TOP SHOP: kids love design
WHILST THE FRENCH have come to contemporary design later than their Italian cousins, they have fully embraced the world of contemporary design for kids in an incredibly short time. First Milk magazine, then Little Fashion Gallery, and now ‘kids love design‘ - currently the ultimate design e-boutique for kids.
Begun by Séverine Herbeth Limon - French but now based in Switzerland, and mother to Mathis 4, and Amelie, 1 - who began researching the idea of modern children’s design whilst resident in Luxembourg, London and Brussels, the store was a culmination of realising, “all these cities have great modern furniture shops, but after the birth of my children I became so frustrated that the only room in the house I wasn’t happy with was also perhaps the most important for a new parent - the baby’s room. So I decided to do something about it.”
She has spent the last three years scouring Europe for “fresh, modern, inspiring, environmentally-friendly” design for little people that surpasses the obvious brands. In their stead are niche European names from 12 countries - names like Domestic, Ineke Hans and Fellin who promote true innovations for children and babies, and create designs that would not only look precisely at ease in the most modern of homes, but are probably a great deal more cutting edge than much of your own furniture.
Séverine’s favourites include the Ninetonine range from Spain, which features the genius Zebra cot (pictured right, €912), where the ‘head’ forms a bottle/nappy/creams holder, and the bars are all wonky like the stripes of a zebra instead of ‘prison bar’ straight. The prototype Eclipse cradle from Thierry Bataille (shortly to go into production), and Olli & Lime’s organic bedlinen, made in Yorkshire.
Our own favourites are the Snowroom lamps - delicate, spongey lamps “made out of soft polyester fibre that feels just like cotton wool” that give out a muted light, and are so much cooler than the vast majority of kids’ lamp designs out there (€85); the sub-radar brand Perludi from Austria that produces robust, eco-friendly furniture including the bed Amber In the Sky (pictured top); and the risqué one-off vintage suitcases customised by artist Sonia Verguet with graphic 3D reliefs of weapons on top (€80).
It’s unusual for a children’s store to feature the kind of prototype / one-off design promoted by ‘kids love design’ - a fact of which Séverine is aware. As such she’s happy for the site to become a reference and inspiration point for design-conscious parents as much as an e-shop. She hopes it will become a forum for parents to share photos and information on their own design triumphs and their favourite products, the best of which may eventually feature in the store.
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