These photos are so inspirational and very chic! Great post!

I'm going to take issue with this post because I'm not sure a photo published of a house truly represents how people really live. Knowing that a photographer will be coming over this afternoon to shoot my house, I will make a point of having everything "not cool" put away (stuffed in the garage).

I like to think of myself as a minimalist with a love of material and good taste (in fact, all these photos look like my house when everything practical is put away) but I also know that my house is well lived in and practicality also plays a big part in everyday living. The photos look great but I know that stuff is hidden out of camera view.

P.s. - stacks of books can be clutter.

Ordinary person who doesn't read design blogs would look at #3 and ask, "Why do you have your luggage in the fireplace?"

Anyone with common sense would look at #11 and say, "You know... your fireplace is completely useless if you have wood stacked in it like that..."

i'm never gonna curate my pieces.

p.s.s. - that stack of books in the 6th photo... clutter is okay as long as you can stack it in a really tall pile.

remember when "merchandising" was used in home decor in the 90's ? You'd merch a shelf by filling it with a nice bunch of merch.

Sorry, but that branch in the first picture could take someone's eye out.

That branch could take someone's eye out.

That branch could take someone's eye out, especially if they were trying to get to the stool or the giant measuring stick (which doesn't look like it uses any standard form of measurement).

Jeez people, ease up on the snark.

I, for one, am digging how light filled and tranquil all of these rooms are. Would love to grab a book from the tall pile and spend a lazy afternoon on the couch.

If you had a good eye for design then that branch could take it out.

These rooms remind me too much of all my years as a renter with builder's white walls and hardly any furniture because I couldn't afford anything. I prefer comfortable furniture, color, fabrics, and pretty things to look at.

The branch comments are funny. However, I feel like whenever I read the comments on AT anymore, everyone is really...bitter. Yes, bitter sounding. Like everyone is so snobby that the wrong paint colour will cause doomsday or a picture is so unrealistically styled it haaaas to be a joke. It's a design blog, not a "this is what your house really looks like every day" blog.

@Sam I Am - have you been reading that 'F***yourNoguchiCoffeeTable'' blog? Because if not, your comment is freakish... They even featured that exact picture!

Personally, I love this look. It makes me aspire to having hidden storage for ugly but practical household items. So peaceful and calm. But I agree that stacks of books on the ground for me = mess.

I mean the comment about the luggage and logs, not the branches. Heh.

@MrsBerg, "It's a design blog, not a "this is what your house really looks like every day" blog."

I assume that this comment is in response to my comment. I have no issue with any of the images, my only issue is with the writer's moralizing about clutter. As I pointed out, my house looks like most of the images up there and I love it. The moralizing not so much.

I'm just an average jane, but I find these all very inspiring. It's difficult to find ways to make a space feel chic, and it's so great to see that it can be done minimally.