Sitting in a meadow of flowers, surrounded by fruit trees, not far from the Baltic Sea in Germany is Haus Otteni. This old farm workers’ house has been lovingly restored by its photographer owner. It’s a family home of interconnecting rooms, clay plaster walls, rustic beams and a dark cave like feel. Interesting sight lines and the play of light and shadow reveal the photographer’s eye. A special place that is made even more lovely by its everyday practicality. Precious but not precocious. Even better it is available for holiday rent. Sunbathing in the meadows, relaxing in the shade of a fruit tree, soft breezes blowing in from the coast. Lazy, blowsy summer days with family or friends.

Husband and wife team Rebecca Thuss and Patrick Farrell. Photography, set design, styling, creative direction, graphic design. Dynamic duo. Great portfolio. Graphic images and stylish ideas. The drama of the special event. The drama of the intimate. Thuss+Farrell.

I’m having a design crisis. I’m finding myself drawn to brown. Not just brown but neutrals, no… naturals, maybe wood… and stone… maybe brick. Grass and feathers and gnarly old branches next to turned bowls of eggs and seed pods. It’s clutter and collections and brown…. brown… natural… oh and copper and brass and antiques and hemp and sisal and hand made furniture and back to brown. It’s driving me crazy but I can’t help it. I found this home in the countryside just outside Berrima in New South Wales on my regular real estate stalking and I should be running screaming shouting “no”, “no”, “no” but… I’m kind of hooked. It bothers me but perhaps it shouldn’t. Link here while it lasts.

Matthew Hranek gets people. He gets the spaces they live in and the lives they lead. He gets it. Then he captures it through the lens of his camera. Homes are lived in. Homes are the people that live in them. Homes live. Just like these three homes from his portfolio via his rep’s site.

Caterpillar House, a modern interpretation of the ranch style house with a serious mid-century riff. It’s low slung and open planned, sitting comfortably in its surrounds. A rammed earth home rising from fields of waving grass. Environmentally sustainable and good looking. Caterpillar House by Feldman Architecture.