Boy's Sports Room Fast, Furious and Frugal Makeover

As your resident Prop Maker, I have to share with you my joy when a plan comes together.  I was challenged by a friend to take over her blog's $300.00 makeover for her son's room.  With 72 hours notice and thankfully quick drying paint, I'm proud to say "Mission accomplished"!

$300.00 bucks baby, $300.00 bucks!  Whew!

I have detailed information on this whirlwind presto-chango over on my EmbellishmentsKids blog, if you'd like to see some more pictures.

Now, all that's left to do is clean up 72 hours of mess in the studio.  Which looks like a months worth....yikes.   Do I have any volunteers to help, I'll buy lunch?

Ciao for now!

Tangerine Tango, 2012 Color of the Year

Color has quite an impact on emotions and when used properly will instill joy and personality in our lives.

As artists and designers, Aaron and I work with color palettes every day. We select color schemes for our artwork based upon design trends and cues from the home and fashion worlds.  We guide our kid-interior design clients in selecting colors for their spaces based upon the purposes of the room and the desired mood, anywhere from serene to energetic.  Along the way,we are ensuring that each color selected coordinates for a cohesive design.

As designers, with our fingers on the pulse of color trends, we eagerly await the announcement of the "Color of the Year" from the world's color authority, the Pantone Institute.

(Drum roll, please...) This year's Pantone Color of the Year is Tangerine Tango!

According to Pantone:

The 2011 color of the year, PANTONE 18-2120 Honeysuckle, encouraged us to face everyday troubles with verve and vigor. Tangerine Tango, a spirited reddish orange, continues to provide the energy boost we need to recharge and move forward.

“Sophisticated but at the same time dramatic and seductive, Tangerine Tango is an orange with a lot of depth to it,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “Reminiscent of the radiant shadings of a sunset, Tangerine Tango marries the vivaciousness and adrenaline rush of red with the friendliness and warmth of yellow, to form a high-visibility, magnetic hue that emanates heat and energy.”

Being the "Kidstylists" that we are, we were delighted that such a vibrant, happy and kid friendly color was selected. We've put together a mood board of our favorite orange hued baby and kid products.

 We also asked some of our favorite industry designers to weigh in on this beautiful hue.....

Katy Mimari, creator of Caden Lane, has made her mark in the children's industry with her whimsical line of nursery bedding and accessories. Katy's products and design expertise have been sought after by numerous celebrities over the years.

“It’s about time orange is getting some recognition! I’ve loved the color orange in nursery design for a long time, so much – that we added it to our Boutique Collection last year! It’s such a multi-functional color, working with blues, browns, and even pink – the color compliments any design, and adds a bit of funkiness to the mix. But don’t go overboard… orange is the kind of color you accent with in bold pops of color!”

Susie Fougerousse is not only the founder of one of the top children's boutiques in the country, Rosenberry Rooms - but she is also a busy mother of five children ranging from 14 years to 9 months old. 

"Hearing that Tangerine Tango was chosen as the 2012 color of the year is as exciting as winning the lottery for an orange obsessed girl like me (well, almost). I have at times painted large portions of my house in this color and love to wear it any chance I get.  Thank you Pantone!   Check out some of my favorite tangerine products at RosenberryRooms.com ..."

The Cross Town Clutch in Relaxing in Rio by Petunia Pickle Bottom

http://www.rosenberryrooms.com/491-cross-town-clutch-relaxing-in-rio.html

The Maria Tangerine Diaper Bag by Mia Bossi

http://www.rosenberryrooms.com/268-maria-tangerine-diaper-bag.html

The Shaggy Raggy Rug in Tangerine by The Rug Market

http://www.rosenberryrooms.com/11502218.html

The Orange Bus Bookshelf by DwellStudio

http://www.rosenberryrooms.com/168-orange-bus-bookshelf.html

Baby industry expert and Marvelous Mom, Mary Bauer and her husband, Stephen created Bratt Decor, a stunning line of baby cribs and nursery furniture that can be found in dozens of celebrity nurseries. 

According to Mary, "It's the year of Tangerine Tango!  Color reflects and creates mood.  The mood of late has  been cautious, careful and considered.  This year, the great big wide world is in need some fun, some risks, and some color.  Enter, Tangerine Tango." 

Jaana Moisio is quite the overachiever! Not only is she the owner of the devine luxury kids boutique, Palm Beach Tots, but she is a lawyer, entrepreneur, and busy mother of two little girls! What does she think about Tangerine Tango?


"I love this color because it combines the energy of red and the happiness of yellow.   It reminds me of  joy and is a great color for kids of all age.  I’d do a kids play room or a teen hang out space using this gender neautral color.   An accent wall in tangerine, pops of the same color in a few pieces of furniture and of course in the art.   Imagine Sherri Blum’s mod owl art with this kids furniture for a young children’s play room !"


(Aw, shucks...thanks for the plug, Jaana!)

Will you use this color in your home? Would you wear Tangerine Tango? What do you think, is it fruit-astic or does it leave a sour taste in your mouth?  Sound off!

A Royal Nursery for the Duke and Duchess!

I am over the moon excited about the news of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate Middleton expecting a beautiful little heir to the throne!


Of course my excitement would be 100 fold if I were fortunate enough to have the honor of designing a royal nursery! I have dozens of ideas swirling around in my head just in case I get the call.  (Hey, a girl can dream, can’t she?!)

In my excitement, I’ve consulted my Fairy Godmother to ask her whether they’re having a boy or a girl. She predicts they’ll have a little girl who, of course, is named Diana in honor of Prince William’s beloved mother, Princess Diana.

As for the little princess’s nursery, I believe that Kate would want a classic yet not too fussy design. Pink damask wallpaper (fabulous wallpaper is all the rage in England ) with pretty pink striped silk drapery panels puddling on the glossy hardwood floors. Ivory and pink silk and velvet bedding with hand-carved, antique ivory furnishings would keep it sweet yet traditional.

Kate wouldn’t want to seem pretentious by designing a stereotypical “princess nursery” - she would want it to be elegant while avoiding references to crowns.  So I’ve selected a carousel horse motif since Prince William is quite the experienced horseman, enjoying polo and a good fox hunt.

Available at Jack and Jill Boutique

I love to incorporate family photos and heirlooms into my nurseries. After all, the newest member of the family should be surrounded by warmth, love and heritage. I often contact grandparents (as I did with the Valastro family) and ask them to share some family heirlooms and sentimental items to sneak into the nursery as a heart-warming surprise when I reveal the room to the mommy and daddy to be.  In Kate and William’s nursery, a fitting focal point would be a photo of Princess Diana holding Prince William as a baby. 

Photo courtesy noahhunt.org

In search of the perfect family heirlooms to display, I've adventured through closets and dusty attics, for my clients. My heart races at the idea of rummaging through palace nooks and crannies for items to incorporate into the nursery. Imagine stumbling upon a box of heirloom baby royal's shoes and displaying them, as treasures, in a shadow box on the wall.

photo courtesy of whitemarketblog.blogspot.com

While only one in millions can be a true-to-life princess, each and every little girl can feel like one with a little nursery magic from Jack and Jill Interiors. Call today or at least before the clock strikes midnight....

Welcome to Our New Endeavor- The Princess and The Prop Maker

Today is an exciting day.  We are announcing Princess and the Prop Maker to the world!  We invite you to join in on the fun, ask questions, give feedback and of course share us with your friends.  Be sure to drop by our Facebook page, we'd love to interact with you there.  As Sherri flares her flowing gown in a curtsey and Aaron waives his paint covered hands hello, we extend to you our thanks and shared excitement in saying......

Welcome to the Princess and The Prop Maker

You are invited to visit our individual websites to get to know us!

Sherri's Jack and Jill Interiors

Aaron's Embellishments Kids

Meet Our Prop Maker

It seems that Mr. Prop Maker, aka Aaron Christensen, is creating quite the buzz these days.  Susie Fougerousse, founder of the hugely popular, one-stop shop for all things kid- Rosenberry Rooms, recently sat down to interview Aaron. I’ve often stated that I’d love to crawl inside the mind of this creative genius to see what magical things he’s got brewing in there, so this is as close as we get to that inside peek into what makes this man tick.  Check out the interview on the Very Rosenberry Blog to hear all about how he decked out his own childhood digs, his beginnings as a store window display designer, how he designed his own children’s rooms, and where he finds his inspiration for current design projects and artwork.  He even eludes to a new joint venture with another children’s designer….gee, I sure hope he’s not two-timing the Princess!

Casting Call

A casting director has our celebrity nursery expert extraordinaire, Sherri Blum on the hunt for a 2nd or 3rd trimester Mom-to-be, for some pregger TV time, in a reality show episode. If you or a friend would love a high style nursery by the fabulous Sherri to start your new mommy journey in PA, MD, NJ, CT or New York, then send over some contact information immediately to Info@JackandJillinteriors.com. Be sure to share this rare opportunity with your friends and family.

The 2012 Color of the Year

Hey Mr. Prop Maker...have you heard that Boyz-n-Berry is the 2012 color of the year? I was actually expecting Emerald Green or Sapphire Blue since these colors have hit the fashion runways hard recently. Princess Kate loves wearing these jewel tones, too! (Yes, I do keep up with what the other princesses are wearing!) So... what is your favorite Boyz-n-Berry colored product for kids? - Sherri

Hey Sherri, it's great that Boyz-n-berry is moving in on pink's territory.  I personally like the fact that it is sophisticated and would partner with oranges, reds and browns, making it a strong unisex or even masculine coordinate. I asked some of my creative friends and kid industry smarties to give us their thoughts on this "flavor" of the year.


Television host, designer and author, Mark Montano wasn't shocked at all to see the aubergine relative gain prominence.  "My theory is that Barbie likes this color, then every girl in the world will respond to it, too.  Barbie knows her pinks and purples, trust me on this," Mark elaborates.  His recent release of "The Big Ass Book of Crafts 2" hasn't slowed him down, he's busy designing something special in honor of Barbie, that has him "up to his neck in purples and pinks."  With his repertoire of hundreds of crafting projects, to guess what he is creating would almost be futile.  You never know, he may reveal the project on his Facebook page at anytime.

Deanna Campbell, the owner and nostalgic style diva from MyRetroBaby.com has her opinions tuned into the color being used in more contemporary ways.  "Boyz-n-Berry has a striking urban and modern feel.  There is a bit of mystery with this color and quiet sophistication," Deanna says.  With her experience as a  retailer specialized in catering to mod-moms it wouldn't be a surprise that she loves the color's ability to mingle with orange, it is so very retro chic.  She adds, "Deep shades of purple are emerging as a solid color choice when it comes to nursery design and baby accessories.  This color looks spectacular when paired with warm neutrals and rich oranges."

With her designs sought after and sold by amazing companies like Robert Kaufman Fabrics, K & Company and C.R. Gibson, the talented Terri Conrad must have her pulse on color trends or a fantastic crystal ball.  Her trusted sources are reliably on the mark, when she reveals that the boysenberry blend of purple can be seen in her recent dinnerware designs from Merritt USA and her Botanique collection designs for Creative Co-op.  She professes her fondness "I love the color.  It's been a prominent player in my palette, it's sophisticated with a touch of playfulness."

Saplings in Caldwell, New Jersey

I admire and am always amazed by the terrific merchandising in Cindy Blanco's store called Saplings, in Caldwell, New Jersey.  She has a terrific eye.   Her ability to sell a vast array of products by communicating visually, through wonderful lifestyle vignettes, helps her customers stay on top of the latest styles.  They often inspire her customers to hire Cindy to decorate their homes.  Cindy always has areas in the shop specifically merchandised for kids and teens.  Her choice of color combinations are always a reflection of what's trending for boys and girls.  "If a boy wanted a purple room and didn't want his friends to make fun of him, boyz-n-berry would be the choice.  With a burst of red or even orange, it would feel hip and so comfortable to work with," she adds.

Frisco, Texas is the home of Dimples and Dandelions, one of the top shopping destinations for mommies with style.  Wendy Stroud and her husband, Michael, owner of the D&D storefront and popular DimplesAndDandelions.com started their journey in the juvenile business back in 2005.  Wendy, a mother of three and discerning buyer, is always on the look out for new trends, she finds the purple palette to be a refreshing alternative to her favorite pink palette.   She's a self professed girly-girl.  She finds that "the color Boyz-n-berry is a really cool color because you can do so many different looks with it, for example, you can go edgy, glamourous or regal and sophisticated.  It can be a total glam color in a tween room with a black chandelier, zebra print, crystal knobs and maybe, just maybe a bit of teal for some extra pop!"  

Wendy was so excited to play with this eggplant palette, she sent over a few inspirational pictures to share.

My daughter would claim that Justin Bieber is the king of pop-purple, I'm going to go out on a limb and say she's probably right.  He seems to be the "fear no color" ambassador, with his not-so-typical male hue picks.  Maybe some of his influence in fashion has spread, so teens and tweens can feel less bound by color stereotypes and are more willing to experiment with color.  I too, can imagine a boys room featuring this color and am inspired to suggest it to some clients.  Likewise, it will be a refreshing alternative to the pink values often requested by my young female clients.  Boyz-n-berry- it's name might be more telling than we think.

Enjoy!

Aaron- I'm not at all surprised that these fabulous trend-setters are already using this mysterious yet versatile hue! The consensus seems to be that we'll see this color paired with a warm neutral...dare I say the reign of the cool gray neutral might be nearing its end? 

http://www.myretrobaby.com/