I love reading the vtwonen blog, a Dutch magazine that I've been subscribing to for eons now, because I always find some fresh interpretations of trends and themes that I thought had long faded. I also love how the Dutch use lots of older things in very modern interiors - like these oil paintings and this antique cabinet, for instance...

They really seem to have a thing for revitalizing what's old and grandmotherly and transforming it into a very youthful, energetic new look that often becomes part of a trend movement. Take beige for example. So often disregarded or dubbed BORING. Such a shame! It is a warm and versatile neutral that has loads of potential. If you are really creative, you can work with all colors and create something beautiful I believe. I often wonder why some put beige in the corner with a cone hat on, it's not naughty in the least. If anything, outside of gray, it's a perfect neutral. At least that's my belief. These photos below are such a fitting visual example of what I'm trying to say. Beige can be so warm, relaxed and when paired with various tones of brown and white, can create a most soothing space to find comfort and peace.

I always encourage venturing outside of your own comfort zone, even if it means visiting websites that you think you'd have no interest in, because suddenly you can see something and BOOM, a new world appears before you. It's super important to go beyond what you know, isn't it? Your creative ideas can begin to stagnant otherwise.

All of these lovely rooms were shot for vtwonen and now appear in back issues and on their website. Looking to different cultures to see what inspires them can help us all to see our interior world a little differently. I love the style in each of these places and hope that you'll refer to vtwonen for more inspiration because they certainly have tons of it packed onto their gorgeous site. I love these felted ivory beads shown below. Or perhaps they are wooden? I have the felted version hanging in my living room in a similar fashion, you may have spotted them in my most recent book. I've been looking for a new way to use them and this image below gave me a few good ideas. That's what I mean, keep your eyes OPEN and see what you can find in rooms from magazines that look similar to your current stuff at home - perhaps you'll discover a new direction for the things that you own. I always do.

Any impressions so far that give you a dose of inspiration? I'm in love with this house and with this house, both are located in Amsterdam. They are my two favorites from the batch.

What draws me to each of these homes is the naturalness. What draws you? I love the harmony in both palette and material - both are soothing and easy to change up and the natural materials make me feel at one with nature. I can imagine feeling peace and joy in these spaces. Are you attracted to this natural style?

(images: vtwonen magazine)