Image from: IKEA Hackers 

I am currently in the middle of a loft makeover and one of the key features I plan to incorporate is a media/storage/workstation wall! I plan to use IKEA pieces as the foundation.

I have quite a few traditional pieces in my loft so I’m hoping this style will help add the minimal clean-lined design to balance out my more unique pieces. I will be starting with the bones and adding to it monthly probably in order to not break my budget.

Here’s my idea at the moment…

I love this idea of a media wall as it is a great way to save space and provides a consistant, flowing look along a long, open wall. I will have a spot for use as a workstation and a section for my television. I plan to also incorporate the upper shelving as an additional cat perch and art display. I am very excited to see how it turns out!

Images from: House Tweaking

Came across this neat little DIY project on my favorite site, Apartment Therapy. Dana at House Tweaking painted a cheap rug from IKEA and made it look similar in style to the rugs that currently cost upwards of 100-200 bucks! Check  out her blog for more images and the how-to. I’ve been looking for a new rug and may go this route and come up with a neat graphic. Never would have thought of actually painting a rug!

Image from: Refreshed Designs

Rast hacks are always fun because they start out with an inexpensive blank canvas. Check out this makeover from Refreshed Designs. I am a fan of the industrial look but real industrial files and drawers are rare and expensive. So here’s a great little idea that can give ya the look on the cheap! Love the pulls and I’m sure you can use them on quite a bit of other things as well to achieve this look.

 Images from: Apartment Therapy

Well, sorry for the month long sabbatical folks, March was quite the busy and stressful month for me. I took the practicum section of the NCIDQ exam this past Saturday and am praying that I pass! I feel pretty good about it and will very confused if I don’t so hopefully that’s a good sign. Unfortunately the wait period for results is like 13 stinkin’ weeks. Augh! But now I am back to showing you guys some pretty awesome little spaces.

This week’s space is… you guessed it… vintage and lovely as is my preference. It’s a 500 SF apartment in New York and is a very unique space designed by Christina Love. It actually has alot of the same components and ideas that I used in my own loft including curtain system for hiding the bed, awesome vintage drafting stools, and refinished dressers. The coffee table may be my favorite part. Love the idea of using books as legs! So creative.

Hope you guys are doing well and I’m looking forward to catching up this month!

Image from: Industry West

As you may know I love vintage furniture used in collaboration with the contemporary minimalist design movement… I recently came across this manufacturer/vendor of reproductions of industrial furniture that I think is awesome! It’s not exactly budget friendly, but at the same time it’s not ungodly overpriced either, in my opinion. Check it out at Industry West. Could be used as functional art/accents that give you minimalist room some character besides the over-used mid-century modern look.

Images from: Freshome

This lovely little apartment is only 370 sq ft and as usual, I am loving the white and vintage style. It has one room, kitchen, bathroom, and hallway and the decor incorporates traditional pieces such as the beautiful bed and dressers. I just recently found an antique bed frame that looks just like this one and I am excited to fix it up and use it in my loft. In the kitchen I love the white subway tile accent wall (thanks Emma!) and the strong contrast of the dining table chairs with all the white in the space. Lots of character in this tiny home!

Life has been pretty busy for me lately and the move caused some struggles with my minimalist budget last month so trying to get everything back on track. Lots of new things are happening in my life and effectively managing stress is an important idea of minimalism that I have yet to achieve. I have joined a crossfit gym and am loving it! It is a great stress relief and will help me get healthier physically and mentally. It does take quite a toll on my budget, but in order to accommodate somewhat, I have dropped my cable and don’t miss it at all! Work is going well but I am working to keep a balance between my work life and my free time. It is important to have things in your life that make you happy and can distract you from the stress and monotony of the daily grind. Not all of us are blessed enough to simply quit our jobs and live on a beach somewhere reflecting on simple matters, some of us have obligations (i.e. student loans, families) that require us to continue in the traditional workforce as it is a more stable means of income.

Here’s some tips for reducing stress while dealing with a day job.

1.  Manage your time, don’t be a workaholic. Try to leave your work at work, don’t bring its pressures home with you in the evening. Focus on work while at work so you know you did your best for the day and won’t worry about it when you get out.

2. Find an outlet that makes you happy during stressful times. Some may take this as a suggestion to pick up heavy drinking, but I’m referring to a hobby or some activity that you like that will give you something to look forward to throughout the day. This can be anything – joining a small group bible study or book club, going to dinner with friends on a more regular basis, or taking up crossfit like me. This may take some money out of your pocket, but you can’t work your life away just to get by, spend some money on something that will improve your life.

3. Work to improve yourself and your situation. If the day in and day out has gotten boring, work on bettering yourself by learning something new to benefit you personally or professionally. Take up an exercise regimen, learn a new language, read more books, become more involved in investing, learn a new program for your job. Find something you can do on the side that makes you happy and even has the possibility of being an extra source of income.

4. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Care less about what shitty people think. Don’t let others’ attitudes and opinions dictate your mood and your day. Don’t be a perfectionist.  Perfectionists have self-esteem issues that they are compensating for. Do your work the best you can but don’t stress over every little detail; 9 out of 10 times the only one who notices that little detail is you.

5. Cut out stresses that are removable. Financial stress can be reduced by reworking your budget and cutting back your expenses. Money stress is ranked very high on the my list of stressors, and I’m sure for most everyone else as well. Consider what you can get rid of such as cable, internet, morning Starbucks, lunch out every day, etc. If you have better control of your finances, you will feel more confident with your everyday life.

It is hard to implement these, even for myself… I have to constantly remind myself of what is important in life and to not stress too much. Good luck with your de-stressing and have a great day!

Images from: Shoot Factory

This week’s space is my favorite so far in terms of finish out. It’s not necessarily small, but it is beautifully minimalist. I love the white and rustic interior. I think this home is a great example of combining unique, traditional pieces and accents with the contemporary idea of minimalism. More images can be found at design to inspire!

Images and idea found at: Take the Side Street

I found this neat, inexpensive DIY project done by Anna at Take the Side Street. It’s simply the IKEA RAST dresser with molding details added and then painted! It looks amazing and considering that the dresser base is only $35, it’s a great little hack if you are needing a short dresser for a child or nightstand! Head on over there and see how Anna did it!

Found this neat article called the “30 best quotes on living small” by Jessica Marati at EcoSalon. It is a cool little reminder of how our design and lifestyle choices have an impact on our own lives and others! Here’s a few of my favorites, check out the article to read them all!

1. Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful. -William Morris

2. You know you have reached perfection of design not when you have nothing more to add, but when you have nothing more to take away. -Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

3. Live simply so that others may simply live. -Elizabeth Ann Seton

4. Reduce the complexity of life by eliminating the needless wants of life, and the labors of life reduce themselves. -Edwin Way Teale

5. Small rooms or dwellings discipline the mind, large ones weaken it. -Leonardo Da Vinci

6. Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius – and a lot of courage – to move in the opposite direction. -E.F. Schumacker

7. The secret of happiness, you see, is not found in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less. -Socrates

8. The simplest things are often the truest. -Richard Bach

9. Too many people spend money they haven’t earned, to buy things they don’t want, to impress people they don’t like. -Will Rogers

10. The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak. -Hans Hofmann

11. We go on multiplying our conveniences only to multiply our cares. We increase our possessions only to the enlargement of our anxieties. -Anna C. Brackett

12. The intention of voluntary simplicity is not to dogmatically live with less. It’s a more demanding intention of living with balance. This is a middle way that moves between the extremes of poverty and indulgence. -Duane Elgin

13. Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you. -Lao Tzu

14. I bet most of us have experienced at some point the joys of less: college – in your dorm, traveling – in a hotel room, camping – rig up basically nothing, maybe a boat. Whatever it was for you, I bet that, among other things, this gave you a little more freedom, a little more time. -Graham Hill

Hope everyone has a wonderful Sunday!