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How cute is this funny little goat? Photographer Allison Trentelman has been photographing the land and animals of Maine for ten years, and she sells her charming prints on Etsy. We love how her photos convey the rustic, windswept feeling of the state. In fact, she just moved to a rocky mountaintop covered in blueberry bushes and says she feels that in Maine, life is the way it should be. See more of her affordable work here.
Swedish designer Teija Bruhn is the genius behind Tim & Tilde, a series of children's kitchen tools with funny cartoons; her goal is to bring kids into the kitchen. Our favorite is this lovely pitcher, ready to be filled with water or lemonade. Best part: It's only $12. Check out her other kitchenware here.
Email your home photos and design questions here.
Who needs a rug? Beautiful, creative, and kid-friendly (a disastrous spill or scuff can be ripped up and replaced), we LOVE this idea from New York Magazine of using vinyl tape on your floor. This design, created by Glasgow-based artist Jim Lambie, took four people four days--but surely you could try something a little less overwhelming in your kid's room. Or just give them a few rolls and let them have it! When they get tired of it, they rip it up and start fresh.
For six months, artist Geninne Zlatkis is renting a small cabin with her husband and two sons (Daniel, 10, and Israel, 11) while they build a new house. Although their stay is temporary, Geninne says her family loves the experience; surrounded by pine trees, the cabin "feels like a treehouse." Here, she gives us a peek inside--and tells us why she'll never want a big house again.
Tell us how you came to live in the cabin. We live in a mountainous region half an hour from Mexico City. My husband is an architect and furniture designer, so we build houses, decorate them, live in them and then sell them. We've sold three houses in the past five years. Now we're renting this tiny cabin while we build a new house. This fourth house will be the keeper for us.
You say the cabin is "tiny." How tiny? It has two floors but is only 700 square feet.
What's it like for a family of four to live in such a small space? Surprisingly wonderful. Our previous house was huge--about 4000 square feet. But the mountains in Mexico are really cold, and having a big house was hard to keep warm. Now that we're in a small place, we appreciate the coziness. Cooking is really easy, since everything is within arm's reach, and it's easy to keep the place clean. It's also nice for our family to live so close together.
It's funny since most people think 'the bigger, the better.' Will your new house be as big as your old house? No, living in the cabin has really affected our sensibilities. We're thinking of building a small house--about 1500 square feet.
Where do you all hang out? If we watch TV, we sit in the dining and living rooms, and we spend lots of time outside. My kids run around and play in the woods. Chairs and bowls from Ikea; tripod lamp from CB2; bird pillows are her own design.
The light is so pretty in your home. When we moved in, the cabin just had bulbs hanging from the ceiling. We didn't want to spend much money on lamps, so I bought paper lanterns from a Chinese shop.
How did you design your studio? Last year, I won third place in Apartment Therapy's Colors Contest. The prize was $1000 worth of merchandise from CB2, so I bought this chair and other gorgeous pieces. It was so much fun. The shelves are from Ikea.
What's the funny bird hiding under the desk? It's a sewing machine cover. I made it from cotton canvas; then I appliqued felt and embroidered the bird. He keeps me company.
Did you also make the mobile? Yes, I wanted a mobile, but couldn't find one I really liked. So I painted watercolors on paper, cut them into leaf shapes and put them on wire. It was surprisingly complicated: You have to really think about the size of the leaves and the way the mobile will balance.
Are those orange strips a bulletin board? They're actually magnetic strips from the Container Store. I hang family photos and recent work.
What a lovely inspiration wall. What inspires you? Nature and other artists. I love natural colors and materials: cotton, wood, wool. I change the inspiration wall to reflect the seasons. The wooden shelves are her design.
Where is the art from? It's mostly by the kids or me. I paint and illustrate, and we often make art together. I home-school my kids, so they spend a lot of time with me--24/7 actually!
Have you always been into arts and crafts? As a girl, I went to school in Chile, where there's a big focus on teaching little girls how to craft. So at a young age, I learned to embroider and knit. Now I spend a lot of time designing--I like to sew, embroider, and make totes and gifts for friends.
How do you think your culture has affected your design sense? I moved around a lot when I was young. Having to adapt to new situations opens up your perspective. When you travel and get exposed to many things, your curiosity is sparked. I've also lived in very colorful places--especially Brazil and Mexico--which has been inspiring.
The cabin seems tucked away in the woods. Is it lonely, or do you have friends nearby? Yes; we all share the same sensibility. The people who live here are--how do you say it in English--like Heidi's grandfather. We're hermits. [Laughs.] There are no stores nearby, we're in the middle of nowhere; everyone here appreciates nature and the woods.
What beautiful artwork in your bedroom! I once kept a journal when I visited my sister in Spain. After a few years, the pages turned a beautiful yellow, so cut them up for this collage. The branches have my writing on them. The leaves are made from my discarded watercolor paintings. It was really fun to make. Small dresser from Ikea. Bird pillow is her design.
Your designs, such as this pillow, seem to have a bird theme. We all love birds. We're surrounded by thousands of birds, squirrels and little creatures. Daniel collects artwork of hens and chickens.
Do you have any real hens or chickens? No, but we have two hamsters!
What are the pulleys above your sons' beds? They're Ikea hanging rings, like in gymnastics. My sons hang and do flips on them all the time. I've had them in all four of our houses. They're good for balance, exercise and your arms. It's cool to watch them swing. I tell them the rings are like the wheels for hamsters. [Laughs.]
It often takes years to make a house feel truly comfortable. But although you've only been in this cabin for a short while, it has so many personal touches and already seems to feel like home. It was all the moving when I was little--I've lived in more than 50 houses in my life! My parents were like gypsies. I never want to be in a house that looks like we're just passing through, so I've learned to make any place feel cozy and homey, even if it's just temporary. This cabin has been a gift for us; it will be a good six months.
For more, visit Geninne's etsy shop, blog and flickr pages.
We're big fans of the blog Design Mom by mother of five (!) Gabrielle Blair. We were especially taken by her recent post about Pocket Pillows, collapsible bins that can hide away toys, books and blankets. Unlike other gaudy storage containers, these bins are made with lovely understated fabrics. Our design eyes go toward "lemon twist," but we're sure our babes would vote for "elephant" and "squirrel." Cute!
In your April issue there is a picture of a shag rug in "To the Manor Born." I have tried to find the product details on your website, but to no avail. Can you please tell me where I can purchase a rug like that? --Sarah Wormwell 
I adore the stool pictured on the last page of "Pitch Perfect." Can you tell me where I can find it? - Jessica Walsh, San Francisco, CA.
Sure thing! This gorgeous Fritz Hansen leather stool is available at SUITE New York. PK 91 Stool, $2,959, Fritz Hansen, suiteny.com. Check out the original story.
We've found that when we can't fall asleep, counting sheep really does help. Thankfully our babes nod off more easily than we do, but here are three sheep-inspired treats to help them feel extra cozy. First, this hardcarved sheep stool is a soft perch, as well as a barnyard friend...
These softer-than-soft Danish baby throws are made with 20 percent Alpaca wool and 80 percent fine sheep's wool. (Interestingly, studies show that babies sleep better on sheepskin and wool; in neo-natal intensive care units, babies are often "nested" in sheepskin, since it mimics the womb and soothes them.)
And the genius Sleep Sheep attaches to a crib and lulls little ones to sleep with four calming sounds: mother's heartbeat, spring rain, ocean surf and whale songs.
Before the lazy days of summer are over, we want to celebrate the great outdoors. Little dudes will love these handmade French bird calls that attract robins, ducks and other feathered friends.
And these lovely oak birds have been handmade for fifty years in a tiny Danish village. Kids can move each bird's head to create expressions from happy to curious to sad to surprised. Cute!
Dutch bag designer Esther Veereschild is undeniably charming. Her emails are peppered with exclamation points, and she signs off with "a big kiss!" Not surprisingly, her six-year-old son Kiet's bedroom reflects this happy energy. Here, we talk to Esther about her son's gorgeous mountain retreat--we've never seen anything like it.
First things first: Where did you find that amazing wallpaper? At kitschkitchen. It's one of my favorite parts of the room.
Have you ever traveled to those mountains in the wallpaper? I've never been, but my husband went climbing there when he was younger.
Orange plays such a great part in the room. How did you decide on the color scheme? I thought orange was the perfect color for a boy's room. It's uplifting, funny and very retro.
Agreed. Where did you find the various pieces? The dresser was thrift; the pulls are new from Abai. The chair is from Ikea; upside-down it's a boat. The lamp is Verner Panton, though it might be fake. I found it during "Koninginnedag," or Queensday, a Dutch holiday when everybody puts their thrift in the streets.
Queensday sounds amazing. Yes, I love thrift shops so much that for my birthday and Mother's Day, I ask to go thrifting. On vacations in France, I'm always waiting for Sundays so I can go to the brocante [roving French flea markets]. Sometimes I even dream about them--in my dream, there's the perfect stable with everything I love for nothing!
Did you make that great toy gondola? My husband actually found it in a thrift shop. He always finds such good things for our son.
Is your husband also interested in design? My husband Freek is not so into design, but after living together for more than thirteen years, he trusts my ability. Now and then, he has perfect ideas.
What's your Dutch town like? We live in Utrecht, the fourth biggest city in Holland. It's an old city with canals. Our neighborhood is called "Garden Village." It's green and very good to live here. I love the combination of new, old and unexpected.
What do you put in these shadowboxes? Kiet wants to be a "dinobonesdigger" when he grows up, so he loves to collect stones, prehistoric teeth, and shells. We find many things at museum gift shops. And the shadowboxes are good old Ikea.
Your son must love his room. Yes, very much, especially all the space he has to create rails for his electric train. Kiet also loves to craft. He likes playing with Legos, reading about the solar system and dressing up like a cowboy or doctor.
What inspires you? I like Cath Kidstone for her whimsical designs and Orla Kiely for her 1950's style. My favorite magazines are Milk, the French children's magazine, and Kek, the Dutch children's magazine. But the best ever is Nouveau Brocante, a French magazine all about brocante shops!
For more, visit Esther's shop and flickr page.
Little Fashion Gallery not only sells some of the most elegant children's clothes we've ever seen, but they also offer high-end European furniture. We love these sleek wooden rocking horses, perfect for little sophisticates in training.
Email your home photos and design questions here.
Elisabeth Dunker not only is a talented designer, she also resides with her adorable family in a big Swedish apartment. Nice work if you can get it! From our desks in Manhattan, we take a transatlantic peek at her lovely home.
What is Gothenburg like as a place to raise a family? My daughter Tovalisa is nine, and my son Otto is six; Gothenburg is a great place for them. It is Sweden's second largest city and has a diverse cultural life. We live in a big old apartment close to the harbor.
Your daughter's room is so peaceful. Did she help decorate? When we moved in three years ago, we painted a pink wall in her room, but she didn't like it so we changed the colors. Tovalisa likes putting up stuff she made or found, such as still lifes. Her favorite part of her room is the windows, where she sits and plays.
Where did you find the various pieces? I inherited the dresser from my mother; the bedspread is vintage. The bed is from Ikea, and the orange and white wallpaper is from the Swedish company Sandberg and was designed by the talented artist Charlotta Sandberg.
Yes, that wallpaper is gorgeous! What are your design inspirations? I'm inspired by everything around me: toys, movies, textiles, books, pastries. Some of my favorite sources of inspiration, which I always return to, are Tove Jansson's picture books about Moomin, John Melin's and Olle Eksell's graphic design and Stig Lindberg's ceramics.
How did you choose your children's beautiful names? Tovalisa was named Signe until she was born; I saw the name "Tovalisa" in a magazine a couple days before her birth and fell in love. The name Otto just came to us.
What does your son Otto like best about his room? Otto is not so pleased with the colors in his room; he would like black or blue walls with Spiderman posters. He really enjoys the floor space; he loves to sit and build with Lego or blocks. He also likes his writing table.
Where did you find the pieces for his room? The rug and yellow mirror are from Indiska, the blocks are from Brio, and the colored ball string lamp is from Ahlens. The dresser, chair and chest (which I painted gold) are vintage.
You use color so beautifully. How do you approach your color choices? I choose colors by intuition and mood; our home is a big mix of colors. Right now, I'm liking brown, which is obvious--every room has brown or wood details. Dark chocolate is one of my big cravings, so maybe that's why I like brown! Red also catches my eye, and yellow, and black... Oh, I think I like all colors. But I just said to my husband that if we move again we should paint everything white.
Is your home similar to your childhood house? It's quite different but has some similar textiles and porcelain. I grew up in a small town in a working-class family with very little cultural life. I suppose that's a reason why my hunger for art and culture is so big.
Where do you usually spend time as a family? In the kitchen. I craft, bake and play with the children. I'm not so fond of cooking so I'm so happy to be blessed with a husband who is. He's an excellent chef who makes the most fantastic, tasty food. My favorite is his pasta with chanterelle cream sauce. Tovalisa and I are vegetarians, so there's a lot of vegetarian food for everybody in our family.
What do people most respond to in your home? People always react with, "Oh, what a big apartment!" And it is. Every room is like two rooms, which feels like luxury.
Is this how you always pictured your home, or are you surprised by the way things turned out? I'm often surprised by the way things turn out. Our home is in a constant state of change and so is my picture of it; I like it that way.
For more, visit Elisabeth's blog, portfolio, or flickr photos.
Remember reading Roald Dahl's books--Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Witches, Matilda? The books were witty, surprising and a little spooky--and so were Quentin Blake's illustrations inside. Today, we're loving this Matilda print by Blake. Displayed in a nursery, the print would help foster a love of reading and a quirky curiosity in little readers (and a nice wistfulness in ourselves).
Getting the new Ikea catalog is like Christmas for us Nesters. The latest one, released last week, has some great new children's products that we love, like the Kaxig pendant lamp and the Leksvik toy box. Our favorite, if purely for its coolness factor, is the Ikea PS Lomsk swivel armchair. The hood makes for a cozy hiding place, and the swiveling will entertain kids for hours.
"I absolutely love the little bed in the article 'A Princess Room in Park Slope, Brooklyn' Do you know where I could find something similar?" - Emily Brown, Seattle
This little bed belongs to Clara, daughter of our travel editor, Yolanda Edwards. She found it in an antique shop.
Here are a few similar options. First, Pottery Barn Kids makes this adorable bed with sloping sides. It also comes in a trundle version.
Bratt Decor makes a similar bed. It comes in three colors and has great underneath storage. A trundle version is also available.
Cookie's home market editor, Meryl Levin, suggests finding a carpenter who will make a custom bed for you. This way, you can get a bed that precisely fits your space and your style.
When Jeanice Skvaril's son started outgrowing his nursery, she dreaded the fabric choices she had for his big-boy bed. "I had seen the enemy: licensed characters commandeering children's bedrooms, crawling onto their beds, stifling their imaginations," says Skvaril. "I refused to give in."
Skvaril decided to take design into her own hands and has now made some of the loveliest bedding we've seen. Her California-based company--named Boodalee after her son's nickname--offers bedding that is colorful yet simple enough to allow a child's mind to wander. We spoke to Skvaril about her designs, inspirations and why she's now loving pink.
Which bedding does your son have in his room? "We rotate all three designs...lucky kid. 'Boodalee' gets really confused when he sees the designs on a friend's bed or in a store window. No, that's my bed!"
What surprised you about the design process? "That the design possibilities are just endless, yet we see the same stuff all the time. I love the idea of bringing something different into people's homes."
Did you have any outlandish patterns that ended up on the cutting-room floor? "If you can believe it, I pulled back on certain color selections in an effort to 'tone it down.' For someone who wears black all the time, I'm relentless about pushing color onto those around me. My husband has a drawer full of orange socks to prove it."
Will you be launching more designs this year? "We'll be launching more this fall. They're fabulous. 'Boodalee' now has a little sister, 'Beanie-Love.' She inspires the color pink in me."
Not only do we love Sandra Isaksson's line of patterned home accessories, we also secretly want to be friends with her. The Swedish-raised designer, who currently resides in England, says she's "all about beautiful happy things." So are we!
Especially striking is her set of animal cups. "My giraffe flies an aeroplane," her son says, perhaps to explain the pattern. "I have a whale who loves to come in the bath with me. Magwich, my crocodile, is not allowed in the bath." But although his crocodile can't join him in the tub, her son gets to drink his afternoon juice in Scandinavian style. A pretty good trade if you ask us.
Beam Box with Drawers, $750, Palo Samko, palosamko.com for more info.
Need a place to store all your secrets? Lovingly hand-crafted from a pine wood structural beam, this unique box is a great addition to the child-friendly and design-conscious home. It's perfect for storing treasures for kids and adults alike -- both mom's pearls and a child's whimsical bottle cap collection would be welcome inhabitants of the tiny, intriguing drawers. What possessed the Brooklyn-based designer, Palo Samko, to make such an item? "I've always been attracted to fine, small details," he says. "And I was looking for a way to use those details in a way that shows off the beauty of the wood." Check out the rest of his inspired collection at palosamko.com.
For babies who come out of the womb with a penchant for modern style, Litto Kids is a must-know new brand. With furniture and bedding that's swank enough for mom but kiddie enough for the younguns , this Southern California company balances a stylish sensibility with high practicality. The Litto Lunar Crib is all wood and is available in a dark walnut or lighter natural walnut stain. A conversion kit transforms the crib into a toddler bed.
The Manhattan Library shelving unit is a mod addition to a nursery or kid's room.
And don't forget bedding. The Magic Garden Crib Set is a brightly-colored print that's just retro enough.
Come summertime, few things are nicer than sitting outside in a garden with an upside-down doll. Luckily, we discovered an Indiana-based craftsman, who, after building bird houses for over thirty-six years, has now turned to chairs. These pretty child's garden chairs also come in rocking versions and can be painted any color you'd like.
