I’ve realised I’m more than a bit partial to mobiles for babies. Even more so when they’re as stunning as these bird mobiles. The two that have caught my eye big time, are the majestic swan and the migrating birds mobile. There’s just one word to describe them… wow! How incredibly beautiful they are. Both are made by Dame Belette, a French lady who’s inspiration is nature and poetry. Made of paper, coupled with feathers for the swan one and natural wood for the migrating birds, these bird mobiles are definitely poetic, majestic even. You can get them from a site called Design from Paris and the swan mobile costs €56.40 while the migrating birds mobile costs €59.90 and they ship to Europe, USA, Australia and lots more places. Not the cheapest but sometimes beauty comes at a price.
If you’d rather make your own bird mobile (well, sort of) then have a look at this creation by Alice Melvin for under a tenner.
My heart is pounding boom-boody-boom, my head is giddy with excitement all because I have discovered Bholu. What beautiful stuff with an equally beautiful ethos behind it. The creation of Aussie designer Jodie Fried, Bholu supports rural and urban communities in India. The artisans hand craft and embroider each piece while the drawings are by children from the underprivileged slums of India. Bholu also supports and helps with the building of schools in India. Respect to Jodie.
Back to the Bholu creations though (lest you think I’ve gone all gooey), they’re oh so high on style injected with lashings of simplicity to create hugely wantable goodies. On offer are cushions, wallpaper, throws, night lights and soft toys all embellished with the sweetest of kiddy drawings. The colours are a combo of bold and neutral often with the subtlest of embroidery which is truly wow. I love it all but if I had to pick a favourite, well I’ve fallen madly for Ignatius Critter. To checkout these wonderful creations, head to the Bholu website and once you’re done drooling, checkout their stockists for retailers in Europe, USA and worldwide.
I’ve been browsing the new Spring/Summer 2011 collection from Bobo Choses, the Spanish kiddy clothing and accessory house. I’m seriously in lust. Their cool, quirky designs coupled with simple graphics will appeal to kidlets as well their parents. But it’s not just the clothes that have got my pulse racing faster than the bulls of Pamplona. There’s even more hugely covetable stuff like the sunshine woven hat and the cherry embroidered rug (pictured last). They’ve even got the cutest little undies (they call’em panties) for the kids. Prices start from around £16 for a vest-tee and there’s lots in the £20-£30 range. To check out their collection visit Little Fashion Gallery*, the doyenne of kiddy style or for a slightly different range try Orfeo Design. I’m a sucker for kiddy threads with high doses of cool. And Bobo Choses is up there with the hottest of hotties.
*Update June 2014 – Sadly Little Fashion Gallery closed it’s doors.
There’s something special about canal houses, y’know the kind you find in Amsterdam. And there’s something equally special about these canal cardboard storage houses. They’re just so cool. They come as a set of 3, each with a different shaped roof… how authentic! Each canal house box has a different coloured interior and a white exterior that is screaming to be decorated. Sticker them, paint them, draw on them, wallpaper them, the choice is yours. Made of 100% biodegradable cardboard, they’re sturdy and even have a carry handle. Measuring around 53 x 33 x 22cms, they’re not as tiny as they look in their photo’s. The set of 3 Amsterdam canal storage boxes normally cost £25 but they’re currently on sale for £15 from All up and on and delivery’s £3.98.
Update: The shop mentioned in the post has closed down and I can’t find these boxes anywhere else. Sorry. But if you like these, then checkout the Amsterdam Cabinets. They’re cool!
I was searching for something completely different when I stumbled upon these hand crafted elephant coasters. Their super cute, colourful looks got me hooked and I had to share. Made of wool felt in 5 bright and bold colours with a contrasting coloured heart, they’re just deliciously sweet and will protect your lovely furniture from the inevitable drips and spills. You can get them as a set of 5 at Jqline’s shop on Etsy for $20 plus delivery at $3.50. And as she suggests, you can even attach a ribbon to them and use them as little nursery decorations. Or try stitching them on to a plain white cot bumper to liven it up and get a one of a kind bumper. I’m loving the possibilities these offer.
If you’re thinking nursery accent colours, think turquoise blue. Bright, fresh and cool, it works stunningly well with other vibrant shades like fuchsia, sunshine yellow and vivid greens. Just look at the picture above*. I’m loving the apple green with lots of bold and bright turquoise blue accessories and furniture. For boy or girl, nursery or toddler room, turquoise is hot! And I’ve got 7 uber cool decor and furniture ideas for you to look at and start getting inspired.
*Picture from ohdeedoh
1. Oval bookshelves by Sebra
I’m loving these versatile shelves in the most delicious shades of turquoise. Use them for books, DVD’s, small toys and more. They can even be placed on the floor for easy reach by little arms. They come as a set of 4 in various sizes and cost £120 with free delivery from Kidsen.
2. Felt wall flowers to hang
Oooh… these flowers have got me wanting! Handmade in glorious turquoise with just a dash of gold felt, these flowers are super stunning. They come as a set of 3 measuring 8 inches, 11 inches and 14 inches and are ready to hang. Place them over a cot or junior bed and prepare to be wowed! They cost $90 plus $12 for shipping from Lilac Saloons shop on Etsy.
3. Elephant fleece blanket
Elephants are a favourite ’round here. They just work so well on kiddy stuff. And this blanket is no exception. It’s bright, it’s sweet and can also be used as a throw to embellish your turquoise theme. The elephant fleece blanket measures 70x90cms and costs £18 plus £5.50 delivery from Scandiliving.
4. Toy storage bucket
These tubs are normally used for gardening and DIY but I love them as toy storage buckets. They come in various sizes so you can get one of each. And these storage buckets definitely won’t break the bank. Cool style that doesn’t cost the earth definitely has my vote. You can get these in loads of DIY stores but I found them at Millbry Hill and they cost from £3.99 – £6.75, depending on size and delivery’s from £2.50.
5. Crochet pouffe / stool
Crochet excites me every time. I love anything crocheted. And this stool’s right up there with the crochet greats! It’s simple, it’s stylish and would look fabulouso in a kiddy’s room. The best bit: the cover’s removable and machine washable so it’s practical too. It’s 35cms wide x 25cms high, costs $53 plus $20 shipping and you can get it from La Casa De Coto on Etsy.
6. Marimekko fabric wall art
I’m a huge fan of the Finnish Marimekko. They make the most delicious things for the home and kids. Amongst their lovelies is this large fabric wall hanging. The pale turquoise against the red and yellow just gives it the wow factor. And of course the 3 animals graphics are fab too. This Marimekko nursery wall hanging measures 120 x 120cms, costs £109.50 plus delivery from Wall Arts UK.
7. Eames inspired rocking chair
Inspired by the oh so famous Eames RAR rocking chair, this chair is pretty darn cool. It’s a no fuss rocking chair with bags of style and would make a fabby piece for a nursery or a play space. You can get this chair for £69.99 with free delivery from the Chair Outlet. Not a bad price too!
There you have it. My top 7 turquoise blue picks to adorn your kiddy space with. Fancy a yellow nursery instead? Then have a look at our yellow nursery ideas.
I’m loving what I see. A bold and bright rug in the shape of a tree, to add a splash of colour to a nursery or a play space. Called the Pond Street Kids Rug by Designers Guild, it’s got a fab retro feel to it. The lively shades of green are perfectly complemented with a dash of rusty-orange. Lay it on a wooden floor and watch the space come to life in style! The Pond Street Kids Rug costs £195 with delivery at £9.95 and measures 150 x 180 cms. With it’s large size, it’ll make a fab and colourful alternative to carpet.
I never knew storage could get me this excited. But ‘jump up and down’ excited I am. These felt storage baskets are just so pretty! I’m calling them storage baskets but they’re really they’re storage nests made of felt. I’m loving the soft but striking colours on offer and then there’s the little bird detail… oh so pretty! The hanging nest would make a fabby addition to a nursery and a cool place to store the kidlets night clothes or anything else you fancy. Storage that doesn’t look like storage has definitely got my vote. Made by the French company called Muskhane, the hanging storage nest costs €39 from ilodeco but delivery’s rather steep at €16.50. You could also try Bobokids in London who have a selection. Bobokids aren’t online yet but there’s always the good ol’ telephone!
Don’t forget to checkout ebabee, our little baby auction site.
Ooh… the Frenchies have done it again. This time in the guise of a shop called Clemence G. Bursting with goodies in colours so bright, you might need to don a pair of sunnys! It’s a space filled with bambino bedding, nursery decor, soft toys, t-shirts, wrapping paper and more. All in hot, bold colours teamed with quirky graphics and funky prints. I’m lovin’ it. And in even hotter news, there’s more than a bit of a sale on with stuff up to 60% off and free delivery on sale stuff even to the UK! So if you’re a colour mad mama, now would be a good time to strike. And while you’re there do check out the chicken carpet… quirkylicious and cool at it’s best! The site’s in French but very easy to navigate around (despite my non-existent knowledge of French) or else just click the translate button on google and job done (google’s quite clever like that). Check out Clemence G… it’s seriously funky! (So much that I’ve just ordered a tee).
Ooh… my eyeballs nearly popped out when I spotted these animal book dividers. Their uber coolness was just too much! Made by Japanese designer Hiroshi Sasagawa, these animal silhouettes are meant to be book indexes or dividers. But I’m just staring at them in lust thinking of them as super hot design to jazz up your bookshelves with. They’d look pretty darn nifty in a nursery or I’m liking them for wherever you have bookshelves. On offer are a reindeer, a giraffe and a pig costing $23 each and they’re available from a US site called Green Grass Design that delivers here but shipping is very steep at $27. Animal silhouettes have never been hotter!
Ebabee Likes is a style guide for babies, kids, teens and their mamas. It’s all about inspiration, ideas and indulging yourself and your brood. It’s written by me ~ Nomita ~ a style loving girl from Mumbai who now live’s in London. Read More...
