woodsy gnome homes, pirate ships aground, elfdwellings

i am obsessed with this old book right now.

i think about my "dream home" way too much. and i've come to the conclusion that there may be no reconciling the different versions of my dream home. spanish villa with courtyard, tiled roof, fountains, goats, bougainvillea. ancient victorian gingerbread house with gables and a tower and secret passageways and nooks and crannies.

or, this.
handbuilt wooden cabin in the forest.

straight out of a northernlands fairytale.
coziest room on earth?
woodbeam ceilings, hanging herbs, macrame plant holders, ferns, candles, rustic chairs.
lofts up wooden ladders, old moroccan rugs, fringed shawls, paper lanterns, indian blankets.
dream bedroom. imagine if it were snowing...is there anything more romantic than snuggling in this bed with a fire in the woodstove?
the most beautiful staircase i've ever seen. and built in shelves and nooks, homemade stained glass windows, sunlight streaming in.
can you imagine having tea in this cozy tearoom suspended over the creek?

okay, so i love to dream.

meanwhile, my sister is moving back to town and check out her new place!

it's totally an enchanted forest gnome home...being inside brings to mind an old pirate ship. it even has a hanging wagon-wheel chandelier!

and a porch with built-in bench that wraps around the entire side of the house.
so lovely inside. why are houses usually so square? when curves are so much more inviting and cozy! it's like a giant hobbit hole in the pines.

but best of all...addie's back!

Comments

Unknown said…
How incredibly beautiful and peaceful. When I look at that kitchen table I can't help but think of Mrs. Weasley... It reminds me so much of their house!
March 4, 2010 at 11:47 AM
Kelsie Lynn said…
have you ever posted anything better than this?
this is as good as it gets. life itself.
oh.my.gosh.
March 4, 2010 at 12:18 PM
Amy Beatty said…
Heather. you can't talk about cute homes when I'm moving into a brick in a few weeks, well it looks like a brick. We will try and make it as cute as possible so we can get you to come stay a while.
March 4, 2010 at 1:41 PM
moonshinejunkyard said…
amy i can't wait to see!!! it is really happening that soon. and bricks are beautiful! i know it is going to be the most cozy homey honey lair and i just can't wait to come crash there and use it as a home base for adventures!
March 4, 2010 at 2:59 PM
Krysten @ Why Girls Are Weird said…
Oh. My. Gosh. Beautiful and rustic and peaceful. I am in LOVE!
March 5, 2010 at 9:41 AM
DIANA said…
This blog is amazing extremely vintage and quaint I love it sooo much! This house would be my dream house!
But yes it takes time and $ to get this beautiful home!
I usually have amazing luck when I go to antique shops or vintage shops I find amazing items for my place!
Love this post♥
March 5, 2010 at 4:06 PM
Missa said…
I have this book! It's one of my most treasured thrift finds of all time. I found it for a dollar along with a few other home books from the 70's including a second book put out by the Handmade Homes guys called The Craftsman Builder. Another of the books is all hippie houseboats, so amazing, I could not believe my luck when I scored these books!

I've been meaning to post pics from them for the longest time and haven't gotten around to it but I will definitely do it soon!

Your sister's new place looks awesome and reminds me of a funky cabin in the Redwoods that we lived in years ago off Joy Rd. in Occidental. It was built by a ship builder and was crazily shaped with lots of windows and a little spiral wooden staircase that wound up an old burned out tree trunk going up through the middle of the cabin to the sleeping loft.
March 5, 2010 at 10:48 PM
moonshinejunkyard said…
Missa, that is amazing! I love Occidental so much. we lived in sebastopol in 2003-04. i worked at both screaming mimi's and slice of life and we both went to school at sonoma state. it is a great place to live, especially since we lived on an organic apple orchard. anyway these books are so wonderful. i have seen the second one you're talking about, but never been able to find it to buy. scoring at for a buck would probably make me cry with joy!
March 5, 2010 at 11:03 PM
marya said…
yay! I'm pretty sure a) that this books is in my parents' library and that b) it was one of the inspirations for their own crazy hand-built house (though they used concrete instead of wood)
March 6, 2010 at 1:32 AM
boots said…
WOw what an amazing hide away! i cant get over it! your sister is so lucky to have found such a cute place. i need a place like that.
March 9, 2010 at 7:00 AM
AdieSpringB said…
Bunder, I LOVE THOSE PHOTOS. And meanwhile, can't believe I got a home so crafty and like-ish to those others! Oh to dream and then to see them come true. Only the ones who believe ever dream what they see ever dream what comes true. I want to hear that Beth Nielsen Chapman album now................
March 12, 2010 at 4:45 PM
Jolene said…
I, too, have this book of Homemade Houses. It is what started my obsession with living this way...that was many years ago. I continue to have my dream which IS going to be REALITY some day...I want to live in simplicity...So cool to know someone else has this book...
January 30, 2012 at 4:22 PM
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