Matt Garcia Design - Llano Exit Strategy

As part of the "Tiny House Movement", the Llano Exit Strategy was created. As the story in a nutshell goes, Matt Garcia and some friends wanted to figure out how to acquire themselves a getaway within 90 minutes of Austin, TX. It would need to have a hangout for all of them plus separate sleeping quarters with private bathrooms. When they purchased some land in 2011, Mat Garcia came up with 400 sq ft eco-friendly cabins and a 1500 sq ft commons building (housing Bosch appliances, Wolf stove, and a huge wooden table from Restoration Hardware). What a sweet idea! And you can even rent it from them on Airbnb. (Photos: Bill Sallans)

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Why Frank is so Fantastic

It's just a box, a simple cookie cutter studio apartment. Tiny living/sleeping room, entry, bijou kitchen and even smaller bathroom. Yet I want it. Why? Because after the stylist and photographer have finished with it I can't take my eyes off the photos, scanning for covetable objects or clever ideas. I'm already daydreaming that it's my Stockholm pied-à-terre . That's why Frank is so fantastic. Can't have it though. It's sold. Via Fantastic Frank.

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Design Crew

Got a problem? Need some help? Just standing there shaking your head? Don't know what to do? You're not alone. Send us a link to photos of your design quandary and let the Desire to Inspire design crew help you .... that's you lot ... the readers! Hop to it. I know you have just the right solution. Today's design dilemma comes from Paula.

Desperately seeking kim & jo's interior ideas for a super/super long (24 feet long) by a super narrow (6 feet wide) living/dining/kitchen empty blank space that all connected open. I mean, I haven't any clue how to explain this cold empty apartment and I am lost without a clue where to begin. Paula is looking to create a warm, calm, inviting home with the rather awkward space she has to work with as seen below.

I would like to share my thoughts and I hope many of you will too! First though - why oh why do people think dividing up a floor in an open concept space like this with 2 different materials is a good idea?! This space would be easier to work with and flow better if all the floor was hardwood. Paula I don't know if you own or rent but either way, if you can swing getting that doing-nothing-for-the-space tile pulled up and replaced with the same hardwood that would be an awesome start. So I would basically pick a lovely calm, neutral colour and slap that all over all the walls. I usually say grey but you can really go with anything you like. Then pick 1 or 2 accent colours. I would then delineate your dining and living room zones using area rugs (neutral with a bit of your accent colour). I would get a round dining table and some not too weighty chairs like Eames or Philippe Starck's Victoria Ghost chairs. I would try and find a very slim loveseat/sofa just under 6' long and cram it in that nook under the 2 windows along the back wall. Or check if Ikea or small-space furniture companies makes a sectional that isn't too bulky that might fit with the lounge part along the back wall. Then you can have a couple of occasional chairs in the more open area facing the loveseat with maybe a tiny table between them and they won't be so crammed in. I would mount the TV on the wall behind that door in the photo above so it's out of the way. That's it - just keep a flow of colours throughout the entire space and keep every piece of furniture light, airy and ideally armless because I guarantee you'll bring home furniture and wonder why it looked like a good size in the store but so big in your space. 

Reader's home: pegboard is underrated

We received this email the other day from Hannah:One of my favorite features has been the opportunity to see how other people around the world live (and work) in their homes, and I would love to submit my husband's live/work space in New York's Lower East Side neighborhood for your consideration to share with your readers! We recently got married last month in December, and he will be at his space until he moves in with me in the beginning of March (ah, New York City romances!). It's a 550-square-foot apartment with "2 bedrooms" (both bedrooms are windowless) that he lives in by himself and also uses as a full-time office. There's one closet – in the living room – for the entire apartment. Matt has always had a modern, minimalist style, but this apartment truly pushed him to come up with creative, innovative solutions to maintain his hyper-organized, decluttered lifestyle. When his lease ends and he moves into my 2-bedroom apartment in a little over a month, we plan to put up pegboards and I can't wait to see what happens :) If anyone was uncertain of the usefulness of pegboard, then this post is for you. What a great way to deal with a serious lack of storage space, while keeping everything off the floor and close at hand. More details of Matt's home is here and his recent pegboard collection here. (HUH??? ONE CLOSET... in the living room?!)

Big ideas for a small Art Deco apartment

"The brief was to breath new life into an un-renovated 42sqm one bedroom apartment from the 1930s to provide sufficient relax, play and work spaces for a young professional couple."

At 42sqm the footprint is small but clever storage solutions and design means that the living is large. The Hacienda by Adriano Pupilli Architect.

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