Designer Fanja Ralison was born in France to Madagascan parents, but now lives with her husband and son in an English cottage with a distinctly Scandinavian feel. How the world comes together! Here, she tells us about decorating her house around the fabrics and wallpapers she loves.

What did you envision for your home? "We live in a little cottage dating back to the 1900s. We wanted to keep the old feel (restoring the original wooden floors previously hidden by carpets, using the old chimneys as features) while bringing in modern elements. We wanted it to feel like a family home with an emphasis on history, nostalgia and good design."

What inspires you? "I find inspiration in a little element, then work around it. In my house, I started with curtains and wallpaper and designed the rest accordingly. I also look to Lucienne and Robin Day, vintage magazines (Graphis, 100 idees) and Eames."

Your son's bedroom is so cute. "When we moved from our London flat to our new house in the countryside, Leon was not very happy about the change. The house needed lots of work, and I wanted his room to be finished first so he could have his own little nest and feel at home again. After repainting the horrid orange walls and getting rid of the dirty carpet, this is what his room looks like now."

What look were you going for? "I was inspired by the book Children's Rooms: Stockholm published by the Japanese company Jeu de Paume. I loved the way the book combined new and vintage pieces, used bold patterned fabrics, and displayed handmade items. This was my world and what I wanted my son's room to look like."

Where did you find all the lovely pieces? "The dresser and table are from Ikea. The chair is vintage Ercol--I found it for only a couple of pounds at a charity shop!

What amazing wallpaper! "Yes, this vintage wallpaper is from the Germany company Hausen. Leon smiled when he first saw it so I think he loves it as much as we do!"

How did you choose the colors? The colors of the room were determined by the wallpaper. We wanted to avoid the pink-for-a-girl, blue-for-a-boy cliche. I wanted Leon's room to be lively, fun, inspiring while keeping in line with the rest of the house.

Where did you get the curtains for the living room? "I made them from Pernilla fabric by Linda Svensson for Ikea. They divide opinions: Our friends either love or hate them. (People won't say they don't like them, you just know!)"

And the furniture? "The sofa is a reproduction of a Robin Day design from Habitat. I found the coffeetable at a vintage furniture stall in Camden Market, London."

This is such a colorful dining room. What mood were you trying to create? We wanted the room to have a Scandinavian and modern touch, to feel convivial and cozy.

Where did you find the sideboard and little pieces? "The sideboard is from a furniture stall in East London. The red vase and two vessels are from Habitat. I bought the wooden owl from a craftsman while on holiday in St. Ives, Cornwall."

With such a stylish mom, Leon is a lucky little bunny! See more of Fanja's home and designs on her flickr site or her blog.

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In your very first issue, you featured an artist who does family-portrait sets of nesting dolls? Can I still find them? - Anna Eastman, Houston, TX

Why, yes you can! Trisha Krauss will make a set of hand-painted Russian Matrioska nesting dolls in the likeness of each of your family members. To order, visit Auto and send a full-length picture of each person. The price starts at $800 for three, and Trisha will send sketches for your approval before going to town. (And while you're on Auto's site, click around. They sell tons of unique and beautiful gifts.)

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What is it about Scandinavia? The people are awesome. The landscapes are breathtaking. And the designs are modern, simple and clever. Junior design enthusiasts will enjoy these toy cars and planes (designed in Sweden), which look equally great racing down a hallway or displayed on a shelf.(Top photo by Corey Arnold)

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Considering how much time you spend hanging out in your kids' bedrooms, it makes sense that you, too, should like the art on the walls. Enter these whimsical concert posters that will bring back memories of late-night rock shows for you, while engaging your mini music-lovers with bright colors, bikes and sharks! Unlike bedtime and the importance of vegetables, these editioned silkscreened posters are something you can both agree on.
From Small Stakes:

From Patent Pending Industries:

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Apartment Therapy just held its third annual Smallest, Coolest Apartment contest. Inspired by the loveliness of those tiny places, we present one of our favorite small spaces: the Brooklyn loft of photographer Yoko Inoue. Although she shares just one room with her husband and son, they've made it so playful and welcoming that we secretly want to move in, too.

"Our building used to be a chocolate factory," says Yoko, who describes her 1000-square-foot loft as "contemporary, with a mix of vintage, antique and handmade items." Here, she and her husband Daniel Dror, director of Chelsea's Kent Gallery, enjoy the afternoon with their son Motoki. The sleeper sofa is by Dellarobbia, and the lucky couple nabbed the school chair on the streets of Brooklyn a few years ago. "It was being thrown away," Yoko explains. And don't assume all the toys belong to baby: On the shelf, Daniel displays his collection of push puppets. What about the stuffed monkey? "Wookie is my husband's oldest and dearest toy," Yoko says.

"Motoki sleeps in a crib next to our bed," Yoko says. The Kenner Bird Mobile is from the 1950's, the blue stuffed animal was a gift, and Motoki's crib was handmade by his paternal grandfather.

The color palette is more dramatic in this corner of the apartment, where Yoko uses a vintage gym locker to store clothes. (Such a fun alternative to a dresser!) The woodblock prints were a gift from a friend in the Netherlands.

As cool as his family's apartment is, two-month-old Motoki also finds inspiration outdoors!

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It's that time of year again--design shows are abundant, and that means more great products are coming your way. Our editors spent hours sifting through all the new products that debuted last week at BKLYN Designs, and here are our top picks: This quirky flatware is made from solid sterling silver, and comes as a set (fork, knife, and spoon). Screwdriver Silverware, $1,500 for a set of 3, Hi Five, kielmead.com. Not only are these chairs funky and fabulous, but they're made from ECO-friendly materials, such as compressed paper. APT Chair, $500 (made to order), Hi Five, kielmead.com. This gorgeous cabinet is made from reclaimed fir, and the cracks have been filled in with resin. China Cabinet, $7,800, Zach Hadlock, platformfaf.com. This cool coat rack does double duty: when not in use, the pieces fold in so there's no danger of head-bumping. Symbol Coat Rack, $395 for colors or $445 for monochrome, desudesign.com. Most convertible bunk beds lose their style in the name of functionality, but because this one doesn't convert from one bed to two, it maintains its elegant, sleek lines. Uffizi Bunk Bed, $1850, pre-order at moderntots.com.

We've been on a nature kick ever since posting about Stephanie Congdon Barnes and her adorable fabric sculptures. This week's fix: mushroom shelves, carved from basswood and perfect for a little outdoor enthusiast.

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Would you pay more for IKEA furniture if it was better made with finer materials and simpler assembly? Well, we'd pay more just for it to be easier to put together but bring it on. Introducing IKEA STOCKHOLM, IKEA's new 82-piece 'high-end' collection.

The pieces have the same modern look and simple lines as IKEA but luxurious materials like soft mohair, plush velvets and double-layer linens; along with attentive details like extra wide seating on sofas, self-closing hinges and touch dimmer lamps, add new sophistication to their wares. STOCKHOLM prices are only marginally higher than IKEA's prices usually are and the line is available in all 29 stores across the country.

IKEA STOCKHOLM TV bench

IKEA STOCKHOLM textiles

IKEA STOCKHOLM mouth blown glass vases

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Everything looks cuter when it's small. Puppies. Mini Coopers. Bite-size Snickers. And furniture is no exception. Here are three iconic chairs that have been scaled down to (absolutely adorable) kids' sizes.
Child's Navy Chair: The US Navy started using this durable, lightweight chair on its boats and submarines in 1944; and the chair has since become a design favorite worldwide. Now Emeco has produced a mini Navy chair, so kids can enjoy a piece of design history--without their legs dangling. (Child size here, adult size here.)
Vintage Bertoia Toddler Chair: In 1950, Harry Bertoia experimented with shaping wire rods into art. Luckily for us, his experiment resulted in five dramatic chairs. "They are made of air, like sculpture," he once said. "Space passes right through them." He later recreated his side chair in a pint-size version, which, you'll be happy to know, is not only timeless, but also easy to clean. (Child size here, adult size here.)
Panton Junior: When Verner Panton designed his eponymous chair in 1960, he was struck by how children loved both to sit on it and play with it. He wanted to make a child's version, but it wasn't financially feasible--until now. Vitra recently created this smaller size based on Verner Panton's old sketches. Available in seven bright colors, the Panton Junior is an exact replica of the original model--just 25 percent smaller. (Child size here, adult size here.)

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Artist Stephanie Congdon Barnes has spent the last eight years in Portland, Oregon, with her husband and their two children. Here, we take a peek inside their lovely home, which brings together thrift-store finds, vintage pieces and Stephanie's own creations.

Since her kids don't watch TV, Stephanie created a television cozy from wool felt. Add an Eames rocker, tree brances and pillowcases handmade from Vera Neumann tablecloths, and--ta da!--you get this warm family space.

In her kitchen, Stephanie brings together colorful Scandinavian and modern mid-century pieces to "brighten up the everyday." The yellow chair is vintage Casalino.

Seven-year-old Mia loves girly stuff, "but I'm not a glitter-and-sparkle person," says Stephanie. "We reached a happy medium for her bedroom: lots of pink flowers, but using vintage fabrics."

Miles, 5, is the lucky inhabitant of this cheery room, featuring a thrift-store lamp, a shadowbox made by Stephanie's sister and curtains in place of a door. The family recently tore off one hundred years of wallpaper and are preparing to repaint--although we secretly love the rustic look of the old walls.

This craft studio is a haven for both Stephanie and her kids. ("They love to make stuff, too," she says.) Two inspiration boards display art by friends and family; and her dad built the extra-high table base because Stephanie likes to stand while working.

More thoughts from Stephanie after the jump...

What little babe doesn't love watching the rain (or the bathtub faucet, for that matter)? Dutch designer Arnout Visser has tapped into that enthrallment with his set of eight window drops. Simply stick them to the bedroom window to give baby something to gaze at during naptime or to inspire your toddler to dance in the rain. And, who knows, you just may like looking at them, too.

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I live in a tiny New York apartment with my husband and our baby. Until we became parents, we never felt the need for a dishwasher. But now, with all the bottles that need cleaning, I feel like a slave to my sink. We've been talking about getting a dishwasher lately, but our kitchen is just too small for most conventional models. Can you recommend a dishwasher that will fit in our tiny space?

Thanks,
Wendy

Dear Wendy,

We hear you. No one really likes the dirty task, but once you've become a parent, it seems criminal to waste time scrubbing dishes when you could be spending time with your kid instead. Like you said, baby bottles are just one of the many hurdles - a newborn baby can go through 8 bottles a day! Dishwashers can be of enormous help, because in addition to cutting down on the amount of time you spend at the sink, the hot water sterilizes the bottles, so you don't have to go through the trouble of boiling them. We did some research, and here are 3 suitable options for apartment dwellers:

Stainless Steel 18 in. Built-In Dishwasher, $549.99, GE Appliances, sears.com.

A narrower version of your standard dishwasher, this GE model is an ENERGY STAR qualified appliance (which means you're saving both energy and money). It's roomy enough to wash a family-sized load, but takes up a little less space in the kitchen. Perks: it has reduced noise with a Quiet 1800 sound insulation, and has a China/Crystal cycle for delicate items.

Stainless Steel Elite 24 in. Single Drawer Dishwasher, $899.99, Kenmore, sears.com.

This is a rare design for dishwashers - its lower, wider build (it's the same width as a standard model, only much more squat) makes it a great solution if you have width to spare in the kitchen, but not height. It could fit nicely under a sink, for example. This appliance is also ENERGY STAR qualified, and offers a great deal of versatility. Perks: the Smart Sense cycle adjusts washing time and temperature to the amount of food stuck to the dishes, and has sliding racks that accommodate a range of dish sizes.

Countertop Dishwasher, $179.99, Danby, target.com.

This ultra-compact version is a good compromise for when you really have no room to spare. At about the size of a microwave, it can easily fit on a countertop, and surprisingly, it can hold about 4 place settings (although we suspect it might be less than that). And, hey, if you need to run it twice to get all the dishes clean, it's better than standing in front of the sink all night. Perk: if you don't even have counter space to spare, you can store it while it's not in use, since it hooks up directly to the kitchen faucet.

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Needless to say, we love magazines. So we instantly fell for these colorful mobiles by Frazier and Wing. Not only do they cheer up a room, they're also handmade from magazine cutouts. (No wonder they take up to eight hours to construct.) Heather Frazier is the design genius behind them; she lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband and daughter.

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