Furniture & Home Design Ideas

I remember the first time I saw Flashdance, and I remember exactly what stood out to me. It wasn’t Jennifer Beal’s legendary shower dance scene, it was her insanely cool industrial loft apartment in New York City. It was the start of my lifelong obsession with the classic loft apartment, which I’ve held on to my whole life! I just love the openness, the exposed beams, brick, granite and pipes. There’s something so romantic and cool about living in one of these kinds of lofts.

Restored lofts have become extremely trendy over the last few decades, and if you want one in a major city, you can expect to pay a great deal of money, especially if the loft is in a district that’s been gentrified. There are still some industrial areas in cities that have yet to be taken over by loft-coveting city dwellers, and those ones generally require huge amounts of renovations, but that would be the closest you could come to having your very own Flashdance loft.

I’ve collected a ton of images from around the web of my favorite industrial warehouse loft apartments, so feel free to covet them along with me!

When I say wooden bathtub, is the first image that comes to your mind that of an ol’ prospector in covered-wagon times scrubbing at himself in a tiny wooden tub? Well, if it is, get ready to have your perception of wooden bathtubs completely challenged and then dismantled.

Wooden bathtubs are becoming more prevalent in rustic modern bathroom design. They are absolutely gorgeous, and give the bathroom (and the bather) a feeling of enveloping warmth and comfort. Also, wood holds heat longer than other materials like porcelain, so you’ll stay toastier longer in your bath.

Cedar and bamboo are two very popular choices for wood in this kind of bathtub, but other wood can be used to suit your design needs, the wood just needs to be waterproofed and treated in order to maintain it’s quality over years of use. These kinds of tubs aren’t exactly cheap, but as they get more popular and different kinds of wood are used, I am definitely seeing wooden tubs on the market for relatively reasonable prices.

Check out this gallery of gorgeous wooden tubs that you’ll want to be the centerpiece of your bathroom!

A-Frame houses burst into popularity during a very interesting time in architecture and home design. Between the late 1950’s and the early 70s, it wasn’t unusual to see this kind of home on many suburban streets throughout North America. The A-Frame became popular in a post-war economy because they were relatively cheaper to build since they structure required less materials. At one point, you could even find pre-fabricated A-Frame house kits for sale at Macy’s!

A-frame homes remind many people of summer houses that you might find in cottage country or on the shores of a rural lake. The shape of the home means that inside you’ll find a large, airy open space – which creates a vast, connected space with lots of windows, which brings in tons of light, and brings the homeowner closer to nature, another reason this style of house is so popular for summer homes.

Designers today have re-imagined the A-Frame from it’s Mad Men-era beginnings and the contemporary, modern A-Frame has seen something of a resurgence for people who want something a little more unique and bright for their primary home, or for their part time summer vacation spot. Check out this collection of A-Frame homes that you’ll be inspired by!

I love the color blue. It’s one of the colors that can always brighten my day, even the darker shades like navy. I love the idea of making blue the theme color in the bathroom. The color reminds people of outdoors, since two of the most abundant things in nature are blue: the oceans, rivers and lakes and the sky of course!

There are lots of ways to bring blue into your bathroom. You can go all out and paint the walls blue, or use lots of blue tiling on the floor, the walls or inside the bath or shower. Or, you can be more subtle and introduce bright blue elements into the space. Blue towels, with a blue bathmat can bring a splash of vibrancy to a white bathroom.

You can also find cute things like vintage blue containers to hold things like toothbrushes and cotton swabs. Blue glass jars look great against the white porcelain of sinks. I’ve hunted down some great images of bathrooms that celebrate this gorgeous, fresh color, so take a look and get inspired!

A couple years ago I bought a faux fur throw blanket from Restoration Hardware, and my love affair with the soft, luxurious material began. Since then I’ve complimented that throw with a bean bag chair, throw pillows, and even a comfy pair of slippers!

So what exactly is fake, or faux, fur made of anyway?

Faux fur is a type of material which has been created to look and feel like genuine animal fur. It is a pile fabric and is usually created from polymeric fibers that are processed, dyed, and cut to match whichever animal’s fur texture and color that the faux fur is trying to replicate. Faux fur has been around for almost 100 years and the technology to create it keeps getting better, improving quality so much that its almost indistinguishable from real fur.

Check out all these amazing faux fur items that you can use to bring a look of rich luxury and warmth to any space!

Vintage, industrial pendant lamps are one of the most enduring lighting trends of the last decade, for good reason. These classic looking lamps add a very cool look to a variety of different decor styles. For example, in the dining room or kitchen, if you have a modern or a rustic modern aesthetic, the color, texture and shape of this kind of pendant light looks like it was made for these spaces.

Industrial pendant lights can be found in antique stores, as well as at modern furniture stores that sell upcycled and recycled furniture and fixtures. They come in a very wide range of sizes, so you can have one large single pendant above your dining room table that will fill the entire table with light, or you can employ several smaller matching (or slightly unmatched for a very cool look) pendant lights for some variety.

I have seen industrial pendant lamps used very cleverly in kitchens as well, and with the right bulbs (I always recommend Edison bulbs for these kind of lights, since the aesthetic of them is perfectly at home) can provide sufficient kitchen lighting. Most of all, they look super cool and well-worn and will definitely be conversation pieces in whatever room you choose to feature them in. I’ve scoured the internets for some great examples of industrial pendant lamps used very well in different rooms.

When you are decorating your contemporary bedroom, there are many options for rugs that are cool and functional. You can search many stores for the ideas you see her, just find the rug that you like and search for the best prices.

The first option should be pretty obvious but its effectiveness really depends on the type of floor you currently have. Adding an area rug can completely change the look and feel of a contemporary bedroom. If you already have carpet in the bedroom, the area rug may not make as big of an impact but it can still be a good addition. The area rug works more effectively on a hardwood or similar floor but most people do not have that type of flooring in their bedroom.

There are so many unique and gorgeous rugs available these days with patterns and colors that will completely change the look and feel of your bedroom, and I’ve searched the web for examples of the coolest bedroom rugs I could find!

There’s nothing quite like the wonderful smell of back-home food cooking in the kitchen. Whether you grew up in the country or would like to experience what a country-styled kitchen can bring to the table, there are several country kitchen design ideas that are sure to make you feel as though you’re walking into a true country kitchen.

One of the easiest ways to really start off the look correctly is to have a wood-themed kitchen. Although modern designs are simple and elegant, there’s just something about wooden cabinets, beautiful table tops and wicker baskets filled with fruits, jams and jellies that can set the heart right.

Choosing the right bathroom lighting can really make a difference when people want to redo their bathrooms. They can create a very interesting mood in their private room that will be soothing and welcoming for guests. Most people will notice how a bathroom is decorated and if it feels comfortable or not.

People can decorate their bathrooms in various ways. They can make it have a romantic look or a nautical theme. The way that they make up their bathroom will be very personal, and the unique, modern lighting can really make a huge difference in the whole look of the room. They should be careful to install the lighting according to the directions, and they need to make sure that they understand how to care for it after it is installed.

Since using great lighting in a bathroom can make it feel a lot cozier, many people decide to use special lighting in the room. They want it to be a place that they can spend relaxing time in. Creating a special atmosphere in a bathroom is important because both the people that live in the home and guests will spend time in the room.

When you are furnishing and creating a home in a loft, you will find that of course you want to decorate it in a way that suits your aesthetic. If you are looking for a rather traditional look, these vintage modern loft design tips can help you out.

First, remember to keep the textures rather soft. Choose curtains that will diffuse the light, and consider using reclaimed materials to decorate the walls. The worn texture of old barnwood and the naturally occurring coloring can do a lot to give you the effect that you are after. Many estate sales and antique stores have furniture and decor pieces that will make your loft have a lived-in rustic feel, while still celebrating the stark open beauty of the space.

Choose rustic furniture, like bookshelves made of rough wood and simple, natural material rugs such as jute or bamboo. To add a little bit of texture to your loft, consider things like faux fur throws and textured rugs or pillows. Not only can they keep things cozier if your loft is on the cool side, they also add a visual texture that is engaging and fits the vintage modern aesthetic perfectly.

For furniture, vintage styles from the 50’s and 60’s, particularly Scandinavian designs look perfect in big open spaces and can often be found for reasonable prices.

I’ve rounded up a collection of images of vintage modern lofts that perfectly capture that feeling. Take a look!