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CRAVE CRUSH the urban girl's blog to all that you CRAVE
Interior Style
If you feel that you’re lacking the artistic ability to furnish and design your new (or current) home, we’ve got what you need! These women know what they’re doing when it comes to bringing your home to life with taste and comfort. You don’t have to rely on yourself in scrambling through your DIY projects – they can do it for you, and in no time!
Jace Interiors
Appearing in the Boston Globe, Boston Magazine’s Home and Garden, HGTV, and more, Julieann Covino has notable perspective in designing your home. She will make sure that the finished product reflects your own style. Her design services will walk you through the whole process, from design sessions all the way to furniture selection. She also offers an affordable custom design option, something we all could use these days!
For an urban lifestyle, Koo de Kir (taken from the French “Coup de Coeur” meaning “a strike to the heart”) brings soothing, modern furnishings and accessories into the picture. Since their opening in 1997, Koo de Kir Design Studio focuses more on interior design and was launched in 2000. Since then they have been doing exactly what they promise – striking the hearts of Bostonians. As for their style, you can expect warm, soft, minimal, comfortable and clean inspirations. They will let you bring home anything you like from their store, from the wall colors to furnishings and coverings! Koo de Kir will do what it takes to get you what you need, even if it’s off of their own walls!
Rachel Reider, owner of Rachel Reider Interiors, offers design services for both your home and workspace. You can expect to see use of color and texture you’ve never seen anywhere else. Rachel will take your space and create a classy, fresh environment. And the most important part – Rachel has worked with a large range of budgets. Both your style and limited (or unlimited) funds is considered while creating a room that is both beautiful and functional!
Two Girls Shop
Opposites Attract. And in this case, create a successful, distinctive shop in the small city of Salem, MA.  Pia Schoeck and Emily Edelman, the owners of two girls shop, offer everything from unusual vintage home décor to cozy jeans at their new location. two girls shop has moved to 320 Derby St in Salem, MA. Be sure to join them in celebrating this exciting move on September 13th at 4:00 PM with their ribbon cutting, champagne, and sweets! Fellow Salem native Lisa, the founder of “Wunderbudder”, will also be there to share her beautiful products!
Let’s get to know the duo a bit better:
Where do you find such a unique collection of items?
The two girls are always looking and searching for special merchandise. We feel strongly that good style does not necessarily need much money but creativity and fantasy. Having said that, the sky is the limit when trying to find products.
In what ways do you both work together as one team?
We are a classic example of opposites attracts: our up bringing, backgrounds, styles and personalities are very different. Yet we manage to have one vision, one concept for our store. We embrace the differences, respect and enjoy each other and feel the store is a great gift to each other.
What are your ultimate goals for the future of two girls shop?
The ultimate goal is to meet the customers’ needs and evolve with them and try to stay current with product and our philosophy in the store. And of course continue to always have fun with our store!!!
What are your most popular products or services?
Vibrant colored tubtrugs, hot pink snail watering can, porn for women books, recycled overnight totes, kitchen whimsys.
How do you spend your free time?
What free time??
What business mistake have you made that you will not repeat?
Not realizing from the get go that everyone does not share our same positive outlook, that healthy competition is not something to be threatened by but embraced and used as a source of growth.
Be sure to visit Pia and Emily at their new location, e-mail them at twogirlsshop@gmail.com, or check out their Facebook page!
Get Creative with CreateGirl Julieann of Jace Interiors
Julieann Covino of Jace Interiors will deliver the style you CRAVE. This “creative girl with a love of interiors” is sure to help you craft the perfect environment in your home to suit your functional needs and personality. Best of all, Julieann believes everyone can enjoy a design dream in their home for an affordable price. Whatever your needs are, Julieann “CreateGirl” is there for all of your interior design needs with the mantra: “Your Home, Your Style, My Assistance.” Head on over to jaceinteriors.com today. In the meantime, learn more about the creative connoisseur below and start forming your design fantasies today!
How would you describe your business in exactly three adjectives?
Affordable, Creative, Inspiring
What are your most popular products or services?
The Design Session is the most popular service. It’s an affordable few hours of brainstorming and easy solutions. A great jump start to any design project!
People may be surprised to know…
With only a few quick changes any room can be transformed. Rearranging furniture, painting or adding accents can easily pull a space together.
What is your indulgence?
Accent Pillows, Coats, Bags and really great food!
Celebrate Earth Day April 22
Earth Day is a day designed to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth’s environment, held on April 22. It is celebrated in many countries and has been receiving added attention in current years with the newfound popularity of going green and our increased consciousness of how we are harming the planet. As active motivated women, we, here at CRAVE, think Earth day is a wonderful chance to help women discover new ways to help our earth and conserve it for generations to come. The Nature Conservancy has some wonderful tips to do just that, pertaining to activities a lot of women deal with in their everyday lives.
Use reusable totes
You can help save oceans when you use reusable shopping bags instead of plastic bags. Sure, it’s a small step — but it can make a big difference in the health of our oceans. Unfortunately, 90 percent of the debris that washes up from our oceans are man-made and shouldn’t be there. Most of it has – unfortunately – come to be expected: derelict fishing equipment, disposable plastic bottles, plastic bags, cigarette butts, bits of unidentifiable plastic, Styrofoam. To help encourage others, share where you take reusable bags or where you’ve found your favorite tote.
Eat food
Just like you, conservationists, fishermen, chefs and consumers are working together to find new ways of living off our oceans and waters while keeping nature healthy. In a day and age when many of us “harvest” most of our meals by filling a grocery cart or skimming a menu, it can be easy to overlook nature’s role in putting food on our tables. This is especially true when it comes to seafood. For centuries, the oceans’ bounty seemed inexhaustible. Now, as scientists unravel the intricate relationships between fish and the vast lands below the water’s surface, we’re gaining a clearer picture of how humans have altered our oceans’ ability to provide for us. The Conservancy is tackling the problems by working with communities to restore degraded habitats and rebuild depleted fisheries. But sustainability also depends on how fish are brought to market. A service called FishPhone is Blue Ocean’s sustainable seafood text messaging service that instantly puts sustainable seafood information at your fingertips. To find out about your seafood choice, text 30644 with the message FISH and the name of the fish in question. They’ll text you back with their assessment and better alternatives to fish with significant environmental concerns.
Green your gardening
Even while you’re gardening in your very own backyard, you can make a big difference in the health of the ocean. Fertilizers and other chemicals used in conventional gardening are washed into watersheds and eventually to sea, where they can harm coral reefs and other marine life. To help cut back on pollution, go native! Native plants require much less water and fertilizer than non-native plants do. Make your own compost! Composting kitchen scraps is a great way to create (free!) all-natural fertilizer. Set your mower to a cutting height of 2”-3” — which will eliminate undesirable weedy plants. Don’t rake your clippings; leave them behind as fertilizer. You can even try square-foot gardening. This method uses 90% less water and 95% fewer seeds than a traditional backyard garden and requires no chemicals!
You can find all the details on these tips and plenty more at earthday.nature.org
Eye 4 Color
Eye 4 Color provides expert color scheme solutions and interior design services for your home. Jane Brunelle’s fine art and interior design background, blended with fifteen years of experience and extensive knowledge of color theory, offers you a distinct expertise that you don’t get from a paint chip! Many of the colors Jane selects are custom mixed by her, creating a unique palette designed specifically for your surroundings. The possibilities are limitless and will give you a house you CRAVE coming home to!
Continue reading to learn more about this fabulous business and its savvy owner, Jane Brunelle, who will be featured in our upcoming CRAVE Boston Guide!
How would you describe your business in exactly three adjectives?
Expressive. Encompassing. Energetic.
What are your most popular products or services?
Color design and consultation; interior design and redesign.
What or who inspired you to start your business?
That first box of 64 Crayolas.
What is your indulgence?
Starting a novel, and not putting it down until I finish it.
Where is your favorite place to go with your girlfriends?
One of their kitchens for a great meal and laughter.
What do you CRAVE in business? In life?
Happiness, balance, satisfaction.
Images from CRAVE stock photos.
Do It Yourself Design Inspirations We CRAVE
Spring is finally just around the corner. We are gearing up to do all our regular spring cleaning tasks – flip mattresses, wash curtains, and finally organize our junk drawers. One of the highlights of spring is rebirth and getting a new lease on life . Well, how about doing the same for your home or an old piece of furniture? Small changes are sure to make a large difference in any home! We love to turn to designspongeonline.com for inspiration and really love the before & after posts. Check out some of our favorite makeovers:
- From gloomy kitchen to apple green colored charmer
- From boring and granny-like rocking chair to modern rockin’ chic
- From an apartment that belongs in a Golden Girls flashback to a place that Carrie Bradshaw can call home!
Do you have any home DIYs plans for spring?
Turn your Closet into a Santuary!
Boston’s first CRAVE Guide is coming soon! So CRAVE is here to help you prepare your closet for all the extraordinary woman-owned boutiques and special Guide Book savings! After tons of shopping, the only question is: where will you put all of your fabulous finds? Our answer: clean out your closet!
Follow these tips to turn your closet into a sanctuary!
1. Set aside at least an hour, maybe two. And remember, many hands make light work! See if you can get a friend to help you… or at least keep you company!
2. To begin, remove everything! As you do, sort the items, putting similar ones together. Also make “Trash” and “Give Away” piles if you plan on purging. CRAVEtip: If you haven’t worn an item in a year, and don’t plan to in the foreseeable future, get rid of it! It is just taking up precious space.
3. Good news! You are half way there! Now, you just have to put everything back. Organize your clothes by there function: dresses, work skirts, work blouses, evening blouses, work-out clothes… etc. Place purses and accessories on shelves; put shoes on the floor. It is helpful to store shoes in boxes, either their original boxes or plastic ones, especially if you have a lot of shoes! Stacking shoeboxes is a great space saver, and an easy way to help find exactly which pair you want to wear.
If your closet is only as big as a shoebox, you may need to take additional steps to create more space. Consider over-the-door organizers, wall hooks and multi-level rods and remember that the space under your bed can be utilized as long-term storage, particularly for out of season garb. If you’re ambitious, you can create a second shelf in the closet, or convert your narrow shelf into a deeper shelf by utilizing a wider board.
When you have finaly placed everything back in your closet, toss the trash pile in the garbage and organize the give away pile. You can donate old frocks to a local Goodwill or take them to a resale store to sell. For direct purchasing and consignment, check out Flaunt in Cambridge, Frida Bee in Inman Square, Garage Sale in the South End, and Modern Millie in Salemn! The best part? By recycling clothes you are being environmentally conscious and getting some quick cash to fund future shopping ventures!
Home is Wherever You Hang Your Hat
For those of you who have read my Rachel Ray blog you know I’m culinarily challenged, but love those food shows. I’m equally as inept at home design & décor but I love me some Design on a Dime (although I don’t actual DO either). I love the word “home.” I grew up in a small rambler with seven people, one bathroom and no dishwasher, but it was home. My Dad still lives there and it’s amazing how it feels sleeping in that house. It’s awesome when we all go home with our families, the bathroom line is just a little longer now with 23 people. After college I became a vagabond and lived all over the world, followed by 18 years as an army spouse. The Army has this cute little sign that says “Home is where the Army sends you.”
Needless to say, my “home” has been a stinky room the size of a closet, a grass hut in the middle of a rice paddy, an apartment on the 75th floor, a condo near a strip mall, a large sprawling tudor style, and approximately 5000 hotel rooms. I love all that cool stuff you get for your home when you get married but I made a critical mistake and had a really small wedding. Turns out I received three place settings of my formal china. When we’d have another couple over the fourth person had to eat off a plastic power ranger plate. I’m so home décor challenged I have lived for months with no pictures on the wall, have gone 20+ years without buying window treatments and I don’t have more than two bath towels the same color. When people ask me what “theme” I have decorated my homes I answer with a mid-modern century “pot pourri”.
As a joke one year my friends bought me an entire set of holiday plates. I now have salt & pepper shakers with snowmen on them…so stinking cool! I think chicks that wear hats are fashion forward stars, those with holiday-themed china are domestic goddesses….now I’m one. There are some staples I love that seem to make a house a luxurious home…a million pillows on your bed & lots of thread count sheets, a system to organize your plastic wear & lids, real flowers on your kitchen island, and that’s living. Oh, and whoever invented that electric fire place switch needs a raise…big time! I love huge tubs but have spent little time in them. The time I did spend was usually jockeying around to get comfortable around all those hot wheels in there with me. I did build a water feature on my deck once. I loved it, yeah for Lowe’s. I looked like a landscape architect genius just by putting part A into part B and firing up the hose. It was great to fall asleep to but it made me have to get up and pee all night long.
Oprah says make your home an oasis…take a look around and think about what you can do to make your house a little more “homey”…even if it’s just a $2 apple pie scented candle.
Put a Spring in Your Step with these Hot Colors
When we think of spring we think of pastels and floral prints, but those just seem a little too passé and boring. What will you be wearing this spring to spice up your wardrobe? Here are some of the color trends that you won’t want to miss out on. Pick up a few bright accessories that are both trendy and timeless.
Turquoise – We’re pretty sure this is on EVERYONE’S hot-list, along with other aqua-colored hues. This vibrant color turns every outfit up a notch, making you just exude that cool confident aura that will make you the center of attention. Splurge on a Jamie Joseph brightly colored stone ring. We love this Sea Blue Chalcedony Ring for a beautiful eye-catcher.
Light Pink – More specifically, champagnes and corals are two “light pinks” that won’t have you gagging on pastel and cotton candy. Champagne is the closest you can get to a nice neutral color while adding a little pop! And for coral, try some of Cara Lyndon’s hairpins, we recommend Coral Wheel . Whether your hair color is light or dark, this feminine flair will turn heads.
Yellow – In every shade and size. Add a dash here or there or a big bright bag to have everyone around you smiling. Evoking sunshine and happiness, everyone could stand to integrate this cheerful color into their wardrobe or even their home. Try a bright throw pillow to add to your living room, we like the yellow Gloria pillow from Henry Road. The great thing about throw pillows is, when spring is over, you can just throw them back into the closet until spring comes again!
Hands of Time
You are a savvy urban gal trying to do it all – but unfortunately there are only 24 hours in a day! For those of us striving to accomplish ever-growing to-do lists, Carolyn Kraut founded Hands of Time, a personal concierge company providing almost every kind of service to busy people and businesses in Boston. As your concierge, Hands of Time can manage all your personal, household and business needs, giving you more time to focus on what you enjoy! Their services range from Personal Shopping and Event Planning to Pet Sitting, Travel, and Home Management, plus an array of everyday tasks and special requests. Carolyn’s goal is to help you make the best use of your time, so sit back, relax and let Hands of Time do the heavy lifting for you!
Continue reading to learn more about this savvy businesswoman who will be featured in our upcoming CRAVE Boston Guide!
How would you describe your business in exactly three adjectives?
Organized, Energetic, Creative
People may be surprised to know…
That we will take on any task as long as it’s ethical and legal.
What are your most popular products or services?
Our services are so diverse, but it’s the everyday tasks that keep our homes and lives humming that are requested the most. These include pet care, gift shopping and arranging for home repairs.
How do you spend your free time?
Reading, taking pictures, going to museums, and checking out local events.