AT:SF readers are familiar with the fabulous Shiso Mama (aka Mimi) and the hipster room she created for son Otis. We wanted to bring the rest of Otis' domain over to AT: The Nursery and show you this inspiring example of incorporating children into a clutter-free modern abode.
Mimi tells us: My husband and I recently dedicated a weekend to putting up Ikea cabinets and a gigantic homasote bulletin board to display Otis's art and we're pleased with the results.
more pics after the jump...
His toys can be put away in the cabinets, or in the rolling bins below, but he can reach most everything by himself. There is now TONS of storage space (we haven't even BEGUN to fill it) and we keep a couple of things out on display.
He also has a chalkboard table, and we bought him one of these kids' sofas on the last day of one of the DWR warehouse sales (when it was really really marked down). I felt pretty silly when I bought it, but it's actually been one of our best purchases. It stacks neatly and unobtrusively, but you can spread out and get comfy (even adults!) or even deconstruct it and build forts with it. Otis loves this thing, and can often be found there playing, hanging out with friends, or sitting quietly and reading.
[W]e've tried to provide Otis with play areas that would work well for him, but would allow us to put everything away once he was finished playing. In the kitchen, we have reserved a cabinet for him, with all his kitchen and food toys. He also has a little portable Haba stove, which we set on his stepstool when he wants to play, and then set aside when he's finished. The stepstool is also in the kitchen so he can pull up to the sink to wash his hands, watch me cook dinner, or steal a snack.
In progress (studio space Mimi and Otis share): [W]e are in the process of buying a prefab studio (from Modern Cabana) for the backyard, so the room will change in the upcoming months. This room (and really, the house) is constantly changing as Otis grows and as our needs change.
Design philosophy and resources: Some days, I feel a little guilty, because Otis isn't free to run around with ready access to paint, or to leave his toys everywhere. But we've really tried to build a kid-friendly space that WE can live with.
We love all the cool new modern stuff out there - it's so well-built, suits our aesthetic, and often is designed so that it is multi-functional (which is important to us). But we can rarely get ourselves to pay those prices. We've had lots of luck with the DWR sales,craigslist has been good to us, and we have had great luck with carefully chosen items from Ikea.
Upcoming projects/dreams: Painting one of the walls in the play area with chalkboard paint. (Some day) buying a projection monitor and screen so we can watch movies together (we don't have a TV). Turning Otis's closet into a secret hidaway with a dutch door.
(Thanks, Mimi!)
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The space is gorgeous! Really amazing! Like you, I've had a hard time paying the top dollar prices for mod kids furniture so I started building my own about a year ago here in LA. Lucky for me, I'm the daughter of a carpenter and love to design and build and am now selling my creations in the LA area ( will ship nationally). If you have a chance, check out http://www.modmomfurniture.com for affordable (really, I mean that), modern kids furniture.
Kiersten
Mod Mom Furniture
view modmomfurniture's profile
Anyone else unable to access Modmomfurniture's site?
view dollhouse's profile
Hi Dollhouse,
Mod Mom Furniture here. So sorry you're having trouble opening the page. I haven't heard that before. Are you opening it in something other than Internet Explorer? If you're still having trouble, I can email one-sheets of the web pages. So sorry!
Kiersten
kiersten@modmomfurniture.com
view modmomfurniture's profile
Kiersten -
The pages opens, but it is blank. We use Safari, which tends to work best with our Mac.
view monika1's profile
Love Otis' kitchen space! wish we could do the same! You have great toy storage solutions, which have confounded us!
view monika1's profile
People still use Internet Explorer? I'm on a Mac as well and IE hasn't supported the Mac in years.
Even the PC people I know use Firefox.
view dollhouse's profile
Can't reach the site either...too bad because I want to see some affordable modern furniture!
If your site only works on IE, you should really consider having someone make it compatible for as many browsers as possible. The last thing you want is for people who might be ready to spend some money not be able to access it!
view donnafergie's profile
Hi everyone,
Mod Mom here. Yes, you're absolutely right. We'll make sure the site is accessible to as many browsers as possible. In the meantime, if you are a Mac user and can't reach the site and are interested in seeing the furniture line, shoot me an email at kiersten@modmomfurniture.com. I'd be happy to send a PDF of the current line.
Kiersten
view modmomfurniture's profile
Uh, yeah, the vast, vast majority of people still use Internet Explorer. I work on website and do email marketing, and probably 90% of the population has IE (we track this stuff)
view fiona's profile
Browser stats depend on your market. It's not uncommon to see IE down in the ~75% range, with the remainder distributed between Firefox and Safari, depending who you're communicating with. That 90% is probably accurate for business email marketing, but is not what I'm seeing in higher education or, for that matter, among peers in the design community, where stats are skewed away from IE (witness the response from readers on this board for a perfect example). Anyway, off topic, but the last comment was too simplistic; the question of standards-based design and browser stats is a lot more complicated than "IE=90%."
view aecheylon's profile
Hi everyone,
I'm glad to know my website had an issue and we're getting it addressed. I would'nt have know had it not been for you guys checking it out. It will soon be all browser friendly.
In the meantime, I've set up an online shop at http://www.modmomfurniture.etsy.com. You'll be able to see and purchase (if you like) what I'm selling out of my California garage workshop. If you live in LA, I deliver!
Thanks,
Kiersten
view modmomfurniture's profile
Does anyone know which cabinets are wallmounted in the photo?
view KBinBC's profile
Mimi, what's the brand/who makes the kids' sofa. I assume DWR don't carry it anymore, I didn't find it in their website. I love the sofa.
Thanks.
view ling's profile
i know this is an old post, but does anyone know what the name is of those flor tiles? I think it's morning coffee, but can't make out the actual color. what a great neutral!
view selena's profile
Not sure if it's too late to respond -
the wall mounted cabinets are Ikea cabinets with Sorbo doors.
the sofa is from Nume, and DWR stopped selling kids' stuff. you can probably find other sources to buy it, but be prepared for the outrageous price tag.
the Flor tiles are Morning Coffee - i believe in Mocha.
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