modeco kids

I feel a bit silly that while in NYC I didn’t check out the ICFF which was going on at the same convention center and at the same time as the National Stationery Show. However I did get a chance to meet Carina of Litto Kids who stopped by my booth to order some Sweetbeets letterpress cards for Sequins, her children’s boutique in Manhattan Beach CA. Carina was exhibiting her collection of contemporary children’s furniture and bedding at the ICFF. When we met, I knew that Litto Kids sounded familiar and I’m sure it’s because her line has been covered a while back on some of the blogs I read including KidsHaus and Ohdeedoh. The versatility of this ‘library’ storage unit really appeals to me as it would really look great anywhere in your home. While the owl crib set is right on trend, my personal favorite is the ‘magic garden’ design pictured above on the top right.

(images via littokids.com)

Technorati Tags: modern, kids furniture, nursery decor, kids bedding, retro style

May 28th, 2008 Lisa posted in KIDS, furniture, textiles No Comments »

Wouldn’t this hand knit sweater and felt slippers make the perfect Spring outfit for a baby? I love how the “antique pink” cotton/merino wool yarn of the sweater brings out the hand embroidered lavender flowers on the baby slippers. The sweater is by Brooklyn-based Evagodeva and the slippers by Toronto-based Elefent.

I can picture kids having a lot of fun with this sleek rocking bench by Zach Bailey. I’m not sure if it was designed for children’s spaces but I can really see it fitting perfectly in a modern nursery. This Maine-based artisan has a background in graphic design and began making furniture after attending the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship. I first spotted this rocking bench at peppermags design blog where you’ll find a daily series called “Etsy Lunch Hour”.

Technorati Tags: handmade, Etsy, handcrafted, indie designers, baby slippers, baby sweater, rocking bench, modern nursery

March 24th, 2008 Lisa posted in KIDS, clothes, furniture, shoes No Comments »

Swedish children’s design company Our Children’s Gorilla has a great tag line: the children’s imagination is our inspiration. See their collection at the upcoming Bubble exhibit in New York next week including the new Brownstone and Fire Station play houses made of cardboard and raw MDF.

Their friendly robot hooks and monkey hangers might just motivate my sons to hang up their clothes! And the ‘monster’ chair looks like it would be fun for a child to take apart and put together. I also love the sleek look of this A-frame doll house. With the exception of the laser cut metal robot hooks, the other pieces are made from eco-friendly Valchromat. I learned here that it is wood fiber board colored through with non-toxic organic pigments.

(images via ourchildrensgorilla.com)

Technorati Tags: children, robot hooks, monkey hangers, cardboard houses, doll houses

March 5th, 2008 Lisa posted in KIDS, furniture, gear No Comments »

I’ve been seeing a lot of cardboard in the kids design world lately and I thought I’d round up some examples of this emerging trend. Of course children playing with cardboard is nothing new (everyone knows that kids have more fun playing with the box than what’s inside!) but I have not before seen so many designer cardboard products. Not only is cardboard a fantastic eco-friendly material, but products made of it are also blank canvases for children both in terms of imaginative play and creative artwork and decoration.

The new products by Italian children’s design company nume includes this white cardboard washing machine and stove, playhouse and a set of 50 square and round cardboard building cards that children can make into whatever they imagine. It’s hard to tell the scale in the image, but the building cards measure 25 cm square which is about 10 inches square.

Cardboard Design creates tables, shelving, room dividers and accessories from recycled cardboard. All products are made in the USA. They also carry the collection of cardboard playhouses, rocketships, dollhouses, teepees, forts and more by designer Paul Martin of Paperpod in the UK.

Here’s a ‘mobile home’ from Dutch designers kidsonroof that’s perfect for princesses, knights and pirates.

Mirakadi exhibited this colorful shelving unit at Playtime in Paris in January. Offwhite is also available.

A few more cardboard products that caught my eye include this modular system that would make a great room divider, these storage boxes that I saw recently on babygadget, this toddler bed by Album di Famiglia, and these cardboard animals.

If you are feeling do-it-yourself, here’s a kit to make a cardboard play kitchen. Or check out foldschool where you’ll find free patterns and instructions so you can make your own children’s furniture from cardboard.

Technorati Tags: cardboard houses, children, recycled cardboard furniture

February 13th, 2008 Lisa posted in KIDS, RETAILERS, furniture, playtime, trends No Comments »