This morning was all about green wall inspirations - we have been debating between lime green and olive green wall for my sister's kitchen, and I think it might end up being more towards the olive green shade.

Nevertheless - here's a fun kitchen where they not only used a lime green wall but also a grey(ish) blue one. Interesting combination. The mix of chocolate brown and white units is also a good combination and somewhat neutral unit base colour in terms of using colourful accents elsewhere. A lovely kitchen!

Dask of lime green and greyish blue

Our old house in England had internal balconies and a large window to the forest and I was looking for similar inspirations and found this one. Our Juliette balconies were more traditional and these modern ones just look fabulous. Not to talk about the view this room has in general! Absolutely stunning - and I love the orange accents in the room too...

Visiting friends and family often means sleeping over at other people's houses. Sometimes it is a roomy and relaxed experience and at other times one might end of on the floor army style with the rest of the family next to you. So I was delighted to read about this guest house in Denmark - I certainly would love to stay in a place like this, there is always hope that some friend has this sort of inspiration too!

How cute then is this little modern guest cottage - or rather guest room since it is a large, single room really. The cottage is located in Denmark and created by designer Martin Kallesø. The Japanese inspiration of the cottage shows well in the simple and calming wooden structures and surfaces - the same materials have been used on floors, walls and ceilings. It gives the guests some privacy and the lovely uncluttered interior lets the mind rest well too.

images Dwell

As much as I have enjoying visiting and spotting old historic places and houses, my heart is still set for our next home to be a modern statement - a bit like this neighbourhood cutie in Palo Alto, CA. They just seem so easy to keep clean and uncluttered...

This house also is a creation of local architects called Maydan Design Associates. Sweet and compact, partially because most of the plots in Palo Alto (and in Silicon Valley in general) just are minuscule. A bit too small for our large(ish) family, but there are just some great details here such as the walk-in shower and those adorable geometrical planters!

images Maydan Design Associates

This magazine rack might not hold that many magazines, but it certainly has some cool kick in it style-wise.

A little side table, a magazine rack and a modern piece of art - a truly multifunctional little piece of metal. I am feeling lots of love towards this magazine rack for sure!

image ABC Home

Talk about minimalist living room here. This new-built house has such a strong industrial design feel on it with the cracked floor and the exposed steel frames. I love the brown leather Barcelona chairs mixed with more Indian-styled table and the wild nature outside.

As great as this looks I would feel a bit scared being home alone in a house like this and have no curtains at all...so I think the ultra-modern and truly minimalist style might not quite be me... but luckily one can still look and adore the bold solutions other people have in their homes!

image Diseno Interior

I heart Virgin Airlines. Normally flying with them is a great experience with no extra payments for everything. There is the state-of-the-art entertainment system, good (for airlines that is) food and drinks and all lovely magazines. This time I could not get my hands on a Tatler, but luckily I found the latest Wallpaper magazine.

It seems that it's been way too long since I last read Wallpaper as the content was absolutely delightful. Maybe it was just this issue, or maybe it is this great every time - I am definitely going to find out! Architecture, interiors, modern furniture and cool gadgets - great reading and July issue is definitely on my "recommended" list.

This cliff side house of concrete, glass and wood is certainly impressive. Simplicity, space and light are they key elements to this creation and the interior colour palette consists of soft tones of creams, greys and taupes. The surrounding nature has been left as it is and the house has been integrated with it all they way to the wild flowers growing on the rooftop.

This is a beautiful example of modern eco-conscious building with comfort in mind rather than a goal of creation a standout ultra modern piece of art. I could certainly imagine our family living in a house like this!

images Feldman Architecture

The London-based design studio Black + Blum is well known for their award-wining lunch box series, but they also have other sleek modern designs. They manage to turn everyday items into curvy modern pieces of chrome and white - candlesticks, wine bottle holders, desk fans and lamps.

It is all beautiful and soft contemporary design, which is still nicely priced. My favourite? Most definitely the Loop candlestick holder!

Award-wining lunch box series

Propello desk fan

Flow bottle rack

Loop candlestick holder in silver or gold

Fruit loop bowl

Kind of magic lamps

Seed lamp

images Black + Blum

This modern geometrical house in Maytree, Ireland is a beautiful design. Surrounded by nature which enhances the beautiful features and sharp edges, it certainly stands out in a very positive way.

The interior has some industrial roughness in bare concrete floors and stairs and the decor is rather minimalist letting the design of the house play the key role. And the special detail about this house in most definitely the open-fireplace in the living room, which looks almost accidental as the base is so small and well hidden. This is the one detail I most definitely will recall on this house!

images Odos Architects

Finally I have spotted a cool-cooling modern dish drying rack with delicious summer green and steel colour scale. This one is the brainchild of designers Dan Black and Martin Blum and it is made of high-tech polypropylene and stainless steel.

The spikes are perfect for draining champagne flutes and wine glasses (always a problem with the current rack) and there is also a flip-up spout for draining (or not) the water out depending on how your sink area is set up. I also like the fact that the cutlery holder can be removed so it is easier to empty straight into the cutlery drawer. The rack has other options too such as white and taupe.

This contemporary take on the traditional butler tray is fantastic. The Meurice tray comes either in nickel or brass (this is a more traditional look) finished with a removable white lacquered bamboo tray. A beautiful combination, the only con is the high price - $595!

Meurice butler tray table by Jonathan Adler

The daily inspiration comes today from this outdoor room, which is so clean and simple, yet also calming and stylish. I love that fireplace and it's great positioning, which partially closes this room and almost makes it feel like an indoor space.

image Allen Bianchi

This must be one the most unique houses I have even seen. From the outside it looks like a cross of two triangles and the inside has round units for staircase and bathrooms and circles cut on walls and thru the floors - and these circles are lit at night with changing colours. The upstairs is more like a modern white retreat and somewhat calming in style.

This house somehow makes me think of Alice in wonderland and would probably be fantastic place to stay in for a couple of days! This house, called VVDB, was designed in the eighties by architect Jan Van Den Berghe for his own family and recently it was refurbished by dmvA Achitects for his designer daughter. An artistic house for an artistic person!

images dmvA Architecten

Here is yet another beautiful modern lakeside residence. This one in Texas was designed by Dick Clark Architecture. The location is great cliff top one surrounded by plenty of mature trees. The best feature of the house is the two-sectional courtyard, which holds a swimming pool and on the other side a little desert-like garden.

The interiors follow the modern design principles with plenty of open space, high ceilings, darkwood floors and exposed brick walls. And the bathroom has this exquisite finishing that gives a very luxurious feel. This certainly is a house I would not mind living in - and for once I don't have any quick improvement pointers to start with...

images Dick Clark Architecture

How cool are these bar stools/swivel chairs from Tonin Casa. Beautiful modern design that also looks comfortable -  and in delicious basic colours of black and white and the striking lipstick red.

Makes me wish that we had a larger counter suitable for a couple of these cuties...

images eRoom Service/Tonin Casa

This island house by Miller Hull architects is so beautiful - modern design of wood, stone and plenty of glass, yet the outcome is very cozy and warm. It was build along the contours of the landscape to accommodate and reflect the low meadow, an old-growth forest of 75-100 foot Douglas Fir and a steep bluff overlooking the Puget sound and Olympic Mountain in Washington State.

The main residence, separated into three wings, burrows into the bluff's knoll and conceals the dramatic western views beyond. The interior has plenty of open space and high ceilings, and the materials again are very natural consisting mainly of exposed wood, concrete and stone. A true modern retreat!

images Miller Hull Architects

I love this desk and chair combo from P'kolino.  When not in use it goes into a small cube form and then can be opened to look like old-fashioned kids school desk. And the colours are beautiful too. I feel really tempted to get a couple of these and ditch the old pink Ikea mini table and light blue cow chairs we have...

image eRoomService

Love, love, love this house. It's not huge, but it has a great open design that makes it appear roomier. There is also a fantastic staircase, which really is the centrepiece of the house, and in general such a nice modern interior. Those orange accessories - I like the modern chaise and low square white coffee tables.

The kitchen has a huge industrial looking sink and great combination of black and metal units with polished white countertops. Lots of countertop space too. I wonder if there is underfloor heating under those lovely large floortiles? Fabulous house, but sadly typical to Palo Alto there is almost no garden at all...

images Maydan Design Associates/Exact Builders

This house in Baltimore is so sleek and streamlined, that you can imagine that life there is very uncomplicated and organized. The house just looks so fresh and easy to maintain.

Even the garden is very structured with its grouped plantings. The interior, however, offers some surprises. Modern pieces and mixed with more classic ones with contemporary twists. And the owners have been bold enough to experiment different colour themes - white and pastels in the bedroom vs. darker and bolder red on the hallway. The result is a unique and enchanting house.

There are also great details - I love the textured mosaic in the bathroom. Hard to clean maybe but the look is unbeatable.

images Ziger/Snead Architecture

This Laguna Beach house in California just have it all - fantastic beach views, light and airy modern construction, lovely interior... and with 8600sq ft (800m2) there is plenty of space left for the atrium theatre, gym, spa and a wine cellar as well as for the five bedrooms and seven bathrooms.

This house is very modern, but it does not feel cold, which is partially thanks to soft and round curves rather than sharp edges one often sees. The white shell of the interior (walls, ceilings and floors) gives the opportunity for the furnishing and arts to become focal points in the house. But this perfection has a steep price tag - despite being discounted by $3.5M to $17M still is too much for most of us.

images Teles Properties

This room gives me a lot of "What a...' - sentences. What a fantastic views and unusually turquoise sky. And the list goes on with the metal-framed floor-to-ceiling windows (and how clean they look too!) and lovely interior - inlcuging the Arco lamp ( I miss mine as it didn't move overseas - issues with different elecric plugs and currents..).

If this was my house and there were neighbouring skyscrapers I might want to add some curtains or electric blinds too and accessories the room a bit. Nevertheless, what an inspiring living room, or lounge - certainly a room with a view!

image Design Within Reach