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Custom Solutions: Lived-in, Built-in Home Detailing
Desire To Inspire

Sometimes we find ourselves sighing a little while looking through house porn images: Does anyone really live in these spaces or was everything selected by a paid decorator? Past the magazine-styled photography, sometimes we can't see evidence of actual unique human life. But while cruising our favorite Friday blog, Desire to Inspire, we stumbled across three subtle specimens of individual expression beyond the slick put-togetherness.

 
 

From Left to Right:
1. Doggie Bed Built Into Kitchen Island. Come on, this had to have been a pointed request by the owners who clearly have a dog that loves to be in the kitchen — yummy scraps — but tires of lying on the hard floor and is always in the way. Bacon would be so jealous...

2. Old Beam Inset as Built-in Headboard. We can't guarantee that this is a personal touch but it feels like a genuine move to bring the warmth of age and history to an otherwise "new" space. Our romantic idea is that this was a beam from an old/previous home. Lovely.

3. Built-in Art to Cover Unused Door. Again, can't say for sure that this wasn't a decorator's idea but we love seeing personal adaptations inside of old and/or defunct architectural elements. Using this existing doorframe as a large, built-in frame for artwork is just delightful. We cannot imagine this happening in a newly-built space.

Via: Desire to Inspire.

Tags

inspiration, custom furniture, built-in

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Comments (14)

The dog bed is hysterical!!! Nothing, I mean NOTHING, would ever reach the floor if my basset hound had the same set up.

posted by GreatFriend on August 14th 2009 at 2:09pm
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A built-in kitchen scraps disposal!

posted by slowdown on August 14th 2009 at 2:31pm
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Smart people. Some people would try to keep the dog out of the kitchen. This way, the dog thinks he won (important to so many dogs) and the people with whom the dog lives thinks they won. (important to so many people.)

posted by LauraE on August 14th 2009 at 2:33pm
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"Does anyone really live in these spaces or was everything selected by a paid decorator?"

You think these are mutually exclusive?

posted by Indy Jeffrey on August 14th 2009 at 2:41pm
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Love the dog bed in the island -- haven't gotten that client request yet. Here are some other Sensible Style kitchen ideas:

http://jgkitchens.blogspot.com/2009/08/sensible-style-six-small-kitchen-tips.html.

posted by JG_Kitchens on August 14th 2009 at 3:00pm
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hahaha this really seems like an excuse to post that awesome dog picture...which is reason enough.

posted by ec05 on August 14th 2009 at 3:20pm
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ec05, I was thinking the same thing. Although it is a great idea--and it would get the dogs out from underfoot, which is where mine are whenever I am cooking!

posted by sally305 on August 14th 2009 at 3:27pm
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A dog bed in the kitchen island. Really? Because that grosses me out just a little.
My dog avoids the kitchen like the plague, unless invited, a fact for which I am utterly thankful.
I have enough to think about in the kitchen, the last thing I need is to be worried about stepping on the dog. Or whatever.
His highness contributes enough to that space as it is. The saying "pet hair is a condiment", sadly, is much too true at my house.

posted by splatgirl on August 14th 2009 at 4:45pm
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ohhh, back in my apartment days, I found hanging art a great way to conceal the circuit breaker panel that some genius, regardless of the apartment, always decided to put front and center in the entrance hall.

posted by splatgirl on August 14th 2009 at 4:46pm
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I've just had a kitchen island built and I like the dog bed idea. But what I need more is a place (apart from the kitchen counter) where the cat could eat without interference from the dog. I wish I'd thought of designing that into my island.

posted by Dulcibella on August 14th 2009 at 5:51pm
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Wait...do you (author) have a dog named Bacon?! The two loves of my life are my boys Bacon and Sausage (black lab and dachshund).

Best name for a dog. Ever.

posted by LAtoNY on August 14th 2009 at 6:48pm
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Also - that kitchen island is genius because Bacon is always napping in the kitchen either in front of the stove/sink/trash can/fridge/wherever you need to walk.

posted by LAtoNY on August 14th 2009 at 6:49pm
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So when is "our" Bacon getting his island bed? You folks know he is the official AT dog of choice.

posted by hippyvieja on August 22nd 2009 at 6:08pm
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Dog bed is very cute but would never work at my house. My Corgi sheds like there is no tomorrow (despite frequent brushing) and the pet hair is bad enough when he's sleeping at the far end of the kitchen. Put him that close to the food and dog hair will be the main ingredient in every dish. It just refuses to leave the house now matter how hard I clean.

posted by bkk on August 22nd 2009 at 11:47pm
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