Trees of a different kind

I love these trees available from Pulp Creative Paper. Wouldn't it be great to dress them up for Christmas?

Great for the small space.

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via here

Loving the nook.

I'm not sure that we have embraced the breakfast nook as much as we could here in Australia. How wonderful to have a dedicated space for a leisurely breakfast.

Tuck it away with its own garden view...

...or give it pride-of-place in the kitchen.

This is gorgeous in its quaintness, recalling the intimacy of a caravan holiday.

A perfectly nook-sized space.

Gotta love the nook.

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pics (from top to bottom) from here, here, here, here and here.

The small home office for the small house...

Some interesting and very different small space home offices. They have all used the space efficiently, while still keeping their eye firmly fixed on what looks good. I love them all.

pics via here

A little lighthouse keeping

I have an unexplained attachment to lighthouses. I'm sure the realities of lighthouse living are far from my romantic notion of blustery days eating fish sandwiches (which I'm sure are not anywhere near as tasty as Enid Blyton made us believe). These pictures make it look oh-so-inviting. Wouldn't it be wonderful to live in a lighthouse?

pics 1,2,3,4 via here

pic 5 via here

Cottage Style

The word 'cottage' conjures up images of afternoon teas and walks in the country - all very inviting. But is this where a modern girl could live? Absolutely.

pics via here

Small House Living - a quiet corner...

I really love the challenges presented by small house living. Wanting to make a space for myself to work on some long-neglected art projects, I have reclaimed our old drop-front desk. Sadly disorganised, it had become a repository for all those things that you just don't know where to put.

Nestled snuggly (let's face it, most things are snug in a terrace house) next to my bed, it is now much more inviting, with lots of useable storage. I have used inexpensive boxes from Ikea, old jam jars and some bowls borrowed from the kitchen. This corner gets quite a bit of sunlight, as it is next to two big sash windows.  I'm looking forward to spending many happy hours there.

Small House Living

My own 'good place' is a renovated terrace by the sea. Completely impractical for a family, we fell in love with the high ceilings and the beautiful character features. Small house living comes with its own challenges, but also some lovely benefits. Using each space for more than one purpose has become a necessity. Our living room has a small writer's desk in one corner. On it sit our Mac and a revolving pile of books and papers. I love having a bookcase in the living room too. I regret to say that it holds such classics as Handbag Horoscope (a guide to your year small enough to fit into your handbag-not, sadly an astrological guide to choosing the correct accessories) and Blokes and Sheds. There are, however, enough 'clever looking' books so as to not cause too much shame should anyone care to browse. Notwithstanding the bonus, if undeserved, IQ points books provide, I love the way they add texture, warmth and interest to a room.

image via Oliveaux