Textile designer Melanie Brooks’ Sit & Play Cooker combines function and fun, being both a children’s chair and a fun and educational item for play. Melanie's aim is to create fun and commercial yet clever designs that never compromise on quality.
Melanie studied Fashion and Textile Design with Business Studies at the University of Brighton. She has also taken a traditional upholstery course at the Upholstery Skills Centre in Stapleford Abbotts.
Melanie spent 13 years as a women’s knitwear designer working for labels such as Nicole Farhi, Ghost and Marks & Spencer before pursuing her love of textiles. She received a pass with distinction from the Association of Master Upholsterers and was a finalist in the national Heico Design Competition.
Melanie explains the concept behind her Sit & Play Cooker: “When given a small chair and a brief to be as creative as possible, I knew I wanted to design a children’s chair with a twist. The chair is upholstered in brightly-coloured vinyl for fun and practicality. I was inspired by my daughter’s wooden toy cooker and the chair being child size in proportion – I wanted to create a chair that my children could both sit and play on. The chair has turning cooker knobs and moving clock hands to make it educational, plus removable and magnetic soft vinyl utensils.”
