minor details

fun varieties

Tschutschu is a piece of furniture that can be used as a playtable, bench, train table, stage or secret hideout. Designed by Dominik Lutz and for purchase at Magazin.

 

convertible cover

Habitat was a beautiful kids' 4 poster bed called Mini Hana I would suggest getting the Wendy Curtain to convert this bed into magic!

 

compact cardboard and connecting numbers

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.

 

clear visibility

Community Playthings has a very sweet and simple storage solution called The Browser Box .... and I like it!

 

 

design for walls

Andreas Golinksi was one of many designers that took part in Unduetrestella, an installation art show geared towards the belief that contemporary art introduced to children can be seen a game, light, sound, noise, music, designs on a wall ... if we just open their eyes to it.

Here is an example of Andreas' idea for design on walls, in his piece called House of My Dreams. (via)

ride 'em cowboy

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.

this morning with dwr

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.

mom trends nyc

The lovely Nicole Feliciano, of Momtrends, just recently launched Momtrendsnyc. It's got everything for the urban NYC parent! 

She asked me some very in-depth questions not too long ago and just posted our interview! Check it out HERE.

pull along polly

THIS little nod to the 'ol school pull on toy is actually a leather pouf! Pull Along Polly is designed b Joni Neelen and would make for super fun piece in a kid's space!

lets celebrate with some noguchi

It's only fitting that my 1,000th post be about Isamu Noguchi's Playscapes. I had the amazing opportunity to play on the grounds all day on saturday with my daughter, niece and nephew. It was topped off with a jazz quartet playing in the background and fresh apples from the farmers market just a stones throw from the playground. The park I'm referring to is Piedmont Park in Atlanta, Georgia .... which houses Noguchi's only playground to be completed in his lifetime. Such a peaceful and wonderful space for both big kid and small!  

 

 

PlayShapes

Miller Goodman has struck again....introducing PlayShapes!

PlayShapes is a modular set of 74 geometric wooden shapes which can be endlessly arranged or stacked to produce hundreds of 3D creations. The smooth shapes, with flashes of colour are pleasingly crafted in rubberwood which can also be used as drawing templates. The intrinsic simplicity of the product and clarity of design, freely allows children and adults alike to fully engage in the wonderment and joy of the creative process.

 

 

simply playful

"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."  

creative print

Madame MO has some sweet Japanese Alphabet Prints as well as Coloring Books.  

yes please

Ben Wilson Design just created the fantastic SEEBIKESAW for Brooks England. It is currently on display at 100% Design in London until Sept 27th. 

ala natural

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.

playful storage

I had the great pleasure of enjoying dinner last night with my dear friend Marie of Little Fashion Gallery. We had a lot to catch up on! She is such an amazing force and taste maker for the fashion and design forward tot. I am in love with her collaboration with Agnes & Agnes. They created this amazing Toy Box. 

bringing ideas together

A Green Garden - A Giant Birdsnest for breeding new ideas. Awesome.

clean fun

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. 

big blue

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. 

The Blue Fence Project’s first completed structure will be exhibited from September 25 at the International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam. The studio has designed a number of pavilions to be made from the blue construction fence that surrounds the 2012 Olympic Games site. The plywood fencing will be recycled to reinstate local activities lost during the Olympic development. The Blue Fence Project will be exhibited at the Parallel Cases exhibition of the International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam, from September 26 – December 13. (via)

hop pop you dont stop

Hop Pop just launched it's new line of products and I am really intrigued. I like the baby bath, training toilet and 4 wheel trike the most.

 

just another toy

Just Another Toy is a design collaboration between Sara Ribbenstedt and Matilda Dominique. This three-dimensional toy consists of foam rubber cubes dressed in fabrics with various patterns and allows kids to try and find specific object shapes according to what use they want it to have. 

They managed to get Offecct to make the prototype but I READ that they are still looking for distribution. I love the concept, color and scale of these pieces and hope they make there way to the US soon! (photos by Henrik Bengtsson)

the modern indoor treehouse

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. 

What do you do for a NYC tot who needs an indoor modern treehouse? Well, I suppose this would be it........ I hope you enjoy it! (simply click on the images for a larger view)

 

the writing is on the wall

Lutèce has designed very playful and stimulating wallpaper. (thanks Stacey!)

 

decorate and store

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.

transformer

Philippe Malouin designed this child's chair turned single bed called Tent Sofa. It's a great solution for sleepovers and playtime.

sneak peak - the modern blue bedroom

I wanted to give you just a peak into the bedroom that I'm working on for one of the cutest little boys in Brooklyn. My clients wanted to give him a big boy room that he could enjoy for years to come and needed to have a modern yet playful vibe. He's into robots, cars and blue..... just the typical things that every boy loves. I can't wait to show you the other side of the room. I hope you like it. More to come......

  

joy

Moroso just completed their Sushi collection by adding the Joy Sphere-Pillow. I think one of those would do just fine in a kid's room.

r.i.p. sons and daughters

Nooooooooooooo. My go-to gift store for everything baby and child is closing. If you are in the New York area through August 23rd then hope on over and take advantage of the closing sales of the year. 

Sons and Daughters

35 Avenue A

New York, NY 10009

creating fantasy

When it comes to the work of Russian Designer Maria Yasko, one thing comes to mind - fantasy. I really admire her Icelandic Tree shelf from the Vjunok/Bindweed series. It could play very well in a kid's space. She also did another space based on the Moomin books, by Finnish illustrator Tove Jansson, called Moomin Valley. Below is an example of the children's playspace. Quite a fantasy!

collect

There is something very playful about Normann Copenhagen's Collect Bookshelf. It would be fun to turn it into a dollhouse of sorts.

sneak peak - the modern indoor treehouse

I hope that everyone is enjoying July and getting some sunshine. I have missed my little blog but I've got lots of things to share very soon. One thing is a project that I started last month and just completed on friday. Here is a little sneak peak ...... more to come soon. Cheers -jenn

the suspended tree house

There is something very intriguing about the Treepee. I would imagine lots of storytelling and adventures could happen in there.

a lil mini modernist bauhaus never hurt anyone

Resene, a New Zealand professional paint company, chose to showcase their latest range of Karen Walker color paints for the home, by using mini- modernist Bauhaus inspired architectural models of homes crafted by Auckland sculptor Gidon Bing and styled by Katie Lock. (via)

Hey Resene - since the photo shoot is over, would you consider selling these? They would make for stunning dollhouses. 

come again?

My daughter's 5th birthday is approaching ... is it wrong that I want to get her THIS instead of that Barbie Princess House she asked for?

creatures

Andrew Zuckerman makes amazing animal portraitures. His book, Creatures, was huge. He has just released the Creatures 16 piece Floor Puzzle (2 double sided) and is set to release a 120 page Creatures ABC book in July. Way to take a theme and roll with it ... I totally don't mind at all! 

get in your soap box

Alright, it's Danish and freaking awesome. Downside? This PLAY Soapbox Cart is $2,755.32.

an amazing use of space

H2O Architects had a problem to solve for a client. Their family was expanding but their home could not. With a new baby on the way, they recreated space within space and HERE is what they came up with. Bravo!

The arrival of a new child in the family pressed a young couple to think about a way to divide a room into two parts. The idea was to provide a personal space to each child. The project answers to this request of separation by adding a third space making the partition. The creation of a “multiple-use furniture” in the middle of the space allows to add some depth to the primary basic partition. It afford passages, secret storage, bed, office… in a funny way. The specific blend generates a concentrated typology of spaces and situations in perpetual renewal. The new partition is porous creating steps, cavities and niches which suggests many possibilities for appropriation (climbing, hidding, drawing, etc…). Many uncharted and intermediate spaces led by the furniture allow for the invention of any kind of practices and uses. Let’s play!  

anthropodino

I think the best way to describe Ernesto Neto's interest was found in the program for his latest installation at the Park Avenue Armory in New York City - "architecture as a kind of second skin with which we surround ourselves." 

My daughter had a school holiday yesterday so we met up with lovely Lynn of Appaman and her cute little mini then headed uptown. I was blown away with the size and structure. Although it seemed more like an indoor playspace than an art exhibit, I was impressed with his use of color, texture, materials and the inviting hands-on appeal. It's up through June 15th and I would highly recommend this one! Click HERE for more information on this current show, Anthropodino. (first two photos are by James Ewing) 

 

house for the little ones

French designer Matali Crasset  just completed La Maison des Petits for the arts centre 104 Centquatre in Paris, France. It's venues like this that completely inspire me. 

The venue aims to provide a public space where children can exercise their creativity. The space is divided into distinct areas for children of different ages and abilities and furnished with free-standing, mushroom-like structures. A circular seating and play area in the centre of the room features an inner, cushioned play-area for babies and toddlers and is surrounded by stools so parents can sit at the same level as their children. When covered, this area becomes a large meeting table or platform for activities or performances. The canopy above provides diffused, coloured lighting. A large, orange structure acts as the central hub of the venue, housing facilities including a nappy-changing unit, kitchenette, shower-room, electrical services and equipment storage. The interior wall is made up of three parts: at the lower level some panels are articulated, allowing them to become inclined seating, shelving, sound and light deflectors or a small ladder; the middle tier acts as storage and the upper, perforated level offers acoustic dampening. (Photographs by Jérôme Spriet.)

little green riding hood

This ModernChild exclusive from wovenplay is simply beautiful. It goes smashingly with Bruno Munari's book by the same name.

up up and away

I am huge fan of the band Grizzly Bear. I am also a huge fan of the Red Balloon. So it's no surprise that I would fall in love with the new Grizzly Bear video for the song Two Weeks, featuring the Red Balloon. Ahhhhhh, exactly what I needed today! Thanks Joanna.

prototype trikes

Woo Hyun Lee made a series of child chairs that also double as tricycles. There are a few things that I really dig about these.....but I'm afraid my dislikes out-weigh those. What do you think?

the tube

De Buis is art piece consisting of a series of steel tubes. These create a playground for elementary school De Paradijsvogel, designed by Kaptein Roodnat, in the Netherlands. I really like substituting the traditional chunky play structures for a minimal approach such as this one. I think this style stimulates a child's imagination a lot more. (via)

different levels of play

Munich based design house Designliga created an indoor play space for a little lad named Leif. I like that they are breaking the color gender code!

sesame shorts

A childhood friend of mine, David Ahuja, is doing some pretty fun and amazing work. Like these little numbers for Season 39 of Sesame Street!

a modern warehouse fantasy

Tjep is a design powerhouse that rocks my world. They were the ones behind the design of the eatery Praq, just outside of Amsterdam. One of their recent endeavors was for a new furniture brand called VilaSofa. The interior design is like a modern warehouse fantasy playspace. I am in love!

my own private idaho

Little Red Stuga just came out with this plywood Gruyere Play Screen. Go grab junior one HERE.

spring cleaning

***Thanks to everyone who turned out for the sale this weekend. It was nice to meet some of my readers! For everyone else who was unable to make it, I will be listing everything that was not sold thoughout the week over at my Etsy shop. Click HERE to head over.

Here are some shots of the sale today so you can see some of the goodies still left for purchase!

come on down!

HOPE TO SEE YOU THIS WEEKEND! I am gearing up for the sale tomorrow. Here is a shot of my dining room table to give you a peek. So many of you have asked for photos and pricing and due to our major delay in returning from our vacation, I have yet to get back to everyone. But, stop buy tomorrow or sunday for a chat or to take home some of the highlights:

child child chair (1)

casalino chairs (8)

cosco chairs (4)

bertoia chairs (4) 

vintage scooters (2)

vintage desks (2)

vintage prams (2)

vintage doll highchair

and tons more.......... did i mention old cameras as well?

That's right ... I'm doing a little spring cleaning. I've decided to put my private vintage and modern children's furniture and gear collection up for purchase. This two day event will take place at my studio on Sat, April 25th and Sun, April 26th from 12-5. The studio is located in Dumbo , Brooklyn at 10 Jay St. Studio 612A. It's just off the York Street station on the F line. There will be tons more up for purchase so stop by, you'll never know what you might find! Just double click on the image below for more details.

Cheers -Jenn.

making music

I love visiting Jolayne's blog. It's such a treasure. Here is a clip on how to make a Paper Roll Xylophone. It's in Japanese I believe but it's easy to follow. Take a peek and save your paper towel rolls for this rainy day project!

our TV show / paper roll xylophone from lullatone on Vimeo.

the skies the limit

I really like this kite. It reminds me that spring is actually starting. The designer, Damian O'Sullivan, took the words sky and kite and named this little number Skite.