m sure you’ve recognized Ideas 21318 Treehouse on the table and 75957 The Knight Bus. But looking at that massive AT-AT on the top of the drawers, I will be very disappointed if they don’t release a UCS version by 2060!

40 years from now, friday night. I'm the one with glasses

Come to the dark side. We have cookies. And octopi.

Upon reflection, this warm and cozy den build by Krzysztof may not be as warm and cozy as you first thought. But take a moment to appreciate the great details in this LEGO scene before you get worried. I like the use of crates to give the table legs a bit of texture, and this is the first time I’ve seen a Chima mask used as part of a bear-skin rug. I also like the small details like the blue 1×1 tiles for chalk on the pool table. And the mirror is pretty swanky, too.

On the other side

However, through that looking glass, another pair of eyes looks back, and they’re nowhere near as friendly.
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How many LEGO studs can you spot?

The everyday objects built with LEGO bricks can be a visual eye-candy, especially when it’s built to perfection. How many LEGO studs can you spot in this creation? Yes, go, right now, count them all before you read this article to the end. There’s a sense of ASMR even though this is a static image built by Roman. My eyes just want to gloss all overlooking for imperfections in arrangement and alignment and how they all fit together almost naturally. And, just in case you thought you found it all, don’t forget to count the one on the door knocker built with the Yellow Lantern piece smacked right in the center!

Home

A cozy cabin where you can play through the winter

We might be heading into the summer up here in the northern hemisphere, but this LEGO model by Little John is all about cuddling up by the fire as the cold nights draw in. This rustic cabin makes for a cozy home for a family and their pets. They seem to be LEGO fans too, maybe even collectors, judging by the set boxes on display around the room. There’s an excellent use of printed tiles as pictures throughout the scene, and the furniture is simple but in keeping with the rest of the interior. I dread to think how long it took to put that floor together; it’s made entirely of brown plates in a selection of shades — an effective way to create a wooden floor look. My favorite detail is the boy playing with the toy castle — check out the wonderful little dragon with which he’s threatening the ramparts.

No Place Like Home

TBB cover photo for May 2020: Seeing Double

This month’s community cover photo features a mind-bendingly detailed alchemist workshop by Markus Rollbühler. Look carefully, and you might think that he’s used Photoshop to mirror one side of the image. A cheeky way to save bricks! However, look even more carefully at the shadows and reflections and you’ll realize it’s not a digital trick, but a full LEGO creation with perfect symmetry.

The immaculate photography complements such an expertly crafted creation. I wonder if the alchemist who resides here is creating such a symmetrical scene through some kind of magic, or are they just OCD?

Symmetrio's Workshop

Want to see your own LEGO creation featured across TBB social media for a month? Then read the submission guidelines and submit your photo today. Until next time, stay well and be safe, and practice social distancing whenever possible as we need it now more than ever!

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The chief forms of beauty are order and symmetry

Symmetry in art is a funny thing. It is the cause of much disagreement. Some find it fascinating and perfect, while others see it as unnatural and repetitive. I fall squarely in the first camp. I find symmetry and the attention to it in art to be fascinating. Two of my favorite directors, Wes Anderson and Stanley Kubrick, deal heavily in symmetry to great effect. Builder Markus Rollbühler taps into this form with great aplomb and gives us a LEGO creation that is quite beautiful and fascinating to examine.

Symmetrio's Workshop

At first, I thought perhaps there was some visual tricky going on here, but closer examination reveals this to be a fully realized, symmetrical model brimming with detail. There is some really fun parts usage, like Minnie Mouse’s skirt for the planters in the front and those beautiful purple potion bottles. The treasure chests as table legs are another nice touch. It should also be noted that those brick walls aren’t just stacked bricks! They are actually tiles placed on SNOT (Studs Not On top) pieces, providing a much more dimensional and realistic look to the walls. Now, if you’ll excuse me I’m going to go stare at this photo some more and revel in the perfect symmetry of the world between those walls.

You’ll feel right at home in this build

Isaac Snyder has created a LEGO room that feels so welcoming, it may as well be a snapshot lifted from a modern living magazine. The fireplace looks warm and inviting, as does the seating arrangement in front of it. It’s the perfect spot to read a book, and the bookshelf is just a few steps away. I love the recesses in the wall for the shelving and storage of logs for the fire, and the staircase is minimalism at its finest. That modern clock hanging on the wall is pretty spiffy, too. Now, if you’ll excuse me I’m going to turn off the lights and take a nap on the couch. Zzzzzzz

Modern Living Room

There’s no place like home for the holiday – the Lunar New Year, that is

My wife calls me a hobbit because I like spending time in the great indoors. That’s not to say I don’t enjoy getting out for some fresh air and delightful scenery, but inside the house is where it’s at for me. It comes as no surprise, then, that I enjoy interior LEGO builds, too. Take this one by Hoang H Dang, for example. It’s a home all ready for the Tết Holiday. The warm colors, the charming furniture, the trees indoors…I mean, with trees indoors, why ever go outside, right? Sure, the walls are a bit decrepit, but that’s to be expected when it is the 1990s in Vietnam, and the buildings haven’t been repaired since the colonial days. Perhaps if one of the larger pictures on the walls were moved over the cracks, it would hide the exposed masonry. That’s what I would do in my own house, at least.

Of course, this is a LEGO model and not the real thing, so everything is where it is intended to be. Plus, there are some elements in this build that are fantastic in their usage. The upside-down DUPLO crates as tables in the back are brilliant, and a DUPLO swirl element forms the top of the vase for the tree on the right. And there is still more DUPLO with the purple Winnie the Pooh arch as a TV stand. Gosh, I love DUPLO elements used in regular System builds. I also love the eclectic mix of trophies and dolls on the shelves, along with the Mirror of Erised as a family picture on the wall. And then there are the rock star Friends, too. And yet, despite all of the odd places the parts are gathered from, it makes a beautiful home, perfect for celebrating the Lunar New Year with family in Vietnam.