Carefully crafted in the Ozark Mountains, Purveyor 15’s Montessori-inspired beds create space for sleep… and adventures
Full-sized Glacier teepee bed. Photo Courtesy Purveyor 15
Many people, she says, aren’t aware of all the chemicals being put into furniture today. “Formaldehyde, arsenic, and fire retardants are very common,” she says, adding that “we’re breathing in whatever that bed is made out of.”
It’s especially important to invest in a child’s bed. In addition to health reasons, it shows them that their adults care about their space, says Frost-Smith. “They know it is theirs and they feel safe and secure.”
In 2018, Ozark, Missouri-based furniture company, Purveyor 15, received a request for a bed in the shape of a little house. The team designed a house bed using 15 pieces of locally sourced all-natural (chemical-free) poplar wood. This first piece — named the Ozarks house bed for the Ozark Mountains where the company is located and both Ross Goins (one of the company’s four owners) and Frost-Smith, the company’s brand director, live — was just the beginning.
Business began to boom after online influencers bought the beds from Purveyor 15’s Etsy page. The company now makes a variety of Montessori-inspired beds, all of which are designed to inspire creativity and imaginative play. “The Montessori method is a hands-on, child-driven approach to parenting,” says Frost-Smith, who builds the brand based on her own family — husband Tyler and their son Callum, three, and daughter Ansley, eight months — and their needs. “We love the Montessori method because that is exactly what we want for our own kids,” she says, for them “to learn in a way that makes sense to them and feel the freedom to make independent choices freely within the safety of their home.”
Purveyor 15 brand director Taylor Frost-Smith, her husband Tyler and their children Callum, 3, and Ansley, 8 months. Photo Credit Alyssa Rae Photos
Montessori-inspired beds are built close to the ground so children can get in and out of them with ease. Purveyor 15 “uses thoughtful but simple designs so their imaginations can take off and they can turn their beds into whatever they dream them to be,” says Frost-Smith. “We’re big believers that when we encourage our children to imagine and create through play, they are going to excel in all areas of life.
“We found that the Montessori method works really well for our kids,” says Frost-Smith. “When we introduce new ideas to [our son] through play… it will stick. With our Montessori-inspired beds, kids have the opportunity to create during the day and turn their bed into a fort by tossing a blanket over the top peaks or bring all their dolls inside and pretend it is their actual little home. Then, at night, [they] rest well after a day of play in the space they love.”
Currently, Purveyor 15 offers house, canopy, platform, bunk and dog beds. For toddlers, house beds and canopy beds can all be built on the floor, with no legs. Legs can be added to beds to as the child grows.
Everglades house bed. Photo Courtesy Purveyor 15
Ozarks house bed. Photo Courtesy Purveyor 15
Twin-sized Ozarks house bed. Photo Courtesy Purveyor 15
Twin-sized Sierra house bed. Photo Courtesy Purveyor 15
Beds for adults (available in full, queen and king sizes) have the benefit of being safe and chemical-free, says Frost-Smith. “We provide a safer option for the entire family when it comes to having quality, solid wood furniture that is made with zero toxins.”
As for the pet beds, “it’s been fun to see photos and stories of families putting together beds for their child and then working together to build their dog’s bed as well. “We are all about helping families create new memories, working together to build something that matters,” says Frost-Smith. For the 28-year-old, what matters is family. “It’s so special to be able to help build a company as a stay-at-home mom,” she says. “My little boy loves to help out. You’ll see him on videos and helping me make Instagram and TikTok videos.”
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Did you know?
Purveyor 15 works with charity One Tree Planted, which has reforestation efforts all over the world.
What’s next?
- Purveyor 15’s Spring 2024 line includes two new platform beds featuring a cloud design and a dinosaur design, and head and footboards that can be added to any house bed. “From Canada to both coasts of the U.S., people ask all the time about different bed designs,” says Frost-Smith.
- Purveyor 15 is now working on getting certified as a chemical-free company.