Design Crew

Got a problem? Need some help? Just standing there shaking your head? Don't know what to do? You're not alone. Send us a link to photos of your design quandary and let the Desire to Inspire design crew help you .... that's you lot ... the readers! This week's problem comes from Emily.

I love your blog and was excited to see the post asking for design problems - and I have a design problem! I live in a <800 sq ft loft in San Francisco with my boyfriend, Ryan, and our dog, Bentley. Our biggest room down stairs serves as living room/dining room/office, and needs to be reorganized. We would like to create a living room space that is more inviting - right now we trend towards gathering with friends in the kitchen instead. We're opening to moving everything, even getting new pieces if necessary.

I put numbers on (this)photo ... so I could walk you through the room:
1. hi-fi cabinet - keeper - has about 2ft on either side right now of empty space.
2. TV - keeper - occasionally used to watch movies, so OK that it is behind the chair, we just move the chair.
3-4. corner desk and cabinet -keepers - these need to travel together to maintain the 'office' and are keepers because they were designed and built by Ryan and I.
5. dining table -can get new- seats 4 when as is (pushed up against the wall), we often pull it out and add chairs to seat 6.

A few quick DIYs

I was meandering around one of my favourite Swedish blogs, Annaleena's HEM, and came across a few simple and awesome DIY projects she's blogged lately that I had to share.

First, how about writing words on a wall using rope lighting...

Or a simple clothing rack using copper piping and some cable (this one actually comes from Ivania @ Love Aesthetics)

And last but not least, covering a vase with bubble wrap, for something a little unexpected.

Reader's home - Lucy's four walls and a roof

This reader's home belongs to Lucy, and here's what she had to say about it: We've been living in this house for 5 years. It had lots of, shall we say, 'deferred maintenance' when we moved in - all hidden under layers of cream paint. It's gone from being a vanilla ice-cream-colored box filled with IKEA furniture that we bought in a single weekend (long story - we moved from England and had to start from scratch) through the arrival of our two kids, countless variations of layout and wall color, to finally becoming a family home. I blogged about the process (and other design dilemmas) at fourwallsandaroof.com. The most newly remodelled part of the house is the kitchen, powder room, dining room and family room. Love the mid-century vibe in the newly done rooms. Great job Lucy! (Some photos by Chris Gaede)

 

  

Click to read more ...

Stalking cute retro and courtyard

Just a quick couple of photos of a Balmain, Sydney home I found while real estate stalking today. Cute living room flowing to courtyard. Surely that's not a HD TV :) Do you think it was styled for sale (the bedroom in the listing is empty) or just savagely decluttered for the shots? For me add a bigger rug, more art, few more bits and bobs. Shazam! Feels like home. Link here while it lasts.

Location, location, location

 

Never mind the apartment. Look at the view! Seldom use OMG but OMG! OMG the view! I think if I could afford it I'd be hiring a top gun interior designer to help the inside sit sympathetically with the outside. Real estate stalking right on the shores of Sydney Harbour. Kiribilli to be exact. Do you think the bridge noise and pollution would turn you off? I say just pull those double glassed windows closed. Link here while it lasts.