Monday Color: White

I didn't know what color I wanted to feature today until I opened my daily City Sage email and saw Keri Russell's Brooklyn Brownstone (check out the gorgeous living room below or the whole post in the link). Her clean spaces awash in mostly pure white flicked on that little light bulb in my head. White linen, white plaster, white woodwork, white, white, white....what a beautiful non-color that evokes total serenity in such a simple, effortless way.




















Images above:

1. Two images from Keri Russel's inspiring Brooklyn brownstone, from The City Sage.

2. I'm crazy about wide-plank wood floors, but covered in white they bring an instant feeling of calm to this space, posted on Swank Lighting's Blog.

3. Your memories and collections come to life on an all-white back-drop, while not looking overwhelmingly cluttered or messy.

4. Ok, I could sit on a wooden crate and enjoy this seaside home and its panoramic views, but the all-white scheme enhances the "aaaahh" factor.

5. An eclectic all-white baby's room.

6. Pure White Ceramic Vase Collection from West Elm let's you create an all-white grouping even if you don't have time for numerous flea market hunts.

7. For white furniture, slipcovered seating is the most practical way to go. I love the Aris Grand Sofa from Crate & Barrel for its generous, relaxed proportions and eco-friendly materials.

8. Machine-washable Shaggy Raggy White Cotton Jersey Area Rug, available from Posh Tots.

9. Black and white nature-themed photographs, like this horse print from Tailed Blue Photos, harmonize with all-white interiors but add additional energy and life.

Etsy Love: Habitat Textiles

G'day mates!!! This morning over brekkie, I discovered quite a bottler! Ok, that's enough Aussie speak to embarrass myself with for one morning, but is a great segue into today's featured Etsy Shop: Habitat Textiles, one of the most drool-worthy offerings of eco-friendly and ethically-produced textiles I've ever seen. Habitat Textiles features mostly independent Australian designers (hence my poor attempt at some Aussie slang) and their brilliant ranges of hand-printed fabrics, as well as a small selection of WOOLganic knitting yarn in luscious colors and a line of organic cotton prints by Monaluna, their only northern hemisphere offering. While I'd rather grab my passport and shop Australia's textiles myself, Habitat Textiles sure is the next best thing. Oi!


Hand-printed Rooftops in Sky Blue, by Australian designer Lara Cameron.


Hand-printed Elephants in Red, by Australian designer Carly Schwerdt.


Hand-printed Flowering Gum in Olive, by Australian designer Lara Cameron.


Hand-printed Superb Wren in Winter, by Australian designer Jennifer Berney.



Hand-printed Gypsy Caravan fabric by Australian designer Kristen Doran (and an example of a tote bag made in the fabric).



WOOLganic Organic Wool Knitter's Yarn DK 8ply - Raindrops.


Fat Quarter set of 5 Organic Monaco fabrics in blue by Monaluna.

Sprout has sprouted!!

If you have ever set up a nursery or child's room, this list is going to look familiar:
1. crib/bed
2. mattress
3. mattress pad
4. bedding
5. changer/dresser
6. changing pad cover
7. seating
8. throw pillows
9. toy storage
10. book storage
11. play or art table/desk
12. rug
13. window treatments
14. lighting
15. wall color
16. mobile
17. artwork

I could probably go on but I think you get my point here, right? There's a lot to think about as an expecting parent or even just when transitioning an infant into their toddler years. On top of all these purchases and decisions, you may be eager to make your baby's space as safe as possible and/or eco-friendly as possible, knowing that small, developing bodies should spend as little time as possible around off-gassing chemicals. Yeah, I felt that way too.

Ever since my own son's conception in 2004, I have been specializing in helping expecting and existing parents through the often-daunting task (and everything that I initially went through!) of setting up beautifully-designed, well-organized, healthy, and safe spaces for their children. Through the years, I am lucky to have become an expert in nursery design which means I get to help an ever increasing number of people down this path, a service that I truly love and am fulfilled by. But many people who contacted me for assistance were not in the New York area and/or didn't have thousands to spend on a local interior designer. So that got me thinking. How can I help everyone with this process, in an affordable and remote way? How can I be a guide toward awesome-looking, eco-friendly nurseries FOR ALL?? Like any great idea that is merely a solution to a need or problem, Sprout was born.

What is Sprout? Sprout is peace of mind, a reduction in overwhelmingness or expensive mistakes, guidance, support, and a recipe for FUN. Sprout is a custom-designed nursery package that includes a selection of yummy, all-natural Shaklee Baby products a comprehensive, but simple game plan for an enjoyable nesting process, and phone/email consultation time. And all for a minimal one-time investment of $599. Read more about the Sprout package and the simple, easy steps you will need to get started here . Even better, mention this Baby Green blog post and get $100 OFF a Sprout package from now until the end of May!!!

Here's a sneak peak at part of a custom Sprout room:



Any design style....any budget.....any timeline.....we can make it work. Dream-Nursery-in-a-Box was too long of a name, but that's exactly what this package will deliver. And besides, Sprout had a much cuter ring to it!!

1st NY Plastic Bag Ban!!

Knowing I wasn't the least bit concerned with all the buzz about the royal wedding, one of my friends shared this recent news with me while waiting to pick up our sons from school last Friday: Southampton Village in eastern Long Island passed a plastic bag ban! Now, that's so much more newsworthy in my opinion! Here are all the details in the Southampton Patch online coverage. This is such a positive step into a more sustainable, responsible future and I sincerely hope other towns, villages and cities nationwide will seek to adopt the same legislation, despite the false protests and "plastic advocates" like those who fought this Southampton Village bill in vain. I especially love the sentiment that this is not a paper vs. plastics debate, but rather a "bring-your-own-bag" mandate. Mark my words, I am NOT one to believe in over-legislation, but we are grossly behind other parts of the world in our environmental laws, and plastic bag bans are LONG OVERDUE. The sting of inconvenience and forced changed might hurt a little at first, but incorporating reusable bags into daily life is just like any other habit. Congrats to the people of Southampton!! Hopefully Long Beach will follow suit.


For more plastic bag info and to learn more about the related documentary Bag It, click here.

Monday Color: Sand

After spending a few hours on the beach this weekend with my little boy, running around in bare feet on the soft sand (finally!), I could turn to no other hue for my Monday Color post than the warm neutral shade of our Atlantic coast sand. Perhaps my interior version is a little more saturated than the whiter sand that lines our beaches, but this basic beige is what comes to most peoples' minds when I utter the color "sand." It's a perfect neutral with so many occurrences in our natural world (ie: jute, wood, bamboo, etc), as evidenced in the images below, which is part of why it's such a feel-good decorating color.



















Images above:

1. Sandy serenity with warm terra cotta accents in a model apartment master bedroom designed by myself and my team at re:place.

2. From a Dwelement post on grasscloth papers, this dining room pairs sandy grasscloth with elegant dark woods and touches of shine.

3. The sand colored palette in this Ibiza guest bedroom from elledecor.com is soothing but not boring. (photo by Simon Upton)

4. The sun-drenched teak around this Shelter Island home carries the perfect warm sandy glow.

5. Natural fiber rugs in sisal, hemp and jute all impart a sandy warmth in any room. I especially love the unique retro vibe of the Soleil Round Hemp Rug from Home Decorators.

6. This warm neutral hue is found not only on beaches, but also in the natural finish of many woods, especially sustainable teak and reclaimed hardwoods like that found in Restoration Hardware's Small Reclaimed French Floorboard Coffee Table.

7. Coyuchi's Labyrinth Duvet Cover is pure eco-luxury and the perfect neutral, sandy hue for any room or style.

8. Sand-colored jute evokes nautical simplicity in David Stark's new Rope Bowl for West Elm.

9. Warm beige linen is the perfect look for this eco-friendly slipcovered Daniele Sofa from Cisco Brothers.

Etsy Love: Maple Shade Kids

Looking for something truly unique for your kids room? Well, every single item in Maple Shade Kids' Etsy shop had me swooning. Whether functional or purely decorative, all pieces are hand-cut from FSC Certified Poplar wood and finished with non-toxic paints, sealants, and lovingly applied eco-friendly papers. Take a look....


A set of hooks hung low within your kiddo's reach is a great way to encourage independence and tidiness, and the Peg Racks by Maple Shade Kids are probably the cutest way to achieve this that I've ever seen (made with FSC certified Poplar wood with hand-cut paper appliques).


Let your child's inner Picasso shine with these clever Art Hangers (two hand-carved figures with 5' of jute twin in between).


Fawn and Mother Dear Shelf displays just about anything and is as adorable as can be.


Mother and Child Hedgehog Collage is one of several 12x12 wood and paper collage designs offered by Maple Shade Kids.


Handmade Matryoshka Wooden Dolls come in assorted colors and designs and can be used for play, made with a hanging hole, or just displayed in a sweet little grouping on a shelf.

From Kitchen Grease to Clean Hands

Discovering the hand soap line Further gave me one of those genuine "Damn! I wish I had thought of that" moments and filled me with complete and total life envy. Read the backstory here and you'll immediately understand why. The products - which include a hand soap, lotion, and candle all made from biofuel bi-product and scented with the fragrant oils of bergamot, olive and exotic grasses - are a beautifully clever example of sustainability and re-use. The Los Angeles-based husband and wife team behind Further are eco-geniuses in my book, keeping restaurant grease out of the garbage, fueling some cool vintage rides, and keeping hands clean nationwide.


Further Hand Soap $12.50


New Further Hand Lotion $12.50


11 oz Further Scented Candle $24.00

In the Fold

I love this brilliantly simple drawer organization tip from Martha Stewart Living online. I don't personally have any drawers, but my son's dresser and the kid-sized garments that fill it will greatly benefit from this little trick. My local Salvation Army has tons of those the thin metal bookends and my perfectionist passion for neatly folded clothing will certainly embrace the tighter bundle. And now it will be even easier for Ryder to select which of his many Star Wars T-shirts to throw on. (Click the link above for the full post on www.marthastewart.com)

Monday Color: Pale Gray

The skies over Long Beach this morning were a beautiful muted silvery gray, enhanced by the light fog that rolled in and out all day (even when the sun finally broke through for the afternoon). Easily swayed by the visual world around me, I decided to pick pale gray as today's Monday Color. I use both warm and cool versions of this easy neutral in design projects all the time and find it is always a soothing hue to be surrounded by. As spare as my wardrobe is, I must have half a dozen pale gray tanks and V-necks in my closet; I guess this color is sort of the design equivelent of my favorite gray T-shirt staples.



















Images above:

1. A serenely organized office in an all-gray palette from Martha Stewart's Living.

2. Also from Living, I love the silvery elegance of this living room.

3. A crisp gray and white Southampton bedroom designed by Vincente Wolf.
http://www.housebeautiful.com/decorating/colors/gray-rooms-1110?click=main_sr

4. A pale gray living room with a few pops of earth tones (Elle Decor image via The Enchanted Home ).

5. The Eleanor pattern from The Wallpaper Collective.

6. The classic Stockton Dinnerwear from Crate & Barrel features a wide band of dove gray.

7. The elegant 5' x 8' Tamira Rug in light gray by Surya

8. The Stokke Sleepi Bassinet & Crib Nursery Set in Gray, available through www.allmodern.com, is a contemporary alternative to white or wood toned cribs.

9. The Organic Cotton Ruched Throw in platinum from West Elm.