August 3rd, 2009
My client has been great training ground for my own situation. Like me, she has twin girls. So this is what the problem is; one girl wants her own room and the other does not! Together we debated how to handle this delicate situation. To throw another problem into the mix; my client wanted a guest room. And we only have two rooms to work with.
After drawing the floor plan several ways, we came up with a solution. We made one room the official bedroom; the other a guest room, playroom and a retreating ground for the one twin.
For the “official” bedroom we selected bunkbeds. This is for the nights they want fall asleep talking about Ariel and Sleeping Beauty.
The other bedroom room has a cool sofa bed; for when the one needs to chill out and read. It is also really comfortable for when my client has a guest sleep over.
Each room has individual desks so they can have their own space for drawing, homework, etc.
The added bonus is that were able to add a pocket door between the rooms; when they are playing it feels like one large room.
The furnishings are not too child-like and in fact I think any adult would feel comfortable sleeping there.
So far it’s been two weeks and my client tells me they have been both sleeping in the official bedroom. Just the knowledge that she has a personal space seems to be enough for now.
Check back to see my furniture selections….
July 19th, 2009
All moms have had little chocolate hands leave their mark on their furnishings. Even the sweet girl above could reak havoc in the second we turn our back.
Did you know you that there is a product out there to keep us calmer! Surface seal is a chemical protectant in the nature of a stain repellant for carpets, fabric, wall coverings and stone. It makes it much easier to clean up spills and stains. The stains stay on the surface and don’t penetrate. If you react in sufficient time most things will come clean.
It was developed by the architect Evan Galen. His associates come to your home and sprays your furniture. My clients have been very happy with the product!
Also I just read about this in the NY Times:
Wow! Spray paint for fabric. It’s says you can “rejuvenate a sofa with with a new color scheme”
Lastly check out this other great blog– I like the navy x stools!
July 1st, 2009
I have been noticing a trend in decor for awhile – Owls! They seem to be showing up everywhere: clocks, pillows, wall decals. Are we trying to subconsciously instill wisdom in our children. It can’t be that we want night owls – I relish my sleep. Or is it just good design. Whatever the reasoning, there are lots of great things to choose from.
Above are some of my favorites:
Owl Clock – by Mid century design icon George Nelson. This will ensure kids to tell time the old-fashioned way.
Sketchbook – These eco-friendly are sure to inspire little artists.
Decorative wall decal – These vinyl decals are easy to apply and I love the glow in the dark stars.
Owl pillow – Cute and cuddly and has a sweet pocket for little ones to hide their treasures!
Owl pillow – Artisan pillow made with one of a kind Japanese fabrics
Print – Original design by Steve Haskamp. This is wonderful affordable art.
Owl lamp – I love the wide-eyed owl. Great for an eco-friendly/earthy room.
Knit Pillow – This lovely hand-knit pillow is a cute and cuddly.
Storage Bin – This bin can make putting away toys fun.
Family of owls print– A collage of vintage and printed papers is a special addition to any child’s room
June 22nd, 2009
My twin girls are just starting to eat solids and it’s a messy business. If I turn my head for a moment, plates and bowls are on the floor. Thankfully there are great melamine dish options. Above are my three faves:
The very Hungry Caterpillar– Based on the classic story by Eric Carle. Every child will want to eat all those tasty fruits?!
Robots – These robots plates designed by French Bull sure can make cheer you up when your kids won’t eat their veggies! It comes as a set of four. Also check out the matching bowls and cups.
Butterfly – The butterfly plates designed by Emily Green make me smile even when I have to clean up spattered sweet potatoes!
June 12th, 2009
As I mentioned I have been on a quest to find the perfect bath accessories for my client’s twin girls. Yesterday we settled on the above. The fabric by Designer’s Guild is going to make a perfect shower curtain. I love the funky fish, and I don’t think they will ever get tired of it.
The lime bath accessories are from Jonathan Adler. I was put to the challenge because we needed a trashcan with a certain dimension. This line fit the bill literally – perfect size, perfect color and reasonably priced!
Now I think we should get these cool hair brushes from pylones:
www.pylones-usa.com/pylones/item.php?item=PY-HBLME&product=314&category=5
June 10th, 2009
My 3 year old son announced today that he is moving to England with his best friend. They are getting married at the candy store and then they are going to share a room in their new 4 bedroom house. She is going to do all the cooking and his stuffed animals are going to do the house work. This story went on for about 1/2 hour until I realized why he was sooo eager to move –he’s tired of having to keep the small parts of his toys away from his baby sisters. It made me realize that he needs to a cool place of his own. A place for his tool box and tinker toys. So this leads me to my hot pick of the day; a Gingerbread play house. After searching, my favorite is from Home Depot
I love that you can paint it to match your own house. It’s has it’s flower boxes; maybe I can focus my son’s love of gardening on his own house. Plus, I can’t wait to pick out fabric for drapes.
Now I just have to check with the town and see if I can get a permit!
June 4th, 2009
Like most kids, my 3 year old son has lots of toys! I am always trying to find ways to store them neatly. And I want him to help in the process….well I can dream. Canvas storage bins seem to be the way to go for the stuffed animals, and small toys. They are light and easy to relocate. Above are some of favorites. The round up starting clockwise:
Elephant storage bin– This bin designed by 3 Sprouts should make them happy while reminding them to put their toys away.
Bushel basket -This basket by Hable Construction are built to last.
Rolling tray basket – This one from Pottery Barn is a good neutral for a boys room. Easy to roll to any mess in the house.
Gio Aqua basket – Another great design from Dwell Studio. I love the stylized animals.
May 29th, 2009
Sometimes all it takes is one item to perk up aroom. Right now, there are so many great decorative pillows out there I thought I pick my 8 favorites: (left to right:)
May 21st, 2009
As I mentioned in my other post, I am currently working on a project at the Lucida. Right now I am focusing on the details for the twins bedroom. My client’s girls are almost seven and before we know it they will be in their tween years. And I wanted to make sure they love this room for many years to come. After going through many many wings of fabric samples, we all fell in the love with the drapery fabric . It’s great unexpected color combination, feminine and sophisticated. The rest fell into place pretty smoothly, and a visit to the Designer Guild office in New York finished it off.
Here’s the round-up starting clockwise:
Sheets – Serena and Lily
Throw- Designer’s Guild
Drapes- Osborne and Little
Pillows- Designer’s Guild
May 18th, 2009
Kid tested and approved, here’s my round-up for the best chairs for play areas and creating:
Starting clockwise:
Kinder Stack Chair from School Outfitters
Jasper Chair from Room and Board
Nantucket Chair from KidKraft
Bunny Chair from Conran Shop
