Your Custom Text Here
Drizzle, cloudy and damp. This is what we are expecting for our upcoming trip to the UK. Cozy boys bedrooms in Tudor houses is what I always imagine to be in Britain.
Birth place of punk. You can always expect the funky in decorating. Love these childrens fabrics by Jennie Maizels!
The union jack is always a popular motif in decorating boys bedrooms.
LOVE British Style...
See you... Christina
A very nice family came to visit the shop in the latter part of June. The little boy was just a complete sparkle of a kid. Having only boys myself, I so appreciate the idiosyncracies of boys. He loves airplanes, trains, big trucks, loud construction equipment, etc.. The family was moving to Westchester from NYC in about 2 weeks time. They needed to have a room ready for their little boy, on moving day. He was leaving his crib behind and needed a big boy bed. New neighborhood, new house, new bed. We needed to work quickly. Ofcourse, we had a holiday weekend in between. Adds a little more stress to the equation. This is the room when I first saw it. A classic bedroom from a house built in the 1920's.
The couple really wanted wallpaper. We chose this Ralph Lauren paper..
The company did a quick ship on the artwork..
The window treatments just couldn't be done in time. Obviously, panels would overwhelm the windows. I really didn't want to do standard shades or romans. The windows are quite low to the floor. Any kind of cord is an issue. We chose a roller roman shade. It is a new shade, that we are beginning to use. No outside cords. They will be ready by the end of July. The flush mount light fixture is also back ordered, but will be in shortly. Made of glass, it will give off ample light.
The room was ready for the little boy..
I was there to see the excitement on the little boy's face. Some really good perks of my job!
See you...
Christina
Our forever long winter will never end this year. Will it snow for opening day? Celebrate baseball! So much love that kids will fill their walls with baseball art. Makes a big statement by blowing up these images on 36" stretched canvases...
See you...
Christina
Just browsing through some of my vintage children's books, I came across a lovely book, Children and Animals. From the School of Emmy Zweybruck, copy written 1935. It seems this book was originally printed in Austria. These pictures are so stencil like and stylized. You can really decorate a kids bedroom or baby's nursery nicely with these pictures. How great they would be as art.
I just love them.
See you...
Christina
At the intersection of Main Street and Maple Ave, in Armonk, is an incredible frame shop,Framings. Every work day, I stop at the intersection before turning into the parking lot for Cici Crib. Yesterday, I couldn't keep my eyes off of a large piece that was in her shop window. Cars behind me honked. So I quickly turned and parked and marched right over to Judy and Carter's jewel of a shop. Not only are they some of the nicest people I have met, but also some of the most talented.
Judy told me she completed this project for a designer. The designer had saved all her daughter's shoes and Judy created this long shadowbox. I think it is about 12 feet long. I can imagine it will be hung in a bedroom,playroom, really anywhere..
It is so sweet. It really tells a story from the parent's excitement of having a baby girl to her first walking shoe, a ballet slipper, a trip to Disney World to a the last shoe, that perhaps the little girl picked out. A black rugged hiking shoe.
I hope the Mom keeps the shadowbox. Fast forward 25 years.. Wouldn't it be nice to see in her granddaughter's nursery.....
See you..
Christina
A gutsy pink called Honeysuckle was named 2011 color of the year by Pantone. Ok I am kind of puzzled by the name, honeysuckle, but I will go with it. It is a color that is very familiar at Cici Crib.
A room that I worked on is almost complete. It is for a little girl who loves pink. I believe in creating rooms that grow with the child. The little girl is lucky to have enough storage space in her double closet. I just added a little bit of style to the room. Even the inside of the lamp shades are swathed in pink to create a little glow.
We reupholstered the tufted bench in a faux pink croc..
The window treatments are sheers with touch of sparkle, to keep the room light and airy. The vanity is anchored by the custom bulliten board.
The bulliten board is covered in rasberry linen. An inexpensive starburst mirror serves 2 functions...
The wall opposite is long and framed with fashion prints.
Yes it is a pink room, but not too overwhelming. Just sweet as honeysuckle...
See you..
Christina
As far as children's rooms go, we are oh so familiar with clouds on the ceiling. Whether they are painted or wallpaper, it seems like we see it quite often. But what if we just chose beautiful wallpaper to line the ceiling. How nice... House of Turquoise
Nursery by Rhoney Design. I so love this sweet home for baby...
Girls bedroom by David Cafiero...
Then there is Miles Redd, oh so chic constellation ceiling.Ok maybe this isn't wall paper, but so inspiring...
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
Doing some research on built in beds for kids rooms and came across these gems... Kristen Panitch
Makes me want to take a Sunday afternoon snooze...
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
Everyone is returning from their various summer journeys. It's time the kids get back to school. I am back from Pittsburgh for a bit. So far, everything is going very well with my mom and sister. They are getting stronger every day. My mom has a new future. It is just amazing what the doctors can do. I am so thankful! The huge weight that lies on my shoulders is beginning to lift. Life is ok right now... Tina and Beth have been great caretakers of the little shop. I am thankful for them too!
We put together a new window display celebrating the return of school. I picked up these cheap vinyl floor tiles from Home Depot to cover the base of the display.
I recently purchased this giant abacus from an auction that was selling items from a schoolhouse from the turn of the century. It is enormous. It would be fabulous in a great playroom or bedroom that needs to fill space because of high ceilings. It would look great on top of a bookshelf. A piece of sculpture.
Bookends came into the shop in late August. The vintage globe also makes a nice addition to the window.
Another set of new bookends...
So we put it all together along with some other items and made a welcoming display.
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
Back from the Americasmart and happy to be home. I feel inspired and design rejuvenated. I can't say there were many baby products that were new, but some of the showrooms were filled with solid design ideas.I arrived in Atlanta just in time to sit in on a talk given by Suzanne Kasler. I love her interiors. It was nice to hear about what inspires her. Like most " visual people", she is not just inspired by an interesting spaces, but by unexpected color arrangements, fashion,and the fine arts. Anything that may catch her eye, she " files" for future references. Her own foyer is just beautiful.
After the lecture, I started to make my way around the showrooms. The interesting looks of industrial influences were apparent from the get go. It seemed like a celebration of the industrial revolution. Just great for a boys bedroom or even nursery. Check out this funky dresser.
This little cube seat duals as a storage unit could also be used as an ottoman.
I love these large wooden letter plaques. The entire alphabet is available.
They can be made into side tables as well.
More interesting looks....
A kid who loves adventure could use some of these decorating ideas...
Love this ottoman..
What a nice lamp for a baby's nursery...
This lamp will make it's way into Cici Crib this Fall.
Next up it was all about color...
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
 |
 |
 |