Our Blog

Meet the brilliant artist behind The Truth Pixie and the fabulous new edition of The Iron Man… “…the things I remember that I loved in childhood were imagined things… I remember my childhood in stories…” At The Children’s Furniture Company we love books – especially ones with striking and beautiful illustrations. The pictures we see in childhood stay with us for life –  so we thought it would be fun to meet the people who are making those memories for o …

Lauren Child’s illustration for the HarperCollins Gift Edition of Mary Poppins You know their pictures, but do you know their names? Here are 12 contemporary children’s illustrators we love – some very famous, others who deserve to be. Which is your favourite? by Misti Traya Some children’s illustrators are extremely famous – you see their work the world over, emblazoned on bags, posters, lunchboxes ….even books. Pick up a Korean edition of Roald Dahl for examp …

Kids love a book at bedtime – and it certainly helps if parents can actually enjoy reading it too. Here are some surefire winners for your bedside bookshelf…by Misti TrayaBedtime stories are a nightly ritual in our house. My husband and I started it very early on in our daughter’s life. We began reading aloud to her when she was a baby, far before she could talk. It didn’t matter that she couldn’t understand what we were saying. She knew tell that whatever we were saying, we were saying it to he …

Clare and Paul Hanson are the couple behind The Children’s Furniture Company. Here’s a special Q&A with Clare about bunk bed obstacle courses, bedroom discos, and how their own children inspired them to start the business…Why did you decide to start The Children’s Furniture Company and become founders?It all began when our first daughter was two years old and just about to grow out of her cot. We started looking for children’s beds and everything out there seemed to be either much too pricey or …

World Book Day is Thursday 7 March. If you’re having a costume crisis, then worry no longer! Here are loads of really simple, low-cost, no-sew outfit ideas for boys and girls…By Misti TrayaI love World Book Day; yet I am filled with dread when it comes to helping my child choose a costume to wear to school. This anxiety has nothing to do with her desire to go as a character from a film or animated series instead a book – though that does get my goat. And it’s not because she only wants to be a p …

Here come the girls! Writer (and mother to a mighty daughter) Misti Traya selects six brilliant recent books for rebellious, strong girls…When we were young, most books about girls followed old tropes. If protagonists were female, they were usually princesses who needed saving or textbook good girls who did as they were told. But now it’s 2019! And it’s time for a change. Girl power is everywhere: #stronggirls #bravegirls #likeagirl are all popular hashtags for a reason.Here are some o …

Having your child’s friends over for the first time can be a bit daunting for parents. Here’s how to make it go like a breeze (they might even get some sleep)…By Misti Traya Your child’s first sleepover can be daunting. Whether it’s the first time they’re staying at someone else’s house or a friend is coming to theirs, there exists a potential for calamity. I’m not saying I wouldn’t pick up my crying child from a slumber party at midnight, just that I’d prefer not to.Most children have thei …

As parents, we know just how much clutter comes with a child’s bedroom space. Toys, books, homework, the remnants of a past hobby and boxes containing the new, half built pirate ships/doll’s houses/”insert latest toy here” … The list goes on!Space (and we don’t mean the astronaut, inter-galactic kind), is one of the most important factors when designing your child’s room. When they’re very little, the tots need space to play, imagine and explore, and as they grow older, desks and bookcases will …