Homebrew Safety Gate - Get in touch with your inner Bob Vila

I seem to be on a gate kick with my babygadget posts, but sometimes parents have a one-track mind. And right now, this mother-of-a-toddler is tracked on safety.

Another thing about parents, they tend to fantasize about all the products that should be out there on the market to make their lives easier. And sometimes our imaginations really run wild and we dream of something that’s both efficient and attractive. Ahhhh!

Well, Miami based parents, Joel and Maria Pirela, have made their fantasy into a reality with this gate. Discouraged and disgusted by all that is (or isn't) available at the big baby stores, these industrious industrial/graphic designers headed to Home Depot for supplies to build their own gate. Then they solicited feedback from other parents via their blog, Blue Ant Studios. And shockingly (NOT!) many parents weighed in with their opinions. Thus armed, the Pirelas refined their design, especially with regard to safety.

Unbelievably, no retailer has snatched this up as of yet. (What are they waiting for?) But Joel and Maria are happy to guide you in building your own. That's right, I said, "building your own." "Just a few simple tools and supplies," says Joel. Now, if you feel, like I do, that you’ve obtained the equivalent of a minor degree in construction from all the products you’ve had to assemble – especially those annoying Swedish ones with their darn pictogram directions - you may feel that having to assemble one more item will simply put you over the edge. Or you may be such a pro by now, that you’re completely undaunted. Either way, if you’re really committed to design, this is pretty much the best you’re going to get.

Hmmm. Seems like just the kind of thing my husband might like to do...