It’s not easy being a kid.
That’s what husband and wife Lynn and Cassidy Rouse and Tim Shannehan discovered after researching the best products for their children, only to be disappointed by uninspiring stuff that didn’t meet their expectations for safety, quality and design.
So they came up with Bauen, https://bauenkids.com, a brand “rethinking an antiquated category” through safer, better-designed products built for the way kids actually live and play, starting with the centerpiece of the playroom, namely the table and chair set.
The trio – with backgrounds at Neiman Marcus, Peloton and Samsung — added that they founded Bauen to create products that they “would be proud to give (their) own children, backed by a ‘zero-stress’ approach to customer support that makes life easier for parents, too.”
The set – “safe enough for snack time and strong enough for craft time” – is made of nontoxic materials and anti-tip, rotomolded construction to withstand anything kids throw its way. It’s also built “toddler-tough” to last from one generation to the next – because never having to rebuy kids’ furniture is “priceless.” Well, you can’t argue with that, so I won’t.
I must say I do like the sound of “spill-ready, raised table edges and indoor/outdoor flexibility,” and the use of “four colors to meet the needs and tastes of any home” has got to be an improvement on the usual off-white and gray molded plastic the kids have gotten used to.
From start to finish, the entrepreneurs said, Bauen seamlessly fits into any lifestyle and that includes the 90-second, tool-free assembly, part of the aforementioned “low-stress approach.” The trio said that frustrations around product assembly, restrictive return policies and surprise fees “take time and focus away from what really matters” – the children themselves. So hassles have been eliminated.
One last thing and fun fact: Bauen means “build” in German and the developers, who have a few more kids’ products up their sleeves, said the table and chair set ultimately provides the ideal canvas for kids to be creative, have fun and just play.
“After all, what may be a simple table and chair to a parent is a rocket-ship or a medieval fortress to a kid,” they said.
Well, I might not go that far, but I would say these parents have the right idea and may even be on to a good thing.
The chair ($199), table ($299), and set ($649) are available to shop at BauenKids.com, as well as in local retailers across Darien, Fairfield, Greenwich and New York City, with more locations coming soon.
