Interior design: Rooms that inspire ideas

http://www.oregonlive.com/hg/index.ssf/2012/06/interior_design_rooms_that_ins.html

IDEA MAKERS: Kristie Barnett, over at Houzz, gathers photos of rooms that inspire – from use of space to color.

"Most of us want to create a home that guests will admire -- but have you ever thought about decorating your home to inspire? If you're not sure what I mean, have a look at these ideas to make the spaces in your house more inspiring to all those who enter."

ANTIQUES MEET MODERN ELEMENTS: This Sneak Peek from Design Sponge is right up my alley. Love this mix of styles:

"Susan Hutchinson and her husband, Parker, live in a 1948 cottage in the historic town of West Chester, PA. They purchased it a year and a half ago and have been working on home improvements ever since. Their style is mostly vintage and traditional, with modern elements mixed in, and infused with antiques and French pieces (Susan is an eternal Francophile), some of which were inherited. The couple also loves a good flea market. Susan is an interior designer, stylist and blogger who, in addition to running Nesting, a baby/kids-focused interior design business and blog; maintaining her personal blog, Fleurishing; and doing editorial and event styling as Fleurishing LLC, is about to embark on her biggest project to date: twins! We're super excited to reveal the nursery, so don't miss it after the jump! Hopefully their beloved Billy (holding down the fort on the couch pictured above) handles the new additions to the family later this summer."

MASH-UP: Here's another fabulous mash-up of modern and traditional looks:

"We're always in awe of truly creative people--the type who can mix red and purcle and make it look amazing, or the type of people who see things that none of us do.

"We have to admit we get stuck in a rut sometimes. For example, if we are in the mid century house we think all the furniture has to be mid-century, or if we're in the cottage all the furniture should be shabby chic, right?

"But that kind of thinking can be limiting doesn't it? That's why we think it's important to think outside the box, so to speak. It opens up a lot more possibilities."

-- Bridget A. Otto