I Heart Green

Over the course of my life I have had many favorite colors. For a very long time red was the favorite, but at some point over the last few years I started to really dig green. Bright yellow greens make me especially happy. I have been seeing a lot of green show up in kitchen photos lately and it makes me wonder… I mean I love green now, but who knows when the shift will be to yellow or blue or back to red? Then I am stuck with green cabinets as a haunting reminder of my green period. This kitchen is a wonderful use of green accents and vinyl wall decals, which may be so last year, but are something I still happen to love. The swatch of green on the wall give the table and chairs a special place. I have been coveting those IKEA chairs since I saw them and I think they look great in this small kitchen. If you will really closely you will also see another of my favorite things, a little birdie. This is a really great way to add color quickly to a rental space that you have to paint over. Way to go, Jennifer!

TYIN tegnestue

These structures by TYIN tegnestue, a non-profit organization run by five architecture students from NTNU, are just beautiful. Simple with their butterfly roofs, built to be open and airy with natural material using traditional methods, lain out in such a way that promotes community while giving a bit of privacy. It feels selfish to want one or three on my own property when the inhabitants of these delightful little buildings are orphaned Karen refugees. via

A little more about TYIN tegnestue from the company’s website:

TYIN tegnestue is a non-profit organization working humanitarian through architecture. TYIN is run by five architect students from NTNU and the projects are financed by more than 60 Norwegian companies, as well as private contributions.

Through the course of the last year TYIN has worked with planning and constructing small scale projects in Thailand. We aim to build strategic projects that can improve the lives for people in difficult situations. Through extensive collaboration with locals, and mutual learning, we hope that our projects can have an impact beyond the physical structures.

Rubber Hose Chair

I love the idea of taking something that is destined for the trash heap and giving it a second life. All the better if that item is something I would like to have around anyway. This chair is beautiful and uses rubber hose that has been rendered useless with age and use. I can totally see having a bunch outdoors on our deck. Best of all? There is an Instructable so that you can make one as well! Even more brilliant is the fact that the frame is a 2′x2′ piece of plywood with almost no waste. Bravo! Now I just need to get my hands on a rubber hose that will otherwise be thrown out. Anyone? via

Hostel Environments

What kind of images come to mind when I say the word hostel? A room crammed with bunk beds, shared showers that require flip-flops, scenes from a recent horror movie by Eli Roth? You may want to give some hostels a second look. Along the lines of the Ace Hotel chain making its way to a city near you, these hostels are way cool with themed rooms, custom furniture, funky details, and your choice of shared or private bathrooms. Next time I am in any one of the cities listed in this article on Budget Travel you can bet I am going to be booking my room at one of these places. If it is good enough for Nathan Fillion it is good enough for me!

Safe Soap

I heart these soap knuckles. via

Freedom

I love this print entitled Freedom by Alberto Cerriteño. So sad and so beautiful. You can check out other illustrations on his website, or even buy one at his shop.

The Devil is in the Details

The details are what make a good house great. I was drawn into many of the residential projects done by Shipley Architects, but the detail above is one of my favorite things. So simple and beautiful. It is what separates the meh from the amazing.

Two Great Materials

When I was in jewelry school, I didn’t have lots of money to be spending on silver so I made everything out of copper or brass. The problem is, copper takes on a dingy kind of look to it. This cuff bracelet, a collaboration between Marcus and Nicole Fischer of dustbreeding.com,  is a wonderful way to take that dingy quality and put it to work! With the grain and the color you have something that looks very much like wood. And I of course love the felt lining. As Marc points out it gives it a mossy feel. The site is a real inspiration. Make one thing a day for a year.

Ork

I have long been a fan of the Ork Posters. What is an Ork poster? Only the coolest maps with breakdowns of popular city neighborhoods! I finally got my Brooklyn screenprint last summer and it now displayed prominently in our living room. The newest addition to the lineup isn’t a city, but a map of your heart. Thump thump.

I Like x Like New Math

What if you had to define love as an equation? That is exactly what Craig Damrauer has very cleverly done on his site New Math along with marriage, nagging, dog, sanity, oh, go check it out. Thanks for sharing, Cookie!