Need a lift? If you are like us, you usually do the "drag a chair over from the dining table" routine. Every time we need to grab something from a high cabinet or close the window in our kitchen (which sticks, so we need good leverage), we wish for a step stool.

These step stools from Lilypad Studio are created with children in mind, but we think they are sophisticated enough for older audiences as well and are intriguing in their use of color and pattern. We've never seen a handpainted stool that wasn't over-the-top "country" before these...

The green facts: The step stools ($245.) are made from FSC certified hardwood and painted using no-VOC paints. All the work is done by hand.

Lilypad Studio is owned by two friends, Laura and Sharon, and is based in Hailey, Idaho.