Modernseed

DIY - Bench Box Bookcase

We LOVE the Bench Box collection from Offi & Company... especially now that these great pieces are available in walnut as well as the classic birch! And with the addition of the BBox2 (or mini bench box, as we tend to call them), the possibilites endless. 

On their own, the Bench Boxes are fantastic benches with handy storage spaces underneath. Choose legs or casters (or no supports if you're planning on building with the boxes), pad or no pad... and if you do choose a pad, you currently have THREE color options: Gray Wool, Alcazar, or Red Wool.

Here's the red pad on a birch Bench Box, with legs:

The NEW walnut is also pretty stunning! Imagine it at the foot of your bed... here. We can help you out:

So the pads on the Bench Boxes are obviously fantastic options. But don't forget about those minis! The little BBoxes are great on their own as side tables, or for YOUR mini to store her books, etc...

Now, put a couple minis together, plus a couple full-sized Bench Boxes, and voile! What a cool shelving unit, right? 

You're welcome :-)

 

NEW in-store!

Though we occasionally blog about items we have that are new in the store but not yet online, you can still purchase them via phone! We are happy to help :-) Our hours are Monday thru Friday, 10a - 6p EST.

We now present a few of the newest in-store-only products we love!

 

Nutty Squirrel from kid o is a classic, durable pull toy that the minis will adore; their own little pet and friend who will follow them wherever they lead!

The Doggy Dreams Mobile from Flensted is so fun! Four little pups drool over a bone... won't mini love to give them all names?

From Built NY, the Big Apple Buddy Lunch Box: Astor Owl! We've discussed in the past how birds - specifically owls - are all the rage... now mini can take her lunch to school in style. Coordinating reusable sandwich bag also available!

A Mini Review

Another International Contemporary Furniture Fair has come and gone. Every year it gets a little more interesting, and a little more fun! Here are a few of our favorite products that we hope to add as soon as we've all recovered from the trhill of ICFF. ;-)

First up, NEW products from Lisa Albin/Iglooplay! We've always loved the cozy, colorful Candy Pod cushions, but she's now worked those vibrant jewel tones into even more of her line, like the brand new Prism Pods! Lisa's fantastic designs are based on how she has observed her own minis making use of their toys, furniture, and environments. Her booth - always a popular hangout - has been mentioned in several other design blogs this year. We're happy to include her in ours as well!

 

Next, Stokke! Their clever Tripp Trapp chair is part of the MoMA collection, and we adore all their products! Built to adjust and grow with your mini, all the pieces by Stokke are truly thoughtful. We especially love that their Sleepi crib can easily adjust to accomodate minis up to the age of 10 years!

 

Areaware always has something fantastic to show us... like the NEW Harry Allen Pig Bank colors! Their limited chrome collection was a big hit - so big they've kept the orange & purple in their line - and they're now adding baby blue and light pink! We LOVE the idea of giving one of these at a baby shower! 

 

Last but not least, the Offi Mod Lounger. Another piece designed by Lisa Albin for Offi, this fab chair - that we've been loving since it hit the market last fall - is durable and fun. Built to last in the great outdoors, it's currently on sale as well! 

 

We had such fun and got to see so many of our favorite vendors... keep following us here at First Words for practically-daily updates on our favorite designs for mini!

 

 

Great Gifts for the Modern Mom

Sunday the 13th is Mother's Day! Are YOU prepared? We see more last-minute shopping go on for Mother's Day than any other holiday. If your mom is a design buff, here are some ideas we know she'll love!

Get Mom flowers that LAST with the black + blum flower loop. This elegant vase comes with a delicate white flower that won't fade or turn brown after a week. Just $36!

Nothing says "I love you" like jewelry, right? Try something different - but just as beautiful - with the contemporary Forget-Me-Knot ring from Areaware. Sterling silver and just $50!

Probably, Mom has LOADS of handbags, but she doesn't have one like this... the Metallic Soulbag from Fatboy USA! Available in five colors, we adore the Metallic White with its' plaid interior. $169.

Tango like a Tangerine

In case you've been living in a cave, Pantone has declared Tangerine Tango the Color of the Year! Hence, shades of orange have been turning up in all aspects of design: fashion, accessories, and furnishings too. Here are a few of the ways we suggest you give your home a pop of 2012's "it" color!

So what if MP3s are the new CDs? We still have loads of the little round guys floating around our homes and cars... and we're sure you do, too! Show them off - or at least keep them out of the way - with a Duoplane CD Shelf from Offi. Just $99! 

 

A modern classic: the George Nelson Ball Clock! Be super mid-century and yet VERY "2012" with the orange version from Vitra! $335 (Eligible for FREE shipping to anywhere in the lower-48!)

 

The Magis Air Chair from Herman Miller... *sigh* Simple, elegant, and easy! These delightful chairs are sold in a set of four for $716. 

May Flowers!

April showers definitely brought the May flowers this year! Here are some of our favorite floral-themed items that we're sure mini will love too :-)

First, the adorable Piggy Bank from notNeutral. Just $20 will help mini learn to save her dough, and this modern black floral design is one she'll love!

Next, something just as interactive but with a bit more color: the Princess WallCandy decals by French Bull. $48 with a set of bright, fun re-stickable wall decals that include princesses, flowers, pink clouds, and eeven a castle! 

Or you can always invest in a fantastic Fatboy! In Unikko Red Poppy, one of Marimekko's most recognizeable prints, this comfy beanbag chair will be a family fave for years!

R.E.A.D.

"So please, oh PLEASE, we beg, we pray,

Go throw your TV set away,

And in its place you can install,

A lovely bookshelf on the wall."

Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

 

Way Basics Madison Bookcase

 

Oeuf Mini Library

 

P'kolino Giraffe Bookcase

If Lounging Is Mini's Forte...

Then you'll want to invest in one of these great designs! Because nothing is more adorable than a gorgeous, modern classic chair... in miniature! Here are FOUR of our faves, that mini is sure to love too!

 

The Child's Bertoia Diamond Chair from Knoll Kids: a true classic perfectly scaled for your mini! This one features a full cover, and with the fabulous Knoll Textiles collection there are hundreds of fabric and color options.

 

Sleek, modern, and cozier than it looks! The Panton Junior from Vitra comes in a variety of colors and is flexible enough to suit mini's constant movement. ;-)

 

The Mod Rocker from Iglooplay is nothing less than GORGEOUS. The perfect mini-sized bent ply rocking chair; low to the ground and sturdy enough to hold you as well! The whole family will fall for this chair. :-)

 

The Kapsule Chair by Karim Rashid for Offi & Company is more than just a chair... it's toy storage! The compartment inside this neon-colored chair is perfect for stashing stuffed animals.

Giftable Delights

Though we proudly carry All Things Modern for the Mini, we also feature items that are good for everyone on your gifting list. Know a couple getting married? Or someone moving into a new house? Or perhaps you need an thank-you gift for mini's teacher! Below are a few of our very favorite- and NEWEST - giftable designs!

The Loop Candelabra from black + blum is elegant, modern, and affordable! For $28, your nearest and/or dearest can hold a pair of candlesticks gracefully.

 

Maybe your favorite couple is big into BLUES... so give the gift of color with this set of six Pantone mugs in various blue tones! Just $90 for these fine bone china mugs.

 

Perhaps your favorite gardener is short on space, or maybe mini's teacher wants a garden in his or her classroom! The Boskke Sky Planter is made from recycled plastic and will conveniently hang wherever you can fit it. Only $18 each so you may as well buy a pair!

Black, White, and Red All Over

Last week we blogged about our favorite neutral, gray. Well today we're celebrating the simple beauty of pairing black and white... with RED!

The Offi MAG Table is one of our favorites. Though beautiful in the wood laminates as well, we think it truly stands out in solid black, white, or "mid-century red" as we call it (not a true red; more of an orangey red). Black, white, or red MAGs are just $199 each!

Next up, the classic Eames Wire Base Table in white laminate! Low to the ground and super versatile, this great little table is the perfect height for mini to sit at whilst perching on the ground. Just $199, and also available in black! 

Now for the RED! We love all things Blu Dot but especially the red Desk 51! Just $699; buy it for you or for mini to grow into! 

Not Your Average Trunk

The Riff Chest from Drift Studio is just about the best trunk we've ever seen. Originally built as a blanket chest, this wheeled storage is perfect for toys as well! All the prints are modern enough for a contemporary home yet kid-friendly. We hate to play favorites (not really) but the Trike print is adorable! :-)