Room for Baby Boys

So I don't know if ya'll read the comments or not, but a recent comment asked about baby room gear for boys, and if you've ever had a boy, you know that many shops carry a million girly things and two blue mis-matched cafe curtains. So...I thought I'd just share a few finds and inspirations.  I hope these give someone some ideas and if not, well, it was fun looking around online.

PS.  I used a cream and pale 50's green palette from Martha Stewart baby on my son's nursery - circa 2003.  The colors from MS KMart paints were something and Lamb's Ear - meaning the fuzzy plant.  The MS spread was a shaker room with wall pegs that went around the entire room and red accents that included a little mailbox for notes and such.  The walls are cream and all the trim is green.  It wasn't a typical boy's palette, but it was definitely a sweet, quiet little baby's palette. 

       
I love Purl Soho for a ton of reasons.  Here's a few: Kokka Picnic Blue, Alexander Henry 2D Zoo, Kokka Aqua Ladybugs.

   
This is my favorite all-time wallpaper.  I love it so.  I go to the Sandberg website to visit it often. Sandberg also has rad mod kid papers and fabrics - like the Jim fabric and Neo wallpaper, above. More fabrics. More paper.

  
Sew Mama Sew! offers this sweet Heather Ross horse print and the Alexander Henry numeric number that's been popping up all over.  I like this Robert Kaufman flowery print for a baby.  It's inexpensive, so you can easily switch it out as baby grows.  Here's some more of their blue offerings.

 
Marimekko is a no-brainer.  I especially love this Iso Satakieli print I found at Elmwood Fabrics.  Textile Arts also has a great selection.  From 1956, Light Blue Kivet (it's available in a range of colorways) is never out of style. Onnelinen also comes in a few colorways, but multi is my fav.  Remember, Marimekko, like Pucci or Pulitzer, doesn't age.  Look for classic Marimekko prints on eBay and mix and match to make quilts.  Hey, instead of the typical squares approach, why not sew together rectangles or triangles.

IKEA has some great new inspiration rooms on their site.  Click the Children's Rooms yellow tab at the top, and then, for good measure, click More Rooms and take a gander at the Youth Room slides.  I really love the country look of the Hemnes/Hensvik furniture combo, but I'm also enamored by the new Hermelin Crib and think the Trofast storage looks so cool.  They've expanded the link to include closed storage and a baby changing table, but I'm not sure how I feel about the bold blue and bright red door offerings.

Take color palette inspiration from vintage children's' illustrations.  "It's a Small World" from Mod*Mom's Flickr set. Mary Blair's "Little Verses".  Tibor Gergley's "A Day In The Jungle".

Minneapolis design king Charles S. Anderson's Happy Kitty Bunny Pony (It's available at the Franklin Library, too.) and Fluffy Humpy Poopy Puppy books are great place to look for kids' rooms inspiration.  You can also trip over to the CSA Images website for a butt load of creative sparks.

Take color inspiration and design from vintage wares. Artist S. Britt's (also a great source for color inspiration) Cup of The Day entry. Use retro palette inspiration to create schemes that are simple to change and presently soothing, like this blue/green and orange Martha Stewart room.  These Lotta Jansdotter toys are the perfect baby boy's room colors.

I love Art Department tiles' mod, happy style and colors.  Buy some or just use them as an inspiration.

Some people say vinyl's it's on its way out, but I'm don't believe it.  Domestic Vinyl Surfaces has the hippest selection, but they are the only ones.  Search for wall decals or vinyl and see what you find.  I love Matali Crasset's Bubble Line blue, Adrien Gardère's Zoo Chiot puppy plug cover, and the celebratory Ich&Kar's Animaux de Brême.

YOLO Colorhouse low VOC paints come in baby-friendly colors (try the Sprout Collection and look at their other colors, as well.) Perhaps use them on the walls and to re-paint vintage finds.  Martha also has instructions for adding decoupage animals to really baby-fly your finds.

Surf Magnet

I don't know what happens when you jump online to look up something and a day later you realize you surfed through Dave Letterman and Good Morning America (is that even still on?)  Here's some things I found while I was supposed to be working today.*

*PS.  For all of you who don't know, I took a full-time position as Sticks' gallery floor designer.  I've freelanced for the last seven years, so this is a big lifestyle change.  I am not, in fact, surfing during work hours - too busy - but am, in fact, surfing while I should be getting something, anything done around the house.    

These CB2 Longneck Vases rock because they're cool as hell, take up zero visual space, allow you to have flowers on a budget (no vases to fill) and they're only $3.95/piece.  They're new, but they will not last.   Also, please don't buy just one.

Crate and Barrel always has the best trays and dishes (if only I had a tray storage room in my home)...The Flyte Shesham* Charger is no exception.  While not technically a tray (they offer a server), I could name a hundred tray-like uses for this baby.  The plates are also perfect for anything from holding food to serving as a quick "next to the Longneck Vases" key drop. *Shesham is a  Shesham wood, part of the rosewood family, is a shade tree found in the foothills of northern India. 

          
Via Ahn-Minh.com, Henry Road sells fabric remnants!  Perhaps the best $20 you'll spend all summer - this Yellena print has so much going on color and composition-wise, that I doubt you'll ever tire of it.  Heck, for that price, buy a pair of prints. (Doh! ATSF just posted this same print - I'm posting one of their suggestions and when I checked the URL, I saw they added my find, too!  Great minds think alike, I say!)

ATSF listed a different artist, but they mentioned silhouettes today and that's a great gift or decor item that many of us forget. I really like Paper Portrait's pet style, but the ATSF artist, Karl Johnson, does an excellent job, as well.

Amenity has a new line of blankets, crib and wall accessories that are baby and eco-friendly - sweet!  They aren't available til October, but you can get them pre-sale right now.  Thanks to Design Milk for the heads-up!