Hidden big toys

[jibbajabbaa]

Hi
I just want to run a quick idea by you all, I hate the big toys so was thinking of a way of combining it with furniture. Like a dolls house but the outside doors look normal so it looks like a sideboard. And a toy box that the front folds down to a playable car garage.

What do you think. I just want my front room back, not all the kids toys

[Enidblyton1]

I like the idea of toys which are very easy to store away - some of the Melissa and Doug toys we have would be so much better if the box they came in could actually be closed properly to store the toy.
But I'm not convinced by the idea of making toys look like pieces of furniture. Not sure it would ever look nice enough - or what might be to one persons taste might not be or another's. I.e. My Victorian house is completely different style to someone else's modern flat. Any folded away toy would still look out of place in my house. However, an easy way to pack up the toy to be moved to my under stairs cupboard would definitely be useful.

[jibbajabbaa]

Not sure it would ever look nice enough - or what might be to one persons taste might not be or another's

I thought this but maybe an Ikea type thing would work. Aim for the people in flats as they have a lot less space

[SpringHen]

If you have enough space for a unit big enough to be a unit/slash toy, then you have enough space to build / buy big enough storage in your personal style that you could put toys IN anyway???

So I dont get it

[elQuintoConyo]

I have an Ikea Kallax or 3 with nice-looking boxes which slide in. They hold loads.

Also, DS and i declutter regularly and i have taught him to tidy up his own stuff, so although you can see we have a child, the house doesn't like the giraffe from Toys R Us threw up in our living room.

[elQuintoConyo]

Doesn't look like...

Plus, anything BIG from GPs gets left at their house. Anything small and crappy like McD toys or plastic party tat doesn't make it over the threshold of the house.

[SpringHen]

A dolls house/sideboard would take up a lot more space than a dolls house. And also not function fully/properly as a sideboard.

This would not work for people who are already short of space.

People who are short of space get rid of the toys their kids no longer use. If your toys are built into your furniture youre stuck with them PLUS whatever new toys they might prefer.

Might work for the super high end who have space and money for a new toy/sideboard every year as kids interests change.

But would never work for flat dwellers

[frasier]

I love DS’s dolls house in my sitting room! It’s elegant and the right colours! I know what you mean though.

We are lucky enough to have a playroom but it’s been such a bad winter it is cold and so more and more toys were moved into the living room. I bought a screen to hide them!

We’re getting built in storage (when I can find the time and a decent company) to maximise space and half of it will be toy storage I suspect.

[FruHagen]

I love it. If you can crack the design to balance the different needs though.

I have a few things like the IKEA kids kitchen in my living room as it's quite cute to look at but I don't want all this plastic crap in primary colors everywhere.

This is the kind of idea that is impossible to really test reactions until you make something people love design wise.

The designer cat play/ scratching posts are the closest I can imagine. Looks awesome but cats love it too.

[jibbajabbaa]

Thanks guys, super helpful responses. I have a designer for my other business but don't know if I can post links.
I think what i'm getting is if it is going to work it's all about the outside door design.

[ItsAllABitStrangeReally]

My niece used Ikea kallax as a dolls house. The furniture was kept in the boxes.

[jibbajabbaa]

My niece used Ikea kallax as a dolls house. The furniture was kept in the boxes.

This is what we do too, I wanted to take it up a level