Mediterranean casual style of Provence and Tuscany

Stone walls, colorful shutters, easy-going gravel, and plants that are allowed to grow into their natural forms make for a pretty and cozy setting. This approach is also low-maintenance and ages well. When people, especially in the US, try to recreate this look they often create an unnaturally pristine version and miss out on the perfectly imperfect charm.

^ Even fully-paved narrow alleys can be charming with colorful stucco, shutters, and wild and free potted plants.

Image sources: image 1, images 2 & 3, image 4, image 5

Honest, unpolished, unpretentious

Finer things are not always the pricier things.

Top 3 images from breadandolives.tumblr.com, bottom image from Peter Cook's flickr stream

Simple life, simple decor

Always go for simple and natural materials. They won't fail you in style or substance, and they'll leave more room for joy in life.

Images from breadandolives.tumblr.com