Making a space that works for YOU

We all swoon over beautiful spaces and interior designs and wish that we had exactly that in our own houses or offices, but I think we sometimes forget about what we really need and we neglect to ask the important questions:

Is this design practical and will it suit my lifestyle?
Is this really what I need?

Will achieving this look and feel break the bank or will it suit my budget?

These are all important questions to ask before embarking on a new interior design project! But this definitely doesn't mean we should stop dreaming.

Current dream projects that I drool over include:

The awesome home office, from here

This stylish kitchen, from here

This awesome patio entertainment space, from here

This great mirror gallery, from here

Find your inspiration in the things you need and not in what others do... Have a lovely day dear readers!

Architectural Inspiration_ Making something of nothing

So often we are stuck looking at the problem rather than finding an "out-of-the-box" solution. Who would've thought that you could convert this dilapidated double garage into a contemporary home?

French architectural firm Fabre | de Marien transformed this small 441 square foot garage into a convenient and stylish residence for a individual or even a minimalist couple. The new dwelling boasts with all the conventional amenities needed in a residential unit, applied in unconventional and clever space-saving manor.

A clever and unconventional method to consider how we have to translate that which already exist into that which we may need.

The new facade reads as a more formal, contemporary design:

 

The minimalist interior do not feel cramped due to the use of clean lines and clever 

furniture and colour choices:

Photography by Jérémie Buchholtz, Via HomeDSGN.

All information and images from here

Have a wonderful day dear readers and may you find inspiration in the everyday things all around you.

DIY Thursday_ Cute nursery inspirations

Don't need a frame; from here

Cute ideas for a gender neutral kid's bedroom, from here

Confetti wall for a nursery, from here

Not only for a nursery, but how cute are these alphabet beanbags, from here

Have a lovely Thursday dear readers! xoxo

Architectural Inspirations

Some architectural inspirations to swoon over today!

Exterior:

Interior:

This reminds me of my own kitchen - loving it!

All images from here

Architecture that inspire

Some jaw-dropping, inspiring, out-there architectural projects from around the world.

 The Drents Museum in Assen, The Netherlands by Erick van Egeraat.

Images from here.

The Conrad Hotel in Beijing, China by MAD Architects.

Images from here.

The University of Groningen Medical Faculty in Groningen, The Netherlands by RAU.

Images from here.

Galaxy Soho in Beijing, China by Zaha Hadid Architects, 2012 (under construction).

From here.

I especially like the Spain Pavilion -- "Living Nature" -- at the Floriade 2012 World Horticultural Expo in Venlo, The Netherlands.

Images from here

Setting up shop

This new adventure of starting my own business and operating as my own boss comes with a few added extras... company name? logo? business type? email and domain account? business cards? market related fee and billing structures? time management? internet? printers? and trust me, this list can go on and on!

I am in the process of finalising the company name that I will be operating under and with the help of a few designer friends I am hoping to have my own uber cool logo soon :) - more on this to be posted soon.

Today I am posting a few really nice business card inspirations - as this is something on my to-do list too...

They say word of mouth is your best form of marketing...why not make it a bit easier for your promoters:

From here

I really like these personalised cards!

From here

Business cards that speak about what you do:

From here

From here

So exactly what I am doing or the approach and direction I am following is still unclear...this is but the beginning.

Putting pen to paper

 

If, like me, you enjoy putting your thoughts, ideas and dreams in notebooks and sketchbooks. Perhaps you will like this AWESOME Sketchbook series by best friends Teela Cunningham (graphic designer) and Nina Roefaro (interior designer) who dreamed of starting something artistic together.

I am a big fan of anything to do with a letterpress, so I love these sketchbooks of Lettersketch!

Don't you just love the packaging!

 Less is more and it is the small details and creative patterns that make this such a special collection!

For the little ones

This looks like a lovely design for all the pregnant fairies and new mommies to consider! Rocking chair cradles - I think these are awesome!!

From here

DIY Thursday_ White wine Sunday anyone?

Amongst our friends we often joke about "Wit wyn Sondag" (directly translated as white wine Sunday")

This will then commonly refer to a day filled with idle conversations, relaxed lounging and - as the name refers - to the act of drinking white wine.

As I am writing today's DIY tip I have days like these in mind. Days where sitting under the tree, sheltered from the summer sun, is the only thing you want to do, when even a walk to the kitchen might seem like hard work... here is a great idea to help the barman out and give even him a few hours off.

So clever! I suspect this could also be used for some great flower arrangements!

DIY: Picnic table with a drink chiller built in

By recycling an old picnic table and using a standard metal gutter you can create this:

From here

I think this is brilliant.

A daily dose of architecture

Inspiration to do more with less? I find this Dovecote Studio by Haworth Tompkins very thought provoking and complex in the simplicity of the design.

Interiors

All images from here

This makes me wonder about the possibilities for all the many dilapidated and broken buildings in our South African countryside landscapes.