This reader request comes from Lia: “I take possession next week of a little urban cottage in Overbrook. I have pretty much no cash to do much of anything, but have to do some renos (redo hardwood throughout; upgrade electrical; paint, of course). I had a designer give me a hour’s consulation re: colours, but beyond that… I’m on my own. I’d like the place to reflect my artsy bent and be a sanctuary for my daughter and I. Do you have any ideas for a space of about 800 square feet, including an eat-in kitchen (70’s style brown wood-type cabinets, I’ll keep the linoleum for now, 10 by 14 feet), 12 by 14 foot living with with non-functional fireplace (brown brick and slate), the smallest bathroom possible (with pink and black tiles with white toilet and walk-in bath – that will have to be replaced), and a bedroom for myself (12 by 9) and for my three-year-old (10 by 9)? Do you have any images of cottage-sized, girl-pretty places?” What dug around my photo stash and found all sorts of small-ish spaces with a girly touch, which hopefully will inspire Lia to create a gorgeous little home for her and her daughter. A chick pad. 🙂 I found enough photos for 2 posts so here are some living rooms and bathrooms and tomorrow will be kitchens and bedrooms.

Bolig Magasinet	design*sponge
Sally Conran	Martha Stewart

jj Locations
The Cross Decor & Design
Domino
Marie Claire MaisonHouse to Home
House to Home
House to Home
Tara Larkin
Living Etc.

The New York Times	Bolig Magasinet
Apartment Therapy	Domino

Domino
House to Home

(where Canadians kicked Russian ass I might add), I had to amuse myself in between goals so I painted my toenails for the first time since September-ish and was surfing the net a bit when I came across the site for French Canadian shelter mag Décormag, which I hadn’t visited in some time. I was pleasantly surprised to find an eclectic and funky pad which is unlike the usual style of this magazine. It’s the downtown Vancouver apartment of designers Chad Farquharson and Wayne McGill of We Live Like This Design and Styling. LOVE THIS.

As I promised yesterday, here is another project by Priscilla Glover and Ivan Spaller of Urban Nature Inc., thanks to Tammy, their realtor. This time it’s a Victorian home built in 1890 that was moved from Marlin, Texas to the heart of Austin – which explains why Tammy calls it “extreme gingerbread”. The entire home was restored and updated in just over a year, maintaining much of the classical architecture while adding modern touches. I’m completely smitten with the exterior. Who cares what the inside looks like – I’d be sold on it while pulling up out front. (See more photos here and check out more of their work here).

Yes, that’s right. How creative must someone be to convert a church into a castle? Tammy emailed us about this INSANE home in Austin, Texas that was the creation of her friends Priscilla Glover and Ivan Spaller of Urban Nature Inc. It was formerly a mission style church built in 1925, and Urban Nature Inc. decided to modernize it with a bit of rock and roll while keeping some old world touches. Talk about a party house! Tammy is their realtor and has since sold the church, but stay tuned tomorrow for another project of theirs just down the road (that is for sale last I heard).

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…and your pet happens to be sitting on it). And second, the photo must be of decent quality. If it’s REALLY dark or fuzzy (from a camera phone) then it may not make the cut. Thanks! (Photos can be sent to desiretoinspirekim[@]hotmail[.]com and PLEASE don’t send me closeups of your pet!!!)

***Note: I am out on holidays next weekend for 10 days so there will be no pet posts for the next 2 Mondays, but please keep sending in entries for the Monday after I get back!

“This is ‘Otto’, my french bulldog seating in a Eames Lounge Chair.”
– Juan

“Here are two photos of our Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Finnegan, on a French arm chair in our dining room. (I thought it was appropriate to have our pup– whose breed is infamous for its French nobility origins– on a French chair).”
– Jessica

“Big guy on a bench in Santa Fe.”
– Shannon

“Love your ‘Pet’s on Furniture’ special and thought I would contribute two pictures of our cat Heidi doing her favorite thing – napping.=^..^=”
– Doreen

“My name is Ana Hester and I am enclosing a picture of the cat Daragh, surveying the landscape from her perch upon the antique bookcase.”
– Ana

“This is our Cheach, a dilute tortie. It’s rather ridiculous how comfortable she can make herself.”
– Ian

“I wanted to submit pictures of my family’s two dogs. The first is our Chaweenie (dachshund-chihuahua) Peanut. He is tiny but he finds a way to take up the entire couch and use all of the pillows! The next is our Vizsla,Ginger, looking out the window from “her” chair at the kitchen table.”
– Lauren

“My cat Josie…. clearly, she is the queen of the house.”
– Matt

“here are two shots of my boxer, Stella on our furniture…it is a hard life for stella”
– Stephanie

“While this isn’t a fabulous picture of either Gordo or the couch (which my very dear friend and design guru calls the “world’s most expensive dog bed”), I like the shot because the Gord has gone totally cammo in the granny blanket and throw. She’s like: What dog, where? There’s no dog here. Nothing to look at Pets on Furniture Monday Web Site, you, move along. Go look somewhere else for some Puppy on a Pappasan, there’s no one here…”
– Priscilla