Little Boys' Rooms

Amanda NisbetI thought in many ways it would be more difficult to do a roundup of little boys' rooms that I love as opposed to little girls' (see HERE for last week's installment), but once I got going, I found a ton of wonderfully inspiring spaces that tow the line perfectly between a mother's desire to decorate and a boy's desire to be, well, a boy. As with the girls' rooms, trends did tend to

Maximising Space

In an apartment that just accommodates all of your belongings but with little space to spare, some clever design tips are in order. When choosing furniture for the lounge, do look for slimmer forms that don't bulk out your room near to explosion; plus, a sofa without arms is going to give the impression of more openness. Armless furniture helps a great deal when you want to have a more airy feel in the lounge or dining room should you have one. Furthermore, with the sofa in place you should figure out the best layout for other pieces that make the most of your limited space whilst still allowing for good human traffic. Bring your furniture to the centre of the room as opposed to pushing up against the walls and anchor this zone with a statement floor rug (just don't have too much busy pattern or colour going on).


This moving around actually creates another dilemma for some - those who can't stand to see the back of the sofa and the seemingly wasted floor space. Don't stress; I suggest pushing a console table to the back of the sofa that is both slim and at the ideal height (about a foot lower than the sofa back) - a glass top is particularly good to increase that open feeling. The console table can double up as a decorative piece and a home study/work area with a funky table lamp uk and vase of fresh flowers.

Advice for New Moms: Maddie G Designs

Today I'm thrilled to welcome Susie from Maddie G. Designs, a great resource for trade-only buying and a wonderfully inspiring blog. I knew Susie would be a wonderful resource for new mom advice (not only does she have a toddler, but she's expecting her second child in just a few short weeks!) and I wasn't disappointed -- this post has me scurrying to my registry to add/change so many things.* *

Book Review -- Mary McDonald Interiors: The Allure of Style

Last week Mary McDonald came out with her first book Mary McDonald Interiors: The Allure of Style. I'm fairly picky about what design books to pick up because, not only can they often be on the pricey side, but they're often just...disappointing. Most interiors books are just picture books for adults -- all style and no substance (and sometimes even the style ain't that great). But, since I've

Little Girls' Bedrooms

Natasha BaradaranOf course the past few weeks I've been busy collecting inspiration photos of children's rooms. So I thought I might go ahead and post a round-up of some of my favorite rooms: first girls' and then boys' (which, I'll admit, where a lot harder to find!). [Aside: And no, I still don't know what I'm having, but I should when I go to the doctor next on the 20th!] This first room from