Interiors
Design a uniform backdrop. A simple way to pull together a collection of disparate pieces in any space is with a uniform base color. This doesn’t have to be white or neutral; a dark shade will perform the same job. Try matching walls and flooring too, to minimize visual “fuss” and provide the perfect clean backdrop for your finds and furniture.
FLOORS: Soap them Scandinavian-style. For a subtle whitewashed finish on pine or oak floors, take a tip from the Scandinavians and soap your boards. Typically wood lye is used on sanded boards to lighten them and remove warm tones. After further sanding, a white-tinted wood soap is applied, which has an oily finish and acts as a protective sealant. Soaped floors need to be maintained with frequent reapplications of the soap solution. Look for products by companies such as Woca.
Mudroom? Upstairs landing? Awesome: simple = wallpaper, white shelves, lamp. Consider concealed storage in a mudroom or entry area. “It’s really nice to have closed storage in this type of room,” Duffy says. “All of the organization is hidden, and it looks much cleaner.” The one touch she did bring in was a beautiful light fixture from the beach house. It is wrought iron with hand-painted porcelain flowers.
So ugly - why? good use of space...
Under stairs ...
STAIRS
NO PLASTER!
Whether under stairs or an odd closet, to paint it green is awesome
Under STairs
Under stairs ...
Great way to deal with under stairs
Interior colors
DARK DRAMA
ATTIC: The wallpaper in this area brings in a small-scale pattern that’s quieted by its palette of medium to dark blue. The blues are a break from the Super White used throughout the home. Bright paint makes low walls seem higher.
Cool way to make cozy space.
Deep bedroom color makes it cozier - esp with black fireplace and oriental rug.
TINY HOME office with built-ins and lots of natural light.
A bed under the stairs? A nightlight and curtain ...
Day-beds
Perhaps a fireplace doesn't have to be huge, but can be tucked away and actually useable?
Accessible only by ladder, this reading nook is a magical spot where kids or grownups can get lost in a book. And just think how easily this sliver of space could have been forgotten. Instead of being filled with dusty decor, it is a useful sitting spot, complete with bookshelves.
A proper inviting nook!
Colorful and intricately patterned cement tile makes this narrow hallway mudroom stand out. See RUSK Renovations.
Floor: Strong and impervious concrete with a clear seal was used for the floor in this mudroom.
Mudroom floor: Tuscan terra-cotta tile from Pavé Tile.
Mudroom floor: Architect Marina Rubina cut 16-inch-square tiles of natural slate (Brazil Gray from Daltile) into three rectangles (approximately 5 by 16 inches) each.
Mudroom - use a very strong floor (not laminate or hardwood - which can't handle a mudroom's use). Use slate, brick, ceramic tile, concrete, linoleum and vinyl.
Mudroom - ceramic tile!
Mudroom & Washer/Dryer. Industrial feel.
Hugge & West Otomi wallpaper
Swap an interior door for a barn-door - perhaps at a larger opening between two rooms? See Houzz DIY 'How to make your own Barn Door'
Coat room? Utility?
Entryway
Attic - Office!
Black door!
Black door!
Dark floor, kilim rug, bookshelves (painted background) all around fireplace.
Trace on a checkerboard pattern. Painting older, worn wooden floor can be a cost-effective way to create a new look. A checkerboard pattern is fairly straightforward to accomplish and looks right at home in a kitchen, sunroom or child’s bedroom. Black and white, blue and white, and yellow and white are foolproof combos to try. Don’t want to paint your floors? Try out the pattern on a basic natural-fiber rug instead.
Use a rich color on walls and trim. Vibrant yet slightly grayed hues, like this lovely spring green, call to mind old and well-loved cottages tucked into the British countryside. Paint the trim, walls and cabinetry the same hue for a seamless look.
Fireplace in dining room ...
Curtains on windows.
Bookshelves framing a doorspace.
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