Today's parents (or grandparents) will pay anything, it seems, to instill good taste in sophisticated children. And what better way to ensure a sense of good design in a toddler than by sending him to his room for time out on a miniature classic midcentury modern chair?

Scaled-down classics now include the Mini Mies, two-thirds the size of the original Barcelona chair designed by Mies van der Rohe in 1929, and still in production. The child's version is made in the same factory in Long Island City, Queens, that produced some original Barcelonas decades ago (but isn't doing so now).

The frame is stainless steel and the upholstery is butter-soft leather. Naturally, good taste isn't cheap, even in small sizes. But the Mini Mies does come in the two most important colors: the black leather version might fit well in a city apartment ($3,900), the white in a Palm Beach condo ($4,400).

Both are available from Genius Jones in Miami Beach, (866) 436-4875 or geniusjones.com.