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SKIRT Painterly Plaid Julien $648 katespade.com TOP L/S funnel in nude spandex jersey $169 ateaoceanie.com
photography by DAVID TSAY text by KERRY MOORE interior design by EMILY CURRENT AND MERITT ELLIOTT
When she decided her daughters’ bedrooms needed to be refreshed, Jessica Alba called on her friends Emily Current and Meritt Elliott to design stylish spaces that reflect each girl’s personal taste and sense of whimsy.
Alba shares a laugh with Current (left) and Elliott at her Los Angeles home.
CHAISE Emily + Meritt $1,199 pbteen.comDRAPES pom-pom blackout in natural linen by Emily + Meritt $89–$119 pbteen.com PILLOWleopard lumbar by Emily + Meritt $39 pbteen.com
When we learned that Emily Current and Meritt Elliott—the dynamic duo behind Emily + Meritt—were designing the rooms of Jessica Alba’s two daughters with items from their new PBteen collection, we knew that the spaces’ soft textures and playful accents would form an atmospheric backdrop for the cover of our winter issue. Plus, given the rare opportunity to photograph Alba—a quintessential domino woman and multitalented bombshell—with Honor, 7, Haven, 4, and her friends Current and Elliott in her Los Angeles home, it became crystal clear that we would fall in love with our winter cover.
Older sibling Honor was excited to trade the pink of her early childhood for cooler mint green.
DRUM PENDANT Awning Stripe by Emily + Meritt $229 pbteen.com HEADBOARD Parisian in linen and white wash by Emily + Meritt $699–$999 pbteen.com TRUNK Travelers in linen and metal by Emily + Meritt $299 pbteen.com TABLE LAMP Brass Bunny by Emily + Meritt $129 pbteen.com DUVET COVER Pretty Placket by Emily + Meritt $129–$189 pbteen.com MATTRESS Essentials Genesis organic, $1,199–$2,399 naturepedic.com SUITCASES (similar to shown) Samsonite $180/set of four,etsy.com WALL COLOR Green Trance (SW 6462) $6.99/sample pot, sherwin-williams.com
Wanting to create personal surroundings where Alba’s daughters could play, learn, and dream, Current and Elliott successfully translated their vision into “big-girl rooms.” Both mother and daughters feel cozy in the elegant spaces with color palettes and furnishings that are both refined and youthful—perfect for creative young women of any age. “What I love about using this collection in the girls’ rooms is that the pieces are fun and whimsical but still sophisticated,” says Alba. “It connects with the girls’ style and it appeals to my sensibility, too.”
A refined way to display children’s artwork!
PINBOARD Scallop Statement by Emily + Merittpbteen.com
“I think our bunny desk chair is a classic item that any child could use all the way through high school and into college,” states Current.
DESK Lilac in asphalt gray by Emily + Meritt $649 pbteen.com DESK CHAIRBunny Ears by Emily + Meritt $299pbteen.com MIRROR Star Ring by Emily + Meritt $199 pbteen.com BOX Tassel by Emily + Meritt $49 pbteen.com TABLE LAMP Bird Eye View by Emily + Meritt $169 pbteen.com SILHOUETTES vintage,chairish.com
This gold bookcase is the perfect transition piece to accommodate big-girl books.
BOOKCASE Maison $599 pbteen.com STORAGE BINS Bunny and Cat by Emily + Meritt $20.50 each,pbteen.com BOOKENDS Gem by Emily + Meritt $69 pbteen.com
dream team When Jessica Alba’s girls (Honor, 7, and Haven, 4) wanted to update their bedrooms, the actress, mom, and founder of lifestyle brand The Honest Company knew right away whom to call. She consulted her tastemaker friends Emily Current and Meritt Elliott, who have styled Alba and other celebs for years. “They really get my sense of style and pay attention to every little detail,” says Alba. Current and Elliott have been working together for over 15 years, first launching their wildly popular denim brand, Current/Elliott (which they left in 2012), then starting a new women’s line, The Great, last spring, and, most recently, designing collections for PBteen. “There is something really exciting about decorating for kids,” says Current. “It’s been fun to flex the muscle of complete freedom in a way that you can’t with adults.”
Smart and snazzy hooks are fun options for organizing accessories and hair bows.
HOOKS Icon by Emily + Meritt $39/set of three,pbteen.com
This gold bookcase is the perfect transition piece to accommodate big-girl books.
CANOPY BED Maison $899–$999 pbteen.com WALL MOUNT Unicorn by Emily + Meritt $99pbteen.com MAGNETS Gold Star by Emily + Meritt $99/set of six, pbteen.com QUILT Gold Dot by Emily + Meritt $189–$249 pbteen.com DUVET COVER Bed of Roses by Emily + Meritt $89–$149pbteen.com RUG Circus Stripe by Emily + Meritt $169–$699 pbteen.com TRUNK vintage,chairish.com WALL COLOR Alabaster (SW 7008) $6.99/sample pot, sherwin-williams.com MATTRESSEssentials Genesis organic, $1,199–$2,399 naturepedic.com
forever young When thinking of decorating a kid’s room, Current and Elliott agree that it is all about purchasing timeless furniture pieces that can grow with your young one while incorporating their personality, regardless of age. “I think the furniture in their rooms will stand the test of time, but the textiles and accessories could be changed,” says Elliott. Using the girls’ favorite colors as a starting point, the duo layered in glamorous metallic accessories and furniture with fanciful, dreamlike accents. Flourishes of pink bedding and bunny table lamps were added to achieve Haven’s sweet look, and a coat of fresh mint-green paint provided a complement to Honor’s sleek modern desk. The finished rooms are two lovely, versatile environments that marry Alba’s “warm and textural” style with Current and Elliott’s fashion-forward sensibility.
“We usually like things that feel nostalgic and classic but have sort of a vintage-inspired or worn feeling to them, like they’ve been handed down or loved a little bit,” remarks Elliott.
WALL DECOR XOXO by Emily + Meritt $119/set of two, pbteen.com
An antique-inspired garment rack adds an authentic touch to a game of dress-up.
WARDROBE RACK by Emily + Meritt $299pbteen.com
The group celebrating their success: (from left to right) Elliott, Current, Honor, Haven, and Alba.
DRAPES pom-pom blackout in natural linen $89–$119 pbteen.com RUG Daydream Cloud by Emily + Meritt $159 pbteen.com
“Honor is creative and loves to draw and paint, so she adores the pinboards she can use to display her treasures, art, and photos,” notes Alba.
PINBOARDS Heart Wall by Emily + Meritt $119/set of two,pbteen.com ANIMAL CLOCHEBunny Ring/Bangles by Emily + Meritt $59–$79 pbteen.com DRESSER vintage, chairish.com VASEetched mixed metal $39westelm.com TRAY Gillian gold mirror $19.98 lampsplus.com