How to Buy a Baby Gift

It can be really hard to buy a meaningful baby gift for someone you don't really know. My customers come to my shop looking for a special gift.  The first thing I always ask a customer buying a baby gift- Do you know what the nursery looks like? Most do not know what the nursery looks like.  Where do we go from there?  Although my customers do not want to buy from the standard online baby registries from the big box baby stores, I suggest we take a look at what the mom registered for. These baby registries give many clues in terms of simplicity, colors, and style  of the nursery. Do they like shabby chic? Are they more modern or traditional? Lots can be learned from looking at their list of essentials  on big box registries. Sometimes there  are no baby registries, the only item the customer has is a baby's announcement.  Baby announcements say a lot about the aesthetic of the new parents.

Almost 19 years ago, my sweet boy Justin was born. Wow!  My baby announcement was very simple. White and gray and meaningful words from a Springsteen song.

What can you tell from this announcement?  Well keep it simple for sure.  But also maybe a bit funky.

I would have loved this stroller blanket from Cici Crib's online shop.

Or maybe this elephant bookend..

Or this cool clock made from bicycle parts...

Or go out on a limb and get this vintage aluminum diver helmet container, that could be used to great store little toys...

So don't be afraid or nervous about buying the perfect baby gift if you have never seen the nursery, there are lots of clues to help you pick a fantastic gift!

See you..

Christina

Dwell Studio at Cici Crib

It's always exciting to bring in new products into the shop. I love vintage. I love modern.  So bringing in some new items that will make a baby's nursery special  gives us a nice little boost of joy.  We recently brought in Dwell Studio for their clean modern sense of design and quality construction. I love this little orange bus bookshelf. Click on item- to purchase  in Cici Crib's  online shop.

Picture frames can make great baby gifts!

Another great selling toy from Dwell Studio is their soft blocks.

From flowers to city skylines, I love their baby blankets and bibs.

 

I will be heading out this weekend to check out all that's new in the design world down in Highpoint, NC. So look forward to seeing more decor in the shop as well..

See you..

Christina

Baby's Nursery

Baby J was just born last week. Her bedding was ready at the shop for her. Her crib was this great design which will be available at Cici Crib in November.

The walls and glider fabric in Baby J's nursery is a calming gray. The only pop was in the baby's bedding  which was a snappy raspberry pink.

Custom bumper and blanket by Bebe Chic and the  gray square crib sheet is by  Stamattina.

Pink and gray is such truly a pleasing combination. I was checking out Pinterest this morning and found many inspirational pics.  You can get lost in Pinterest...

See you...

Baby Gifts and Children's Decor at the NYIGF Summer 2012

My go to place to shop for baby gifts and decor is the New York International Gift Fair.  The summer fair is far more laid back. New products are less common, as vendors are  gearing up for 2013 launches. As I become more of a veteran to this show, vendors will ask my opinion on new products they want to launch for the upcoming year. It's always a lively discussion. From fashion trends to industry practices, nursery decor changes constantly. I was a definite go on this new 2013  artwork..

Color is always big at the show..

Great chevron chair for a girl's bedroom!

Some more art that will be coming into the shop in the coming weeks.

I purchased this piece because it reminds me of a client whose nursery we are working on in NYC.

I loved this little piece as well..

I love the booth of Kevin Obrien. His throws and pillows are so luxurious and  special. From the remnants, he hand makes these special stuffed animals.

A visit with very busy mice..

Italian storage!

My day ended sitting on these tree stumps. Made in Italy, each are crocheted. Very comfortable. Could be a great footstool or ottoman in a baby's nursery. Yes they will be coming into Cici Crib!

See you..

Christina

Quiet Design Touches to a Baby's Room

Quiet lavender was the request from a really nice client for her second daughter's nursery.  She had most of the furniture from her first daughter, but she wanted to make the new baby's nursery special. We focused on the longevity of the decor. She knows how quickly her daughter grows up, so pieces were chosen carefully. We  anchored the space with a really soft carpet and playful wallpaper for over the bead board.

The wallpaper was from Stark and the carpet came from the Sanford Hall showroom in NYC.

  

   

The side table will eventually go next to a bed when her daughter grows out of the crib. But for now we needed crib bedding. We chose a sweet set by Annette Tatem.

The lamp is one of a pair that will eventually be placed on the dresser(that  is currently used as a changer). It is a simple vintage crystal  lamp that we had trimmed in the most beautiful lilac linen.

We chose this delightful turn of the century print of girls playing that we framed. It is just so sweet.

A friend purchased a clock from Cici Crib for the room.

My client tells me that people notice the ceiling fixture first, when they enter the room. I hope it brings sweet dreams to the little one....

The window treatments were made from the most beautiful linen from Rogers & Goffigon in Greenwich, CT.

The ties are just perfect.

We also made an embroidered letter pillow from the linen.

Another whimsical picture is waiting to be hung in the room. We would like to put it over the changer, but curious little hands will cause us to move it to a temporary location.

See you..

Christina

Vintage Planters

I have always collected vintage planters from the 1940-1960's. Way back when, they were given as baby gifts and I assume they had plants in them.   I used them to decorate my kids' nursery.  I use them for their toothbrushes. I use them to store pencils. I have one in my bathroom. Here is the elephant in my bathroom...

At the shop we have a planter on the counter that we use to hold pens. I used it when the kids were babies  to store A & D ointment and thermometers. It has such sentimental value. I won't sell it...

The planter that holds the business cards sold recently. A new holder is in place...

We have put together some great little gift planters using some of  the vintage planters. They come with a minky soft rattle and a handmade baby comb from Switzerland. They will be going on our ecommerce website that will soon be up and running.  Hurrah!

See you...

Christina

Happy Tangerine New Year

Tangerine Tango is the pantone color for 2012! It is bold. A no apologies, fantastic orange...

Ducduc has forever used this color inside all of their casegoods..

Tangerine Tango is sprinkled throughout the shop. Art  for a baby's nursery..

 Custom lamp in the great color...

Love these Euros..

Have a happy and healthy New Year!

See you...

Christina

Elephants are Marching in!

So much elephant merchandise is flowing into Cici Crib this fall. Our store window is filled with elephants. Smart and steady. From gifts to decor, what's not to love... New Jellycat elephant...

Chic Jonathan Adler clock for the wall

Babar books always make good gifts...

Our most popular bookend..

Hooded towels,burps and bibs, perfect for baby, from a company that makes it's products in Texas.

Large wooden elephant for the wall...

Can't forget the vintage. The vintage toys add a unique decorating touch..

And my absolute favorite is this little vintage wool rug, how great it  would be  in a nursery...

See you...

Christina

Vintage Crystal lamps for a little girl's bedroom

Crystal boudoir lamps were very popular from the 1940s-1960s.  They can be  the perfect touch for a little girl's bedroom. They make some reproductions today, which for the most part are made of plastic. The vintage lamps are twinkling crystal. At Cici Crib they make a transformation from dusty, rusty lamps to beautiful table lamps. I take the lamps apart, replace old pieces and CLEAN them. Then they are sent out to be rewired. Finding the correct shade is a whole other story. The lamp bases are too big for chandelier shades and too small for most lamp shades. Eventually we find the correct drop and have them custom banded in pretty colors.  Tons of time and love are put in before they reach their final destination.

The lamp below is trimmed in one of the most beautiful calm lavender  linen from Rogers and Goffigon. It is going into a nursery that  I will photograph shortly.

See you..

Christina

Nursery design in my mind

There are times  a designer misses the concept of what a client is looking for. This is a fine example. I thought the customer would be as excited as I was about this concept. Great clients. Wrong concept.  It mixes touches of blues and oranges with a neutral cappuccino  color. The carpet in this NYC apartment is a Stark neutral. It will remain. The customer is pretty firmly traditional, but would like a more modern nursery. The carpet looks like this..

I wanted to use a grasscloth wallcovering  that had  a delicate orange  trellis.

After I chose it, I saw it was used in the Kips Bay showhouse, in a very large room. As you can see the pattern is not overwhelming.

I designed this long changer finished in white lacquer. It had closed storage on the right  side, drawers in the center and a hamper on the left side. Each piece would come apart and be completely painted. This would allow for future flexibility.  Later on, one could use the hamper and dresser in different parts of the room, for example.

On top of the changer we would affix this standard tray.

The crib is very clean, but  still maintains it's traditional roots. It would be entirely in white.

The glider is the classic glider that I have in the shop slip covered in a linen. The bedding would have dashes of blue and orange. Pic of the side of bumper is below.

Fabrics would be a thin orange stripe piping and ties  with white matelasse  and Annette Tatem soleil orange fabric that is separated by a large ric rac lace.

I wanted to use a 7' round rug that would achor the room.If the baby was a girl it would be this one.

A boy...

Possible artwork.  Vintage educational posters...

Although the client decided not to go in this direction. The ideas will remain in the Cici Crib library....

See you...

Christina

Warhol and the Poodle

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

Vintage Alphabet Blocks

A customer came into the shop looking for  a gift for her good friend's new baby girl.  She wanted to give her vintage blocks that spell her name.  The customer knew she had room on a shelf in the nursery for short name.  I needed to  sort through my collection to find the letters. I was excited to find the blocks that she needed. Looking through them, you can see a little bit of  cultural history. Most of  the  blocks date around WWII.

So sweet the images are...

Love these stylized animal blocks...

Silhuettes are just fantastic..

I heard the friend's gift was so very well received. The mom loved the blocks for her daughter  Cici!!

See you...

Christina

Children and Animals

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

Art created from children's shoes

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

Monkeys everywhere

I sold my vintage sock monkey in the store last week. A bit sad about it. I will miss him.  Another customer picked up her bumper made with this great monkey fabric..

Monkeys are such a popular inspiration for decorating a baby's nursery or a child's room.

Vintage sock monkeys makes their appearance...

New Arrivals bedding and accessories....

Monkeys used in wall stickers...

More  mod monkeys...

Look how Tobi Fairley decorated for her daughter's playroom. Tis the season...

Happy Holidays! See you...

Christina

Conran Shop At ABC Carpet

I was in the sort of new  Conran shop in the basement of ABC Carpet the other day.  The sign on the landing is the first notice of the shop that lies below. I guess we shop owners are all the same in our goal of making a customer's visit a personal experience.

The merchandise is surely well edited and really fresh.

A ping pong table with a chalkboard surface..

So I found my 2 favorite items. Love the robot...

What about these bird pendants for a nursery..

So cool.

See you...

Christina

Alphabet decorating for a nursery

I found these brushed aluminum letters at a flea market not long ago. They are quite large.  The dealer told me they came from  an old car dealership. The letter A went into a little boy's bedroom. We mounted the A on top of a large aluminum framed bulliten board. I still have the letters F and C. I wish I had more. The font is so simple and clean..

Collecting letters and putting them up thoughtfully can be a really fun way of decorating a nursery.

Shabby chic letters in a shabby chic nursery...

You don't need an entire alphabet to make an interesting statement. Just begin by collecting the odd letter at a flea market and look what you can create...

This is one of my favorites...

This is no ordinary mural in this modern nursery...

At Cici Crib, Binth's alphabet poster is oh so stylish.

This print has alphabet whimsy..

Crib bedding with an alphabet pattern.

Many different alphabet directions.

See you..

Christina

Leryn's Nursery

I would say one of the nicest parts of my job is meeting some really good people.  I remember the first time Bari  made her way into Cici Crib. Her smile filled her entire face as she talked about the upcoming birth of her daughter, Leryn.  We discussed many details of the nursery.  After months of planning and waiting, the moment finally came. Leryn arrived in early July.  It' s so nice to see good things happening to good people. Bari wanted the nursery to have a bit of a bohemian feel. Very soft and relaxed.  Perfect for baby. The bedding completely inspired her. It is by Elizabeth Allen.

A petite chandelier was needed in this cozy little nook.

Storage bins from Macbeth were purchased from Bari's registry at Cici Crib.

The artwork is from Oopsy Daisy.

Birdies and butterflies are delicately painted  through out  the room  The inspiration was taken from the bedding, as well as the artwork.

A lovely nightlight fits right in.

And, of coarse, a vintage pin caddy that came from Bari's nursery when she was a baby.

Thanks Bari for sharing your daughter's lovely space.

See you..

Christina

The New Birdhouse

After I came back from a short trip to Pittsburgh, I told Miles that we needed a birdhouse. My sister's small city garden in Pittsburgh is a bird's paradise. There is gourmet birdie food and fresh water daily. You hear chirping all day long. When I came home, I realized how silent our yard  was. So we went to the Wild Bird Center and picked up all the bird necessities. We set it up and waited. It took 3 days for the birdies to discover the new restaurant. Oh my goodness, it is out of control now. So many different kinds of birds. Cardinals, woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees, gold finches.....

The yard is full of chirping and it is so peaceful. I see how we are inspired to decorate with birds.  We see birds in lots of nursery decor. So cute for  baby. At the same time as our birdhouse was set up, these charming clocks came into the shop. Handmade in the USA.

There will be more birdie decorating stories in the future.

See you.

Christina

A visit to the Fela's Shrine!

We wanted to go out with the boys  before they left for their summer journeys. So last night we went to see the broadway show, Fela. Wow the music and dancing were so original. So cool. So much fun. It was a true story of a legendary man named Fela Kuti.  The Shrine was the name of Fela's nightclub in Nigeria during the 1970's. It was a wild time. The costumes were great and the set was interesting. I wasn't allowed to take pictures of it. Too bad. It was so colorful. One corner was decorated in African masks. It's clear that tribal  masks can make a great design statement. Check out this room from Elle Decor.

A real feeling of Africa come out of these tin animals I have in the shop. They are made by artisans in Zimbabwe. They would be a great inspiration piece in a baby's nursery. All lined up on a shelf. How neat is that.

It was a fun night out!

See you.

Christina