Monte Design Luca Glider

Looking for a glider with gusto? Parents-to-be who want seats with staying power are choosing Monte Design pieces for their baby nests.

Monte Design Group, founded by adorable design duo Ralph and Michelle Montemurro, is based in Toronto, where their furniture is handcrafted by a team of experts. They describe their style as “pure and uncluttered, yet warm and welcoming,” and truly, I couldn’t have said it better myself. There’s sort of a modern classic feel to the pieces—the bold lines and sleek designs are definitely fresh, but they’re not so faddish that they won’t last or fit in with other styles of decor.

Monte Design makes super cute kids’ seats, a simple and streamlined highchair, and an elegant but understated bassinet; however, they may be best known for their line of luxury gliders (plus coordinating ottomans, of course). The gliders come in five different styles, and each can be customized to fit the customer’s color and fabric preferences.

Everything Monte Design makes fits my personal taste to a tee, but the Luca chair is particularly cool because there are more customization pairings available. When you custom order a Luca online, you’ll have nine shades of water repellant, stain resistant suede microfiber to choose from. You can then select from among 10 shades for the piping and again from among 12 shades/designs for the included lumbar pillow. (One side of the pillow will match the chair, the other will be the fabric of your choosing.) The website allows for you to create your own virtual custom rocker right there on the screen so you can see exactly what you’re ordering. (Warning: This is a really easy way to kill a half hour plus!) Once you’ve placed your order, expect six to eight weeks for delivery as your chair is being sewn and upholstered by hand.

When my Luca Glider arrived, I was first thrilled that there was no assembly required (that’s a first for nursery furnishings!), and then amazed at the chair’s flawless construction. The sewing and upholstery are absolutely perfect—the chair is firmly and evenly padded with comfy foam, and every inch feels strong and durable. The dark hardwood base is sturdy and beautiful too. I know from experience that suede microfiber is easy to spot clean, so I’m confident this chair will last long past my son's infancy.

As I sat in the chair for story time with my daughter, I was glad to find that my feet could easily reach the ground (in fact, a taller person might find the seat not quite deep enough for long legs). Because I went without the ottoman, I needed to have my feet planted firmly on the ground for rocking my little one. The arm rests are at just the right level, and the seat back is plenty high. The lumbar pillow is packed nicely for support, but at a leggy 5’7”, I need the space in the seat, so I’m more comfortable using the pillow behind my neck or across my lap. And really, the chair itself provides great back support. It’s firm but cozy and keeps me fairly upright so my spine is in a healthy place. I vividly recall that for nursing, it’s important to be able to sit up with adequate back support. The gliding action couldn’t be smoother or more silent—I can definitely imagine rocking my little guy (and probably myself too!) to sleep in this chair.

It’s also worth noting that Monte Design is very particular about their suppliers and materials. The fabrics meet the strict Oeko-Tex Standard 100, and other materials are sustainable or otherwise environmentally friendly. Even the boxes used for shipping are made from over 95 percent recycled materials!

So head over to montedesign.net and have some fun playing furniture designer. Choose a safer color pairing to act as a nursery anchor or fabulous-yet-functional piece in any other room of the house, or pick something a little more audacious and design your nursery (or living room!) around it. And if you want to see it in person? Monte Design retailers can be found all over the U.S. and Canada, and even as far away as Russia!