Micuna OVO

I’ve been a longtime admirer of the Micuna OVO (I’d be embarrassed to admit how many times I’ve pinned it to my “Baby” board over the years), so when I found out the Spanish company would begin distributing its stunning line of baby gear in the U.S., I decided to get pregnant immediately. Kidding! But when I did get pregnant, I knew the OVO was at the top of my list when it came to choosing a highchair, and I can honestly say I’ve yet to tire of admiring in my dining area daily.

The OVO comes packaged in the cutest cylindrical box that says, “being born is beautiful,” which we’ve since repurposed for storing outgrown clothes and other baby things. (It really was too adorable to recycle.) Assembling the chair took around 30 minutes and involved a bit of elbow grease and tinkering, but soon enough the seat was ready for display—I mean, use.

Featuring beechwood legs and accents and an ergonomic plastic seat, the OVO really is a stunner. It’s well-sized to accommodate petite eaters (up to 40 pounds) but maintains a modest footprint at about 20 inches x 20 inches, which we so appreciate in our also modest two-bedroom place. Many standalone highchairs are far more cumbersome, but the OVO—even without folding for storage—readily tucks into a corner and out the way when not in use. (Plus, it looks good doing it. Have I mentioned that already?)

A machine-washable fabric pad for the seat can be purchased separately to switch up the style a bit and provide some extra cushion for your diner. (Line-dry is recommended.) I’ll say we rarely use it, though, as the seat looks just as good without it, our little one is just as comfortable without it, and cleanup is even easier without it, thanks to the wipeable plastic seat. The leatherette 5-point harness is also wipeable and a cinch to clean. (In fact, I was surprised to find I prefer the leatherette to the webbed straps most highchairs use.)

My biggest hesitation in choosing the OVO was related to the tray. The charming round tray is perched on the right side of the highchair and does not swivel or otherwise move. Compared to the sizable, adjustable trays on other models, this seemed like an instance where I might be choosing form over function. And to an extent, it was. Self-feeding can definitely be a messy undertaking when the tray doesn’t scoot right up to baby’s belly or provide a vast expanse of plastic landscape for her to fingerpaint with her pureed squash. But it’s also frequently messy even with those features, so I don’t feel like we’re sacrificing too much here. Baby and highchair both get a thorough wipedown after mealtime, which seems to me to be a pretty standard routine. Once our tyke is a bit older, we’ll likely remove the tray and pull the chair right up to the dining table, an option that really appeals to me, as I like the idea of a family meal.

When our pretty little young thing outgrows the need for a highchair, we’ll convert the OVO into a cute little toddler seat by removing the tray, crotch bar and lower portion of the legs. It’ll look right at home in her bedroom, and I can picture her sitting in it reading book after book after book. Because the OVO is a considerable (and, I’d argue, worthwhile!) investment, I love that it can live on beyond our highchair days.

I’m pleased to report my dream highchair really is a dream come true. It’s aesthetically stunning (we get so many compliments) and pleasantly functional, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome it to our family.

Price: $500
To buy: amazon.com

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