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orange & gray update: a new kid’s room from target

24 Oct

Chloe & Conner Rocketship Chair

Now that the baby is a boy and the toddler bed is soon to be outgrown, I’ve been thinking about “The Next Big Project” to distract myself with.  While checking out the Target website, I noticed that they’ve recently launched a few new design/furniture collections.  Some seem cribbed from CB2, others look more Pottery Barn Kids with a bit of Dwell Studio thrown in.  Some might say  the cupboard looks a bit ransacked.  But no mind to the source of inspiration, someone in Minneapolis seems to be doing right by the “design for all” philosophy.

So here was my challenge to myself: Design a room in the same colorway as Fionn’s room right now, just with new furniture, rugs, and window treatments, and do it all online from Target. (By the way, for all you grammarians out there,  here’s what I learned while checking the title to this post: “Grey is a colour, but gray is a color.” )

I started with the awesome Calhoun metal headboard and TV/storage unit.  I then complemented with warm gray (nearing brown) accents, introducing a few patterns for interest.

Koons-SuckUK mashup lamp

I’m kicking myself for not buying this lamp (above) when it was available.  Now it says “not available” online or in stores.  But it’s genius, isn’t it?  A Jeff Koons balloon dog combined with the Teddy Bear lamp from SuckUK, but decidedly less creepy.  Hope they bring it back.

So here’s the assortment.  Click the image to enlarge.

Target room, 8 pieces

1. Calhoun Media Stand $169.99.  Meant for a TV, but can be used with storage bins for clothes/toys/junk.

2. Chloe & Conner Rocketship Chair $99.99.  The most ‘kiddie’ item in this room, but so cute.

3. Target Home Basketweave Window Panel $24.99.  I much prefer grommet-top curtains to any other kind.  These may need backing with room-darkening curtains, but would still be a bargain.

4. Calhoun Headboard (twin) $109.99.  It comes in black too, for the more risk-averse.

5. Dog balloon lamp (unavailable?!) $34.99.

6. Upholstered Storage Bench in Gray $249.99.  Expensive but super cool.  It comes in multiple fabrics… for a brighter look, there’s the Panama Wave Storage Bench , $279.

7. Threshold Basic Border Rug $179.99.  Reasonable enough to loosen the Play-doh restrictions.

8. Room 365 Dot Comforter Set (Twin) $69.99.  Love.  Want this for our own bed.

If you’ve discovered anything surprising or cool at Target, drop me a line- I’d like to know.

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inspiration board: modern-vintage eclectic nursery

5 Jul

These inspiration boards are so much fun to create. I’m hoping this one gives you a sense of my personal style, as it features some of my favorite pieces from past posts.  And I’m also hoping that it helps inspire you, whether you’re starting a nursery from scratch or adding new pieces to a child’s room.

click to enlarge


In fact, I have so many favorites on this board I could write an individual feature on each piece.  So if you have a question or if there’s something I haven’t covered (below), please let me know and I’ll devote a future post to it.

The Inspiration: Custom crib bumper featuring Japanese company Kokka’s “Matryoshka doll” fabric  (a great find, see more adorable patterns by Kokka here).

The bumper was designed and created by a mother-daughter team who run the amazing SewnNatural shop on Etsy.  This bumper features purple and pink dotted fabric on the reverse side (a cue for my curtain choice), red piping and wide red grosgrain ribbon ties.  At $230, it is definitely not cheap.  But if you’re indeed interested in a bumper like this (and if you’ve decided to go down the bumper road in the first place, as we have), I’d recommend going with a solid white or cream-colored sheet as a counterpoint.  (For the highest-quality solid sheets, I always recommend Carousel Designs, whose crib sheets range from $16 to $34).

I used this piece to pull out a series of colors for the room.  And although there’s a trend towards monochromatic or dual-toned nurseries nowadays, I’m definitely of the ‘coordinate, not match’ school.  I love the combination of yellow and purple, and red and turquoise.  But the colors are used in moderation – the largest pieces (the yellow-and-cream-colored rug, plum curtains), are tempered by a white crib, a cream/ivory tone on the walls, and a charcoal-gray dresser/changing table.

I’m also crazy about the work of Blanca Gomez (bicycle poster featured), whose amazing shop/site is called Cosas Minimas (little things).  This particular illustration perfectly mimics the color scheme of the Kokka fabric.  If you’re interested in her visual style, I’d recommend you check out this lovely interview with Blanca on the Grain Edit site, which specializes in mid-century-inspired visual design.

This, along with the wonderful vintage teak rocking chair by Danish designer/professor Ole Wanscher (true Danish Modern, first produced in 1951), give the room a vintage feel that’s still really fresh today.

To round out the room, I’ve selected the following items:

1. Robson industrial wall sconce, Anthropologie, $178

2. Boardwalk Stripes rug in yellow by Nejad, 5’x8′, Rugs USA, $259.20

3. Freewheeling poster by Blanca Gomez, 16″x20″, Etsy, $25

4. Ivory white paint chip, Benjamin Moore

5. Child’s red folding chair, Three Potato Four, $65 (One of my favorite shops, and listed on sidebar!)

6. Plum silk drapes, 60″ long, Smith+Noble, $233

7. Striped glass shade and fixture, Schoolhouse Electric Co, $62/shade, $75/fixture (See here for more info on schoolhouse lights)

8. Bam convertible crib in white, Argington, $585 (See here for an earlier feature on this gorgeous crib)

9. Wanscher teak rocking chair, Modernicus, $895 (A true heritage piece, and remember, many new gliders are just as expensive)

10. Edland dresser, IKEA, $299 (The entire Edland series is gorgeous.  Really.)

I’m aching to design a nursery with these exact pieces… Or to just get some of these pieces for myself!

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.

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.

hollywood regency nursery inspiration

29 Mar

Viceroy Hotel Miami, Canadian House & Home

Now that mid-century style has been around for a while, even becoming inspiration for furniture at Urban Outfitters (e.g. my favorite chair), the next big thing hitting the public consciousness seems to be a style known as Hollywood Regency. If you know Kelly Wearstler(Modern Glamour: The Art of Unexpected Style)and Jonathan Adler(My Prescription for Anti-Depressive Living)you’re already familiar with this seductive choice for interiors.

DesignGalleria.net

“Hollywood regency,” as the name suggests, comes from the studio-era of old Hollywood, during an age when people entertained at home.  Rooms were designed as personal stage sets, through a combination of deco modernity and lush, opulent textiles.  And, true to American luxury throughout the ages, more (mirrors, curtains, fabrics, pillows, patterns) is always better.  The best summary I’ve read online comes courtesy of HGTV.  And the best description is by Kristan Cunningham of Design on a Dime.  “It’s the juxtaposition of ‘super clean with super fussy’ that is so relevant [for today].” 

For additional reading material, go here:
Regency Redux: High Style Interiors: Napoleonic, Classical Moderne, and Hollywood Regency

My checklist for a room in this style would have to include:
– Lush fabrics/curtains – cane or geometric inspired textiles
– Rich patterns, complementary but overlapping
– Bright pops of color to offset black, white, gold and silver
– Lacquer everywhere and high shine surfaces
– Beautifully sculpted but carefully selected furniture
– Mirrors (sunbursts are a must)

And what’s wonderful about all of the items listed above is that they’re also the ideal ingredients for a nursery or child’s room.  But what’s interesting to me is that in the movement towards ‘modern,’ nursery design, we seem to have neglected the lushness and vibrancy that makes interior design so much fun.  I think the two styles (can, and should) live together beautifully.  So here’s my first inspiration board for you guys, inspired by Hollywood Regency:

Sources (clockwise from top left):
Dick crib, Bratt Decor (sale) $517.50
Capiz sunburst mirror,  Target, $79.99
Tweed rug, CB2, $159
Mid-century pendant lamp, Ebay, $99
Connected/Crimson curtains, Smith + Noble $300 (full-length)
Hemnes dresser, Ikea, $279
Vola glider, Monte Design, $995
Chrome/rhinestone drawer pull, Unbeatable Sale, $14.50 each
Hummingbird bedding set, JavisDavis, $260
Hello digital print, Madebygirl, $35

Please let me know what you think about this feature, and the inspiration board in particular.  Was it helpful?