Sitting well with children

A lot of the furniture comes in bright colors that appeal to kids.
By REBECCA SLOAN
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
Kids today. First they want their own cell phone, next they want their own computer and now they want their own home office.
Furniture makers have happily obliged, and juvenile furniture has become one of the hottest markets around.
"You know it's a big trend when Ethan Allen -- a company that focuses on the classics rather than trends -- starts to open mall stores that sell just kids' furniture," said Jackie Motsinger of Ethan Allen Home Interiors in Boardman. "My theory is that the children of the yuppies have grown up and want their own furniture, and their parents are financially able to invest in kids' furniture."
And we're not just talking beanbag chairs.
Ethan Allen, for example, sells tyke-sized wing chairs and chaise lounges as well as kid-sized modular desks and kid-oriented entertainment units to hold televisions and VCRs.
"Lots of kids want their own entertainment center in their bedroom," Motsinger explained.
Appealing to kids
Although some of Ethan Allen's kid-friendly furniture is designed with the same class and elegance as the adult furniture, many pieces come in flashy colors and showy styles designed to appeal to youth.
"One of our kids' furniture lines is called 'Girls Rule'" Motsinger said. "It features fun, bright colors that will appeal to the girls of today -- girls who want to be strong and powerful but still very girly."
And even little girls know exactly what kind of furniture they want for their rooms.
"The kids that come in to our store -- both girls and boys -- are usually very involved in choosing their furniture," Motsinger said. "From as young as toddlers to as old as teens, they point out what they like and dislike and let their parents know what they want."
Prices
Moms and dads, pull out your wallet!
Ethan Allen beanbags start at about $109, while kid-sized wing chairs cost about $300.
Juvenile desks start at about $300.
"I think another reason that kids' furniture is such a big trend is that parents are having fewer children, so they can afford to spend more on furniture for their child's bedroom," Motsinger said.
For folks on tighter budgets, discount stores such as Target have also gotten into to the kids' stuff trend, although Target offers mostly accessories for kids' rooms rather than large furniture items.
"We sell shelves and storage units that are geared toward kids' rooms," said Tony Arconti, a manager at the Niles Target store. "Some of these items come in bright colors and start in price from as little as $5. We also sell beanbag chairs, stools and kids' chairs."
Greg Danyluk, a salesman at Dodson Furniture in Niles, said he's not sure why kids' furniture is so popular, but he has definitely noticed a growing trend.
"We carry mostly kids' bedroom sets, but we get lots of calls from people asking about other kinds of kids' furniture," Danyluk said.