The Studio Apartment that reaches for new heights

Out of all the different dwellings I have thus lived in so far I can honestly say that the most interesting dwelling to live in and to decorate were the one-bedroom flats, or studios or bachelor units (whatever you want to call them). So often people believe that bigger is better and maybe in some other areas in life this may be true but in the case of dwellings I would have to disagree. Living in a small space is not only convenient but allows you to use your imagination when decorating, whether it is creating false walls via bookcases, trying to figure out smart ways to store items or finding the best way to build up vertically in a chic manner. 

So here's to small spaces! And if you find that you just can't think of anything for your small space, just look at these inspiring pictures.

*THE NOT-SO-TYPICAL SMALL SPACE*

This space isn't exactly the typical "small" space we speak of but it is a one room flat none-the-less and does deserve it's due credit. Making use of the height of the wall as storage space for books is not only smart but also creates a unique-vibe to the living quarter.

*LIGHTNESS & WHITE*

One of the tricks to creating the illusion of a more open and airy space... lightness & white.

*RUSTIC COMFORT*

Making it comfy and homey is not entirely out of the question. More likely than not you're at an advantage when it comes to these two characteristics when dealing with smaller spaces, much of this has to do with the fact that you have less space to fill which means you're already half way there! 

*THE MINIMAL*

Contemporary and minimal is a smart way to go. As we all know the tidier a space the more room available. 

*BUILDING UPWARDS*

One of the smartest and fun ways to go when it comes to making the most out of a small space is to build... upwards! This often means lofted beds!

Wacky homes that make you go 'Wha?!'

A compilation of images of wacky homes that made it into today's 'Wacky homes that make you go "Wha?!' post.  Enjoy!

WACKY BUILDING STRUCTURES

WACKY MODERN STRUCTURES!

WACKY STONE STRUCTURES?

REACHING THE LIMITS OF WACKINESS

WHAT THE HECK?!

Ranch-Styled Homes

Let us first begin with how the Ranch-style house is defined...

Ranch-style housing is a domestic architectural style originating in the United States.  The structure of the ranch-style house is noted for its long, low profile with minimal use of exterior as well as interior decor.  The houses meld modernist ideas and styles with a feel of the American Western period exuding a style of casual living.  -Wikipedia

THE FULL VIEW

The architecture of this ranch-style house goes against the noteable "low" characteristic of ranch-style houses (with the pointed roof), however the open floor-plan and the natural surrounding backdrop seems to be that of a ranch-style home.

FAVORITE!

Leaning towards the modern in design in and out this is a beautiful example of a 21st century ranch-style home.

IN-DOOR OUT-DOOR TRANSITION

FAVORITE!

COOK

EAT

LIVE

FAVORITE!

ALL IN ONE

SLEEP

CLEAN

FAVORITE!

A Taste of My House Revisited (O.G. A.K.A. Micasarevisita)

Thanks to another great blogger, Lori of Automatism, who posts absolutely wonderful pictures of most everything, and yes, even the inside of beautiful homes, I was introduced to Mi Casa Revisita, a site concentrated on everything interior (also where the images of today's posts are from).  Mi Casa Revisita is in Spanish but I'm sure you will be able to find your way around the site, with just a little bit of Spanish such as "bano", "casa", "terrazas" and such words it is simple enough to navigate through the site, however reading the actual articles may be another ball-game.

"House of the Free Spirited" as this house is so aptly named is breath-taking but not in the romantic sense of the word, breath-taking in a sense that the mixture of contemporary, minimal and spanish style of the house is so well integrated together that one can't possibly imagine topping it.  I absolutely love being taken in surprise (assuming that the surprises are good of course) and The House of the Free Spirited did exactly that with it's mix of rustic, modern, vintage, and contemporary pieces all against the backdrop of a minimal and modern home.

I think that very often when trying to decide what kind of look you want your home to be many get caught up in sticking to one look whether it's minimal, modern or rustic, etc.  I suppose it is safest to do so, but in this case I feel like going with how one feels, what one likes in a single piece and incorporating that into the home regardless of it's interior genre has worked greatly to the benefit of the big picture.

(Above image) - I love that the tiled flooring is continuous and the same from the inside of the house to the outside, it gives a free flowing vibe that not only makes this small house seem even larger than it is but also a feeling of balance and connection between the inside and outside of the house, hence I suppose the name of the house, "House of the Free Spirited".

(Above image) - the use of rustic colors that are dabbled about the entire interior (the basket in the corner, the teal on the shelves, the colors of the picture above the sofa, the red of the wooden chairs) brings life to what other-wise could have been a rather drab interior.  Sometimes when given an empty space, in this case it would have been tiled floors and white walls, it can be hard to imagine the space at it's best- I think a wonderful job was done here with the inclusion of different colors probably not normally used especially given the spanish-colored tiles (such as the bright red wooden chairs) which actually gives it the right amount of pop needed for the look of the room as whole.

(Above image) - here is an image that epitomizes the whole reason why I love this house so much, the use of different interior genres that just seem to go curiously well, the rustic table and vintage chairs with a backdrop of a very modern and minimal kitchen.