Decorating with ABCs & 123s

It’s August, and even if you don’t have school-aged children yet, there’s still something Pavlovian about the back-to-school season. The stores are full of supplies and memories of our own schooldays come flooding back (although my back-to-school list never included a flash drive like my kids lists do!). But even if you’re not in the market for school supplies just yet, you can still take advantage of this season for decoration inspiration. And because it’s never too early to introduce readin’, writin’ and ‘rithmetic to your baby, toddler or preschooler, consider accenting your nursery or big-kid’s bedroom with letter and/or … Continue reading

Bunk Beds: A Childhood Dream Come True

Ahhh, bunk beds … pure Americana, right? The mere thought of them creates nostalgia for our our own childhood when we either had bunk beds or desperately wanted them. Maybe a friend had a set and you lived for those sleep-over invitations. Or maybe you wanted to be the first camper to your cabin each summer to ensure first pick of the top bunks. Yup, there’s just some kind of magical allure…. For adults, it’s fun to see the evolution of the bunk bed over the decades, transforming from the most basic models we remember into the almost unbelievably sophisticated, … Continue reading

Clever Ideas to Repurpose or “Upcycle” an Old Crib

On June 28, 2011, the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission put the latest crib safety standards into effect. These mandates make it illegal to sell – or even give away – any non-compliant crib to be put back into service as a baby bed. Although this is wonderful news for the health and safety of babies, in a single day, this legislation put tens of thousands of cribs out of work. Fortunately, we Americans are a tremendously clever bunch – and environmentally conscious too – so crafty people were able to dream up wonderful uses for these decommissioned cribs. In … Continue reading