Bench

I love this practical work of art by Hugo Franca. He uses trees which have naturally fallen over in the forests or have been left over by loggers. He allows the beauty of the wood to dictate his furniture creations. Beautiful!

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Dining

This is a great example of how easy it is to create a space for eating. A simple wooden, inexpensive table can give you a great template from which to add chairs which don't cost the earth.  Choose mismatched chairs and coordinate them by recovering them with fabric and a sturdy staple gun.

Make an uncomfortable bench comfortable by adding padded seating. 

A great space which links the kitchen and the dining space.

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Bathroom

I have promised myself that my next house build will have one of the bathrooms looking just like this. Shower curtains will not do in this ambient environment. I love it!

What do you think?

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Chairs

These chairs seem appropriate: celebratory, functional and beautiful to behold. Joel Escalona Santos has managed to create these glass fiber chairs that will work well in any modernist setting.

Do you like them?

Don't forget to have a wonderful year!



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Lounge

Pink is not a colour one sees often in a lounge but this shade brings out the best in this room.
Notice the alcoves, wooden shutters and accents, windows, spiral staircase and the overall rustic lived-in look makes this a charming, unpretentious space.


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Lounge

If you have a lounge which needs brightening up and you are finding it difficult to come up with a colour scheme which you can live with and easily alter later, then you could start with: white, blue and yellow.
This lounge is easy to live with, fresh and adaptable. Notice how one area is painted a more vibrant color and stands out from the rest of the room without overpowering it.
This would work especially well if you had a large open plan area which you needed to divide without spending a fortune. The wall could be substituted with wall panelling or wooden room dividers which could be painted or decorated to your own taste.
Add accessories slowly - rushing out and trying to fill spaces usually end up being costly mistakes. Live in your empty space for a while and then decide on pieces because you love them, not because they are in fashion or your neighbour has one.

Window dressing is also important. If you are looking for a clean, fresh look them adding flouncy curtains won't do. Blinds which blend into the wall are discreet and easy to maintain - no major washing and pressing of fabric curtains.
I will be doing a post on window dressing shortly so watch this space!

Room designed by Gunkelmans.com - visit them for other great interiors.

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Doors

This double door set within an adobe framework and leading from the outside into a courtyard is part of my fascination regarding doors. Old doors in particular. The newer lighter weight doors are clearly more practical and cost much less as they are mass produced.
My doors, the doors that I cannot stop gazing at or touching(!), are those which have been at least hand finished by craftspeople who love their work. Oh, those images of people lovingly making these works of art just won't go away!

Are you fascinated by old wooden doors?


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Bedroom

This twin bedroom is somewhere most people wouldn't mind waking up in. I love this room for its old-fashioned simplicity. The wallpaper harks back to yesteryear without being overpowering.

The room is fairly easy to recreate. The walls could be painted apple-white instead of using wallpaper and if you have an old wooden bedstead it could be brought back to life with a coat of hard-wearing paint - if it has seen better days and had a few knocks all the better.

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Fireplace

Kiva fireplaces are just adorable. It reminds me of my short stay with friends a few winters ago in Mexico. We spent many evenings sat round the Kiva fireplace with homemade margarita's and tapas sharing awful jokes! My friend had a home where  you had to kick off your shoes and put your feet up and explore the fridge yourself if you wanted a snack. Great fun.

I love Kiva fires because they are usually in unpretentious homes. The kind of homes where it doesn't matter if you happen to spill things or leave a few items strewn around - makes it look more homely.

These fires really do work and they are usually tucked away in a corner of the room and so tend not to overwhelm spaces yet they look wonderful too. Apparently the fireplace is quite weighty and so you would need to ensure you have solid floor foundations. If in doubt get expert advice before trying to install one yourself, which could be done without too much fuss.

Do you like these fireplaces as much as I do? Or maybe you have one - tell us what you like/dislike about them.

Shower

Only one phrase: Simple decadence.

See more beautiful interiors at studioluxe.com

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Kitchen

A wooden kitchen cannot be beaten in terms of the look and feel of wood. Here the owners of this kitchen have exhibited their love of wood in the sink, the drawers, the worktops and accessories.

If you are buying wood do try and ensure it is eco-friendly, i.e. from renewable sources and not hardwood from the rainforests. There are so many eco-sources available now so we have no excuse.

This kitchen would suit a small space where a 'wow factor' was required without spending a fortune. If you have a larger space then this could be the spare sink in the corner or in a utility room. I think it is always preferable to have a double sink as I find them much more practical but it is all a matter of taste and space.

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Bathroom

Is this not the ultimate luxurious bathroom?

Imagine a cold wintery day and you arrive home after a hard day of work and have the ability to sink into a bath of warm silky bubbles with a glass of wine in front of the glowing embers of the fire.

Bliss!

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