As I continue to knock through my New Year's resolutions, I decided it was high time to replace the scraggly looking bins sitting on my kitchen counter. You know, the ones full of mail, and chargers, and poker chips from 2004 (Oh, just m…
Let's talk storage solutions, shall we? Or rather, my lack thereof. Bills and random paperwork end up mishmashed into the Play-Doh tub (which, of course, contains no actual Play-Doh). There's not one item of winter clothing in the winter…
Bold. Graphic. Modern. Who'd have guessed the humble coaster could be so fun--and protect furniture so gorgeously? Bonus: They're sturdy enough for your kids, too. The gorgeous coasters from ArtisEverything on Etsy are sturdy enough to s…
When the tree is down, the tinsel away, and everything glitzy and shiny and blinky put safely back in the closet, I always have this need to surround myself with the serenity of white in my home. I collect white mid-century ceramic vases…
I kind of love everything from Jonathan Adler. Especially the scents of his new candles, which are sure to make your home smell greenmarket-fresh, even if you're just cracking open canned...whatever. Don't expect the traditional nutmeg, …
We've already have described how much we love Birchbox from the day they launched since, well, who doesn't love a hot pink box filled with amazing high-end cosmetics samples delivered to their door each month? So it will be no surprise t…
With Halloween an entire day behind us, our thoughts at Cool Mom Picks already turn to the best holiday gifts . (We can't help it!) So when I saw these beautiful little Japanese bowls on sale, I thought, ooh...hostess gift. The modernist…
We have been long time fans of Zara so it wasn't hard to get super excited about the launch of their new new e-commerce home line for the US. We've been drooling from afar by looking at their UK site, but thankfully now we can enjoy it f…
Creating art, decor and furniture with upcycled materials is not just a fleeting design fad. It's a way of living for many artists who want to create items that are sustainable and friendly to our earth . Fortunately, a lot of upcycled p…
A few months back, I had the pleasure of meeting TV's increasingly notorious design mavens, the Novogratz family, and drooling over their unbelievable Manhattan apartment firsthand. While I keep inviting them to break into my home and ha…
Ah, the poor humble placemat. Sure, placemats serve a noble purpose: to keep spills and mess (somewhat) contained. But have you ever fallen in love with one? I have. I'm totally smitten with Pop Placemats . These puppies demand attention…
Finding storage solutions is one of our obsessions. I love buckets and bins, but I need them to be on budget and, just as important for me, not boring to look at. Chewing The Cud has solved both of those problems by creating these adorab…
My 5-year-old showed almost zero percent interest in maps until we went on vacation to a beach town. Suddenly, it was very important that she be the holder of the map at all times. It was ultimately a good thing, even if said map ended u…
As a professional decorator, one of my favorite spaces to take on is a kid's room . You can go as creative and whimsical as you want; where else could I use every color in the rainbow and indulge in prints that are easily deemed "funny?"…
Having just returned from a week at SeaWorld--during which we were splashed by sea critters no fewer than five times--I can attest to the fact that, to kids, whales rule. This whale may not be doing twists and turns in the air, but it mi…
I make it no secret that I have a huge crush on the Canadian Ryans: Ryan Reynolds and Ryan Gosling. But since I'm not 15 anymore, I'm pretty sure the glossy posters on my ceiling or calendars on my wall are out of the question. But a tea…
Last year, owls were the hot animal motif of the season. While they're not going anywhere, I do think that the cool cute animal du jour is now the fox. Which is replacing the dragonfly, butterfly, and octopus trends I've noticed over the…
As it turns out, a stash of pretty paper napkins are always good to have around for unexpected company or impromptu picnics. This is a lesson I learned last week when we had to pull out the polka dot "happy birthday!" napkins over cockta…
When I was a young girl, my favorite pastime was playing with paper dolls. I loved dressing them up and creating stories with each of them. I think it's great that they have made such a comeback into toys and decor because my own daughte…
At least once a day (sometimes more), my husband is searching for his keys and wallet. And don't even get me started about the piles of change all over my house. So that's why I think this new Etsy find might be a cool, surprising Father…
When looking for decor and something lovely for my home, one of my first stops is Design Public . If you love modern, contemporary design, this is the site for you to find a wide variety of home accessories, furniture, art and much more.…
Dan Zanes is happiness squared. His music puts me in a great mood each and every time I give it a spin--even without the kids, when I'm alone in the minivan. So I'm excited to see his new project that didn't come out of a sound studio, b…
Jeff Koons may have popularized the balloon dog as pop art icon, but as a figure in so many of our own childhoods , its no wonder we're starting to see all kinds of artists and brands finding inspiration in them. Here are a few super cut…
In our household, dealing with kids' flus and colds is a sticky process. I mean this literally: we are usually well-doused in prescribed medicine before any of it actually ends up inside the child. It's not necessarily that the kids don'…