May 18, 2007

Starter House

You can buy your kid all the fancy toys in the world, then she comes across a cardboard refrigerator box and it's the coolest thing ever. Hello, new play house!

That was one of the inspirations behind the MobileHome from online shop Sparkability. This modern dollhouse is constructed out of recycled corrugated cardboard, making it ultra lightweight, totally inexpensive ($35!), and effortlessly fun – not to mention eco-conscious. Bright blue on the outside and red on the inside, it boasts eight rooms, an attic for storage, and a handy carrying handle on the roof. There are windows and doors and stairwells and even little "spy holes." It will quickly become a dream home for paper dolls, origami critters and whoever else she can dream up. (Come to think of it, some G.I. Joes might want to move in, too; maybe you should buy two houses to avoid any turf wars.)

Unlike an ordinary wooden or plastic play abode, this Dutch-designed one can easily be toted to the backyard for the afternoon, to a friend's house overnight, or to Grandma's house for the weekend. And it's ideal for apartments and other small spaces, since it can be folded up and neatly stored just about anywhere.

That is, if your little one ever lets go of it.

Available online at sparkability.net.

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