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In an age of computerized toys who all but play themselves, we're refreshed to find two that leave most everything to the imagination. Refined updates on the fridge-box forts of yore, the cardboard stove and washing machine by Italian design group Nume arrive flat and bare, inviting the personal touch of their new owners. Pretend cake never tasted so good. $42 each at Pomme.
Photograph by Andrea Chu
Speaking of green, we are loving the new book When Santa Turned Green. In the story, the North Pole starts to melt because of global warming. Santa jumps into action to make his workshop eco-friendly, and asks kids to help him take care of the earth. Besides having a great message, the book has such cute illustrations that it will surely inspire lots of little Santa fans.
The just-launched EVO is a site for all things green, including more than 5,000 guaranteed lead-free and nontoxic toys. The site prescreens all its products, which also includes clothing and beauty items, and each is given an EVO green rating. Why not do a little guilt-free holiday shopping?
With the holidays just around the corner, it's time to think about those family photo christmas cards again. Sure, there are lots of websites that allow you to get a custom card printed in no time. If you're looking for something a little more creative and unique, we might have the solution: Erin Loechner over on Curbly created a step by step guide on How to make your very own pop-up photograph. Things you'll need: Several photos or several copies of the same photo that can be cut apart, scissors and a glue stick. Let the fun begin!
The couch: completely indispensable but not exactly changeable at the speed of fashion. This is why Moooi has teamed up with designer Marcel Wanders to create this concept: Start with a two- or three-seater "naked sofa," choose between four types of feet, then dress it with your choice of 15 cleanable cover designs. (We don't even need to tell you what this means for grape-juice spills.)
With three boys under six, artist Jackie Amos resides over a house that's understandably chaotic: "It doesn't stop from 5am to 8pm," she laughs. But Jackie's nature-inspired decor creates a calming backdrop for her sons' lives. She finds vintage furnishings at "op shops" and "tip shops"--Australian slang for thrift stores--and adds color with her own artwork and crafts. Let's take a look...
Where do you live? Gold Coast, Australia. We're five minutes from the beach, and we have a big backyard with a vegetable garden. Kids are always running wild at our place.
What inspires you? Since our area doesn't have many art galleries or culture, I like filling my home with art, flowers and books. I love blogs and flickr; they make me feel part of the wider world.
Where does your family spend most time at home? Our deck in the backyard. It keeps the boys' mess outside!
Can you tell us about this dresser? I bought this Danish dresser from a shop, FOUND, that sells collectable furniture. You've never seen so much beautiful furniture; you have to buy on the spot because it will never be there when you go back. I keep my prints in the dresser's skinny drawers.
Did you take the tiny photos? I got them in Prague sixteen years ago when I backpacked around Europe. Sigh, I wonder if I will ever travel again!
Your home has mostly neutral walls. Why did you choose this approach? In my previous house, I painted the walls all different colors. I wanted this house to feel less busy, so I kept the walls white. My artwork provides plenty of color.
The orange trim is such a nice touch! The outside of the house is light grey and army green, and I think--hope--the orange goes well with it. I painted a few trims and doors inside to bring it through.
It's really pretty. What ambiance did you want to create in this foyer? The area is for my special finds. The painting is from Papunya Tula aboriginal art of the Western Desert and depicts women sitting around water holes.
Did your sons find these little items? Yes, on the beach and in junk shops. Joel collects everything from bottle tops to fox bones!
The dining area has such a calm feel. Where did you find the table and chairs? The table is from an antique shop. It's from a boarding school, so a lot of people can fit around it. The chairs are all finds from people throwing out junk. I'd like to get a set of all the same chairs someday.
Luke is lucky to have such a cool bedroom! How'd you bring together the wonderful pieces? The curtains, bed and shark toy are from Ikea. The bedspread is from Freckles. I found the chair at an op shop and the desk at a tip shop [Australian thrift shops]. The desk was covered in rude teenage graffiti so we sanded it and painted it in clear varnish.
How did you pick the bright colors? I didn't really decide; the colors just came when I put up the curtains. Since the walls are white, all you have to do is change the curtains and quilt and you have a totally new look.
What does Luke like best about his room? The open shelves so he can "display" his favorite toys.
Your flickr site describes how you made the bookshelves by buying pine planks, rounding off the corners and painting them white. Very impressive. Any other tips about making shelves? Use enamel paint so they're slightly glossy. Paint the planks first and leave them outside for at least a week so you're not overcome with fumes. Make sure you use strong brackets to support the planks and weight of the books. The brackets must be screwed into the beams. This is the ideal project to get your husband or sons involved in!
Was Luke involved in the process? He helped paint and sand. He's only four, but he knows how he wants his own space. He wants more dinosaurs, so I'm thinking about that at the moment.
I love your "I Heart Rain" print. What was the inspiration? We were in the middle of a drought and we desperately needed rain. I missed rainy days of staying inside and reading. I like to think my art makes children and adults smile. I make it very affordable so anyone who likes it can have it in their home.
What a cutie! Where did you find Joel's awesome pirate sheets? Big W, a cheap chain store in Australia. They're flannelette and he loves them.
Is Joel an avid reader? We sit on this stool and read to Joel every night. Our whole family loves books. Books are like affordable art to me.
What are your boys' other hobbies? Joel loves shells, feathers and junk--which is treasure to him. Luke likes dinosaurs and anything from the Ice Age movies. They also take swimming lessons.
Do you think your home reflects Australian culture or design in any way? It's very much what I think an Australian home should be. We don't need heating or air conditioning, and we try to live in environmentally friendly ways.
What advice would you give new decorators? Find an old piece of furniture and restore it. Get the kids involved; mine loved sanding and painting. I'm always plodding along on a sewing, furniture or art project. It's so rewarding to make something special for your family.
Now that Thanksgiving is over, our minds are turning toward the winter holidays...and our shopping lists. To find the perfect gift for the perfect little person, check out the new online shop Le Souk, which offers a mix of modern furnishings and handmade toys.
Bonus: The store, which opened this month, donates at least 5 percent of profits to Women for Women, an organization that helps women in war-torn regions rebuild their lives.
You know it's time for a tumbling mat when your little ones start practicing somersaults on the couch. The tumbling mat is made from heavy-duty, vinyl-coated nylon, that provides a soft landing. It wipes clean and folds easily for storage. Velcro strips allow several mats to be combined for longer tumbling runs. Oh, how tempting would it be to cover the entire hallway?
Tumbling Mat, $129.00, at Hearthsong
Holiday cards in the Novogratz household never involve a last-minute family snapshot to the park. Instead, Bob and Courtney Novogratz, owners of New York-based design firm Sixx Design, enthusiastically involve the kids in creating and executing the yearly family masterpiece.
As the family has grown over the past 10 years, the family's card has evolved from a cute portraits to deeper messages about the things they value: family, design, and the world in which we live. The following is a selection of cards from the past decade.
1997--Pictures from a local department store.
1999--A collage of family activities--baseball games, a Baptism ceremony, a campaign ribbon.
2000--Close-ups of the kids reveal their unique expressions and individual personalities.
Thanksgiving is just two days away. Instead of driving yourself batty trying to spray-paint gourds or fashion a cornucopia, grab these items:
1. a vase (can be as ugly as you want)
2. flowers (these should be pretty)
3. two hardcover books
4. ribbon
Put the flowers in the vase, put the vase on the table, open the two books to form a square around it, tie a bow, and you're done! Let's eat.
When Joslyn Taylor was growing up in northern California, she figured she'd always live there, among the mountains and greenery. But then she went to college in Texas, fell in love, and the rest (as they say) was history. Joslyn now lives in Dallas with her husband and daughters--four-year-old Audrey and 10-month-old Amelia. They've spent the last year renovating a "groovy" ranch that that family loves so much, Joslyn calls it their "forever house." So much for California dreaming!
How did you and your husband decide on your daughters' names?
For our first daughter Audrey, we were struggling; every name I liked, my husband didn't. One day, I was glancing through a magazine and saw the actress Audrey Tatou, whom we both love. We had just seen Amelie!
My second daughter's name, Amelia, sounds like a strong, independent, female figure. We call her "Milly" almost exclusively, although our older daughter refuses to call her anything but Amelia. Maybe she feels like, "If I don't get a nickname, she doesn't get a nickname!"
What's it like to raise a family in Dallas?
People are very, very nice. We live in an amazing neighborhood where all the kids play together. And it's hot! Kids can eat and play outside all the time.
How would you describe the feel of your home?
Our neighborhood is very groovy. I call our 1970s house "Boogie-Nights-meets-Brady-Bunch." When we bought it, it had white shag carpets and foil paper; we tried to modernize it but keep the fun parts.
Can you tell us about this pretty dining area?
When we moved in, this was the most traditional room. The fancy-lady chandelier was the first thing we took down. We decided to paint the whole house white with accent colors. Here, we did the little enclave in yellow. The silver candlesticks are from IKEA; the glass candlesticks are from CB2.
The lighting scheme is great.
We custom-made the big light fixture. I googled a million places to find a place that would do a custom lamp without being crazy expensive. We finally found Moon Shine. I drew the lamp and they made it in two weeks.
What about the fun lanterns?
When I was pregnant last year, three of my friends were also pregnant. In fact, we all had babies within ten days of each other! So I threw three baby showers in a row, and I hung the lanterns. Everyone loved them, so we kept them up.
Do you often eat dinner at this table?
We have friends over about four times a month, and we always eat in the dining room. Plus, every few weeks, our family eats in there for a "special meal," which our daughter likes. We light the candles and clink glasses.
Do you cook Southern food?
We make things like bean and sausage, but we also grow tons of vegetables since the weather's so nice. We have close friends without kids, and they're maaajor foodies. Every week, they bring everything over and cook at our house. I always say, you should have friends who don't have kids. They remind you that people do other things than have kids and talk about them all the time!
How did you approach the girls' bedrooms?
With our first daughter, we didn't know if we were having a boy or girl. In our old house, her nursery had giant orange dots on the wall--not really feminine. In the new house, we wanted her room to feel more feminine, so we chose chocolate and pink.
How did you decide on the furnishings?
I hardly ever buy kids' stuff because I don't think it grows well. The art is from Urban Outfitters, which is awesome for kids' rooms. The rug is from Anthropologie. The bedding is from John Robshaw.
Was the pink tent Audrey's idea?
We actually used the tent to lure her out of her crib. She slept in her crib until she was almost three since she never climbed out, and I figured, why take her out? When we created her little sister's nursery and had to move Audrey out, we bought her that special pink tent. She reads inside it. She really likes her room; she's a good sport.
What are Audrey's hobbies?
She's a reading nut. Olivia is probably her favorite fiction character--a funny, spunky, naughty pig. Audrey is very similar to Olivia and is smitten with her. But she'll read anything. The child is a book-a-holic. I couldn't have wished for a better quality.
What's happening in this photo?
It's Saturday morning. Audrey's playing with her mini ukelele on an IKEA rocking chair. We had just moved her absolute favorite rocking chair into the baby's room, so even though Audrey's a little old for a rocking chair, I figured she should have one, too.
Was Audrey jealous when her sister was born?
Audrey had the rule of the roost for 3+ years, so when a new baby arrived on the scene, she was like, "What's the deal?" But now she's really enamored of Amelia. Little things show that she's kind of jealous, but overall she's a great big sis.
What ambiance did you try to create in Amelia's nursery?
Bright and soft, but not pink. We did fun Urban Outfitters wall decals and pinwheel bedding. The sheep rocker is from babystyle. The rocking chair is from Potterybarn Kids. The yellow rug is from the Land of Nod.
This room's lighting scheme is great, too. You have a way with lighting!
The hanging light and funnel floor lamp are from IKEA.
IKEA is fabulous.
I can see an IKEA from my office window. It's dangerous.
Do you think the furniture, like the rocking chair and dresser, will grow with Amelia?
Well, my ultimate dream is to turn this room into a sleeping room for the girls--with stars on the ceiling and piles of blankets. Then I'll turn the other room into their playroom. So I didn't want to spend a lot on furnishings; I just used hand-me-downs, good bedding and IKEA pieces, such as the wooden dresser.
A sleeping room would be so cozy, almost like a fort!
I thought it would be fun for the girls to sleep together and stay up and tell stories and, you know, just be sisters. So I figure I'd try to force it on them by making a groovy sleeping room!
Do your daughters share a bathroom?
Yes, it's between their bedrooms. They each have their own vanity with a sink and mirror, which will come in handy when they're older.
Many people disregard bathroom art. Can you tell us about the art you have?
I found the-girl-with-a-bird print at an antique store. A friend found the framed lion print. I found the "A" at a sample sale.
Do you find most of your art at thrift shops?
Yes. I especially love getting art from estate sales. If you can stumble on a good 60s/70s estate sale, you can find great pieces on the border between cute and "eeee, I'm scared of that."
When you moved in, was it hard to modernize such a traditional house?
We actually didn't buy much stuff; there are still drawers with just a hair brush or nothing in them. I think that's awesome. You grow into a house as you grow as a family. I think of this as "our forever house."
What advice would you give new decorators?
Do the hardwood floors and painting before you move your family in. Don't be in a rush to do everything else right away. Most of all, have fun with it. It's not a showplace, it's your family's house. Audrey loves our house. Nothing's off limits; she just runs around and plays.
Definitely, your house seems really kid-friendly.
My whole mission in life is to have the house everyone comes to. If the neighborhood kids are at your house, you always know what they're up to. I want to lure them in...if I have to hang five hundred more Chinese lanterns from the ceiling, I'll do it.
See more of Joslyn's house here, or visit her aptly-named blog Simple Lovely.
"When my son got a little sister, it was time to let them sit, play and have a nice child-to-child conversation on there own level," says Maartje Steenkamp. So the Netherlands-based designer took matters into her own hands and created the childchildchair, a combo of two small chairs and a table. Clearly a fan of family dinners, Steenkamp also created the equally sweet Mother/Child dining set (good for dads, too).
We're so excited that the very first Muji store in the U.S. is opening today at noon in New York City. You could always buy the company's beautiful Japanese-designed accessories through MoMA Store. But now their furniture--designed with the same simplicity--is available for American customers. 455 Broadway (between Grand and Howard Streets)
"My 6-year-old daughter, Frances, LOVES the shoes I got her several years ago. She wears them all the time. They come in navy, gray and green, but her favorite is the gold. We now carry them at our stores; I named them the Frances flat. --Jane, owner of children's boutiques, catalog and website, Flora and Henri.
On Frances's (amazing) bedroom shelves: Wooden sailor skittles and sailor bank from flora and henri. Kitten and terrier by mohair toymaker Steiff. Hello Kitty calendar from Sanrio; the tin wind-up toy from Seattle's Magic Mouse Toys, and wooden elephant from Turpan. Frances is wearing a lace blouse and cords, available at Flora and Henri. Says Jane, "The giraffe drawing was by an old friend and neighbor, Mentor Giles. Mentor would often visit our Seattle office and sit down to draw. We liked this giraffe drawing so much, it became a T-shirt design in our 2004 fall/winter season. Mentor died a year ago, and our work isn't the same without him. He was a big Audrey Hepburn fan and encouraged us to live like ladies."
Sooner or later your kid will need a boost to reach the sink. Here are great ones for the design-obsessed parent:
1. Peanut Stools from Nest, $60
2. Boon Potty and Step Stool, $30
3. Baby Bjorn Safe Step, $18
4. Surf Board Step Stool, $90
5. Step Stool with Storage, $25
6. IKEA Step Stool, $3
7. EVA Stool, $119
8. Sit Step from Offi, $70
9. Grain Slice Step Stool, $89
10. Ladybug Step Stool, $60
11. Land of Nod Step Stool, $39
Photography by Dane Holweger
Essence Collection Fervesce 6 wallpaper, Dominic Crinson. Ayres twin bed in white with walnut trundle, Argington. Stella stackable storage cubes, Q Collection Junior. Keep storage system in white with woven basket set, Stokke. Cork Stool B by Vitra, at Matter. Cobble sconce in Canary, Lampa. Tulu carpet in Blush, Madeline Weinrib Atelier. Organic cotton percale duvet cover, Gaiam. Round Face brown embroidered pillows and Hawaii black embroidered pillow, K Studio. Knit penguins and Yard snake by Dwelling, Child's Plaid throw blanket by Ratzer, and Grid wall pocket by Mio, Branch. Recycled cotton Zebra throw, in2green. Dog chalkboard, Pottery Barn Kids. Motorized dinosaur, Lego. Roboquad, WowWee Robotics. Daylight Projection Clock and SmartGlobe Deluxe, Oregon Scientific. Duration Home Low VOC paint, Sherwin-Williams. MinusA2 air purifier, RabbitAir. Kids clothing and solar power diorama (created in one of their recycled shoe boxes), Timberland.
We love the new Real Good Chair by Blu Dot. Available in gray, blue, black, or red with a satiny finish, it will folds up along laser-cut lines. So much sexier than old-school folding chairs for those extra holiday-dinner guests.
When we were little, we loved pop-up birthday cards. Well, times have gotten even better: Kolya from Australia hand-carves intricate city skylines from thick white cards. He spends hours with a surgical scalpel to complete each mini-sculpture. A thousand times cooler than your standard pop-up card, these will enchant and inspire--and teach kids to be veeery gentle. (Cookie Tip: Until November 15th, a set of four cards is $45; after that, prices rise to $60.)
"I turn my purse into an adventure by always carrying two travel-size playdoughs, a small wooden car, a dinosaur and a couple of Playmobil people. Wherever we are, I can pull out these things and improvise with what's around us, like chopsticks from a restaurant or a stick at the playground. I give my 3-year-old son Noah the tools, and he leads us into a world of make believe." -- Sara Galkin, photo editor and mother of two in Brooklyn.
Here's part three of our Great Nursery Art Round-Up. This time, we've turned our attention to numbers and letters--some dotted, some colorful, a few with animal friends. But all are sure to brighten up a nursery and help little detectives figure out what's going on when Mom looks at Dad and says, "Someone needs an N-A-P."
Three new prints...
Counting Birds, $40.
Alphabet of Endangered Species, $36.
Synesthesia, $15.
Three that have graced our pages before...
Binth alphabet poster, $85.
Binth numbers print, $55.
Jon Setzen's alphabet poster, $50.
Two fun takes on alphabets...
Letterpress collection, $20.
Helvetica film poster, $20.
And one happy pillow....
Alphabet by Alexander Girard, $79.
Yes, believe it or not, it's almost time to think about ordering your 2008 calendar. Tangled and True, one of our favorite parenting blogs, found this letter-pressed limited-edition beaut from Ink + Wit. Pre-order one now -- only 200 are being produced!
Romp is one of our favorite kids/toy store destinations in Brooklyn. Perusing Romp, you'll find products that integrate the whimsy of childhood into adult life without compromising on style or fun.
Don't have time or live too far away? Don't despair, they just launched their new website. One of the items we've always loved is the Buddha Board, a mesmerizing tool for making artwork. A water soaked brush on the screen brings art to life. As the water evaporates, the masterpiece disappears and the screen is ready for a new creation. The board folds for compact transport. It is also available in a preschool friendly version with a refillable water pen.
"I'm on the hunt for some cute magnets. Have any ideas?" - Kara, New York City 
Alanna Stang, Cookie's executive editor, lives with her husband and 9-month-old son Lex in Brooklyn. But although their home is near the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, it's also surrounded by honking cars, speeding bicycles and squawking pigeons. (It is New York City, after all.) Alanna wanted to offer her son a sanctuary--and we were blown away by the gorgeous result. No wonder Lex (pictured at bottom) has a 1000-watt smile.
How did you decide on the name Lex? His full name is Alexander, but that's such a mouthful for a little guy. We actually didn't call him anything for a long time--just "the baby." Then we started calling him Lex--we have a Dutch friend named Lex, so we like that nickname.
How did you begin decorating? Did you have inspirations? Well, I was a big believer in not having any baby stuff in the house before the baby arrived. I guess I'm a little superstitious. We were totally scrambling at the end, so I copied rooms that we had constructed for Cookie's first issue. I guess I ripped myself off!
What ambiance did you want to create? I didn't want anything too fussy. It's such a small room that it needed to be functional and simple. I wanted it to be a cozy sanctuary.
The room has touches of dark blue. Did you make a conscious decision to use blue for a boy? We actually didn't know we were having a boy. My parents said we could have the blue Turkish carpet, which they had found on a trip. For a long time, all we had was that carpet. It became the room's anchor.
How did you decide on white for the walls? The walls are actually creamy white--or even pale, pale, pale yellow. I chose the color Air by Yolo, a non-toxic paint company. I wanted the room to be as healthy and natural as possible. I knew we'd paint it right before he was born, and I didn't want that stinky paint smell when he came home. Plus, babies really do go around licking the walls and floors...
Did you have any other design challenges? Our big question was how we'd fit a dresser and crib into such a teeny tiny room. We got the "Austin" crib and dresser from ducduc, and it's working--as long as you keep the dresser drawers shut.
There are so many cute animals. Does the room have a zoo theme? Not purposefully. Almost all the animals were gifts. The green and white fabric bunny is from Lily Pulitzer. We photographed the Babyfairies fabric letter blocks--which come in three sizes--for a story in our September issue, and I loved them, so I bought them.
Are those Russian nesting dolls on the windowsill? They're Tolstoy and Kandinsky--so they're kind of a riff on nesting dolls. My husband and I got them on a trip to St. Petersburg.
Does Lex connect most with a certain stuffed animal? He loves the yellow rubber duck. Our babysitter starting bringing it to the bath, and he wouldn't let go of it. He's teething, so it must feel good.
What else does your son like about the room? Lex loves looking at himself in the mirror. He's very narcissistic! The mirror is from Larson-Juhl.
What's your favorite part of the nursery? I use an air purifier all the time. I also love our two Hable Construction bins. One is a bushel that we use as a hamper; the other is a flat bin that slips under the crib. They're canvas with nice prints and are super useful.
A lot of moms complain that their rocking chairs are uncomfortable. How's yours? Really comfy. But since the chair is big, it's a little awkward in the tiny room. It has become mostly storage for stuffed animals. The rocking chair is from Thomas Moser. The "B" blanket on the crib is from ducduc. The big bunny, made from recycled cashmere sweaters, was a gift from a friend who runs baby clothing and accessories Lola & James. All their products are made from recycled clothing. They don't have a website, but the blankets are available at Barneys.
What an amazing lamp! It's a Tord Boontje lampshade. When we first got it, my mom said it looked a little limp. So I layered another lamp on top. Now it looks really fluffy and cool.
Where did you find the puppy poster? I remember that huge puppy in Rockefeller Center. Jeff Koons made that puppy. We have a signed poster, although I can't remember how we got it.
How nice that the shelves are at Lex's level. Does he have a favorite story? Not really. He just likes to eat books right now. The shelves are from Design Within Reach.
How do you think the nursery helps shape Lex's vision of his home and the world? It's a room that he definitely feels comfortable in. The fact that it's small probably feels good, since the world is a very big place when you're that little. I like to think that it's clean and warm and happy and not too busy--but those are my values. All you can do is hope that he likes it. The Koala print was a gift from artist Laurie Fendrich. The mobile, also a gift, is from Blabla.
Photos by Chris J. Callahan.
"I couldn't get through mornings without my Bodum French Press coffee maker. It was only $20 but perhaps the most used item in my entire kitchen. I'm a complete addict." --Nicolette Berthelot, Cookie designer
We've long been fans of wall graphics and decals -- such as this wallpaper lion by Scandinavian designer Inke Heiland.
So, while rummaging around on etsy, we were happy to discover some more amusing designs, like this friendly chimp...
...and hilariously, these diver and octopu
