Fireplaces in Every Room

I love fire. I love its heat, its flame, the way it looks, the rustic feel of it, its protection, the way its light reflects on everyone's face. If the names Pyro and Sparky hadn't already been taken at Camp Two Sentinels where I volunteer most summers, I would definitely have picked one or the other. I love fire. I just do. My dream house would have a fireplace in every single room. I would have a fire every single day (yes I know its terrible for the environment, I'd have to find a green way to do it, ok?!) 

Today I decided to write about fireplaces. They give such a lovely feel to every space. They can be elegant, traditional, modern, bohemian, rustic-- whatever you want. Fireplaces are unique and, in my opinion, not used enough in today's design. 

First of all, the internet loves this kitchen. It is pinned all over the place on Pinterest. I love it's bright open feel, the floor to ceiling subway tiles (or is that brick?), the contrasting cabinets, but mostly, I LOVE the fireplace. See right there in the center? It's gorgeous. It's little. It's modern. I want one. I love the wood storage below too. In fact, I love how that wood looks real and isn't all perfectly cut like most styled images. This is a wonderful kitchen with a wonderful fireplace. It seems like a novelty, but, in fact, once all kitchens had fireplaces. Because that's the only way you could cook. duh. You knew this. Now I think we should all run out and hire architects to add a fireplace to our kitchens. Or Bedrooms. OR ANY ROOM IN THE HOUSE!!

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Here is a much more rustic example of a fireplace. This room is gorgeous, like a medieval Italian castle. I love the little corner fireplace. A fireplace in the bathroom would be amazing. Think candles are relaxing? Now think about fire, it's like candles times a million. Plus it would feel so nice on naked skin as you slip into the bath. I'm serious. It would be the most wonderful feeling. Also, check out this tub, guys. Pretty snazzy, eh? Its clean lines are a great contrast with the rough cut stone of this room.

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Now for the bedroom. Here is a nice modern, traditional space. I love the incorporation of different cultural pieces of furniture, I love the large wooden beams, I love the green fainting couch and curtains, I love the four post bed, but mostly, of course, I love that fireplace. Even though it doesn't have a fire in it, the addition of candles allude back to the firey origins. They've added some nice decor to the mantel too. I'm digging the convex mirror (my Oma has one!) and those sweet twigs. This room is lovely and relaxing and slightly sexy. Just what a master bedroom should feel like.

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Here is another fireplace in a bedroom. This room has a completely different feel however. It's very bohemian. The walls appear to be from an old (Victorian, maybe?) home, but the furniture is a mix of modern and traditional with a lot of color. I love that bedding. There is also that awesome mirrored chest in the corner. I like it. Feels like someone just moved and dumped their things here. It feels very much like I'm squatting. I'm feeling the adventure here. That fireplace brings some of that warmth and danger into the space.

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Fireplace in your closet? Why not? Especially when your closet looks like this. Please someone give me this room for my birthday! I love the way this space is used. The clothes, furniture, painting, and rug all go so well, despite their huge differences in style. I would just love to get ready to go out one night with a huge roaring fire. Can you imagine it? Sipping wine with your girlfriends, or husband, or wife; the fire crackling; the music playing just a little bit too loudly, the lights just dim enough for you to see yourself clearly in the mirror? Oh my goodness. It's like a closet orgy in this space. Fireplaces make everything better

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I do have to apologize  to y'all for slacking lately. I had finals and a mess of other things going on. But I'm back! Get ready for happiness and gorgeous design! So follow me! I'm getting ready for a summer of bright happy design fun!

My Dream Spanish Style Home: Exterior Inspiration

I like houses. This should be obvious. As a wannabe architect/interior designer I design homes in my head. I think about them constantly. Normal people have one ultimate dream home that they think about. I, however, am not normal. I imagine several dream homes, each fitting a separate stage of my life. I think about them all the time and find inspiration for them EVERYDAY. I can explain rough layouts to you and give color schemes. I can even tell you what plants grow around and in these imaginary homes. I'm crazy, yes, this is a fact. 

Anyways, I've decided to share my inspiration with y'all. So here it goes. This is my ideal Spanish style home. I will hypothetically build and own this when I have kids who are no older than 5. The house will reside just outside of Santa Cruz, CA in a rural area on several acres of land. The likely hood of me ever being able to afford this is 0.91892211%. But I can dream, ok!?

You will enter the estate through a large gate. Similar to this one, but bigger! As in big enough for a car or two... :) 

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It will most definitely have lanterns similar to these and be built into a strong stuccoed wall like this one.

The exterior facade is harder to explain, because truth be told, I have a hard time finding Spanish style home inspiration on the internet!

Here is the house from Modern Family. I haven't seen the show, but I do like this house. It's gorgeous! Mine will be similar, but five million times as large and with a different color scheme. 

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 The entrence will be more interesting like this one, with the tile around it. Also note the path tile: more Spanish. My home will be more like this. Also it will have a facade that is more fluctuating like this one, and less flat (ie the Modern Family house...)

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Also the arched windows here are to die for! I prefer these pointed arches to those that simply curve. I have no idea if this is more or less Spanish. Do you know? It's like a step between the plain ones on the Modern Family house and Moorish arches like these? Maybe?

Also the house will definitely be covered in ivy like this one from the second Parenttrap movie. Also the red color of the building here is similar to that of what mine would be. Ivy grows super fast right? It'll totally look like this with in a month of being build? hahah

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The exterior in the back will look a bit like this:

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Lots of verandas, doors, windows, porches, levels, balconies etc... Definitely a must. There will also be a pool, but I'd prefer mine a tad farther from the house. 

Here is another Spanish style building. I couldn't tell you exactly which of its features will be designed into my house, but I like way this one looks. Perhaps the stair step wall on the right side of the picture? Definitely a porch like this one, but much much wider. This will be a home of extravagance!   heehee :)  

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The house will definitely contain elements like this below. The chimney design is fabulous. Simple, yet elegant! And again with the pointed arch. I just prefer them. 

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The house  mansion will definitely have a tower. Or two. I can't decide. I love towers. I want to take them home with me. Originally I wanted a round one. I wanted to put a multi story library in it with a reading room on the top story and a curving decorative staircase. I've begun to rather love this tower too though. So maybe I'll have to have multiple towers. I think that's a little veranda up there. If it is, I love this even more. I want a tower veranda! Off the master bedroom maybe? I would love to sit up there, have sex relax in the evenings, and watch the sunset!

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The house will definitely have a courtyard like this one from the movie, It's Complicated. Perhaps more than one courtyard. Maybe the front of it will be laid out in a U-shape, like Versailles, in the front. They might be atriums actually. 

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Atriums  that look like this one, except for not a greenhouse. And awesomer. And bigger. 

I will probably need to win multiple lotteries to afford this house. Or I could marry Prince Harry. He's pretty cute with that red hair! 

My house will also include a lot of indoor-outdoor spaces like this one. Is it inside? Is it outside? Is it both? I love this little veranda here. The beams are beautiful, That cut out with the plant is beautiful. The textiles are beautiful. Hell, if I can't afford this house, I'll just take this veranda and be happy. 

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Also this dining room is gorgeous. The arched ceiling is amazing! I love the vines. Al fresco dining is a must for California. Especially in the summer.

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Finally, because I want want want want, there needs to be water incorporated in the home. I like this arch on the right below. Yeah, basically I want a moat for my castle of luxury. heehee

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Or even a veranda like this with a small pool! It needs to be a salt water pool. None of that chlorine for me!

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More outdoor space inspiration: FIREPLACES! I love fire, so this is especially critical. I want a fireplace like this. And I want a big fire pit that can fit a lot of people for roasting s'mores. I also need little moveable fire pits, like the ones in my favorite veranda above, for all my verandas and balconies. This is for warmth purposes as I was born cold blooded or something. I am always freeeeeeeezing!

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I love this little side garden nook. It's toooo cute. So sweet. A perfect little place to sneak away to.

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And I definitely need a covered walk way like this one. Mostly for the photo opportunities beneath it. Also it would be great for weddings and I fully expect everyone I know to get married at my house. Heeheehee

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And I want these scattered spots around my land! I love the bed and the table. Simply beautiful. Plus I love things that hang. There will definitely be some big California oaks around, so there won't be a problem finding places for these to hang. :)

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Also built in benches in the backyard please!!

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And a big pool house with a fireplace like this one! Only Spanish style. 

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Oh and my house will have some solar panel roof tiles like these! (But only in the places you can't see well, I'm not a fan of the look)

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And that's it guys. That's my idea Spanish style dream home! The one I will never be able to afford, but will continue to lust after until I die. I'll continue to show you more as I go. This was just the exterior! :) Get excited!

Oh! And of course I apologize for my extremely ridiculous and extravagant taste for what I will never afford. : /

But, hey! A girl can dream. And dream I will