Book It.

We all know the importance of instilling a lifelong love of reading in children from day one. But when chewed-up board books, Dr Suess and Shel Silverstein begin to take over, it's time to consider clever book storage (or a library card!). Here are a few eco-friendly options that are as fun and unique as the tomes that will fill them.


Custom 'book house' finished in zero-VOC paint created for one of my nursery design clients.


The ingenious Block Shelf by Amy Hunting suspends wood scraps on cotton rope.



Woodland Happy Tree Bookshelf (Baltic Birch Edition) from Graphic Spaces is oh-so-cute and completely free of toxic finishes.


Made from 100% recycled wood fiber, this classic stand is the eco-friendly twin of what your children probably already interact with at their school, which gives it classic utilitarian kitsch. www.clutterfreekids.com


Nurserywork's adorable Tree Bookcase crafted in zero-grade MDF and painted with high gloss low-VOC lacquer, available in white and green.


For the modernist, the clean-lined and functional Hiya Bookcase from Spot on Square lets the colorful volumes take center stage

Monday Color: Burnt Orange

When I was school-aged or reporting to a corporate office in my early 20's, Mondays were dismal and long. Now they are one of my favorite days, launching all the possibilities of a fresh new week, on the energizing tails of some weekend downtime.

I want to start honoring my love of Mondays with a weekly inspirational post focused on color. Anyway who knows me won't be surprised that the first color I've selected to feature is burnt orange. This has long been my favorite hue for its dramatic presence in sunrises and sunsets, and because it's the color I see when laying under the summer sun on a beach, eyes clenched shut beneath the powerful rays. I imagine that I'm not seeing the backs of my eyelids but rather the color of my true self.

Images above:
1. a winter sunset in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
2. 'Wings' the piece I just bought from my new favorite photographer Alicia Bock
3. orange dahlias, a vase of which bring me unbounded joy

Sensual and warm, burnt orange is a beautiful accent hue in just about any room and pairs especially well with its cool toned color wheel opposites: the blue family. Here's a few inspirational interiors and a few burnt orange decor finds:















Images above:

1. image from Metropolitan Home, via elledecor.com

2. a loung area in a modern Atlantic Beach home I completed in 2007

3. image from decorpad.com

4. image from hgtv.com

5. Atlas Collection bedding by Calvin Klein, available through Neiman Marcus.

6. Madeline Weinrib's Brooke rug in orange

7. simple, modern orange pendant by Bruck, available at Lighting Direct.