Home Reno - Front Terrace

I'm back :D

Remember when I promised you something on THIS PREVIOUS POST ?
So here's the built-in wall cabinet turned into seating cabinet/ bench..

Not bad, eh?

Looking at the size it's more on the day bed side, but we use it as a bench. 

The cabinet was reinforced with extra wooden structure so it could function well as a seating. The doors painted white and the body varnished.. and I got a 'new' bench which is also a roomy storage for shoes etc.

I didn't put seat cushion for practicality reason, but as you can see in the photo some throw pillows are enough to make the bench looks more inviting.

If you notice the checkered floor tiles, it's actually started from an accident where some of the (then) installed plain white tiles were flawed.. So I made a design decision to alternate the plain white tiles with ornate ones. We (I and hubby) search high and low for the ornate tiles, and finally found these ornate blue-white tiles that I think are perfect! :) 

Beautiful Mess

When I first saw this, I thought this must be the coziest living room ever! Warm colored hardwood floor covered with fluffy faux fur rugs, comfortable chairs, stools and ottoman, perfect for leisure. Yet the window nook next to them has this fresh and uplifting feel, with the tall windows and plants, making it suitable to put a working desk there.

Still in the same house, there's this room. With piano and floor-to-ceiling book rack, this room fits for a hobby room. Note how the books look kind of messy in the rack but somehow it doesn't ruin the appearance of the whole room. I have a similar hobby room in a much smaller scale, where it also involves a tall white rack with messy books and an electric keyboard instead of a grand piano, yet mine is somewhat mismatch, still far from the eclectic look I'm after.

 And then this dining room. Oh how lively and lovely! Again, I have a dining table similar like this in much smaller size, where the similarity lies in the many stuff scattered on the table top.. yup, messy me. I also share the joy of eating my meal while watching TV. But then again, this room is heaven compare to mine. I think the blackboard with menu written in colorful chalk has a big part in tying the look together.

Last but not least, the backyard. Oh my, I could imagine how beautiful it looks at night with the string lights all lits up. Cozy, natural, pretty and low maintenance.. just the way I like it. 

CLICK HERE if you want to see the rest of the house :)

House Tour: My Dream Cottage

I was browsing Apartment Therapy as usual when stumbled on this.
Oh how I would love to live there...

This is exactly what I want my dining room to be, outdoor, with string lighting and greenery around.

Indoor swing! Minus the fireplace (it's already summery hot here all year long) and the dogs (I'm more of a cat person) :D

Open hanging display of pots and pans. A very simple storing idea. Yet still doubtful about the dust and visual noise that will occurred.

Outdoor theater! Oh my..


You can see the full post and pictures here.. go ahead and drool with me. 

Inspiration: Cozy Nooks

I was browsing Apartment Therapy when I stumbled upon this gorgeous House Tour. If you haven't notice, I've a soft spot for green design - even my final year project was about Green Architecture.

But I'm not going to bore you with some architectural terms now. I just want to share the cozy nooks in the house, which are perfect for lounging around, reading, take a short nap or just gazing outside the window.

Like this sleeping porch, located right next to the master bedroom facing the backyard. It's a fun and cozy twist to the ordinary chair-and-table or bench usually seen in porch or terrace.

Or the dreamy reading nook inside the kid's bedroom. I would've read for hours there!

And do you notice the bay window seating in the living room below? Lovely!

And then there's this unexpected nook above the staircase. It may not save for small kids, but it looks oh so cozy.

If you want to see more, you could see the full article here.

House Tour: Oldies Corners

Well, this one's not exactly a house tour, more of a interesting corner spotting (if there is such a term). Below pics were taken from my parents in law's home in Central Java, Indonesia. I could immediately sense the nostalgic feel upon entering the old house, which always give me a nice warm feeling.

The living room

The terrace

Door leading to the backyard

Rustic Table Makeover

What should you do with that tired old coffee table? Well don't throw it out straight away, because you can refurbish it easily. And if paint job or light carpentry work is not your thing, you can still work a few magic on some inexpensive decorating.

Just throw a table runner on it, display some framed photos, and add a dash of color with freshly picked flowers in a colorful vase. You can even opt for the artificial ones if you like. Just as simple as that, and there you have it.. a sweet refurbished table with a rustic tropical flair.

Still think it's not suitable for your living room? Afraid not, and imagine how the coffee table would fit nicely in that porch or patio of yours, as serving table for some thirst quencher and afternoon tea.. and coffee, ofcourse :)

No Ordinary Bubbles

These days there are growing numbers of outdoor furniture with interesting design and a twist in its material. Like this Bubble Club collection for instance. Made of polyethylene (plastic), designer Phillipe Starck again successfully make his signature on this modern piece with a touch of fun and traditional lines.

The collection comprises of sofa, armchair and table, which can fit into a moderate-big size backyard perfectly, or even in the living room for indoor use.

I personally think that the sofa is the best piece since you can just put it in the terrace by itself and it'll look and function great without any other furnishing. As for the table, it would look awkward without some seating. And the armchair.. well, it does look cute by itself, yet it won't function as much because of its single seater.

Yet, if you have the space AND the budget, no harm in investing on the whole collection :)

pics from allmodern.com

Embrace The Outdoor Living

pic's taken from ideaonline.co.id

Living in the tropical land -where it's summer all year long- sure gives you lots of reason to go outdoor. That is if you can stand all the tropical bugs as well :p But seriously, I prefer to sit outside under a shade in a hot sun rather than stay inside a closed air-conditioned room.

Call me claustrophobic but there's something about outdoor living that actually make you feel free and more alive.

Which comes to a thought 'why not make an outdoor living room'. If you can't stand the idea of mosquitos hovering around while you watch your favourite TV show, than maybe you could adjust your 'outdoor living' to a semi outdoor terrace where you can spend one lazy morning-afternoon reading books with plenty of natural light and breezy air, or you can even have your guests there.

Afraid of the room would feel too ordinary? Don't be, because you can decorate it as you please. In my case, currently I'm crazy over the modern-natural-tropical-resort style. But then I've always been drawn to a laid back comfy design which you probably know as the modern tropical style.

Say, to be short, just take a look at the picture on top, and I'll find a good book to read in the breeze..