Every fabulous bathroom needs its own clawfoot bathtub!  If you are feeling daring for your bathroom suites and cloakroom suites, then a pop of color on your tub may suit your fancy perfectly.  Enjoy the rainbow of vintage clawfoot bathtubs I have assembled and enjoy bathing in full technicolor!

This home in the Pacific Palisades by Jackson Paige Interiors exudes style with its red clawfoot tub in the master suite.  Oh la la!

Who knew that orange could look so charming on a clawfoot?  This particular hue seen in Marie Claire Maison is cheerful yet sophisticated.

This yellow clawfoot bathtub coupled with the ruffled shower curtain win the award for most charming bathing ensemble, seen via DesignSponge!

I love the apothecary feel of this vintage inspired bathroom from Marie Claire Italy.  Is it just me, or are many of these tubs on hardwood floors?  I wonder if I could ever feel so courageous with my flooring!

Flea market style meets the French countryside in this lovely bathroom photographed by William P. Steele.

This is but a bathroom that would make Prince proud, via Desire to Inspire!

On the edge of Lake Martin in Louisiana exists a French-Creole cottage that takes you back in time, when the sounds you hear are water lapping and crickets chirping, without a note of urban hum. Maison Madeleine is a true work of restored art, a 1800s cottage that was moved and lovingly restored in its current place. Let’s allow the photos to tell the story, shall we?

Against the beautiful earthen walls, which were originally made of mud and Spanish moss, the entire porch exudes a gorgeous patina. If any home had a patina, it would be this one!

While the dining room may look original, it is a new add-on with impeccable attention paid to nostalgic detail, including a baking oven, a potager, and a cookpot over the fireplace.

In the original kitchen hearth, a French masonry stove utilizes charcoal to simmer. Le Creuset anyone?

The slightly exposed brick gives the wall such a warm, vibrant feel.

Inside this 18th-century-inspired outbuilding made of salvaged wood is the well pump. Who would have known?

The best part is that Maison Madeline can be yours – for a few nights – as it is currently being operated as a bed and breakfast!

Continuing along the inspiration of fireplaces, what should the poor souls (myself included) who don’t have a fireplace do to add interest in our homes?  Build one, but of course!  Here are 3 DIY faux fireplace ideas that can liven up your home with whimsy and warmth.

I love the textural feeling of this faux fireplace, whose DIY is available viavia Apartment Therapy.

If you find a perfect vintage mantle, all you need is chalkboard paint to creatively evoke fire (via OhDeeDoh).

I’m not only seriously in love with the card catalog, but the DIY stacked fireplace mantle adds such interest to this room.  The best part is that you can get DIY instructions via a Small Notebook.

After waiting for years on the sidelines for the real estate market to correct, I now have house hunting on the mind!   Where will the hubby, baby and I be house hunting for our first home?  Our beloved Hawaii, where we previously called home and where we will be raising Jet…starting at the end of this month!

We are looking for a fixer-upper to restore, but considering the major extent of termite-damage many of the older homes incur in Hawaii, this is not an easy task.  That’s why we are also considering building a sustainable, green home off the grid — a “poetic home” that incorporates as many repurposed and vintage building materials as possible, of course!  I hope you will join me on the journey!

For either option, being thousands of miles away from the Mainland means being very resourceful and creative.  I’ve been looking at flooring options, and here are four repurposed flooring materials that make a beautiful and creative alternative to wood.

McKay‘s Whiskey Barrel Flooring turns your floor into an entire conversation piece.

Submitted to the sadly defunct Domino’s Cheap Tricks section, this floor is made from old wood crates.  I think this would be a gorgeous option for kitchen floors!

German flooring company Parador‘s laminate flooring is inspired by salvaged fruit and wine crates.

Gallery West‘s repurposed gym flooring is fun, hardy, and gives gym glass a whole new meaning.

What do you think of these repurposed flooring choices?  Have you seen other fun alternatives?