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gowanus kid

18 Jun

On our way back home from a long day out, Fionn and I often walk through a neighborhood on the banks (?) of the Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn.  I must have taken the same route tons of times, but only noticed this graffiti art by a guy called Dolk on Wednesday. Thought it was too cool not to share.

Although he hails from Norway, his work can be found all around the world.  And although there were rumors of the “Dolk” name being an alter-ego for the artist known as Banksy, these rumors are still unfounded.

Check out more images on the Flickr pool here. Apparently, prints of his work are/were also available. (I’m unclear as to whether they can still be purchased.) So, without further ado, another of my favorites (found in Bergen, Norway), and fond wishes for a great weekend.

Protesting Baby

julie morstad, alphabet cards and personalized name art

15 Jun

"Race"

Julie Morstad is one of my favorite illustrators. If you’re unfamiliar with her work, please check out her website (for limited edition signed prints like “Race” ($60), above, and children’s book illustrations).  I first learned of Morstad about a year ago, while browsing an increasingly eclectic and growing selection of alphabet flash cards for kids.

Jargon Boy, Lisa DeJohn, Julie Morstad

These are my three favorites:

M is for Modern ($25), created by Greg Chinn (Jargon Boy) is a fantastic primer in mid century style.  Nearly 3″ square, the cards would look fantastic displayed checkerboard/wacky-pack style.  Get a large RIBBA frame from IKEA and mount with some double-backed tape on a white board.

Alphabet Animals by Lisa DeJohn looks like it was designed in the 1950′s (a great thing, in my book). A description on the Buy Olympia site (an excellent resource, by the way!) reads thusly: “Printed on sturdy board and featuring an engaging collection of animals—including dragonflies, sea horses, and warthogs—these cards are perfect for little fingers and inquisitive minds.” The cards are almost 5″x7″, plenty big to enjoy and spread around on the floor.

But back to Julie Morstad.  Her ABC cards are truly unique in the subject matter covered… instead of Apples or Ants, you get an Acrobat.

The 4″x6″ cards come in a glossy cardboard box with magnetic closure, and are available on Amazon (I’ve added a link in the sidebar) for less than $13.  I’ve placed my favorite chain of letters in an IKEA RIBBA frame, purchased for $14.99. (BTW, please click image to make it larger).  I’m in love with the flapper girl in the red chapeau – in fact, I want to BE the flapper girl in the red chapeau.

For my future niece

If you’ve got some wall space to fill, I’d highly recommend getting a set of alphabet cards … they’re so ready for framing they almost call out for it.  And either arrange them as a grouping (as with the letter chain) or mount them individually.   And if you’re lucky enough to have a son or daughter whose name has zero repeating letters, how about creating your own personalized artwork?  This one (above) is for my soon-to-arrive baby niece. (Finished via three sets of NYTTJA frames, at $2.99 for the pair).  Thinking of you, K, and your soon-to-be little one.

josephine's vintage and handmade art

14 Jun

Josephine in her room

This is Josephine.  She’s almost two and a half years old and has a fantastic room full of visual interest and great artwork.  Her mom, Shannon, shared these photos with me, and I was really impressed.   When (re)decorating a kid’s room, it’s easy to fall into model-home/Ikea-showroom territory – especially if you’re buying everything in one fell swoop.  What happens is that everything starts feeling samey, matchy-matchy, and overly coordinated.  (I see this often with modern nursery designs).  But there seems to be a shift towards using vintage,  secondhand, and handmade items in kids’ rooms – a change I find really refreshing.   The juxtaposition of secondhand artwork, flea market finds, and modern furniture makes for a more visually intriguing space and a looser, more laid-back feeling.

An eclectic collection, arranged artfully

close up

As you can see in these images, nearly everything featured is either handmade, one-of-a-kind, vintage, or personalized in some way.  I really love the combination of bunny picture, large initial and vintage framed illustrations – three things you might not intuitively put together but that really work as a grouping.  Shannon found the three 60′s era illustrations at a local vintage shop (Union Max, if you’re in the neighborhood, specializes in this kind of stuff.)  The “J” was from Anthropologie (I don’t think they sell it anymore), and the bunny was a stoop sale find.

blue bunny

(Incidentally, I just noticed a similar image at our local frame shop.  They placed a cute, but small and plain, image on top of a patterned/busy background, then mounted and framed the whole thing.  I think this would be really easy to reproduce with your favorite cut-out and some wrapping paper.  It’s a great way to make a small picture seem bigger and more impressive, so it occupies more space on a large empty wall).

art by friends

Josephine is also a very lucky girl because her mom’s friends are very talented!  Shannon tells me that she “wanted to fill Josephine’s room with as many paintings and artwork from friends as she could.”   Both the honey triptych and the moon painting come with histories that mom and daughter will be able to share for years to come.

My dad reminded me today of my toddler bedroom, which was covered in animal-print wallpaper.  Apparently I had a bedtime ritual of saying goodnight to each and every giraffe, elephant, monkey and lion on the nearest wall.   It makes me happy to hear that  Josephine does the same – with her bunny, bees and moon.

josephine’s vintage and handmade art

14 Jun

Josephine in her room

This is Josephine.  She’s almost two and a half years old and has a fantastic room full of visual interest and great artwork.  Her mom, Shannon, shared these photos with me, and I was really impressed.   When (re)decorating a kid’s room, it’s easy to fall into model-home/Ikea-showroom territory – especially if you’re buying everything in one fell swoop.  What happens is that everything starts feeling samey, matchy-matchy, and overly coordinated.  (I see this often with modern nursery designs).  But there seems to be a shift towards using vintage,  secondhand, and handmade items in kids’ rooms – a change I find really refreshing.   The juxtaposition of secondhand artwork, flea market finds, and modern furniture makes for a more visually intriguing space and a looser, more laid-back feeling.

An eclectic collection, arranged artfully

close up

As you can see in these images, nearly everything featured is either handmade, one-of-a-kind, vintage, or personalized in some way.  I really love the combination of bunny picture, large initial and vintage framed illustrations – three things you might not intuitively put together but that really work as a grouping.  Shannon found the three 60′s era illustrations at a local vintage shop (Union Max, if you’re in the neighborhood, specializes in this kind of stuff.)  The “J” was from Anthropologie (I don’t think they sell it anymore), and the bunny was a stoop sale find.

blue bunny

(Incidentally, I just noticed a similar image at our local frame shop.  They placed a cute, but small and plain, image on top of a patterned/busy background, then mounted and framed the whole thing.  I think this would be really easy to reproduce with your favorite cut-out and some wrapping paper.  It’s a great way to make a small picture seem bigger and more impressive, so it occupies more space on a large empty wall).

art by friends

Josephine is also a very lucky girl because her mom’s friends are very talented!  Shannon tells me that she “wanted to fill Josephine’s room with as many paintings and artwork from friends as she could.”   Both the honey triptych and the moon painting come with histories that mom and daughter will be able to share for years to come.

My dad reminded me today of my toddler bedroom, which was covered in animal-print wallpaper.  Apparently I had a bedtime ritual of saying goodnight to each and every giraffe, elephant, monkey and lion on the nearest wall.   It makes me happy to hear that  Josephine does the same – with her bunny, bees and moon.

handmade musical wall murals

8 Jun

Fiddle-playing giraffe in Eliot's nursery

My friend Marcia’s got an incredibly beautiful new baby boy (Hi Eliot!) and a very talented husband named Lee.   Although both Mom & Dad are veteran advertising ‘creatives,’ I’m sure they’ve never had a client like this before!  I can just imagine how satisfying it was for Lee to design and paint these wonderful musician animals, transforming an empty room into a personality-filled nursery for his baby-t0-be.

Horn-playing elephant above crib

What I especially love about the room is how well the furnishings fit in with the custom artwork, and how beautifully the colors are coordinated.  The tall giraffe is perfectly nestled in the corner near the tall dresser and vertical bookshelf.  Shades of blue from the elephant are reflected in the crib bedding and other textiles, and the brown Monte Luca chair (my favorite) offers a beautiful contrast.

Bongo-playing lion

I’m so excited for little Eliot to learn that Daddy made these pictures just for him.

So for the rest of us, who have other skills to offer beside mural painting, here’s a tip.  When you’re shopping for wall decals, measure out your space (and the decals to occupy that space).  Pay special attention to the shapes between furniture (like in the giraffe corner) or above dressers (like the changing table, above).  Then, instead of just ‘floating’ on your walls, the decals will look like they’ve been custom-designed just for you.

discovered: retro racing car print

7 Jun

American Racing Drivers Club poster by ModernPop, Etsy, $28

I’m a sucker for mid-century-inspired illustration (see my “become a collector” post here).  And ModernPop really fits the bill.  The illustrator behind ModernPop describes her work as “art prints for children,” but I think many of these prints would be great for adults too.  The poster above is “inspired by the colors and forms of vintage race car design from the 40′s & 50′s using a color palette of mustard yellow, forest green, and steel blue.”

The prints are 11″ x 14″ and printed on watercolor paper.  If you have room, I’d recommend pairing it, side-by-side, with the above image, featuring vintage aircraft.

"F+D" for Fionn Daley

ModernPop also has a collection of 8″ x 8″ alphabet-inspired prints – why not select your child’s initials and create a set?

Check out the shop here.  There are just so many great images – robots, birds, letters, science terms – it’s hard to pick a favorite.  I could design a whole room around these color palettes and images.

sincere flattery and flag bunting

5 Jun

Olivia's room

Fionn's room

Browsing Ohdeedoh yesterday morning, I discovered a very interesting room tour; it’s the first one to feature exactly the same poster, crib set and arrangement of those items as in Fionn’s room.  It could be a total coincidence.  Or it could mean that someone actually liked Baby Daley’s room enough to want to have some of the same stuff.  And that’s really cool.

So in that vein, I wanted to share with you an amazing nursery decor trick that I’m just dying to ‘borrow’ myself.

Craft paper bunting, The B-line

If you haven’t heard of Amy at the B-line, please check out her blog.  It’s a beautiful and impressive website, apparently an offshoot of her Etsy business.  I believe she’s just had a baby – so the blog (and Etsy store) aren’t currently up-t0-date.  (Amy, if you read this, I’m hoping everything’s going wonderfully for you!)  I discovered Amy through her nursery photos posted on Flickr.  But they’re also featured on the blog, where you can read all about the amazing nursery she crafted and created – especially the bunting, made from scrapbook paper, contact paper and spray adhesive.

Frog made of custom-designed fabric

This woman does everything. Designs her own fabric (via Spoonflower - an amazing company that lets you do just that), makes jewelry, pillows, stuffed animals, wall decorations, among other things, and that’s when she’s not teaching during the day.   I love this frog – and check the pattern!

So onto finding cool bunting inspiration elsewhere.  I’ve uncovered three items, two from Etsy, and one from IKEA, all of which are interesting takes on the triangle flag theme.

1. Flags and garlands made of vintage children’s books

Sailor by Dick Bruna

Dr Seuss bunting, Richard Scarry garland

Bunting by LeJeune, Etsy, $8-$22

Alexandra LeJeune of Sydney, Australia, creates what she calls vintage storybook bunting.  She takes children’s books from the 60s and 70s, cuts and then sews them together with cotton tape.  I absolutely ADORE the Sailor images, and Richard Scarry is one of my favorite children’s book illustrators of all time.

2.  Bunting, illustrated

‘Bunting’ original illustration by Moonbeam Ice Cream, Etsy, $35

An original illustration by Edinburgh artist Kathryn Sutcliffe, this drawing is one of a kind — a real pen-and-colored-pencil piece of art.  And if I had somewhere to put it, it’d be mine.  If someone doesn’t buy this drawing within the next day or so, I’m afraid my PayPal trigger finger might get a bit twitchy for it.

3. Bedding textiles

Vitaminer Vimpel twin duvet and pillowcase, IKEA, $10

I couldn’t not mention this cute (and cheap) child’s duvet set, sold at IKEA.  Don’t know how well it’ll hold up after a few washes, but it’s worth a go. Start with this piece, and you’re room’s all figured out for color, too.  Basically, it’ll match any bright/primary shade – get a red rug and paint a wall sunshiny yellow, and the rest of the brightness can come from all the toys on the floor.

welcome to the new site

24 May

Hi everyone, and hope you like the new format. Apologies for the slow restart. Right now, I’m just learning my way around the place.

But I’ve got some changes on the horizon, hopefully to make the site more fun, inspiring, and easier to navigate.

“Practice Makes Perfect” print by Wolfie and the Sneak, Papernstitch.com, $15

Soon, you’ll be able to click on the navigation titles at top, where posts will be divided (when appropriate) by room type.  In the poll I conducted a while back, many of you indicated your interest in seeing more posts about kids rooms, and I hope to accommodate this demand.   (Kids rooms are tricky, as there are so many variables (including a child with his or her own tastes, and of course, lots of STUFF.)  I think this is probably why the websites out there stick to nursery design…)

I’m also venturing into design services.  Right now it’s a soft launch, meaning I’m conducting informal consultations, but I’m always open to the email question and am always willing to help out with advice. If you’ve got a specific question, let me know and I’ll devote a post to your query.

Hope you all have a great week.  And til next time, check out a website I just discovered – beautifully designed, by the way!

Described as “an online exhibition space created to promote talented artists, designers, and makers selling handmade goods,” I think of Paperandstitch as a members-only version of Etsy.  It’s “curated” monthly, so you get to spend less time searching for beautiful work, although it also means the selection isn’t as eclectic.  Based on what I’ve seen so far, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Have fun browsing and let me know what you find.

modern art, inspired by disney

17 May

Print inspired by Sleeping Beauty, One Kings Lane, $29

Let me just start off by saying this: I’m soooo not a Disney person.  Yes, I went to Disney World as a kid, and I loved all the movies as a kid (and again, as a college student).  But today, not so much. I know this will change when Fionn wants to watch his video for the fiftieth time, when he wants to see Lion King on Broadway (which will probably still be playing) and when he gets old enough to recognize licensed characters.  But something about buying into the whole Disney machine just makes me uncomfortable.

So I have to hide my face a little bit while I show you these prints.  And fast, because the sale is ending on One Kings Lane tomorrow. (If you’re not signed up for this interior design sample sale site, let me know and I can email you a referral code).

A company called PTM Images was commissioned to create prints ‘inspired by’ famous Disney animated features.   Some of the images directly correspond to actual animation cels (such as the Alice In Wonderland image, below), and others are said to capture the mood or tone of the film.  The Sleeping Beauty print, at top, is especially atmospheric with a mid-century touch.

Print inspired by Alice in Wonderland, OKL, $29

The images come unframed, but at $29 for a 14″x18″ (give or take) you really can’t beat the price.  All prints also include a drawing of the original inspiration for the artwork, which is pretty cool.  Redesigning a room?  These images could serve as great inspiration, especially for color choices.

Print inspired by Johnny Appleseed, OKL, $29

This image (above) is said to be inspired by Johnny Appleseed – a sequence in a film called Melody Time.  Not familiar with the movie;  I’m just in love with the green-blue and lavender color combination.  

In marketing, this type of project is what we call “extending the brand.”  And Disney seems to be doing a lot of it lately.  In addition to the print work, they’ve also hired York Wallcovering to riff on the movie Fantasia.  The results are some stunning (and sparkly) wallpapers, surprisingly un-cute and great for a big boy or girl’s room.

Sample of Fantasia-inspired wallpaper

Glisten, York Wallcovering, $69/roll

I think the Glisten pattern is my favorite – it’s not overpowering, yet it has a dash of glitter to add visual interest to a white room.   I couldn’t find some of the patterns from the top image on the York website, but I hope they’ll become widely available.

bklyn desings and modern ant farms

8 May

Just returned from the always-impressive BKLYN Designs, an annual show in which all exhibitors are somehow based in this lovely borough.  I was especially excited to check out the kids’ section, which included Argington furniture (to be featured tomorrow) and Iglooplay (see their Mod Rocker chair in an earlier post).  But I HAD to just write about these folks after visiting, then not wanting to leave, their excellent booth. 

Ants!

They’re called FRAMEicariums.  See additional coverage on Inhabitat.com here.  Designer Hugh Hayden with partner Katie Vitale (both charming people, by the way) have come up with a unique and creative alternative to hanging up another boring picture.

Starting with vintage, reclaimed, or just old paintings (often found with ornate and decorative frames), they build them out to create a relief picture-box space.  Sometimes the plated glass is red, as shown above, blue (as seen below), or clear.  Then they add sand, and lastly, the magic ingredient – who then get straight to work.

Victorian women and ants

Antiques Roadshow-worthy landscape and ants

Marie Antoinette (?) and ants
I’m actually surprised at my enthusiasm for these pieces (which start at $85 and go up to $1000 for the large-scale ones), considering a recent unannounced visit by the little guys chez Daley… Maybe that’s why I love ant farms – they’re contained and purposeful!
And the best part is that the art keeps changing – check out the dynamic pattern on the oval painting above.  I can’t imagine any other way to support a burgeoning interest in the arts… If you’re interested, contact Hugh Hayden at his website here.
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