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“I was very shy as a child and growing up a first-generation American, I learned a lot about culture and the world through reading,” Chen shares with George V Magazine over Zoom. So when she teamed up with West Elm Kids to design a line of playful, functional children’s furniture, it only made sense that books would be at the heart of it. “I wanted to design a collection around the concept of raising readers and being surrounded by books. It’s something that I believe strongly in—giving children access to as many good old-fashioned paper books as possible.”
This philosophy shines through in the 26-piece West Elm Kids collection, available exclusively online on September 5, where standout items like a modern lofted bed with soft pale-yellow accents anchor the lineup—with prices ranging from $19 for items like the patterned pillowcases to $2,499 for the bunk bed. The versatile bed is thoughtfully designed—with Fair Trade and FSC certifications—featuring built-in nooks and crannies, ideal for both book storage and peaceful reading moments. “The lofted bed features bookshelves and includes a built-in fortress-slash-reading nook, giving kids their own little quiet space,” Chen shares, noting the intentional details. “Honestly, I’d love to crawl in there myself,” she laughs. The collection is further enhanced by vibrant pieces such as a shape-embellished rug—available in 5’x8’ and 8’x10’—perfect for “criss-cross, applesauce,” along with cozy, portable floor cushions that kids can easily move around.
In fact, nearly every piece in the collection caters to budding bookworms, including the arched reading bench-bookcase, available in both a calming Dijon or Ocean hue, wall-mounted workstation, adjustable desk chairs, pastel reading lamps, and a colorful play table and stools. “Even the clothing dresser has bookshelves on the side. There’s no such thing as too much book storage,” she adds.
For Chen, creating opportunities for kids to cuddle up with a good read is something she sees the benefits in daily—from bonding through storytelling to sneaking in a few minutes of much-needed rest. “My kids are huge readers and it’s really been a joy seeing my three-year-old start to show more interest in books,” she shares. “He’s like the world’s busiest boy—constantly running, rolling, and climbing. And, now that he’s getting into reading more, it’s like a 15-minute break here and there.”
In addition to the collection’s book-forward features, it was equally important for Chen to design a range of products that not only reflect her fashion background through style-driven shapes, patterns, and a cohesive color palette, but also to offer real utility for busy families. “As a mom, you’re looking for furniture that has style but is functional. Too often in the design space you have one or the other. It’s either useful but doesn’t speak to you visually or it’s gorgeous and design-forward, but you’re constantly worried the kids are going to get crayon or maybe a little bit of slime on it,” she chuckles.
When on the topic of functionality, I ask if the line’s pint-sized wardrobe helps get kids out the door faster in the morning. Chen laughs, “The 30 minutes of getting dressed before school is intense. After watching the Paris Olympics, I imagine that the level of stress in one competition is how most parents feel every morning,” she jokes. “The goal for the wardrobe was to be able to lay out clothes ahead of time. We have some very cute color coordinating baskets that go inside, so you can pack the backpack, water bottle, school folders, library books—everything ready and visible.”
Chen embraced this parent-centric practicality alongside her own recent experience with interiors, incorporating learnings from the renovation and design of her upstate home and NYC apartment. “It’s been a process of discovery for me. I’m renovating an apartment in the city right now and did a pretty big gut renovation of a house upstate, so it’s been a fun adventure dreaming about what I would want to see from a kids’ collection.”
And, one problem Chen kept coming back to? The game of tetris that is family storytime—squeezing multiple people onto one chair. No doubt, an issue many families encounter. The solution? The Chair and a Half. “When reading to the kids, we had our go-to chair but as they got bigger, there was just no way to be comfortable with a 40-pound child on our lap,” she says. “We designed a piece called the Chair and a Half, that’s just the right size for a fully grown adult to sit there with a child comfortably without one leg going numb,” she laughs. “I have also taken a few naps in it myself, and can attest that it’s very comfortable for adults, too.”
While every piece serves a purpose and promotes page-turning, it’s also meant to act as an invitation for kids and parents to connect. “I hope families feel a sense of play and can just be themselves, discovering what they love. So much of the collection is centered around play, reading, and the joys of being a kid.”
By Angela Tafoya
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