Take the crib and dresser from a line called Alex: They've got pop-art personality, and in ways seem like clever abstractions of typical kid furnishings. The crib, made from pieces of solid lacquered plywood, has side openings cut in long ovals, as if by stencils, rather than standard-issue pickets and rails. The construction—5 pieces, 12 bolts—is unshakeable. The mattress adjusts to four heights. When the time comes, the side panels convert to toddler-bed rails. And if your kid chews on the bright orange panels, not to worry—the lacquer is nontoxic (and a touch-up pen is included).
"It's not childlike in terms of its form," notes Wilcox, who grew up near Erdoes in Oklahoma City and trained as an architect. "Our definition of kid-friendly is combining functionality, safety, and quality materials."
But then again, what kid wouldn't appreciate furniture with calm, clean lines punctuated here and there by bold graphic strokes and a functional punch line or two? The drawers of the Alex dresser have finger holes rather than pulls (and a removable tray on top as a staging ground for diaper changes). In a line called Austin, the ends of the credenza and crib are braced in square frames of black lacquered hardwood with a trace of white stain on top. The doors of an armoire called PJ double as a chalkboard.
The fullest expression of what ducduc promises parents can be found in a three-piece modular line called Dylan (ducduc has so far chosen collection names that are gender-neutral). The white-lacquered set has a crib that converts first to a toddler bed and then to a twin bed. The changing table turns into a dresser. And all the pieces, including a bench, have drawers within their bases. The set can be ordered with bright orange cushions that pop against the cool white frames.
"We're not shying away from fun colors," says Harris. "We're just trying to use them in a whole different way." Several of the cabinet and drawer pieces open up to reveal bright orange interiors, for example, and one crib has colored, cushioned fabric panels that fit into the end frames. It all injects a note of fun, instead of hitting you over the head.
Parents can expect to pay a premium for many of ducduc's products. The PJ armoire costs $1,450. The Alex crib costs $985, and there is a simple wood chair for $180. Erdoes justifies the relatively high prices by pointing out that the furniture is all made in the United States and is constructed of solid wood, not cheap particleboard, which can contain formaldehyde. Plus, each piece has been thought through with a long life cycle in mind.
"Our basic principle is versatility," Erdoes says. "Every piece has to last a long time and warrant being in parts of the house other than the nursery."
Behind ducduc's designs lies the radical notion that parenthood is a transaction. Yes, it's all about what a kid needs. And yes, it's also, for a change, about what a parent might want. Not bad for intuition, coming as it does from four guys.
