Multi-level homes that are short on space often feature ladders in order to minimize the amount of lost floor area. Typically, this means ho-hum rails and rungs that don’t particularly add anything to the aesthetics of the home. Alegre Industrial Studio and Japanese company Katzden Architec LTD teamed up to create a line of kid-friendly ladders that are a huge departure from the usual.

The collection is called KidsLofty; it’s aimed at children because small Japanese homes are likely to contain lofts for sleeping or playing. The three designs in the collection are Snake, The Tube, and Square. All are to the highest safety standards since they are meant to be used primarily by children.

Snake is a softly curved ladder with two separate tubular pieces snaking their way up the wall. The ladder is attached to the wall at several points to ensure safety, and the curved rather than sharply pointed edges make the design a smart one for homes with smaller children.

The Tube is a beautifully designed ladder that would be great for accessing a higher space. The top part is encased in a little cage to prevent falls, while the bright yellow treads feature small indentations for little hands to grip while climbing to the top.

Finally, Square is a more artsy, sophisticated design that almost looks like a sculpture. Rather than the typical vertical rails with horizontal treads going between, the Square is simply composed of offset rectangles that form a stylish climbing susrface.