basket, basket on the wall

Oh man, do I love a good basket. I have at least one in every room. The look is totally charming, and the texture (whether natural fiber or wire) can add so much interest. As a bonus they are just so darn functional, corraling catalogs, toys, towels, etc. Recently, I've been noticing hanging baskets and thinking how genius to get them up on the wall—it frees up floor space and can create an almost art-installation effect.

all images via pinterest

getting creative: kids' playrooms

Since becoming a mom, my design focus these days is pretty much on the bebe—her crib, her clothes, the walls in her room. Someday we hope to have a space where she can play to her heart's content too.

creative and cozy, via lonny

I'll never cease to be amazed at the ingenuity I see out there in kids' playrooms these days. Whether it's a whole room or a cute curtained-off corner, these spaces are so clever and so appealing. They're the perfect spots for little ones to be escape to, to create, to dream, and to just be kids. And of course, if they're put together to look good to a big person's eyes, organized and "designed," all the better.

the storage and symmetry are so perfect here

sometimes a little reading nook is all you need, via decorpad

absolute perfection, by steven gambrel

art room

graphic black and white scheme keeps things looking neat

teepees are everywhere these days—what kid doesn't like hiding out?

if you're feeling adventurous, the rope ladder is very cool

tented ceiling has a fairy tale feel

love the idea of recycling a large spool as a table 

Do you have a playroom for your kids? Is it a whole room or just part of one? Would love to hear how you pulled it together or if you don't have one, what you're dreaming of for your little ones!

patio diy dreaming

Spring is definitely here (finally!) and as always I'm looking to my backyard and seeing just a few things that need tweaking. Any yard needs some hardscaping to provide definition, and ours has very little. We've got a deck but could use a stone walkway. And I've dreamed for a years of a pea gravel, paver, or cobblestone patio—really almost any material would do. How much better would our backyard look, and how much better would summer life be, if we could diy something like this?

pea gravel is so charming & seems so easy to achieve, though i know it still requires a lot of labor to prep the ground underneath

great checkerboard design with grass growing between the stone

pavers look diy-able, if perhaps a bit too clean and perfect-looking for my taste

i like the varying shapes and sizes of these stones

brick in a herringbone pattern=perfection

gasp. i am pretty much speechless here

Sadly, a backyard patio is not in the cards for us this year. We have too many other projects and not enough dough to go around. But if you're inspired and have the muscle, determination, and budget to do it, check out these how-tos from This Old House, Style at Home, and DIY Network and see how John and Sherry did it here. And then come back and let us know how it turned out!

catching up

I know I have more than a little catching up to do, folks. Here's a little roundup of what we've been doing instead of blogging!

practicing our yoga (okay, just playing in the living room). and oh yes, recovering the ottoman

enjoying a little spring color on a warm evening

learning to crawl

having a blast on vacation with the family

loving the water

enjoying this south carolina view

Now that our spring vaca is over, I really am looking forward to getting back into organization, client work, and blogworld again. Also looking forward to spring in the Northeast. Has it come to you yet?

tone on tone

It may take work, but creating a room in shades of one color does not have to be boring. I'm working on a design for a very neutral, very monochromatic (no pops of color, really!) bedroom right now and have been looking for some inspiration. I think these may be tough rooms to achieve, but they are ultimately my favorite. Instead of relying on different colors for interest, you get to play with pattern and texture and scale and form. Here are some of my favorite rooms to study when it comes to working in similar tones.

Amid very soft neutrals, the striking chandelier stands out.

Another neutral room, this one rich with pattern and texture and many shades of beige. So cozy and not boring at ALL.

Simple, pretty in whites, caramels, taupes, and golds. Shapes stand out.

Shades of blue are far from predictable with lots of pattern, large-scale art, and high contrast of dark woods and whites.

Lovely soft, rosy pinks. Plenty of white and dashes of gold make it sophisticated.

Tone on tone lets you play with pattern.

You can do monochromatic boldly too. Berry red is so great all over this room!

But I really prefer neutrals like the blue grays here. Thinking monochromatic often means you're going for soothing, and soft neutrals work so well for this look. Textures play on chairs and walls, patterns play on draperies and rug, and form and scale have fun on the chandelier. Subtle AND interesting. Tone-on-tone perfection.