Monday Color: Cheerful & Bird's Egg

Straight from the Benjamin Moore paint books, I bring you the combination of Cheerful and Bird's Egg for this week's Monday Color post, for no other reason than these are the two colors I'm combining in a nursery I'm currently busy designing. Pure multi-tasking. Enough said.

The nursery is for a little boy and his sister, who will be arriving any day now. Because he's a toddler and already opinionated, we let him choose the dominant blue color. And because the client didn't want traditional gender colors, we brought in pops of bright Cheerful for "her "color. Read on to see some of the elements we'll be using as well as some adaptations for adult spaces.


An eclectic living room designed by actress Julianne Moore.


A cute bedroom found on Fabulessly Yours.


Same color palette, but all grown up.


Mixing in pale green makes this living room the epitome of a fresh Spring day.


I adore this sophisticated mix of aqua and yellow found on The Lennoxx.


One of the 'inspiration' nurseries I used to coax my client into this bright color combo.


The medallions on this pale blue and yellow rug for my client's nursery bring in a touch of tradition (we're going for the 6' round version from Walmart.com).


The organic cotton from Birch Fabrics that we're making into custom crib bedding and a duvet for the twin bed.


Two of my favorite Feistaware colors.


I wish there was a way to work this Ikat Duver Cover from Urban Outfitters in, delivering toned down versions of the blue and yellow in a fresh wordily print.


Aqua seas under warm honey skies are transportive in this photo from The Gingham Owl, on Etsy.


A generously sized aqua and yellow ceramic vase from Lamps Plus.

Etsy Love: Austin Modern

Austin, TX has been all over my radar recently.....with its up-and-coming neighborhoods splashed across the pages of my beloved design magazines, its continuously solid crop of Indie bands on steady rotation on my iTunes, and in discussions amongst several of my friends who have been contemplating moving there. And now, from my cozy little home office, I'm busy sourcing vintage industrial table bases for a Brooklyn client and where do I find the perfect pair?!? Austin Texas' eponymous Etsy seller Austin Modern, of course. Austin Modern's Etsy Shop specializes in 20th century vintage and architectural salvage, some vintage fashion accessories, and a quaint little section for quirky altered vintage dishes that have me swooning. Here are some goodies that I'm particularly admiring:


From their array of altered vintage plates, I love this slightly eerie Masonic Lodge Plate with Altered Anatomical Eye Image.


Their Vintage Industrial Tripod Table is an absolute beauty.


New staplers have zero style compared to this Vintage Scout Swingline Stapler.


These would have everyone talking at your next summer bash or fondu feast: Set of 12 Tiki God Party Picks.


For the audiophile/history buff who has everything:WWII Air Raid Siren retrofitted to play iPods and iPhones.

Spring temperatures have been upon us for weeks now (did we even have a Winter this year?) and now the trees are starting to catch up. On my drive to the city the other day I noticed the bright greenery of a field of Weeping Willow trees beginning to sprout their seasonal foliage and it was stunning. Of course I couldn't stop and take a photo on the Grand Central, but the image stayed with me in my mind. Here's a few inspiring shots of electric green Willow trees (my favorite tree species, by the way) officially ushering in the brand new season.

Etsy Love: Baby Green Shop (again!)

All work and no play....makes me a neglectful blogger!! I promise to get back on it this week as my interior design workload lightens up a bit. In the meantime, it's Saturday and that means it's Etsy Love time! And who better to love than my own Baby Green Shop, where I'll be uploading new finds all weekend. Here's a preview.....from collectable vintage dinnerware to everyone's MUST HAVE: an outhouse puzzle!!

Practical Makes Perfect

I don't know about you, but I chuckle every time I read those lists of "12 Things I Couldn't Live Without" penned by fancy interior designers worldwide, clearly holding far different priorities than I. If I were to make such a list, you can bet that a Berkin bag and a $50 scented candle would not top the list of life's necessities. Don't get me wrong, I covet brilliant design and appreciate a few of the finer things in life, but mostly I am a simple, practical girl. I'm not even sure I could come up with 12 things but here are at least a few of the most clever and practical necessities that seem pretty vital to my existence.


An all-natural soap and sponge in one! How practical is that?!? Lori's Soap & Sponge (Goat's Milk & Olive Oil soap with natural sea sponge attached, also available with a Loofah).


My Blackberry Bold from Verizon is definitely an everyday essential. All the features of an iphone, but I can actually type my long-winded emails on it!


I take lunch and fruit on-the-go pretty much every day, but bruised many a banana in my bag until I discovered the Tupperware Limited Edition Banana Keeper (it doesn't appear to be for sale anywhere right now, thankfully I grabbed one when I did!)


I adore all my son's artwork, but this piece that he painted onto recycled cardboard and newspaper in Kindergarten is the only one that made it into a frame and onto our wall. I smile ear-to-ear every time I look at it.





My everyday, can't-live-without, footwear basics consist of vintage boots in the winter (I never pay more than $30 a pair and vintage always equals green in my book), classic navy Toms or my hemp Rainbow flip-flops in the summer, and slip-on Vans for all seasons in between.


I aspire to eat as healthfully as possible, but getting 5 servings of fruits and veggies in every day is always a struggle. I turn to my Breville Juice Fountain Plus to easily meet those requirements pretty much every day. And having just watched Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead with my son last night, I think I see a 10 day juice-only fast in my near future. Anyone want to join me?!


Concentrated all-purposes cleaners have saved me piles of money and precious storage space, marks of anything truly practical and essential. For about $18, a bottle of Basic H2 Super Organic Cleaning Concentrate and the companion spray bottles clean pretty much everything in my house for at least 6 months, without a trace of toxins.



And finally, a good night's sleep is probably the most important every day essential. My restful nights wouldn't be complete without The Company Store's Organic Cotton Jersey Bedding and my Keetsa mattress.