We were in search of a toy box for our son's growing collection. Because my wife wanted to complement the look of his room a plastic bin wouldn't due. So she purchased a toy chest from The Land of Nod.
The Beat Our Chest:
7/10
Pros: Easy to assemble by instructions or pictures. Only hand tools are required. Solid look and feel. Tight joints so there is no squeaking. Strong enough to hold two adults. Quality finish with color choices for the chest and seat cushion.
Cons: Sharp edges and corners. Looks like the infamous coffee table you bumped your head on when you were a kid. Seat cushion is not large enough to cover those edges and corners. Fat lip waiting to happen.
Bottom line: Good piece of furniture that will add to the look of any kids room. Because of the seating feature the product will be useful to your child for many years. Papas will like it because you could put it together during half-time. Because the one flaw poses a safety issue, I can only go with a 7 of 10. Fix it and you get your 3 points back.
The Details
They could have named this the "beast of a chest". It is solid and large. The box has swallowed pretty much every toy we need to keep out of sight when not in use. Because the chest doubles as a seating area you also get a cushion that attaches to the lid. Two reasonably sized adults will be comfortable and secure sitting on it.
Assembly was a no-brainer. Only hand tools are needed and no glue is required. Each piece is lettered so following the directions is straight forward. For you papas that like to bypass written instructions and work form the pictures, the illustrations are clear so you will look a carpentry genius as well.
So far so good right? Well, the seating is the Achilles heal of this piece. The cushion does not completely cover the top of the box. This leaves edges and corners exposed. It is simply not safe for a small child that likes to run around and may stumble from time to time.
If there is one thing people talk about when you tell them you are having a child it is the adjustments you will have to make to your furniture. Someone always has a story about a run in a small child had with a coffee table. Well then why would a children's furniture company make a toy box just like that dreaded coffee table? The corners on the top of this toy box are sharp! I could see this was going to be a problem from the moment I opened the box and began assembling the piece. Though it took a few months and despite our efforts to protect him, our son finally tripped and busted his lip on the lid.
The fix for this is very simple: redesign so that the chest lid is recessed into the cushion. As it is, the cushion is not large enough to cover the edges. The foam should be cut about an inch or so wider and longer, also about a half inch thicker. Next cut out a section in the cushion the same size as the lid so that it fits over the edges. The fabric would need to be clued in place in the recessed area. The straps that secure it to the lid would need no alteration. While these extra steps may add a few dollars to the finished product, it would be well worth it making it a much safer piece of furniture.
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