One of my favorite online shops is Chigo. I adore pretty much everything on the site. On my latest visit, I fell smitten with their Kids Tableware Series and THIS set of painted plates. Another is ONE KILN ceramic lunch plate. Lastly is the Playthings Kitchen Set.
Bleu Natural has a pretty sweet table and stool set for the kiddos.
Ioline Changing Trunk from Kalon Studios is sweet! It's basically a changing table on the floor that turns into seating for your tot as well. It's made from 100% natural, non-toxic and sustainable materials.
The Belkiz Feedaway high chair is an interesting one. It's an easy to assemble cardboard highchair for when you are away from home ..... and it's 100% recyclable.
Onion Pinch was a cork installation in the Cais do Sodré subway station in Lisbon, Portugal. The idea was to place an urban toy in which children could stop, engage and play.
The next piece is the Napping Pods. Not much info on these as it looks this idea is but a pup.
Océchou has a mission, and that mission is to create ethical and poetic objects for children. I am a fan of the Alphabet Poster and the Animal Cards.
Carton Chic has a few new products that are pretty great. One is My Bio Little Market. It's made of compact cardboard and is 100% recycled. The next are disposable table mats with PEFC labelled paper. Each set comes with 18 mats. One set has Osez le dire + Bon Appetit + Voulez vous. The other set has Merci + You're Welcome + Say Hello.
Andrea, the air purifier that uses indoor plants, designed by Mathieu Lehanneur & David Edwards will soon be on sale. Since its outline design two years ago Andrea has gone thru stringent tests to ensure perfect efficiency, enabling the system to step into the real world. It's the first award-winning designed air filter capable of absorbing toxic gases, such as formaldehyde, from home and office environments through the natural absorptive and metabolic properties of living plants. Ahhhhhh, I like you very much Andrea. (via)
Peter Brown is a Children's book Author and Illustrator living in Brooklyn, NY. With four books under his belt, he is hedging his way into homes across the world with books that are making everyone take notice. One of the first things I noticed about Peter's work is his incredible ability to present perspective and scale. His painted illustrations, in both acrylic and gouache, tell a story wherein words aren't even necessary. But the words he chooses and the stories he tells, are filled with clever wit and potty humor that crack me up! In his latest book, The Curious Garden, he takes on the ideal that if we just take the time to think about our environment, we can make it a better place. Bravo Peter Brown and thank you for providing me with beautifully stunning and charming books to read to my child!
Flight of the Dodo , 2005
Chowder , 2006
The Fabulous Bouncing Chowder , 2007
The Curious Garden , 2009
This Moose Head Light makes me giggle.
Pininfarina's Giulia Big - Giulia Small Children's Rocking Horse is a just beautiful !
The object derives from a single piece of cedarwood sculpted so as to obtain graceful forms, enriched by a leather-covered handle. A little rocking horse made completely of solid wood, with neither finishes nor glues, often so dangerous for our health. Only natural wood and the simplicity of an object that has brought pleasure to countless generations of children. An original design thought up by the Pininfarina Research Centre and applied to an object of play in all its simplicity.
A friend of mine pointed me to DWR's latest kid offerings. I was impressed. It's refreshing to see them coming back around on the kids front. Here are a few of pieces worth checking out :
Plus and Minus : Designed as a children’s game in 1970, Bruno Munari’s Plus or Minus is an engrossing exercise for any age. The set consist of 72 cards, each with a different image. Forty-eight cards have transparent backgrounds, allowing them to be layered over each other to create evolving and compelling scenes. Trees, clouds, bicycles, animals and more are represented. Deal the cards out and let each player add a layer, creating increasing complex stories. Suitable for ages three and up.
Basic Shapes Growth Chart : Australian designers Paul Fuog and Dan Honey used just circles, squares and triangles to render animal friends on their bright and bold Growth Chart (2008). Fun for kids and visually compelling for parents, the educational Basic Shapes Growth Chart includes memorable facts about animals like Ricco the Rhinoceros and Kendra the Koala while tracking a child’s height as they grow up.
Walking Elephant : From Hindu deities to Charles and Ray Eames, elephants have been a source of endless fascination. Let your child ride their very own – a rocking motion, side to side, moves this elephant forward. They’ll explore their own jungle, while learning motor skills and coordination. The eco-friendly Walking Elephant (2009) is crafted from rubber wood, which comes from trees that no longer produce latex and would otherwise be discarded. Suitable for ages three and up.
I Keep Changing : Originally published in 1971, I Keep Changing is a tribute to relativity from a child’s perspective. Written in the first person, a child compares himself to the world, figuring out whether he’s slow or fast, big or small, hairy or smooth. Written by renowned poet and writer Alastair Reid, its accompanying images were created by designer and illustrator Bob Gill. This version, published by Corraini Edizioni, is printed in both English and Italian.
"El Ramón is a toy-object created by the Argentinean Art Director, Javier López Pereyra. El Ramón was, inspired at the 50´s and 60´s concept of spaceships and robots, such as the movie "War of the Worlds " dated of 1953, the tv series "Lost at Space" dated of 1965 and the cartoon "The Jetsons" dated of 1962, among others. Ramón is a limited edition, hand crafted with Argentinean wood, flexible iron and recycled gray paper with silk-screen print."
Bulles de Nua were designed by Marie Macon and Anne-Laure Lesquoy for Red Editions. I think these could make for very aesthetically pleasing toy storage in the living room!
Earth-friendly dollhouse is a natural fit for the eco-conscious family. House features a play wind turbine, solar cell panel, a barrel for collecting rain and recycle bins. Shade canopy can be pulled down to prevent or allow wind and sunlight (or little brothers) from coming through.
Finally, a forward thinking and environmentally conscious dollhouse! More info HERE.
Say hello to the Albie Puppy Light made of recycled and salvaged materials. Kind of playful, no?
This whimsical light created by designers JamesPlumb is only available in a limited edition of 25, and will be showing along with many of their other products at Tent London.
I love when modern and clean packaging meets a really great product. The Clementine Art Supplies are just that. All of the products offered are made of non-toxic, recycled packaging and all natural. Sign me up ... I'm a fan.
Studio Superniche constructed this nice big blue structure, as a part of the Blue Fence Project, to aid in bird watching. I think this could make for a great outdoor play structure template. I'd add a rail up on the top level and an arm out to the side for a swing.
Do you remember the sneak peak from a few months ago? Well, I am very excited to show you the complete pics of that play space, or more over, the indoor modern treehouse! I had a lot of fun working on this space.
Spot on Square has come out with two new collections Roh and Eicho. The Roh Collection is my favorite by far. I really like the use of 100% recyclable clear acrylic and walnut. It's going straight to the higher price bracket cribs out there but it's really a fresh and modern approach that's been lacking as of late. Available November 2009.
Last year, I rode the canals of Amsterdam with my daughter and we both fell in love with row houses along the water. Perhaps that's why I'm drawn to the Canal House Box set. Made of biodegradable and recycled carton, it's a perfect solution to a rainy day activity followed by organizing that pile of toys in desperate need of storage.
That's right kids, our room was featured in the current issue (June) of Cookie Magazine. Such a pleasant way to end the week!
HERO is a Toronto based company that creates extraordinary products. They have come out with the 365 line that promotes better habits in everyday living. A line of resource saving objects that are very well-considered. One in particular is the RC-1 Rain Collector. It holds 45 gallons of water; so you can tend to your garden or wash the dog without tapping into the city's water supply. It's made of a lightweight aluminum frame, has a collapsible water bladder, will not rust, is recyclable, ships flat packed and is covered in a sleek powder-coated finish. I think this is a smart and beautiful piece for any backyard. I could see this coming in handy for washing messy little feet before coming inside!
That is the motto behind Canadian based furniture designer TULIP. With the use of formaldehyde-free glue, MDF, paint and varnish as well as all bamboo components , this eco-friendly line is actually very nice to look at!! These same people will be bringing Leander to the US sometime in 2009 as well.
The TREE is a space divider designed by Professor Eero Aarnio for Martela Oyj's collection. Designed to add comfort, the Tree is 180 cm tall and 125 cm wide. Part of the income from each tree will be donated to a World Vision Finland regional development project in the Peruvian Andes that will plant fruit trees to halt and prevent erosion. The fruit from the trees will be an additional source of food, which will benefit local children in particular.
Israeli based Kulla Design has taken discarded window shutters and turned them into a CD rack. I think they could also work very well for holding baby board books! (via)
Portugese designers Mama & Papa (Jacinta and Casimiro Costa) have sent in images
of their project '25 pedra de sal' a mobile baby care unit. Using an old kitchen unit
and parts of a child's bike they created a mobile facility which can be used for
storing diapers, baby clothes, blankets and most importantly changing babies diapers.
Back in Feb of 2008, I was excited to share with you the Table Manner Kit for kids. Today, I found out that Fun Fam is manufacturing it and is now available for purchase. (in Japan) Fun Fam is a new style Japanese tableware brand for kids that mixes Japanese aesthetics with Western lifestyle trends. Designed with bamboo, it takes a unique approach to the concept of ‘fun in the family’. (via)
In the past few days, I have come across some pretty amazing schools for children. It's so wonderful seeing educators and designers working together to create amazing environments that make children excited to learn.
Camp is a new line of clothing for girls to go and run in the forest or climb trees in style. With an old traditional approach in both color and technique , this is a sturdy and well-considered first collection. The entire line is made of certified organic cotton, hemp and hempcel.
Assembly, personalization, decoration, occupation and disassembly.
'villa julia' comes with a plan detailing the easy instructions for assembly;
children set it up themselves (assisted by an adult) and make it their own by
coloring the drawings found on the sides
Designed for the MeToo Collection for Magis by Javier Mariscal and debuted at Milan's Design Week 09.
qb is an environmentally friendly outdoor play hut for your mini. Not only can you customize the color of your qb but you can also download your own digital print to go on it as well. An added bonus is that a portion of your purchase go directly to Right To Play. They are an international humanitarian organization that uses sport and play programs to improve health, develop life skills, and foster peace for children and communities in some of the most disadvantaged areas of the world.
The latest issue of LMNOP has come out and again, I continue to be impressed with Jenny Lacey's curation and eye for design. In this issue, there is section of well-considered toys, coloring books, meal time goods, reading books, chalky tees, Hanne Larsen's amazing NYC loft with her four children, homegrown threads and a show and tell section by Janet and Stu from Three Potato Four.
At the show this year, there seemed to be less clothing, print and textile presence than last year. However, there were some new stand-outs....
Meet Paperstorm ... a place to for kids to create. A total of 2.600 single sheets, each 50 x 100 cm build a table with 40 cm height, which stands on a flat stainless steel base. Stay-down rolls let the table stay movable. This is especially important for the positioning in the children’s room. The selected paper from IGEPA is produced out of Eucalyptus trees, which are planted as renewable raw materials on special ecologically certified plantations.
Constantin is a beautiful rocking object, made in plywood for the structural elements combined with a flexible yet highly durable loden (100 % wool) fabric covering, characteristic of Perludi's designs. Made in Germany, the birchwood comes from Europe and the fabric from Austrian company Steiner The materials are 100 % recycable. The surfaces can be cleaned with a vacuum cleaner, a damp cloth or a soft brush and – unlike many other textiles – retain their original character for a long time. The rocking horse is foldable, therefore very easy to fold and put away.
My daughter needs a new bag for school. I really like the Toscanella Child's Messenger Bag from Pierotucci.
Not only the child but the environment was in mind behind Ink + Wit's Everything Counts poster. It's printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper with soy-based inks. (via ModEco Kids)
These gÚgU shoes by Gabriela Gomes are really sweet. I like the stitching detail and color choices. The outside is made of synthetic-leather with the interior a warm polar mesh. They are even packaged in an eco-friendly recyclable and reusable bag.
Like the socks, the bedside tables are always a pair. SOCKS is a couple of bedside tables, realized in beech wood with legs covered by recycled plastic cones by the textile industry. These plastic cones can be changeable for other colors.
Designed by Alfonso del Val Merry, these could play very well in a kid's room.
