I rarely find a space so mesmerizing that I feel the urge to share it with others. But this light-filled, bright, natural, cavernous space is very memorable. I am in love with it.
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/architecture/old-meets-new-in-a-jaffa-apartment-daily-icon-154972
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This post was very interesting to me, because the resident wasted half of his tiny space with a monstrous bed/couch thingy. I would have had some sort of bunk bed or loft built for the bed so that underneath could be storage/real couch space. Anyway, the best part here is imagining how you would outfit this apartment... that is basically a large closet.
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/furniture-design/lukes-barely-habitable-video-tour-153430
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Currently a poster of my childhood hero is all that hangs above my bed.
Okay - I have to figure out what to do behind my bed. The poster just isn't cutting it... it was a fast, cheap solution. I have added a white throw to the bed to break up the pattern overkill, and have a storage bench at the foot of the bed. Now, what to do for my next step. I have some ideas I like more than others, but nothing is really "it"... there isn't one idea that I am married to.
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I am not sure if fabric or wallpaper has been used here, but large canvases or sheets of plywood could be covered in a white or softly printed fabric for effect.
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This is my favorite, but the striking black and white would be out of place in my soft, cool-tone room. A plywood sheet could have a foam front and fabric cover for a simple upholstered headboard.
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I may dream about such a headboard, but I am on a budget. I may look around for a decently priced, tufted piece.
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I love this wooden headboard, but I don't want my bed to start looking overly concocted or precious... I am really trying to inject a little edge and artistic flair into my run-of-the-mill design.
Update: Upon further perusing and thinking this evening, I have decided to look for a vintage-style metal headboard. It will be the least fussy option, and I will actually love it! I may even find a proper-sized old spindle bed - my all-time favorite.
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I love this idea... I see me cutting various shapes using various color pallets and possibly stringing a whole bunch up in my guest bedroom (which is still a bare moonscape at the moment)... or maybe draping over the center of my antique oval frame for an interesting look. Anyway, my mind is going and I will update if I ever use this idea in the real world.
http://www.ohcrafts.net/decoration-paper-punch-heart-garland.php
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I have been on a roll lately.... thinking up new ways to make my house nicer. Before elaborating on this, I want to share with you the places I go to spend hours gathering inspiration.

First, I highly, highly recommend Apartment Therapy. It is, hands down, the best, in my point of view. It is real... people with various design budgets like to collect a variety of things and use them to make their spaces full of personality and artistic value. The part I am most in awe of, and lack the most in myself, is the ability to collect used objects and really enjoy them. I find it a little yucky to collect other peoples' stuff... and so, I miss out on the extra level of coolness these amazing spaces have. Click on the logo below to go directly to the site.
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Another great site is The Brick House. This site is a bit beyond anything I will ever be able to pull off myself, because the whole design philosophy surrounding this site is that old 70's furniture is the coolest stuff out there. The creator of the site restores and updates the hideous sofas and beaten up tables of the near past. Super cheap finds become unique pieces in her home (and other homes, as she is a seller on eBay). She is responsible for the awesome d.i.y. pipe shelves that I adore (http://www.the-brick-house.com/2009/09/shelving-unit/). Click on the below picture to visit the site.
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The last place, and one which features high-end (that I will NEVER attain) design, is Cococozy. It is more of a bulletin board for inspirational pictures than anything else, or at least that is how I see it. It is worth a look.
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I would love to buy three of the tall, slim units. They are seven shelves high, one shelf wide. I would sit two of them side-by-side on the left-hand side of my living room wall and one would be turned so that it was a long storage bench going towards the end of the wall. I would throw tons of beautiful pillows along the bench for guest seating, and I'd like to wallpaper or hang fabric along the back of the units for visual interest. I think this has more to do with the fact that my house is only primed in pure, stark white at the moment.
Here is a blog entry from another blogger with tons if ideas and pictures to make your creative jiuces flow:
http://thedecorologist.com/wp/ikea-bookcases-so-many-ways-to-use-them
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I've been busy making design improvements to my home lately. I splatter-painted my large living room canvas, hung floating shelves, made some DIY wall hangings, etc.
But an idea I've been waiting to put into play involves the empty cat food tins that would otherwise fill my recyclables bin. I plan on nailing them into the wall, 3 above, 3 below. I will plant some small things in them. Little climbers and maybe a few cacti. Anyway, here is a similar idea I just happened upon at Apartment Therapy - my favorite design site.
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/chicago/diy/use-paint-cans-to-liven-up-your-organizationreadymade-149164
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The Tumbleweed Tiny House Company builds teensy little houses. They are a novelty to me, but some people find them to be the answer to their prayers. They are affordable, environmentally-conscious, and move with you wherever you may go. On their site, you can view all of their models... I like the Lusby. The small homes are built on trailers so you can pull them with your truck. If you buy a fully-built home from the company, they certainly aren't cheap for the square footage, but they are tons cheaper than just about any house.  
http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/
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I want to send you over to a house tour on my favorite interior design site, Apartment Therapy. A rather dapper young man has turned a 160 square foot Airstream travle trailer into his home on wheels! He remodeled the inside to fit his needs and aesthetic taste.
I would find it a little embarrassing to be living in a travel trailer, but aside from that, for one person, it is kind of an idealistic lifestyle. You can be sure he isn't house poor, and his bills are very manageable. On the other hand, he really couldn't invite anyone overnight... it would be very cramped.
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Well, a few months ago, my new house was ready for me to move into. I was super-excited, but I had a very large blank canvas to work with. I'm going to go through the house to show you what I've done. I basically have the new stuff, and now I am at a turning point for the house. It is time for me to start injecting older, vintage, and well-worn things into the house to create some depth and personality.
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My living room is very sparse.
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I love my colorful chair!
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My kitchen is very roomy. A great place for guests to fill.
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Simple, and believe me, the clean simplicity makes me happy!
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I HAD to include an MJ poster above my bed... this is the most personal place in my home.
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Simply done. No need to do much more here.
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On sunny afternoons, this back hall fills with golden light.
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