Matchbox wall art at Anthropologie

I thought this was an eye-catching use of some old matchboxes.  Seeing these colorful boxes nailed onto the simple grid made me want to start gathering matchboxes of my own to make some kind of art work.  Anthropologie's creative installations always inspire me and the London Regent Street store has some fantastic displays.

Home in the Kenyan Rift Valley + one of the coolest nurseries ever

the nursery: check out the lovely foldable baby crib!

I don't post dwellings like this much. Truth is, I don't often find them in the magazines I read. This is the kind of place that wouldn't work as a living situation for most people. But the few who could learn to navigate living in the wild would reap scenery like few people ever experience, along with other rewards that may come from putting your life at nature's mercy (you can tell I don't even know what those might be). This couple is Carolyn Roumeguere and Simon Douglas-Dufresne, who both grew up with rather nomadic lifestyles, so it suits them. She designs jewelry and he sells electrical fences to game reserves.  On the edge of an escarpment overlooking the Kenyan Rift Valley they live with their baby daughter. Their home is composed of a series of detached rooms, as opposed to one large building. They enjoy the contrast of open-air rooms, but they also have modern-day conveniences like the decent plumbing, hot water and the internet! Dreamy, isn't it? (photos by Simon Upton, from Vogue, year unknown)

A converted farmhouse home in Provence

This wing of a farmhouse was converted to a home in Cap Canaille, between Cassis and Marseille (which, as the highest maritime cliffs in Europe, looks absolutely stunning). What I like most about converted farmhouses are the proportions and the interesting shape of the spaces that have to be transformed into something liveable. (photos from House and Garden Sept. 2009)

A special shop in Paris: Astier de Villatte

Last Tuesday I returned from an inspiring and delicious week in Paris. At the suggestion of this lovely blogger Leigh, I used this little book, by the blogger/ stylist extraodinaire Pia Jane Bijkerk, as a guide to find many of the places I wanted to go see. I would certainly recommend this book if you want a glimpse into some special places!

The last day I was there, I decided to make a trip to Astier de Villatte. Though it was out of my way, and on a street where I had absolutly no other ambitions (swanky Rue St. Honore), I went. And I was so glad I did. The shop is gorgeous. I read that the shop is in the former home of Napoleon's silversmith, and so it has kept an 17th century-feel: dimly lit with are low ceilings, uneven floors and small doorways. It's such a charming place, but not in the manufactured sense, you know?

Piled high on tall antique dark wood bibliotheques with are the stacks of white handmade pottery in perfectly uneven and beautiful little shapes. Some embellished, and some completely simple- these are a joy to look at. The pieces look handmade, and I loved them all. The small bowl I chose as a souvenir of my trip now sits in my kitchen window and makes me happy every time I see it.

French home in the Paris suburbs

I loved April's issue of Marie Claire Maison! So many inspiring spaces. Here are a few photos of the home of Christophe and artistic director Valerie. They used flea market treasures here found at Clignancourt, and they made cushions and coverings with textiles from the famous Montmartre fabric shop, Marché Saint-Pierre.  Their terrace is my favorite space of the day, likely because I'm dreaming of terrace-friendly weather! (photos from Nicolas Matheus in Marie Claire Maison April 2010)

Hand-stitched home of Aurélie Mathigot

Aurélie Mathigot is a visual artist who takes sewing to a new level. She embroiders, knits, stitches and crochets coverings for objects and colorful decorations, and her touches are visible all over her home! (Look closely at the piano in the first photo!) She says her art is an expression of the idea of recovery (a theme, I think) and the need for talking about everyday objects in another, new way. (Photos by Eric Flogny in Marie Claire Maison, April 2010)

p.s. I see that Famille Summerbelle has also posted about her this month. Take a look at their blog for some more photos.