If you ever took a peek at Karrie’s Wedding on Style Me Pretty, then you know Jeanne Ciasullo, founder of The Anti Bride.
Or her work, at least. She’s the Jacksonville, FL-based creative guru / event designer / makeup artist / photographer / downright dreamweaver who – together with AJ from The Loft 5 – turned a beach house parking lot into a boho-beach-chic-gone-to-heaven wedding wonderland 2 years ago:
{Photo above: Joielala Photographie | Event Styling | the antibride with the loft 5}
She is also the lady who captured this beloved photograph, which is hanging on a gallery wall lining the stairs in our house.
Jeanne is a cool chick you want to be friends with, organically and insanely talented, and masterful at creating the warmest and most original, gorgeous backdrops for any event… so when we saw the nursery she designed for her 1st bundle of joy (née August 6), it was no surprise to us that it was gasp-worthy as well. Check out this bespoke little haven and read our interview with the new Mama below!
CL: How did you approach designing your nursery?
JC: Ha! Well, Shaan has always said he loves an all white room. It’s a joke between us. Don’t get me wrong – my closet is all black white and cream with a little army green thrown in. I’m a minimalist as well. But he’s obsessed with white…. And when I think of a baby, what other color comes to mind? They’re a pure, innocent, fresh blank canvas. It made perfect sense to me. I wanted to do something I hadn’t ever seen. (Like always) when I found out I was pregnant… I instantly started thinking about clothes and a nursery.
CL: Tell us about that awesome wall organizational thingamabob.
JC: I’ll let Shaan fill you in on that…. He’s the modern furniture expert. I’ll pass my phone over to him…
SB: It’s called the uten.silo and it’s an old Italian design from the late ’60’s. Made by vitra, it’s part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art! It can be purchased here.
JC: (This is Shaan’s online store!)
CL: Did you research Pinterest, mags, anywhere else?
JC: I didn’t bother looking at nurseries online. Just like I don’t bother doing that for anything. Really the only thing I’m every inspired by are fashion blogs. Or just visual blogs that have nothing to do with what I actually do. I stay away from wedding blogs of all kinds just because they don’t do it for me. Even though that’s what I do. I do love looking at photography; I could do it all day… but it’s mostly odd or fashion-related. So I guess you could say that’s where it came from.
CL: Tell us about that DIVINE mobile.
JC: The mobile was originally a white branch alone. I had seen a photo of a retail store somewhere awhile ago that used a branch painted white to hang clothes on, and I had loved the idea ever since. I love painting things that shouldn’t be painted… Giving them a whole new life. So I went into my jungle of a backyard and found the least ugly piece of a branch I could find and spray painted the hell out of it. Probably not the best thing to inhale while pregnant. Anyway, after a few cans I realized it wasn’t looking how I wanted. So I considered powder coating… Calling a painter friend to spray it… But it ended up sitting downstairs for a couple months staring at me all pathetic. I wasn’t giving up on it though. So when we bought the white paint for the walls, I hand painted it and got it looking a little better. Good enough to hang at least. I still would have powder coated it if it would have fit in my car, and if I had a real budget. The doves came because the whole purpose of a mobile is for the baby to look at animals and shapes right? It’s not just purely a piece of art. Haha. So I thought, why not “Doves” for his middle name?!
CL: What “look” were you going for? Did you stick to that look or let it change as you were decorating?
JC: Originally I wanted it more grey with a little army green. But then I saw the impact of all white and it just took over.
CL: What influence did Shaan have? Was he helpful?
JC: He loves an all white room. He was helpful but not nearly as crazy as I was about the execution. He would have been happy with a white wall and crib. He kept saying it was done when it wasn’t. Now it is… Almost 🙂
CL: Um, timeout Campers. Can we take a moment to take a close-up look at Jeanne’s shelves?? She used old family photos, handwritten letters & memorabilia to style them. What a sweet idea!
CL: Let’s sidestep for a sec and talk about your gig. What’s your background in makeup art/design/event planning?
JC: I think at birth I was all of these things. It’s just always been the only thing I was good at. So I didn’t stray from it. I was my art teacher’s pet, and no one else’s.
CL: What gets you off about design and decor, especially when it comes to weddings?
JC: Weddings are fun because it’s usually the only time normal people splurge! And I don’t have the luxury of living in a big city where that’s the norm. I also like having a challenge. Like a starting point. Someone will show me colors and ideas then I turn it into something of my own and work within budget/color restraints. I like working with someone/bride it’s a great starting point. When someone has a partial vision and you take control from there. Does that make any sense? I like a challenge. Instead of a blank canvas. I like getting to know someone’s style and meshing it with my own.
CL: What makes you different when you approach jobs?
JC: Well, I become a friend. A constant texter. We share ideas. I keep people in the loop. It’s not a job to me. It’s not a chore. I genuinely like the people that find me and get me, and feeling appreciated goes a long way with me. It gives me energy….
CL: And Jeanne, congrats girl!! Your sweet little boy came into the world on August 6th. How did you guys choose his name??
JC: Sydney (Shaan’s hometown) Dove (after his favorite guitar). I also love the symbolic meaning of doves… they’re a symbol of hope and peace.
CL: Just tell us all frickin about it.
JC: Basically I live to do things different. Whatever anyone else is doing, you’ll find me doing the opposite. My and Shaan’s personalities are both in the category of rebellion. I live for it. Unique unorthodox artistic. Pretty much sums it up. I’m the rock star, he’s the secret weapon. I cannot stand doing anything traditional. Side note: I don’t own one piece of baby clothing with an animal on it. He’s going to be a little shrunken adult. I’d never embarrass him like that.
Huge thanks to Jeanne who took the time to sit down with us whilst she was almost 9 months pregnant with a baby coming any minute. In Florida. Where it was probably 1 million degrees. Rock star indeed.
xoxo,
Steph & Karrie
PS: ALL PHOTOGRAPHY & STYLING BY JEANNE CIASULLO unless otherwise noted.
PPS: Did you see our 3 Light & Easy Shrimp Dishes yesterday over at Rent the Runway’s Blog?
I want that wall organizational thingamabob- sooo adorable!!