I will confess: For years, I had been a hardback snob. If a volume which I wanted came only in paperback form, I’d borrow it over and over from the library rather than purchase it for my bookshelves. Favorite paperbacks from my student days, which I could not quite discard, got pushed to an armoire in the guest bedroom — a thoughtful touch for visitors who might long to get a good read, I convinced myself. And I got over…
We frequently ask how to make the most of a petite space. Bear in mind your space has advantages! Outdoor living spaces need to have a coziness variable, which is much easier to create in a smaller space. One of my favourite design tricks for small spaces is built in seating. Here is the best way to use it for dramatic effect on your cozy space. Kim Rooney Landscape Architecture Define your own territory. Built-in seating might offer architectural design…
Architecture duo Joost Woertman and Anna Everding snagged this five-story construction in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, for only 1 euro. Within a civil initiative to rescue rundown areas of Rotterdam, the status of this exceptional deal was that the severely burned property required to be restored to its former glory. The deal was just too good to turn down, but the whole house, both inside and outside, had a comprehensive facelift. “Everything needed to be redone,” Woertman states. “When you renovate…
We all know how easy it is to crawl into bed at the end of a very long day and in our exhaustion, ditch everything out of eye glasses to the paper to our children’ toys on the bedside table. Avoid this clutter and the aggravation that accompanies it by studying this space as an opportunity for design. There is not any demand for anything grandiose; you can use things you’ve. I promise you; if you fashion a loved vignette…
I know, most of us visit January and February looming ahead after the holidays and start to panic a little with spring nowhere in sight. Why don’t you bring some of the cheer of the months past with you and straight into the new calendar year? Just because it is cold and snowy doesn’t mean it can’t be fun. Hope you enjoy. — Melissa from Melissa Loves Terrain Mophead Hydrangea – $68 This is some thing to remind yourself that…
If you work at home, you understand how important your home office will be to your everyday life. Butjust like any office area, in the home or elsewhere, it’s easy to let major aspects like organization and functionality fall into the wayside during hectic workdays. If you feel like your home office is hitting a rut, it might be time to estimate its present state for the new year. You will need only a simple improvement, such as adding a…
This season on Mad Men, a few glittery golden and brass items have been catching my eye, particularly the one that hangs over Don and Megan Draper’s mattress. Sculptural metallic pieces like these filled a gap between midcentury-modern style and also a more brutalist bravura modern aesthetic; back in the 1960s and 1970s they have been utilized in a wide variety of room styles. The most well-known sculptures were Curtis Jeré, or C. Jeré, sculptures. They have been produced by…
Photographer and blogger Ilaria Chiaratti’s house is a colorful haven brimming with creativity and a distinguishing vintage-eclectic style. The cozy flat, a stone’s throw from Eindhoven central channel in North Brabant, the Netherlands, is full of retro and thrift-store bits and handmade products. Chiaratti has an eye for vintage design and uses elements of new and old to style her distinctive mix-and-match house. Through her blog, IDA Interior LifeStyle, she shares her inspiration for interior styling, her crochet works and…
“If you are able to construct an energy-efficient home that’s cost-effective also, why do you not take action?” Inquires Austin architect Stuart Sampley. After he started his practice five decades back, he saw a difference in the marketplace for young, creative professionals that wish to own clever, high-income houses without spending a fortune. “I do not [design this way] because it’s green — I do it because it’s the right thing to do,” he says. The Austin Design Build Alliance,…
A easy approach to revive a room would be to design the mantel. Attempt one striking piece of art or a layering of mirrors, art, foliage and accessories — the possibilities are endless. Not sure what sort of accessory would function best with your decoration or where to start? The items I’ve chosen range from the whimsical to the stunning and the rustic to the glamorous; there is something for every style and mood. I really like the way my…