NettoCollection Blog

Netto takes Hong Kong

Every now and then something happens that feels like a milestone on the road to better design for kids. One of my recent “Oh Yes!” breakthrough moments took place when I received pictures from our new dealer in Hong Kong, whose shop has recently opened.

I’m sharing them with you here to show you what a truly awesome baby store looks like, and I don’t know if my favorite part is that Modern Baby is so full of Netto or if it’s that the beautiful space is right next door to the Apple store in Wellington Street, Central Hong Kong. Apple store. Baby furniture. Two things that didn’t get side by side billing until Netto showed up and insisted that design for baby be great. We are winning, one hemisphere at a time…

Modern Baby brings our revolution in aesthetics to one of the most stylish cities in the world. The store is 1800 sf on two levels, and was founded by the beautiful and gifted So-Yon Sohn. Baby stores like Yoyamart in New York and Genius Jones in Miami were the first to do this in the US in around 2003, and before them I was spending my weekends renting a car and driving around looking for cool maternity stores to try to talk them into carrying us as their one line of furniture.  I’m so glad that’s over.

I’m going to visit Modern Baby this summer, and thank So-Yon in person for representing us so beautifully. Maybe I’ll get her an iPod as a present.

By David

Sacked Out?

It's dark, you hear screams, you enter and there she is…straddling the railing of her crib, clinging for dear life, neither in nor out, all 20 months of her balanced on a Netto oak side rail.  It’s a nasty drop.

So you rescue her, take her into bed and lie there thinking, What am I going to do now?

The Top 20: Home Goods

Let me draw your attention to something that may seem small but means the world to me, and shows perfectly what NettoCollection is all about. The cover article of the January 2008 issue of Real Simple magazine is called

218 Best Buys
The Smartest, Most Useful Products for:
Home
Fashion
Cooking
Beauty
Health

On page 85 there is a NettoCollection Moderne Changer, in a lineup that includes such iconic and beautiful products as the Tivoli Audio Model One radio and Noguchi 55A Akari paper lantern. It's not a feature about only us, it's a photo of black and white objects our furniture blends into quite a bit, but it means more to me than the most lavish dedicated publicity because it shows we have succeeded in doing what almost five years ago we set out to do: to make baby furniture into a product category that was respected for its quality and design. The way almost all the other products in your home are, or at least you have a choice that they can be.

In 2001 when my daughter Kate was born there was nothing out there that wasn't ugly or appalling in its construction, crib and changing tablewise. We were the first, and five years after we showed at ICCF and many struggles later we are still here, and it's a very sweet thing to see a Netto Changer lined up with all those extraordinary designs as though Changing Table always belonged there. And I guess that's because now, it does.

My goal was to get a crib into the permanent collection at MoMA. It's good to have dreams, but seeing the article in Real Simple is a dream come true. Funnily enough it was shown to me by a lady at my chiropractor's office, the excellent Dr. Randall Stitt of North Hollywood, California...I missed it on the stands and might never have had the pleasure of writing about it on this blog! Thank you to all our customers and supporters who have brought Netto and the movement for great design in Baby this far. And as if the picture wasn't enough, the article is introduced with a quote from William Morris: "Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."

Right On.

By David Netto

How to Take Your Father to the Museum, Part 3

Here are some highlights of a 5-year-old's recent visits to the Met. Walk with us to...

The Astor Court

Now we go upstairs to what turns out, somewhat surprisingly, to have been Kate's favorite stop on the Metropolitan Museum grown-ups/kids equal-rights tour. Climb the big staircase and walk back toward Fifth Avenue, then travel north along the second-floor Asian galleries. You will walk through many rooms full of mysterious and exotic things, with your 5-year-old just starting to get bored, to a Chinese courtyard, which is like entering another world. This is the Astor Court, a reconstruction of a 16th-century Ming garden. There is a koi pond with enormous fish that kids are drawn to, but I think it's the surprise of finding this impressive, serene, skylit, and seemingly secret outdoor space after trudging through gallery after gallery that elates them. And of course, the unexpected sound of water. But after all the fun stuff -- angels, knights -- things you think a child would relate to better because of their familiarity, this was Kate's favorite. She told me this long after I thought she had forgotten about it. In other words, a child will like it for the same reason we do -- the strangeness and sense of magical peace, all by surprise. The Met is full of those moments.

How to Take Your Father to the Museum, Part 2

Here are some highlights of a 5-year-old's recent visits to the Met. Walk with us to...

Arms and Armor (or as Kate calls it, "Knights")

After this incredible experience, walk over to the Arms and Armor galleries, on the ground floor very close to where the Christmas tree is. This is a good one for a rainy day for some reason. Maybe because it makes the empty suits look spookier. I am hardly the first parent to discover his child's interest in medieval knights and armor, but I was a little surprised at how quickly Kate got into the very adult displays in the gallery and looked at the details as much as the big idea. Velvet pants ("Knights wore underwear?"). Lots of intricate gold tooling on armor for a young king ("How was it made?"). The realization that people were much smaller in the Middle Ages than now, which a 5-year-old might even notice before you do. This is one of those places that are perfect for a child once a certain interest in knights and castles has taken root. While she's busy playing with toy ones, you might say, "Want to go see a real Black Knight?" and surprise her.

By David
Originally published on CHILD.com
Photos courtesy Metropolitan Museum of Art

How to Take Your Father to the Museum, Part 1

The Wonders Within

Last year Child voted New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art the second most kid-friendly museum in the country. Not only does it have family guides for the galleries designed to make the content understandable to kids, but it offers classes where children can make things of their own and discover the riches of art history.

But here's why I think the Met should be number one. Unlike many museums, it's a wonderful place for small children even if you don't get into all the programming designed for them. Parents may not know this at first. But the research for my survey was done by my 5-year-old daughter, Kate, and while I did bring her and walk her around with a little guidance, the opinions are hers. You may be surprised that none of her favorites are part of the Met's efforts specifically to reach out to kids -- we haven't even done any of that yet. They are just things in the museum itself that have always been there that make the Met more kid-friendly than maybe it knows. Wander around and you will find them. The point of my story is that we saw things my daughter would enjoy because I stopped thinking like a parent and just walked in with her so she found them. Here are some highlights of a 5-year-old's recent visits to the Met. Since it's the right time of year, walk with us to...

Indian Cradle Baskets

Before Baby Bjorn, there were cradle baskets.

The California Indians, the Pomo and the Western Mono peoples, historically have carried their babies and children on hand-woven cradle baskets. These amazing child carriers were the precursors of the modern day baby carriers. Precious Cargo: California Indian Cradle Baskets and Childbirth Traditions is an exhibit at the California Indian Museum and Cultural Center that is running through Spring 2008. It explores the use of the cradle baskets both historically and contemporarily among the California Indians and their beliefs and practices pertaining to childbirth and child-rearing. Among the many objects on exhibit are rare photographs and cradle baskets woven by contemporary California Indians. If you are not able to make it to the west coast you can also purchase the book that includes all the amazing rich photographs.

By Nancy

Foldschool

We happen to be partial to Rufus, our own Polar Bear Rocker.  But here is a cool alternative.  Much gratitude to our friend at If the Birds Knew for this spot.

By Claude

Minimal Assembly Required

Everyone hates furniture assembly.  With suppliers trying to maximize product counts in the 40 foot shipping containers that circle the globe, there’s little to be found in the way of fully assembled furniture these days.  And so we roll up our sleeves and break out our screwdrivers.  Hopefully the result is a complete piece of furniture and the satisfaction of assembling it oneself.

For those who find that satisfaction elusive no matter how hard they try, let me introduce you to Guillow’s Jetfire planes.  Here is an object that one can master and enjoy in less than two minutes for less than $2.  Tear open the bag, insert four parts into the fuselage, and fly.  No instructions necessary, no diagrams, no tools, no hardware. 

Ready to take things to the next level?   Slide the wing forward for loops and circles, or slide the wing back for long flights. Fly it in your backyard with a child and aim to land it in a hula hoop on the far side of the lawn. Mission accomplished.

By Alex

Full Circle

I wanted to share this picture of our booth at the Kind + Jugend show in Cologne, Germany with you. 

At the show we were so thrilled at the strong interest in our designs from companies based in Scandinavia, Germany, and England. It felt like we'd come full circle in a way, offering European design infused with American sensibility to the countries whose clean, modern but classic aesthetics inspired our designs. We will continue in Europe the mission we pioneered four years ago at home: to make stylish baby furniture--of the highest quality--that need never be outgrown.

Lots of Lizards

The MoMA store has many wonderful things for kids and this M.C. Escher Lizard Puzzle ($18) is one of my favorites. All kids love lizards — better still, a herd of 'em. This puzzle is playful, but it's actually also a great tool for teaching puzzle-solving skills with some flexibility. The graphic aspect kind of reminds me of Keith Haring. It looks cool enough that you won't mind seeing it on the floor, even in the living room. And when it's not put together, it's actually fifteen toys!

By David

Best Backpack

I really was happy with the Baby Bjorn I carried my first child around in, but there was always a slight dork factor that nagged at me — that, and the fact that after walking around for an hour or so, back pain worthy of an octagenarian water carrier set in. Well, the second time around, we're using the awesome Deuter KangaKid Child Carrier Backpack and I have to tell you, I really love this thing. The discovery was made by my wife, Liz, who has excellent taste and a kind of rugged instinct for fun. After watching her carry Madelyn around in this sturdy — I might even say cool — child-carrying backpack, I now ask to wear it (and make Liz carry the lighter shopping bags). Our kid loves it, too. She's perched up high and looking in the same direction as me, so when we set off together, there's a sense of shared destination and adventure.

By David
Originally published by Babble

Books on The Walls

I love the retro look of WPA posters, and there are eight reading-themed ones to choose from here. I think the images would look great in an older kids room -- a few, like this October one, are probably too visually strong for babies -- but several of the posters are quite suitable for decorating smaller kids spaces. And you can't beat the price -- $10.00 a poster.

By David

Babble's Best Loungers

In search of a baby lounger chair that looks as good as it feels? Check out Babble's picks of five cozy, comfy but stylish seats for your little one. The Svan Bouncer was Babble's top pick, for its good looks and practical features, including "an easy-pull strap effortlessly adjusts the angle from nearly upright (great for older babes) to a deep lounge, and a shade provides both side support for leaners and sun protection. The no-skid bottom guarantees this seat's not going anywhere..."

By David

Introducing Cabine

NettoCollection is proud to introduce our first two-piece furniture set. We call it Cabine, in honor of the French modernism of the 1930’s that inspired these pieces--as well as the compact spaces that this two-piece collection suits perfectly.

Beautifully finished in white lacquer and natural oak, Cabine consists of an all-around open crib with storage underneath, and a combination dresser/changer with our trademark Netto flat flip top. The retail prices are $1,790 for the crib and $1,890 for the dresser.

The simplicity of form that Netto is known for continues with these pieces, as it is our mission to make baby furniture that need never be thrown away, outgrown or replaced due to aesthetic fatigue. And,as always, Netto furniture boasts the highest build quality because we make every piece for keeps.

We debuted these pieces in early September at the ABC show in Las Vegas. You can now see Cabine in our newly released 2007/08 catalog, at our showroom in New York, online and, as of October, in select stores.

NettoCollection Europe Premieres

Usually Europe is five years ahead of the States in design concepts, but this time it was the other way around. We have just introduced our complete line of baby furniture, designed in the US and manufactured in Poland, at the prestigious Kind + Jugend show in Cologne, Germany.

We were thrilled to see real interest from companies based in Scandinavia, Germany,  and England has resulted in agreements to distribute NettoCollection furniture in the countries whose aesthetic inspired our designs. We will continue in Europe the mission we pioneered four years ago at home: to make stylish baby furniture--of the highest quality--than need never be outgrown.

The iPhone of car seats

If you've ever wondered how they make orthopedic shoes cool, look at Hush Puppies. If you've ever wondered how they make a child's car seat cool, look at the one produced by Orbit. It's a whole system that comes complete with a stroller (the seat comes out of the submarine airlock-style base and plugs in to the equally stylish wheel carriage), which IS a great idea, but it's the seat I love. There are many cool strollers out there, but this is the iPhone of car seats.

I've met the people who make it and they are very nice Northern California-style low-key tech geniuses, young parents who were fed up with the options and the commitment of this particular and necessary item (you thought baby furniture was bad?) to the lowest possible taste level. For me, this product is iconic.

By David
Originally published on Babble.com

Viva Las Vegas

We have just returned from Las Vegas where we premiered Cabine, our new two-piece collection of white lacquer and natural oak. Debuting a new collection is always interesting and a little nerve-wracking, no matter how much you like the design there's always that little fear that people won't see it in the same way as you do. But Cabine did wonderfully well at the show, garnering a lot of interest and compliments. While there we showed examples of the new production of CUB, our lower-priced line of cribs, changers and shelves (check it out at CUBKids). People said they loved the color and the sturdy construction. This is our third year showing at ABC and the show keeps getting better and better --it was a real pleasure to be there again this year.

Scooter Sculpture

Even if this Svan Scooter isn't ridden all the time, it can serve as a child's first sculpture. I love when minimalism can be FUN. It's not that often, you know.

By David
Originally published on Babble.com