In the 20th and 21st century children’s furniture and toys have reflected major changes in the place given to the youngest in both public and private spheres of society. Although small scale furniture was already mass produced in previous centuries, such as those by the company Thonet, the creation of an environment that responds to the specific needs of childhood is a relatively recent idea.
Since the start of the 20th century, modernist architect-interior decorators have aimed to improve the everyday life of children by the use of evolving and functional forms that are sometimes playful. Today, this field of exploration, which is among the most fertile, is being rethought entirely by designers who are combining simultaneously play, furniture and interior decoration.