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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Here are three gorgeous dining tables that I’d be quite pleased to eat a romantic dinner on. Bonus points for each having a very durable top – the only rings you’ll be seeing are on your fingers. Enjoy!

The Paloma Dining Table from Crate and Barrel would be a lovely spot to pull up a chair and nosh. Very rustic, but also quite modern.

Paloma Table from Crate and Barrel, $1,999 (image via Crate and Barrel)

The Patched Butcher Block Table from Wisteria is a quaint round that would seat two nicely. Perfect for sharing a cupcake.

Patched Butcher Block Table from Wisteria, $899 (image via Wisteria)

For those of you who are fancy and more traditional, the Bovary Dining Table by Oly Studio will suite you very nicely. I can’t imagine a nicer surface to eat expensive chocolate on.

Bovary Dining Table by Oly Studio, price on request (image via Oly Studio)

Wherever your dinner is tonight, or whomever it’s with, I hope it’s a lovey one!

Design consultations for all styles and budgets: JGB Interiors.

With Valentine’s Day coming up next week, it’s likely that you too have parties to cater, valentines to send, and crafts to conjure up, so hopefully this list makes it all a bit easier. Here is a little round-up of my favorites this year – enjoy, and put those DIY skills to good use!

Martha Stewart Crafts always has good ideas; there’s just no denying that. Here are two that are no exception: Valentine Hands, and Homemade Treat bags. All you’ll need for both is some simple craft supplies, candy, and a printer. Check our her slideshow, Valentine’s Day Crafts for Kids, for these and 24 more!

(images via Martha Stewart Crafts)

Do you have some Hershey’s Kisses in your house? Come on, you know you do. And do you have sticky labels? Or even just paper and tape? –Well you’re in luck. Print out these adorable templates from Makoodle and you’re on your way to a cute treat (and for much less money than was spent on these very similar favors for my wedding…).

(image via Makoodle)

Here’s an idea that’s neither edible nor fits neatly in an envelope, but it’s innovative and fun just the same: Valentine lawn decorations! Or as the folks over at Oh Happy Day prefer to call them, Garden Heart Attacks. Grab some paper and scissors, flour or powdered sugar, and head outside and follow the tutorial above. Easy as pie! Did I mention that the crafter responsible for this idea, Brittany from The House That Lars Built, was a classmate of mine at the Corcoran College of Art + Design, which obviously breeds genius.

(image via Oh Happy Day)

Last but not least is an idea I found while browsing Pinterest (I’ve resisted joining so far, but man, it’s getting tough). Valentine Smores from Two Shades of Pink was a last minute addition to a kid’s party gift bag. It’s cute, made with readily accessible ingredients, and can be customized with whatever label you want to put on it. I love it!

(image via Two Shades of Pink)

These ideas all seem lovely and, equally important, reasonable to me! For my quick-treat fix,  I like to shove candies and stickers into a small ziplock and affix a holiday-themed folded over piece of craft paper over the ugly zip closure. It’s a treat bag that actually closes and opens, is decorated nicely, and very easy and cheap to make. Seal with a sticker with a name or picture on it and you’re DONE.

Regardless of your Valentine’s Day plans or crafting intentions, hope your weekend is a good one!

Design consultations for all styles and budgets: JGB Interiors.

Clockwise from chandelier at top: Maharani Chandelier from Currey and Company, $3400 (image via Layla Grayce); Zig Zag Rug by Dwell Studio, $350 (image via DwellStudio); Pink Moroccan Leather Pouf from Serena and Lily, $450 (image via Serena and Lily); Opie Table by GlimmerglassFurniture, $485 (image via GlimmerglassFurniture); Annabelle Frames from RHBaby&Child, $34 (image via Restoration Hardware); Chair featuring Kelly Wearstler's Bengal Bazaar fabric (image via House of Honey); KokoCompany Indoor and Outdoor Optic Rug, $89 (image via KokoCompany); Pink Cover for Nook Tablet by Jonathan Adler - no longer available, $39.95 (image via Barnes and Noble)

And since this post is primarily for the ladies, I couldn’t resist including some pops of pink that are absolutely irresistible. Are they are your wish list? Maybe they are now!

Clockwise from belt: Patent Leather Skinny Bow Belt from J.Crew, $45 (image via J.Crew); Rosewood Dot Necklace from Kate Spade, $128 (image via Kate Spade); 100 Calorie Chocolate Bars from Dylan's Candy Bar, $1.50 (image via Dylan's Candy Bar); Timed Originals Camper, $50 (image via Piperlime)

Don’t you LOVE that Kate Spade necklace?  Have a great weekend!

Design consultations for all styles and budgets: JGB Interiors.

There is big news!

Domino Mag is back.   …for a limited time? Forever? I don’t know. But it’s BACK this April.

(image via Dominomag.com)

Discuss/ponder/rejoice amongst yourselves…

Design consultations for all styles and budgets: JGB Interiors.

No, it’s not that I like them. (But I do.)

And it isn’t that they’re all fantastically inexpensive (which they mostly are, but that’s not what I’m getting at).

Nor is it that they’re all from CB2. (The geometrics…the bright colors…you thought they just might be, didn’t you…)

Give up? Ok, I’ll tell you: It’s that they’re all from Land of Nod, which is a children‘s store.  Crazy, huh? — Because each and every one of these rugs would be perfectly fitting for lots of the adults I know! You can find them here: Grey Chevron; Pink Chevron; Green Crow’s Feet; Dot Matrix Rug; Grey Broad Stripe Rug; Aqua Magic Carpet; Brown/Cream Shag. (All images via Land of Nod)

Just another PSA brought to you by me, to say that if you don’t limit your sources to the obvious, you may be able to find some great bargains — and lovely finds — in unexpected places. I myself am totally coveting the Grey Zig Zag AND the Dot Matrix Rug; I have so so so many ideas for the Dot Matrix Rug. Quick – new nursery-seeking clients – call me!!!

What about you…see anything you love here?

Design consultations for all styles and budgets: JGB Interiors.