Some of my favorite childhood memories involve sitting down to big European style breakfasts in my grandparents’ dining room. Because the rear of their waterfront home was almost all window, light and warmth were never lacking. Cut to the present day, in which I don’t have a dining room and am more likely to be breaking my fast at my desk in my home office. While we do have a perfectly serviceable kitchen table, the kitchen in its current state is rather too white for wintertime. In the summer, it stays cool. In the winter, it just feels too cold.

Note that The Beard and I are considering various DIY renovations. Here are two images that are inspiring me right now:

Maybe they’ll inspire you, as well?

(Images via Wohn Idee)

Tile floor? Nope. Painted floor? Nope. Tinted floor by PG MODEL? Oh yeah.

Now I love painted hardwood floors — I’ve even considered them for my own house. But the thought of having hardwood flooring installed that is already tinted in one of any number of beautiful bright colors is just too tempting. Why should I do all the work when I can just let someone more qualified lay my floor?

I think of umbrella stands as something that hides unobtrusively in a corner by the back door until the weather requires it to perform its duty, but as it happens, there are plenty of umbrella stands that stand out.

The owl umbrella stand is fairly high-end (for an umbrella stand) at $100, but it has plenty of space for your whole family’s wet weather gear, while the stainless steel Squaro umbrella stand by Blomus provides a a tidy and efficient storage area for bumbershoots. Finally, the white plum blossoms umbrella stand that function can be beautiful.

When granny needs to pop a cap in someone’s ass, you can bet she’s not going to use just any old piece. Hells to the no!

She’s gonna use one of Yvonne Lee Schultz’s porcelain pistols. Crafted in the tradition of the James Bond’s Walther PPK and its contemporary sister, the P99, this piece* is designed with a grandma’s sensibilities in mind. Hand-painted in the style of classic tableware motifs, it’s as comfortable in the hand as it is beautiful on the table.

*For those not in the know, these are decorative, not functional. The explosive capabilities of a single round would blow a porcelain pistol to smithereens.

Jessica Rust specializes in small-batch ceramics that are both playful and functional. The patterns don’t immediately jump out at you, which is part of the fun. At first, the trees and birds emblazoned on this dinnerware appears to be an abstract pattern, but the truth gradually becomes clear. What’s lovely is that the line can be personalized, so the initials carved on the birch trees can be those of you and your honeybunch.

When it comes to amazing DIY transformations in the home, it seldom gets more amazing than this:

One of these white kitchen cabinet doors at the salvage yard doesn’t know it, but it’s going to go home with a superlative crafter with serving trays on her mind.

And here’s what that kitchen cabinet door became! Monica of Craftynest is the brains (and I suppose the brawn) behind this oh-so-easy DIY project, and she’s been kind enough to share a how-to on her blog. If you’re in the San Fran Bay area and you love Monica’s stuff — hey, one out of two ain’t bad — then you’re in luck. She occasionally puts some of her projects up for sale on the local Craigslist board. Lucky Californians!

Here’s a fun bit of trivia, found on Yanko Design: “Before the invention of photography, artificial pixels (short for PICture ELements)simply did not exist. It wasn’t until the personal computer hit the mainstream did the word “pixel” become widely known outside of geeks, video/photographers and the CIA.”

It’s a good think that pixels do exist in the mainstream, or else the world might never have seen this unique couch envisioned and created by designer Cristian Zuzunaga, who I have decided to call the king of the pixel.

As couches and sofas go, this one is definitely tickling my fancy, and I just know it would look great in my living room.

My very tiny fire, that is. The Beard and I are currently looking into having a pellet stove installed in our little house. Until we actually do get our pellet stove, I’m having fun with this mini campfire from Ulterior Votives.

We’re using a real candle in our mini campfire for a itty-bitty dose of ambiance, though you can keep things safe (if not quite warm) by replacing the flame with an LED tea light.

Fish, as pets, can be kind of like furniture. Unless you take the time to train your goldfish — which, as I recently found out, you can — your aquarium is basically another television channel. Nothing on cable? Let’s see what the fish are doing. Nonetheless, actually turning fish into furniture strikes me as a little weird.

Can fish be truly happy living as bookends or wall art? I’m not prepared to guess. But if I ever buy my cats the gift that keeps on giving, i.e., a whole bunch of live fish, I think I’ll put them in a good large tank with all manner of hidey holes and plants.

I thought I wanted one of those traditional silver piggy banks for my layette, but it turns out that I actually want one of these:

Oh, Posh Pig piggy bank, I lurve you. These collectible patterned pigs designed by Bud by DesignRoom come in fifteen fun patterns, from surfer pig to space pig to pop pig. Perfect for a nursery, yes?

From the nice people who brought you Aroma Ducks…

…which, as far as I can tell, are just rubber ducks infused with scent.