First impressions are important, and the front door is the first first impression that your home gives. It sets the tone and style of your home. This roundup of doors is an eclectic mix of the various ways that cottage style can be defined by the front door.

Putting a piece of wood on top of a pair of file cabinets or sawhorses is a tried-and-true method for getting a home office set up quickly and cheaply. But these three innovators have figured out how to upgrade, up-cycle and, completely makeover the simple three-piece desk concept with duck cloth, contact paper, wire shelves, table leaves and, yep, cardboard.

It used to be desktop organizers only had to accommodate for sheets of paper, pens, and maybe a few paperclips. These days, we're more prone to worry where to park our smartphone or our wireless mouse once we're done for the day. The STATION Caddy above is an example of traditional material shaped for the tech needs of today, slotted to fit an iPhone, alongside a myriad of other home office items that would otherwise be cluttering your desk area...

I, for one, love a good patio umbrella. You get to be outdoors, while basking in the shade or being sheltered from the rain — brilliant!. My deck is covered, so I don't need an umbrella, but that doesn't stop me from singing their praises. Apparently there are some creative folks out there who feel the same, and who have gone to great lengths to incorporate umbrellas into the outdoor experience in some innovative ways. 

Name: Everett 
Location: Calgary, Alberta

We were keeping Everett's gender a surprize from our friends and family and had to hide the nursery from everyone throughout the pregnancy so we wouldnt ruin the surprise. Took a while to decide on what colors to go with because we didnt want it to be a typical blue boy nursery, so finally decided on grey, white, orange and teal for their vibrant yet soothing, modern feel.

It's not unusual to see salvaged railroad ties being offered up for little to nothing on Craigslist. They're an extremely common landscaping material, but that doesn't mean they have to be used in common ways. Here are some ideas for using them in your landscape with a contemporary twist:

If you need some simple storage for your garden but don't quite need a potting bench, this eco-minded Etsy how-to upcycles a wooden pallet into outdoor shelving.

A delicious drink is one of life's simple pleasures. Whether you like to take your drink cold or warm, inside or outside, a covered mug will keep it fresh until your next sip. 

A magnetic chalkboard is a new addition to the back hallway, on the wall next to the refrigerator.

Name: Andi Forker
Type of Project: Kitchen Renovation — full gut remodel
Location: San Francisco, California
Type of building: 1890's Victorian condo