Can you believe it's 2013 already?  The fact that we're living "so far in the future" makes me feel old.  Ha!  Or maybe that's the crying baby and sleep deprivation talking.  (OK, actually he's really good and is too full of smiles and chatter to do much crying.)

Last year I was really excited when Pantone announced Tangerine Tango as the color of the year.  I love orange and the vibrant energy that it exudes.  This year's color is sure to be another great one:



But really, what a great name and fantastic color!  A beautiful jewel tone, it has a richness and sophistication all its own.  Whether you paint an entire room, just add a green pillow, or hang up an art print, bringing in some Emerald Green is a wonderful way to rejuvenate a room and bring the outdoors in.  And if you went out and furnished your home in Tangerine Tango last year, don't worry, Emerald just happens to look great with it!

Here are a few examples.  For more Emerald Green, be sure to check out my Pinterest board here!

As I've been looking at different nursery designs, I realized that I should have done more of this before I got pregnant.  Now I'm finding myself being much more picky.  To make matters worse, due to lack of space and a very opinionated mama, our little one won't be getting his own room for a little while yet.

That being said, I believe that good design can be very beneficial to the development of little ones.  Babies can only see in black and white.  That doesn't mean that their rooms should look like that - bold colors and large graphic patterns in highly contrasting colors help their eyes to develop properly.  I love the ceiling treatments in these rooms - it keeps it interesting and gives baby something to look at.

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Books are so important to me and I hope to instill my love of reading in all of my children.  When books are stacked on a shelf with only their spines visible, it's hard for kids to get excited about them.  (They also tend to pull everything off the shelf in order to find what they're looking for.)  A great fix for this is a narrow shelf with a lip where books can be placed facing out.  Doesn't that look so much more enticing?

(Genevieve Gorder)

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A quick and easy (and dare I say affordable?) way to get this look is by hanging picture ledges - just one or a whole series.  Available here.

Stripes are a great way to grab your attention in a room.  Vertical stripes on a wall draw your eyes upward, making the room appear taller, while horizontal stripes can visually double the length of the room.  Stripes can be formal or fun, classy or playful, sophisticated or whimsical, subtle or bold.

I love the way a mirror can be used to enlarge a space, as well as adding light and interest to the room.  Using multiple mirrors, in a collage format or interspersed in a photo collage, heighten the effect and add something magical to the room.  Try it and see!