Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Graceful Chaos: Stylish home decor with children is possible!


Every family knows how difficult it is to keep up with the trail of chaos that children leave in their wake. But don't fear! There is hope to having a stylish house, while compromising with the safety needs and multitude of new items that little ones bring into the home.

1: Don't be afraid of color! Color brings fun and warmth into the environment, stimulating a child's imagination and growth. Check out the array of colorful furniture pieces from Giorgio Piotto



2: Think like a child. If they can reach it,
they'll be in it! So choose pieces like this Robins Egg blue curio whose high legs and closing glass doors keeps items on display but virtually untouchable. Get creative! Recycle an old display shelf to keep your baubles organized and out of reach.




 



3: Everything has a place. Choose your furniture wisely. Make the most of your space by adding pieces that double as storage; maybe a fun printed ottoman to store small toys at a moments notice, or the PB teen rotating mirror or bookshelf. Make sure to invest in pieces that can grow with your family; like the Pottery Barn Bedford craft table, or the Ikea Expedit desk/bookshelf. These items can be creative art desks with storage, school work stations, family game tables and more!






4: Make it convenient for you! By default, you'll be the one that has to re-contain most of the chaos after a busy day. So make living convenient for yourself.  Buy a helpful piece of furniture, like the Beadboard Snack Bar from PB Teen. A fun approach to keeping much needed items close at hand. Treat yourself by buying a piece of furniture that provides convenience to your life. You deserve it.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

"Grellow, the newest color craze to hit the design world"

Whether as a combination using gray with yellow accents, or as its own solid color, Grellow (grey + yellow) is one of the hottest colors (or color combinations) of this year. So hot. in fact, that CB2 (a division of Crate and Barrel) added Grellow as a color/finish for some of their funiture. Check out their modern dresser in grellow. Others have gotten creative with grellow, like using this color on an antique upholstered headboard.
Designers and homeowners alike are pulling shades of grays and yellows together to create relaxing bedroom environments and happy, inviting kitchens and living rooms.  The serene quality of gray as a backdrop (try Benjamin Moore's Metropolitan AC690) matched with sunny yellow accent pieces (like this Ikea Trollsta table) can enliven any room and welcomingly boost your mood as soon as you walk in.
If you are looking to redo one of your interior spaces, consider adding grellow to the mix!







Friday, June 10, 2011

grace and chaos' founder to head up design blog on Patch!


I have been invited to head up a design blog on our local Patch website! Please support my efforts to bring innovative design to the public! Check out our first blog "a breath of fresh design"
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