Jutta's Spring-Hued Home

Doesn't this color palette make you thirsty for springtime?  Mellow greenish yellow and that crisp light turquoise are such a lovely pair.  Jutta is a graphic designer who lives in Finland and this is her colorful abode. 

Forget any fondness I've ever had for ottomans or coffee tables---a trunk on wheels... I want!

Loving the metal lantern and candle-holder on the coffee table.

I'm not usually a fan of pink.  But this shade of cotton-candy pink pair with that oh-so-retro teal... love it!  This is a cupboard bursting with eye-candy: vintage tins, glass canisters, pretty labels and a cupcake!  Plus, I love the old metal tray.

Another view of the kitchen.  Even the calendar matches (...for this month anyway)!

Ooooh, I spy a typewriter.  The scarlet sheen of this console is stunning up against cool teal. 

Close-up shot of the kitchen counter. 

I'm experiencing serious furniture envy right now.  That graceful silhouette, rich wood and plush velvet---I've always wanted a gossip bench.  I also love how the mirror almost blends in.

Decoupaged coffee canisters?  Consider this added to my to-do list of diy projects.

I'm on the lookout for a pretty hand like this to wear my rings when I'm away.  And I just adore this little set up of color and pattern.

Sooo... Jutta also has a lovely blog Kootut Murut.  Don't be fooled by the name, it's in English and it's bursting with some serious prettiness and thriftiness.  (All the photos in this post belong to Jutta and are from the jutta / kootut murut photostream on Flickr.)

Portland Apartment Bursting with Vintage

This is Mary Kate McDevitt's apartment in Portland, Oregon.  I love it because it is full to the brim with vintage goodies!  Pictured above is a perfect example of a futon that doesn't even look like a futon---layered with a plush comforter and several pillows, it took me several glances to even realize it was a futon.  Vintage posters, prints and burlap decorate the walls.  And oooh! I spot a Domino on the coffee table.

Here's the entry to the apartment.  "Work Hard & Be Nice to People"--I think this print needs to be posted everywhere!  To the left, prints are displayed on clipboards.

Here's another view of the living room, facing the dining area.  This room has so many eclectic details that I really dig, like the stack of books under the dining room table and the mismatched chairs. 

Built-ins in the kitchen.  Lucky girl.  I've always wanted built-ins. 

An office space just off the kitchen.  Love love love the

checkered floors and the globe on top of the fridge.

This white chair with the gold crushed velvet is sooo cute.  I like the overhead lighting, too.

Check it out---a table that opens and closes

makes for a perfect, space-saving work space.

Mary Kate McDevitt is a an illustrator living and working in Portland.  Check out her Etsy shop, blog, and website.  (All photos in this post belong to Mary Kate McDevitt. To see more, check out her Flickr photostream.) 

100 Square Meter Apartment in Berlin

 

Let's take a tour of Lillian Day's apartment.  The 100 square-meter, 3.5 room apartment is located on the ground floor of a 100-year-old building in Berlin, Germany.  

 

The color of green painted on the wall behind the sink is gorgeous.  And I love all the little details: the neat row of spices in identical corked glass bottles, the owl perched on a small vintage radio, and the artwork.

This is the type of chair that I dream of finding at antique and thrift stores---lush green color, mid-century modern feel, timeless silhouette.  

I'm a huge fan of gray and white stripes.  (In fact, I'm wearing a gray-and-white-striped cardigan right now...hmmm...)  

I always say that my favorite color is turquoise, but charcoal comes up a close second.  This deep gray finds its way into my wardrobe and decor.  I love it on Lillian's bedroom walls.  It looks beautiful with the ivory trim and rich blue curtains.

Cute wallflowers, a yellow lamp that pops and a curled-up snuggly kitty. Perfect.

I love low-profile couches.  I also like

the & hung between the windows.  

 

A bright desk space.  And colorful pom garland.  Cute. 

The bibliophile in me is swooning.  So many books!  So much color!  And a chair nearby to curl up with a great book or magazine.  

I'm always looking for ways to store my own scarves... so I'm quite taken with this method of clothes-pinning them to a string across a short, empty expanse of wall. 

   I thought these plants in shiny aluminum buckets were uber-adorable.

For more pics of Lillian's lovely apartment, check out her Flickr photostream here.  (All photos in this post belong to Lillian Day.) 

Order Obsessed Studio Apartment

Welcome to Laura Cattano's studio apartment.  Cattano is a professional organizer---one of those people who I envy for their "everything has its place" skills.  I drool over organization.  I attempt organization.  ...But more often than not, I end up being one of those "creative chaos" people.  So when I came across this organized and chic apartment it inspired some serious space envy.  There's lots of small space storage solutions to take away from this place!

These metal bookcases provide industrial yet elegantly modern storage for Cattano's bar, books and boxes. 

The alcove of the studio apartment serves double duty as a wardrobe...

...and an office space.

This is one of thee loveliest small bathrooms I've ever seen.  Open shelves ensure that everything is within site and reach.  A pretty tray on the back of the toilet collects perfumes and a candle, among other small bottled things. 

I just love the toilet area.  The tray, especially.

And, of course, a neat stack of magazines.

A clean, functional kitchen.  Loving all the white. 

Cattano used an L-shaped bookend to store a few bottles of

wine in the cupboard.  I'm totally borrowing this creative idea.

Her sleeping area is so tranquil.

Here's the floor plan Cattano drew up when figuring

out where to put everything in the small studio.

You should really head over to Laura Cattano's photostream on Flickr.  Her albums are full of the before-and-after pics of her studio apartment, in-progress photo and even shots of previous living spaces.  She also has a great blog called The Order Obsessed---definitely worth a peek if you need some creative and chic organization solutions.  Visit her website for more about her professional organization business.

All photos in this post are from Laura Cattano's Flickr photostream and are property of Lauara Cattano.

Now... tell me that you're not inspired to go organize your bathroom right now. 

Pink and Yellow, Pink and Yellow

 

A blushing coral-ly shady of pink + cheerful yellow.

Aaahhhh, you know what it is... 

Pink and yellow, pink and yellow, pink and yellow.

We can't let Valentine's Day pass without celebrating

with some pink-infused decor.  But let's move past the

oh-so-stereotypical pairing of pink and red, shall we?

Pink and yellow make for a lovely color couple and

they've been spotted together all over the design world:

 

Rich raspberry + mellow yellow.  (Sounds tasty, yes?)

 

Deep reddish pink + oriental yellow.

 

Pretty ballet pink + glam gold.

 

Pale pink + burnished dark gold.

 

Bold goldenrod + flirty hot pink.

 

Pop-art yellow + fun fuchsia.

 

Golden yellow + deep reddish pink + pale pink.