Clever, Comfortable and Industrial

Found in the archives of Sacramento Street comes a living room and kitchen designed by Beth Martin, Sara Story, Grant K. Gibson and Aurelien Gallent for Elle Decor's Modern Life Concept House. It's a shame I found this because now I will be accountable when I copy every. single. thing. in this place. The dark walls, copious amounts to texture, clean lines, masculine furnishings, and use of art are all worthy of a sigh. They took ALL the good ideas.

I like the contrast between the feminine, light rug from the rest of the industrial, rigid decor.

Don't forget about using art in a space. Use it to further the concept and complete the look.

 Aweessooome lighting throughout

Pages from take out menus are used as the backsplash in the kitchen. Would this be an idea you would use? What would you choose to display? newspapers? old letters? recipes?

I wish I had never found this. I'm smitten.

Campers

here

For years I have wanted to go on a family vacation up the California coast to Washington state. Picture it: Pa in the drivers seat, Ma with maps strewn across her lap, while scenes of the pacific coast flit pass the eyes of the children playing together peacefully in the backseats. In my dreams, the children are always playing together peacefully.

Well family, pack your bags because I have proof that living out of a camper for a week doesn't have to be like the stop at Possum Park on A Goofy Movie. These charming campers are filled with personality and comfort. They really are an apartment on the go. It just goes to show that with some effort and out of the box thinking, even the tiniest place can become a cozy haven.

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When you are in a small, temporary space like one of these, using exuberant amount of color and pattern is okay. A small area can be the statement piece - the part that really shows off your personal style.

What do you think? Could you spend a week amid the California Redwoods in one of these? Which camper is your favorite?

Eclectic and Dark Home

Full of texture, patterns, comfortable linens, picture frames, classic shapes, and classic pieces. Yum.

SuzAnn and Will's Eclectic Chicago home from Apartment Therapy.

Ett hus utan gränser

With my extensive knowledge of foreign languages, I deduced that this home is in Sweden. Also, with the help of an online translator I figured out that this is the home of two empty nesters looking for less space. They built this one story, one interior wall home together to "facilitate their every day lives".

Thanks, Hus & Hem

I'm quite taken by the charm in the home, the collections that date back to their entire lives together, and the simple details in the raw finishes. You go Sweden, you go.

Saving Space in the Kitchen

Thanks, House Beautiful

Last night I asked my dad a very serious question. "Pa", I said, "if I'm a take-out dinner wife, will you disown me?" 

The kitchen is a place full of potential. Some people (like every other girl in my family) have the patience and ability to create that potential. Me? Well, I longingly smell their food and eat their leftovers. It doesn't take much space to create those delicious masterpieces but for some reason we have it in our minds that a lot of space is needed. I came up with a few tips for opening up a smaller kitchen:

• The Right Color. Softer colors allow light to bounce around a reflect, creating more depth and life to the room. Darker shades absorb light and will only make the room look smaller. Whites, pale blues, soft yellows, and light grey's would be great choices for kitchens. Try to stick with a one or two colors for simplicity and cleanliness.
• Declutter. The task may be daunting, but if everything in the kitchen has a specific space it will make for a much smoother system. Try to have uniform containers if things like cereals need to be kept out, avoid knick-knacks and other decor around the tops of cupboards and on fridges, and put away appliances when you are finished. Extra shelving within cupboards can be added to most effectively use space.
• Emphasize Light. If you are lucky enough to have windows in your kitchen, emphasize the light it provides by keeping the window uncovered, clean, and freshly painted. Allow the kitchen to become a focal point. Under cabinet lighting is a practical addition to add to any kitchen. In the photo above, mirrors are used as the backsplash to create the illusion of more space.
• Multiple Purposes. Try to only purchase necessary things in regards to food and furnishings. Meal plans can be planned ahead to use the same ingredients multiple times throughout the week, saving on money and space. Consider how the furniture you have or are looking to purchase can double up in purpose - coffee table as kitchen table, bench seating with storage inside, a roll away island that can be hidden away when it's not in use.

Do these tips help? What unsolvable problems do you have with your kitchen?

Thanks Tidy Stuff and Great Interior Design

By the way, my dad's response to my troubled question was simply, "that would get boring, expensive, and unhealthy". Which I translated to "you better not".

The Importance of Character

I had a free morning today (you know, because I'm graduating tomorrow so most of my classes were already done. Because I'm graduating) and decided to spend time going fake house shopping.  My neck is constantly twisting and turning as I drive around Salt Lake City admiring all the adorable architecture and store fronts that surround the streets.  Usually when I'm in the car I am on my way to something and don't have the ability to stop and wander, but not this morning. This morning I was on my way to 9th east to walk the streets and snap a few pictures. I think they call this "free time." So I thoughtlessly put on my most uncomfortable pair of shoes and started walking. Take a gander at what I discovered.

Mind you, these were all found in about 5 blocks of one another.  One thing I love about Salt Lake is all of the character - it's everywhere.  This city has been around for about 150 years, and it still holds a many original buildings and homes.  The residence work hard to maintain the charm of the olden days in both interiors and exteriors, and though there comes additional maintenance and cost with living in an older home, I think most people can see the attraction that people like my new friend Charlie and his puppy, Jimmy, have in living in these colorful and unique places. Charlie and Jimmy have lived in the the third home on the top row for "way too long" but Charlie loves it.  When I walked by he was digging for a new walkway in his front yard and told me of his plans to paint the exterior soon. In the meantime, Jimmy was running through all of Charlie's dirt piles getting flecks of soil all over his long coat. He's going to be a sad pup when he discovers Charlie's plan to give him a big haircut tomorrow.

Leave the Light On

Sometimes* at night, when I'm feeling a little homesick, I'll leave my bedside lamp on and fall asleep to the yellow glow behind my eyelids.  This helps me feel like I'm back at my home in Las Vegas where I almost always fall asleep while reading in my cozy bed, but always wake up in the morning to a bulb that has been turned off by one of my parents. If it was my dad who turned my light off for me, he will usually ask me the next day if I dreamed I was a deer in the headlights, to which I'll laugh because nearly everything he says makes me so unbelievably happy that laughing is the only way to get rid of the giddy feeling.


Obviously I'm homesick as I am writing this.

Thanks County Living and Flickr.  For those of you with small spaces, especially studio apartments, create a nook for your bedroom with curtains, headboard, footboard, dresser, bookshelf...some sort of barrier from the rest of the room like in the second picture.  The sheer curtain pictured provides the sense of privacy while still allowing light to travel into the rest of the space and taking up less visual weight.  

Thanks, Wary Meyers. Textures, pillows, books and artwork - all items that conjure up the image of coziness.  Book lovers, what is your favorite way to display your collection? Alphabetical? Lying flat? By color? In piles?

Thanks, Roman & Williams. They do everything right, notably their use of rich colors and soothing patterns.

*Only sometimes, because other times I think of the bills that must be paid or my incredibly "green" professor whom I would have a hard time facing if I was using up energy so lavishly.

Not Too Big, Not Too Small

I've been thinking a lot lately about the beauty in having less, specifically in the thought of having a smaller home.  This thought came to me when I moved into my new house in Salt Lake.  My current room is miniscule. In fact, I can lie on my floor and touch two walls at one time, and I am a human of smaller height proportions.  I enjoyed the process of making this box my home and using every inch to my advantage, especially while "building" my own closet.

We focus a lot on smaller spaces in my schooling and one book specifically has been mentioned in many of my classes - Not So Big House. The simplicity in having only that which you need/really, really want and making use of every corner is appealing, not to mention the peace of mind in getting a mortgage paid off quickly.

I came across a tiny, Victorian cottage that does just that. It is small, lovely, and practical for the shorter amounts of time that it is being used.  The owners, Todd & Sandra Foster, maintained their smaller budget by doing the carpentry themselves (obviously they have the skills in order to do that), salvaging preowned items and refinishing them to fit the shabby chic style, and scouring flea markets for many gems under $20.

{thanks, New York Times}

Why does this work?

• White-on-white-on-white can get dull and tiresome, but The Foster's used texture to avoid the feeling of a sterile hospital. 
• Texture creates more life, so when you want to create contrast with a monochromatic color scheme, mix it up with some lace, velvet, matelasse and moire fabrics, and sanded, striped, or glossy and patterned paints. Even the antique floors and windows have texture.
• They were lucky to have a space with high ceilings and a lot of windows. Light, either natural or artificial, will help open up a space because everything is made visible.
• Using a monochromatic color scheme with pops of color ties each piece into the next for a more uniform space. Imagine if a space this small had varying colors. It would seem a bit too messy for my tastes.