Let’s face it, we’ve all seen so many cleverly decorated boutique hotels that it takes a lot to catch attention lately, doesn’t it? I mean, we’ve seen everything from Beetlejuice looking B&Bs to crack den chic (a certain Manhattan too-cool-for-school joint, I’m talking to you). However, as I caught up on my magazines with an old issue of W the other day, a tiny picture from “August’s Most Wanted” caught my eye (yes, I am that far behind on my glossies). It was a shot of a bedroom from the c/o Maidstone East Hampton. Let’s enjoy some fresh eye candy from their Swedish icon designed rooms (inspirations range from Eero Saarinen to Birgit Nillson the soprano, not to be confused with Brigitte Nielsen, known for Red Sonya and Flavor Flav reality shows):

The decor inside this lovely classic in are very unexpected:

Pssst, if you like that chair from The Vernor Panton-inspired room, we have it for sale here.

This joint is also extremely dog-friendly.

They also have Kronan bicycles ready to lend out to all of their guests. I suppose you could put your tiny dog in the basket and pretend he’s Toto. By the way, that would make you Dorothy.

They’ve also done their best to remain energy-efficient, from nixing the bottled waters to serving organic food in the restaurant.

Color me refreshed.

All images via c/o Maidstone.

This week an exciting show will be opening at The Provincetown Art Association and Museum. If you’re in town to, oh, I don’t know, go see Varla Jean Merman (sooooo funny), get there a little early so you can stop by and admire the show about the unique modern architecture on the Cape titled “Cape/Modern: The Architecture of Survival and Celebration .” The show is curated by Mark Hammer, an architect and expert on this regional style, whom I had the pleasure of interviewing awhile back.

Wow, when I first saw Flickr member j5k’s home, I thought it was some sort of Alvar Aalto landmark. It incorporates a spectacular collection of mid-century modern furniture. This post is a teaser, I encourage you to check out the entire Home set from j5k.

Today all of our pictures come from Flickr member ardelclaveria, who is currently in Manila. Isn’t it great to be able to look through so many photos from all over the world on Flickr? It still blows my mind. Just a teeny tiny little thumbnail of this image jumped out of our Fresh New Spaces pool and bowled me over:

This is such a great way to make the most of a small dining area. The bench keeps the view open, the banquette hugs the wall, and the shapes of the furniture  and the fabrics are gorgeous choices.

A clear coffee table adds visual space, the tablescapes are brilliant, and the shaggy rug defines the sitting/lounging area. Note the way the bench straddles the two spaces and can be used in either area for seating.

Finally, I just really love ardel claveria’s photography skills. Taking interior shots that look this beautiful takes so much skill and talent. Thanks so much for adding them to our group!

All photos from Flickr member ardelclaveria.

Well, it’s steamy as Hades and our bulb plants are long gone, but I know a lot of you who have been buried in snow for months are finally seeing some tulips and daffodils! This morning the Vera Company posted this picture on Facebook*

It’s time to embrace color and bright greens, in your wardrobe and your home. For a quick home makeover, do a few quick and cheap things:

1) Switch out your living room throw pillow covers for a new color scheme. Maybe even through a white slipcover over your sofa.

2) Change your duvet cover for something more fresh and springy. Take those heavy blankets and quilts to the cleaners and then stow them for the next six months.

3) Treat yourself to some new and vibrant placemats and/or a tablecloth. Gather up a few fresh blooms and put them in your favorite vases or mason jars and pop them around the house.

4) Hit the nursery and make sure all the seeds you need for your edible garden. Depending on where you live, you may want to plant them this week!

5) Spring cleaning is a deep cleaning but for now, just get organized. Gather your supplies and clean out the spot where you keep said supplies. Throw your rags and cloths in a cute bucket and organize your cleaners (i.e. do you have three bottles of window cleaner with 2″ left in each? Then combine bottle). Once you are done with this stuff, you can really get buy on vinegar, water, and baking soda for most of your cleaning news!

• photo by Flickr member coanri

*I swear I have wound up following the most random stuff on Facebook, which I am sure Big Brother is collecting in to work on my FBI profile while marketing companies pay big bucks to see so they can bombard me with ads down the side for crap like “Join Kim Kardashian’s Shoe Society” – is that last one because once I jokingly put “Becky is keeping up with the Kardashians” as my status? I wonder if they realize half of it is because someone suggested I like their page and I thought “why not make them feel good”? Facebook is freaky. But I digress.