Furniture That’s Built to Last

"Parents want ... something that enriches the lives of their kids." — Chris Ferrarese, LC Creations LLC

Retailers and manufacturers who sell sturdy, multiple-use kids’ furniture are meeting the needs of parents and kids alike by making items in creative, vibrant styles. They take the form of everything from chairs in the shapes of animals to virtually indestructible tables.

Nilo Toys makes hardwood and melamine tables, chairs complete with storage space, and other items. Legs for the tables are available in two different lengths, so they can grow along with the kids who use them.

“The whole point is to have items that can do more than one thing,” said Tom Bernard, vice president of Nilo Toys.

At Levels of Discovery (ToyDirectory), the idea is to make heirloom-quality products that entertain, teach and stimulate the kids who use them. “Everything we have is ‘more than meets the eye,’” said Cheryl Batzing, marketing director. “Each has hidden elements for kids to discover.” The company’s Rock A Buddies and Rock A Buddies Jr. lines includes various multi-use rocking chairs in a number of themes, including “Race Car,” “Royal Princess,” “Rock A My Baby” and “Time Out.”

Bellini, a nationwide chain, offers interchangeable bedroom furniture for all ages. Manager Sally Telford said the company’s maple wood and beech wood products are built to last as kids grow. “(Parents) start by buying our cribs and then come back and buy our other furniture,” Telford noted.

Laura Lind, owner of Fun Furnishings (ToyDirectory), started her company in 1994, when she saw there was a need for long-lasting kids’ furniture. Lind’s best-selling chairs and sofas are made of high-density foam and upholstery-grade fabric in “touchable” textures such as chenille and denim.

Fun Furnishing’s newest product is a slip-covered chair that can be easily cleaned, as well as a slightly larger “teen chair.” “They are very versatile products in great designs, and they can be handed down from child to child,” Lind said. “A lot of people are making foam sofas and chairs, but they aren’t made to last more than three to six months.”

Darleen Rodgers, marketing specialist for Wild Zoo Furniture, said parents are looking for something unique. Wild Zoo makes desks and tables for young children — including computer desks designed for two children to use at once. “People are looking for items that fit their children appropriately so they can be comfortable in the furniture, furniture they won’t outgrow too quickly, and that is certainly sturdy.”

Chris Ferrarese, president of LC Creations, LLC, (ToyDirectory) believes success is purposeful. The company makes high-selling table and chair sets for its Save the Children Collection, which is decorated with kid-crafted designs.

“Parents want things that look good and are well made,” concluded Ferrarese. “They want something that enriches the lives of their kids.”

The following products are selling well: