intentional gifts that inspire gathering with loved ones
Jon my, little one, and I, have been spending a fair amount of time at my in-laws this holiday season, so it was important for me to bring along gifts that would inspire us all to sit around, cozy up, and share stories with one another . Below, are a few gifts that have inspired these moments.
The Perfect Daybed for Better Sleep and Style
I love the minimalist coastal comfort and tranquility that I feel from this daybed. Another aspect I enjoyed was…
A nursery should be the sweetest room in a home. A place filled with calm, smiles, snuggles, laughter, and the sweetest of dreams. Parents spend so much time in this space thus, it should be beautiful, functional, and ultimately a place that is enjoyable. My goal was to design a space that I looked forward to visiting every day. I wanted to feel happy in this space, and I wanted my baby to feel the same. So after having operated in the room for the first few months of my son’s life, I took to my design pad, and began jotting down all of the things that could provide more tranquility for him and I when nursing and relaxing in the nursery.
After jotting everything down, the element that stood out the most was seating. Initially there was a barrel chair in the nursery (I would try to nurse and sleep on this during sleep-training our baby boy) and it was very uncomfortable. I dreaded having to sit there to nurse. Jack (our baby boy) would have to ball up tight, for us to both fit in the chair during feedings. On days when my husband worked east coast hours (we live on the west-coast) Jack and I would have to wake up at 2:30am and relocate to the nursery, while my husband took business calls in our main bedroom. Trying to sleep in that barrel chair was a nightmare.
After spending many early mornings nursing and trying to nap in the barrel chair - I was fortunately able to partner with Sixpenny to give the nursery some much needed comfort and tranquility with the addition of their Neva Daybed. I love the minimalist coastal comfort and tranquility that I feel from this daybed. Another aspect I enjoyed was the customization when making my selection. I opted for the Poly Fill in the Jasmine Rice Medium Weight Linen colorway to suit the needs I had for the piece in this room. Once I made all of my selections I chose white glove service and in the blink of an eye the daybed was delivered and dropped off right in the room.
Since the Neva Daybed has been in the nursery, nursing and relaxing in the room has become a breeze. It has been a pleasure taking frequent naps near the little one as he sleeps in his crib as the daybed offers enough depth and length even for the taller folks (like my husband who is 6’4”) to lay comfortably. I’m at the point now where I almost look forward to some of my husband’s really early mornings just for more time on the daybed.
With all that said, being an interior designer the look and quality matter just as much as functionality for any furniture piece I procure and in this regard the Neva Daybed does not disappoint. Sixpenny purposely designs their furniture with ethically-sourced materials handcrafted to stand the test of time. When the daybed arrived, I immediately noticed the craftsmanship .From the look and feel of the Medium Weight Linen to the sturdiness of the kiln-dried solid hardwood frame and arm. They even went as far as to cleverly conceal the zippers to make it aesthetically appealing, but easy to find in case you need to pull off the slip cover and clean any spills or odors.
To put it simply, the Neva Daybed provided much more than better seating in our nursery, it enriched the space with family bonding, tranquility, and comfort.
The books you need to style a room
These books give designers and anyone looking to style their home, the option to intentionally incorporate books into the design of a space.
Lately, I’ve been feeling a bit guilty about spending long hours binge-watching shows on television. I always leave the sofa wondering where the time went, and with a slight headache. It’s just not the same as cuddling up with a good book and a hot drink. I’ve been missing the simpler days, where I used to read books and get lost in a story, allowing my mind to wonder; creating images for the characters, imagining how their voices sound, and creating the scene where each chapter took place. Reading really allows me to think creatively, and truly frees my mind. Even as an interior designer, I’d been wanting to go on an imaginative journey lately, so when I received the opportunity to work with Booth And Williams, I was over the moon about it, and quick to jump at the movement to replace televisions for books in interior design.
Booth and Williams offers freshly curated book sets and single titles. Their staff draws on its experience in interior design and books to deliver rich palettes of book décor to help you achieve the intended look for your interior space. In addition to the beauty of it all, the books are all readable. So you can imagine how thrilled I was when I received my Modern Beach Book Wall, with over 70 books (yes, you read that right. They sent me 75 stories - to be exact). Seventy-five (75) authentic modern hardback books in crisp shades of off-white. All of my books are published within 1980 through the present, and include a variety of literary works, period novels and topical texts with light overall wear. These offerings are special to say the least, as I’ve officially started a mini library in my home.
Each box sent to me, revealed classics, best sellers, history, and fashion books. My smile grew every time I pulled a book from the box. Not only excited to style these beauties, but at the chance to read titles like “Tuesdays With Morrie” by Mitch Alborn, “How To Know God” by Deepak Chopra, and “Remember Me” by Sophie Kinsella. There were so many stories and authors I recognized, and many I hadn't, which really got me smiling. Books hold a special place in my heart, and I love being able to touch them and breathe life and color into the black and white words written in them (maybe it’s my journalism degree at play here). Nonetheless, I’ll forever be drawn to literature I can physically touch. Books make a home feel lived in, inspire conversation, and imagination.
I love how Booth And Williams gives designers and anyone looking to style their home, the option to intentionally incorporate books into the design of a space. They have the option to order by color, subject, style (vintage or modern), and subject - so many genres! They even have the option to order custom sets. In addition to the book wall, I chose a Tuxedo Arts Assouline Coffee Table Stak, and a Modern Snowfall Color Stak.
The coffee table stak is the perfect complement to my modern bedside tables, and I love the sophistication it adds to my bedroom space. As an interior designer, I must speak to how wonderful it is to have a team of experts curate these book staks. In the past, I’d spend countless hours sourcing the perfect books to complete a space, and being able to shop their website for pre-curated staks makes a world of a difference when working on client projects. It’s also convenient to have a visual of these curated books to add to mood boards. I was able to screenshot my Snowfall Color Stak to add to the moodboard I had set for our small office area, giving me an exact idea of how it would look in the space.
Beyond the fact that Booth And Williams has created a revolutionary way for designers and design lovers to purchase books, what they have managed to provide is a way to share and recycle many of these literary works. The brand is offering access to knowledge, lessons, and art. These books are invaluable and provide so much aesthetically, mentally, and imaginatively. The quality of this product is beyond just the look. Booth And Williams is offering beautifully curated stories.
Speaking of stories, we love a good read, what books would you absolutely have to include in your home when styling a room?