2011 IMM Cologne: Richard Lampert’s Kids Only Furniture

Not content with the attention given to the design of furniture and accessories for children, Stuttgart based designer Richard Lampert wanted to create a kids furniture collection that was functional and inspiring, if not a bit wacky. He invited a few designer friends to help out with creating new pieces and the results debuted at this year’s IMM Cologne. What caught our eye about each piece was the simplicity of each idea as well as the open ended possibilities of imagination they encouraged. Nothing was derived from a movie, or a cartoon, or story book. Lampert also wants the collection to ‘age’ with children become pieces they keep for a long time.

‘Pit Stop’ by Bertjan Pot is a large bean bag shaped like a truck tire. An innovative weaving process allows Pit Stop to be knitted in one piece with no leftover material.

‘Famille Garage’ by Alexander Seifert is a really clever modular storage unit that is also a bench seat. The lightweight upper cabinet section can be lifted off and set on the floor while the base becomes a low bench. The colorful bins encourage children to keep their stuff organized.

Rocker by Doshi Levien is a hollow tube riding horse. This won a design award from the show jury at IMM Cologne.

Something like a cross between a tree fort and a lifeguard tower ‘Tur Tur’ by Eric Degenhardt is a seating perch that integrates storage and some quirky details.

Lightweight fabric and tube frame ‘In-Out Mini’ chairs are easy for kids to move around by themselves. They can also be used outdoors. The fabric cover can be removed and cleaned in the laundry.

‘Wonder Box’ by Monica Förster at first looks like a solid cube. A bench seat pulls out from the front and the top can be flipped around for either a desk surface or a chalkboard.

The Lönneberga bed has some interesting functional elements. There are actually two beds stacked on each other that can be arranged side by side for extra room. The design doesn’t have any sides so that when the beds are pushed together, there is no gap in the mattress. The large triangular pillow which serves as a headboard can be unzipped and used as storage for laundry. There’s even a pocket for a favorite stuffed animal.

Hoping to inspire the next generation of artists and designers, the Eiermann Table is a children’s version of the original designed in 1953. The Fixx Trolley comes with a sealed envelope only to be opened by the child receiving it. Inside are instructions on how to access a secret compartment in the Trolley. Both of these products were introduced several years ago and created the foundation for the Kids Only collection.

Richard Lampert