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The Kids Are All Right

Objects Of Design #214: Wall Mounted Magazine Rack

divide the shelves into subjects Now, obviously technically this is a magazine rack but sometimes it pays to think laterally. Why not fix one shelf per subject next to teenager's desk and get them to keep all the relevant exercise books and text books in the right place. Then they just need to check the
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Objects Of Design #213: Storage Section

kids always need storage I have tried to steer clear of too much expensive stuff in this series. I know that children grow and tastes change and it is harder to justify spending huge amounts of money on furniture that may well be rendered useless in five years time. But sometimes I think it's justifiable
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Objects Of Design #212: Hemnes Day-Bed Frame

is it a bed is it a sofa is it a teenage room or a bedsit? If you don't like metal frames (and for me they are slightly reminiscent of boarding school) this wooden one should fit the bill. A great single bed with storage underneath which also pulls out to be  double bed and,
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Objects Of Design #211: Memo Pinboard Desk

the perfect first desk? This is a smart first desk which has been really thought about. There's a pinboard at the back for sticking all those important memos - lists of best friends, which Lego set to buy next ,that sort of thing, as well as spacious drawer and a hole for computer cables so
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Objects of Design #210: Mini Stool

this is called clotted cream; you might prefer chocolate brownie The mission statement of this company says it all: kids furniture for grown up homes. Weamo make products for everyone that feels faint at the thought of a Barbie bike or a Ben 10 duvet cover. Their furniture is high quality, contemporary and well designed.
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Objects Of Design #209: Flensted Mobile

happy whales The classic nursery decoration, mobiles come in a million different styles and shapes from cute to cool with variations in the middle. These are by Danish designer Ole Flenstead who came up with his first design in 1953. If you don't fancy these whales there are lots of other gorgeous designs including balloons
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Objects Of Design #208: Rustic Wooden Storage Box

when they've finished using it for toys you can keep it by the fire The trouble with a lots of kids' storage is that by the time, they filled it with plastic tat or beautiful carved wooden toys (which, let's face it we all want for the first child until we realise that toddlers hitting
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Objects Of Design #207: Isaac Desk Lamp

Affordable desk lamps in bright coloursphotograph by Xavier Young Everyone needs a task lamp, either by the bed for reading or on the desk for studying. At this price they can have both. It bends and stretches and does everything a task lamp is supposed to do and that's all you need to know about
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Objects Of Design #206: Face Painted Boxes

Smiling faces, happying tidying? Maybe? Keeping children's rooms tidy is a perennial problem and I just hate all those plastic boxes. Don't get me wrong, we've got dozens of things  and they're fine in their own bedrooms but when you have younger children whose toys end up in the living room and kitchen, then it's
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Objects Of Design #205: Clouds Bedding Set

For all those who hate pink and blue Kids bedding is so often either stereotypical pink fairies and blue pirates or hideous cartoon designs which, while fine on the television, aren't necessarily what you want to look at in your beautiful home. After all, you've spent enough money making all the other rooms conform to
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Objects Of Design #204: Bunk Pod

Launched at Design Junction this week Still on the subject of beds, comes this fabulous bunk pod from new company IO Kids Design. It's just very cool and I wish there had been beds like this around when my two were small, although it's a full size bed so will last until they leave home.
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Objects Of Design #203: Iris Day Bed

Perfect for a teenage bedroom Day beds are perfect for older children and teenagers as they fit with the idea of making their bedroom more into a bedsit, or a place where they can hang out with friends in more grown-up surroundings. This one also comes with a spare bed underneath which is handy for
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Object Of Design #202: PS 2012 Bench with Storage

Stack 'em up For many years I have nurtured a fantasy for a row of vintage wooden cinema seats in my hall - perfect for storing shoes underneath and sitting on to put on said shoes. Sadly, I have neither the space not the available funds to fulfil this particular fantasy but this comes in
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Objects Of Design #201: Calico Desk Set

Perfect for the early years Buying the right desk is tricky as it all depends on how your child likes to work. Do they want to be in the kitchen sitting at the table with you in earshot? In which case the desk is about storage more than work. Or do they prefer to take
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Objects Of Design #200: Large Canvas Cushion

Comes with a handy pocket As they grow older they often want their rooms to be more like bedsits than bedrooms. A bunch of floor cushions helps with this as it gives mates somewhere to sit and lounge around when there's only room for one chair. But let's not forget that sometimes it's just more
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Objects Of Design #199: Giant Wall Mirror

where there's a teenage girl there's usually a mirror   It's a truth universally acknowledged that a teenage girl in a possession of a new outfit must be in want of a mirror. The bigger the better. But it's not all about vanity, drape this with fairy lights and it will look pretty but it
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Objects Of Design #198: Tree Shelf

Imaginative shelving It's amazing what you can do with some wood and a few wall stickers isn't it. I'm a big fan of icelandic designer Thorunn Arnadottir  whose products are often witty as well as unusual.  Check out her site for The Devil's Pet, a cute pink kitten candle until it burns  . . .
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Objects Of Design #197: Remember Chalkboard

Spell it out There's a definite theme emerging here. Teenage bedrooms: it's all about reminding and tidying. Anyway, this might help. At least it says "remember" in large letters at the top. It's worth a go anyway. www.bouf.com £20.99
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Objects Of Design #196: Numbered Hooks

That's Monday to Saturday sorted then So we've looked at the idea of hooks in a previous post. Here are some different ones. You could hang a week's worth of clothes on numbers one to five and put pyjamas on the sixth. Or, if they're older, you could try and persuade them to do a
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Objects Of Design #195: Large Cone Light

Witty and clever I just love this light. Designed by Alex Garnett, it's the perfect solution to those annoying eco bulbs which are too big for so many other shades and when they hang out from your tasteful silk shade it looks awful. This way you can make a joke of it and dream about
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