Both of my sons used the baby bjorn bouncer. It was simple, modern and clean looking. It was also easy to wash and has a higher weight limit. We have the older model that cost around $90, but the newer version (not sure why) seems to cost a lot more. I was able to pick up a new version from craigslist for my second (he was a VERY heavy baby). Here is a link to the product: http://www.babybjorn.com/us/products/bouncers/babysitter-balance/balance/

Maybe try Giggle? I don't remember seeing any swings there but I thought there were some bouncers there that might fit the bill.

I second "Liam and Ollie's Mommy." We also received the older version of the baby bjorn bouncer as a gift for our first baby ($90ish). As an infant our first spent lots of time in the bouncer but our second didn't seem to like it as well. I had considered getting rid of it now that both kids are over 1 year old, but I pulled it out and removed the harness and now they fight over who is going to sit in it daily. One of the best used baby/kid items for the value -- hands down.

Bouncy chairs have options (we have a Maclaren bought between kids because it was non ugly and folded flat). Young house love has a slipcovered Bumbo featured recently.
We have a Jumperoo and the joy makes the colours tolerable. When not in use we put it under the piano which helps. Plus the have a life of under a year.

hideous and huge but short lived - best case scenario is to inherit one and pass it along quickly!

I hated the huge tacky one we got as a shower gift (very similar to pictured) until we realized it was the only thing that made our very fussy, very colicky, very crabby baby smile and laugh and stop crying. After a few months, I loved that ugly thing more than any other baby product on God's green earth.

Totally with nellymom. To me the crying sounded worse than the gadgets looked!

I don't know about the bouncers, but IKEA has a cute baby gym. My little guy loved it as a baby (when he would lay under it and bat at the shapes) and he loves it now that he's pulling up and walking (he pushes it around the house).

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70108177/

They have some definitely not hideous other stuff too. (And the bjorn is the cutest baby bouncer/chair I was able to find.)

I'm so tired of seeing the complaints about tacky baby bouncers. The period of time when you need them is so short, get over it. Not everything can be modern minimalist.

Like most readers, I prefer the look of modern, minimalist design, but to be perfectly honest, kids don't care, and all of my kids prefer the colourful plastic toys & gadgets. We had the jumperoo and exersaucers, and they just loved them. I had a doorway jolly jumper, and although they enjoyed bouncing in it somewhat, the Fisher Price Jumperoo was way more fun & exciting. I also have a beautiful PlanToys modern wooden dollhouse - my girls play with it *a little*, but they much prefer the plastic fisher price one at their grandparents house, and have asked me numerous times for a dollhouse like that one. I still try to balance good looks with practicality, but sometimes you just need a large 'tacky' jumperoo taking up space in your living room to keep your baby happy for a few months!

I really wanted to avoid the bright plastic toys but it just didn't work out that way. We bought the bjorn bouncer with the toy bar and everything. My daughter hated it. She loved the vibrating, bouncy, ligh-up, music-playing plastic rainforest bouncer we borrowed from a friend though. Anything to keep her quiet for a few moments. We also borrowed a swing from a friend (some come in calmer colors so that's nice). There is just no avoiding how much space a swing takes up. But both were lifesavers, even if they were ugly. Eventually we got a bright and music playing jumperoo as well (when the swing was retired) and that was great to allow me to leave the room for a second. So even though the modern ones look nicer, if they don't work for your kid then there really isn't an option.

We have a svan bouncer which is great aesthetically, but neither of my kids really liked it much. When I tried a basic bouncer a few times while visiting someone my kids were totally happy, so if we have another kid this one is going and we'll get a cheap one.

There are some mainstream "non-hideous" swings, if your standards aren't too strict. We found one (I think it was graco?) that was in all taupe with little off-white teddy bears as the mobile. For the mini/portable swings, I found another on amazon that was just off white with a bit of light blue and taupe accents. Not exactly what I'd choose for decor, but highly functional and inoffensive, as these things go.

I never did find a non-hideous bouncer of the sort shown in the picture above, though. When the babies were old enough to support their head weight, we switched to the bumbo type things instead, and just put a variety of toys or snacks in the baby's reach. For the bouncy leg exercising function, we used the jolly jumper in the doorframe. Both of those products are less visually and environmentally offensive than the giant plastic bouncers, to my mind. If I had access to a hand-me-down bouncer, though, I might've taken it for a few months.

i second the ikea link! we have one and every infant/child that comes over is infatuated with it.

My kids had the Baby Bjorn bouncer (old version), and loved it -- they didn't know there were other options! When they finally outgrew it, I sold it for a good return (more than what I paid, as in Switzerland a new one costs over 160 ChF).

With the other stuff though, you pretty much have to go with the plastic. It *is* such a short period of time, it is no big deal. But. But... most people I know have houses stuffed with plastic toys of no value. When you get only a few very well made things, cherish them and take care of them, then that's more sustainable. No baby NEEDS a swing or exersaucer or plastic push car. But then, here in North America everyone has it; it's hard to be different.

I'm with jenmaselli on this one. I actually have the bouncer in the photo there and have zero complaints. Baby things are intentionally colorful, oddly shaped and- usually- quite tacky, but with the purpose being to stimulate your child. I've seen too many "modern" baby toys and gear that looks cute as can be in your home, but to your baby, its about as interesting and stimulating to their developing brains as a beige wall. Baby gear intended to stimulate them (i.e.- bouncers, gyms, toys) are for your baby to look at first of all, not you, so I always felt get over it and let them have their tacky toys. Get your sleek, modern crib and high chair and things that baby doesn't look to for development, but leave these things to them. It's just going to get tackier from here!

People often complain about the "environmental insensitivity" of the plastic exersaucers and bouncers, but I think those people are dead wrong. They last forever, can easily be cleaned, and can be passed from baby to baby (to baby to baby...) We inherited ours from a curb-side free pile and will doubtless send it along in the same way.

The only think I find hard to swallow about lovely things like bouncers is the high price of the "new" purchase. All of us who will enjoy the bouncer that's currently at my house should send our karmic thanks along to whomever got stuck buying it new from the store.

I think there are sparer, more design-conscious options out there now. Whether your baby ends up liking them or not is another thing entirely. People already mentioned the Baby Bjorn, and there are also these:

http://www.amazon.com/Bloom-Stylewood-Lounger-Cappuccino-Coconut/dp/B000U5HKNK/ref=pd_sim_sbs_ba_13

http://www.amazon.com/Phil-Teds-Lazy-Baby-Bouncer/dp/B002IP4B14/ref=pd_sim_sbs_ba_48

http://www.amazon.com/Peg-Perego-Sdraietta-Melodia-Activity/dp/B0023LG6UM/ref=pd_sim_sbs_ba_55

http://www.amazon.com/Combi-Pod-Bouncer-Lady-Bug/dp/B004OESF9Q/ref=pd_sim_sbs_ba_5

This baby bjorn "babysitter" is even organic, I guess:

BABYBJÖRN Babysitter Balance Organic - Walnut/Khaki

Haven't read the reviews, but just a quick search shows that there are simpler options available.

i've worked in a high-end kids consignment shop for several years...and as for jumpers, they're all ugly. period. but i do have an answer to the 'green' issue (echoing what a lot of folks have already said) buying second hand is the greenest thing you can do! you can save money (support a local business, possibly), sterilize with eco friendly products, and voila! you've got your 'green' baby product. also, when the blessed day comes that you can haul the monstrosity out of your house, resell it, or better yet donate it to a local charity for underprivileged mothers.

I swore I wouldn't have a home full of giant plastic eyesores....fast foward a few months and I'm afraid I do. I definitely echo the comments above about finding hand-me-downs or shopping at a consignment store and then pass them along in a couple months to a friend or donate. thecraftybandita definitely has some great points.

I am a little concerned so many people are recommending infant loungers/bouncers, if this person is looking at jumperoos their child is way best the age of the bjorn bouncer. fwiw we bought the fisher price bounce and spin froggy. it was the smallest food print, it bounced play music (we never installed batteries) and it was gender neutral.

Like someone above mentioned they are used for such a short amount of time once a baby can crawl and move they don't want to be in them anymore!

We used the bjorn bouncer, which was attractive and our baby loved. We also used this swing, the Fisher Price little lamb: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0018Z6910/ref=asc_df_B0018Z69101846529?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=asn&creative=395093&creativeASIN=B0018Z6910. It was, to me, the least offensive of anything plastic, and I found it really sweet & cute-looking (I love any baby stuff with animal ears). I actually felt really sad when my kiddo outgrew it & we had to put it away! Good luck!

@psychobabble

We looked at that swing too but ultimately went with the Snuggabunny version up from it- its just as cute but has an ac adapter with it. The lamb one we saw only ran on batteries.

I, too, swore I'd limit the amount of plastic hideousness in my life...and that went (partially) out the window (I can't exactly throw out my 3-year-old's gifts from other people!). I would have bought a jumper-type thing if there were any that could be reduced in size when not in use...the footprint/tripping hazard issue is an even bigger deal in our place than the ugly factor.

We have the bjorn bouncer and used the hell out of it until she started sitting up on her own. I still us it occasionally. As for the other stuff (jumpers, swings, etc.) we went without. I never really felt we needed them. They are really just a place to plop down the kid when you need to get something done. Since we don't have much room, we just used the bjorn for that (it has a toy attachment and I tried to entertain her with whatever I was doing if it was for more than a couple minutes).

Otherwise, I was on the floor playing with her or else carrying/wearing her.

i am ecstatic that i bought a (hideous) exersaucer second hand. it was middle-of-the-road on the ugly scale, but i paid only $20 instead of shelling out $100 for something i wasnt even going to like to look at. my son loved it....for a FAST few months. him not fussing overroad the look of the toy.
(ps, and we do also have the bjorn bouncer...love it, looks and function...but it does not keep a baby occupied/contained like an exersaucer!)

We had the cool looking Ouef with our first and it wasn't really well designed. Weird straps and low weight limit. We borrowed the high end maclaren version which wasn't too hideous and it was really well designed.

The baby einstein exersaucer thing was the least hideous version on the market at the time and it worked well for us.

I also had the older Baby Bjorn bouncer and loved it. Our old house was tiny, and I really appreciated that it folded flat when not in use and could be slipped under the couch until we needed it again.

I don't understand why they've finally caught on and stopped making ugly strollers, but the stuff that is sitting out in your living room has to be covered in pastel or primary animals or fish, or whatever! It does go by fast, and I wouldn't skip a swing because it's ugly, but can't they just make them less unattractive?

That jumper in the picture is one of the least hideous on the market. I saw it in a baby store the other day where someone had accidentally put the seat cover on inside out...the reverse side is plain brown and toned it down a lot.

just an option to think about.

so unfortunate that target no longer carries that amazing fisher price and dwell studio swing and bouncer. that's the secondhand score! sold mine locally years ago.

Fisher-Price My Little Lamb products are more affordable than the bloom products and they have a very simple design. Amazon has the entire line of baby swings and bouncers.

try the 4moms MamaRoo baby swing!

I think this one is pretty OK looking: http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4449502

How about just not using one?

I had the same issues with having a big, hulking plastic thing in the living area. While we finally had to break down and live with a mechanical swing for 3 months since we had such sleeping and fussing early on, we did skip the activity center. All of our friends had one and I thought I needed one too. Totally didn't and won't. We have a few mobile stations for our son to set up near by us. Since he can sit up, we lay down a blanket folded enough to be padded and an assortment of toys for him to play with. I can do this in the kitchen while I prep meals, in our office, his room and in the dining room. His mobility skills are great and he's super strong from always holding himself up and having to lean and reach for his own toys. We've done this since before he could sit up.

As for a bouncer seat, the Baby Bjorn worked for us to have a safe place to set him down while we did things before he could sit up. We like the look of it and it does clean and pack well. However, he had to be entertained by us, and it never soothed him into sleep.

they truly only use it for such a short period of time i hardly think its a matter of placing style into the house! kids like the bold ugly colors too! for real a few months before they are able to use it for only a few months then its out the door.

We got the Fisher Price Zen swing and it was great. It is much more modern looking... not as baby-ish as the My Little Lamb but it is just as good. http://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-Zen-Collection-Cradle-Swing/dp/B0011MQLNQ

I guess I always felt like our home is as much mine as it is my son's. I have a right to have rooms and spaces devoted to my style, tastes, and interests, so he should too.
I have formal area that is a no kid zone and it is decorated to my tastes where I invite my guests, but farther into our home we have an area for my son and all his toys. If someone comes to that part of the house, they are family or very dear friends and understand that is our child's area. I actually love seeing his corner of the world and all the bright, colorful, and crazy things that make him happy. I know in a couple of years I will really miss it

I completely understand where you are coming from. My husband and I worked very hard to cultivate "zen" in our home and dont want that to go out the window with tacky baby toys. I have found that craigslist is great for the higher priced items found @ modernseed and ikea is also great for a low cost option.

I'm a little confused by everyone who says they use it for such a short time, so just buy one. Shouldn't this be a reason NOT to purchase one, even if it is secondhand? Even $20 could go to their college fund. I'm with brooklynstar, I just put my 6.5 month old on the floor with her toys. If I need somewhere safe to leave her, I put her in her baby bjorn bouncer or her crib.

I think someone already mentioned them but I loved the Bloom bouncer and the Baby Bjorn one, very sleek and modern, kind of pricey though. Also, keep in mind what your baby will like. We spent good money on Oeuf crib furniture, which is sturdy and beautiful, and I was all for buying a Bloom bouncer when my mom got involved (and my son was screaming) and in a moment of panic, we spent fifty bucks at target and got the simplest one we could find. My son used it exactly twice. Waste of money, and I was so glad we didn't spring for a $200 one! Only you as a parent know what you really 'need'.

(We also bought an expensive stroller - the Bugaboo- and now my son is almost two and NEVER sits in it, probably could have gone with something cheaper there too...)

It's pretty easy to say, "Just go without it," when your child is your first, or if you have a relatively complacent child. But if you have two close together, or a danger-seeker who can't be set down for even a moment, the need for a place to keep them safe and contained for a minute is a real one. I never had an exersaucer with my first baby--when she wanted to stand up, I just helped her and stood by her, keeping her from falling. Once I had a three year old, however, the second baby needed a few more places to be stashed. You may not need to use the bathroom, but your second child may need to wait while you help your elder child or children!

Just borrow one from someone. You'll only use it for a few months. Just put up with it for that long and then get rid of the hideous thing by graciously returning it to its owner :)

Sorry to come in late on this one, but...

I appreciate your desire for a beautiful home (I looked, too!), but trust me, the sight of a laughing, bouncing baby will be far more lovely to you than even the most minimalist gear.

That being said, I still feel strongly about limiting the amount of plastic we purchase.

A compromise that worked for us was the Baby Einstein brand bouncer. It's still bright, but the frame is steel and the seat is fabric. It's large, but it's visually lighter than the chunky orange Exersaucer it replaced. It's not a work of art by any means, but for the amount of joy it brings my baby girl, we wouldn't trade it for the world.

Congratulations on the arrival your little one!

Maggie

I, too, thought the one pictured would be the solution for "non-hideous" jumper. It's probably the nicest I've seen. Looks like it's still wonderfully colorful and stimulating for baby, but the slim legs aren't such a visual black hole....

we also have done without, though not because we're against them. There just isn't room in our house for most of what's available, and even though some collapse or fold down for storage, we don't have much in the way of storage space either so that's not too helpful. We've gone with a fun, textural rug that's brightly colored on the girls' bedroom floor, it's the most baby-proofed room. In the living room, I put down a folded blanket and some toys.

also, if the concern is what to do with baby2 while kid1 is trying to use the big kid potty, you already have a safe place to put them, and it's probably modern and minimal if that's your thing: the crib. I put #2 in her crib with toys when I need to just stash her without worry while I deal with accidents on the floor, etc. She's not sleeping, so I don't worry about causing sids. and when she is sleepy, well she's already used to not sleeping with toys so it's not been a problem. Might be something to try, to take advantage of money that's already spent.

The "Merry Muscles" doorway bouncer was the most attractive one we could find, and our baby (though initially confused by it) really enjoys his at 9 months old.

It seems insane that a plain looking swing has not yet been manufactured, at least not in the United States. For both of my babies, a swing was a necessity. I got over the looks simply because I had to, but I still can't believe there isn't a non-hideous one to be found. Not even for the big bucks! And you do use them for a short period of time, but if you use one for multiple children it is something that has to be in your living space quite a bit. There is no good reason why there shouldn't be one that is easy to look at. Your frustration is totally justifiable!

I feel so blessed to have our hideous bouncer up in our living room again after the arrival of our daughter! It really does go so fast. She loves it in all of its plasticky bright glory and so do I. Just get a used one if you want to be "green" (and save big $$).

As far as swings, I have seen some beautiful baby hammocks featured on this site. Who knows if they'd be as comforting as the battery-powered motion of an ugly swing, though!

We received a swing from Babies R Us in a neutral cream color organic material, metal frame and it worked great for a few minutes here and there. It takes up space but I was able to sweep the floor with both hands, and our two liked the (very few) sounds it plays, and enjoyed the solace from toys (it had a stationary mobile with bears but I removed it as it hit their heads) and loved the gentle breeze from the swinging motion. It's identifiably a baby item, but everyone coming to our house expected an explosion of kid stuff so keeping tidy proved effective and went a long way toward preventing these temporary furniture pieces from distracting the general aesthetic. Ours collapsed (a bit) and fit in the coat closet when needed. Good luck!

I second the Mamroo. It look so very fun, downside being the base is quite large.

Another good option is: http://www.buybuybaby.com/product.asp?SKU=18483513&RN=7082&
It's gender-neutral, not offensive visually, and less expensive than the Mamaroo and the BabyBjorn.