droolicious : playroom

Organize Books So Kids Can See 'Em

Cathy Hale — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 15:00:00 GMT

We have stacks and stacks of kid's books, so finding the right one means stacks turn into messy piles. It never fails - the book we're looking for is always on the bottom. Here's a great way to store and display books and it's a bit more unique than a bookcase. It's the Catalina Magazine Rack from Pottery Barn Kids.

It would be great for a nursery, child's room or playroom. It comes in white and espresso. I'm loving this idea, especially since my youngest tears paperback books apart! This is a perfect way to keep them visible to big kids, yet out of the reach of curious little page rippers. $119 at PBK.

Hitch a Ride on This Flying Carpet

SunnyChanel — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 23:39:00 GMT

If your family has just happened to have watched Alladin over fifty time or perhaps you just don’t like your carpets to be right smack dab one the floor, then here is a rug for you. Yes, you can get a flying carpet for a wee bit of the old woven magic to delight, intrigue and captivate young and old would be flyers alike. The Magis Flying Carpet comes from Italy and the rug lays on a large wavy base. But this kind of magic doesn’t come cheap. The base itself goes for £318.67 ($450) and the rug for £176.56 ($251). For more details, or if that genie in the bottle gifted you with enough money to splurge on a floating rug, you can check it out here.

Chalkboard Pendant

Lisa Mulcahy — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 17:00:00 GMT

With the advent on chalkboard paint, there’s no shortage of scribbleable kids products, but I’ve yet to see a light fixture like this one.

Yes you can write on it, but I’d recommend leaving it up the to adults to inscribe the message of the day. Designed by St. Louis, MO artisan John Beck, this steel sheet pendant light comes with a 15" cord with plug end and an in-line switch. It’s available in three sizes: 6" x 5", 6" x 10", and 6" x 15", $175.00 to $295.00. Would be a fun addition to a playroom or craft area.

The Greatest Storage System Ever Made (for LEGO)

Aaron Burgess — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 17:30:00 GMT

Box4Blox LEGO storage units have been around for a while, but as so many of us continue to stumble over (or, worse yet, step barefoot on) stray pieces from the holiday LEGO sets that've long since been broken down, these handy little boxes are worth revisiting.

Think of each Box4Blox as a strainer for LEGO bricks: Shake the top tray, and the smaller pieces fall through to the next level. Do the same with the second tray, and the next-smaller-sized pieces drop yet one more level. And so on. When all is shaken and sorted, you've got four neatly organized trays' worth of bricks -- or more, if you buy additional units.

Unfortunately, there's no Box4Blox solution for those odd-shaped, geometrically challenging pieces that seem to be standard in so many modern LEGO sets -- but if you can quickly put order to the gazillion other pieces that are littering the playroom, such quibbles seem minor.

$29.95 for one four-tray storage unit, or $59.90 for a double pack, at Box4Blox.

In the Nursery: New Toy Storage from Oeuf

elizabeth leach — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 18:00:00 GMT

Oeuf's new Toy Storage is all about multi-functionality and thoroughly modern good looks. Bins can lay flat or swivel so kids can reach them easily. Dividers are removable and can be repositioned to store small or large toys. Toy Storage is part of Oeuf's Classic Collection.

The storage unit would work well in the kitchen or office, too. Available in birch or walnut. Toy Storage measures: 19"L x 31"W x 41.5H. Shop Oeuf. (Toy storage is $496)

Would You Spend $2000 on A Tepee?

SunnyChanel — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 23:45:00 GMT

Would you spend $2000, actually $2200, on a tepee for your kids? Yeah, me neither. But if you do a thing for tepees of an heirloom quality and you just happen to have that kind of money burning a hole in your pocket, you can pick up this tepee from Design Within Reach.

What makes this structure have such a high price tag? This top of the line tepee was designed Dave Ellis who started creating his own line of tents and tepees way back in 1982. He uses exceptional materials and the construction provides proper ventilation, is flame resistance and has reinforced stress points. It has a sewn-in floor that provides proper air flow and protects the interior from the elements. Yeah, I love a good old-fashioned tepee as much as the next person but for $2200? I wish they’d get rid of one of those zeros and they’d have a deal. You can check it out here.

Give Your Kid the Gift of A Door!

SunnyChanel — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 19:30:00 GMT

First I should mention that giving your child the gift of their very own door doesn’t come cheap. I’m not talking about some standard door you picked up a Home Depot, not this is a special Mini-Door unit for your child’s space. This “artisan collection” item from Posh Tots includes a rounded door within a door, perfect for those wanting their own sized entry. It’s made of Birch and solid Oak and it reduces sound and noise with such sturdy woods. Plus you can pick your own letter to personalize the entryway. So how much does this door go for? $1870. As you open this door watch the money just fly out. If you’d like more info check it out here.

BabyStyle Retro Kitchen 50% Off!

SunnyChanel — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 19:30:00 GMT

Kids, they love to pretend to cook. And it’s a great way to get them ready to start helping out in the real kitchen sooner than later. Here’s a stylish play kitchen by BabyStyle that not only has an old school retro style, but it’s over 50% off!

The Look Who’s Coming to Dinner Retro Stove and Sink, is a sturdy blue and silver play space that includes the built in sink, functional clock, turning and clicking knobs, plexi-windowed oven built-in shelving and a 4-burner stove.

Check it out here for $107.99 (regularly $220).

Cool Ride-On Toy from Apple Pie

Erin Behan — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 18:28:00 GMT

I'd never heard of these ride-along toys from Apple Pie until a far-away Santa stowed one under our Christmas tree. Having Ellie the Elephant in hand, I can tell you she's sturdy and quite attractive looking. Details include rubberized wheels which protect both your floor and little hands, a fun bendy nose and a cute waggable rubber tail. The paint is nontoxic and the fun is recommended for 18-plus months. Buy it for $74.95 at Fat Brain Toys.

Toy Storage: Pretty in Pink

Cathy Hale — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 15:29:00 GMT

Looking for a luxurious storage solution? Take a peek at this beautiful Tufted Bench featuring soft foam cushions and tufted pink microsuede. Perfect for a bedroom or playroom, this bench will keep toys neatly tucked away.The dimensions are 37 L x 19 W x 17 H. Bench is one of many from the tufted furniture collection at The Company Store.

Fatboy Jr. Now Available in Marimekko Patterns

Chris Ford — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 14:30:00 GMT

We've had a regular Fatboy in our house for years and we love it. The Fatboy Jr. version (sized for kids) also seems like a good playroom furniture solution. But if the solid colors weren't doing it for you, there are some new options.

Fatboy Jr. is now available in those colorful floral Marimekko prints, and as the father of daughters it's making a Fatboy Jr. purchase seem like a better idea. But then again, I still like how my girls share the one big fatboy.

Fatboy Jr., Marimekko Unikko Red, $189 from Design Public.

Eco-Friendly Stocking Stuffer: EnviroBlox

Aaron Burgess — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 19:04:00 GMT

Made from corn starch, Cadaco's EnviroBlox are the biodegradable alternative to traditional plastic building blocks. You wet the packing-peanut-style Blox with the included sponge to stick them together, and instead of having to shelve away a bunch of pieces when playtime is over, you just run the kids' creation under water to watch it melt away. Warning, though: EnviroBlox' melting capabilities can be alluring enough that more mischievous kids may get off on simply watching the blocks dissolve.

The EnviroBlox 400-piece X-Treme Builder Set (pictured) is $9.99 from Amazon, while the more stocking-sized Deluxe Set is $6.99.

Take Your Kid For A Ride - In Vintage Style

SunnyChanel — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 14:30:00 GMT

Do you have a little speed demon in training on your hands? A car crazed kid with an undeniable urge to cruise? A aesthically pleasing answer for you and them is this super stylish Metal Speedcar Racer from Design Within Reach. This ride-on foot powered car is based on the roadsters of the 1930’s and this vintage-styled metal racer will surely give them one sweet sweet ride. Best of all, it’ll look like a piece of eclectic art in your home, flat or apartment. You can get your kid their own rider here, or one for you to have as a whimsical conversation piece ($120).

This Toy Is More Than Meets The Eye

SunnyChanel — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 05:00:00 GMT

I love stuff that multitasks. And kids, they are always using forks as telephones and plates as flying saucers, so they instinctively get the whole concept. You know who else gets it? Plan Toys. Their Road & Railway Set looks like a simple wooden toy box but that’s hardly what it is at all. This unpresuming object converts to a “bustling train station.” The piece includes road and rail tracks, train, train station, vehicles, figures, trees, traffic signs and lights. And it's all made from recycled materials, so you get bonus karma points too! You can pick up your own for that 4+ year old child in your life from Saks for $210.

Big Deal: Disney Princess and Cars Rug On Sale At FLOR

Chris Ford — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 18:58:00 GMT

I'm a big fan of the interchangeable carpet tiles from FLOR, but one design that they have that is almost never on sale is now on sale. The six tile Disney Princess rug and the six tile Disney Cars rug are now 44% off.

Each rug is 3 feet by 5 feet and is compatible with other FLOR tile colors too, in case you'd like to use it as a part of a bigger floor covering design. I've had FLOR tiles in my home now and I love them. Now I have to make sure my daughter doesn't see these or she'll be bugging me for her own princess rug.

Disney Area Rugs - Princess or Cars by FLOR, $59.99 (was $99.99) at the sale page of FLOR.com

Animalia Safari Wallpaper from SUM

Chris Ford — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 23:01:00 GMT

This hand screened wallpaper is so cool I'm already plotting on where I could put it up in my house. The Animalia Safari Wallpaper is the illustration of a safari scene, with the shapes of elephants, giraffes and monkeys. Except when you look closer you realize everything in the picture is made up of the letters in their names. Put multiple panels together and it's an instant safari in your kids' room or playroom.

Designed by Susie Mendive for SUM, the wallpaper is available in "Savannah" orange (pictured) or "Bushman" brown, and is sold in multiple panels allowing you to mix and match to create your own safari scene. Each panel measures 27" x 120" and is made of recyclable paper and "water-based, non varsol inks."

Animalia Safari Wallpaper, $155 per panel from Design Public

Antics Ant Blocks Go Marching Into the Playroom

Aaron Burgess — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 16:04:00 GMT

New from Uncle Goose, Antics Ant Blocks aren't your everyday wooden cubes: Each of the set's 16 blocks features a creepy-crawly design -- from parading ant soldiers to an enemy spider to the queen and her eggs -- that grows into an imaginative scene no matter how you place or stack things.

Made in the U.S. from sustainable basswood and kid-safe inks -- $20 from Wild Dill. [Via Cool Mom Picks, which is also offering a pretty sweet coupon code through mid-January.]

How to Roll With Clean-Up Time

Erin Behan — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 18:06:00 GMT

Droolicious writer Mir wasn't a fan of the OFFI rolltop bench, but I must agree to disagree by pointing out the loveliness that is the OFFI rolltop chair. I am just beginning to appreciate how much space children's toys take up and how they are always underfoot, no matter what. Furniture that does two-in-one duty has always been high on parent's list of must-haves, and this rolltop chair has the added benefit of being attractive. For kids, of course, the key is the secret compartment where they can "hide" (aka put away) all their belongings. At 22" high, 24" deep and 15" wide with a 10" seat, it's also sized for kids only, increasing the appeal.The tambour is solid birch and the base is painted MDF. It's $168 at Follow Function.

Who Needs a Rocking Horse When You Can Have a Harley

Lisa Mulcahy — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 18:32:00 GMT

If your tot is into Orange County Choppers more than Dora the Explorer, here’s the rocker for you.

So it might be at least a decade before your little one hits the open road (thank God), but Kidkraft’s Roaring Harley Davidson Rocker, $180, will have him pretending to be the king of cool. With its “leatherette” seat, signature Harley flame artwork and revved up sounds effects, this rocker rules.

Cruel Irony of Cardboard Castles Happily Lost on Kids

Aaron Burgess — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 15:04:00 GMT

At the rate the economy is crumbling, we'll all be living in cardboard houses soon (rimshot!), but in the meantime, this deluxe-sized Calacastle from Creative Toyshop is a terrific way to find solace in your own personal land of make-believe.

Made in Germany from extra-sturdy cardboard, the 41" x 41" x 49" playhouse comes as a sort of blank canvas that kids can paint and decorate to suit their whims. It also offers a number of hideaway slots and storage areas, and in the likely event the kids beat the life out of it, the castle can also be dumped into the recycling bin.

$89.99 from Creative Toyshop.

Cushy Cool Chair

Lisa Mulcahy — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 15:54:00 GMT

If there’s one thing that kids are expert at, it’s lounging. I wish I could go back to the days when my biggest concern was when Sesame Street was coming on. As parents, laundry and chores seem to trumpet lounging, but this funky chair might just be an incentive to chill out with the kids and watch a little tube.

Surely kids will love the texture of the Coosh Lounge Chair and Ottoman, $349, which cleverly nest together when not being used. Made of high-density foam, it’s the perfect place to perch in the playroom for a little R&R.

Candy Dot Bench

Lisa Mulcahy — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 12:28:00 GMT

Call it branding genius, clever marketing or maybe just kitschy fun, but this NYC design firm has mastered the art of melding nostalgic icons of 80s childhood with modern furniture and accessories.

Forget the old sex sells adage, it’s emotional attachment and “remember when” moments that can sell anything. Just one glance at Jellio’s Button Bench, $1,400, flashes me back to a five-and-dime shop my mom used to take me after doctor appointments. If I was good I got a roll of candy dots. (Ahh … I can still taste the paper that always managed to stick to the back of those sugary sweet treats.) The candy dot bench brings a little piece of that memory home. Covered in pink, blue, and yellow rubber dots that squish down when you sit on them and pop back when you get up, the white acrylic bench would be a great playroom piece.

Picnic Table Craft Table From P'Kolino

Chris Ford — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 23:08:00 GMT

We've written before about the kids funiture from P'Kolino, and now they've got a new activity table for kids that matches the rest of their collection. It looks fun and modern, but is a picnic-bench type of table best for you?

I can imagine this type of table being perfect for some playrooms. In apartments or other places where space is at a premium, this might be the perfect solution. But in my house, one of the best aspects of the activity table is my kids can take the chairs and move them around. Not to mention the fact that I've sat down at the table once or twice myself. Plus, with the bench attached to the table, it would have been hard for my youngest to get to the table with her sister when she was learning to walk.

But either way, if you're shopping for a play table for your kids this one is worth checking out.

P'Kolino Craft Table, $129 from Design Public.

A Green Living Room Set (in white) for Your Little One

SunnyChanel — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:12:00 GMT

Although I adore the look, style, and simplicity of this white kids table and chair set, sadly I won’t be getting it for my kid. Not that she doesn’t deserve it, but because I 1) don’t have $1250 to spend on a scaled down living room set and 2) don’t want her to have better, more attractive and more expensive furniture than her parents. She already dresses better than me, does her room décor have to outshine the rest of the house? I think not, I don’t want to raise a spoiled princess. But if I win the lottery in the next week or so, not only will I pop into DWR to improve my own digs, I’ll pick up this set for her too! Oh and this set by iBride by Kobo is made from reclaimed wood and recycled materials…yet another good reason to spend my lotto winnings on it.

Battle of the Playroom Easels: Ikea vs. Ecotots

Chris Ford — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 16:02:00 GMT

After my once-per-year trip to Ikea a few weeks ago, I've been considering getting a drawing easel for our playroom. I'm still not convinced that either of my two kids would actually stand for more than a minute or two at an easel and draw, but there has to be something to them, right? An easel is a classic playroom fixture, and with easels that look as cool as the one from Ecotots (pictured on the right), maybe I should reconsider.

The surfboard-shaped Ecotots Surfer Easel is made of just three pieces of formaldehyde-free environmentally friendly wood, and stands 39.5" tall. It comes in four colors and will undoubtedly look very cool in your playroom. It will cost you of course - $140.

There is also another, much more traditional (and much more affordable) option over at Ikea. The Mala easel is 46" high, folds flat when it's not in use and will set you back $19.99.

Both are simple, modern and seem to be functional. The Surfer Easel easily wins on style and beauty, but in this battle the winner is the Ikea Mala. Did I mention it was $120 cheaper?

Check out the Ecotots Surfer Easel at Modernseed.com. And the Ikea Mala easel at Ikea.com