MAKE YOURSELF COMFORTABLE

April 1, 2015

Chatsworth House's spring and summer exhibition is all about chairs! Make Yourself Comfortable, running March 28 - October 23, 2015, intersperses contemporary conceptual furniture design with the museum’s classic decorative pieces dating from the sixteenth to the twentieth centuries. Contemporary designers include a wide range of international talent, including Moritz Waldemeyer, Marc Newson, and Piet Hein Eek, and a special collaboration with design students from Sheffield Hallam University. But the best thing about this exhibit? These contemporary design pieces are mean to be used, and visitors are invited to sit and experience each and every one.

Chatsworth House is located in Derbyshire, England. Visit their website to plan your visit.

MATTHEW SULLIVAN / AQQ DESIGN

March 30, 2015

kinder MODERN’s own Matthew Sullivan, of AQQ Design, was featured in this weekend’s New York Times Style Magazine as one of a new generation of American designers experimenting with form in bold and unexpected ways. Many of the distinctive stylistic choices in his work for adults, including Greek column inspired legs and strong color and shape references to the 80s Memphis design movement, are evident in his pieces for a tinier audience, available exclusively at kinder MODERN. Check out our Jolly Corner Bench, Odette Chairs, Table for Shirley Jackson, and Stools for John Ashbery to see Sullivan’s work on a small scale.

PLAY

March 25, 2015

In LA this weekend? Be sure to check out Play at The Getty, a dynamic exhibition exploring the correlations between photography and play. As photographic technology advanced, so leisure time grew, making these activities a prime subject for the medium. We especially love the images of children, whose joyful affinity for play makes them ideal subjects and highlights the importance of play throughout life and over many generations. This weekend’s Family Festival, Saturday March 28, 2015 from 10am-6pm, celebrates all types of play for every age, incorporating storytelling and music into a variety of activities, from hop-scotch to scavenger hunts.

The Getty Center is located at 1200 N. Sepulveda Boulevard in Los Angeles. The museum is open Tuesday–Friday and Sunday 10am–5:30pm. Closed Mondays. Free admission.

Did you visit the exhibition or the festival? Tweet or Instagram us @kinderMODERN!

ROCKWELL

March 23, 2015

We blogged about Monte Design and their uber cool high chair after meeting the design team at IDS 2015 in Toronto. Now we’re lusting after their new “Rockwell Bassinet” designed by founder Ralph Montemurro. This sleek piece is handcrafted in Canada from American walnut and chrome, and the soft, washable, non-toxic, micro-fiber cover is available in white or heather grey. Hesitant about purchasing a luxury bassinet? The basket can be removed from the base and used as chic storage long after baby has outgrown it. Besides Monte’s great modern design, we love their commitment to luxury craftsmanship and sustainability - be sure to check out their full story and awesome collection on their website.

NATIONAL BUILDING MUSEUM

March 18, 2015

Did you know that the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. has the largest architectural toy collection in North America? This one-of-a-kind permanent collection explores the ways in which blocks and other building toys inspire learning and foster imagination, allowing children and adults alike to bring their ideas to life. The collection holds over 2,300 toys from the 1860s to the 1990s, and traces the history of beloved childhood favorites, such as Legos and Lincoln Logs, and showcases rare international toys and sophisticated models. In conjunction with the permanent collection on display, the interactive, curriculum-based PLAY WORK BUILD, for children of all ages, and the Building Zone, for preschoolers, invites visitors to experiment with a variety of large and small blocks.

The National Building Museum is located at 401 F Street NW in Washington, D.C. The museum is open Monday to Saturday from 10am-5pm and Sunday 11am-5pm. Admission is $8 for adults and $5 for children. Check out the museum's excellent website to plan your visit and learn more about their extensive collection and dynamic exhibitions.

ALVAR AALTO SET (JR)

March 13, 2015

Our original 1935 Alvar Aalto nesting L-leg table set and children's Chair N65 are simple, modern, and just as relevant today as they were 80 years ago. Made in Finland from bent birch wood and black lacquer, each element of this set is a pristine example of the iconic "L-leg." Aalto's L-leg is considered an important advancement in furniture design, as the simple curvature allows for the leg to be attached directly to the seat or table top, creating a sturdier, yet less complex, piece.

Interested in learning more about this or any of kinder MODERN's few-of-a-kind vintage pieces? Email us at design@kindermodern.com.

ANNA KARLIN

March 12, 2015

Anna Karlin’s “Keep on Truckin’” series turns vintage tin cranes into playful side lights perfect for the young or young at heart, each featuring a cloth covered cord and Edison bulb. This series is available exclusively at Modern Anthology in Brooklyn, NY and we’re totally digging this fun and functional repurposing of a classic children’s item. Karlin’s multi-medium design work encompasses everything from furniture and interiors to digital and print. Check out her website to see more of her super engaging and gorgeous products and projects.

STUFFED CHAIR

March 11, 2015

We love furniture designer, and recent winner of Ellen’s Design Challenge, Katie Stout’s Stuffed Chair, a collaboration with knitwear specialist Zev Schwartz and available at Project No. 8. These whimsical, limited edition pieces come in three sizes and seven surprising fabrics - from zany knits and soft corduroys to iridescent synthetics and fuzzy alpaca wool. We’re inspired by Katie’s reinterpretation of a common object in a unique and unexpected material. Katie is a 2012 RISD graduate, living and working in Brooklyn, NY. Check out her website to see more of her fun and playful design work.

LIGHT OVER TIME

March 6, 2015

As temperatures promise to be a little more spring-like over the next week, we’re excited to get back outside and explore the amazing art on display all around New York City. If you didn’t catch it last year, Sam Falls' Light Over Time, sponsored by the Public Art Fund, is still on display through May 29, 2015 at the MetroTech Commons in Brooklyn. This playful exhibition explores the long-term effects of the elements on a variety of materials, including painted aluminum, heat-sensitive tiles, colored glass, fabric, copper, and marble. Falls also invites the viewer to interact with his work, creating an experiential landscape where temperature and movement reveal unexpected moments in familiar design objects.

Check out PublicArtFund.org to learn more about Light Over Time and other upcoming exhibitions. Visit Sam Falls' website to see the full range of his work.

LIGHT 5+5

March 5, 2015

Here at kinder MODERN we’re always inspired by and looking for new applications for objects originally designed for children. In that vein, we love the Light 5 + 5 by Oikimus Design, influenced by the 1970’s puzzle,Rubik’s Snake by Rubik Erno. The light is composed of LED bulbs behind frosted plexiglass encased in seven separate birchwood frames connected by 360° rotating hinges, allowing the user to create two- and three-dimensional shapes and unexpected figures. This versatile, multi-function piece can be used as a table, wall, or ceiling lamp.

Oikimus Design is the St. Petersburg, Russia-based studio of Maria Oikimus and Ivan Zverev. The duo both design and produce furniture, lighting, and other sculpture. Visit their website and Instagram to learn more.

FOLDING SLED

March 3, 2015

We're trying to remain positive about the seemingly never-ending winter, and the Folding Sled by designers Max Frommeld and Arno Mathies actually made us excited for more snow! This impeccably designed sled folds flat for easy transport and storage. Not only is it designed with state-of-the-art hinged plastic and produced by a family-run Swiss sled manufacturer, but it is a completely new innovation in sled technology. The Folding Sled combines the stability of the traditional family sled with the flexibility and smooth ride of a racing sled to create a unique type of sled with a host of applications - from personal use to professional racing to sled rentals at snowy vacation destinations across the world. Visit the Folding Sled Kickstarter page to learn more and support this super fun product.

GUILD DESIGN FAIR

February 25, 2015

Today marks the start of Guild Design Fair, Africa’s first and only international design fair, founded in 2014 by Trevyn and Julian McGowan. Guild grew out of SOUTHERN GUILD, Trevyn and Julian’s highly respected platform and gallery for South African artists and designers, representing artists such as Dokter & Misses, Daniella Mooney, and Porky Hefer. We were lucky enough to exhibit alongside SOUTHERN GUILD at the first Collective Design Fair in 2013 and were blown away by their amazing presentation at Design Miami just this past December.

While SOUTHERN GUILD strives to show South Africa to the world, Guild Design Fair brings the world to Africa. Designers and galleries, including Carwan Gallery, R & Company, and Studio Molen, each present a collection that, while international in its perspective, explores a theme or issue distinctively African in nature. Events include guided tours, discussions with designers on site, and “Design in Process,” a unique opportunity to observe designers at work live at the show.

Lucky enough to be in Cape Town this week? Guild Design Fair is at The Lookout beginning Wednesday, February 25 through Sunday March 1, 2015. Guild Design Fair tickets are R80 per person and free for children under 12. See something we might like? Tell us about it on Twitter or Instagram! @kinderMODERN

PEDRO CERISOLA

February 23, 2015

We love this multifunctional, whimsical take on the rocker by Mexican designer Pedro Cerisola. Hipocampo begins as a delightful rocking seahorse. It then converts to a standing rocker, strengthening balance skills and offering lots of active play. And when your little one is finally tired? A few simple adjustments create a relaxing rocking chair. We’re also fascinated by Cerisola’s line of toys, especially his simple wooden animals, brightly colored dinosaurs, and unusual imaginary monsters with all with magnetic, detachable limbs that can be interchanged to create an infinite number of new and fantastical creatures. Check out Cerisola’s full body of work for children and adults, including lighting, furniture, and print, on his website.

FIII FUN HOUSE

February 20, 2015

Portugal and Argentina-based architect Iris Cantante’s Fiii Fun House in Buenos Aires is a fresh, playful, and sophisticated take on a restaurant and event space that appeals to both children and adults. The first floor contains a cafeteria and play area, divided by simple wooden houses, creating intimate spaces for dining and play. Swings and soft cork floors encourage imagination and relaxation in a safe and warm atmosphere. The second floor event space is minimalistic and chic, yet cozy - appealing to all partygoers, whether they’re small or big.

Check out Cantante's full portfolio on her website.

WHO BUILT THAT?

February 17, 2015

Looking for a good book to share with your little one this winter? Check out the Who Built That? series, written and illustrated by Didier Cornille. Cornille, a design and history professor from the French Ecole des Beaux-Arts du Mans explores skyscrapers and modern homes in his first two children’s books with a style that is fun, accessible, and super informative. Learn biographical tidbits about the architects, methods of construction, and the distinct stylistic choices that distinguish a Corbusier from a Wright. Both Who Built That? Modern Houses and Who Built That? Skyscrapers are available to purchase online or at your favorite bookseller.