Kind Words

I've been really blessed to have wonderful clients over the past four years. Some of them send me notes after receiving their toy boxes so I thought I'd share a few of them...

"Thank you so much - we just received the Owyn box today, and it is absolutely beautiful! We know that we'll be enjoying it for many years to come. Nara loves the puzzle element to the covers, and that's keeping her quite busy already. Our #2 kiddo is arriving this fall, so don't be surprised if you hear from me sometime with a request for a second one."

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"I got the toy box today! I love it, and thank you. Just in time for the holiday weekend & it looks great in my game room. The kids LOVE it, and the craftsmanship is lovely. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend you to my friends."

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"Just wanted to let you know that the toy box arrived right on schedule, in perfect condition and has been completely filled with Sebastian's stuff... (how did my 4 1/2 month old manage to accumulate so many toys already? oh right, grandparents) Thanks for designing and making such a lovely item. I have to admit I sort of hope he'll someday decide it is "too babyish" to have even a repurposed toybox in his room so that I can appropriate it to store blankets or sweaters!"

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"Absolutely incredible craftsmanship! We LOVE this piece. Great customer service, quick response time and just a really great transaction all the way around! Love love love it!"

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"This box is beautiful beyond description. It's flawless and very well made. I love the fact that it's built by a mom, who knows kids better than mom themselves. This will definitely be one of few heirloom pieces in my family. Thanks Kiersten for such gorgeous work." (Owyn Toy Box)

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"I absolutely LOVE this toy box and am so happy I bought it in anticipation of the arrival of my little one! It is a beautifully crafted piece and will provide a fun and functional place to store toys. Kiersten was great to communicate with. I highly recommend this Etsy seller! Thank you again Kiersten!" (Owyn Toy Box)

Elle Decor, A Room Makeover, and OMG MY SON WILL SOON BE A MIDDLE SCHOOLER

I'm starting off with the obvious choice given the title of my post today. Seriously, Elle Decor!!! OK, I really meant to start with the fact that my son is about five weeks away from "graduating" from elementary school. He's almost as tall as me, has an ever-deepening voice and says amazingly witty, spot-on things like, "Mom, as long as you have your belly fat and your good sense of humor, you'll be all right." God, I love that kid. Just can't believe he's almost 12.

Now, back to other important things happening around here at Mod Mom Furniture headquarters. I'll just list them because I've already had seventeen cups of coffee and can't be bothered to eloquently transition from one topic to another. Look! Over there! A bird! See. I'm all over the place today.


Elle Decor: Check out this cool article on Elle Decor's website about The Bertie Box! Here's the text from Elle:

Our animal roundup wouldn’t be complete without a kids-only piece. This sweet and simple toy box made from birch plywood is just the height for little ones but mod enough for the older set. We love the way this bird’s stick legs sit on the side while its orange body lies on top. Plus, its unusual design makes cleanup a bit more fun—kids can lift the lid via the cutout wing and stash stray toys in snap. Bertie Toy Box by Mod Mom, $475; DesignPublic.com



Green Your Decor: Ja' Naya's mom, Jennae, writes Green Your Decor and she contacted me about possibly donating an Owyn Toy Box for her daughter's room makeover. Ja' Naya is battling leukemia at age 4 so the family recently moved closer to her doctors/medical care. Jennae wanted to give Ja' Naya an eco-friendly room makeover and she made it happen! The last piece is the Owyn Toy Box which I will building in June. Check out the article HERE!

More to come on other EXCITING events here at Mod Mom! Crazy amounts of excitement around here like just the other day, I rearranged my workshop to fit a 12 foot high wooden jukebox. And the Fed Ex guy waved "hi" to me from the store across the street. It's a good thing I have my belly fat and sense of humor to help me manage.

Better Homes and Gardens - 100 Ideas Real Rooms

I was watching something extremely high-brow and educational on TV (American Idol) last week when I got a text message from my friend, Dia, saying that she spotted the Owyn Toy Box (on the right-hand side of the page) in a Better Homes and Gardens magazine she just bought.

It's pretty funny that I never really think about the fact that my furniture is actually out there living in people's homes. And that kids really use it to store their stuff. That's just crazy!

Anyhow, I have no idea which client's home was photographed for this issue but it's very cool to see the Owyn alive and well.

#9 on 55 Great Sites For Woodworkers

I mentioned this on Facebook but wanted to include it here. I'm honored to have my blog included in this list put out by Construction Management Schools. As I've mentioned before, when I first started in 2007, it was a bit intimidating to be in places like Rockler Woodworking, the lumber yard, and a CNC shop. Most everyone was kind but I could tell they were thinking I didn't fit the bill for the stereotypical woodworker. I still get that sometimes but overwhelmingly, I've been welcomed with open arms on sites like Lumberjocks and at the local male-dominated stores I frequent.

Being included in this means just as much to me as having my work included in magazines and design books. If you have a moment and are interested in woodworking, this list is amazing! So many great resources....

http://www.constructionmanagementschools.net/blog/2010/55-great-sites-for-woodworkers/

Ohdeedoh and Riley Paige

Many thanks to Carrie at Ohdeedoh for writing about Riley. I LOVE this article!!

Riley Paige Toy Box by Mod Mom Furniture

Meet Riley Paige. She's that rare combination of homecoming queen and valedictorian. Beneath her pretty looks lies a smart, functional, quality piece of furniture. She is lovingly handcrafted (with your choice of patterns) by one of our DIY inspirations, Kiersten of Mod Mom Furniture.

The Riley Paige (named in honor of her niece) has a bit less "mod" in it than her previous designs. She described it to us as vintage-inspired with an Anthropologie sensibility. We just happen to love the sample she's made (above), but you can also send her the papers you want decoupaged (with low VOC materials) on the flowers to match your decor at home.<

Since Kiersten makes these to order they will take 10-12 weeks before they're ready to leave her workshop and be on their way to you. The Riley Paige is constructed from Russian Baltic Birch wood and sits atop caster wheels. Each costs $450 and can be passed on for generations.

Find the Riley Paige and the rest of the Mod Mom Furniture collection right here.

(photos: Mod Mom Furniture)

The LA Times likes Riley...they REALLY like Riley!!!

Massive big thanks to Lisa Boone who unbeknownst to me has been checking in to see what crazy thing I'm doing in my garage. I woke up this morning to find this article and truly had no idea she was even cooking it up.

THANK YOU LISA!!

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/home_blog/2009/12/latest-from-mod-mom-.html

The Bertie is Featured in Chilean Magazine: Revista Vivienda Y Decoracion

A couple of weeks ago I received a very kind email from a woman who works in Chile for Revista Vivienda Y Decoracion magazine. She asked if I would supply her with photos of my work for a feature in an upcoming issue. Two things surprised me: 1.) that the woman somehow found my work in the first place, and 2.) that two weeks later, when I checked out the magazine online, I found my Bertie Box already in the magazine. I'm always so amazed and excited when people in other countries stumble upon my toy boxes.

And then, of course, I get all cocky. But inevitably, someone, like my son, will say something to bring me safely back to Earth. The other day in the car on the way to school he asked Scott, "Dad, what does Mom do all day at home?" Nice.

Here's the magazine link...
http://3w.lun.com/MER/revistas/index.asp?codRev=VI&fecha=&iResolucion=1280

Pregnancy Magazine's Nursery Must Haves Includes The Owyn Toy Box

Being that I'm always on top of Mod Mom Furniture press, it should come as no surprise to you that the Owyn was featured in Pregnancy Magazine"s New Mom's Handbook Edition in September and I'm just now finding out about it. :)

Thanks to Krista Worth (of HGTV fame) for including Owyn in the list of must-have nursery gear for those woodland-minded parents. I just created a new catch phrase with "woodland-minded", didn't I?!?!

Check out this link to the spread on Krista's press page. It's a PDF files so it may take a tiny bit to load.

Dwell Magazine's Make It Yours Buyer's Guide is Out! And Bertie is in it!

This Dwell Special Edition Buyer's Guide is AMAZING!!! And not just because the Bertie is in it. But that does make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. :) If you're looking for ideas and products to make-over your modern home, this is the book for you! It's on sale at newsstands through January 1, 2010 for $9.99.

It includes 197 tips and ideas as well as the 2009 Buyer's Guide for: kitchens, baths, living rooms, home offices, bedrooms, outdoors, dining rooms, and kids' rooms.

The Bertie Box is featured on Page 102 (kids' room section). They flipped the image so the bird faces the opposite direction than I design/build it but it looks cool to me! They could've added a mustache and a beer under Bertie's wing and I'd be happy with it. Thanks, Dwell!

Dluxelist - A Chic Guide to Beautiful Things

(photo courtesy of dluxelist.com)

Dena Smolek contacted me recently about wanting to write a post about my furniture. So I told her ABSOLUTELY NOT! Actually, I kept my fingers crossed for days hoping she wouldn't suddenly find my furniture repulsive and not post it on her website. Her site is very cool -- I've become a bit of an addict checking out her lists daily. She has great taste in all things modern and fabulous, from clothes, to jewelry, to hand bags, to shoes, to body care products. She even posts alerts to online sales.

Check out her site at http://www.dluxelist.com. Even better, check out this link with an article about Mod Mom Furniture. :)

Here's a bit about Dena, the creator/writer....

D~LuxeList is written by Dena Smolek, a freelance writer and based in LA. She is a fashion fanatic, shopping pro, and beauty product junkie. This is D’s list of favorite things. When Dena is not busy writing or scouting story ideas, you’ll most likely find her shopping (which is technically a requirement of the job) or relaxing at the beach. Other work by Dena can be found in C Magazine, The Tip Jar and California Apparel News. Her work has also appeared in Daily Candy, Robb Report Vacation Homes, Woman’s Day, California Home & Design, EcoFabulous, Glam, Refinery29, Splendora, The San Francisco Chronicle, Trendcentral, Malibu Magazine, Metro.Pop, Citysearch, Elle.com, and SOMA, among others. View published clips at DenaSmolek.com

Thank you DoMakeFindCreate!

Thanks to DoMakeFindCreate for this very kind article that I saw today.





Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Bring on the Toys




As any mother of a toddler can relate, the endless desire to find a storage solution for the growing collection of toys will make you crazy! I've used plastic tubs, baskets, bags... all of which I can't stand looking at. The backs of my sofas and chairs are now hiding places for eyesores. Today, however, I came across Mod Mom Furniture. This California mom's modern, handcrafted, eco-friendly toy boxes are so hip, you'll want to host playdate every week!



For ordering and/or a list of retailers visit ModMomFurniture.com

http://domakefindcreate.blogspot.com/2009/06/bring-on-toys.html

Designer Envy

A few days ago a Dwell Magazine fact checker contacted me to, well, fact check something she was told about my little company. She asked if I had designed the Bertie Box for Magis. To which I said, "Who's Magis?"

Well, apparently Magis is a phenomenal Italian design company that employs only top designers to produce the coolest kids stuff on the market. I looked them up on the internet and then went to the Designed For Kids book that by sure luck, I had several designs featured. Sure enough, Magis is all over the place in that book. One of the pieces called Nido was designed by Javier Mariscal who designed the mascot for the Olympic Games in Barcelona in 1992. And then there's Finnish designer Eero Aarnio who designed the iconic hanging Bubble chair in the 1960's. He's created the Trioli (see photo above) chair for www.magismetoo.com. Oh, and Rosario Hurtado and Roberto Feo who, on page 122, show off their Mico. One of those insanely smart, functional playthings that is in every design book known to man.

Why oh why couldn't that one fact be true?!?! Just this once, ya know?!?!

(Psst....Magis.....Call me! :))



(Bubble chair by Eero Aarnio)

Thanks Precious Quilts All the Way from England

Thanks Precious Quilts! Since you're in England, can you tell my good friend Oonagh Delaney Gottlieb I said hi and that I miss her. She's up near Manchester. I'll tell whomever you want in LA that you said hi.:)

http://preciousquilts.blogspot.com/2009/07/christening.html

Another Edition of Translate That Article!!!

While the paint is drying on a toy box, I came in out of my boiling garage to cool off. Look what I found while searching the internet!!

Get ready because this time we're going to......AUSTRIA!!!!

I love when I get to use an online translator!!!! I'm such a stealth online detective that I figured out that the article came from Austria. From what I can tell, this online site ran an article/slide show of international gear designed for kids from the 2008 book, Designed for Kids (Phyllis Richardson.) And I was lucky enough to have the Owyn included.

Here's the text...
Was tun, wenn die Kinder ihre Spielsachen in der ganzen Wohnung verteilt herumliegen lassen? Den kleinen Rabaukern nachlaufen und all das Zeug wieder einsammeln? Wenn, dann aber bitte nur in Begleitung von der Owyn Toy Box. Mit der verspielten Kiste auf Rädern, entworfen von Kiersten Hathcock (Mod Mom Furniture), macht sogar das Aufräumen Spaß!

And here's the translation.....
What do if the children her toys allow to lie around in the whole apartment distributed? To the small Rabaukern run after and collect all stuff again? If, then, however, please only in company of the Owyn Toy Box. With the playful box on wheels, sketched by Kiersten Hathcock (Mod Mom Furniture), even the cleaning out is great fun!

The link to the website http://www.news.at/channels/85/main.shtml and article/slideshow http://www.news.at/nw1/gen/slideshows/slide/show;wohnen/buecher/edition_braus/01_designed_for_kids/;template;susi/default/;kid;85

Thanks www.news.at!

Pregnancy and Newborn Magazine: The Sequel!

I opened my mailbox to find another Pregnancy and Newborn magazine yesterday. And for a second, I thought someone was trying to tell me something. Then I remembered something about my furniture being in the summer edition. Low and behold, it is!

Thanks to Pregnancy and Newborn Mag for including the Noah Owl Box! And thanks to all the pregnant ladies out there looking at it and somewhat considering it for their babies' rooms.

Canada, Oh Canada

Mod Mom is international! A new Canadian modern baby store (launching at the end of the summer -- more info to come later) ordered 15 toy boxes to be driven by truck to Canada. I've been working on regular orders but have also had some help from an amazing local woodworker to help me produce all 15 in time for the launch. I am THRILLED beyond belief with this order for two reasons: 1.) the owner of the new store is a former client. She ordered them after receiving her Owyn Toy Box a couple of months ago. Nothin' better than that, right? and, 2.) it's one order for 15 toy boxes. At the most, stores generally buy two at a time.

I'm slowly, with loads of fear in my eyes, trying to figure out where to go from here. I'm getting requests from Italy, England, Australia, etc and have no idea how to fill them and make it worth their while monetarily. No surprise that shipping is through the roof.

So I'm slowly seeking out ways to partner with other furniture companies. Being such a design novice, I have no idea what I'm doing but I'm sure to get schooled on the internet, the way I do when I diagnose someone with a deadly disease that they don't have. Should be a piece of cake, right? Right?

Dwell Magazine - Product of the Day!

The Bertie landed the coveted Product of the Day spot on Dwell Magazine's online website. Many thanks to Jordan for seeking me out!!!

Here's the link: http://www.dwell.com/products/bertie-box.html

Shelterrific Featured The Owyn Toy Box

Oops I did it again. This was posted in April and I just saw it today. But it's still cool. You'll see my response to the pricing/design comments made on the post. Good to know people are still talking about this on mod design websites/blogs even when the design is three years old.

But I do have one note about the comments section. I always find it to be a tiny punch in the stomach when someone makes a comment like the one at the bottom of this article rating my work. But then I remember, it's a big world and there will always be haters. Thank goodness there seem to always be WAY more buyers than haters, even in this economy.

How zen am I today?!?! Maybe I should eat more of those chocolate covered espresso beans get me ramped up a little more.

http://www.shelterrific.com/2009/04/22/an-eco-toybox-with-enviable-style/

UPDATE: I don't think my response to the comments has been approved by the moderator yet so you won't see my response at 11:23am on Wednesday so I'm posting my comment here.

Hi Bay!

Thanks for the great write-up! I really appreciate it. As you may or may not know, I am a mom (who designed that very toy box almost three years ago based on what my kids needs were/are) so my goal was to combine aesthetic with functionality. The lids are wide enough for most toys and the scale is low enough that it’s easy to get to those buried toys. I’m thrilled to say that the Owyn Toy Box won the Etsy Handmade Kids Challenge Award in 2008 and was recognized for good design in London-based Thames and Hudson’s book, Designed for Kids, by Phyllis Richardson.

As for the price, the $495 sticker includes shipping so if you’re in NYC, you get a beautifully handcrafted, eco-friendly, heirloom-type storage piece completely assembled with wood dowels (not flat packed for you to put together) all the way from LA. Shipping alone normally costs roughly $125 to get it across the country. It usually takes me anywhere between 8-10 hours from start to finish. I still build everything myself and rely on this income for our family. I’m happy to report that I’m currently booked through August with 3-4 orders per week. I mostly sell to those who regularly purchase (or have their interior designers purchase) modern design from sites like Modern Nursery, Design Public and NYC boutiques like Capucine Maman.

Thanks again for the article! I sincerely hope this helps give more perspective on the design and the pricing.

Sincerely,
Kiersten

Kiersten Says: Your comment is awaiting moderation.

May 20th, 2009 at 9:56 am
One more thing….thanks to your feature, I just received three orders from Modern Nursery. THANK YOU!! I’ll be sure to post it on my blog.

Get Ready for Another Round of....Translate That Blog Entry!!

I knew I loved the French!! I just found this blog article (written by a lovely shop owner in France) from 2008. Oops. Sometimes it's hard to catch all the press (boy did that sound conceited) and it drives home the importance of having a publicist/press person. Or in my case, a fictitious assistant who handles that stuff so I can build and design. She or He didn't show up today, my fictitious assistant. Which is not much different from She or He not showing up ANY day for the last three years. I clearly need to think up a new person.

Anyhow, many thanks to www.minouchet.com and its owners for writing about my furniture on their blog. I was happy when I read what the online translator spit out...it doesn't seem negative (right?) so that's good. :)

OK, here's the article and how it's translated:

REAL DEAL
Vendredi, Etsy : ModMom Furniture

ModMom Furniture, alias Kiersten, est déjà une star du web, mais ce n'est pas une raison pour ne pas en parler, ne serait-ce qu'à cause son profil : une ancienne cadre devenue mère au foyer puis ébéniste, ce n'est pas spécialement banal. En plus, les meubles qu'elle crée sont absolument exquis... La livraison est possible partout, il suffit de la contacter. Et qui sait, peut-être seront-ils un jour sur www.minouchet.com...

ONLINE TRANSLATED VERSION
ModMom Furniture, alias Kiersten, are already a star of the Web, but this n' is not a reason not to speak about it, would not be this qu' because its profile: old tallies become mother with the hearth then cabinetmaker, this n' is not especially banal. Moreover, the pieces of furniture qu' she creates are absolutely exquisite… The delivery is possible everywhere, it is enough to contact it. And which knows, perhaps will be they one day on www.minouchet.com…


I would be honored to sell my furniture on www.minochet.com. Just wish I knew how to get it to France for less than the cost of a small jet propelled boat.

BOHO Magazine Features Noah Owl Box

Thanks to Tiny Decor , a store that sold Mod Mom Furniture, the Noah Owl Box was featured in Boho Magazine, a quarterly magazine that celebrates all things eco-friendly.

I haven't managed to track an issue down yet so I have no clue what the text says below the Noah Owl Box but I'm hoping it doesn't say, "made by a mom who rarely attends PTA meetings, has horrible feet, and wears the same jeans day in and day out." I doubt it says the part about the PTA meetings, right?