Designer furniture for kids: a challenge involving magic, function and safety

Text by

Laura Barsottini

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Clei, Kali Duo Board

From Bruno Munari to Philippe Starck, the history of design has an important page devoted to children

Not just small scale, rounded forms and lots of color. Design for children has to cope with, attract and win over one of the most complicated consumer targets. Because children, still free from cultural influences, have very clear ideas. And they make them count.

On the other hand, precisely because children are growing, they are constantly developing and consequently changeable by definition. Perhaps this is why the major furniture brands – Magis, Riva 1920, Lago, Kartell – as well as those specializing in children’s furniture – Vipack Furniture, Axm Prod’93 – and the brightest designers – from the Italian Marco Zanuso to Philippe Starck and Verner Panton, and naturally including Bruno Munari – do not shy away from the challenge of creating children’s furniture that combines aesthetics and functionality. On the contrary, they are fascinated by it.

Another fact in support of a sector, that of design for children, which is growing, is the number of Master’s courses founded in recent years in design for children, at the European Institute of Design, at La Sapienza in Rome. And the fact that two important publishers like Phaidon and Electa have issued two histories of design for children: Design for Children: Play, Ride, Learn, Eat, Create, Sit, Sleep by Kimberlie Birks and Giro giro tondo - Design for Children edited by Silvana Annichiarico. To please kids, a project has to entertain, intrigue and allow them to get lost in their fantasy world made of imagination and charm.

Magis, with Puppy from the Me Too collection designed by Eero Aarnio, interprets the natural attraction of human puppies feel for baby creatures. Made from rotomolded polyethylene, it is equally suitable for indoor and outdoor use, and available in orange, white, green and Dalmatian spots and four different sizes, all tailored to children, their tastes and spaces. In addition, the rounded forms are optimal for manufacturing plastics because they ensure the utmost strength with the least use of material.

salonemilano, kids furniture, magis — Magis, Puppy, design by Eero Aarnio - Ph. Andrea Mariani

The Rhino Lamp from ecoBirdy also draws inspiration from the animal world, evoking the appearance of a rhinoceros. With its speckled coloring, Rhino casts a soft light that endows the children’s room or any other space with a special atmosphere. Inspired by rhinos, the lamp helps raise awareness not just about sustainability, but also about this endangered species. Rhino Lamp is in the permanent collection of the Young V&A Museum in London.

salonemilano, ecobirdy, kids furniture — ecoBirdy, Rhino Lamp

Riva 1920 offers a collection of furnishing accessories in solid scented cedar wood, each worked from a single block, captivating not just for kids. The sculptural design of each piece is inspired by a different creature: dog, cat, rabbit, panda, monkey, dragon.

salonemilano, riva 1920, kids furniture — Riva 1920, Animal Collection

Safety is another essential element of children’s design: Clei, specializing since 1963 in the production of transformable furniture, presents Kali Duo Board, a system with a foldaway bunk bed and maxi desk. A simple movement turns Kali Duo Board into the sleep version without removing anything from the desk top, which tilts and positions itself horizontally under the lower bed. Fitted with a safety device that prevents accidental opening or closure, it is tilted by a gas spring mechanism with a cushioned movement fully recessed into the side of the bed by patented technology and a special manufacturing process.

salonemilano, kids furniture, clei — Clei, Kali Duo Board

Renowned for its dedication to quality and innovation, Belgian company Vipack Furniture specializes in creating stylish and functional furnishings that meet the needs and preferences of children and young people. The brand has enriched its Kiddy collection with three new products: a completely new and fantastic desk, and a cot with an optional drawer perfect for babies.

salonemilano, kids furniture, vipack furniture — Vipack Furniture, Kiddy

Carpet Edition has captivated the design community with its amazing design solutions. Also suitable for children, Elephas Maximum by Stefano Bombardieri, in a limited series, stirs their fantasy by combining two opposed and overlapping elephant silhouettes that create an abstract pattern in which the image of the animal is not immediately grasped. Made of New Zealand Wool and Tencel, the rug is an inspiring furnishing complement for children and everyone.

salonemilano, kids furniture, carpet edition — Carpet Edition, Elephas Maximum, design by Stefano Bombardieri

Likewise created for adults but perfect for the little ones is the Air bookcase from Lago. Suspended on glass supports, it seems to float in the air, letting the light filter through, conveying a sense of extreme lightness to the interior. The shelves and containers are attached to the glass by an interlocking device, which ensures the structure’s complete safety and stability. Free from the constraints of size, it can be positioned at the center of the room, where it fits in with the existing architecture, becoming a screen that divides spaces harmoniously and enhances the potential for experimenting and exploring typical of children.

salonemilano, lago, kids furniture — Lago, libreria Air

In an interior for children the structures are particularly important, while the accessories also help stimulate a feeling of fun. Quore from La Rosa brings with it an affectionate message: a small coat hanger made of polystyrene, the recyclable material that distinguishes Sturm Milano. It can be used individually or by combining several pieces and is available in different colors.

salonemilano, la rosa, kids furniture — La Rosa, Quore

For Kartell, Philippe Starck has designed Attila, Napoleon and Saint-Esprit, three table-stools evoking three original charismatic and nonconformist characters. Designed to fittingly furnish any interior with charm and humor, they also have highly functional contents: the gnome’s hat is flat and circular specifically for use as a support surface.

salonemilano, kartell — Kartell, Attila, design by Philippe Starck

Finally, the Quadro collection from the Romanian brand Axm Prod’93, with the Quadro Convertible Crib, strongly evokes nature. Made from solid wood and finished with the brand’s exclusive organic paints, this crib thinks about the future by changing as the child grows. It can become a sofa bed, a child’s bed and a full size bed. For convenience and functionality, three mattress height settings ensure easy access.