Harry and Sal's Design Blog

It's been a while since I've taken a stroll through the wonderful world of Etsy, but tonight I did - and here are a couple of the gems I found that I thought you all might enjoy!

This wee skirt from Little Overcoat for three year olds is too delightful for words. And it's all made from recycled fabrics - perfection!

Personalized name-plates for books are a perennial favorite (great stocking filler - OK that's way too much thinking ahead!) - and these are particularly distinctive. From Oiseaux.

All of these brought to you today by the color orange and the letter E, well no letter really, but the color orange anyway - why save it for Fall?

Labels: Etsy, Kids, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 5/01/2008 0 Comments

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MEREDITH: I find that everything I think is blog-worthy seems to be for the nursery and not the living room. I'm cyber-stuck at the kid's table. This one might be able to go either way. I love this Viking Mobile which can be ordered with 3 or 5 ships. It seems like the most beautiful way to set sail a child's imagination. The boats are made of teak and they look as though they would fit most any room decor. I know boys love pirate toys, costumes, decor, parties, treasure and well, everything buccaneer-ish, but this is pretty enough even for a swashbuckling wee lass.

Labels: 2008, Gifts, Kids, Meredith

posted by Meredith Alexander at 4/04/2008 0 Comments

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MEREDITH: I was inspired by Sal's bedding posts to share this with you. It's the GREEN CRADLE. It is cardboard, recyclable, and just plain cool. Those of us parents know that a bassinet is such an ephemeral purchase, and it can be quite a costly one. This is the most wonderful option. It can also act as a sweet little toy holder once the babe is in his/her crib. Sadly, I have no use for it so I hope you will.

Labels: BedBath, Gifts, Green, Kids, Meredith, Storage

posted by Meredith Alexander at 3/08/2008 0 Comments

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MEREDITH: Hello out there in Harry and Sal land. My name is Meredith and I have a little site called The Acme Sharing Company which is a place to find family activities that teach kids about giving back. SO, needless to say, I don't get to blog about my favorite yummies; toys, books, gifts, furniture, etc. Now, here is my chance, thank you Sal!

In honor of Sal's heritage, I wanted to share with you the most fabulous Lizzie Allen wallpaper. I think these palace guards would work in both a traditional playroom or a super funky modern nursery. Being an anglophile and all around wannabe Brit, I am thinking that, for me, this might just be overkill since I have already hung Union Jack flags in my son's room in lieu of curtains. God Save the Queen!

Labels: 2008, Kids, Meredith, Textiles, Walls

posted by Meredith Alexander at 2/20/2008 0 Comments

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SAL: If you do manage to get away from primary colors for your child's nursery, I sadly (or happily I can't quite make up my mind) did not - then enjoy this wonderful tree made with vintage wallpapers for your wee ones decor. These come courtesy of Enfant Terrible - an online store with a wealth of whimsy and interesting playthings and yumminess for the smallest members of your family. Speaking of nursery decor, the final product of my reinvention of Oliver and Lola's room you can see below. I shamelessly raided Ikea for inspiration - but you know what? It works, it's fun and it was totally reasonable!

Labels: 711, Kids, Sal, Walls

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 2/01/2008 0 Comments

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SAL: Meredith, Meredith, Meredith. This dear woman is going to kill my pocketbook with all the fabulous links she is sending me! I'm probably one of the last to sample the delights of Small Magazine. I'm not even sure where to begin to describe it, only that it has some divine inspiration for kids design. This month is the style issue. Small is original and unique with a distinct point of view and the photography is wonderful to boot. It was through Small that I came across the work of Bella Sera (above). Wonderfully quirky hand-sewn clothes for kids. Enjoy!

Labels: Kids, Sal, Style

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 1/10/2008 1 Comments

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SAL: I wrote about Swedish designer Isabelle Norman Sallstrom's delightful personalized prints a while ago and I had to revisit. I just bought a selection for gifts for the holidays and the quality of the prints is outstanding. I'm so pleased. You can choose your motif, colors and text for something totally unique for your child.

Labels: Christmas, Gifts, Kids, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 12/08/2007 0 Comments

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SAL: Today we started tackling Oliver's nursery. The built in shelves we had originally put in the room have served us well, but ultimately it's a small room. Lola is now ten months old and if the two of them are to share, we need to make changes. I've been surfing around for some inspiration. Newly branded Apartment Therapy's nursery section, ohdeedoh, has some fabulous nursery tours which are a great starting point for ideas. I really liked Piccolini's warm tones (above). Also the Flickr Modern Nursery group has some wonderfully inspired rooms. I'm torn between just replacing everything, linens included and go for a whole new theme - or try and find something that will work with what we already have. The latter is the more affordable and likely option. Amenity Home has a great new nursery range of linens, it's kind of retro looking with animal prints in browns and oranges, very different. Our color scheme currently has a lot of bright colors - having recently purchased these delightful sheet sets from Ikea's children's range - so ultimately I'm thinking perhaps neutral for the walls and floor, then brighten it up with the art and accessories. Please - any ideas let me know!

Labels: Kids, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 12/06/2007 0 Comments

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SAL: I'm not quite sure to start with Binth, but I think Harry may quite possibly lose her mind when she checks them out. Binth stands for "beautiful, intriguing, new, timeless and haunting" and I can't think of a better description for their work. From simple games for children, to gorgeous notepads and pillows, as well as limited edition prints; their designs are just really lovely. And of course, all the inks they use are water-based, mixed by hand and their paper stock is recycled.

Labels: Art, Gifts, Kids, Sal, Stationery

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 11/19/2007 0 Comments

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HARRY: I'm getting right into games. I've started playing Uno with my 5 year old son (what a cool card game that is) and I'm looking for simple games I can play with my 2 year old daughter. DWR has a lovely memory game using Maharam fabric designs (above) and MOMA has a cool chair stacking game (below) that I think they would both like.

Labels: Christmas, Gifts, Harry, Kids

posted by cerentha harris at 11/17/2007 0 Comments

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HARRY: I've always loved globes. My son has one that talks to him - you touch it with a special pen and it tells you about the place you've just touched. Nice toy but not a particulalry elegant design. This globe on the other hand is all elegance. Love the black. And in case you were worried the boundary lines and places have been officially approved by the U.S. government. Thank goodness for that!

Labels: Art, Gifts, Harry, Kids

posted by cerentha harris at 11/17/2007 0 Comments

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SAL: Wokits have a great selection of lovely composition books based on the art of Winsor McCay’s “Little Nemo in Slumberland" which is a wonderful book I got for my kids a year or so ago. There are a variety of styles of books, both spiral and cloth bound, perfect for a journal or for keeping notes. Another cool gift idea for the holidays.

Labels: Gifts, Kids, Sal, Stationery

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 11/14/2007 0 Comments

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SAL: This time last year, my son's favorite toy was a cardboard box. It was the box his new funky Oeuf changing table came in, so it was a decent size and it sat in our living room for a good few weeks. We cut holes in it for windows, we decorated it with marker; sometimes it was a train, sometimes a house. Fun it was, but attractive, sadly, it wasn't. So it was with a certain amount of gleeful nostalgia, that I fell upon the Make it a Playhouse from Modernseed. It's just a plain white cardboard playhouse that your kids can decorate themselves. For $49 I am sorely sorely tempted, that is unless I just go find myself another plain old cardboard box :)

Labels: Gifts, Kids, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 11/08/2007 0 Comments

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SAL: A friend (thanks Meredith!) put me on to the wonderfully eclectic collection of homewares and oddities available from Silverlake-based Reform School. The site is wonderfully designed (by the same folks that gave Design*Sponge it's fabulous new look) and just a joy to browse through. These dolls/art pieces are made by Shelly & Mary Klein of Kstudio. The mother/daughter team has put together a wonderful selection of pillows and home accessories that use only sustainable materials. LOVE that. I also really like Shelley's paintings. More Reform School goodies below.

Labels: Art, Kids, Sal, Textiles

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 10/24/2007 0 Comments

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SAL: Air purifiers, I'll be one of the first to admit are not known as particularly design-friendly appliances. Many of our must-haves for the home are still relegated to some 1980s concept of utilitarian design that can ruin even the best thought-out home decor. So when my beady eyes fell upon the Baby's Breath air purifier by Austin Air - well, you can imagine my delight. This little gem comes in pastel shades of blue and pink (of course) and is really rather fetching!

Labels: Appliances, Kids, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 10/24/2007 0 Comments

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SAL: It's going to be hard to resist going on to ebay to check out those cool Aboriginal prints that Harry picked out. You have to be very careful when buying Aboriginal art - there's a lot of corrupt practices going on so it's important to go through reputable dealers or artists with established reputations. Anyway, something for the wee ones now. I'm always on the look out for interesting books for my 2 year old and absolutely fell in love with the sensibility of the selection that Julia Rothman over at Book by Its Cover writes about on her blog. Check out the wonderfully whimsical illustrations by Junzo Terada above. Terada also has designed a very cool wallet that can be found online at an Aussie shop Harry will love - Via Alley. Check out more from Julia's selection below. I think I remember the Lazy Lion from my own childhood!

Labels: Books, Gifts, Kids, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 10/21/2007 0 Comments

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SAL: A friend (Thanks Char!) put me on to the delightful kids goodies available through Aussie online retailer Evie Lala. The shoes particularly are adorable - but the sizes are limited so hurry on over. To boot (get it? groan!) these are all of course for sale in Australian dollars which is still a bit of a bargain. The site also uses Paypal - I LOVE Paypal - makes it all so much easier. This may be a very sexist remark, but having a baby girl to shop for is such a danger. I've bought these booties and these super cute baby leggings for Lola in the last two days!

Labels: Kids, Sal, Style

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 10/10/2007 0 Comments

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SAL: I never thought I'd say this, but, speaking of lunch boxes... Store-owner Carla Denker's current picks over at the hip LA design store Plastica, is currently featuring a new take on the Bento box. Available in a range of very cool colors, it's perfect for school or the office. I haven't schlepped over to Plastica's bricks and mortar shop for a while now, but their online store is pretty groovy. Although the overall theme is goods made of plastic, they've expanded to include much more than that - all with a modern, pop-arty kind of a vibe.

Labels: Kids, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 10/01/2007 0 Comments

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SAL: And now, as they say, time for something completely different. I saw these super cute lunch boxes on Oh Joy a while ago now. Brought to you by the folks over at Built NY in collaboration with children's book illustrator Stephen Savage. Who could resist? They should totally expand the range to do a range of children's products don't you think?

Labels: Kids, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 10/01/2007 0 Comments

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SAL: Perhaps it's Fall approaching and all the delicious colors emerging as the season changes around us, that is bringing on this lust for color. Although for Harry in Sydney, they are now (thankfully I'm sure) heading in to Spring. Whatever it is, I too am finding myself drawn to the bold and the bright these days. I was checking in on how the folks over at Grassroots Modern were going with their house project, when I spotted their post about the work of Avalisa and her wonderful prints for children. See a selection below. Luckily for us, Avalisa is now branching in to rugs - and has a sneak preview on her website - enjoy!

Labels: Art, Kids, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 9/26/2007 0 Comments

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SAL: Following on from Harry's recent post on cool bedding for kids - I had to share the cool duvets and sheets over at Boodalee. I particularly like the Circus print pictured above. However at $135 for a twin duvet set it's not the most thrifty of options. For those of you on a tighter budget such as myself, I hate to say it, but Ikea again has some really fun designs. I got the Barnslig Rand set for Oliver's room last week.

Labels: 711, Kids, Sal, Textiles

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 9/25/2007 0 Comments

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HARRY I'm back again. Just. We're still up to our eyeballs in boxes and both the kids are sick (we've been juggling vomit buckets with dust rags all day). Brian just connected the Bose so at least we have music (this system is amazing...I highly recommend it. Great sound and it looks sleek). No TV til next week. And we seem to live at IKEA. I think those guys should give you free coffee after the third visit. Or at least a discount. The kids rooms has finally taken shape...so now they can get feverish in comfort. Got the dotty bedspread above, the rug below (which is a lot richer in real life - lots of earthy reds and greens). Finally got the Bookworm up - it took three of us, including my father who is a builder. Now it is home to everything from a Batman doll to books and weird little wooden Mexican winged things my brother gave the kids. Their room looks really cool. And ours? Well, it sucks. But I start on that tomorrow. Definitely no more IKEA.

Labels: 94, BedBath, Harry, Kids

posted by cerentha harris at 9/17/2007 1 Comments

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HARRY I got an email from the people at e-glue about their wall decals. They sell some very cool designs of their own. But they also take your designs - or your kids' - and turn them into decals. I really like the idea of creating your own wall art. And it could be for anywhere in the house...especially since they do waterproof decals as well. E-glue is a French company - but they ship all over the world.

Labels: Art, Harry, Kids

posted by cerentha harris at 8/27/2007 0 Comments

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HARRY My dad and I just got back from a trek to IKEA. (My father and I clearly share the same shopping gene). I love that all that interesting design is being bought by every man and his dog. I don't love that every man and his dog is there when I'm there. What a crazy place. So packed full of stuff. So cheap. Some of it's great and some of it's just going to fall apart before you get it home. I did find this lovely cushion for my daughter. Also found good kid's beds and a simple cheap desk for me (until we finish the renovation and figure out what will happen in my office this trestle table will be perfect). If I had a bigger budget I'd order the kid's bed (pictured below) from notneutral - they've got wonderful furniture. Right now I'm glad to be home in one piece with a glass of wine, a bowl of corn chips and our pretty new pillow.

Labels: 94, Furniture, Harry, Kids

posted by cerentha harris at 8/19/2007 0 Comments

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HARRY We'll be back in our house soon. Our furniture arrives from LA in a few days. I'm obsessing over the kids' room. My two year old keeps asking to go home - she has no idea where home actually is. So I want there bedroom to be wonderful. I love this vinyl wall decal from Ich&Kar. I can see it on their wall with little red ladybugs and blue birds dotted through it. And if anyone knows where to find a cool bunkbed please let me know!

Labels: 94, Harry, Kids, Walls

posted by cerentha harris at 8/16/2007 0 Comments

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HARRY: I'm on the lookout for beanbags for the kids. My brother and I had them (good 70s kids that we were) and I loved them. I want my two gremlins to have that same Styrofoam bean joy. I found this hideously expensive version at my new favourite online store - auto. I hate it when you find the perfect thing and it's way way way above your budget. I'd actually like to know who spends $769 on a beanbag - even if the fabric is by Missoni. Please - if you know of any good alternative, let me know!

Labels: Furniture, Harry, Kids

posted by cerentha harris at 8/07/2007 0 Comments

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HARRY: Inspired by Sal's giraffe I went off looking for my own piece of kid's art. I came across Tinypeople - a new site and online store that ships in Australia and to the US. They've got a tonne of great stuff but the art they've collected is some of the best I've seen. It's not cheap but it's the kind of stuff your child can take with them when they move out!

Labels: Art, Furniture, Harry, Kids

posted by cerentha harris at 7/30/2007 0 Comments

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SAL: Romp. Who can resist a site with a name like that? I love these these animal silhouettes which are made from hand-cut from vintage 60-70's wallpapers - what a novel idea for your kid's room? You can even add a wallpaper tree to complete the picture. Each design is unique and patterns are often limited, so you're not necessarily guaranteed that the pattern of your choice will be immediately available. Judging from some of the designs on the site though, whatever you choose will be worth the wait!

Labels: 711, Kids, Sal, Walls

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 7/30/2007 0 Comments

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HARRY: I much prefer a bath to a shower. Our bath in LA is tiny and shallow and pretty unsatisfying on every level. So I need a bit of distraction when I'm in it. I've tried bath products lovely sponges and expensive candles. But I think this plug is the thing. It's new at Urban Outfitters. The boat is made of vinyl and it floats around as you soak. The kids are going to love it too.

Labels: BedBath, Kids

posted by cerentha harris at 7/11/2007 0 Comments

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HARRY: Stumbled across Neighborhoodies after we saw Ratatouille yesterday (GREAT film). I love their DIY kids stuff and they will also customise adult t-shirts and hoodies. You choose your own words (font, colour, size, placement on shirt) and viola...it's yours. Sal - we should do a harryandsal hoodie!

Labels: Kids, Style

posted by cerentha harris at 7/05/2007 0 Comments

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HARRY: We finally made it to the renovated Getty Villa yesterday. They've added a massive modern building that's stepped into the hillside and includes a cafe and store. I liked the mix of concrete and timber. Very nicely done. The villa is wonderful to wander through - we've decided every house should have reflecting pools and a garden filled with sweet-smelling herbs. The art collection is not as compelling. I guess I'm not that interested in ancient pots and marble busts. I did find this rather elegant horse at the shop. It's inspired by an ancient Greek child's toy. If only all the toys my children have amassed were that simple and easy on the eye.

Labels: Harry, Kids

posted by cerentha harris at 6/28/2007 0 Comments

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