Shallotte Self Storage

An 84 square foot house?  Yeah, right.  Well.......yeah, right.  This Olympia, WA woman built an 84 square foot house on wheels and has been living there for over 2 years.  Now for the good part, her utility bills are $6.00/month.  I am so jealous.  After seeing this I'm wondering if my digs are a little opulent.  Actually, I'm not wondering at all.

Polish architect Jakub Szczesny has designed a built a less than 5-feet wide home in downtown Warsaw, Poland.  It converts an otherwise pointless space between two buildings to living space.  Check out in the WSJ article.  Apparently the house was built for author Etgar Keret whose father survived the holocaust by hiding in small and much less lavish digs.  This home is a tribute to his family.  Art meets architecture.

OmniStorage - Shallotte is along US Highway 17 at Mile Marker 12.  

Blue Tea explores quality, style and layout in their new article called Kitchen Renovation Tips to Increase Property Value

This is an idea that could enhance the "quality of life" in any community.  I hope that our city planners are taking note.  This story was featured on NPR.

Brunswick County, NC is a unique place.  In addition to over 40 miles of beautiful beach scattered out over 5 islands, there is also over 55 miles of the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW), numerous tidal rivers and creeks and over 30 golf courses.  It’s no wonder why families choose this county for their annual pilgrimage.  There is something for everyone.  OmniStorage has published a blog post on these 5 beautiful islands.

Consider the above.  I can identify with this Carl Richards napkin chart.   Except for me the line is much steeper.   What is your relationship to stuff?  Have too much, too little?  Give it some thought while you read Carl’s “You Probably Have too much Stuff,” his most recent contribution to his New York Times blog, entitled Bucks.

Kristie Barnett has published an excellent article called 6 Tips for Staging Historic Homes.  6 tips don't seem like much, but read the article.  In addition to excellent advice and beautiful pictures, there is a comment section where readers have posted their ideas on the subject.

This applies to those houses that have too many closets (yeah, right).  But if you run into such a situation, make an office out of it.  BHG suggests this and a lot more home office storage and organization tips.

This is the main entrance to a tiny house built by Swedish architect Torsten Ottesjö using recycled and eco-friendly building materials.  Next comes the kitchen and finally the bedroom.  According to Ottesjö, if you design a space well, it doesn’t have be large or angular.  He and his wife vacate to this structure located in the Swedish countryside both winter and summer.

OmniStorage posts this incredible picture taken by James Moncrief for StarNews Media in their blog post A Sense of Place.  The blog shows another native of Brunswick County, the Venus Flytrap and an incredible NOAA photo.  Check it out.

Apartment Therapy starts out with a clean slate in their article “How to Make it Yours:  the first things to do in a new home”.  The article itself is a good start, but where it really shines is in the reader comments.  The posters recommend setting up your stereo system before you start on anything.   One woman recommended bringing your favorite candle to create an atmosphere that reminds her of “home”.  Enjoy.

Apparently this office in a closet idea is catching on.  BHG has 14 ideas for Space Saver Home office which focuses on efficient use of space and ample storage.  Check it out.

Southern Living comes through with 24 great ideas on how to organize your kitchen.  See their article and let your imagination run wild. 

Martha does it again with 24 of her Favorite Kitchens.  There is not a photo in this gallery that doesn’t just scream great design.   Look closely and you will find something that speaks to you.  Whether it is countertops, storage, flooring or  shelving, there is something in here for everyone.

DigsDigs has posted a stellar photo collection highlighting Industrial-style kitchens.   These kitchens feature "brick walls, pipes, wood beams, wall-mounted rails, things made of metal, and retro-looking appliances in combination with modern cabinets and things."  There are enough kitchen ideas in here to keep your imagination in gear for quite a while.

Shelterness has posted a set of 15 garden sheds to pique your interest.  Of course this is a photo of the most whimsical, but even here you can find some inspiration.  The designer obviously matched the structure to its surroundings and made it a place where anybody would want to spend time.