Currently the style of products in my house is what one might call eclectic…not because I like it that way, but because between my hubby and myself, we have very different styles and neither one of us likes to “give in” to things that we don’t really like.  So, my house is a hodge podge.  But, when it comes to baby and kid gear, that realm is all mine, and as such I put my own style spin on the products that I get.  What spin?  Well, I happen to be a very big fan of modern designs; anything that I can call modern or innovative tends to catch my fancy…and I definitely like things that are different and that look different from other things on the market.  So, given my tastes, it seems only reasonable that I would gravitate towards innovative and modern baby products like the Flair Highchair from Boon. 

Now, truthfully I tend to go through a lot of baby products; I get them, try them out, test them, and then I am usually drawn to something that looks better or that seems a better fit.  As such, I have three highchairs and a booster seat currently sitting in my rather small dining room area.  So, even with the fact that I already had enough highchairs to go around, when I saw the Flair from Boon, I knew I had to try it out.  So, what called to me when I saw it?  Well first of all the design is different than almost all the other highchairs on the market; it’s a pedestal highchair which makes it “different”.  The second thing that called to me was a bit more practical-it looked like it would be a bit more of a space saver than the other highchairs I was using.  So, given my lust to try out the Flair, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to review it.  Of course I picked the pink and white color; there’s nothing better than reminding my hubby that his is out numbered by females.

So, when the Flair arrived it was in a big box and I have to say that it was a bit heavy and awkward to get into the house; there are times when I wish I had a better relationship with the UPS guy.  So, after realizing that I would actually need to put it together, I sucked it up and opened the box…only to realize I needed some type of screwdriver which took my 10 minutes to find.  Now, putting together the Flair was actually really easy, a few screws here, some clicking into place there, and a little jiggling while following the easy directions and voila, even I was able to put it together with a minimum amount of fuss, muttering and frustration. 

So, after I put it together I decided to test it out while giving the kids lunch, so I put Eve in.  Now, Eve actually really liked it, especially since I could pull her really close to the table so she could be a part of what was going on.  I did notice and was a bit worried about the fact that the highchair itself seemed a bit wobbly, but after watching Eve rock back and forth and then throw herself around when she wasn’t’ allowed to throw food, I deemed the design safe even though it wobbled a bit.  I know right about now you are wondering why the highchair seemed to wobble a bit, and since I am no engineer, the only response I can give is I think it is because of the fact that it only has one support (the single leg) unlike other highchairs where the support is balanced on 4 legs.  It honestly doesn’t bother me now that I have seen how well it holds up to Eve doing her worst.

So, what else have I seen while using and testing out the Flair?  Well, first of all it is really easy to clean; especially since there is no fabric to get stained…every part wipes off with a wet wipe or sponge.  The seat is comfortable, but I do wish it was a bit deeper.  The seat itself is good for average and small babies and kids, but when it comes to chubby babies like Eve the depth of the seat means that her tummy tends to smash up again and roll over the tray even when it is on the loosest setting.  Another thing different about the Flair and other highchairs is how the tray comes off.  Now, with most trays you just pull and lever and it releases…with the Flair you have to slide the lever and then pull in order to remove the tray (my hubby still hasn’t figured it out and poor Eve would be trapped all the time if I wasn’t around).  At first I found the tray annoying since it just required more work…but after realizing that it was saving me work because the kids couldn’t undo the tray and push it to the ground, I go over the annoyance factor pretty quickly. 

So, overall what do I think?  I like the Boon Flair.  I really like the modern design and the trendy color options, it is easy to put together and easy to use, plus it rolls really well to and doesn’t have those annoying breaks on each wheel…it has a pedal that you press to release and press to activate the break.  I have found it safe even though it seems to wobble a bit and Eve really likes it since she can be brought right up to the table instead of being farther away in a “normal” highchair.