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When I was a little girl, my favorite color was yellow. Bright, sunshine yellow. A customer wanted to put a little zing in her daughter's bedding to fit her personality. She wanted it to be simple with a splash. We chose Serena and Lily's classic bedding in berry with yellow marni euro shams and a great bolster made by Bebe Chic.
A touch of yellow is just so lovely. Love these rooms...
See you...
Christina
It is true that our tastes change over time. I am seeing more clients that would like to refresh their current, relatively newly decorated rooms. The rooms are currently traditional, but they would like to make them more transitional. Add more modern. Give the room lightness. Add something that is unexpected. Ok the last sentence is my theory. My current client has a little girl that is growing out of her crib. The nursery was very traditional. We will have to keep some of the furniture from the nursery. Her crib bedding, named Greta, was from Serena and Lily. All very lovely.
The pink in the Greta bedding is a bit dusty. It is a tough pink to work with, since it is hard to find complementary pink fabrics. The old decorator made a valance out of the same damask pink fabric and the walls are also the same pink. Lots of pink!
Realizing how difficult the pink was to match, the mom bought the complimentary sheets for the big girl bed in the same Serena and Lily pattern. Called Gracie, Serena and Lily has since discontinued it.
So now, my job is to change the nursery into a little girl's bedroom and add a modern feel to the space. So lucky that this Gracie bedding can easily harmonize with some modern elements. The mom also bought this fun Andy Warhol print that we will use as inspiration.
For the bed, I would like to do a high headboard upholstered in white faux patent leather.
I found these pillows at the last gift show that will add a little sparkle to the bedding. They are so delicate and sweet. From one of my favorite companies, Sivaana.
At the end of the bed I would like to put this upholstered brown and white linen storage bench .
We will keep the nightstand.
I found a crazy fun lamp to put on it. We may change out the shade. But how fun is it!
We will keep the simple white dresser
And add this mirror.
A nice bookshelf is needed...
A loveseat will sit underneath the Warhol with a very cool fixture
I wish I could blink and it would be done. How easy that would be....
See you...
Christina
Mom of 2 tween girls needs to update their bedroom. Everyone loves the aqua, but not in huge doses. The Mom and the girls loved House Inc.'s new collection. House Inc., creator, Annette Tatum, delicately layers fabrics in such a casual way. For a room that could have touches of modern, but is pretty firmly traditional, Annette Tatum is for you. Her combinations are just lovely...
The fabric they chose the bedding...
Now to integrate the aqua with the pink that is scattered throughout the girls' bedroom.Found great inspiration in House of Turquoise...
Love Toby Fairly's room as shown in The Neo Tradionalist.
It will all come together...
See you..
Christina
Ooh it is getting a bit chilly outside. We haven't turned on the heat, but as I write, I am wrapped up in my plaid, cashmere throw. It's cozy warm. Classic plaids are used in many ways. We see it everywhere in the decorating world. On tables..
On light fixtures...
In bedrooms for both girls and boys...
As wallpaper...
On sheep, oh my...
Plaid at Cici Crib has taken a calmer tone. New in the shop this week is a little toast to the Burberry plaid baby...
Delightful little burps and bibs...
Coming soon are hooded towels and crib bumpers trimmed in the signature fabric.
See You ...
Christina
How beautiful are Madeline Weinrib's goods. I see why she is a favorite of design blogs. I was picking up some her fabric samples of the other day at ABC Carpet. Weinrib's atelier is a bit gallery and a bit workshop.
The ikats are hand dyed and woven in Uzbekistan. The fabric was intended for a chair in a little girl's bedroom. Because of it's nature, it must be lined before upholstering. Unfortunately, I think it will be the deal breaker in an already tight budget.
But look how fantastic they could be...
Not sure what else to say about her rugs....
They fit into all different interiors. From traditional to modern to eclectic. This rug below is such a pleasant surprise..
The chair, upholstered in a Werinrib fabric in Gweneth Paltrow's home.
The photo of this big girl's bedroom is taken from one of my favorite blogs, Cote de Texas. Just fantastic..
See you...
Christina
A customer came into the shop this week to work on her daughter's new room. As we worked, I was reminded of Anna Shea‘s chocolates. Anna Shea used to have a tiny shop in Tarrytown. Just for a moment you could imagine you were in Paris. Her chocolates are delicate and dusted with flakes of gold like it was made by a fairy. So lovely, yet another recession casualty.
Back to decorating… The mom was inspired by Zoffany wallpaper that had speckles of gold and raspberry on a light pink background.
Elizabeth Allen bedding had the right vibe.
The bedding she chose for her little girl was as delicate as the wallpaper.
Her bedding would work well with these new pillows from Sivaana that came into the shop this week. It would just add a little twinkle. They are handmade with Swarovski crystals and gold fabric. They have already created such buzz. See Hamptontoes did a nice post about them. My pictures do not do them justice. They are just beautiful.
Another Sivaana pillow..
A little sprinkling of gold for my customer's little girl.
See you...
Christina
How lucky to live right around the corner from the NYIGF. Store owners, designers and bloggers descend from all over the world, to check out all the new looks. Most of the vendors I had already seen at the Atlanta show. But New York always brings out a different feeling. I go with a shopping list so not to forget customer requests. I got the new blablas for one customer. Leo Leoni books for another. Organic doll is still outstanding. Another asked for a moroccan pouf on steriods. Check, I found one. Wow, 36"x16h"!
Even though they had a whole new baby and children gift and decor section, the vendors seemed to be the same ones I had seen before. Nothing really striking sticks in my mind.
But the home decor vendors showed some flair.
I just loved Pacific Connections lacquer ware.
Mondrian inspired tables...
The color of the inner section of this table can be changed out to any color requested....
And of course they are known for their boxes. So I asked if they could make a chic little diaper caddy. Maybe, he said...
I noticed some really nice chairs for curling up and reading a book. Could work in a chic little girl's bedroom..
A bit campy...
A Bit Bohemian...
Oh soo cool...
And then there was Jonathan Adler kids .....
Just as I was about to leave for the day, I came across Tedde. Tedde is made in NYC. Cici Crib is a little too populated right now with other stuffed animals. Maybe they will find a home at the shop next year. But I really felt like they did. It was a long day at market.
See you...
Christina
This new picture frame came into Cici Crib this week. I love the delicate pink and orange.
I really don't like creaming a room with "fun" colors just because you are decorating a kid's room. It can still have the same bad effect. Just too much of everything. This is an inspiring pink and orange room.
So I am doing some girls bedrooms with pink and orange. Gathering ideas is so much fun. We will not use all these items, but they are ideas to throw around.
Wallpaper...
A clock...
Some pillows...
An original piece of artwork from Jeff Canham...
The bedding and furniture will be quiet for the most part. Although, I have these vintage bedside tables that I want to paint in a hot pink or orange.
We already chose this light fixture..
We love these boy and girl lamps I found in Atlanta for the bedside.
It will be a delicate pink and orange room.
See you...
Christina
Bright clear colors were everywhere in Atlanta. It was all about fun. I love these ball chairs. Great for a playroom. Comfortable for even an adult to sit in. I saw the same chair on the 5th floor in Barneys in the city the other day. Oh, except it was in black, of coarse...
Love this chartreuse wall with the white animal heads...
How nice for a girl's Bohemian bedroom...
Polka dot happy...
I couldn't resist purchasing these large metal flowers made by a surfer guy from California. They are cut from recycled metal and spray painted.
Pink and orange is a combo I am working on with a few clients..
Midcentury reproductions for the midcentury spirited child.
These cool boy and girl lamps have shades made of mylar..
This lamp is over 5 feet tall and is perfect for a glamor girl...
It was my first time in Atlanta. I brought home some great products for the design end of the shop.
See you...
Christina
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
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
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
I am currently gatthering ideas for decorating a little girl's bedroom. It is in the idea building stage. We definitely would like a lavender and silver coloring in the room. I liked the idea of using circles as a bit of inspiration. Of course these ideas aren't logically ordered. I know I need to find proper storage, a bed, etc.. It's just the beginning. The little girl aready has a chandelier which is perfectly acceptable. But if I could change it , I would l love to use this flush mount fixture. It also works because of the 8' ceiling height.
I saw this really soft rug in Dallas last summer that has a hint of lavender and silver.
I picked some samples of fabric from Silk Trading Company. They recently moved out of ABC Carpet and have moved into their own space a few blocks away. The solid fabric is a silk velvet. I love the sheen. I want sphere fabric for throw pillows. The fabric is lying on top of a wallpaper memo from Zoffany. An abstract floral. Window treatments are simple blackout rollers with a gauzy lavender shimmery sheer. The room will be dreamy.
This lamp is really lovely.
The little girl loves Barbie prints. We will do them in frames of silver.
We decided she needed some seating so we chose this perfect fainting couch.
We are just getting started.
See you.
Christina
I was at the D& D building the other day doing some research for a few clients, when I stumbled upon this Italian fabric. A nice vintage feel. Wow this would be a great boudoir pillow, on a chaise in a pink houndstooth. Great for decorating a classic girl's bedroom.
The Barbie prints that hang in the shop would fit in nicely.
One of my sweetest customer purchased a lavender Barbie and put in a plum mat to enhance the print. Now it is perfect for her daughter's bedroom.
Barbie reminds me of the head vases my mother collected.She loved the kitsch factor. She lined them up on the piano. Unfortunately, She got tired of the collection and sold it. I wish she held on to them. I could find a nice spot for them at Cici Crib.
Jonathan Adler took a crazy turn in celebrating Barbie's 50th anniversary. He completely amped it up. It's over the top. It's Barbie's dream house in Malibu.
In Cici Crib there is a nice desk chair for the studious Jonathan Adler Barbie.
Barbie's style is always changing.
See you.
Christina
Keepsake boxes have different meanings for different ages. Traditionally, for adults we like a nice box to keep our most treasured possessions. I like this box, handmade in Brooklyn. One can put a birth announcement inside the glass lid. It is lined in a chic gray velvet.
For children, a keepsake box can have a slightly different meaning. I remember having a tiny doll's suitcase where I stored all my very important items. I don't know what happened to my orange suitcase, but any day now I bet I will find it at an antique fair. My older son, Justin began collecting rocks from the garden when he was around 2. As he learned about dinosaurs the rocks became fossils and a collection was born. He needed a large keepsake box. Really a mini display case was more in order. I found one at a flea market and was thrilled because it fit so perfectly on his dressser. He is a teenager now, but his box is still there. So I removed the cool sunglasses and the ipod and his Beats that lay on top so I could peer inside. Fossils,bones, rocks,shells and even the glass insect we purchased in Venice years ago. All the things that were special to him as a little boy.
My younger son, James still adds to his small keepsake boxes. I see some amber he purchased last year. He is far more tidy than his brother. He even labeled his "My Display Case."
In the shop there is a large jewelry box for a little girl. The ballerina twirls to the sound of "The Nutcracker". The top can be personalized.
Of coarse, there are some nice suitcases to store special cars and trains and dolls and all their accoutrements.
A vintage ballet case would work well.
Or some new suitcases that are even large enough to hold sleepover essentials.
Everything to keep your child's special items..
See you
Christina
Flowers were bursting in many store windows around the city last week.
Fantastic paper flowers in Kate's Paperie in Soho.
Completely covering the window at the tasty Teuscher.
Anthropologie in Chelsea showed some enormous playful looking flowers. Looks like they were made out of paper mache.
Even Cici Crib has an overflow
Inside there were lots of flowers to discuss. Bedding for a little girl's big girl bed is inspired by the nicely exagerated flowers on the fabric of the window treatments.
A possible combination for bedding and a headboard to complement the flowery treatments.
Another customer wanted to look at light fixtures that were not chandeliers. It is her third daughter. The first 2 had lovely chandeliers in their room. So we came up with this white rose wrapped fixture from Maura Daniel.
After 2 sweet sons, another customer is awaiting the birth of her first little girl. For her nursery, a delicate floral chandelier was in order..
An then there was the Mom looking for art for her tween. Art by Jacqueline Shapiro for Oopsy Daisy.
or maybe
Lot's of different styles but one focus, flowers...
See you.
Christina
The Doherty household was up early this Sunday. Justin and Miles were scrambling to get out the door for a tournament on Long Island. James and I were readying ourselves for our first flea market outing of the season. James is my new flea market buddy. He started to go with me last year. He is the perfect partner. We work well together. He knows that for me, it is serious buying for the shop. I have interests and he has interests. He is thirteen and is very strong willed. "No way Mom is that ever going to sell." "If you buy that I am not going to help you take it to the car." "Oh, that is so cute." "I want to help you build your dollhouse." That's my James. I love everything vintage. It is the backbone of Cici Crib. It's inspiration for the new stuff in the shop. It is about finding vintage accessories to go in the shop.
It was a dusty, gusty start at the flea market. We arrived after eight. I knew from the amount of cars in the lot that we were too late for uncovering any super treasures.
I found a few pieces of art. But as I laid them out at home, I realized that they will need a ton of clean up and repair before they are allowed into the shop. Sigh...
The Currier and Ives print is so lovely. The little girl has a cane in one hand and her doll in the other. Perfect for a little girl's nursery or bedroom. It's title, "Grandfather's Cane." The dealer asked if I was a cane collector. No just a shop owner.
The 1960's Circus litho is so stylish. Really nice in a modern nursery. Needs a hefty cleaning.
I bought a group of children books from the 1920's-1940's. They are not in great condition. But the illustrations are crisp and vibrant. Time to talk to Judy at Framings, an absolutely top notch frame shop across the street from Cici Crib.
The dealer told me Rags was a precursor to Raggady Ann.
Mother Goose
Peter Rabbit
Wynken Blynken and Nod
I found a little metal train. Inside the train, it reads Midge Toy, Rockford, ILL. USA.
One day I will make my own dollhouse. I had a great one growing up. For now I collect items for it. Maybe when I retire I will make one. I found this metal refrigerator . The dealer and I think it was an advertising piece from General Electric. It is the perfect size. It will fit into my imaginary dollhouse 1/12 scale.
James was happy with his purchases. He found some steel pennies from 1943. He is discovering political memorabilia. We came home with our little treasures. It's back to reality. Time to prepare for the week ahead. James tells me about his 5:00 A.M. departure for Washington DC this Tuesday. Oops, I forgot about his field trip. Time to get packing.
See you.
Christina
I am working on a really fun bedroom right now. The wallpaper and purchased items are the foundation for this room. As you enter this little girl's room, you face a wall of windows. It's bright! The Designers Guild wallpaper truly dictates the style of this room. It is wallpaper that grows with a child from nursery to a big girl's bedroom.
The client purchased some items from Cici Crib. In particular this fantastic desk chair that has a clear back. It is a new take on a classic chair.
I would like to use this desk. Love the Chartreuse! I also want to add some gold accents.
I purchased this chaise that desperately needs to be painted and properly upholstered. What great lines. Looks like the 1940's. Maybe we will use the hot pink quilted fabric.
I don't want to obstruct the view of the windows so I would like a very simple light fixture. I wish I could use this one, but it hangs too low. We may just reuse the chandelier that is already in the room.
That's it for now. We will see how this room evolves based on the big client(stylish mother) and the little client's(sweet little girl) needs and personality.
Christina
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