Charlie's New (Old) Bed

Just because something is shiny and new, that doesn't always mean it's better. Perhaps that fact is truest when it comes it to furniture.

For her sixth birthday, my daughter and I started redesigning her room (again.  She's a little designer in the making). One of the central elements of the new design is my childhood bed.

The bed has become something of a family heirloom over the years. My mom got the bed from my “Grandma Jean” – that's what we called my mom's boss back then. The bed had belonged to Grandma Jean's kids, long before my time.

The bed was made in 1951, by the Davis Cabinet Company in Nashville, Tennessee. The Davis Cabinet Company, which has been around since 1929, specializes in solid wood furniture that doesn't fall apart with age. Their founding principle is “anything can be accomplished if it is done correctly.”  And this lovely bed was most certainly done correctly, it has held up the test of time . Notice the date stamped on bed (typical of the Davis Cabinet Company ) , it also has original label on back of bed for authentication.  This kind of stuff is pretty neat! 

The bed has been in my family since I was four or five. After I outgrew it, it was passed down to my little sisters . Now, I'm going to pass it on to my little Charlotte.

But not before I give it a little bit of a face lift. It is 60 years old after all.  First, I had my re finisher strip the many layers of paint that had built up over the years until we got down to the original wood , then we lacquered the bed in a soft cream color.

This bed has held up very well over the years, despite all the wear and tear that comes with being a kid's bed. They just don't make them like they used to.

You can't expect that sort of longevity from other big box furniture companies, you know the ones I'm referring to.  Good news is, there are many manufacturer's out there that build on quality, like Hickory Chair who just celebrated 100 years, Henredon , Drexel Heritage , Thos Moser, and B&B Italia just to name a few.  You may pay a little more, but that is exactly my point here.

As a general rule, it is a good idea to think of furniture as an investment. The more you put into it, the more you will get out of it and if you invest in good furniture, it will go a long way.

It's my hope that one day, Charlotte will be able to pass this bed on to her little one. And, because of the solid material and excellent craftsmanship, this bed will stay in my family for many generations to come.

Stay tuned for pictures of the finished room, complete with Charlotte's new (old) bed!

Dwell Magazine July 2011 Feature

One of our Projects was Featured in this Month's issue of Dwell -July/August 2011!  Run out and get your copy if you don't already have it!  It's a fabulous issue with lots of great kids spaces.  Our Feauture is on page 96.  All photos by David Young-Wolff

 

If you missed last Saturdays' panel at Dwell on Design on Kids Spaces with Erica Islas, here a couple tips she shared and more!  Enjoy!

When designing spaces for kids, it’s important to remember that Kids go thru phases really quickly, so design a space they can grow with.

Example: Think about furniture that has multi-functions – cribs that convert to beds, changing tables that convert to dressers or desks that can change heights, the Stokke Tripp Trapp is a chair that can grow with your child too.

Don’t paint murals of characters…instead get bedding of characters (if that’s your thing) or add wall decals that can easily be peeled off after they outgrow that phase.

“Themes“ do not stay current - instead use Iconic pieces to decorate for a timeless room .

Iconic Pieces Ex: Eames hooks, nelson clocks, Classic Eames chair, Jacobsen Egg chair, Clever Tomato even makes mini versions of these ! which are adorable…they even make a replica of the Bertioa called Lil’ Bert.
Italian lighting - Artemide, LucePlan, Flos, Foscarini, etc….they are Fun! Playful, timeless!

Furniture with clean lines mixed with some vintage adds soul to a room. Keep it simple, nothing too ornate, or ONE ornate piece is ok, keep rest clean lines for a timeless space.

MOST importantly .....
• Get child / kid involved ( they have very creative ideas and know how THEY want to use their space)
BUT !!! don’t ask open ended questions - give them 2 choices based on what has been discusses as needs and wants.

• Use Kid /pet Friendly textiles that can take the wear and tear longer.   For example :
Contract Fabrics like Maharam and Sunbrella – variety colors patterns and textures. Textiles from the 20th century – Eames Dots by Maharam – actually Maharam has a lot ! also Marimekko patterns. Fornasetti designs.
Denim is one of my favorites – used on upholstery, it’sFUN ! totally hip, modern and just timeless . Iconic patterns on fabrics is a great way to also keep things timeless.

• Go Green ! (it’s important we start implementing the importance of sustainability with our children )There is so much product out there that it becomes a matter of choices now a days ,it no longer a problem of availability . Ex: organic natural fiber bedding, buy local, low or no VOC paints, FSC certified wood to build, wool carpets, reclaimed wood floors, etc...

• Creative / Fun Storage solutions ( every kids space needs Storage ! Lot’s of storage, so it’s important to make it Fun for them to tuck their things away, Ex: tables with hidden toy compartment, combination of closed and open shelving for books and toys, vintage lockers come in a variety of BRIGHT powder coated colors)
• Space Plan ! Once the room is designed , then you can have fun with decorating. Form follows function. I approach every project from an architectural perspective, do I need to remove walls ?, make new walls?, built in case goods? Determine the functions of the room and address those issues first. Take advantage of the vertical space as well with storage or even a train track around the top of the room.
Basically what you are doing here is: Designing a room a child can grow into –& you can Decorate with what they like. It’s okay if accessories are Trendy.

MORE Decorating IDEAS for Family and Kids Spaces :

• Mount kids stuff creatively, wheather it be guitars, CD covers, Skateboards, surfboards, sport Jerseys etc….. This personalizes the room and it is Completely UNIQUE !

• Frame art work they have made, there are several ways to hang & display things, there are even Frame kits that have everything you need to display 10 frames in a harmonious way!

• Wallpaper options are endless and Way cool ! Some cool  trendy ideas : Dinosaur fossil wallpaper,  Robots, World Maps, etc….

• Fun Ligne Roset TOGO floor cushions! Colorful, comfy, classic design, something parents can chill on too.

• Kids are activity driven / orientated - so making fun ways to get up and down from beds/ lofts , or install a swing, or crawl into a reading nook is great. Also because they are activity driven – find storage to tuck away all these activities.

• Create cozy place for reading and have a good amount of storage for reading books. KIDS and Parents LOVE books, can never have enough! Then come trophys etc….

Hope you enjoy these few tips !  Until Next time  -