This next home is that of Melody, and it has an interesting past: “We moved in a little over 2 months ago and we’re still settling in.  The bf, chi and I transitioned from a 600sq ft apt, to this massive 1330 sq bungalow. It’s on Henry Ford’s former estate on a very old island in Miami Beach called Hibiscus Island. Ford’s VP built it in 1930 and it’s passed through a few owners since. It’s very bohemian, quiet, eclectic and inviting. Aside from some weird history that I’ve read about ford and his cohorts, we love this location. (One of my bungalow neighbors has a tiled swastika inlay-ed in her floor. She keeps it very hush hush with an Ikea rug over it at all times. Apparently the Nazi’s were big into Ford’s assembly line thing- and the dude is even mentioned in Meinkamph).
Anyways, back to my home… The main space that we use as our living room has 15 ft ceilings and a wonderful view of the bay. We have a couple who lives on a boat docked outside, you can spot it in one of the shots.  I have a mix of taxidermy, thoughtfully selected sentimental bits, tons of books in our fireplace because the boy is an avid reader, an ever growing family wall of childhood pics and memories and some handmade treasures and prints picked up on Etsy. The kitchen, as I’ve been told was his butler’s quarters. The Chi Parker loves to sunbathe in the kitchen because the terrazzo floors heat up nicely. My bar is rarely stocked, but holds some of my fav pieces: a found book ‘poems/tiny apts’, an antique chemistry vessel and a scull decanter my uncle made 45 yrs ago.  All in all the space is air enough that we don’t feel cramped but I’m sure I’ll keep filling it up with more yummy things.”
Melody has entered her home in The Selby/CB2 contest so go here for her entry and to vote for her. Thanks Melody – your home is fab and WHAT A VIEW!!!

I’ve got 2 reader’s homes for you today. This one comes from Ragnhild, a Norwegian who has spent the last 6 years in Copenhagen, Denmark. She is a freelance architect, graphic designer and photographer who lives in a large apartment with her friend Katrine, who bought it as a renovation project last summer. They have both worked very hard to turn the apartment into a stylin’ pad. Here is a little tour of their home (Check out Ragnhild’s blog “Mine Venners Hjem” which means “My Friends’ Homes” = she visits her friends’ homes and their friends’ homes and takes pictures and writes about their spaces, in both Norwegian and English).

A globe from a local secondhand store lightens up the living room, – together with ”Hans” the penguin. A stack of the Norwegian interior magazine, “Nytt Rom”  (New Room) works perfectly as a side table.

The chairs are also from the local secondhand store and the dining table is from Katrine’s childhood. The table got a tiny makeover with a bucket of chalkboard paint. My collection of architecture and design books is placed directly on the floor in lack of a bookcase. The photographs are my own. The nice wooden floor was discovered under several layers of carpets, boards and concrete.

The Bouroullec brothers’ well-known algues are decorating the wall behind the sofa from Bolia. The algues were a gift from a friend and former colleague. The yellow bird pillow was purchased at Habitat during a trip to Brighton. The graphic black and white pillow is home-made.

My favourite chair was bought for a very reasonable price at a “staff-auction” at R.O.O.M. and has been named “Haiald”. In the black leather chair lays the sheepskin rug “Ludde”. The pouf in front of the chair is from Granit and is filled with quilts and pillows for overnight guests. My mum bought the radio in the window with money she got at her confirmation.

In my bedroom stands Ewan McGregor’s directors chair for Habitat. A very helpful and patient moose from Hay is hanging over the chair.

Helmer, the drawerunit from Ikea got a new life with help from a dymo labelwriter. The little wooden monkey is a gift from a friend. Some of my own photos are hanging over the drawer unit.

An old beer case from the Carlsberg brewery works as a cd rack. The newspaper rack is yet another treasure from the local secondhand shop. The wall behind is stripped for many layers of wallpaper and has now become our own “Buenos Aires” wall.

The tiny dinosaurs in the bay window are a gift from a good friend.

Old frames found at various flea markets will some day contain family photos. So far Beck, a small sparrow and my favourite car “Fiat 500″  have the honour.

The kitchen door got a facelift with a few strokes of chalkboard paint and has also become  a bulletin board.

The kitchen window has a view of the backyard garden. The garden will soon be green and lush. Cups from Marimekko and a little basil is standing in the window sill.

The WC’s old, brown tiles are painted in a brighter colour and the door has become lemon yellow. The Garland lamp from Habitat got a splash of the same colour. The original floor tiles and the green bathroom fittings have survived the renovation.

Next to the front door we revealed a beautiful brick wall under layers of plaster. The door has also been introduced to the dymo … au revoir!

Since starting this blog with Jo almost 4 years ago and browsing through hundreds of portfolios (no, make that thousands) of interior designers, I continue to be baffled by the amount of designers who do not utilize the expertise of a professional photographer. Because someone like photographer Michael Robinson could make the ugliest of rooms absolutely beautiful, and appear as art. Now, none of the spaces I found in Michael’s portfolio are by any means ugly, but he is so talented I had to devour each and every photo included in this post – particularly the kitchens. Gorg!!!

If you’d like to send us photos to include in next week’s “pets on furniture” post, please ensure your photos follow our basic rules: First, the pet must be on a piece of furniture. And said piece of furniture must be clearly visible in the photo, so it takes center stage rather than your pet. (Think of it more of a photo of a great piece of furniture that you want to show off…and your pet happens to be sitting on it). And second, the photo must be of decent quality. If it’s dark or fuzzy (from a camera phone) then it may not make the cut. Thanks! (Photos, your name, location and a brief description can be sent to desiretoinspirekim@hotmail.comand PLEASE don’t send me closeups of your pet!)

“Here’s BooBoo, my cat in my old living room on her favorite spot.”
– Yvonne (Lommel, Belgium)

“Layla enjoys laying on the couch and watching people walk past (and long walks on the beach and sunset picnics).”
– Caity (Pittsburgh, PA)

“This is my dog Elvis helping me with my mornings work”
– Mandy

“I’ve attached three pics. Two of our cat Ferris, who is a 6 year old Maine Coon. He’s ginormous- we call him Gigante or Lion. He loves to sit near you, but not with you. Hence why he loves to sit on our coffee table in the living room. Huck Finn, our six year old mutt dog, loves to sit any where comfortable- usually between my husband and I. The last two pics are from when I was taking pictures of our new bedding, Ferris came and sat on the bed looking like the huge lion he is. The last picture is of Huck showing off his Molly Mutt bed. He loves it, but he was being a bit shy in front of the camera.”
– Karen and Jeremy (San Francisco)

“Here’s a photo of our two dogs, Fran (with the ears) and Lucy (the gorgeous blonde) – who love to lounge on our leather ottoman in our front room which faces the street. We call it The Throne.”
– Tracey (Denver, CO)

“I’ve enclosed a picture of our cat, Leon, sitting in his favorite spot, the windowseat in our sunroom, on this little carpet with cats on it. We’ve had a great summer in Boston so he’s spent most of his afternoons right there. He likes to look out the window and wait for his friend, another cat next door, to sit in her window, and then they look at each other for awhile. It’s so cute.”
– Elizabeth

“Our four-legged, fluffy child, Sadie, thinks our living room couch is in fact hers. If you try and sit down while she’s stretched out, she won’t move an inch to accommodate you.”
– Beth (Santa Monica, CA)
  

“This is my lovely pup Remy relaxing on my vintage chair.”
– Jessica (Denton, TX)

“Here are my two fellas. The first is of Mr. Kitty sitting on a quilt that my great-grandmother made, next to my grandparents’ drum table, and below an enlarged copy of an envelope that my grandfather sent my grandmother during WWII. The second incudes Smokey Joe. I guess he felt left out after he saw me snapping away at Mr. Kitty.”
– Celia (Tennessee)
  

“I had already the great happiness to see a picture of one of my cats, Bijou, in the site, along with other wonderful pets. It was really great! This time I send you the younguest of my four beauties: Chico. I adopted him in december, 2009. Hes like a brazilian hurricane….rs… Since his arrival, everything turned upside down! He loves to climb (and sometimes destroy…) the furniture and there is no place that Chico can’t reach. Here, we see him in a rare moment of rest, on the top of a small provencal table, leaned on a tin white lantern that I like very much.”
– Ana

“this is my friend Sheila’s cat, relaxing on a nice expensive leather couch!”
– Mark

“Mouse says ‘Yes, this great big chair is just about the right size for me!’ You can see the other cat in the back ground – Mouse won’t share that huge chair with her!! She is a bit naughty and possessive, lucky Mischa is such an obligingly delightful ‘sister’. They are only 6 months old.”
– Ingrid

“As I realized that you have this weekly contest about nice pets on furniture I thought I should grab my chance and send you a pic of my dog Cesi (orginally Cesar, a Pekingese crossbreed) sitting on my IKEA Klippan couch given to me by my boss…”
– Linda (Germany)

“Gato (cat) ‘Fuscas’. He is asleep. It is a very hot summer day.”
– Giselda (Funchal, Madeira, Portugal)

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