LEGO® has become the world’s premier name in construction toys. The LEGO Group was founded by the Kristiansen family in 1932. The same family still runs the company to this day. The company headquarters is located in Billund, Denmark. LEGO manufactures interlocking bricks that allow the builder to make solid, stable constructions.
LEGO offers themed sets with instructions to build specific models. The company started with basic themes and moved on to elaborate offerings such as City, Space and Pirates. Today, they also offer licensed themes based on films, television shows, comic books and animation. The company has acquired the rights to a staggering number of properties to base their sets on.
LEGO bricks from any set are compatible with those from other sets. Many builders enjoy connecting sets together or coming up with their own unique creations. LEGO is all about imagination and creativity. Still, others prefer to collect, build and display their sets according to the instructions.
More than just a toy, LEGO brand building sets have become a cultural phenomenon. They have even spawned movies, video games and properties of their own. There are even sets designed for older children as well as adult builders and collectors.
LEGO Ideas
The LEGO Group designs sets to grow along with its customer base. There are sets intended for preschoolers and sets designed for older children. Sets featuring real robotics and the elegant Architecture series even appeal to older teens and adults. Younger children enjoy playing with the toys they’ve constructed. Teens and adults enjoy the building process, much like putting together a complex puzzle. The finished constructs also make wonderful display pieces.
LEGO Ideas is something unique for the creative LEGO builders out there. Creators can make their own custom builds and submit them to the LEGO Ideas website. The LEGO Ideas website frequently holds contests with prizes such as free LEGO sets. The real prize, however, is that your idea may be made into a real set that is sold commercially at online and retail locations. Creators who have their sets chosen will also receive 1% royalties on all sales.
Friends the TV Series (1994-2004)
“Friends,” the TV series, ran for an entire decade on NBC and produced 236 episodes. The show debuted on September 22, 1994. The finale was broadcast May 6, 2004. A large part of the show’s appeal was its charismatic ensemble cast. It starred Jennifer Aniston as Rachel Green, Courteney Cox as Monica Geller, Lisa Kudrow as Phoebe Buffay, Matt LeBlanc as Joey Tribbiani, Matthew Perry as Chandler Bing, and David Schwimmer as Ross Geller.
The show was about a group of friends who lived in New York. “Friends,” was a popular comedy while on the air and still has a strong fan base to this day. The majority of the sitcom took place in one of two apartments or at a coffee shop called The Central Perk. This coffee shop is the main subject of a LEGO Ideas set that was released in 2019 during the 25th anniversary of “Friends.”
LEGO Ideas: Friends the Television Series: Central Perk
Lego Ideas has lead to the creation of many cool sets that would otherwise never see production. One such set is the Friends the Television Series: Central Perk set. This pack is LEGO set number 21319. LEGO has a product number for every set they sell. This makes locating the correct set and collecting them a lot easier. The set contains a total of 1,070 pieces along with building instructions. It is rated by LEGO as suitable for people ages 16 and up.
This product, based on the popular TV sitcom, requires more building skills than your average LEGO set. It is also considered to be a collector’s item, something to be displayed and taken care of. The set includes a total of seven minifigures. Minifigures are LEGO proprietary figures made up of multiple parts. The figures feature seven points of articulation. They have connection points on their feet and on the back of their legs. This allows them to be snapped into place in vehicles, on furniture or within scenery.
The included figures here are Ross, Chandler, Monica, Rachel, Joey and Phoebe. Every major cast member is included. This allows the builder to easily recreate their favorite scenes from the show. Gunther, the coffee-shop owner, is also included. The main construct here is the coffee shop where many of the show’s iconic scenes took place. The designer made an interesting choice here. The Central Perk scene wasn’t made as if it were a real place. It was designed to look like the studio set of a TV show.
The Central Perk coffee shop has an exterior scene, even though the inside is based on the studio set. There is the famous Central Perk window and a colorful awning. The signage and all of the small details are screen accurate to the show. The door can be opened and closed. There’s a street stage for Phoebe to stand and play her included guitar. The inside centerpiece is the famous couch that was featured prominently on so many episodes. There is also an armchair, the main table and two small chairs. There’s room for the whole crew here to sit around that table.
The couch section can be removed from the main build for play or better display. There is an extra table for other patrons along with more seats. The service counter features a register and a cookie jar. Some of the authentic interior decorations include coffee mugs, umbrella stands, a menu board and a coffee maker. Some other accessories include a pizza box, a broom, a newspaper, a laptop and Rachel’s server tray.
The attention to detail on this LEGO set is impressive. The wall decorations, carpet patterns, furniture and colors are all spot on. Going with the TV sound-stage motif, there are also two large studio lights and some scaffolding on either side of the set. Once fully completed, the Central Perk stands at around 4-inches tall, 11-inches wide and 8-inches deep.
LEGO Friends TV Set – Speed Build Video
Lightailing Light Set for LEGO Set Number 21319
Lightailing is a company that makes custom light effects for specific LEGO sets. This helps the builder to customize their LEGO constructs for something truly unique. If you love to show off your finished LEGO builds, a light kit from Lightailing will greatly enhance the appearance of your display. Lightailing takes pride in using environmentally friendly materials. Most of their sets use LED lights to enhance your LEGO builds.
These sets can be used to light up vehicle headlights, interior rooms, outdoor lamp posts and so much more. Fortunately, Lightailing has created a kit for use with the LEGO Ideas set number 21319, Friends the Television Series: Central Perk. Since this LEGO set is designed to look like a TV sound stage, there are both natural lights and TV-studio lights. This Lightailing kit allows you to add illumination to all of them.
The effect of this light kit is fantastic, giving the appearance of a real TV studio to the LEGO build. The package includes universal and specific instructions for this kit. You get a battery box along with all of the necessary LED lights and wires. The setup can be connected to a USB port for the best results. There’s also an option to use three AA batteries for power. This allows the finished scene to be more portable.
On the exterior of the Central Perk coffee shop, there’s a lamp above the door that will light up once this kit is installed. You can also see the soft glow of real lights through the windows. It’s a striking effect. On the inside, the two large studio-set lights are illuminated. The two wall lamps behind the service counter light up. There is also a light on the back wall above a couch that can be made to glow.
Final Thoughts:
The “Friends,” set by LEGO Ideas makes a great display piece for the home or office. Fans of the show can enjoy putting this set together and then show off their love of the iconic TV series. The custom light set from Lightailing takes the display up to a whole other level. The LEGO Ideas concept is truly brilliant. It allows creative LEGO fans to build customized sets to share with the world. LEGO Ideas has lead to the production of many fine sets that otherwise would have never existed.
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