Six Ways to Child’s Play
Design can be as playful as it is functional. For kids as well as the kid in all of us, here’s six ways to fill the playroom with fun and design.
1. Eames Elephant, Charles & Ray Eames – Fascinating to the Eameses, elephants popped up in Charles’ photos of circus life. Designed as molded plywood toys but never produced, the enchanting Eames Elephant comes back to life in durable polypropylene. Available in five colors. Get one at DWR.
2. Magis Puppy, Eero Aarnio – With its minimal, modern shape and detail, Aarnio’s brightly colored Puppy draws the eyes, of children especially, while simultaneously blurring the line between toy and furnishing. Leash one up at Hive Modern.
3. Eames House Blocks – The Eameses moved into Case Study House No. 8 on Christmas Eve, 1949. Now your children can enjoy building their own Eames House with these hand-pulled, screen-printed blocks. (Maybe even on Christmas Eve!) The set includes both the house and studio, comprised of 36 Michigan-grown, basswood blocks. Start building at House Industries.
4. Eames Hang-It-All, Charles & Ray Eames – Like so much of the Eameses work, the Hang-It-All is a beguiling work of art that also possesses great functionality. With its colorful wood knobs and web-like wire lattice base, it will make hanging just about anything from coats and scarves to hats and umbrellas a delight. Hang your hat on one at Herman Miller.
5. Cubebots, David Weeks – At rest, the Cubebot is an unassuming wood block; but awaken one and discover his dynamic profiles and poses. Elastic “muscles” and sustainably harvested cherry wood limbs make him impervious to years of play — the perfect, environmentally conscious, robot companion. Obtain him at Unica Home.
6. Alma Stacking Children’s Chair by Magis – Designed by Javier Mariscal for Magis, this contemporary stacking chair is the perfect height for manning a front-yard lemonade stand, a baby-doll tea service, and more. Produced in rotational-moulded polyethylene for durability with a unique sprouting chairback detail, it’s an attractive, functional addition to any playroom. Stack them up at Emmo Home.
Photos: Linked to sources within text