KIDS GO MODERN
How your children and your home's
modern design can live happily together

From the pages of CA-Modern magazine
By Tanja Kern

For diehard fans of mid-century modern design, the idea of introducing children into the home may strike fear into their hearts. Some potential parents shiver at the thought of messing up their streamlined aesthetic, of replacing Eames with La-Z-Boy and clean surfaces with plastic toys from China. It doesn't have to be that way.

"Everyone we know was surprised to see that we didn't encase all of our furniture in foam rubber or put our vintage mid-century pieces into storage for the next 15 years," says Darren Bradley, who owns a Palmer & Krisel home with his wife Elise in Pacific Beach. The couple has a two-year-old daughter, Ava. "We don't really understand why, as we believe that our furniture's supposed to be used and enjoyed -- or what's the point?

The Bradleys faced a challenge finding modern children's furnishings that were also affordable for their daughter. "My wife and I are passionate about design and architecture and hope to convey some of that to her," Darren says. "When we started, there wasn't a great deal of modern baby stuff out there, and what little there was at a cost considerably more than what you could find at a typical mall or big-box chain store. We just didn't see the logic of spending $1,000 or $1,500 for a crib that was only going to get about two years of use, at best."

The couple opted for some Ikea furnishings mixed with other mid-century modern pieces that could have fit anywhere in their home. "It was hard fending off gifts of furniture and decorating ideas from well-meaning parents and friends who frequently thought that baby girls should have lots of over-the-top frills, lace, curtains, flowers, and pink, pink, pink everywhere," Darren adds.

Now that Ava's two, Darren and Elise are in the process of transitioning the room to accommodate their growing toddler. They skipped the toddler bed and chose a twin -- the Nelson Case Study bed from Modernica.

"We love the design and it's also very low to the ground, so easy for Ava to get in and out of," Darren says. Ikea shelves and bins became practical storage pieces for Ava's toys, and a modular Nelson sofa/table combination offers additional seating: "It's easy to reconfigure, low to the ground, and pretty indestructible...and it goes with the rest of the house!"

Sunnyvale Eichler owners faced a similar challenge outfitting their son Edison's room. "We knew that the furniture in the nursery would need to have very modern lines to match the rest of our house," Pam says. "We found a company called Nurseryworks that had a great line of furniture, and we picked up their Aerial crib and changing table/dresser."

The couple thought that a laboratory theme would fit Edison's room well, since he was named after Thomas Edison. They hunted for themed accessories and found them in unexpected places.

"We found a real old-fashioned Edison light bulb where you can see the long filaments," Pam says. "From there, we bought a bunch of Pyrex laboratory bottles off eBay and filled them with water and food coloring and put them on top of lighted shelves from Ikea."

The crème de la crème, however, was another eBay treasure: a Cray Supercomputer. The 500-pound monster computer is larger than a full sized refrigerator, and Pam refinished it to create a seating area.

"It takes up a good 25 percent of the room, but is a great bit of nostalgia, fits well with the laboratory theme, and provides a wonderful place to sit down -- and perhaps a little storage later on down the line, if we get ambitious enough to take on that project."

Frustrated with a lack of modern designs for kids, Eichler owner Sean Curran of Concord took it upon himself to create a line of children's furnishings, called Sofali, after his first child was born two years ago.

"We had just moved into our Eichler and were having the hardest time finding anything that was affordable and not made in China," Sean explained. "I would see $2,500 dressers for kids, made in China out of the cheapest materials possible, and I would ask, 'How can these people get away with this?'"

Curran began sketching designs for a modern toddler bed and a chair inspired by the Herman Miller logo. Plans became reality as he outsourced manufacturing to a small company in Emeryville. He plans for a September launch.

The bed is constructed of formaldehyde-free, sustainably farmed maple plywood, and the chair requires no hardware. "Everything is eco-friendly and toxin-free. Also everything will be made in America," Curran adds.

Curran isn't the only entrepreneur going after the hot kid's furnishings market. In fact, it's a big business valued at around $10 billion, according to market research firm Packaged Facts. "Kids' spaces are so much more sophisticated now in terms of design than they were back in the primary-color-'90s," says Carla Stine, an interior decorator based in Springfield and owner of Pastiche Decor and Design, who works on contemporary and mid-century modern spaces.

Although it's easy to get sucked into expensive kids furnishings that coordinate with the overall look of a mid-century modern home, it's not usually necessary to spend a lot of money on a child's room to make a big impact. "It's easier to cut corners when buying for a kid's bedroom because with the larger items you can go with simple lines and then dress it up with accessories," Carla says. "A basic bed from IKEA, for example, could be paired with a Marimekko duvet, a shag rug, and a Tord Boontje light fixture."

If you do buy more expensive pieces, make sure the furnishings will adapt to your child's ever-changing needs. "I also think it's imperative that one not skimp when buying a glider/rocker for a nursery," Carla adds. "That's a piece of furniture that will get used a lot. And when you're up for the fourth straight night with your teething baby, you will be glad you went for quality!"

Sophisticated color palettes are where you will make a major impression. Neutrals such as khaki and gray are hot in modern spaces, and when used with splashes of intense color, the result is playful yet understated. Another trend is to pair unlikely colors, such as red with pink, or to choose of-the-moment accent colors such as coral or Kelly green. "My current favorite for a modern kid's room is matte charcoal gray with a pale, icy blue as the dominant colors. Throw in a green or red element and you've got a room that sings," Carla adds.

For accessories, she recommends placing removable Interface FLOR anywhere kids are likely to play. This modular carpet tile comes in a myriad of colors and textures and can be easily cleaned. Go bolder with lighting by hanging a group of paper lanterns in various sizes.

Finally, the best advice is to let loose when decorating for your kids. As long as the bones are there -- a safe, comfortable bed, and plenty of storage -- you will have a fun time accessorizing. Introducing kids to modern design is a great gift to pass along to the next generation.

The hip list Looking for some cool products for your kid's spaces? We scoured the market in search for some of the hippest designs available at various price points. 1. Temporary art For kids who are creative and like to change up the look of their room often, Blik self-adhesive wall decals can transform a bedroom or playroom in minutes. These big stickers affix to any smooth surface and come in a variety of fun, kid-friendly designs. Decals are removable. Re-stick versions let you change the wall (and reuse the stickers) as often as you change your kid's diapers...well, almost. From $25. whatisblik.com

2. Lounge lizards Let your little one kick back in style with the Coco plexistyle lounger by Bloombaby. Made for newborns and babies up to 26 pounds, the curved, single-piece frame comes in a myriad of colors that work in contemporary living spaces. It features an adjustable safety harness and rocks smoothly to help lull the little one to sleep. $350. spunkysprout.com

3. Tea party From games to coloring marathons, Anka's mini-table and chairs by Scandinavian Child is sturdy enough for grownups to get in on the fun. It's crafted from birch and comes in three finishes. $200 for the set. scichild.com

4. Playtime Keep your little one entertained with a cute freestanding activity gym by Cariboo. Made of sustainable New Zealand wood and lead-free finishes, the gym includes four miniature friends and a choice of finishes to coordinate with any decor. $159. 2modern.com

5. Modern-day throne Caring for baby means spending a lot of time feeding, cuddling, and telling stories. Make your time in the nursery comfortable with the Monarch nursery chair. Designed in the United Kingdom, the chair is both ergonomic and stylish and features adjustable lumbar support, a moveable seat, and stain-resistant upholstery. $649.95. monarchnursery.com

6. Sweet dreams No need to splurge on an expensive crib that your baby will grow out of in a flash. Target's new line of furniture by acclaimed Dwell Studio has a gender-neutral modern aesthetic. The collection includes two crib styles with coordinating convertible dressers/changing tables, as well as a glider and ottoman. The cribs and dressers feature pullout drawers that offer plenty of storage. $299. target.com

7. Luxe kids Not all homeowners view baby furniture as disposable. Case in point: designer David Netto recently introduced his Cabine furniture collection, inspired by French modernism of the '30s. The set features a four-sided open crib constructed of white-lacquered and natural finished oak. Netto said his goal is to make baby furniture that "need never be thrown away, outgrown, or replaced due to aesthetic fatigue." $1,790 for Cabine Crib and $1,890 for Cabine Changer. nettocollection.com

8. Soft underfoot Wide expanses of hard flooring will have your kids crying for a bit of softness to play on and break their falls. A fun and colorful wool rug can provide that bit of plushness while they roll around. $250. notneutral.com

9. Imaginary friends Foster your kid's imagination with the help of Zid Zid Kids' plush buddies. These soft cushions are inspired by the colors and sights of Marrakech, Morocco. Made from washable poly-filled cotton flannel for easy care. $38. modernmini.com

10. Personal tuffet Thanks to their versatility as seats and side tables, poufs have become popular home accessories. These miniature versions by Zid Zid also make great accents in kids' rooms. These child-size seats are soft and the perfect size for kids to sit or climb on. $78. designpublic.com

11. Stash it It's almost impossible to have enough space to store the toys, books, and accessories needed to outfit the perfect playroom. The right bookcase can provide your child with a bit of style and plenty of organization. This birch Tru Modern bookcase is extra low and deep to display toys and is child-safe with anti-tipping brackets. $489. modernmini.com

12. Pint-size style A tiny version of Verner Panton's cantilevered stacking chair is about 25 percent smaller than the original version, first created in the 1960s. The strong yet flexible polypropylene is durable and easy to clean. $120. dwr.com

13. Blu Dot desk From schoolwork to art projects, this streamlined desk will offer school-aged children plenty of workspace to create masterpieces. Available in ivory/gray or red, the desk also has a keyboard tray. $699. modernseed.com

14. Storage galore Tuck away clothes and toys in this expansive, low-lying ten-drawer unit made of brightly painted birch. $3,200. modernseed.com

15. Twirls and whirls Add a bit of whimsy to your most adorable spaces with these decorative mobiles constructed of recycled magazine pages. The papers are cut in shapes and hung by hand from thin Plexiglas disks. $85. fawnandforest.com

Photos:
David Toerge; and courtesy Blik Surface Graphics (whatisblik.com),
Sean Curran and Sofali, Darren & Elise Bradley

RESOURCES

Ikea: ikea.com
Inmodern:inmodern.com
InterfaceFlor: interfaceflor.com
Offi: offi.com
Pastiche Decor & Design: pastichedecor.com
Romp: rompbklyn.com
Sarut: thesarutgroup.com
Sofali: sofali.com
Tord Boontje: tordboontje.com