Authentic Log Furniture; Efficient, Resourceful, and Beautiful

Nowadays, log furniture are usually overpriced, exaggerated (built with unnecessarily large logs, like a caricature of what log furniture is,) and often found in rich people's "thematic" cabins. But honest and authentic log furniture represent ingenuity, using branches that are too small to be milled or used otherwise, and used to be made by readily available branches without having to cut down trees. Log furniture also bring the warmth and the beauty of the outdoors to homes, often becoming treasured pieces. With their organic and minimally-processed appearance, they also age well and are comfortable to live with, making our homes more cozy and easy-going.





 Image sources: image 1, image 2, image 3

Real, small, beautiful, cozy kitchens

You don't need just the right counter-tops, expensive faucets, state-of-the-art appliances or anything fancy to have a beautiful, cozy, practical kitchen. A touch of a color that you like, or a picture or a plant that you enjoy will go far. Don't rip out perfectly good things to "update the look," that's a wasteful and a never-ending game. Appreciating and making the most of what you have, that's the ticket to peace of mind and happiness. Loving touches, and appreciation leads to beauty, not a bigger budget. 






Image sources:  image 1, image 2, image 3, image 4, image 5, image 6

 

Casual and chill living rooms

Creating cozy and comfortable living spaces go hand-in-hand with unpretentious, well-loved pieces of furniture, and low-maintenance natural materials that age well. 






Image sources: image 1, image 2, image 3, and image 4

Bohemian & colorful kitchens




If you're thinking about renovating your kitchen, or other spaces for that matter, consider adding some color, and giving your space more character, instead of going for a generic, flavor-of-the-day look that most everyone else is going for at that time. Let your place have a timeless character and soul, and ideally your touch. Mark your territory.

That approach usually leads to a style generally referred to as boho-chic, or bohemian, or gypsy style... What these styles have in common is a relaxed, easy-going vibe, and an original aesthetic unrestrained by formulaic/textbook styles. 

Doors - Historic and current European front doors

More pictures of front doors with lots of character taken in Germany & Netherlands. As the title says, a few of them are from historic sites, such as castles, but most of them are currently being used as residential front doors by regular people.











All pictures are taken by me.

Inexpensive beauty indoors and outdoors

You can achieve beautiful environments indoors and outdoors without a big budget by using pieces with character and charm. Natural materials, colors, and textures generally look good, and plants and foliage always add beauty. Be true to your taste. A place with a heart and soul is always pleasant and nothing can creates that warmth like pieces that are well-used, well-liked, and personally meaningful. Avoid status symbols. Because an environment that displays virtues; like resourcefulness, efficiency, creativity, honesty, and modesty is a cozy and an inspiring environment. A place that intends to display wealth and status cannot achieve the same.

^ It's not flawless craftsmanship, perfectly pruned plants, or luxury furniture that makes this area so cozy.


^ Inexpensive colored glass marbles and a little creativity and can turn a standard wooden fence to something lovely.

^ Sometimes it is not applying a fresh coat of paint that adds charm.

^ Lots of foliage can make any place beautiful and inviting.

^ A varied collection of unpretentious, simple, and honest items are more welcoming than matchy-matchy status symbols.

Cozy, rustic, industrial...The eclectic mixed style of Hotel Emma

There are many benefits to having a mixture of styles; it is truer to life and more compatible with it, usually we end up with loved-pieces of various styles over our lives and they get to coexist in our homes. Such a mixed style is visually more interesting and more stimulating to the senses than a mono-style set up. It also allows you to more easily introduce new furniture or replace pieces without having to worry about them perfectly matching what's already there. When you make those mixed styles also consist of items that age well and gain patina and character from daily use, you get additional benefits like ease of use, livability, and a timeless look.

The Hotel Emma in San Antonio is a great example of these ideas being put to use. They achieved a beautiful timeless look that is sophisticated yet casual, elegant but cozy and comfortable all at once.















Photos by Casual Casa

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