I scoured the internet and perused numerous modern baby furniture websites in search for the perfect baby crib to nestle into my industrial loft. I couldn’t help but fall in love with more than one modern crib and couldn’t resist sharing these mega cool trundles.

Oeuf Classic Crib Collection
$940

Oeuf Sparrow Crib
$730

Modern Grey Low-Rise Crib by Land Of Nod
$900

Nifty Clear Cot Crib by Ubabub
Available through online UK Locations

NurseryWorks Vetro Crib
$3500

Spot on Square “Roh” Crib
$1790 to $2249

Kalon Studios Ioline Crib
$1595

Oops Crib by Structured Green
$2,450

Newport Cottages Cody Crib
$1395  (Extensive Finish Options Available)

BamBam Crib By Argington
$449

Bloom Baby Alma Crib
$400

Grey Dylan Portable Crib by Baby Mod | Babyletto
$169 (Available at Walmart)

After searching many websites and review sites looking for Modern Baby Cribs & Decor, I finally came across this fab RESOURCE LINK: BuyModernBaby.com

Lea Goes To New York: What is Hi-Def paint?

Nesting Newbies was invited, along with a group of decor bloggers, to a special event in New York to learn about and experience hi-def paint and current color trends from Valspar, Lowe’s, and Nate Berkus. Lowe’s and Valspar flew Lea across the continent, from San Francisco to Manhattan, so she could experience the power of hi-def paint!

Who knew that there was so much to learn? Lea shares…

Forget the red carpet leading us to the event…We got the “red wall” treatment!

This happy handyman is smiling because Valspar’s Hi-Def paint rolls onto a wall surface and covers over everything–even black–in one, single coat. Wow, how impressive! They caught my attention at the first roll over that bold chevron stripe! I was all eyes and ears to learn more.

Lowe’s had some tasty treats for us–so nice and food always gets my attention–but what attracted me the most was the large scale graphic wall with blown-up Allen + Roth Valspar® Signature Colors® Paint chips.

Allen + Roth Valspar® Signature Colors® Paint is available at Lowe’s. They call it…”classic style with a modern twist.”

The names of the colors are hip, fun and whimsical. My favorite color is teal, so of course, my favorite paint swatch is a teal-ish hue called “swizzlestick”. How did they know that I am a sugar fiend? Perfect!

Forget a bunch of talking heads…this event was experiential. There were mural painters creating original art by painting over life-size wall photo decals. What a cool idea!

They put all of us to work, too! We donned aprons and paint brushes for some hands-on practice while learning a few valuable tips from a Valspar paint guru. Did you know that the quality of the brushes will make a difference in the final result? Well, that was news to me, as well as finding out that Purdy paint brushes are the best.

Nate Berkus, celeb designer and host of The Nate Show, popped in to discuss current color trends and his color inspirations.

He reminisced about a past island vacation and his adventure with snorkeling. He isn’t very fond of swimming with fishes (at this point, he really caught my attention because I feel the same way). He ended up going for it, and was glad he did, because the experience was amazing! The vibrant colors of all of the fish and other sea life that live beneath the water left a huge impression. As a result, he has new found appreciation for combining color. His realization? If a color mix exists naturally in nature, then never second guess whether it is a good combination.

Nate brought and displayed some of his “favorite things” for color inspiration, including a few palettes from the Allen + Roth Valspar® Signature Colors® Paint line.

We were given a paint challenge…even Nate participated (just look at that concentration). It was buckets of fun! : )

I had a moment to catch up with Nate one-one-one, and he was really relaxed, engaging, and very authentic. He made everything fun, lighthearted, and kept us laughing! After experiencing him off camera at this event, I am happy to say that I am an official Nate fan!

Lea Goes To Lowes: Seeing is believing.

Upon returning from the East Coast, I visited Lowe’s in San Jose which is just a few minutes away from my loft to see the Valspar paint display in person.

Whoa…there’s way more than I expected! It turns out in addition to the Allen + Roth Valspar Hi-Def Signature color line… there are several other Valspar Hi-Def Signature color lines at Lowe’s. Creative Ideas for Color™, Eddie Bauer® Home, Laura Ashley®, and Waverly®. OMG! Hundreds of colors!

Now that I have had my intro to Hi-Def paint and know I can get my paint projects done with a single coat, I am ready to throw on my overalls and paint my loft walls! Where to begin?

Painting Project 101: ValsparPaint.com is an online resource and perfect starting point.

ValsparPaint.com provides interactive tools and just about everything you could possibly want to know about paint. Features include:

Project planner- log in to plan one or multiple painting projects.

Idea Gallery- Need inspiration? Browse through the idea gallery to get inspiration for your project.

How-To Videos- Valspar created an extensive library of how-to videos for all types of painting projects. This is an invaluable tool for all of us visual learners.

Paint Calculator- This tool will be really useful for me, the newbie painter. I don’t have the slightest idea about how much paint I need. Here I can enter the dimensions of my project, select the color, and it will tell me exactly what I’ll need!

Virtual Painter- Check out what your room will look like in color. Just load the picture of your room and use their virtual painter tools to change the color.

There’s a cool video that teaches how to navigate the Valspar Paint site…a good starting point. Hmmm…I think this is where I’ll begin!

**While in New York, I met two standout decor bloggers face-to-face. Julie Thigpen is an Interior Designer from Southern California. Read her blog at Belle Maison 23 or visit her online store at Modern Chic Home. My other new-found-blogger-friend is Shani Gilchrist from South Carolina who writes as Camille Maurice.

Read Full Feature in Nesting Newbies Magazine, 2011 Issue No.5

The team at Amoroso Design—Shelly Amoroso, Melissa Chapman, and Abby Stopper—believe that residential design ideas can be influenced by a hotel stay.

Champalimaud, an award-winning hospitality design firm, is responsible for interiors at the most recognizable and luxurious hotels around the world. In this article, Shelly, Melissa and Abby comment on their favorite Champalimaud rooms and recommend furnishings inspired by these special spaces.

…from Corbett Lighting

{Kyoto 4-light Hanging Fixture}

{Tango LED Pendant}

…from Hudson Valley Lighting

{Winfield 1-light Hanging Fixture}

{Basking Ridge 3-light Hanging Fixture}

{Diner Pendant}

…from Troy Lighting

{Drum 4-light Hanging Fixture}

{Pierre Pendant}

*Have you taken a break, made yourself a cup of Earl Grey tea, and browsed the latest issue of Nesting Newbies Magazine?

Read Full Feature in Nesting Newbies Magazine, 2011 Issue No.5

From farm girl in rural Arkansas to Manhattan design maven…From world-traveling single girl with a dream to living-the-dream mom, wife, and celebrated design star…Laura Day inspires us to keep “an open mind and a keen curiosity” so we can be in charge of shaping the way we want to live! Take a peek into Laura’s world and enjoy her rosy point of view.

Opening image by Natalie Wi

Here are a few styles and colors…but there’s more on her website AND she can do custom colors, too!

Cone Planter in Chartreuse

Chiseled Planter in Navy with White

Oval Planter in Purple

Oak Bark Planter

So much better than something mass produced, don’t you think?

You can contact Mary directly at studio [at] maryoros [dot] com or at 707.747.5460

Jenny Blake is a mentor for modern times! She’s been working at Google as an internal coach, helping her fellow Google-ites focus on their personal growth and career development. Interested in helping others, she’s been blogging about Life After College with great tips and templates for finding your way in the real world (and she openly shares insights into her own personal life’s journey, including all the bumps and scary stuff she feels along the way).

I discovered Jenny by happy accident while trolling the self-help aisle at Barnes and Noble. She recently finished a book, “Life After College: The Complete Guide to Getting What You Want,” and took a leave from Google (on her own dime) to tour and promote its release. Now that’s a leap of faith! Though many years out of college myself, I had to buy it and take a closer look.

“I wanted to write a book that was punchy and easy-to-read, yet also informative and inspiring. There are tons of books for college graduates already, but most are focused on the basic nuts and bolts (things that people can now easily Google)—or they are limited to just one area, like Career. The format is what makes it unique. It’s a book written in a format that I (and I think many other 20-something Gen Y’ers) would want to read. It’s not a narrative, but rather a compilation of tips, quotes and exercises trimmed to the essence, divided into chapters to optimize every major life area. Chapter categories include life (values, goals), work, money, organization, home, friends & family, dating & relationships, health, fun & relaxation, and personal growth. Just like my blog helps people focus on the BIG picture, the book does the same but in a Twitter-esque style.”

Since we’re all about nesting here, I adored her chapter on HOME. She has some great stuff on navigating life with roommates, making the most of your living space, and quick tips for cleaning without too much hassle. Here’s a preview of the chapter:

Post college or at any stage in your life’s journey, this book is full of gems. It’s meant to be dog-eared, doodled in, highlighted, referred to, and explored.

Life After College: The Complete Guide to Getting What You Want website
Jenny Blake’s Life After College blog

Here are some sheet sets from the new Diane von Furstenberg Home collection. Known in the fashion world for her signature bold colors and patterns, we’re happy to see that she’s offering all of us her same fearless fashion sense for our homes.

Island Clover in Indigo and Flame

Batik Dot in Bahama Blue and Deep Lavanda

Rattan (textured stripe) in Fawn Light and Indigo

Available through Bloomingdales.com.
Find our more about the Diane von Furstenberg Home Collection for tabletop and bedding at dvf.com.

Meri Vallo and Edward Lloyd of Evolving Habitat make functional furnishings and accessories out of salvaged goods and artistic originality. We were captivated by their bright little boxes…a combination of reclaimed wood frames, lighting, and imaginative scenes. They make the perfect night lights (bye-bye nightmares!), and can be made to free stand or hang.

Pleasant Dreams Bear and Ballerina

Custom Light Boxes
They can do custom light boxes in sizes up to 11×11. Just have a convo with Meri!

Find more on their Evolving Habitat Etsy Shop

Here’s a small sampling on parade…

Eiffel

Délicieux

Reflex

Papillon

Tickets

Vroum

Explore bonjourmoncoussin.com to discover more!