July 09, 2015

Client Project - A Nautical Nursery

July 09, 2015/ Mallory

We recently completed an E-Design for a client looking to create a nursery for their first baby, a boy. The clients live near the beach and wanted a nautical feel with pieces that would easily grow with the baby later. It was music to our ears.

In case you haven’t gathered, we absolutely LOVE creating kid’s spaces, especially nurseries. And because we’re all three moms ourselves, we understand meshing style with function.

In this space, we started with a soothing color on the walls, Wedgwood Gray by Benjamin Moore. Having this blue as the backdrop allowed us to bring in a lot of neutral pieces to balance out the space and possibly transition to another nursery (even for a girl) or room later down the road.

nautical nursery mood board 3a design studio-001.jpg

Paint // Ceiling Light // Curtains // Artwork // Crib // Lamp // Dresser // Crib Skirt // Crib Sheet // Rug // Pouf // Pillow // Glider

We kept the space playful by bringing in a mix of textures and patterns, including buffalo check, houndstooth and ticking stripes. For the rug, we chose an indoor/outdoor option for easy cleaning (both for now—baby spit up anyone? and when their little boy gets older with more messes to make). And it could also work great in a playroom one day!

We kept the nautical theme in tact through artwork, textures (the rope lamp), shapes (the bentwood light mimics the lines on a boat) and colors. The key to creating a subtle themed room is using ALL facets of the design to tell the story, rather than branding everything with typical nautical decor. In other words, having an anchor on everything was not the way to go :)

The end product speaks for itself, and the client was thrilled with how we married their love for the water with their fun, yet traditional style. And we know their little boy will soon love it too! It was such a great project, and we can't wait to see some "after" pictures.

If we can help you finish off your space or do a complete room design, drop us a line or go here to learn more about our E-Design process. We’d love to give you a new space to enjoy for years to come!

July 07, 2015

New looks at CB2

July 07, 2015/ Jessica Nguyen

Typically associated with a more modern aesthetic, CB2 has expanded its product line to include items that are a bit more glam and some that are more of a natural/boho look. Here are a few of my favorites. Click the individual pics to be redirected to the item description.

The canopy bed is a show stopper and loving the art-deco inspired lighting. With my current pineapple craze, I must have the pineapple ice bucket.

I have been wanting to use leather stools in a kitchen design. These from CB2 would be perfect! The leather director's bench would be great in an entry way and the indigo curtains are so hot right now.

What are your favorites?

July 03, 2015

The Power of White Walls

July 03, 2015/ Mallory

This weekend everyone will be all about red, white and blue--and rightfully so. But today, I'm going to focus on white--crisp, white walls that is.

When most people see a white wall, they immediately think it is unfinished and that it must be painted, even if said paint will be off-white. Stark white walls are often unheard of in the U.S., but I think we could all be missing out on something.

Here are just a few great things about white walls and reasons we should all give them a second look before picking up that paintbrush.

1. They work it out. White is a great color for workspaces. With a calm, unobstructed background, your creativity can take center stage with no distractions.

2. They let the textures talk. This living room, while lacking in color, is not lacking in interest and texture. The white walls bring the furniture and accessories to the forefront, allowing your eyes to focus on them first. White walls are not a necessity for mixing textures, but they will do a great job of highlighting the various finishes in a space.

The exposed beams in this kitchen would be lost if competing with a bolder wall color. Here, they make the room.

Image via Adore Home Magazine — Image via Adore Home Magazine

3. They help achieve balance. Let the colors do the talking. Unlike the living space above, this room is full of color. But thanks to the white walls and ceiling, the room isn't overwhelming. When using bold art and furnishings, balance the space with a light backdrop. These walls almost act like those in a gallery, letting the colors be the main feature.

4. They let you play. Nurseries and playrooms are some of my favorite spaces for doing white walls. Whether you want to achieve a calming, neutral space or you want to showcase the fun, bright things in child's world, white is perfect for both.

This nursery designed by Christine Dovey is still one of my all-time favorites.

5. It works for all. Whether your style is more modern, traditional or somewhere in between, white works for all spaces. If you thought white was just for sterile, contemporary spaces, hopefully we've proved you wrong!

A traditional white living area. — A traditional white living area.

White ship lap in a bathroom designed by Lauren Liess Interiors via DecorPad.

White meets modern in this contemporary living room. — White meets modern in this contemporary living room.

This California mid-century home embraces white.  Image via A Cup of Jo. — This California mid-century home embraces white. Image via A Cup of Jo.

June 26, 2015

DIY Acrylic Frames

June 26, 2015/ Mallory

My husband and I recently hung a series of frames on a tall wall in our living room, and every time I walk by them, I smile. It made SUCH a huge impact on the room. The right artwork and frames can do just that—completely transform a space.

One type of framing that I’ve been swooning over for awhile now is acrylic frames. They are so understated (letting the artwork take center stage) while also being complete showstoppers because of their uniqueness.

Love the idea of framing a scarf.  Image via Highland Hardware — Love the idea of framing a scarf. Image via Highland Hardware

There are several tutorials for DIY versions online, including this one showcased on Home Depot's website, but you can also buy ready-made kits. Custom framing doesn’t ever come cheap but these are actually pretty reasonable considering the size you can use—Home Depot has sheets as big as 4x8 ft. Talk about a statement piece!

But if you do prefer to have the work done for you, Highland Hardware on Etsy is a great place to look. They also sell the bolts needed, if you go the DIY route, in various finishes.

Acrylic frames are great for keeping wallpaper uninterrupted.

I contemplated framing a dress that belonged to me as little girl in an acrylic frame for Auden’s nursery a couple of years ago but in the end decided to use what I had on hand. Now that baby number 2 is on the way, the idea is back in full force. I think it would make such a beautiful piece in her room, especially on those charcoal slate walls.

What do you guys think? What would you frame in your acrylic piece?

June 24, 2015

Pineapple Party

June 24, 2015/ Jessica Nguyen

This past weekend we celebrated our little Amelia's first birthday. Aside from the heat, we had so much fun. I thought I would share with you a few DIYs I did.

Because of my current obsession with pineapples, I decided to do a pineapple themed party. Since Amelia's nursery was inspired by Palm Springs I wanted to incorporate it into her party as well. The image below of The Parker was my inspiration for the overall look. Yellow striped awnings and pink flamingos, what's not to love?

With the help of my husband, I created a canopy for the food table by following these instructions. Since I can't sew a straight line to save my life, I used iron-on Stitch Witchery for the hem which worked pretty well. Instead of stapling the fabric to the frame as the instructions suggest, I used 3m Velcro so that I could take the canopy apart to store later.

Through-out Amelia's first year, I had taken a monthly picture of her which I compiled and created a garland out of. I created a pineapple print out, then glued on the pictures. To finish it off, I created a frame using trim I found in Micheals .50 bin and glued it on top of the pictures.

The bar cart was a last minute purchase from Bed, Bath & Beyond. It collapses flat for storage.

For the floral "A", I used a large floral block and bread knife to cut out the shape. A few floral pins and tooth picks were used to attach the "A's"diagonal stems and crossbar together. Then it was just a matter of hot gluing all the flowers on the the foam. The floral block and pins were purchased from Hobby Lobby. The hanging pineapples were table top decorations that I punched a hole in and hung from small ties.

During the week of Amelia’s party, my dear friend Lilian and her family came to celebrate with us. While I was getting the decorations together, Lilian had an idea for the kids at the party to play a game of “hot pineapple” (hot potato spinoff) and sack races, whereas my initial idea was for them to chase bouncy balls and bubbles around the yard. The games ended up being a hit with the kids and saved my party from being lame. I was so thankful that Lillian not only helped prepare for the party, but also preformed a beautiful hula dance.

The humidity had already gotten to us by this point but I love the interaction between Amelia and Auden that was caught in this photo.

With the chaos of getting the party ready and myself presentable after running around in the hot sun, there were a few details I wish I caught before the guest arrived but overall I was happy with how everything turned out. A list of resources for the remaining party decor follows:

Paper plates, pineapple cups, straws- Party City
Flamingo napkins- Charlotte Ruse (randomly came across them in the check out line)
Yellow table runner, honeycomb pineapples, green pom-pom trim, flamingo pinata - Hobby Lobby
Pineapple sunglasses- Oriental Trading Company
Fake pineapples were a find at an antique mall and the lanterns were an old Micheal's purchase
Amelia's pineapple headband and "one" bib are from Etsy sellers Maddie & Addi and MMsBling

Until next time, lovelies!

June 22, 2015

5 DIY Take-Aways from 5 Great Nurseries

June 22, 2015/ Dana Portillo

Are you tired of hearing about nurseries yet? Good!

But if you are, maybe a little, don't stop reading here. There may be a few ideas in here you can use for a non-nursery. In fact, I promise there are!

I really REALLY thought I would be adjusting to a new routine with a new baby by now, but a few false alarms have led me to believe this is the most indecisive child--ha! I've been using my extra time to see if there are some small things I can get done to make the shared nursery/toddler room a little more cozy since I gave up on getting it complete before baby arrived a long time ago.

I've been piddling around design sites and blogs trying to gather some easy DIY ideas, so I thought I'd share the few I found with you!

1. Custom Hangers to Display Favorite Items

I love this feminine San Francisco bunny nursery featured on Apartment Therapy. It's simple, not overdone, and so many of the ideas are inexpensive and design savvy solutions. I love the idea of displaying some of the baby's special clothing items on hangers.

This would be so easy! Simply purchase some high quality wooden hangers, pick a pattern (don't be afraid to print one) like a cloud or star or whatever fits your nursery, use an x-acto knife to mount the paper pattern cut-out on some cardboard or foam core. You could even use a fun patterned paper. So easy and cute!

2. Vintage Prints in Simple Frames

This twins' nursery in London featured on Houzz is another great simple and clean design. First of all, I love the painted shutters. Such a great solution to window coverings--especially if you need to block out light in the wee hours, but let it in during the non-sleeping ones.

But onto the easier great idea: the vintage prints are an easy project, even though something like this may be sold in home decor stores for a pretty penny. Etsy, Ebay, and even a fun antiquing search could land you some great vintage (or copies of vintage) prints that you could put in some inexpensive frames for great-looking wall decor. I've even downloaded high-res images and printed them for frames in my own home. An added plus would be that the frames match the other wood finishes in the room (like how these perfectly match the cribs). Even if you're not into matchy matchy, that's cool, too! Pick whatever finish you feel works.

3. A Fun Corner Tent for Reading

Another great nursery tour on Apartment Therapy of a cheery LA nursery features one of the best corner tents I've seen in a while. These are a growing trend in children's rooms, but some of the DIYs out there are a little cheapy looking in the end.

The key here is layering of texture and pattern (and the having more than one). The string lights and flag bunting are great touches too. So even if you follow one of the many DIYs out there, try and incorporate some of these ideas to make a really cool space for your little one.

4. Make Your Own Felt Mobile

I love the balance of cool grey and warm wood in this neutral nursery from Elsie Interior featured on Houzz. So many great things going on here. I especially love the softness of that cute little mobile over the hearty wood crib. The mobile featured is actually from Restoration Hardware, but it would be an easy DIY as well if you are crafty.

A few wooden dowels, fishing string, felt, stuffing, and colored thread could lend itself to a world of possibilities if you get creative. Like the canopy tent above, a simple Pinterest search will open up tons of easy-to-follow DIY instructions.

Another idea would be to purchase some felt Christmas ornaments on clearance like these and attaching them to your mobile.

5. Washi Tape "Frames" for Prints

There are so many great personal touches in this German Nursery. You can tell a lot of thought went into the decor and I love that. It has such a curated look!

One of the simplest and most inexpensive take-aways from this room I found was the washi tape "frames" used for the prints above the toy shelf. The colorful patterns and size variations of each piece add a lot of personality. Perhaps if you're in a rental, or just really like the gallery wall look but don't want to commit to all the nail holes, this would be a great solution!

I hope you found some great take-aways from these cute little rooms. Like I said, some of them could easily be used elsewhere in your home.

Happy crafting, friends!

Until next time (whenever that might be)!

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