Color Friday is: Celadon!

2 Mar

Call it what you like: mint green, sea foam, or celadon. It’s that light airy blue/green/yellow shade that is calming in the winter, cooling in the summer, and gorgeous all year round (perfect for this crazy weather we’ve been having!). I like to pair it with crisp white, a creamy rich taupe, or mix things up by sprinkling it among various blues and greens. Here are a few of my favorite celadon picks right now; they’ll be right at home amongst your whites, taupes and blues alike! Enjoy them!

Clockwise from pendant at top: Opaque Celadon Pendant by Omer Arbel, $2235 (image via Lightopia); Vanuatu Twilight Wallpaper from Anthropologie, $198/roll (image via Anthropologie); Celadon Links Pillow by DL Rhein, $70 (image via Horchow); Celadon Breadstick Tray from Sifnos Stoneware, 15EUR (image via Sifnos Stoneware); Danish Neoclassical Style Pale Celadon and Gilt Mirror from Epoca, San Francisco, via First Dibs, price on request (image via First Dibs); Wegner Wishbone Chair from Design Within Reach (currently unavailable), (image via DWR); Celadon Crocodile Side Table from Gore Dean, $525 (image via GoreDean); Contessa Jade Necklace from Stella & Dot, $118 (image via Stella & Dot); Elysian print from Z Gallerie by Karen Dupre, $449 (image via Z Gallerie); Rae Celadon Porcelain Lamp by Arteriors Home, $645 (image via Arteriors)

 

Have a great weekend! Hopefully you’ll be spending some of it outdoors!

Design consultations for all styles and budgets: JGB Interiors.

Washington Post’s House Calls! It’s My Turn!

1 Mar

I just had the opportunity to be the “designer on call” for The Washington Post’s House Calls column, and it was an absolute blast! You can see my design, which was a sunroom for a family of four in Springfield, VA, here.  This is the lovely illustration of the space, by The Post’s very talented Julius Goyanko.

(image via The Washington Post, illustration by Julius Goyanko, design by Jessica Bonness)

 

The whole process for House Calls is thorough and interesting, so I thought I’d recap it for you briefly. When I was initially contacted about the column, a room had already been selected for me. I thought this one was a great match that allowed me to engage in one of my favorite types of design: family-friendly. I was able to contact the homeowner, who filled me in on the uses of the room and preferences. In this case, they wanted a place to play, relax, watch television (but they watch television primarily in another room), and sometimes even snack in.

I had a great time selecting all of the child-friendly elements of the room, particularly a table that ultimately wasn’t shown in the drawing (can’t show it all!), that has a durable metal top, casters, and is situated underneath a wall mounted chalkboard. There’s also a book nook with comfy ottomans (that can double as middle-of-the-room seating) in a corner where the wall is painted in wide horizontal stripes to add some visual interest. The ample seating and durable fabrics are well-suited to a large family. The television is amidst a wall-collage that conceals it, but still provides a central view; it’s mounted just over a low media console. The coffee table is a gorgeous play table that features pull our drawers to hold toys, magazines, or whatever else lands there. And finally, there’s some lovely art floating around on all the walls (and all of it is very reasonably priced).  Here is the rough, scaled plan I provided to The Post. 

If it appears there have been some minor layout changes between this and the illustration, there have been. Mostly for purposes of representation. (image via JGB Interiors)

 

With the plan, I included a key of items that indicated the sources for furnishings, fixtures, and finishes. This is that collage (without the mountains of text; though, if you have a specific source question, feel free to leave a comment or drop me an email).

(image via JGB Interiors)

 

You may notice that many of the pieces are from children’s stores: Land of Nod and Restoration Hardware Baby and Child in particular. One of the tricks I use often, and certainly did here, is to mix up more expensive pieces (like the media console from Gus Modern) with less expensive, unconventional alternatives (like the art on the wall from Urban Outfitters). It’s a sort of “catalog curating” that is full of style, but costs less than it looks. …and can’t we all appreciate that?

I hope you enjoyed this week’s column as much as I did participating in it! I can’t wait to do it again sometime, and I hope to be one of the DC designers who contributes regularly. Many thanks to Megan and Julius at the Post for a seamless and fun experience!


Design consultations for all styles and budgets: JGB Interiors.

What’s For Dinner? Chili!

29 Feb

It’s cold and rainy again. Which is a bummer after lots of 60 degree “winter days” so far this year. But not to worry – dinner will be warm, tasty, and restorative. Best of all it’ll be easy, because we’re having chili! I’m not big on recipes (which occasionally…just occasionally…can cause problems) but I’ll give you my how-to version here so you can make your own pot.

Here goes…

1.) Grab some veggies, chop them, and give them a quick saute in olive oil or vegetable oil: garlic, an onion, a red pepper (or green, or yellow), a jalapeno (seeds if you love the heat, no seeds if you don’t), and any tomatoes you have on hand. Don’t forget to salt and pepper them!

2.) Throw these sauteed veggies into a crockpot.

3.) Add a can of rotel, about a cup of chicken or veggie stock, and can or two of tomato sauce/paste/crushed tomatoes, or whatever liquidish tomato products you have on hand. Don’t forget to pour in about half of your beer.

4.) Drink the rest.

5.) Throw in a handful of chopped cilantro (but save some for serving), chili powder (a packet, your own mix, whatever you feel comfortable with) and some cumin. I love extra cumin.

6.) My secret weapon enters here: cube up a sweet potato into little pieces, each about the size of a big pea. Throw these in, too. They’ll add some nice sweetness and texture. You can throw your beans in now: two cans is about the right amount. I like black and kidney. But you might not.

Now that was easy, wasn’t it?

Cook all this stuff on high for a few hours, then turn it to low. You may want to leave the lid askew to evaporate some of the liquid and thicken up your chili. After a few hours, season to taste with more salt, pepper, spices, and cilantro. Bake yourself up some cornbread, and serve this in pretty bowls (like the “Gemma Link” bowl above from Crate and Barrel) garnished with sour cream, cheese, green onions, more cilantro, and some chopped avocado (my favorite).

Enjoy! What are you having for dinner?

 

Design consultations for all styles and budgets: JGB Interiors.

A Calming and Clutterless Space.

28 Feb

I came across this image in an Apartment Therapy House Tour a few weeks ago, and found it so incredibly calming…and encouraging.

The simple living room in Jonya and Brad's A-Frame in Portland (images via Apartment Therapy)

It very much speaks to my personal belief that just because you have a child, you don’t have to have a living room that looks like a Gymboree. Not that Gymboree is bad, or that if your living room looks like one that’s a crime. It’s not. But this is nice, right?

Specifically, some of the things I really dig about the above image are the sleek sofa (I confess, the tufting and style are very similar to my own, though ours is a warmer leather color, which has held up quite well to hand prints and toy missles), the lack of fear about sharp corners (ok, maybe this is just for the photo), and the addition of a soft rug to cozy it up just a bit. It’s a fairly extreme example of “less is more” but for me, it works.

Now you’re wondering if I practice what I preach, right? I do – here’s our living room, which is quite simple, uncluttered, and fairly modern (and bright — gosh, is it bright!). 

Please ignore our (not) kid friendly art.

We have opted to store toys and books in bins underneath a simple bench in our (small, open plan) living room, which might I add, serves as a main play area for our son (we don’t have a basement, but we do also use his room for toy-storage). This all said, I realize that to enact a plan like this one you have to make sacrifices: we don’t have ride-on toys inside our house and we’ve decided to have a “grocery store” (i.e. a toy cash register and bag of faux food) in place of a behemoth play kitchen. But aside from the few days a year that I’m stricken with major mom guilt, I feel good about this and my son is just about the happiest little guy you’ll ever meet. AND BEST OF ALL, when he goes to bed my husband and I can reclaim our space in a flash.

I had a feeling I’m not the only one choosing to live like this, and Joyna and Brad proved it! See the rest of their House Tour @ AT here. That all said, for those of you with lots of space that includes a designated room for a deluge of colored plastic, realize what a luxury that is!


Design consultations for all styles and budgets: JGB Interiors.

 

 

Suiting Up!

27 Feb

I’ve almost always worn a two piece bathing suit. Even with an incredibly rambunctious child, I’ve been able to swing it without any wardrobe malfunctions (knock on wood). It helps that he’s been a little scared of the water until now and just hangs on quietly the whole time we’re in the pool. But this year he’ll be turning three and I don’t trust him, so a once piece it will be! I suppose it’s time anyway…I’ll be turning something else that begins with a “3.”

Let's all squint and pretend there's a pool visible in this photo of a lovely, colorful patio. (image via Country Living)

 

Here are a few of my favorite one piece swim suits this year, all from J.Crew. I like them because they’re a.) cute, b.) well-made, and c.) reasonably priced. I’m really liking their bandeau tanks, which you can throw on with a long skirt, some jewelry, and metallic flip flops and be ready for the day (specifically, a day the beach)! As you may have expected, I’ve taken the liberty of matching each suit with a well-suited lawn chair and a complementary piece of glassware.

All you need to be summer chic, below!  (As usual, you can click on each image for a larger version.)


Fanfare Ruched Bandeau Tank from J.Crew, $88 (image via J.Crew); Cruz Lounge Chair in Blue, $299 from Room and Board (image via Room and Board); Frida White Glasses, $9.95 from Crate and Barrel (image via Crate and Barrel)

 

Wide Stripe Bandeau Tank from J.Crew, $88, also comes in pink/white (image via J.Crew); Liz Chair Designed by Piero Lissoni for Kartell, $285 from Design Within Reach (image via Design Within Reach); Pop Goblet Tomato, $28 from Jonathan Adler (image via Jonathan Adler)

 

Ruched Bandeau Tank from J.Crew, $82, comes in tons of other colors (image via J.Crew); Motel Chair, $69.95 from Crate and Barrel (image via Crate and Barrel); Wavering Glass in yellow, $28 from Anthropologie (image via Anthropologie)

 

What’s your favorite way to suit up?

 

Design consultations for all styles and budgets: JGB Interiors.

A Few Words About Chalkboard Paint…

22 Feb

Chalkboard paint in a work- and child-friendly space! (image via Elle Decor)

Last night I met with clients who had just moved in to their new home. Literally, they’d moved in hours ago, and I ended up finalizing interior paint selections amidst moving boxes and hungry, excited, adorable children. Lucky for the little ones in this house, their parents were very open to letting the kids play a role in their wall colors. I’ve had many clients who “let” the kids pick a color, but when the child says “I want green!” what they hear is ” We’re going to go with this understated olive from the sophisticated historical palette, ok?” If you can bear it, sometimes it’s ok to let the kids go with what the kids want. After all, it’s my job to make sure we can make that neon yellow work, and work it will. Anyway, last night, we also ended up incorporating chalkboard paint into the kids’ rooms in restrained but still very fun ways – both near desks, and both only on portions of the wall.

I love infusing kid’s spaces with novelty, and chalkboard paint is a great way to do it (you’ve heard me say this before). That said, chalkboard paint can come with some issues, so allow me to lay out some ground rules that will save you headaches should you choose to use it. Pay careful attention!

Chalkboard Paint DOs

- DO choose a small area to apply the paint to. There’s really no need to make every wall a charcoal colored art surface, so choose a small nook by the desk, tape off just a section, paint on the back of a door, or apply it under a chair rail.

Painting a piece of furniture is a good intro to this concept. (image via ModernChicTots)

- DO monitor how your kid uses the wall for a while after you implement it. Start slowly by giving your kid one piece of chalk, or by storing the chalk in another room or a high place. To be super clear: don’t give your four year old a jumbo chalk bucket, lest you actually WANT to end up with six million broken stubs of chalk and marks all over surfaces that are painted with interior flat white. 

Needless to say, a child that can be trusted around white floors and many large and heavy propped up things can probably be trusted not to destroy the walls. Where do you find this breed of child? (image via spicerandbank.blogspot)

- DO place a play mat or cheap rug under the surface if you’re worried about dust. Truth be told though, if there’s chalk dust it will probably land on the molding (which is likely high-gloss, so just wipe it off regularly).

This Ikea bench allows a(n older) kid to climb up and utilize more of the drawing surface, while protecting the floor and maybe even providing a place to store (and put away) chalk and the eraser. (image via OhDeeDoh)

- DO explore other uses for this fun surface. I used it in my own home on a wall behind the kitchen where the fuse box is located: it camouflages the ugly box AND the surface is magnetized, too! If you’re tired of chalk clean up, I recommend giving your child a teeny tiny cup of water and a paint brush to “paint” the wall. Monitor this activity so you don’t end up with a soppy mess.

 

Chalkboard Paint DON’Ts

- DON’T use those chalk markers. They’re very hard to erase.

Just use chalk. No markers. Lots of chalk. Like this girl! (image via Green is the New Black.)

- DON’T use extra hard chalk: you may think this will prevent dust, and it will, but if you press too hard it can leave indentations in the drywall. (You say you have plaster walls? Lucky you – press away!)

If you're starting to become chalk-phobic, you can also use a magnetic primer to create a magnetized surface, like this fireplace guard! (image via http://pinkgreenandzebra.blogspot)

- DON’T paint above a crib, bed, or near an upholstered piece. Your bed/seat will just be a depository for colored powder. Young, mobile creatures have been known to reach out of the crib, touch the wall, and rub the powder all over themselves and their surroundings. And they eat it, too.

Looks very cool, but NO CHALK ON THE BABY! (image via Stylehandler)

- DON’T incorporate chalkboard into stripes unless they’re very wide (10” or greater). You’re just asking to mistakenly color outside of the lines.

- DON’T freak out about erasing it! Use a lightly damp sponge or paper towels. Also, know that it’s not ever going to look perfectly clean. …and that’s part of the charm.

 

Do you have any other fun uses for chalkboard paint? If so, share in the comments!

 

Design consultations for all styles and budgets: JGB Interiors.

Books That Match Your Style.

21 Feb

Admit it: you judge books by their covers.

It’s ok. Here are three that will complete your coffee table and epitomize your design aesthetic: like the cherry on top of a well-designed table!

If your style is graphic, bold, and you like your colors monochrome and your fonts sans serif, try Creature by Andrew Zuckerman. The images are stunningly simple, and the layout is strong but serene.

Creature by Andrew Zuckerman (image via NotCot)

If your style is vintage, quirky, and your colors are straight out of a 70s palette with a little rainbow thrown into the mix, try Charley Harper: An Illustrated Life.  It’s small, so prop it up in a bright lacquered tray and you’re all set.

This image via JustinaBlakeney captures Harper's style perfectly. I love it! (image via http://blog.justinablakeney.com/)

If your style is feminine and flirty and places a high value on pinks, purples, and shimmer, then you’ve got some flexibility. Scour vintage fashion tomes, look for lovely fonts, and if you’re super savvy, match the spines to your decor.  Just like this image from Unidentified Lifestyle – a perfectly curated collection!

(image via Unidentified Lifestyle by Maria Matiopoulou)

More books for your style to come…

Design consultations for all styles and budgets: JGB Interiors.

Color Friday is: Crazy Colorful!

17 Feb

 

It’s hard for me not to do this post every week. And yet, when I do write this post it’s still hard. Not because finding gorgeous colorful things is difficult, but because my son is sitting by my side yelling things like “I WANT THAT ONE!” and “When I grow up I’m gonna be a chocolate maker and I’m gonna give everyone chocolate!” and “Can I have some chocolate now?” So there you go – everything featured on this week’s Color Friday passes the two year old seal of approval! I know I’m relieved.

As per usual, here are eight sort-of-for-the-home things that I’m sure you’ll adore. My personal favorites are the garland, Missoni rug, and of course the chocolates (I’m a sucker for variety packs).

From garland at top: Paper Garland, source unknown - let me know if you have it!; Liuwa Rug by Missoni (image via Missoni); Test Kitchen Measuring Cup from Mod Cloth, $15 (image via ModCloth); Dylan's Candy Bar Signature Chocolate Wheel, $42 (image via Dylan's Candy Bar), Art, also from an unknown source. I'm serious when I say my kid was distracting me this week! Help!; Multiplayer Wall Hook from Land of Nod, $15 (image via Land of Nod); Dot Matrix Rug from Land of Nod, $349 (image via Land of Nod); Grosgrain Rainbow Pillow from Dranesfield and Ross, (image via House Beautiful)

 

Enjoy your weekend, and if you find yourselves with some spare time and a significant abundance of Jell-o, you can find the recipe for those beautiful rainbow cups pictured at the top of the post here at Glorious Treats (which, of course, is where that lovely image is from). Happy Friday!

 

Design consultations for all styles and budgets: JGB Interiors.

Find of the Week: Bamboo Cutlery!

16 Feb

I’m really digging these three-piece cutlery sets from Core Bamboo. They’re just $9 for all three (fork, spook, knife) and come in a huge range of colors like “banana,” “strawberry,” and “slate”

 

Core's Bamboo Cutlery (image via Core Bamboo)

More of Core's Bamboo Cutlery (image via Grassroots Modern)

 

One of the lovely things about bamboo is that because it grows so quickly, it is fairly easy to grow sustainably (meaning you can put back what you take out of the earth). Core seems to go one step further, and employs sustainable practices throughout the manufacturing life cycle of their products – hooray! Their website says, “ All of the bamboo we use is 100% organically grown. We use food safe water based adhesives and we finish our products with top grade natural oils. Even our lacquer comes from natural cashew trees. Every product adheres to the standards of the FDA and European equivalent. Wherever possible we use recycled and eco-friendly packaging.”  Perhaps their bamboo is being transported from across the globe (a not-so-green aspect that’s often overlooked when talking about bamboo), but they seem to be operating with the environment in mind and care about their artisans and the local people who harvest and work with their products. 

At $9, you can get enough for you and five other dinner guests for about $50! Love love love! (Gotta give one “love” for each utensil, don’t you think?)

 

Design consultations for all styles and budgets: JGB Interiors.

Cauliflower: Three Ways!

15 Feb

So this is a bit awkward: another cooking post from me…a designer. Not a cook. 

If I can deal with it, I’m confident you can too. In fact, since you’re being so cooperative I’ll throw you a bone and point you toward this colorful olive oil jar from Dean & DeLuca. Who cares about how convenient it is when you see how cute it’ll look on your counter?

Antico Frantoio Muraglia 'Intenso' Extra Virgin Olive Oil, $48 at Dean & DeLuca (image via Dean & DeLuca)


So, moving on.

Lately we’ve been struggling to get my son to eat new foods. A boy can not live on strawberries, black olives, and bacon alone. We’ve implemented a “new food chart” with stickers, and we’re introducing lots of new veggies, grains, and meats to him on a regular basis. One other thing we do is vary preparations often so that he’s exposed to a wide range of flavors and textures: I know I hate wilted, soft broccoli…but throw it in a super hot oven for half an hour and I’ll eat POUNDS of the crusty, brown-edged roasted stuff. Recently, cauliflower has been something I’m using a lot of lately around our house. It’s versatile, cheap, and lasts a long time. It doesn’t smell so great raw though, but that’s just a temporary issue; you can’t win them all!

Here are three basic cauliflower recipes that all start the same way: a roasting pan or pyrex dish, olive oil + salt and pepper, cauliflower florets, and a 400 degree oven. The add-ins are what make it special, and I love them all equally (but differently!). To make these scrumptious sides, just toss the ingredients, throw ‘em into a hot oven, and bake away until they’re as crunchy or brown as you like them. A shorter cooking time will get you brighter, crunchier veggies; a longer bake time will get you a more rustic result with deeper flavor (especially the tomatoes). Hope you enjoy the veggie combos!I know we do!

 

Cauliflower + Chick Peas + Cumin.

 

Cauliflower + Brussels Sprouts (halved, flat side down!) + Balsamic

 

Cauliflower + Grape Tomatoes + Lemon Zest

 

There you have it – super easy sides that go with just about anything. What’s your favorite veggie these days? Got any secrets to share?

 

Design consultations for all styles and budgets: JGB Interiors.

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