(Be warned this is a rant.)
I got this month’s issue of Domino magazine today and I was really happy to see it ever since I heard that it was folding. Although everything in there is high-priced, I still look at the pictures to see if I could copy the design elements without the hefty price tag.
Then I checked out the cover and almost went berserk.
It’s the “Age issue,” where they give design advice according to what lifestage you’re in. Here’s where my madness begins.
The 20-something guy (whose motto is “Do whatever you want, whenever you want”) lives in a spare one-bedroom Manhattan apartment and celebrates the fact he remains stylish even though his place doesn’t have any closets.
The 30-something couple are newlyweds and their piece is all about merging two different design styles.
The 40-something style director is profiled in an article titled, “Embrace real life.” She’s talking about creating great style even though she has “children, husband, full-time job.”
Now I’m upset. Because I’m a 20something married mama, the piece I should relate to the most – the free-wheeling single guy – pisses me off most. Are all married folks 30 and over? Are you only a mother once you hit 40? Does your “real life” not count if you do things sooner than the traditional time frame?
Where is the design advice for the young moms who want their apartments/homes to look cute even though there are Cheerios on the floor? Who is giving me tips on how to buy a couch that won’t show stains every time my son vomits on my shoulder?
So I’m adding a new feature to this blog where I’ll highlight design tips and tricks that are affordable and that work for moms with young babies.
Know any good places to buy furniture/bedding/accessories that are inexpensive and baby-friendly? Let me know!
dude all i can think of is ikea. and accessories from the fancier or more expensive places.
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I think the thing is to choose textures and colors that hide stains well and/or clean up easily. Or just be into a lived in look, which I am, hehe. There is always thrifting! Plus Ikea, and hey, furniture shops have sales! I’ve gotten quite a few of my favorite items from furniture stores pretty cheaply b/c they were being discontinued or whatever. Many people like Cost Plus World Market though I haven’t been. For inspiration, try jubella.com, designmom.com, ohdeedoh.com, knock knock at Bloesem kids, etc. Let me know if you’d like more links, I’ve got a ton.
I kind of second Ikea, but you have to be careful with them…about 50% of the time, you get what you pay for (i.e. low-quality, un-sturdy pieces of crap).
Have you looked at antique stores? You can find really high-quality furniture with character, usually at a reasonable price (or you could barter with them). Probably 95% of the furniture at my parents’ house was found during “antiquing” outings.
Bed Bath & Beyond has a very small furniture collection, but the pieces I’ve bought there have held up well and look like they’re a few steps up from Ikea. Defintely worth checking out.
Or, if you guys are feeling crafty, you could find a store that sells furniture that hasn’t been stained or varnished yet (so they’re usually pretty cheap). Then you could stain it yourselves one weekend. Voila! Custom-stained furniture.
And there’s always Target and Kmart for the accessories and decorations
Ugh!…just ugh!!!
Good news for deco. Clutch will be adding a blog called “Pad” March 1st. Here’s the link if you’d like to read more about it.
http://clutchmagonline.com/newsgossipinfo/memo-clutch-is-going-weeklytwo-new-blogs-paper-and-pad/