RECAP: COLLECTIVE.2 DESIGN FAIR

May 12, 2014

We had a really great time exhibiting at the Collective.2 Design Fair. We made some amazing friends, sold some wonderful kinder MODERN pieces, and saw some incredible design. We were so inspired by Steven Lerner and the CDF vision, as well as the other designers and galleries--including our new Nordic friends at Fuglen, the wonderful ceramics byJames Salaiz at Christina Grajales Gallery, R20th’s amazing Wendell Castle lights, and incredible historic Mexican design at ADN Galeria, among many others. We’ll keep you updated as we load into our next fair--watch out ICFF!! We’ll see you Saturday.

COLLECTIVE DESIGN FAIR: AVANT-GARDE JEWELRY

May 7, 2014

This year's Collective Design Fair, May 8-11, 2014, at Skylight at Moynihan Station in New York City includes an incredible selection of modern and avant-garde jewelry.

Sienna Patti Contemporary, based in Lenox, MA, focuses on the work of contemporary studio artists and seeks artists that "bridge the worlds of art, craft, and contemporary design with innovative use of materials and mediums."

Susie Ganch. Drag, 2013. Image from siennapatti.com — Susie Ganch. *Drag*, 2013. Image from siennapatti.com

Evert Nijland. Flowers 1. Brooch. 2012. Image from galleryloupe.com — Evert Nijland. *Flowers 1*. Brooch. 2012. Image from galleryloupe.com

Gallery Loupe, from Montclair, New Jersey, is dedicated to artists who "make and think about contemporary jewelry," showcasing both established talent and emerging designers.

London-based Didier Ltd. specializes in historical jewels by internationally recognized painters and sculptors from 1940 to 1980.

Noma Copley. Image fromcollectivedesignfair.com/didier — Noma Copley. Image fromcollectivedesignfair.com /didier

Gerd Rothman. Bube Dame Konig Ass. Necklace. 2013. Image fromornamentumgallery.com — Gerd Rothman. *Bube Dame Konig Ass*. Necklace. 2013. Image fromornamentumgallery.com

Ornamentum Gallery exhibits contemporary jewelry and objects from around the globe in their Hudson, NY gallery.

Let us know some of your favorite pieces from this year's Collective via twitter or instagram @kinderMODERN

THE ART OF BUILDING

April 29, 2014

Looking for a cool exhibit to share with a budding LEGO enthusiast? Nathan Sawaya's incredible exhibition The Art of the Brick is back at Discovery Times Square. Proclaimed the "world's largest display of LEGO art," this exhibition explores the many ways the humble LEGO brick can be used as a sophisticated medium, both through Sawaya's original work and his reinterpretations of iconic and historical pieces. Tickets and tour times are available online. Select pieces of Sawaya's work can also be found in Clement Clarke Moore Park and at the New York Public Library.

Inspired to build something of your own? Head over to theBrooklyn Children's Museum and check out the Brooklyn Block Lab. This new exhibit features four different types of uniquely curated building blocks and is part of an ongoing study on the importance of block play. The exhibit runs through August, 31, 2014 and is open most days from 11:00am-4:30pm.

SMILEY STORAGE

April 25, 2014

These storage boxes from Kyoto based company Iremonya would make a whimsical and practical addition to any kids room. We love the fun mix-up of happy and sad faces. The boxes come in a variety of sizes and on wheels, for easy organization and interactive play. Check out the full collection here.

EARTH DAY

April 22, 2014

Happy Earth Day! We're digging these fun products with recycled components.

We love the idea of repurposing "grown up" items for little ones. The Loll Garden Tote is made of recycled plastic milk jugs and can be used to store and transport toys.

A terrarium is a fun and interactive way to create "little lands" with your kids. This Moss Terrarium Bottle is made from a repurposed wine bottle and can be filled with any tiny toys your kiddo may find.

The Kenno S Kids Recyclable Chair can be recycled again as paper when the child finishes with it. The white cardboard surface is ready to be personalized with crayons or paint!

THE ERIC CARLE MUSEUM OF PICTURE BOOK ART

April 17, 2014

The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, MA celebrates some of our favorite artists and authors. This one-of-a-kind museum strives to "inspire a love of art and reading through picture books" and houses a collection of both historical and contemporary picture books from around the world. In addition to preserving these important collaborations of literature and art, the museum offers a wide range of educational programs for both arts integration and literacy. You can read more about museum's full collection and current exhibitions on their website.

GERRIT RIETVELD

April 11, 2014

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the death of Gerrit Rietveld. As an independent architect and furniture maker, as well as a member of the De Stijl movement, Rietveld brought us some of the twentieth century’s most iconic and influential pieces of children’s furniture. The combination of design-forward function and bold primary colors highlighting form made his work truly visionary during the child-centric and design-obsessed mid-century. Although most famous for his 1923 Red Blue Chair and 1934 Zig-Zag Chair, check out some of kinder MODERN's favorite Rietveld pieces for children:

High Child Chair, designed 1920, manufactured 1960s, painted wood with leather seat

Child’s Wheelbarrow, 1923, painted wood

Witteveen Convertible High Chair to Bed, 1922, painted wood

High Chair, 1944, painted wood

ROOM COLLECTION

April 10, 2014

We love sophisticated design for kids, and while not designed for children specifically, we could see this awesome modular storage system bringing a practical and design forward element to any kid-friendly or family space. Erik Olovsson and Kyuhyung Cho's shelving unit gives users the unmatched flexibility to chose between 25 different stackable pine blocks and create a one-of-a-kind piece. With a fresh whimsy and a nod to children's blocks and playhouses, we can't wait for the ROOM Collection to be in production.

Thanks to our friends at Cool Hunting for bringing this amazing piece and these fierce designers to our attention!

FUN CONTEMPORARY DESIGN FOR KIDS

April 7, 2014

Although we focus on the historical vintage here at kinder MODERN, we love seeing what's fun and new in contemporary design for kids. Check out some of our current favorite pieces below!

Asterisk puzzle stool, Christina Sicoli, baltic birch plywood

Tables Four Two, ShereeB Product Design, blackbutt timber with linoleum panels

Rocker - AMM Collection, Twigcreative and A Merry Mishap, plywood and organic felt

EJ 2800 Seesaw, Erik Jorgensen, polyurethane foam

Rocker no. 2 rocking bench, Lanzavecchia & Wai, iron

Milla trike, Dudley Co., plywood

CITY AS CANVAS

April 4, 2014

Keith Haring, Untitled, 1982, Acrylic and ink on wood. Image from mcny.org

Looking for something fun to do with kids this weekend in NYC? Check out City as Canvas at the Museum of the City of New York. The first exhibit from the private collection of the late Martin Wong, it includes work by Keith Haring, Lee Quiñones, LADY PINK, and FUTURA 2000. The bright colors, large scale, and cartoonish images make the art extremely accessible to children and can spawn some interesting conversations about the ways our city has changed.

The museum will also sponsor family programs related to this exhibit in May, including Mural Mural on the Wall, May 10, 17, 24, and 31, 2014, which invites families to create their own murals based on their personal ideas and experiences of New York.

City as Canvas: February 4 - August 24, 2014. The Museum of the City of New York. 1220 Fifth Ave (at 103rd Street). Open daily from 10:00am-6:00pm. Suggested admission for families: $20.

PALLY

April 3, 2014

The Pally stool by Helsinki-based designer and artist Laura Vainola invites children and adults alike to design (and re-design) their own unique seat. Each colored stick can be moved time and time again to create an infinite number of new and fun patterns and designs. Check out the full project on Vainola's website and be sure to watch the playful video below!

KID CITY: IMAGINATION MEETS FUNCTION

April 1, 2014

Kid City, a collaboration between Richard Shed and Noel Bramley, explores the “interaction of adults and children around stories, objects, and the imagination.” Each of the four pieces—a cloud, mountain, rainbow, and tree—act as both an object to inspire play and imagination and a functional space for storage. Material: screen printed plywood.

MATERIAL FOCUS: PLASTIC

March 31, 2014

Synthetic plastic was invented in the early twentieth century. The formula was honed and perfected through advancements in chemical technology stemming from World War I, allowing for mass production by the 1940s. Designers were drawn to this medium for both its novelty and practicality. It proved an ideal material for children's pieces: sturdy, easy to clean, very durable, lightweight, and brightly colored. Check out some of our favorite pieces, including kinder MODERN's own Duk Rocker and Ozoo Mini Desk:

Duk Rocker, France, 1960's, orange plastic

Marco Zanuso & Richard Sapper, Child's Chairs Model No. 4999, Italy, 1964, polyethylene

Luigi Colani, Zocker Chair, Germany, 1972, polyethylene

Verner Panton, Stacking Side Chair, Denmark, 1959-60, fiber-reinforced plastic and synthetic polymer paint

Marc Berthier, Ozoo Minidesk, France, 1970, green polyester reinforced with fiberglass

FURNITURE BY KIDS

March 28, 2014

London-based artists and designers Jack Beveridge’s and Joshua Lake’s children’s furniture project turns childhood imagination and fantasy into reality. Working with a class of 7-8 year olds, Beveridge and Lake asked each child to draw a chair, with little direction other than colored pencils and enthusiasm. The team then used these drawings to faithfully recreate the little artists' ideas as actual chairs. Each piece, according to Beveridge and Lake, is a unique exploration into “the untainted imagination of a child.” Check out the full project on Beveridge’s and Lake’s websites.

ART FOR KIDS

March 25, 2014

I Have Seen Happiness-Pure White, 2011. Image from artspace.com — *I Have Seen Happiness-Pure White*, 2011. Image from artspace.com

Check out Artspace’s newest curated collection of art for children. We love the idea of introducing collecting to children at a young age and any of these pieces would make an incredible addition to a family space.

Do you collect for your kid and family? Tweet us @kinderMODERN and tell us about your favorite pieces for children!