Bummer the US lost. But that has not stopped the kids love for soccer. I came across this great boys bedroom designed by Kate Hume. How fantastic  is this…

I love those light fixtures. What about this one..

Decorating with soccer in mind can just be a matter of touches.  To create nice bedding we could make a eurosham  with soccer fabric and denim piping.

This is fabric is of nice quality..

Mix it with a denim quilt and  shams…

Use a simple white sheet set or mix it up with  a Serena and Lily sheet set to say GO USA…

There is plenty of artwork available that focuses on soccer..

Maybe a distressed hand painted picture will do…

Use a vintage poster…

We can’t forget the girls…

See you…

Christina

(more…)

Ok I had some major computer issues with my blog this week. I am finally back writing posts thanks to my happening computer guy.

Well, it is the  last day of school for my boys.  The last day of school is a huge celebration when you have teenagers. No more nagging. No more trips to the tutor.  No more worrying about grades.  No more getting up at the crack of dawn.  I am just as happy as they are.

The boys have a busy, but incredibly fun summer schedule.  Fencing is heating up as they prepare for a national tournament in Atlanta over 4th of July.  After wards they  will visit with friends and family for a week .  Then it is off to Whale Camp.  Whale camp is something so special to them.   Camp stories trickle out from them all year long.  It is always a touch of sadness for Miles and me  to see them leave. But they can’t seem to get to the airport gate faster. We are lucky to get a 2 minute phone call during their 3 week stay.  A customer told me once that our job as a parents is to give our children roots and wings. So I guess this is the wings part of the equation.

In the shop we are changing our window display in celebration of summer.  We will  have this lovely diving diva making a splash. They are cut from wood, painted and are about 48″ long. A nice vintage feel.   They would make a real statement in a beachy bedroom.

We are using some of the other items from this company to   decorate  a client’s  Jack and Jill bathroom. Touches of teal and some nice art for a little boy and girl. I love a bit of the mysterious. So we will use this mermaid picture.

Moby Dick  will also make an appearance.

Celebrate summer!

See you.

Christina

This Viennese lithograph came into the shop this week. It dates back to the  turn of the century and is in great condition. Colors are clear and the size is quite large. It is absolutely lovely.  It appears that the  young subject is  Herta Zuckermann.

This picture would be a lovely piece to use as inspiration for a nursery or little girl’s room.  Maybe create  a little nursery  with European feel. Children’s rooms in Europe seem far more relaxed and playful, but not cutesy.

Some  Swedish rooms from Lila Villa Vita   Blog

Vita Nyanser’s blog has some sweet children’s rooms.

Lot’s of old linens and quilts could be used to create a very cozy space.

Simple crib bedding using white pique fabric and a little red gingham piping would work nicely.

I saw this light fixture in Pittsburgh last week. That would be sweet to use.

If it is a traditional nursery then we definitely could use this crib from Newport Cottages.

How one picture can inspire the decor of the entire room.

See you

Christina

I am in the city again to take the kids to fencing.  I  have about 2  hours to kill. Sometimes I pick up merchandise at vendors. Sometimes I have to shop for clients and sometimes, it is just time to blow off before pickup. Those days I get to check out the new shops. Limelight Marketplace opened recently.

A mini mall of pop up shops. Actually,  it is more like a tasting menu of shops. Each one is a small version of a main shop found elsewhere in the city.  One of the most interesting shops is Old Hollywood.  First you have to find it. It takes turns and steps and little passage ways to get to. It is a jewelry shop focusing on indie designer collections.  Their jewelry has such attitude and great vintage feel.

It looks like you walked into a 1930′s prop department.  Wow  I love it.  I know it  can border on creepy, but so inspiring.

Just another afternoon in the city.

See you.

Christina

Sometimes when I mention polka dots as a decorating idea, I get a groan from my customers.  Yes, it  has been over used. Dots on the bedding, dots on the window treatments, dots on the rugs, and painted dots on the walls. Too many dots! Seen too many times.  But that simple circle can be quite inspiring.

Check out Emily Clark’s little girl’s bedroom. Aren’t those exaggerated dots fantastic? It sooo easy. You can just paint the wall  and use the wall stickers to make the circles.

A little more of a classic polka dot for this little girl who loves pink and green.

Love the oversized dots..

Another room that used wall stickers.

See the dots in Cici Crib that are also wall stickers.  Easy decorating for a nursery.

A painted chest of drawers in a bedroom or nursery can create a nice statement.

A simple shade in polka dot is definitely not overdoing it.

Polka dot decorating is endless. Just don’t overdo it.

See you.

Christina

The other day I was checking out Restoration Hardware on Broadway. I was so inspired by the light weathered woods of the furniture.

Around the same time, I saw this  perfect little side table . Sometimes, a customer is just looking for a little table to sit next to a glider.  A table that will be large enough for a bottle or glass of water, a burp cloth  and cell phone. A little one can bang on it like a drum. No worries. These are the small requirements.

So the little table is now in the shop.

See you.

Christina