Whimsical Wallpapers for Children's Rooms

Please visit Project Nursery today to view my complete post on Whimsical Wallpapers:

Wallpaper is a wonderful way to may an easy design statement in a room. Long gone are the days of wallpapering every wall, why not go dramatic on one wall and leave the rest white? That way you can go a little more whimsical and bold with pattern without it being to overpowering. Plus you save some money by only wallpapering one wall.

These are a few of my favorite wallpapers to use in children's rooms:

The photo above is Frames by Graham & Brown available at Open Sky.

Frames is what you call an interactive wallpaper, meaning that children (and adults) are encouraged to write on the walls and draw inside the frames. This one is perfect for a child's room or playroom.

Little Whales by Pottok

The whales might be my favorite. When my son moves into his big boy room in years to come, I'm hoping to put this on one of his walls.

Mavis Monkey by Bholu

Mavis just makes me smile. It is also interactive meaning that it can be hung in any pattern. Perfect if you are a DIY'er and want to hang the wallpaper on your own, it will allow for a margin of error!

Blackbird by Cavern, image via Thom Filicia

I can just see this blackbird wallpaper on a wall behind a crib dressed in bright bedding with a little baby saying "cheep, cheep" and pointing up all the time.

Animal Farm & Tiny Train by Ferm Living

Honestly I love all the wallpapers by Ferm Living but these are two of my favorites. When the patterns are bold like this they should be the focus of the room and everything else should compliment the design.

Woods Wallpaper by Cole & Son (image via Duc Duc)

I know that we have seen this Woods wallpaper for a while (even Anthropologie carries it), but I still love the soft delicate look that it has.

Tales of Beatrix Potter wallpaper by Jane Churchill

Although this wallpaper is quite traditional, I really like the subtle pattern of the Beatrix Potter characters. Sweet and very baby.

Volume 3 of Laura Day Living

Volume 3 of Laura Day Living just came out. And again I love her style and just wish I had the extra space and homes to decorate like she does.

Since she has a little daughter and is truly a working mom, I wanted to share photos of her media room and office in her vacation house in the Hamptons which is very child friendly and still looks great. She does a wonderful job of incorporating her child's life with hers in her design. (Don't you just love that green door?)

Recognize the storage bins from Ikea and Pottery Barn Chairs?

Her little girl's room below is simple but adorable. Stokke Sleepi Crib & Care Changer, Dash & Albert Zanzibar rug and Dwell Baby bedding.

Oh and for a little bit more eye candy, read the piece on Jennifer DeLonge. Her nursery (below) is still one of my favorites.

also featured in Room for Children by Susanna Salk

Apple & Moses' Bedroom in Nashville

Ever wonder where the stars live while they are shooting on location? Well here is a glimpse into the children's rooms of Apple and Moses, Gwyneth Paltrow's little kids.

Annette Joseph transformed this two bedroom loft into a modern, minimal yet cozy temporary home for the family while Gwyneth was shooting Love Don't Let Me Down in Nashville. The most amazing part is that the renovation was done in only 1o days!

To check out the full article visit Goop, Gwyneth Paltrow's weekly blog/newsletter.

A thank you to Style Chronicle for showing me this great new site full of recipes, tips and a glimpse into the thoughts of Gwyneth.

2nd Annual Baby Sale at High Street Market

If you are a loyal follower of Nursery Notations you know that I love to place and suggest unique finds in nurseries and children's rooms. Well one of my favorite resources for affordable antique accessories, High Street Market, is having their second annual Vintage Baby Collection Sale. Items for sale will include vintage baby rattles and toys, baby brass and ceramic animals and child-inspired artwork. Here is a sampling of some of the items that will go on sale tomorrow:

And a closer look of two of my favorites, brass and porcelain animals.

May the fastest (and earliest rising) on-line shopper get there first! I want that momma and baby giraffe!

Back To Basics by Sheridan French

Sheridan French starts off the week for us with two wonderful outfits. Before you read her entry, I would like to formally congratulate her on her new job as the Fashion Editor for Fort Worth, Texas: The City's Magazine! Congratulations Sheridan, we know you will do a wonderful job! To read more about her new position visit her blog here, or the magazine's site.

Now back to the outfits!

Smallable.com is a fabulous site. I'd go so far as to say it might be my favorite children's one-stop-shop for ideas on fashion, design, decoration and toys. Their clothing in particular, for 0-10 years, can hardly be beat. One of their great brands is Bellerose - which I highlighted in this post with most of the pieces - a smart casual label from Belgium using high quality materials, comfortable cuts, and subtle tones that create a chic vintage effect. What's not to love?

Their red and blue checkered shirt for boys {I think it could be used for a girl as well}, is irresistible. Paired with their bright blue cotton twill bermuda shorts, a cute and classic outfit is created. I also threw in a light grey braided rope belt that reminds me of something straight out of the Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. To finish the look, Spring Court rock n' roll sneakers {with inside zipper so you don't have to undo the laces} will carry your child through their activities all day long.

Bellerose's jaw-droppingly gorgeous tangerine colored knit cardigan is of course a classic, but with a twist. The pleats and yokes at the back add a fashionable touch which could help it to quickly become your favorite of the season. We all know nothing is more perfect than a greatwhite shirt, and Zef has created one with a chic bohemian style. Available in fuchsia or charcoal as well, it could also be worn with a colorful skirt. I paired it with denim shorts though which in my opinion is a girl wardrobe essential for the summer! Slightly faded and stonewashed, this is a style not to be missed. The brown leather belt with trendy details is the perfect accessory, and the handmade necklace will delight little ones and mothers alike. Lightly retro and completely fashionable, these pretty natural leather sandals with silver stars at a finishing touch with their special details.

xoxo Sheridan

http://sheridanfrench.blogspot.com

1. Elena White Tee 2. Tangerine Cardigan 3. Vintage Shorts 4. Stelline Sandal 5. Multi Color Flower Long Necklace 6. Flowers Cut Out Belt 7. Fabio Red & Blue Shirt 8. Punto Blue Bermuda Shorts 9. Sioux Belt 10. White Vintage Trainers

Clara's 1st Birthday - by Blog HolaMama

Today I'd like to share some images with you of a blog crush and internet friend Paula Duarte Mejias's daughter Clara's 1st birthday. Paula is the editor and writer of Blog HolaMama a wonderful blog from Spain which showcases children's design and parties from around the world. Her blog is a daily read for me and I'm always inspired by her party images. I also love seeing how moms around the world decorate their children's rooms and throw parties. It is interesting because the ideas are all very similar but the presentations and foods served are slightly different. (Go figure).

The blog is in Spanish but you can easily use Google translator to translate your favorite entries.

Paula swears that Clara's Birthday was a small family affair, if so she puts my family birthday celebrations to shame. Time to step it up!

I love the attention to detail with everything labeled individually. It definitely makes the presentation that much more special. And take a look at the background of the cake table...

They are paper chains (like the ones we used to make to put around the Christmas tree at school). Paula made them herself and just hung the ceiling. Such a pretty and easy backdrop.

Happy 1st Clara! Thank you for sharing your photos with us!

Bloume Baby

I'd like to introduce you all to a wonderful on-line site called Bloume Baby. The founder Annie Totten created the company in 2008 as a place for mothers and shoppers to purchase sustainable product for children without losing modern style or quality. She believes that it is "our daily duty and our place to protect children and the planet on which we live".

Just about everything available on her site is organic, made in a sustainable way, or does not use synthetic or chemical processing. The BloumeBaby.com site has a wonderful selection of gifts, organic bedding, clothing, bath accessories, toys, toiletries, and even some things for mom. For those of you new moms who want a one-stop shop to purchase a stylish environmentally friendly wardrobe, check out the Baby Basics/First Wardrobe link.

Since I'm past the baby stage, I'm really into buying great gifts. Below are some of my favorite gifts that I found on her site:

Organic Layette Bundle

The silky edges and turquoise bunny had me.

Super Soft Coverall

A rear bum flap makes this especially easy for changing.

Organic Sweater Blanket

Perfect for the dog-lover parents.

Handmade Organic Crochet Terrier

Perfect for the dog-loving child, like mine.

Arabian Rocking Horse

A modern take on the traditional wooden horse.

Organic Knit Bear Teething Rattle

Non-plastic teething rattles are very difficult to find.

Cashmere Icon Blanket

Chic, cashmere and bright yellow, what is not to love?

Sheridan this has your name all over it!

Organic Cotton Love Dress

Also available in pink of course, perfect for those hot summer days ahead.

Mommy-To-Be Pampering Gift Box

All moms love receiving a little something for themselves too, especially at the hospital.

Bloumebaby.com provides customers with a place to purchase stylish, heathy, sustainable products to help promote a the green lifestyle that she is passionate about. Also be sure to visit her organic baby blog http://blog.bloumebaby.com for additional resources on going green.

As an added bonus, Bloume Baby will be giving away two wonderful gifts baskets at the Project Nursery booth at the Jayneoni Moore She's Having a Baby Event this Sunday in Beverly Hills.

Jayneoni Moore She's Having a Baby Event

Just a reminder for those of you moms or soon-to-be moms living in the greater Los Angeles area, the Jayneoni Moore She's Having a Baby Event is this Sunday May 23rd from 10am to 3pm at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills. Celebrity mom sightings, a swag bag, and free product demonstrations, and design and product coupons are guaranteed.

Tickets are only $45 and a limited amount are available. Nursery Notations will be stationed at the Project Nursery booth. We're helping raffle off over $6000 worth of free merchandise including a crib, bedding, artwork, wall graphics, photo sessions, and eco-friendly gift baskets. Purchase your tickets here and stop by to say hello!

Facebook Lock Down

Since many of my readers are mothers, I thought it was important to pass on this article regarding Facebook security that my husband sent to me today.

It takes about five minutes and will help keep your photos, personal life and family safe from third party intruders. If you are single you might want some third party intruders, especially if they are good looking, interesting and looking for a date :)

Wall Street Cheat Sheet to Secure your Facebook Profile

Please pass this onto your friends to help them avoid identity theft.

Stork Poster by Alexander & Co.

I know that I have seen this custom stork poster by Alexander & Co. before and loved it, but I definitely forgot about it. Luckily while reading through my daily blogs today, I saw this on Shannon's blog Pink Wallpaper and was reminded of how chic and adorable it was. I just had to share it with you all. The custom print looks like a vintage Conde Naste poster but it is personalized with your child's name and birthday. It comes in green, yellow, pink and blue as shown.

Makes for a pricey present but a piece of art that would actually look wonderful in a hallway hung gallery style with other posters and art mixed in. And I would suggest meandering through the rest of the site too, Cambria Cove has some wonderful traditional gifts for any occasion with a unique quirky twist.

Why did I not know about this site before? Not enough on-line shopping being done by me I tell ya!

Poufs Anyone?

Pouf's have been all the rage for a while in nurseries, playrooms, and in adult living rooms. The image above from Serena & Lily uses one as an ottoman. But Urban Flea lead me to a wonderful site called In Style Decor that sells an array of colors and sizes, suitable for any decor.

I love it how this site also shows you magazine articles where products where featured.

Children's Libraries

Louise from Table Tonic inspired me to write this post today when she posted this image from Kelly Wearstler's book "Hue" on her blog. I'm sure many of you have seen this library room before, possibly when it was featured in Cookie magazine (image below) last year before the magazine closed.

This library/playroom is a wonderful idea, only if we all had an extra room in our house just for children's books. But you can take the concept and possibly just do one wall in your playroom with build outs up to the ceiling (more for effect than for functionality) and have a low table in the middle for crafts.

I also ran into the photo below from Kelly's previous home. As you can she came up with the "bookstore" concept of displaying children's books well before the library above was created. Having books open-faced makes them more appealing and visually stimulating to your children.

image found on Caitlin Creer Interiors Blog

Another designer Anna Spiro of Absolutely Beautiful Things used this same concept but turned it down a notch.

image via Pure Style Home

This would be a pretty easy buildout for any carpenter. I like the window seat which doubles as extra storage.

Now back to dramatics, for the more modern home. I like this idea of a slanted bookcase encompassing a whole wall. You need a good carpenter to do this but kids will think it is fun to put books in all the different slanted pockets. Who knew picking up could be so much fun!

image via the Viceroy in Santa Monica, another Kelly Wearstler design

image via Freshome

Or if you are out of floor space, I like these holders to create a pop on the walls. These not only hold books but create some interesting visual interest and a pop of color.

Book Bound by Jennnifer DeLonge - $59 each

For the more budget friendly, the Land of Nod and Pottery Barn Kids versions:

Get a few of these to run across an entire wall and you can get a similar library look for a lot less than custom.

Bin There Done That Floor Book Bin - $199

Madison 3-Shelf Bookrack - $99

Happy Reading!