Kideko is one of those cool new companies making great kid’s bedding that looks nothing like the sheet sets we had at that age. Now mind you I am quite nostalgic about my Snoopy linens, but Kideko’s ‘Monster‘ line (designed by the award-winning Airside) are bound to make a happy impression on your kids. And the coordinating growth chart - come on… Pretty great, right?

Regular readers will know that I’m a fan of the kid’s line Boodalee with their beautiful graphics and keen sense of color. They’ve recently expanded their bedding patterns with coordinating wall graphics and pillows which pull together to create fantastic children’s rooms and living spaces. See the entire collection here.

Alright, so if I ever found myself in one of those impossible ‘adult in a kid’s body’ movies (like Freaky Friday or Big) as a six year old with a credit card, I might start filling my room with the following pieces.

DucDuc Alex Bed: available in twin or full with optional toddler rails

Boodalee Tree Sheets: leaf patterned duvet with woodgrain sheets

Pkolino Clothes Tree: free-standing, functional art

Mod Topper Table: multi-functional bedside table

Luau Lamp: lifts from its recharging base to be carried around like a lantern

Flensted Hedgehog Mobile: brilliant Danish company with a huge selection

My absence from the blogosphere this past week was due in large part to a much anticipated visit from my sister and her family who fled the Wisconsin winter (21 F) for a week of California sunshine (72 F). While I adore my little sister and her husband, my niece (age 2) and nephew (age 5) were the real stars of the show as we traipsed from aquariums to parks to beaches and of course the “happiest place on earth.” (See last photo below.)

I’ve lived in Southern CA for more than 15 years now and have done the theme park thing often enough that I felt no compulsion to race Fast Pass from ride to ride, but instead enjoyed a toddler paced couple of days. There are long lists of pros (kids in mouse ears) and cons (hour long lines to board a Nemo submarine) to the place, but I always get a kick out of that classic 1950’s Disney design sense - and I love when I find homage to this aesthetic in contemporary design. Recently the talented Laura Mameesh and Teri Dimalanta of Kukunest have added a couple new designs to their extraordinary line of modern kid’s bedding, my favorite of which is the Little Friends motif which just screams Mary Blair and Small World. These linens are also an eco-friendly bedding choice, made from 100% oko-tex certified cotton assuring it’s free from major toxic chemicals. AND you can enjoy their uber cuteness without the incessant repetition of that song.

There is a great little Scottish shop that I love called Papa Stour. They specifically feature the handcrafted work of Scottish artisans and while not specifically a children’s store there are a number of things that would look fantastic in a nursery or would make really lovely shower gifts. It’s a very manageable site and as such I haven’t listed individual links for all of the many products featured below.  However, a few of the highlights are the gorgeous blankets by Kate Samphier knit from Geelong Lambswool, the terrifically simple and elegant hangings created from beach nuts and limpet shells strung on hemp - an option to the traditional mobile, and the adorable handmade cards of Claire Nicolson.

Argyle. It’s one of those classic pattern motifs that’s recycled and reinvented every few years. Like everyone in the 80s, I had my fair share of argyle sweaters and matching socks. And while I admit to having little if any argyle in my home at the moment, Los Angeles designer Robyn Murgio is giving us all a reason to reconsider this predicament. Murge Designs has recently made a foray into children’s design including a trio of charming argyle colorways applied to everything from bedding to bibs to diaper bags. Pay a visit to the Murge Designs website to see their full product range and list of retailers.

Well, I have to confess I got a little out of control with this post. What started as a small survey of non-traditional color nursery bedding quickly expanded when I kept stumbling into great orange colored products over at Modern Nursery. Orange? I know. The new black? Mmmm…doubtful, but I am happy to see another member of the ROY G BIV family take center stage. This sunny color, properly applied, makes for kid quarters that are absolutely cheerful. A full dose of vitamin C.

Forgive for not linking to every single product below, but considering they’re all from the same shop I’ve linked you to the corresponding category so they shouldn’t be hard to find.

Modern Baby Bedding:

Wall Art:

Furniture and Rugs:

Highchairs and Strollers:

Toddler Gifts:

Among my many design heroines is the illustrious Mary Blair. She is perhaps most well know for her contributions to the early Disney aesthetic, playing an influential role in the design of the It’s a Small World theme park attraction (see one of Blair’s studies above) and the imagery of such animated films as Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan. You may also recognize her children’s book illustrations including several classic Golden Books. Blair’s simple minimalist style has become iconic especially of the idealized 1950s in the US and continues to be echoed in contemporary design.

I’m taking the liberty of drawing one such connection between Blair’s influential style and the design of a recent line of children’s bedding by Boodalee. Completely smitten by these charming and clever patterns, I find myself pining for queen sized orange faux bois sheets. Perhaps my favorite combination is the ‘audience’ sheets that coordinate with the ‘big top’ duvet. The Circus, City and Trees duvet and sheet sets are only available in the twin ‘big kid’ size and are available on the company’s web site and through a growing number of retailers.