Low maintenance & long life!

That rug and those stone walls are awesome. They have rich texture and a lot of character, they give life and color to this place, they let it breathe. Also you'll never have to put a coat of paint on those walls, which is a super easy-going plus!

Images from yatzer.com

Simple & cool

Pretty nice kitchen cabinets, these. Easy to put together, look greta and would age well.

Image from style-files.com

Avoid anal homes

Precision craftsmanship has its place, like in cars, appliances, and electronics - it is meaningful in those situations, and has implications for function and longevity. However, there is no need for such precision in most areas of construction and furniture building. It's just inefficient, anal, and looks it, too. These pictures below demonstrate what can be achieved by avoiding such anal-ness: a cozy, relaxing, and beautiful home!

Images from style-files.com

Humility

Humble and calm interiors. I love the natural textures, and that simple floor bed!

Image from MarkEdenSchooley.com

Beautifully unadorned

This is a pretty cool bath, no? Low maintenance stone, doors that open up to the outdoors, lots of natural light coming through big windows, and unbleached curtains. Not too shabby.

This is Steve McQueen and his wife Neile Adams enjoying a bath together. Isn't it cool to see celebrities in an unpolished and unpretentious space? That place would be pretty low maintenance and would last a long time, too.

Top image from Religion.tumblr.com and the bottom image is from ArtNet.com

Live simply, be happy!

Really nice and cozy summer house. A lot of inspiration for creating an easy-going relaxing and simple living. Kilim rugs and pillows outside really make the outdoors more livable and those shade cloths are really cool, too. Lots of light in the bathroom and those rustic mirror frames all add to the cozy and cheerful feel.

All images from HouseInteriorHome.com

Natural & low-key is the key

There are some cool images of natural and easy-going set-ups in photographer Mark Williams' portfolio. It would be great to enjoy some food and the outdoors with loved ones in one of those patios.

Images from Mark Williams' portfolio on One Leage Creative Management.

Character

Great bathroom with lots of character. Easy going and low maintenance features like stone walls, exposed AC pipes, concrete floors sound industrial but come together quite nicely to create a cozy bathroom.

Images from the photographer Ryann Ford's portfolio, but I saw them first on DesireToInspire.net.

Cozy casual concrete

There are some cool things in this picture, like the low key and comfortable couches, but the real reason it's here is that it shows that concrete floors, while being super easy to live with and to maintain, can also help create a warm and cozy look. Some people think concrete floors would only go well with cold, ultra-modern or industrial looks.

Image of the Luangwa Safari House from ArchitecturalDigest.com

Anna Kern

Photographer Anna Kern has some pictures of cool and casual interiors in her portfolio. Notice: the paint in that kitchen in the first image, the unpainted stairs in the second image, and the bare light bulbs in the third (cfl bulbs look better bare!)

Images from AnnaKern.com

Clutter and worry free!

The paint on the walls, the bare floors, divan-like seating and that well-used coffee table in the living room, those rocks by the bathtub, that mattress on the floor in the bedroom, and again, that great paint on the walls! There's so much to love in this house, so livable! Isn't it great how the walls and the floor connect seamlessly without base-boards?





All images from a Yatzer.com article

Cushy!

Chris Cushingham of Cush Design Studio created an easy-going loft apartment for himself with a tight budget. There is quite a bit I like in there; like the exposed concrete wall behind the bed, the exposed power lines, the bare concrete floors, and some of the furniture he built himself, like that coffee table. You could build something similar with a few wooden pallets...

Images from CushDesignStudio.blogspot.com

Mediterranean wabisabi!

Ah, the Mediterranean art of living... Easy-going, natural, resourceful, in-peace with the passage of time and it's effects, humble and imperfect but still luxurious and beautiful.




All images from the La Petite Bastide website but I found out about it on DesireToInspire first.

Fancy camping-like

With concrete walls, concrete floors, lots of plants, lots of access to outdoors, and an unpretentious/utilitarian set up, life in this house by architect Ken Meffan is almost like being in a fancy camp ground. I like that! Hey, there are even rocks indoors!



All images from the 'Diamond in the Rough (and Ready)' article at Dwell.com

Live the resort life!

The climate wouldn't let everyone merge their indoors and outdoors as well as they did at the North Island Seychelles resort, but the underlying principles of using natural colors, textures, and materials (along with an easy-going attitude) can be applied anywhere. Notice how the materials they used are not only natural but also processed and finished minimally, some are almost found objects. They also let age and the elements add some character instead of constantly refinishing and repainting things.






All images from North-Island.com

Lofts

Big windows, a cozy couch, nice brick wall, and exposed power circuits make for an easy-going house.

Above image from VitorPenha.com

Exposed air vent pipes, bare concrete ceilings, concrete floors, and distressed leather.. this kind of comfort is what makes a place home.

Above two images from the flickr stream of proforged

Kitchens

Here's some kitchen inspiration... The first has great wood cabinets with knots and various colorings, and a very simple back-splash made of some cool tiles.

Above image from DesignSpongeOnline.com

And this second one has great concrete floors, bare concrete walls, and a giant slab of wood for an island. Very cool, easy-going and low maintenance. I prefer smaller kitchens, this is almost a professional size kitchen, a bit of an overkill if you ask me in a domestic setting, but the ideas are great!

Above image from ApartmentTheraphy.com

Go comfy, not fancy

Exposed beams and ceiling structure, stone and natural plaster walls, simple furniture, and an indoor hammock! An honest and comfortable package! The room is a little on the dark side for me, but still quite nice.


And the place isn't too shabby on the outside either...
Both images from Selby is in your place - Nicolas Malleville and Francesca Bonato

Loosen Up!

I love unpretentious and easy-going spaces like this one... Easy to live with concrete floors, exposed wood beams that were allowed to age, and cozy comfortable couches... That's the way to go.
Image from ARlocations.com

Simple, Easy-going, Relaxation!

The UXUA casa hotel in Brazil created simple easy-going environments that are dramatically beautiful using inexpensive and natural materials. The log vanity with a plant wall is a bit over the top, I know, but everything else offers great and realistic inspiration. Well done UXUA!






All images from the UXUA hotel website.