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Dinner with kids can feel like a feeding at the zoo--food goes flying, whimpers are sounded and each creature demands his own type of grub. Celebrate the chaos with these adorable (and easy-to-clean) placemats from France. We're sure the tiger, buffalo and ostrich will be welcomed into the fold.
At Blair Stocker's house in Seattle, quiet moments seem pretty rare. She and her husband both work at home. Her daughter Emma is eight, and her son Ian is six. And the family just rescued a cat ("Gracie") from the animal shelter. "Every inch of our house is used," she tells us. "It's quite a creative lab." But Blair uses her design eye to make the space feel calm and beautiful. Here, we talk to her about crafting, the magic of red and her inexplicable love of cuckoo clocks.
What's it like to raise a family in Seattle? Does it rain as much as they say? The summers can be beautiful and dry. You don't need an air-conditioner; you can get by with open windows. For the rest of the year, it's pretty rainy. There's a reason why there are a lot of coffee shops here. You want to cozy up with a cup!
Your home feels so breezy and relaxed. No walls divide the rooms on the main floor, so we're always together. When I'm making dinner in the kitchen, I can see everyone. It's really nice--although maybe it will be bad when the kids are teenagers.
Where does your family hang out? Peter's office is in the basement. I'm usually on the couch, and Emma reads on the Ikea chaise lounge. Ian is at the age where he "orbits" from room to room. The pillow was homemade from second-hand, thrifted wool.
You have lots of old European and woodland collectibles, like Russian nesting dolls, spotted mushrooms and cuckoo clocks. What inspired these collections? When we moved in five years ago, it was August and the Mountain Ash tree outside had red berries all over it. Even though we didn't have anything red before that, we started putting little bits of red all over the house. I've also always loved German cuckoo clocks, and they have bits of red in them. I was like, "Peter, the stars are aligning! This is the way it was meant to be!"
Why do you love cuckoo clocks so much? Is your family from Germany? I'm Native American, but Peter's family has Swiss lineage. When I bought my first one on Ebay, he teased me--"Why do you want a cuckoo clock?" But when he came home that day, he heard the first cuckoo and said, "Wow, it reminds me of my grandmother's house."
What do you use this cute corner for? This is the kids' computer area. My husband found the desk at Virco Manufacturing Corporation; he liked it because it looked old-school. The little art table was surprisingly reasonably priced from Sur la Table. The lamp and chair are from Ikea.
How did you decide on light blue for the walls? Peter chose the blue from Eddie Bauer Home. Since he works in advertising, he's really good at spotting the right color; the man deals with pantone colors all day. But I waffle on colors, I can't commit!
Do your children make decorating decisions? They chose the paint colors for their bedrooms. Emma chose a garish lavender that I didn't like at first, but when we got it on the wall, it looked pretty! My son chose bright orange. My in-laws joke that he's going to have a nervous twitch from living with that color, but he loves it.
Has your design taste changed since having kids? They've made me appreciate things like orange paint. I've also learned that toys don't have to look messy. There are places to keep things, and they can look great. I think it can be really stimulating for a child to walk into a room and see a table with a bunch of half-built Legos.
I see your bedroom is more understated. Yes, we went for more neutral colors. I made the blue, white and brown quilt for our bed, as well as the quilts on Emma's and Ian's beds. I'm thinking of making another one for winter--really, any excuse to make a quilt! I also made the pillow for Peter; it's an embroidered psalm. The curtains are unlined Urban Outfitters bedspreads. I hemmed them and made a pocket at the top; then Peter hung them up on a wooden curtain rod. The lamps are from Restoration Hardware. The mirror is from Pottery Barn.
What amazing butterflies! The three plaques are from Anthropologie. The tray was given to my mother when she was a little girl, from a family friend who took a trip to Mexico.
When people come over, what do they notice most? They like my cuckoo clocks. They linger over the kids' framed artwork. Before we had children, our decor felt more staged. Now I'm more thoughtful about decorating with things that have meaning. It gives the house soul.
To read more about Blair, visit her flickr page or her blog Wise Craft. (Top photo: Vases from Jonathan Adler; Bottom photo: Gnome doormat from Target.)
Email your home photos and design questions here.
Martin Graf is the force behind Edition8x8, a fantastic 'paper mechanics lab' based in Germany. We are enthralled with Edition8x8's DIY paper mobiles: The paper models come with all the necessary accessories, all you have to do is cut, glue and hang. We can only imagine how many rainy sunday afternoons have been saved with these gravity fighting paper inventions.
Choose "Happy Orbit" and travel with Captain Bratcovicz through space or, if you are into the deep-sea, go with Mister Pilipenko and his green submarine.
The paper mobile models are 5 Euro each and can be ordered via email at Edition8x8's site.
When you're a little dude, the worst part of bathing is getting out of the tub. It's freezing!
Coming to the rescue are Dwellbaby hooded towels. The towels are made of thick absorbent terry cloth, and the hoods keep babes from from losing heat quickly through their heads.
(Also, check out the adorable stuffed animals and stroller blankets. We can't get enough of Dwellbaby's graphic prints.)
Our home editor, Kiera Coffee, just emailed us her picks from 100% Design, London's premiere home decor event. These items are not for sale yet, but we'll keep you posted as soon as they become available.
These Bethan Laura Wood teacups have a barely visible, white-on-white pattern. As you sip your coffee, it soaks into the cup, and a design blossoms before your eyes.
Firewood has rarely been displayed in a more elegant way. Log holder from Baest.
Greet each day with all the colors of the spectrum in this retro-style Rainbow Calendar made of Corian by Nils Kjeldson.
This pudgy little wicker footstool by 100% Inc. is just a prototype, but we hope to be resting our feet on it someday soon.
The New York Times recently reported an interesting trend: More and more, children have been forgoing video games and choosing to play instead with old-fashioned toys, such as pogo sticks, marbles and building blocks. Baileys Home and Garden offers just these sorts of pursuits. They're beautiful and affordable, but perhaps the best part is that the games--including skipping ropes and spinning tops--remind us to slow down and enjoy life's simple pleasures.
We know that you moms-to-be have a lot on your plate: Fretting over what you read in What to Expect, trekking to the bathroom to pee every 43 minutes and trying to set up the nursery for the little bun. For some help on that front, Baby Spaces has devised a clever kit that comes with thick craft paper that you can cut to the size of the furniture you are considering and easily move around. This allows you to figure out the appropriate furniture to buy and how to best lay it out.
Indulge your nesting instinct; your new little one will thank you!
Hase Weiss, a Berlin-based kids toy and furniture company, features a completely modular and contemporary dollhouse.
You can choose from three different room sizes, 4 wall colors and a set of stairs. Too much choice? Then go for the the "Suitcase Kit" that comes in a wooden box which holds 2 small rooms, a medium size room, a salon and stairs. But don't you worry, the kids won't have to play with an empty dollhouse, Hase Weiss also offers modern dollhouse furniture and, of course, dolls.
Anna Pfeiffer, an architect, and Ulrike Rumpenhorst, an artist, are the forces behind Hase Weiss (German for White Bunny). Both mothers, they decided to build the toys their kids always dreamed of. These houses are the toys we dream of for our children.
We were thrilled to get an email from Brooklyn designer Jon Setzen, who is expecting his first child on November 1st. (He and his wife became fans of Cookie while waiting at the ObGyn.) Faced with a bare nursery, he designed an alphabet print. He has drawn one image for each letter of the alphabet: A is for astronaut, N is for noodles, P is for pirate, and so on. We think it's modern and lovely--and are sure their son will agree!
Email your photos and home-design questions here.
We love the Emperor's New Lamp--a steel frame that outlines the normal shape of a lamp. Stockholm-based studio Design Dessert says that their lamp questions what's visible and what's not. Hmm, conceptual and thought-provoking....and also just really pretty. Available in green, yellow, pink and black at The Collection.
Email your home photos and design questions here.
In August, we interviewed Jeanice Skvaril of Boodalee bedding. She explained that her son "Boodalee" had inspired her Circus, City and Trees designs, which foster imagination without being overpowering.
Well, now Skvaril's young daughter "Beanie-Love" is ready for her big-girl bed. Skvaril has created four new bedding collections: Castle, Space and two versions of World. As always, her designs are fresh and original--but this time, there's a bit more pink!
Balouga, a contemporary kids furniture store based in Paris, just recently launched its first collection of kids desks.
Kazam 01, designed by Mahmoud Akram, is an evolutionary desk for life. You buy one desk and get three sizes for infant, toddlers and teenagers. This beauty of an adaptle desk is made of laminate and stainless steel.
Balouga's collecton also features "La Foret des Boites" (The Forest of Boxes) by Matali Crasset. A refreshing and poetic desk which features a secret box and three that are removable. Who knew kids desks could be so much fun?
Balouga | contemporary french furniture for kids
Inspired by the movie Ratatouille with its adorable cooking rat (Have you seen it? It's hilarious with surprisingly pretty cartoon scenes of Paris), we present some fun plates for fledgling foodies.
Folk tray featuring friendly Russian nesting dolls.
Bo Boo tray with cars and trucks -- do remember this pattern as bedding, which used to be so popular?
Polka dot plate to brighten up up sleepy mornings.
Babies spend at least two-thirds of their first year on their mattresses (cute), so we're always on the look-out for quality bedding. We were thrilled to hear about these organic mattresses from Natural Mat. Handmade in England, the mattresses ain't cheap--but they are made from 100% natural and organic raw materials and are free of chemicals, plastics and PVC. Three different mattresses--the breathable Coco Mat, hypo-allergenic Latex Mat and luxurious Mohair Mat--are available here.
When you hear that blogger Stephanie Nielson is the mother of four young children--Claire, 5, Jane, 4, Oliver, 2, Nicholas, 10 months--it seems hard to believe that she has the time or energy to create a gorgeous home. But create, she does. Each room draws you in with an airy ambiance and colorful artwork; and children seem to be giggling around every corner. We talk to her on the phone (while little Oliver chatters in her other ear) about how she does it.
What a gorgeous kitchen (and little redhead)! Tell us about the photo wall. They're all photos of our children taken by my husband and me. Our goal is to fill the whole wall.
Is the chandalier an antique? No, funnily enough, we found it on greatchandeliers.com. They have cheap reproduction jewels. (Ours was about $100.) The table was a wedding gift from my husband.
Where does your family tend to congregate? We're always in the living room. Jumping on the couch is a theme of our life.
Why did you put the couch in the middle of the room? The couch helps separate the room into two spaces. In front of the couch, there's a coffee table and TV; it's more fun. Behind the couch is a cozy, conversation area with a fireplace. When friends come over, we sit there.
What do people notice most when they visit? People love how our home is so open. We don't put blinds on our windows. The living room has huge sliding doors that look onto orange trees, and I couldn't bear to cover them. I want the sun to stream in; it's healthy and makes the house feel glowing, warm and happy.
These silhouette prints are gorgeous. Are they of your family? Yes, I do them every year. It's really fun and easy. I hang the old ones in the guest room; my kids love to see how they've grown, how their hair is longer, etc.
How do you make them? I take a photo of each person and carefully cut it out. Then I paint it black and put it on white paper. My grandmother had silhouette prints; and I love how they're reminiscent of antiques and the flea market scene.
How did you decide on light blue for the walls? I was going for a beach house look, so the light blue worked.
What a cute little model. Did you reupholster this chair? Yes, I found the Ethan Allen chair in beautiful condition at Goodwill. Then I found the fabric at Sass, a hodge-podge craft spot in Phoenix.
Have you always lived in Arizona? My husband is from here, but I'm from Utah. I miss the seasons and snow, but otherwise our town in Arizona is a lovely spot and very family-oriented.
Who's room is this? It's our guest room. The bedspread is from Target, but the art is from my mom, grandmother and great-grandmother. I put their cross-stich art into random frames that don't match and aren't straight, but they do the job.
The boys' bedroom is great. What do they like playing with? The silver race car is awesome. I love those kinds of timeless toys; they're made well with no batteries--and no music!
Where did you get the other furniture? When we moved in, the previous owner had left the cupboard behind. It was brown and gross, so I painted and shined it up. I bought the three blue chairs from the Utah elementary school that my dad went to; these are the original chairs from when he was there! I painted a pattern by making squares with tape and painting over in different shades of blue.
You seem to have found or inherited many of your gorgeous pieces. People always say that they want to buy new furniture, but I've never felt that way. I love when things have stories behind them.
Are those baby sweaters that are decorating the crib? Yes, my grandmother made them for my mother, who wore them growing up in the 1950s. Then my mom washed them when she was in college and they shrunk--it was sad but I'm glad! She gave them to us girls, and we dressed our dolls in them. I'm her only sentimental daughter, so later she gave them to me to use as decoration.
That's a great story. What about the fish mobile? They're ornaments from Anthropologie. I hung them from the ceiling for Nicholas. Sometimes when he wakes up, he won't cry; I'll go in there and he'll be staring at the fish.
What gorgeous shelves! Yes, I found that nice thick wrapping paper at Old Navy and just glued it in.
These dogs must have a story behind them. My sister had a sweet old dog who died. I painted a black-and-white photo of him onto canvas and sent it to my sister saying, "Thinking of you." I thought it looked cool, so I painted three and put them in our bathroom.
Does your family enjoy crafting, too? My favorite thing to do is to tell the kids, "We're going to make a craft today. Let's look through magazines and pick one." My husband is really supportive. I tell him what I'd like to do, and he'll say, "Oh, boy." But when he comes home from work, it will be done!
I like your confidence! Have you always been into arts and crafts? I always loved reading my mom's magazines, but I was never that crafty. When I had my own house and children, however, I felt more creative. My kids' personalities inspire me; I try to decorate to what type of children they are. They opened me up to this decorating world.
The French phrase Ca colle means it sticks. And that is exactly the principle of Sakol, the revolutionary creating and contruction toy made by the Swiss company ACTIVE PEOPLE, specializing in cutting-edge motion and skill toys.
Sakol consists of only five geometric basic forms but its potential is far greater than that, of a building toy or construction set. All pieces are made of wood and velcro. It is this combination of materials that creates the thrill of the game. All its bricks can be combined with ease and in any way while even with just a few pieces certain figures can be created. Only four pieces make a stroller, six form a man, seven a motor-scooter. Frogs, fish, houses, fir trees or even a see-saw with two men can be built. The tactile feel of the smooth wood against the furry Velcro and the sharp ripping sound of building, allow your child to acquire new perceptions from their exciting play experience.
I cannot wait to play with this toy. Sakol comes in set of 20 pieces or set of 50 pieces.
"My son is starting day care and needs a all-in-one cot cover. The one the center suggests buying is not very attractive and I was wondering if you knew where to find more interesting ones?" - Alexandra Weil, Baltimore
Just because your kid is asleep it doesn't mean he can't be stylish. Crafty Baby has cute patterns in cozy, durable fleece.
Nap Mats and More also has a great selection, including the Safari Dreams set, perfect for an adventurer or the Hunting Dinosaurs set for the budding paleontologist.
We love Dwell's modern patterns. We love Fatboy's soft chairs. So we're excited to see that the two brands have collaborated! Now, Fatboy's beanbag chairs come in pink dots, pink stripes, brown dots and brown stripes. If you'd like to order one, don't delay: They're already taking pre-orders for early October.
