Pottery Barn Anywhere Chairs

Manufacturer’s Recommended Age: 3 to 6. (Oversized version: 6+)
My Recommended Age: 1 to 10

Back when Milo was a mere baby, when his bedroom consisted of a crib, a changing table and a glider, I used to fantasize about what his big boy room would look like. I, of course, imagined Pottery Barn (or Pottery Barnesque) furniture that matched. I envisioned a darling, brightly colored rug in the middle of the floor. And, rounding out my dream, was a small reading nook, complete with bookshelves and a comfortable, little chair.

Yeah. Well. The matching furniture didn’t happen. Unless you consider Craigslist a style. And my husband wanted the bed to go in the only spot feasible for a reading nook. So that idea? Squashed.

But thanks to my mom, we did end up with the Pottery Barn Anywhere Chair. In fact, we ended up with two. A red one for Milo and a bright pink number for Belle.

And those chairs have sustained some serious abuse. They’ve been used as trampolines, diving boards, climbing walls and, occasionally, even for reading. Ours are the Oversized versions, and they are big and wide and can easily accommodate an older child (sometimes I sit in them) or two littles.

The covers come off and are machine washable. I won’t lie, though, there’s some serious wrangling to be done in removing the covers. I usually break a light sweat and mutter one, maybe two, curse words during the process. Still, it’s doable.

The chairs are lightweight and made with a handle so they can be toted from room to room, a feature that came in handy more than I would’ve thought.

Milo’s chair, which is five years old and has taken hundreds of beatings, has a sad, sagging arm now. But Belle’s chair, which is used for more civilized pursuits, like dressing dolls and flipping through actual books, is close to pristine.

It’s hard to imagine my kids’ rooms without their chairs, the one and only brand new piece of furniture they each have.

Still, it’s not purely sentiment that makes me recommend the Anywhere Chairs. I love their comfort, practicality and overall durability.