Whenever I’m hit by the Procrastinating Bug, I go find something inspiring to bring me back to my working, thinking, designing mode. For this purpose, my flickr contacts have been very helpful.

This July, instead of design blogs, we are featuring six Flickr Photostreams for df’s Daily Reads. These are from my flickr contact list that are packed with photos which will surely encourage you to create, decorate, and make something beautiful for your space.

Here’s a quick preview of our July list:

day in the studio from artpropelled,

tilly & tommy elephants from retro_mama,

one of those moments from penwren,

my helper from fallon akers,

my studio from dottie angel,

and black wall from the happy home

Enjoy! -ardel

*top photo via dottie angel

 ”bird on the wing”

Happy Easter everyone!

Green Guide and I just got back from Sagada early this morning. It was a physically challenging trip to say the least (especially for someone like me who doesn’t do a lot of physical activity).

Sagada is beautiful! Plus, the Igorot culture is so interesting. I’ll be sharing pictures of the trip later this week. For now, I’d like to have a lingering moment with nature through these pretty photos from english apple‘s “the secret life of plants” set:

“gently enveloped”

“moss eye drops”

“hope”

“lollipops”

Check out the rest of the set here.

Have a happy week!

*All photos via english apple’s Flickr photostream

Wouldn’t it be nice to be surrounded by love everyday? I think having “love” around you doesn’t just happen. Most of the time, it’s a personal choice—to love, to be loved, and to be constantly inspired.

Love defines Iro-Ivy’s very white abode in Germany. Like Sarah (of abeachcottage), I saw Ivy’s Penthouse through flickr when I was searching for charming Christmas homes last December 2009. By just looking at the photos of her home, one could tell that Ivy has a kind of style that goes beyond creating pretty spaces. A style that seems to radiate warmth and sincerity. She calls it “love”.

Ivy is probably one of the most passionate people I’ve encountered. She finds joy and inspiration in simple things. You can tell by the way she arranges and decorates her space, and by the way she takes pictures of the Penthouse.

Today, as the third and last feature for our “romantic white homes week”, we take a tour of Ivy’s Penthouse as she shares with us her decorating style, her passions, and bits of her life.

[Image above: "These (garland of paper flaglets) are made from 1960's vintage, Albert Van Luit wallpaper and pages of the German vintage book 'Die Kleine Hexe' ".]

“I practice ‘living big is an attitude’, depending on making the best use of what we have. A few square meters can be very functional and quite ‘large’, with the right use. The Penthouse measures 65 square meters, with 22 square meters being the second open floor, where the bedroom and dressing areas are. The rest is the main floor including the entrance, bathroom, dining area, reading corner, kitchen, living area, and office corner.”

“I give my living space its time to evolve with me, as much as I evolve living in the space. Even though, I did make plans, as soon as we chose this apartment and knew which existing furniture would be used and what needed/wished to be bought, I took small steps into actualizing them. After 2 years of living in the Penthouse, I can finally say that it’s very close to how I’d like it to be. According to my partner’s view though, it was already perfect after a few days! Oh well…. Of course, it’s different when I plan for a client.”

“I love clean lines and interesting architecture. However, as much as I appreciate and love beautiful objects, I try not to overburden a space with too many of them. I try to be surrounded only by things I like. If I’ve made an impulsive buy (which happens rarely, after long years of effort!), I donate it or sell it.”

[Image above: Ivy's LOVE mirror by the dining area.]

“I always get inspired by my love for decorating & making beautiful, functional living spaces, and turning them into homes.

Loving more than words and my appreciation for life make this place look happy and clean! I’m happy to be here and sharing this space with the true, internal sunshine of my life, who has made all these possible for me. In a way, I gave up daily sunshiny life in Greece, but now sunshine lives inside me! And I get to travel a lot, so it’s more than fine!”

[Image above: Framed wallpaper samples make fun, colorful and inexpensive wall displays. Know more about this project here.]

“I refresh the look of my living space by rearranging things now and then. I also upcycle and re-purpose things, which means that a new addition can be made, without having to spend anything.”

“I love light and therefore choose bright spaces to live in. Nothing decorates a space better than natural light! I love white and natural tones (obviously!), as much as natural textures. It is the perfect canvas for being creative and playing with accessories and pops of colour according to moods and seasons.”

[Image above:" Heart collection on the white, wooden pole under the stairs and a glimpse to the reading corner."]

“I keep the biggest part of surfaces clutter free, so that they can be easily used daily according to needs. I keep things organized and make use of cupboards, drawers and boxes to their fullest extent.”

“I find that my studies in Psychology are of great help when talking to people (most often friends, friends of
friends & acquaintances so far) about organizing & beautifying their living spaces. Finding out their true needs and overcoming their drawbacks can begin from their living spaces. Just like when someone can organize a closet as a parallel need to organizing his/her thoughts.

I believe that living spaces do and should reflect who we are. They are like eyes being the mirrors of our hearts. And this is why I have my objections about styling based on trends and not on people’s likes and choices.”

Again, thank you Ivy for taking the time from your busybee schedule to do this! You’re one very kind and inspiring spirit. Hope you get to touch more people with your photos and your designs.

To know more about Ivy’s style, her Penthouse and her crafts, visit here flickr photostream here, her etsy shop here and her blog here.

*Photos from Ivy’s flickr photostream.

Here’s the second part of our “holiday homes around the world”.

Yesterday, I took you to Europe (Germany & Austria) and Australia. Now, let’s go to USA to peek into the homes of Fallon Akers from El Paso, Texas, Melanie Renn from San Francisco, California, and Alyn Carlson from Westport, Massachusettes. Thank you very much for sharing!

And to all of you, Happy New Year! See you in 2010!

(p.s. move your pointer over the pictures for the captions/notes.)

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Fallon Akers is a sewer from El Paso, Texas who loves 50s-60s vintage stuff. She also maintains a blog and an etsy store. In the style that she knows best, she filled her home with all handmade and vintage goodness for Christmas. Her “soft” tree ornaments are quite unique. I also love her pillows! Very pretty.

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Melanie Renn of San Francisco, California is also a lover of vintage decors. She has Christmas ornaments saved since the 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s. Her collection is more on the classic side–figurines of angels, reindeers, swans, snowflakes, and real lead tinsels–each having a sort of magical character. What I also love about her collection are the stories that accompany every ornament.

Read more about Melanie’s holiday decorations in her blog here. She also maintains a group called h ♥ m e  in flickr that pools photos of the nicest homes.

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From a classic Christmas home, let’s check out a fun and quirky take on holiday decorating.

Alyn Carlson of Westport, Massachusetts is a graphic artist, designer, and actor. Her graphic design works can be found in her website here, while her designer hats can be purchased in etsy here. Alyn also has a blog where she shares her daily musings.

Her home for the holidays is decorated in a different way, veering away from the usual images of Christmas. She made a “Dr. Suess Christmas tree”, with all sorts of trinkets that create a whimsical, cartoon-like image. There is also a quirky gold wreath reusing old headless Barbie dolls that seem to be doing a “James Bond Gold Finger Radio City Music Hall thing” according to Alyn. 
 

Technically, Christmas is already over. But not here on Design Folder (nor in Manila, for that matter, haha)!

For the benefit of our readers abroad, Christmas/the Holiday season in the Philippines “unofficially” starts in October, peaks in December, and ends in January (i think after the feast of the three kings).

So, to extend the holiday celebration, I’m taking you to a Christmas design trip! Thanks to my new-found flickr friends, I got a peek at some of the lovliest hoiliday homes from different parts of the world. Seriously, their designs brought so much inspiration to me!

First up, sharing you the homes of Anita from Austria, Ivy style33 from Germany,  and Sarah from Australia.

(p.s. move your pointer over the pictures for the captions/notes)

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Anita Dawoodi is a home-styling blogger from Graz, Austria. She writes mostly about her daily design inspirations in her blog 1richtungsblog.com. But this time around, I’m blogging about her!

In spite of the snowy weather in Austria, her home is all warm and cozy, decorated in the classic silver, gold, and white Christmas fashion.

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Ivy style33 is a freelance decorator and interior design consultant based in Germany. What I especially like about her style is her extensive use of whites. Love, love whites! Check out her blog here for more photos of her work.

For Christmas 2009, she combined whites with hints of earthy colors and organic textures to decorate her penthouse. Her handmade ornaments are just adorable!

See more of her handmade goodies at her etsy shop here.

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From Europe, let’s go to the land down under to visit Sarah’s beach cottage home.

Sarah from Australia loves all things vintage and cottage. She just adds a modern twist giving it a clean crisp pallette. Her decorating philosophy is to create a beautiful home without spending a fortune. She does this by using her skills as a thrift-junkie, decorating with what is available and seeing beauty in ordinary things.

This year, she created a dollar-free holiday home using pieces of driftwood her boys found at the beach and combined them with glittery ornaments and some white seashells. Her alternative Christmas decors perfectly complement her white cottage home.

Check out her blog where she chronicles her adventures of living by the sea.

Watch out for the second part of the feature tomorrow!