My parents always seemed to find a way to make Christmas especially magical for us. My mom would usually spend her nights sewing us pajamas for weeks beforehand, and my dad was often down in his workshop making someone a handsome new piece of furniture for Christmas. One year, my dad made me the most beautiful bedroom dresser, and I'm sure I'll be using it and loving it for as long as I live. This year will be our first Christmas to stay home and do it all on our own with our kids! I've been planning and prepping and really trying to find ways to make it just as magical as the Christmases I remember as a kid, and I've really been wanting to give our boys something that will last forever! I couldn't think of a better gift than a wooden handcrafted box from WoodToyBox.com!
At no cost to facilitate this review, we were sent a breathtaking premium Espresso Handcrafted Toy Box. We had big expectations, since both my husband and I had fathers with woodworking skills and we've been raised on high-quality furniture. Right away, my husband was impressed with the packaging and we agreed that it was very well done. WoodToyBox.com did an excellent job of protecting each piece with protective wrap, all arranged in a tight, compact (extremely heavy) box. Each piece is definitely made of real wood because of how heavy and sturdy everything is!
The instructions were decent, and perhaps could have had slightly better pictures, but they've done a good job of making a product that has fairly simple assembly, so you really don't need a lot of detailed intructions. If you've managed IKEA furniture, you can definitely assemble this, even without woodworking experience.
The pillars that go on the four corners come pre-assembled with these silver pegs in place. The orientation of the slotting is such a way that you can't assemble it wrong, especially with the handwritten letters as guides. Again, these are made from 100% all-wood construction. You aren't getting portions of particle board or flimsy interior pieces. The base that you see my husband dropping in is also available in cedar, which would smell fantastic!
My husband is a big critic, and he can be quick to point out imperfections or areas that need improvement. Praise can be hard to come by, but as he was putting this together, he said, "This is beautiful. I love this!" He kept muttering how this is definitely real wood, and how nicely constructed all the pieces were.
The top lid assembly is the only difficult part, and you might want to use a drill, or at least a big solid screwdriver and a strong hand. There are tiny pre-marked holes that indicate where to place the screws. They are basically nicks in the wood, and a slightly deeper predrilled hole would have been made it easier to get these started. If you drill too tight, however, you could cause small cracks in the wood, so go slow and use a screwdriver by hand if you're not a pro!
It was considerate to be sent extra screws and other small hardware pieces, in case some are misplaced during assembly. The entire job took about a half hour, and while the hubby did all the work while I took the pictures, I could probably have done it myself, even without the drill.
The boxes from WoodToyBox.com are especially unique because they can be personalized with laser engraved writing. I was so excited to be able to try out this feature and really make a one-of-a-kind gift for our kids. It was no hassle at all to ask that some writing in a certain size and font be engraved on the inside of the lid, and it turned out EXACTLY how I envisioned. You can also have the engraving on the front of the box, and you could choose a single name, a phrase, pictures, etc. They have an unlimited library of designs and fonts that you could use to personalize your box.
Try it out! Test the DESIGN YOUR TOY BOX option (in the middle of the page) and see what beautiful heirlooms you could create!
The versatility of this box is what really gets me excited. Because it is so classy, clean, and sturdy, you could move it around the home based on your needs. It makes a gorgeous storage box for blankets and quilts, and it holds quite a bit! WoodToyBox.com also offers the option of choosing a cedar wood base, which would make your linens smell wonderful! I'm thinking that over the years, especially when we get a bigger place, we might bring this into the living room for winter quilts and extra seating. It could look classic in an entryway, a hallway, and especially bedrooms.
For now, we are using it as a toy box in the boys' room, and it can hold SO many toys!! I'm just so relieved to have a large and sturdy home for all of their toys that they can't overturn every day. Typically, its just a huge mess in there, and this is really helping to keep their explosion of toys at bay. Once we are out of the "little toy stage", I'm anxious to use this as blanket storage in our living room! I think it would make a handsome piece of furniture in a common area, as well as perhaps extra seating when we have company. At some point in our lives, I'm sure we'll also use this as a box at the foot of our bed to use as seating, blanket storage, and extra closet space. There are so many places it could reside and really look like it belongs there.
These boxes feature a cut out where the lid meets the box, which perfectly keeps little fingers from getting squished or smashed. In the picture above, the lid is completely shut, and my boy's fingers are untouched. In addition to the lid hinges are two two child-safety lid supports that keep the lid from slamming down shut. The supports are strong enough to hold the lid still at angle you open it to, so nothing is spring-loaded and you don't have to worry about the lid dropping fast on top of your child's head. I sure love the antique bronze hardware! I think it looks much more classy than standard silver and it matches the espresso color beautifully.
You really should have seen this room last week! It was a horrible heap of toys, books, make believe costumes, and clutter everywhere! This giant toy box has made clean-up a breeze, since everything goes into the same box, and my boys are just loving one consolidated place where they can find all of their toys. This box has made the boys' room much more tidy, contained, clean, and just beautiful!
Doesn't it look like this box will last forever? Its such a priceless heirloom! I am 100% pleased and impressed with WoodToyBox.com, and I completely recommend them and their handcrafted toy boxes as Christmas gifts, additions to your child's bedrooms, and beautiful storage options for all areas of your home!
Connect: Be sure to follow WoodToyBox.com on Facebook and YouTube.
Buy it: You can purchase this handcrafted toy box in Espresso, Oak, Cherry, or Bamboo for $295, with free shipping. You can play around with the DESIGN YOUR TOYBOX feature (in the middle of the page) on their website.
Win it: To enter to win a custom handcrafted toy box, JUST CLICK HERE!
Disclosure: I (Camille) received the Espresso Handcrafted Toy Box at no cost to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own and may differ from yours.
Lily Kwan says
This toy box looks very nice. Thanks for sharing!