Cozy and practical wood finishes

When picking furniture and other wooden items, go for finishes that are lighter and more natural, so any inevitable scratches and dings fit right in and add character over time instead of causing costly damage and/or an unsightly look. Compared to "perfect" finishes, more natural finishes tend to look more cozy and interesting, and allow people to relax more around them as well.

Image sources: images 1& 2, images 3, image 4

Resourceful and smart: Cinder blocks

Creativity and resourcefulness is smart and attractive. When used well even looked-down upon materials can be a part of inexpensive solutions. These cinder block set-ups look good, work well, and are modular. They can easily be taken apart to make something else, they can be easily moved, or they can be altered to grow or shrink with changing needs. Anyone can pay for a piece of furniture but if you have the smarts and the touch of style to make simple solutions look good, you should rock it!

1st image from upsocl.com 2nd from homedit.com

Less ego, more confidence in decoration

You want to have a hammock inside? Go for it! Or, like me, do you think crates make great modular furniture? Don't hold back, use them. Many people are held back by their concern for others' judgement. It seems the younger generations will overcome these obsessions. It is now common to see shipping crates used creatively, upcycled-recycled items, more utilitarian, easier to live with furniture replacing flawlessly-polished intricately-carved status-symbol furniture. The result is more humane, more creative, more efficient and environmentally friendly living spaces, and a more comfortable, a less status-conscious, a better life!

Image sources: Top, middle, bottom

Cube storage boxes

These storage boxes are pretty cool and versatile, you could make shelves of varying heights, small coffee/serving tables, a room divider like in this picture (and you can see they even used them to raise the mattress off the ground!) Versatile stuff is better to live with!

Image from MechantDesign.blogspot.com

Wooden revival

This place has a lot of great furniture simply put together by salvaged wood, old shipping crates, and pallets. They're relatively easy to put together and they really show how great raw wood looks. These things give their home a lot of character and are also easy to live with because you don't need to worry about scratching them, or hurting the finish.

Images from ApartmentTherapy.com

Not so utopic utopia

Wouldn't it be great if we all lived like this? If we thought more highly of the warm, friendly, and the easy going instead of the pretentious, the status-conscious, and the vain? Me thinks; yes, that would be great!

Images from Boutique-Homes.com but I saw it on MechantDesign.blogspot.com first

More crates for shelving

Cool looking walls and great use of crates for shelving

Image from yatzer.com

Don't lean back!

I don't think it's a good idea to place shelving so low above a couch, or to store shoes over your couch (where do these stylists get these ideas?!) but I do think using old wine or fruit crates for storage and shelving is a great idea. (While this image does offer some inspiration it could also be featured at CatalogLiving.net.)

Image from BaileysHomeAndGarden.com

Long live long life!

I love things that last with little or no maintenance. These shelves and the chair below fit the bill. The chair has a warm wooden seat and back and the metal frame will keep it solid for a very long time so it won't become wobbly after a couple of years.

Image from NY Times' Schoolhouse Decor slideshow

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.

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

Be virtuous!

You need shelves? This shelving unit made with crates is inexpensive, modular, and has a lot of character. Remember, paying too much for stuff or caring too much about what others might think are not virtues, but being resourceful and creative are!

Image from ShockTheBourgeois.blogspot.com

Blue Nature

The French company Blue Nature (great name) makes great pieces, mostly out of beautifully aged salvaged wood and driftwood. The wood is not treated much and the preserved raw appearance adds to the charm and character of the pieces. Way to go Blue Nature!


All images from BlueNature.com