OK, now I realize this is probably only for the kid who has just about everything, but I saw it and I thought I’d pass it along. If you’re looking for the perfect, indestructible chair that meshes with your contemporary home, then look no further…unless of course you’re on a budget, then this chair isn’t for you (or me!)

But, it’s way cool. Just look!

The Lou Lou Ghost Kid’s Armchair is a mini-version of Phillipe Starck’s famous chair. It’s made of the same transparent polycarbonate by Kartell as the grown up version.

Ahh, one can dream, right…

I’ve been on a quest to find a modern toddler table that will grow with our little one but won’t break the bank. Since we don’t have a playroom separate from the main living area of our house, I wanted the table to at least be pleasing to look at and fit in with our sense of design. However, I didn’t want to spend a bundle of money because, while I wanted the table to be of use for years to come, that doesn’t mean it WILL be of use for years to come. What I really didn’t want is an expensive dust catcher stuffed away in the basement (or in our case, the black hole closet).

I’ve found some delightful tables at both zacandzoe.com and modernseed.com. My favorite among the many cool designs are:

1) The Anka Table set. It’s stylish without being fussy or overly designed. I like the natural finish on the birch wood, but it comes in honey and espresso, too. It seems perfect for little ones and can also support Mom or Dad, so you can join in with “tea time” or playing with trains or coloring. Priced at $199 ($249 for the honey and expresso), it was at the top of the list, though still a little pricey to end rejected in the closet.

2) Offi Nest Play table. Here’s a great idea – re-purposing that Nest bassinet that was only in use for roughly 3 months. My brother and sister-in-law have the bassinet and barely used it for those 3 months. Theirs now holds hats. But, Offi decided to make a conversion kit for the bassinet so it becomes a table and toy bin. Beautiful stuff! Only, at $599 for the conversion kit (plus the $999 for the bassinet you’ve already purchased) that makes for one expensive toddler table!

3) Softy Table by Paul Frank. Really cute mix of plywood and molded MDF, this table was also a top contender. The chili red chair that comes with is also very stylish and sturdy, able to support both toddlers and parents. Also priced at $199, it’s a good choice if you like simplicity with a little bit of contemporary quirk thrown in.

4) The Chalkboard table set with stools. I love the chalkboard finish for an activity table. Talk about a no worry surface. However, the chalkboard doesn’t seem like a meal friendly surface, so I’m not certain it can do the double duty we need it to. Again priced at $199 it’s a fun table but, if we’d have to buy yet another table for meals, it’s not what I’m looking for.

5) Ecotots Project table and Popsicle table. Totally cute and clean lined table with stools fit for any toddler’s developing sitting style. And, apparently, it is assembled with NO TOOLS! Yay! Can you imagine not having to whip out the allen wrench or screwdriver?!? The stools tuck under the table for easy storage. Made out of eco-friendly, formaldehyde free plywood, it could be a good choice especially for the “green” family. I can’t find a discernable difference between the two styles except the design on the legs of the stools and the price. The Project table ranges from $125 to $225 while the Popsicle table is $250.

6) Svala table at IKEA. Now I love IKEA for some things and hate them for others. Mainly I think that buying too much IKEA makes a room scream “IKEA!”, so I shy away from making big purchases there and stick to the small stuff. But, I must say their children’s section is quickly winning me over. This table set that comes with 2 chairs costs only $39.99 and is perfectly acceptable. It won’t win any design awards, surely, but it is simple and made of real wood. Plus, if it gets tossed aside I won’t be heartbroken.

Ultimately we decided to go with the Svala table and chairs from IKEA as it fit the bill for simple design at a reasonable cost. I do, at times, wish that it had more style. I’ve seen a number of the Anka tables in action and they do look great. So, there’s that. But, we bought it and we’re happy with it. Out little girl loves to color while sitting at the table and we do use it for meal time to great (most of the time) success. (also see post on eating at the toddler table).

There are tons of rocking chairs.  Tons.  Most of them are hideous.  I mean, have you seen the Glider?  I know, I know, it works like a charm and some moms swear by them but I just couldn’t look at that thing day in and day out.

I was a bit overwhelmed on my search and didn’t quite know what to look for.  I mean, how do you know what you’ll need at 4 in the morning after being up all night walking and walking and walking the baby until finally you think, “I’ve got to keep moving AND sit down or I’m gonna loose it!”  Of course, in that situation, anything will do, but I found that having a rocking chair I liked to look at for all the other, more sane times of day was important to me.

First of all, here is what you absolutely need, no matter what the design:

1.  Arm rests.  Sure, babies are tiny and weigh next to nothing.  But, hold anything for hours on end and your muscles will start talking to you.  Do that after a string of sleepless nights and even a paperclip may seem like too much to carry.  And, don’t even get me started on the fatigue associated with breastfeeding!  So, when you sit down in your rocking chair you’ll need some place to rest your weary arms while your baby sleeps peacefully in them.  Don’t underestimate the necessity of comfortable, padded armrests at the appropriate height.  This one is a favorite of mine, though I just sat in one and it’s not as comfy as I wanted it to be…you can see it at Zac and Zoe HERE

2.  Silence.  Make sure that whatever makes the rocking chair rock is quiet.  Again, think of the hours you’ll spend swaying back and forth.  Look for parts that will either wear or grind or squeak.

3.  Neck support.  Now, I’m not talking about anything fancy here – just, when you test out your rocker, slink down in it so you can get really comfy, lean back and see if you can rest your head.  When you are beyond tired and you still have to keep moving so the baby will stay asleep, you’ll want a place for your head.  Remember, the human head weighs 8 pounds!

4.  Foot support.  Some people like to have their feet up while they rock, others don’t.   It’s not the most important factors in choosing a good rocking chair, but with all that time spent sitting there rocking it’s nice to take care of your feet and legs, too.

Now, on to the good stuff: design.  Clearly I like simple, clean lines and there are a few good options.  Here is a round up of modern rockers that, while beautiful, may leave you kicking yourself?

Why?  Arm rests from hell…the yellow bubble chair is HERE and the Barcelona rip off is HERE

Butt padding – what butt padding? (to see these online, go HERE and HERE

These are a few that I found fit the bill (all from Zac and Zoe)

And my favorite – I went for the casual, “I could be a regular chair” look,  clean lined and not too expensive.  It’s from Room and Board and you can see it HERE.

It comes with an ottoman which, if you have room, I’d recommend.  We didn’t get it because it won’t fit and I’ve often thought wistfully of putting my feet up while rocking.

Now, this isn’t an exhastive “How To” buy a rocking chair, just some things I’ve come across in my own research.  And here’s a shout out to Heather who supplied most (if not all) of the links!  Good luck choosing your chair!  Oh and if you already have a chair and want to tell me about it and why you like it or hate it, please, feel free!