Retro-inspired Barcelona flat with cozy interiors

Discovered on Mi Casa, a complete reform was undertaken in this Barcelona, Spain home to provide planning according to its new owners, a young couple with two small children. He is a photographer, and she is passionate about decoration, both wanted to preserve its original structure, with high ceilings, ornamental moldings and large windows. Its retro doors are also maintained, although access to the bathrooms was changed by sliding doors to optimize space. They chose to paint the walls white and thus enhance the light in the space; but also, to not subtract from the colorful flooring that has an incredible visual impact in decoration.

The open floor plan has visual continuity created through the environments: on one side, living area with a work corner, and in the opposite, kitchen and dining room. In the master bedroom next to the fireplace and vintage decor, evokes the leisurely and serene pace of times past. Concrete was chosen for the bathroom walls and floors which were completely renovated, a material which by its texture and natural appearance, fit into the style of the house. A world apart is the child’s bedroom, with wood flooring and decorated in white and slate, a chromatic palette used infrequently in baby’s rooms.

Moss Mountain Farm: An Arkansas holiday home

Moss Mountain Farm is a country estate overlooked the Arkansas River, located near Little Rock, Arkansas and can only be described as the ‘garden home for the holidays’. The Greek Revival-style home was decorated by homeowner and designer P. Allen Smith. The owner has holiday open houses every year; anyone can stop by and see the farm completely decorated for the season. The designer also has smaller gatherings with friends and family for dinner parties. The designer has an important decorating philosophy that he likes to abide by when decorating for the holidays, which is that the holiday decor must work with the existing décor in the home. It is about celebrating the spirit of the season and traditional colors do not necessarily need to be used. The designer instead likes to looks for colors and ideas that will work harmoniously with the interior of the home.

The color palette he uses is mixing dark chocolate browns with chartreuse greens, which pops against natural greens. He gathers together natural items from around the farm to incorporate into his decorating scheme, which are earthy browns and greens as well as other more subtle colors, such as Eastern Red Cedar, which has blue berries, as well as magnolia branches, brown leaves of bracken, mosses and lichens, assorted sizes of pine cones and native deciduous holly with red berries. He also mixes fruits and vegetables into the décor, some grown on the farm and others picked up from the grocery store, such as artichokes, kumquats and pomegranates. Last year he used Satsuma oranges added with a few camellia leaves to a grouping, which resembles the foliage of an orange. After the holidays, he uses the oranges to make marmalade so nothing goes to waste.

His holiday decorating always encompasses using items he already has and adding what he can collect and gather together on the farm. Anything additional he needs he seeks out at a craft or discount store, or even a second-hand shop. He prefers the juxtaposition of something earthy and natural alongside something that is shiny and glamorous. The hardware throughout the home is polished nickel, so he tends to utilize silver as the metallic accent rather than brass or gold. Those small details create harmony, which is an element that cannot be identified, only felt. The designer warms up rooms with family traditions of by switching out pillows, slipcovers and some art. Via

A twelve foot fresh cut tree lies in the parlor, one where you can see the trunk, and where the limbs are open and layered so ornaments are visible, as well as a more natural, unclipped look, rather than one that has been shaped. His hope is that visitors will be inspired to re-create some of the decorating ideas in their own homes and gardens, that they have an experience that inspires and instructs.

Photos:  Nancy Nolan

Beautiful Norway home with Scandinavian interiors

This beautiful three-story home stands on a hill with stunning views of the Oslo fjord in the small town of Drøbak, Norway. Owned and designed by Francisca Vegara, the home is comprised of 3,659 square feet (340 square meters) of living space featuring a living room, three bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms and two rooms to work. With a fresh coat of paint and a woman’s touch, the renovated of the home was finished just before Christmas. Decorated for Christmas, the home features silver, grey and white with a cozy and welcoming ambiance. Via

School house converted into fabulous family home

Designer and calligrapher Ylva Sharp has renovated a former school from 1901 in Hjortnäs outside of Leksand, Sweden. The talented designer sells her letter arts on everything from pillows to ceramics with dealers all over the world. The family’s old 3,336 square foot (310 square meters) school house at Lake Siljan is the personal adornment of the designer. Purchased back in 2003, the family of four moved to the country to renovate this fabulous family home. The designer stated that the school was in used up to the 1940s but when the family bought the farm in no longer had the charm of the last century. It was not love at first sight, all the rooms were dark but the designer saw the potential the school house had.

During the renovation, a few walls were demolished to generate a spacious open floor plan kitchen and dining room with generous visiting surfaces as well as newly renovated bathrooms. The school hall has become a cozy living room; a beautiful window has become a fine room divider with a television cover half a step up. Big windows create views towards Lake Silijan and makes the home brighter where nature outside feels present from inside the home. Starting from the pleasant entrance, heading on to the front hall stairway to the kitchen, dining room, office, living room, games room, guest rooms, bathrooms and laundry room, the home feels very spacious.

Upstairs brings you to the two children’s rooms, the parent’s bedroom and the master bathroom. The decor is currently in calm hues of white, gray and black as a base. The designer likes to change and renew her home with the seasons, replacing textiles, paint on a piece of furniture and take in the season’s crops. Christmas starts early for this family, the designer has a small Christmas collection of cards, labels, gift wrap, Christmas pendants in plexi-glass, all decorated with beautiful letter art. The family decorates with decorations from nature such as spruce, cones and twigs, grouping adornments and decorations to give a quieter impression. The designer’s studio and shop are on her conveniently on her property. Via

Coffee tables on wheels are made of pallets, the old Triplex lamp came with the house.

The old wood stove with fireplace was set during the renovation and has become the heart of the kitchen.

The front door is matte black on the outside and high gloss black on the inside. Lamps light up and creates the atmosphere.

Beautifully decorated Christmas home in Madrid

The main success of the decoration of this vivacious and colorful dwelling, situated along the outskirts of Madrid, adjacent to a park and a river, was the combination of aesthetic criteria with the needs of a large family with four young children. The owners, Carlos Arrigas is a painter and a photographer and his wife, an interior designer, created a cheerful home full of fun ideas!

The decoration of the home was planned according to family activities. The living room and kitchen with office were placed on the ground floor. The rooms are very spacious; enabling the home owner’s to create different atmospheres. There is also a professional studio where Carlos Arriaga paints and works. The first floor is smaller in scale and has been reserved for the bedrooms and bathrooms. The ground floor was designed in a practical manner with areas designated for the children’s toys and study materials without having to go to the upstairs level to locate them. A bookshelf with baskets in the living room as well as kitchen cabinets offers abundant storage space.

Another important factor for the owner’s was to create an atmosphere of balance, harmony and well-being. Plenty of windows were designed into the facade of the home visually integrate the garden as an extension of the house. In addition, the residence was painted in light hues to enhance the airy feel. In this calm environment emerges an eclectic decor. Each piece of furniture and every corner comes with a small story to tell; an armchair which has been passed down through the family, a chest of drawers purchased on an unforgettable family vacation and a fun carpet chosen by the children. Via

Merry Christmas to everyone! Enjoy this beautiful holiday home, let us know what you think!

Photos: Mi Casa Revista

Stylish and bright Christmas home in Barcelona

This cozy and beautifully decorated home is located in the outskirts of Barcelona, Spain. Everywhere you look there is the spirit of Christmas, from the tree to the garlands to all the baked goods on display in the kitchen. Decorated with details of red, white and green, the tree with its flashing lights, garlands decorate the windows, and ample gifts of all shapes and sizes under the tree. The garland on the fireplace mantel is made with pine branches and Red hearts to match the tree, along with different types of red and white balls, figurines of cloth and bells. All are inspired by a very Nordic Christmas, with motifs and colors that evoke landscapes with snow and sled pulled by reindeer.

The dining room features crackers and stars sewn in the tablecloth, aromatic plants decorate the table along with pine branches and candles. In the kitchen are cookies and cupcakes that the children have set up as a tower to simulate a Christmas tree. It is used as an advent calendar, where each day during the holiday one is eaten until there is no longer a trace of the tree. The master bedroom is usually a haven of peace, but is being put to use as a makeshift gift store. The home is set for the holidays. Hope you enjoyed taking a tour of this beautifully decorated home, we hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday season! Via

Photos: El Mueble

Beautifully decorated Christmas home in Norway

This brilliant home in Norway has been beautifully decorated for the Christmas season. The ambiance surrounding the interiors is warm and cozy as a result of gorgeously appointed interiors and seasonal decorations that makes everything merry and bright! All of the rooms, from the hallway storage closet to the small tree in a basket display contemporary holiday decorations that are minimalistic but beautifully showcased.

An elegant tray on the coffee table in the living room displays a wonderful holiday scene of candles, pinecones and miniature reindeers, while the dining table features a centerpiece of pine boughs intertwined with pinecones and candles lying on top with a floral arrangement in the middle. The bedroom has been decorated with Christmas cheer, a holiday pillow adorns the bed, while even the staircase leading upstairs was given extra holiday pep with Bambi silhouettes wrapped with patterned wrapping paper and wrapped gifts hanging from them. The entire home looks inviting and comfortable; hopefully you will find some holiday inspiration or just enjoy looking at how a different country from yours decorates for the holiday season. Happy holidays from 1 Kind Design! Via

Beautiful Scandinavian Christmas home

This charming house is owned and decorated for the Christmas holidays by Connecticut Interior Designer Edie van Breems. The gorgeous sparkling Christmas tree has been decorated in hues of gold, white and blue.

The dining room features a 70-year-old clam-shucking table with several Paperwhite Narcissus. This beautiful winter white flower has a wonderful scent and they are commonly used as a fresh and natural decoration in the home at Christmas time.

The beautiful Christmas wreath hanging in the window is Scandinavian-style, made of boxwood and dried wheat.

This decorative side table has all kinds of wonderful holiday decorations from a bowl with shiny baubles to sprigs of holly on the holiday card display.

The buffet table is displaying delicious holiday treats and a goose feather tree decorated with marzipan fruit and small candy canes.

This charming Swedish countryside kitchen plays host to long strands of wheat in glass canisters as a centerpiece focal point on the table and dried wheat holiday wreaths in the windows.

The banister showcases a very Scandinavian tradition of decorating with natural materials. The garland features pine and wheat and the star in the chest is handmade from straw.

In the winter time in Sweden there is not many daylight hours, so their custom is to decorate using light colors to balance the darkness of the winter months.