Modern Bedding on Sale at West Elm

I'm searching for some new bedding, and in my searches I came across the Octagon Jacquard Duvet Cover and Shams from West Elm:



A set of 2 shams is only $9.99 and the comforter is $103 - $127, depending on the size. That's a pretty good deal for such cool bedding. I absolutely love the bright, bold, graphic pattern. It's very Jonathan Adler-esque, and waking up in that bed would make me very happy. Sadly, the color does not go with our room so I have to find something more subdued. But I can imagine a lovely bedroom (in a house near the beach perhaps?) with a fun orange and white theme (I'm not wild about the bedding with the dark wood headboard shown above; a glossy white bed frame would be better, in my opinion) that would keep a smile on your face.

Placemats, and Linens, and Towels, oh my!

Did you know that Jonathan Adler has a line at Bed, Bath, and Beyond? I am a huge fan of his, and I think that he has a great eye for infusing interiors with color and flare. Here are some of my Adler Bed, Bath, and Beyond favorites:

Half Circle Placemat ($2.99 each and quite fun!)


Hollywood Duvet ($89.99 - $169.99 depending on size; I love that deep blue for a bedroom)


Origami Duvet (also $89.99 - $169.99 depending on size; something a bit quieter if the blue was too much for you)


Beads Terry Towel ($6.99 for a washcloth; I love towels with some dimension to them!)

Crib Bedding

A friend emailed me today to ask if I had any suggestions for baby boy modern (but not too modern) crib bedding with the Oeuf Crib:



As far as I'm concerned, Serena & Lily make the most beautiful and adorable crib bedding, but they cost an arm and a leg (we're talking at least $500 for a set which includes a fitted sheet, a bumper, a crib skirt, and maybe a blanket). Now, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends having nothing in the crib with a baby for the first two years of life. We're talking nothing here. Not a stuffed animal, not a blanket, and not a bumper. We personally chose to forgo the bumper, and I have not regretted it once. Everyone worries about their baby hitting themselves against the hard bars of the crib, but how about worrying about them smothering themselves against the bumper? Eventually the bumper has to go anyway because babies can learn to use the bumper as a step to try to climb out of the crib. Having said all of that, one way to cut crib bedding costs is to buy pieces individually from various places and to possibly skip the bumper altogether, as we did.

But I digress. I was asked for baby boy crib bedding suggestions, so here they are. JJ, this is for you and your friend!

From Serena & Lily:

Harrison (love the simple, crisp stripe of the fitted sheet)





Blake (love mixing polka dots of fitted sheet and stripes of bumper or skirt)







Carter (like the stripe of the fitted sheet and love the animals on the bumper! The Zeke design also has the animal bumper in blue and a polka dot fitted sheet)






From Nurseryworks:

Pinwheel in Pumpkin




From Baby Star:

Four Square (this collection comes with this fabric as the bumper and the Single File fabric as the fitted sheet and skirt)



Single File




I tried to stay in the modern but not too modern category, so how did I do? Oh, and to find all of these items I would suggest doing a Google search for the company and the name of the bedding because prices vary significantly on and some places sell the pieces individually (sheet, bumper, skirt, blanket) while others only sell them as sets.

P.S. Remember that you are going to need a few fitted sheets for when the little one has an accident and you can't do the laundry right away. I highly recommend getting some plain white jersey knit sheets (Buy Buy Baby sells great ones!) and saving yourself some money.

Baby's First Trip to IKEA

The family took a trip to IKEA in Elizabeth, NJ today to check out their kitchen cabinet options. To be honest, we weren't blown away by anything, but we will probably chose something from IKEA to keep our cabinetry costs down.

Here are some items that did catch my eye when we were there:

Jakob Swivel Chair for $139



The Jakob chair seems to be IKEA's take on the Saarinen Tulip chair. While clearly not the original, the Jakob chair does maintain a nice rounded shell to envelop your backside. It comes with a thin cushion that could use a little more substance to it, but it is a nice addition for comfort.



Tobias Chair for $89.99



The Tobias Chair was my favorite new piece of furniture that we saw at IKEA today. I love the clear plastic seat (reminiscent of the Ghost Chair by Philippe Starck - the original clear plastic chair) and the chrome plated legs. Also, this chair happened to be quite comfy on the old derriere (no cushion necessary).



Lunna Chair for $129



This was my favorite of the lounge chairs that IKEA had to offer. The base of the Lunna chair looks a bit cheap, but overall, I like the design and I think that the black and white floral pattern is nice and graphic (a good example of traditional design - the floral morif - done in a modern way - in black and white). If, however, anyone has problems getting up from a seated position in regular chairs, this would not be the chair for you because it is fairly low and deep. Also, the seat slants downward ever so slightly to meet the back of the chair making for a challenging attempt to rise out of the chair in any sort of suave fashion.



Andrea Kakel Bedding - $19.99 for a quilt cover and 2 pillowcases (!)



I absolutely adore this quilt cover and these pillowcases that we saw today. The color is a very warm, deep orange - perfect for a soothing and inviting bedroom. I was ready to hop into the display bed as I was browsing. They are 100% cotton, and I really love the sort of middle eastern pattern. Very exotic and unusual, and, if I dare say so, romantic for the boudoir.



Polarvide Throw for $3.99



I love the playful edges on this easy to use/store throw. All of the colors have a different edge design and my favorites were the red, bright green, bright yellow, and green. Unfortunately, the edges on the black, navy, and white versions were very bland and not at all as playful as the brighter colors. These throws are a lightweight fleece so they are extremely cozy, easy to clean, and can be thrown in a bag as a shawl. They are 67" x 51" - a manageable size for everyday. And for $3.99 you really could get one in every color...



Now for the bad. Every time I go to IKEA I see the Krabb mirrors (they even have a bad name!) and they make me cringe:



I've seen them at IKEA and in some apartments, and I've got to say, they are awful. I think the design is completely cheesy, unsophisticated, or clever. I hate one on its own so imagine how I feel when I see them in a group of three! It's not good. (Oh, and if you noticed, I have not included the link to the IKEA website for these mirrors because I really don't think you should buy them!)


That's all for now. I hope you enjoyed this post about our baby's first trip to the Swedish wonderland that is IKEA.