So, for your inspiration, here’s a sampling of beautiful rooms from pale sky and peacock blue to royal and navy blue…enjoy!

photos click on photo for credit

Now that I am a grown-up (kind of…), I still love all the perks of city life. But, I also see the drawbacks now too: higher home prices. In most areas, the closer you get to downtown, the higher cost per square foot. This translates to learning how to make the most of every square inch as well as bringing a little slice of nature into the concrete jungle.

Whether you live in the city or the country, here are some great ideas for living in cramped quarters.

Light gives the illusion of large spaces. This room has a lot of furniture in it, but you really aren’t overwhelmed by it because it is not blocking the natural light. Lucite pieces have seen a huge resurgence recently and popping up in big box stores (or online like at overstock.com) at reasonable prices. Lucite pieces are also wonderful if you have a lot of architectural detail because they don’t compete with the house.

My favorite way to do that is to spend an afternoon just outside the city, hunting down cottage treasures!

Just heading out of town by a half hour or more could save you big bucks! Flea markets, antique sales and barn sales in the country are often filled with treasures us city dwellers see in town, but at a fraction of the price!

These are just a few of the things I regularly spot while treasure hunting in the country:

Vintage marquee letters

Skeleton keys

Galvanized metal buckets and crates

Mismatched antique flatware

Salvaged windows and doors

Old grain and flour sacks

photos countryliving.com, ohdeedoh.com, houseandgarden.com, apartmenttherapy.com, ashleyannphotography.com, washingtonspaces.com

Depending on what shade you prefer, from butter to lemon, and how much you want to use in your home, you might have to try a few approaches. You can go all out and paint all the walls!

Or you could add a little interest by trying out wallpaper on one wall or featuring it in a molding frame. This is a fun way to use different shades of yellow in the same space.

Want to add a just little ray of sun? Try painting an old dresser or adding a few cheerful touches with accessories and fabric.

Don’t you already feel a little happier?

photos robertpassal.com, apartmenttherapy.com, portdhiver.com, housetohome.co.uk, designgalleria.net, simonontheside.blogspot.com, skonahem.com, housetohome.co.uk, apartmenttherapy.com, decorpad.com, housetohome.co.uk, decorpad.com, marthastewart.com, sarahrichardsondesign.com, marthastewart.com, melissagarcia.net,  countryliving.com, recovergirl.wordpress.com, ikea.com, sarahrichardsondesign.com

Of course, depending on your style and what you collect, there are many ways to integrate your collection into your home. Just remember: key is to make a statement and really enjoy all of your hard work!

The kid in all of us can appreciate the sweetness of this display. As they say, there is strength in numbers, and small item collections like this can make a huge statement when well organized on the wall.

It is always fun to see a large cluster of items in various sizes, like these globes. Old and new alike, this collection doesn’t feel stuffy or serious.

Hanging these dust swatters in such a hodge-podge fashion from floor to ceiling makes a high impact statement!

Some of the most common items to collect are teacups, many of which are stored in china cabinets. But for those of us who use our teacups regularly, a hanging rack feels much more accessible.

If you collect more expensive items, like vintage cameras, then your collection is most likely comprised of only a few hard-earned gems. To create a big statement and achieve symmetry, make each piece a work of art by hanging an empty frame around the item.

Sometimes our collections are of inanimate objects that have no purpose. Often the items are of little value, so finding unique ways to display them can include re-purposing them.

This vintage trim looks much more interesting on iron dowels of varying heights.

Antique yardsticks make for a unique tabletop display. This idea could easily be translated to dozens of other collections!

One of my weaknesses and most beloved thing to collect is driftwood. I think I will try to make a driftwood heart this summer, or perhaps gluing driftwood to a mirror frame for a rustic touch to our powder room!

photos apartmenttherapy.com, countryliving.com, theenglishmuse.blogspot.com, boxbrownietrading.co.uk

Here are some easy ways to make it happen:

1. Use gifts and mementos to surround your family with original, thoughtful decor. A framed postcard from a friend visiting Paris, a mini Eiffel Tower from a trip to Las Vegas, and a family photo in a birthday gift frame remind us of memories we cherish and cost only a couple of dollars.

2. Check out the biggest (and cheapest) store around: the great outdoors! No matter what your style, looking to nature for inspiration will never disappoint. Love rich, deep colors? Frame some golden, red and orange leaves in shadow boxes. Neutral colors are more our pace, and when these logs washed ashore at our cottage last summer we just knew they had to come home! $3 in brackets and wall anchors allowed us to create an original work of art. You can be as elaborate as a filling an entire wall with logs or as simple as a basket full of pinecones or a couple of starfish on a ledge in the bathroom.

3. Flea Markets. Need I say more? Interesting people, negotiable low prices, one-of-a-kind items. Some people are intimidated by haggling, but give it a try! This adorable milk glass lamp was one of my first scores, and 6 years later I still look at it as the best $10 I have ever spent. The one area “less is more” does not hold true for our home is with chippy old paint. It’s not for everyone, but if you are a fan, then flea markets are a must. A lovely old captain’s chair tucked in a corner booth hidden from sight is probably my all-time favorite flea market discovery.

4. Customized Craigslist finds. This is finally a trend that is catching on, but you need to look beyond the pictures, seller’s décor and color of the items to see their true potential! If it has great lines and is a great price you can make it work. Re-upholstering may not top your list of talents, but call around and get a few quotes. You may be surprised at how affordable custom upholstery can be. But if the estimates have you feeling a little blue, have a seamstress make a slipcover. We scored these two blue wingback chairs for $20 and jazzed them up with custom slipcovers ($150 for labor and materials). When you can customize the sky is the limit!

5. Candlelight. Save on utilities, set a relaxing mood, and fill the house with soothing scents all at the same time. It’s a win-win!

photos Holly Baker

Editor’s Note: Join us this month as we take a look back at some of our top posts from the past! 

Bubble Glass:  Whether you’re serving margaritas or lemonade, this pitcher’s quirky texture and one of a kind shape is sure to be a conversation piece at your next gathering. Thick and hefty, each piece is handblown from recycled glass. Made in Colombia. $55.00

Driftwood Mirror: Crafted in the Philippines of beautiful driftwood. Hang vertically or horizontally. $129.00

Giant Recycled Bowl: Handcrafted in Haiti from colorful tomato paste drums. A great catch-all in the den for those scattered magazines and dog toys. Each is unique. $75.00

Golden Capiz Mobile:  This gorgeous mobile is handrafted in the Philippines of hundreds of golden capiz shells. Great indoors or outside as beautiful sounding chimes. Hung from a bamboo frame that can also equip a light cord set (not included) to turn it into a lovely chandelier. $89.00

Junkyard Flag Pot Holder:  Make a patriotic statement with this flag made of recycled scrap metal! Includes three 4” clay pots. $89.00

Damigiana:  These authentic italian wine vessels, known as demijohns in English and damigiana in Italian, have been used to hold wine for centuries. These are collected from the ancient wine regions of Italy exclusively for AWE, and each bottle is between 50 and 90 years old. The damigiana is truly hand crafted and hand blown, making each one unique in shape and size. They look stunning with a single stem of fresh cut dogwood or any other blooming tree limb. Each damigiana is a treasure to own and truly a piece of Italian history to pass on for generations. As these are antiques, all bottles will vary in size and color. $79.00+

Reclaimed Dining Chairs:  Keeping history alive, these chairs are constructed out of reclaimed timbers from old buildings being demolished for urbanization in Colombia. Small scars and cracks may be evidence of years gone by. Solid wood dining chair has a handcarved fleur de lis back with stretched leather seat. This chair is built to last. $300.00

Recycled Flip Flop Mats: These functional and fun mats are pieced together scraps left over from making flip-flops! What a great save from the landfill! Colors will vary. Available in two sizes. $29.00

Recycled Paper Shopping Bag:  Hand crafted in the Philippines from hundreds and hundreds of pages of magazines and newspapers from around the world. This amazing bag stands for so much more than the importance of recycling our natural resources. It holds thousands of photos, stories, and bits of culture from around the globe. As these take an unimaginable amount of time to make, limited quantities are available. $75.00

Recycled Tire Baskets:  Discarded old tires are refashioned into these fabulous and functional baskets. Handcrafted in the Philippines. Set of two. $32.00

Recycled Marble Crosses:  These crosses are made from Italian marble reclaimed from the Adriatic Sea. Scraps that are deposited into the sea by a marble factory are tossed and tumbled for years until they finally find their way back to the beaches. $89.00

Three Tall Bird Stakes:  These adorable birds add charm to any yard or garden. Or a fun addition to a potted plant, indoors or out. Crafted from repurposed rocks and recycled metal. Set of three. $59.00

Our chihuahua, Duke, had a bit of skin cancer removed a few weeks back.  He is doing very well, considering he is nine years old, but one sad effect has been a bit of potty-trouble.  So much so, that we had to toss our area rug in our family room out.  No biggie, since it wasn’t expensive — and, I am actually enjoying our bare hardwood floors in the interim.

So, I am in the market for a new area rug.  I am hoping we will add to our nest again, so I want to keep something baby-friendly in mind.  I stumbled across this highly-informative article from Good Housekeeping, and had to share it with you:

If you change your decor nearly as often as you change your outfit, choose synthetic rugs — polypropylene or nylon — which provide water- and UV-resistance at low prices. A 5′ by 8′ can be had for less than $100. Nylon is the higher quality of the two because of its bulk (yarn made of polypropylene fibers can get crushed over time), plus it holds color well. But both synthetics are excellent at masking dirt. Cotton rugs, $50 and up, are an even more affordable choice, but they can stain and wear out quickly (though you can throw them in a large washing machine). Want something eco-friendly? Plant-based fibers such as sisal, jute, and bamboo are not only biodegradable but made from renewable resources. Especially good for sunrooms or outdoor use because they shed water easily, plant-based fibers are difficult to clean and may last only a few years with heavy use; still, they start at a low $100.

 

Entertain often or need a stylish floor covering for a high-traffic area? Check out wool. The fibers are naturally stain-resistant and don’t flatten easily (just vacuum regularly to revive). Wool rugs should last decades, but you pay for the durability: They start at $300 and run as high as that pricey Persian, which can range from $200 for a machine-made 5′ by 8′ replica up to thousands of dollars for an authentic hand-knotted (Persian) one.

 

An area rug is meant to give a room a focal point. If the rug is too big, it just looks like wall-to-wall carpeting; if it’s too skimpy, it fails to draw the eye and make the room inviting. (Worst-case scenario: It looks as if someone accidentally left a towel on the floor.) Consider comfort when you choose thickness. For the bedroom, allow three feet of rug on either side of the bed if you and your partner both want a soft landing in the morning (your nightstands should be on the rug as well). In the dining room, be sure the rug is large enough to fit beneath a chair that’s pushed back from the table, then add six more inches. In the living room, personal preference rules. Furniture that’s half-on, half-off the rug creates a casual look; furniture entirely on or off is more formal. Finally, a rug’s price should match the cost of other major furniture in the room. In a living room, for example, the floor covering should be about the price of the sofa.

 

Rug Pads:  These handy floor savers not only provide comfort and prevent slipping, they can also add years to the life of the rug you just purchased, since less movement means less friction (read: less wear and tear). Most are made of synthetic materials – such as PVC or latex – and though they may vary in thickness (a thicker one will make your rug feel cushier), most have the same gripping capabilities. Buy a pad that’s one or two includes smaller than your rug, and in your price range. (Pads range from $20 to $80.)

How did you choose your area rug?  Was it based on style, comfort, price or a combination of the three?

photo source unknown

 photos Architectural Digest, Country Living, Domino, House Beautiful, livingetc.com, Martha Stewart, Traditional Home, uktv.co.uk, Traditional Home, beachstudios.uk, decorpad.com (2), House Beautiful (2), lolaandemily.com, myhomeideas.com, Phoebe Howard, thelennoxx.com, Country Living, Coastal Living, Domino (2), House Beautiful, housetohome.com, Linda Banks, Martha Stewart, Veranda, arhdecor.com, Country Living (2), Feldman Architecture, Martha Stewart (2), myhomeideas.com (2), Veranda, Coastal Living, decorpad.com, desiretoinspire.net, House Beautiful (2), housetohome.com (2), interiordesign.net, uktv.co, uk2

photos Martha Stewart