I love homes that actually invite you to live in them rather than feeling like either a museum or a hotel room. And, to be honest, I’ve been in a few that felt like cheap motel rooms. 😉

The idea that change or clutter is a problem is a curiosity to me. When you live in a space you have clutter, you have change. It is as normal and everyday as pretty much anything you can imagine.

While I don’t live in a spotless home with absolutely no clutter would be a lie. I don’t live in a home that is totally clutter, either.

Mr. Carrington recently showed us the latest iteration of his loft space and it is lovely! As one commenter mentioned, who would have thought that the old, dark space could be transformed into a light, airy, roomy space? Check it out:

Mr. C’s love of finding inexpensive items and doing DIYs or refits works so well here. You never know what you can find at a car boot sale, or a second hand shop. With a little ingenuity, not to mention a touch of courage, you can create rooms with just as much interest, too.

The trick, if there is one, is to allow yourself to play. Nothing has to be permanent, so if you don’t like it, change it.

Want to really up the options? Why not get together with friends and share your unwanted items? One person’s trash is another person’s treasure – and, with a lick of paint, a spot of glue, a touch of glitter, you can turn that <ahem> trash into some spectacular treasure.

Let the party begin!

I’m a huge fan or Mr. Carrington over on YouTube. His videos are interesting, educational, humorous, thoughtful, and, if all that wasn’t enough, relaxing and personable. The time you spend with him is well worth it.

This week’s vlog is a ‘spend the day’ vlog that covers a lot of territory. Personally, I can’t decide if I like the King’s Cross visit (with The 9 3/4 platform) or the visit to Fortnam and Mason. Or all the places in between.

Check it out:

I always enjoy the forays into shops, be it charity hauls or adventures on the market streets.

If you are looking for something new and different to occupy your hands, check out Mr. C’s new hobby.

Enjoy!

Me, too!

I love to find inexpensive (i.e.: cheap) ways to help me organize my home. I try to find unusual ways to use things. Bookcases can be for more than just books, right?

I found a great resource over on YouTube: The Crafty Organizer with Norrine Burke provides lots of great ideas for finding ways to tackle (corral?) all kinds of things that need to be organized in the home, office, craft space, or whatever.

Check out her website and don’t forget to look her up on Instagram.

This recent video really gave me a lot to think about and inspired me to look around for ways I could incorporate her ideas in my home.

Enjoy!

I’m a long time fan of the Farmhouse Vernacular. Not only because the design esthetic is close to mine, but because Paige has developed a pretty clear methodology on How To Do It.

How to decide what your particular design is.

I know it sounds complicated and scary, but it really isn’t. It is also easier than you might think.

The first thing you need to do is collect pictures and samples of those things you love and want in a room, or your home.

In years past you would be directed to collect these things from magazines but these days you can create boards on Pinterest or similar boards. You can also use your phone to collect photos of items, etc., that meet the “I LOVE THAT!” criteria. (Note the capital letters.)

What is the “I LOVE THAT!” criteria? It could be color, style, design, inspiration or any other definition that makes your heart beat a bit faster and brings a smile to your face when you see it.

If you are a collector, you might consider including your collections in a room or two. If you have a particular fondness for a certain color or collection of colors, you might consider including them in your design for a room or two. If you feel particularly adventurous, you might evolve that collection of colors to flow through your entire home. It isn’t as difficult as you might think.

Are you fond of a particular style? Some folks really enjoy comfy cozy furniture that lends itself to curling up under a blanket to watch a movie. Others prefer clean clear lines with minimum frills. Not sure what you like? Take some time to gather ideas – note that reference to Pinterest noted above. 🙂

Personally, I prefer color in my home. I also like a touch of whimsy and a bit of casual comfort. I don’t love (let alone like) sofas or beds covered with pillows that require a complete stripping of the furniture before it can be used as a place to sit or recline on. I ‘get’ the idea but the reality is that I wanted the sofa or the bed to be used not as a display area. 🙂

Check out Paige’s latest on her gallery wall. It is an awesome collection of items that continues to evolve – something else that is a great idea as it limits or eliminates boredom of design.

The ideas extend beyond the gallery wall – you can use them in some form or other for the rest of your home, too.

Tell me what you think!

I came across Engineer Your Space on YouTube several years ago. I love finding creative folks who are courageous and willing to think out of the box when it comes to making use of small spaces. At the time, Isabelle LaRue was living in a small apartment in New York City. I thought her ideas and designs were interesting and doable by most folks.

It wasn’t long that she moved to Los Angeles and once again created a living space that is warm, comfortable, useful, and, most importantly, doable by the average renter.

Granted, she has experience with tools, but that is something that anyone can learn. They can also rent tools if necessary, so that shouldn’t be an impediment.

What I can appreciate the most is the way Isabelle tackles problems, areas, projects in ways that are creative and affordable. They are all Renter Friendly and geared toward small spaces, but that doesn’t mean that the average homeowner can’t make use of her ideas, too.

I recently revisited the YouTube channel to find updates on her apartment. I love the way living in a space gives you opportunity to find out how it works best for you and what you can do to make use of all the features.

Check out her website here: Engineer Your Space, but don’t forget to check out her other media outlets.