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By candace kramer, July 11, 2011 9:23 pm

Summer is my season to spend afternoons in the garden (when my schedule allows) and really get my hands dirty. I find it both relaxing and rewarding. As many of you know, we are also in the process of downsizing and I often wonder what my next – inevitably smaller – outdoor space will be like? So I thought, why not round-up some fabulous inspiration and share it with you! Ready…let’s go…

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Just because you move into a more urban environment, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t create your own little green oasis. I love how these lush, emerald walls of plant life create an outdoor room and a place to retreat from the world.

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Lucky enough to have private roof access? Don’t let it go to waste! Look how lovely this vista is! Using vibrant colors for your planters only instills the space with more energy and interest.

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The glass walls of this home allow more of the outside in, creating a beautiful flow to the gorgeous rooftop garden.

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Perhaps you have a small yard with your downsized home and you can’t give up that patch of grass? Okay…but keep it reasonable and easy to manage. You didn’t give up that huge house to spend your days behind a lawn mower right?  This modern streamlined approach makes the space feel larger and more open. Built in seating maximizes your entertaining capacity.

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Or go almost maintenance free with concrete pavers, contained beds and crushed granite. I love the use of squares in this very rectangle space…a nice contrast.

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Short on space? Go vertical. These re-purposed paint cans now overflow with lush greenery and don’t encroach on the limited square footage.

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Oh and I just adore this idea! Turn a discarded pallet into a terraced garden wall! Even the tiniest of balconies can accommodate this installation! How to do it? Go here for DIY instructions.

Want more inspiration and ideas…check out these books. (Click on them to go to Amazon). Each is loaded with fantastic designs that will certainly inspire your own urban garden.

Remember downsizing isn’t about giving up what you love, it’s about changing the way you live to encourage a simplistic, peaceful, green lifestyle!

Do you have an urban garden right now? I would love to hear what you have done with it!

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By candace kramer, June 22, 2011 8:02 pm

Summer is finally here, so when I found this fabulous Boathouse makeover over on Remodelista, I had to share with you. Look at how Seattle-based architects, Bosworth Hoedemaker, converted this rather dull, concrete boathouse into a stunning yet simple guest cottage.

Doesn’t look like much from the outside but open up those doors…Front row seats to the lovely Hood Canal…

Building codes prevented the team from making exterior structural changes so they had to focus their creativity on the interior space.

The stairs can actually be raised so a boat can be stored here during the winter months…love the seasonal functionality here. A small space has to work extra hard to meet all your needs and this one does just that!

I really love the plywood walls – a rustic and suitably nautical touch. As for the industrial lighting – perfection!

Ahhh…my favorite spot – the sleeping loft, with gorgeous views!

I could sure spend some time here…couldn’t you?

Images via here and here.

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By candace kramer, May 11, 2011 4:35 pm

In Portland, the first Thursday of every month is celebrated in the stylish Pearl District. Galleries, pubs, restaurants and design studios leave their doors open late to welcome Portlanders seeking out inspiration, delicious snacks and a glass of free wine! What a fabulous combination! I was in the crowd last week, my design radar was on and I found myself enamored with a new interior design firm – bright designlab. bright has over 25 years of experience in the arts of interior design, graphic design and architectural photography, plus they are LEED accredited! Gotta love that plus, who couldn’t like a company with these values:

work hard and be nice to people . design through simplicity and elegance of form . focus intently . behave with integrity above all else . always seek out beauty . never stop growing and learning new things . treat creativity like breathing.

Check out their simply gorgeous retail space…flooded with natural light and a symphony of textures, you can really feel the creative vibe in here!

bright’s partnership with local cabinetry company, Hammer and Hand, is evident and their stunning installations are seen throughout the space.

I absolutely love these retro, bright fridges from Smeg appliances! Perfect scale for smaller kitchens too! They were stocked with beer for First Thursday!

What a wonderful space!

Hope your week is going well!

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By candace kramer, April 20, 2011 10:51 pm

Being completely inspired by my last post, I couldn’t resist doing a pre-fab encore. Check out Homb -  a fantastic line of pre-fab homes designed using a 100 sq. ft. triangular system. Go here to view more plans. It turns out, that while squares and rectangles are perfectly fine for building…triangles are way cooler! This ingenious line is created by the brilliant marriage of two amazing companies: Skylab Architecture and Method Homes – both committed to designing spectacular architecture AND respecting the environment – gotta love that! Look at how beautiful these Homb structures are…

Aren’t they stunning? Would you consider living in a pre-fab home?

p.s. Wanna see what the Skylab Architects are up to in Portland? Check it out here!

All images via Homb

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By candace kramer, April 15, 2011 4:30 pm

Green building, as you know is something I love. Recycled, re-purposed, re-used, I can’t get enough! So, when I found this fantastic California based, green, pre-fab home company – Logical Homes, I had to share some of their plans with you. Sleek and modern, they pride themselves on filling their structures with light, clean lines and plenty of feel good, earth friendly building materials.

With a huge range of plans, there is a home suitable for everyone. These structures also make great secondary buildings such as an office, studio or guest house!

This first plan (The Kara) is a sweet 320 square feet…with a lovely expanse of outdoor living (an additional 270 sq. ft.)…

This next one (The Aegean) provides a little more wiggle room coming in at 640 sq. ft. and I just love that strong cantilevered roof!

And the big sister to the Kara is the Kara 1512, providing 1512 sq. ft of living space on two levels. Check out the translucent walls of the staircase – so cool!Pre-fab fabulous, right? To check out all their plans, visit their website here.

Could you live in one of these? I think I could!

All images via logicalhomes.com