Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Creative Foam Furniture from Foamnasium


Foamnasium gives you a couple of creative furniture that’s soft enough for your toddlers without compromising functionality.

The Foamnasium Accordion is a particularly versatile piece of furniture, and is available in an imaginative blue-and-red pattern. True to its name, the Accordion folds into itself, conveniently transforming into a floor spread or a plush seat for your kids to enjoy. It was built for kids from one to five years old. Another advantage of its folding ability is storage; the Accordion even features a handle at one end of it to make it easy to tote around.

Foamnasium’s Accordion is made of a special type of vinyl that’s both comfortable yet also tough. It doesn’t take much to clean up either; all you’ll need is to wipe down the surface with a damp cloth and you’re good to go. The vinyl and foam also both contain antimicrobial properties.

Another great product from Foamnasium is the Foamnasium Pullout Chair, also in Red and Blue.

The Pullout Chair looks like an ordinary chair at first glance, but it can also be changed to a makeshift bed or floor play area. Kids from one to five years old can smoothly recline on the Chair, or sit comfortably in its upright position. The Pullout Chair has a very friendly, kid feel to it, courtesy of the red and blue colors. The chair comes with a handle too, making it convenient to move around the house. As with all of Foamnasium’s products, the Pullout Chair’s vinyl and foam contain antibacterial properties – extra plus for kid safety. The vinyl is pretty tough, though the foam inside is undoubtedly comfy. Older kids might also enjoy Foamnasium’s Pullout Chair, and the company offers other kinds of foam furniture that kids will definitely dig.

Adventurous Playsets to Blow Your Mind


Give your child hours upon hours of endless fun with the Greenscape by Gorilla Playsets.

Greenscape is a children’s outdoor wooden playset that features a collection of slides, swings and bars that facilitate healthy physical activity and imaginative fun. The set is typical of most Gorilla Playsets, with bright colors that look irresistibly inviting to kids. The playset features a swing beam, a play deck, a trapeze arm with rings, two swings, a rock wall with rock grips and a climbing rope, a safety step ladder, a wave slide, a sandbox, a vinyl canopy, a steering wheel, a telescope, and a flag kit. (All in all, it’s basically the ultimate kids’ fort.)



You’re going to need quite a bit of space for the Greenscape Playset, and a fair amount of assembly is involved as well. It’s clearly going to take a bit of time to put together the whole set, but the set includes a 3D manual to make the assembly much easier. Everything you’ll need—from the smallest accessories to the whole slide—is included in the playset package. The Greenscape Playset is quite economically priced, given all its features. Most of its structures are made of lumber that has been pre-cut, pre-sanded and pre-drilled.

Another playset by Gorilla is the Blue Ridge Mountaineer. While somewhat similar to the Greenscape Playset, the Blue Ridge Mountaineer have distinct differences in structure. The Radial Ride II tube slide is one of these, plus a Tic-Tac-Toe Spinner Pannel and iron swing hangers. On top of that, the Blue Ridge Mountaineer has a rock wall and a climbing rope, a built-in sandbox, a swing beam, a telescope, a three position swing set, as well as a built-in sandbox and picnic table. Most of the Blue Ridge Mountaineer is made of poly coated preserved pine wooden beams. Gorilla Playset built the Mountaineer to last several years, as the premium rot-resistant lumber requires little maintenance even over longer periods of time.

Friday, November 23, 2012

Activity Centers for the Nursery by Guidecraft


The Art Activity Cart by Guidecraft has been described as “the ultimate art cart”. It’s a whole art center on wheels, featuring several compartments that can hold anything from books to crayons to sheets of paper to rolls of yarn to basically anything a child needs for a good arts and crafts session.

The Art Activity Cart contains a top tray with deep sides that can serve as storage areas. It also has a pull out drawer with ball-bearing casters to make it easy to operate. A center storage compartment offers plenty of space for a variety of art supplies and larger items that won’t fit in the activity cart’s other compartments. The cart also features a couple of side dividers that can hold tall paper rolls for convenient access.

The cart is made of Baltic-birch plywood and runs on heavy-duty casters and steel hardware. If you regularly move several art items around at once, the cart is an extremely convenient piece of furniture to have in the nursery. You’re going to need a bit of assembly when you get the cart, but it’s easy enough to put together with the instructions.

The Audio Center Table, also by Guidecraft, is a good addition to any nursery that places emphasis on cognitive stimulation via auditory means. The table is suitable for use with a G6472 Audio Center Table, and is a combination of a sturdy metal frame and equally sturdy wood. The design of the chairs and table offer classic styling and comfort, courtesy of their characteristic bent wood design. The chair legs feature a powder-coated finish. The Audio Center Table sports a 12 and a half inch height, and is ideal for kids aged three years and up.

Cool Clocks by Nanda Home


Your kids are going to love waking up in the morning with Nanda Home’s unique little time-teller, the funnily but aptly named Clocky Alarm Clock That Runs Away.

The Clocky Alarm Clock is one of Nanda Home’s patented creations. It basically does exactly what it says on the tin. Available in a sleek chrome finish, the clock’s alarm goes off, and then it scuttles away in an effort to get you out of bed, which is what the clock’s characteristic wheels are for. It discourages you from hitting the snooze button, if you don’t want to be dragged out of bed by a beeping little alarm. However, if you don’t need to get up immediately, simply take the wheels off the Clocky Alarm Clock before going to bed.

The clock is set to give you up to nine minutes of snooze time. After then, it turns on alarm beeps that go off in a random pattern, sounding off at up to 80 decibels complete with a flashing screen. It requires 4 AAA batteries that keep the clock running from six to eight months.

Another funky clock by Nanda Home is the Tocky Analog Alarm Clock. The Tocky Analog looks just a bit more modern than the quirky Clocky Alarm Clock That Runs Away. It also has the ability to jump off your bedside table and roll away. However, it does offer a bit more than that.

The Tocky Analog Alarm Clock allows you to record your own sound to serve as an alarm. It comes with a microphone and is also equipped with the ability to upload MP3s. You can wake up to Metallica, The Beatles, or the sound of your dog barking from miles away—the possibilities are endless. The clock is also operable with a touch-sensitive interface.

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Teatime with notNeutral


Bring a whole other kind of class into the nursery with teatime furniture. If your child is old enough to appreciate high tea in the afternoons, check out these tidbits from notNeutral.

The notNeutral BB02 Table is the result of a collaboration between notNeutral BB02 and Minnesota’s Loll Designs. As Loll Designs specializes in durable, all-weather furniture for the outdoors, the BB02 Table is basically an outdoor version of the BB2 chair.

The table is made of high quality material, and does away with the cheap look and feel of some sub-quality nursery furniture. The appeal is enhanced by the bright colors it’s available in: red, blue, green, white, and black brown. notNeutral utilizes superior grade recycled high density polyethylene (HDPE) in the construction of the BB02 Table, making it environmentally-friendly. This is because the material is a plastic resin, a specific type that can be reused after the object has completed its life a piece of furniture. The joints of the table are fastened by high grade stainless steel.

Once you have the table, all you need is a tea set to go with it. notNeutral’s Flora Cup and Saucer Set is the perfect companion to the BB02 Table. The set consists of four cups and four saucers, all in a quaint but very attractive light blue. The cups and saucers are made of porcelain, with the former being big enough to hold about six ounces of liquid. The design features thorns and flowers across a six inch diameter saucer. While older children will enjoy using these in the playroom, they could very well serve as tea pieces in an adult dining room as well. The cups and saucers are all durable enough to place in the dishwasher, and are also microwave safe.

Blue Baby Accessories by Baby Star

If you like your child’s accessories all conforming to a specific theme or motif, blue is a good way to go. Proven to be mentally and psychologically soothing by scientists, it’s a good color to help relax your child after an exciting day.

The Quick Change Pouch by Baby Star is a child accessory every parent will greatly appreciate, especially if you like organizing all your things.

The Quick Change Pouch is a decorative fabric pouch that comes in a number of designs, but Connect the Dots Blue is a soothing, stylish shade available in Baby Star’s exclusive design. The Quick Change consists of a main compartment and gusset sides that allows you to store all sorts of baby essentials while you’re on the go. It measures about six by ten inches, and is made of 100% cotton. The pouch is sized perfectly to contain diapers and wipes without becoming too bulky. The reinforced base also helps expand the pouch, fitting up to four large diapers and a wipe case inside it.

Baby Star ensures that its baby and toddler accessories all do not contain any formaldehyde, so the Quick pouch is absolutely safe to use around your child.

If you like consistency in your baby’s things, consider the Baby Hooded Bath Balloons Blue Towel, also by Baby Star. The Hooded Bath Balloons Blue Towel is a set that comes with two pieces: the hooded towel is accompanied by a washcloth to make your child’s bath time much more convenient for parents.

The towel and washcloth are made of decorative cotton, mixed with terry cloth that keeps both ultra absorbent. The hood keeps your child from losing unnecessary body heat by wrapping it around its head. The towel measures thirty by thirty inches all around. The set is machine washable and contains no toxic materials, making it perfectly safe to use for your child.

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Iglooplay’s Creative Nursery Furniture


Put a whole new spin on your child’s nursery with these awesome options by Iglooplay.

The Iglooplay TeaPods are made in different shapes and sizes, conceptualized as “sculptural and moveable furniture” designed to appeal to both children and adults.

What makes the Tea Pods really great pieces of furniture is that they can be used in practically any way you want. Do you need an extra couple of fun chairs for the nursery? Are you looking for a creative looking coffee table for the living room? Maybe your kids’ bedrooms could use a splash of color, or your own room might benefit from a fun piece of furniture that can be anything. It’s a great addition to any family’s collection of furniture, and it comes in different colors too, such as Ultra Suede to Crypton Suede. You also have the option to get the Tea Pod Tray, which can go right on top of the Tea Pod and serves as a good place to serve real (or imagined) cups of tea.

The Tea Pods are available in small and medium sizes, and can be interlocked to provide a more compact appearance. The high density foam makes it quite durable, but nonetheless comfortable as well. The upholstery is PVC-free and the whole thing is non-toxic. To clean it, all you need is a brush and some mild soap and water.

In the same line, the LimaPlay Table (also by Igloo Play) presents a more functional approach, providing toddlers with their own personal play tables.

The Lima Play Table was designed to “encourage a sense of independence” in kids, as it was built to cater to children so they can comfortably use the table themselves. The design also allows kids to sit on the floor as they play, which is often more realistic than expecting very young kids to make use of a chair for any extended period of time. The play table comes in two sizes, small and medium. Depending on what your child needs the table for, you can get either the small one for play or the larger one for arts and crafts.

Classy Pet Furniture for the Livingroom


Sure, you’d like to stick a dog house of sorts inside your house, but you’re most likely concerned that a pet corner might throw off the general feel of the living room.

DenHaus solves that conundrum for you with a number of dog houses that won’t just blend in with your present décor, but also gives your pet a nice little station of their own inside the family home. The DenHaus TownHaus, for instance, looks miles above your typical dog house or bed.

Made of quality wood designed for extra durability, the TownHaus looks classy and sophisticated, with a dark finish that looks clean and well-disposed to either traditional or contemporary home design. Antique brass hardware gives the dog house an unquestionable distinguished appeal, and matches the formality of most living rooms well. Unlike dog houses that are completely closed off, it also provides good ventilation for your dog, so it won’t be a major source of any funny smells. Several coats of sealer prevents the wood from being scratched to death, and the finish is non-toxic to your pets.

The TownHaus provides a number of variants in terms of design, and you can check out the different colors and sizes. However, they do all feature the same reliable quality. You might even choose to add the TownHaus pet bed, which is made of custom cushions that feature high quality foam. The outer cover is easily removed too, for your cleaning convenience.

Another option from DenHaus is the BowHaus, which unlike the TownHaus is a little more open though no less formal. One of its main advantages is the amount of ventilation your pet gets, and the whole dog house is dotted with starburst cutout designs for a more creative style. A powder-coated steel finish keeps the house scratch-resistant. The BowHaus also contains a cushion that provides extra comfort for your dog.

Imaginative Play Tents for The Playroom


Going camping? Whether it’s for hiding out in in the living room or staking out the front yard on a sunny day, a good kid’s tent will make the adventure a lot more enjoyable.

The Lucy & Michael Play Tent was made to get your kid’s imagination kicking in high gear, and that’s not just because it sports a retro rodeo print (though that helps, too). The tent is considerably large, with five feet square of room and five feet of headway. When closed, the tent measures roughly six feet long, and can be easily bundled into the closet for quick storage. The tent is fully functional, and has red and yellow ticking and tan suede accents, that’ll brighten up any part of the house.

If you want something that looks a little more out of the box, consider getting the Magis Nido Children’s Nest Cave. The Nest Cave has a design that’s a bit more modern and just a little less traditional, but its functionality remains top of the shelf.

The Nest Cave is a vision in bright yellow, featuring two openings that allow for maximum circulation inside, as well as to make for easy entrance and exit. Magis Nido clearly took  a step out of the box in the Nest Cave’s design, banking on sophisticated industrial design to invoke a familiar, childlike qualities—friendliness and straightforward functionality.

The floor of the Nest Cave is green to mimic grass, with grey antennae sticking up out of the top of the cave. The material is made of rotational molded polyethylene, and is water-resistant enough for both indoor and outdoor use. THe Nest Cave doesn’t look at all like a traditional tent, but it serves as a pretty good one, as well as an unconventional and yet uncomfortable hangout when ordinary furniture comes up short.

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

A Twist on Conventional Diaper Bags


Tired of lugging around big and bulky diaper bags? Never again. Whether you need all your baby’s essentials on that upcoming picnic this weekend, or you need a nice baby bag to take to that garden party, here are some nice alternatives to choose from.

Diaper Dude sure knows how to put the “awesome” back in diaper bags. The Dude Bag comes in several other colors and designs, but the brown and orange combination has just the right combination of parent form factor and straightforward functionality that no ordinary diaper bag can pull off.

The Dude Bag (even the name sounds cool) features a stroller strap that allows you to attach the bag to your kid’s stroller, if he has one. The bag fits comfortably across the chest without putting too much weight on any one shoulder, courtesy of its ergonomic design. The adjustable strap is padded as well, and contains clips that can be easily worked to remove the bag when you need to.

Made of durable polyester, the Dude Bag was built to last longer than your average diaper tote. It contains three outside pockets that can be zipped open or closed, and can be used to store baby items that you usually need within reach. The bottle pocket is especially elasticized to keep a firm grip on any baby bottle, at the same time making it easy for Mom or Dad to pull it out of the bag.

The bag’s main compartment is protected by a zip-closed pocket with a special pouch to hold diapers, and all the extra space is for pretty much everything else. Among others, the Dude Bag also holds a removable cell phone pouch, an interior key clip, and two large elasticized slots.

On the other hand, for fancier occasions, you can take the Lucy & Michael Catch All with you instead. The Olivia variant is particularly nice, with pink and orange floral prints on the outside.

The Lucy & Michael Catch All can be used to carry a number of items, but if you don’t need the full diaper bag, this tote will do just fine for the bare essentials. Keep the necessary baby gear with you and strut it—all with a sense of style.

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Cool Places to Sit for Your Kid’s Playroom


Traditional chairs are all very well, but if you ever get the urge to mix things up in the nursery or playroom, consider two of these stylish (and yet extremely comfortable) bean bags for a whole new look.

The Sitting Bull Bean Bag is a vision in dark blue, sporting a modern and yet undeniably homey look, something not every ordinary bean bag can pull off. The Sitting Bull comes in a variety of other colors, but if you prefer a more contemporary feel, the dark blue shade is absolutely stunning. (Also, it’s easier for you to remove stains and clean up on darker fabric.)

The Sitting Bull Bean Bag features a flexible design that can be adjusted for maximum comfort. However, it does offer a degree of solidity that provides adequate support every time you sit down. The bean bag is stuffed with a special kind of EPS beads that are made of high quality and are especially durable, as most bean bags are made out of standard shredded Styrofoam pieces. The chair’s cover is made of high quality Polyester that’s both water resistant and breathable. What’s more, the whole cover can be easily wiped off with a damp cloth. The yarn is sewn out of 100% nylon thread in a triple-stitched pattern all over the seat. This is practically tear-proof, with UV resistance.

On the other hand, Jennifer Delonge’s Moroccan Pouf in Dark Blue is a similarly ingenious piece of sitting furniture. It’s also available in other colors, but the dark blue shade looks great. The pouf was hand-made in Morocco, sporting hand-dyed leather that’s sturdy and also doesn’t require high maintenance. The Delonge pouf also contains natural plant fiber and high quality Dacron foam.

Dollhouse Acessories by Teamson Design Kids


Think you’ve seen it all? Teamson Design Kids takes it one step further in terms of furniture design, creating tables and chairs for your kids’ doll houses.

The 7-Piece Livingroom Set for Doll House is a classy, elegant collection that was designed to give a different kind of life to any doll house. Sure, they’re essentially toys, but the amount of detail that went to the construction of each individual piece is still noteworthy. The set consists of one coffee table, a couch, two chairs, a fireplace, one end table, and a book case. It’s an unquestionably attractive furniture set, and (barring the possibility of ever using it yourself) could entice you into buying one for your child’s doll house.

Each piece is hand painted and hand carved, all sporting a pear pink finish that lends a quaint but still sophisticated look. The set is also sturdily constructed, with none of the cheap, flimsy feel you might notice in below par toy sets.

On the other hand, if you feel like taking doll house furniture to a whole other level, consider adding the 7-Piece Dining Room Set also by Teamson Design. (Because if you have a livingroom set, where else are your dolls going to eat, right?)

Like the Living Room Set, each piece of the Dining Room set is given a special attention to detail, with each one hand painted and carved individually. The collection contains six chairs, a table, a kitchen cart, and a curio cabinet. Built to be especially durable (even on that small a scale), the 7 Piece Dining Room Set will go perfectly with the rest of the furniture in your child’s doll house.

A word of caution: you’ll need to consider your child is old enough to accidentally swallow small toy parts before getting them either set.

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Efficient Crib Accessories by Beck to Nature


Tired of conventional crib mattress covers that are less than top notch quality? You’re going to love what Beck to Nature has to offer.

First up, the Water-Repellant Zippered Mattress Cover offers a great alternative over changing mattresses completely after a couple of spills. The water-repellant mattress was designed to fend off stains and prevent liquid from easily seeping in, courtesy of a special weaving technique mastered by the manufacturers for Beck to Nature. The material keeps moisture and other debris on the surface and prevents the textile from ultimately being ruined over time. The result is a mattress cover that lasts significantly longer than other conventional covers, making it a practical investment for your childs’ needs.

Aside its water-repellant qualities, the mattress cover is also  hypoallergenic, and is safe for long-term use. It’s also soft and comfortable, without the danger of causing skin abrasions or rashes for your baby.

On the other hand, Beck to Nature also brings you the Aloe Vera Mattress Cover.

Made of nice, soft wool, Beck to Nature incorporates aloe vera into the fabric itself. Aside from providing a clean, comfortable place for your child to sleep, the mattress cover also soothes sensitive skin, and is full of beneficial vitamins and minerals that promote health. Aloe vera has a well-established name in the cosmetics industry, particularly in skin and hair care, but it’s also known for its antibiotic and healing properties on skin. Plus, it feels pretty soothing too. Beck to Nature uses natural aloe vera gel in the mattress cover’s fabric; however the cover still remains mild and hypoallergenic—safe enough to use for your child. In addition, the zippered cover helps you keep the edges of the crib mattress tucked in, without any extra flaps hanging out over the crib edges.

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Crib Bedding by Aunt Bucky

Looking for the right combination of functionality and style for nursery beddings? Check out Aunt Bucky’s Lemon Strip Crib Sheet.

The Crib Sheet comes in a number of styles, but the Lemon Strip variety offers a nice sophisticated look without too many frills. The sheet is a French Terry stretch knit crib fitted that’s made of 100% cotton. It sports a heather gray background on which there are yellow stripes running along the whole sheet—reminiscent of sunshine rays in summer. What’s more, the Crib Sheet was made to fit all standard crib mattresses.

If you want more of the same style, the Lemon Strip Crib Sheet is one of a number of various designs in Aunt Bucky’s Precious Little Collection. Not to worry—they all sport the same mix and match colors that’ll brighten up your kid’s nursery in no time.

In terms of safety, Aunt Bucky doesn’t disappoint. If you’re worried about your baby hurting himself on the crib rails, ease your mind with their Peter Pepper Pals Bumper Set.

The advantage of the Bumper Set is primarily safety. It prevents babies who are just learning to move around their crib from inadvertently bumping into wooden rails or getting stuck between the bars. Aunt Bucky’s Bumper Set creates a safe, nurturing environment for your child, as well as helps you sleep easy at night.

The Bumper Set features a soft yet durable 100% cotton twill. Design-wise, the Bumper Set doesn’t disappoint, with a hot pink retro theme on one side and orange lattice patterns on the other. One of its great qualities is that the Bumper Set may be reversed when you’ve used one side – definitely an efficiency plus for parents who do their own laundry. The set consists of crib bumper guards (each measuring 10 by 80 inches) that can be easily secured to the rails with four sets of ribbon tape ties.