See the full gallery on Posterous

1. Someday all this will be Dirt by Matt Shlian: These paper sculptures are amazingly detailed and perfectly placed. Be sure to flip through his great portfolio of work.

2. Haerfest Collection B: With backpacks, duffles and totes in gorgeous leather color choices, these bags are just lovely. I'm taken with this tote that looks like it can be held with either a long or short handle.

3. Halo Bowl by Benjamin Hubert: Found via MocoLoco, I like both the visual simplicity of these bowls s well as the practicality of keeping as much airflow around fruits as possible.

4. Bottle Humidifier by Cloud and Co.: This humidifier will be available in July, and is powered via USB. Seems like a good office option, and it looks quite nice.

5. Terra Planter for Fort Standard: Spotted via Design Sponge, this combines my love of a terrarium look with a larger sculptural piece. This would look super in a corner as part of a sweet vignette.

6. Home of Swedish photographer Jonas Ingerstedt: Good clean Scandanavian modern with a fresh color palette. I love the soft blue of the cabinet/shelf unit and the great use of contrasting lights and darks in this space to keep visual interest without looking cluttered. Via La Maison d'Anna G.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

See the full gallery on Posterous

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

See the full gallery on Posterous

• Using chemistry and nature to store food without refrigeration: A project by artist Jihyun Ryou that eschews the typical way we store food. This project rocks my world and makes me want to build these for my own house. Via@FastCoExist
• Coq au Vin with Garlic Mashed Potatoes: This just looks delicious. I'm not big into chicken, but there are a few wonderful recipes. This looks like it might fit the bill. Via @tastologieFEED
• Phanthom Toolbooth inforgraphics: Combining my love of Norman Juster's The Phantom Tollbooth and infographics, this set by Jan Avendano is both pretty and fun to look through. Via @gregor_fajfar
• Albums Without Sound: Created by my friend @eric_sena, this is a project that pulls together random titles, quotations and images from the web to create a ficitious album cover. Via @AJWShaughnessy
• Copyright etiquette when blogging and pinning: A great piece by Jessica Colaluca via @designseeds
• Modern Pictograms: A free (donations welcome) typeface from The Design Office that offers clean, crisp pictographic images. Via @coreyholms

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

See the full gallery on Posterous

But pink is intimately connected with Valentine's Day, so I decided to suck it up and pull together a few pink-ish items for your perusal:

• 1963 Aston Martin DB4 GT Lightweight - this car is gorgeous no matter the color, and it's really a pinkish red.
• Niche Modern Pharos fixture in Plum - also a bit of a shift away from the true pink, but the deep tones work beautifully with the glass.
• George Nelson Steel Frame Seating System - this one has been covered in pink vinyl upholstery, but it's a great piece.
• Joseph Joseph rotary peeler - I would go ahead and get a small kitchen item in pink (unless it had to sit out on my counter.)
• Sand chairs for Paola Lenti - against that beautiful bacground, any color looks amazing.
• IDEA International's reusable chopsticks -  a bit of a peachy pink, I might even prefer these a bit brighter.

Have a lovely Valentine's Day!

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

See the full gallery on Posterous

There are tons of modular systems we use every day, and many of us have at least one in our homes. You might have a shelving unit or closet system that is a kit of parts, like an Elfa or Vitsoe shelving system, or you might have a utensil drawer in the kitchen that is organized by multiple bins that hold the items in their proper place. Perhaps you have one of the newer sofa systems which are built from end, middle and lounge pieces.

My favorite modular system is one from my childhood: Legos. These teach us that the great thing about modularity is the way it can support absolute freedom while having parameters that keep things well organized and able to work together.

Modular shelving: Vitsoe and Tentacle systems

Modular seating: ZipZip modular cushion

Modular toy: Legos!

Modular type: Mode

Modular coffee table: Fix Table

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

See the full gallery on Posterous

1. Opera Camper by Axel Enthoven: this foldout trailer is both innovative and cool. After years of camping in a tent trailer as a kid, I never thought I would want to do it again, but this great little design may make me rethink my stance.

2. Tori Tori Restaurant in Mexico by Rojkind und Esrawe: The exterior of this restaurant is abit much for my taste, but I could stay in this room all day. The extra-high vertical garden wall paired with the wood finish of the walls and floor is to die for.

3. Aesop store by Tacklebox: Of course I dig the minimalist vibe of this store, with the very neutral background that really highlights the products, but what interested me the most about this space was the use of newsprint as wall material. It really has a felt-like look, and will age over time.

4. Chocolate pencils created by Japanese designers Nendo for Tokyo patissier Tsujiguchi Hironobu: Although the original article was meant to highlight the chocolate pencils that sit in the background of this image, I love the matte finish of the 'pencil' shavings against the super-shiny pastry.

5. Les poupées by Luca Nichetto: These stacking pieces can create a sculptural piece when the glass vase is inverted on top of the cermic candle holder or can be used separately. I love modular thinking, and these are two of my favorite materials.

6. Catena Wall Clock by Andreas Dober: With all the technology that surrounds us (and I wouldn't live without,) it's refreshing to see a purely mechanical piece. This clock moves along its chain, and you have to interpolate the actual time based on the location of the hour markers.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

See the full gallery on Posterous

• Emma Reddington decided to show off her air plants in a very interesting way in her home. I love the idea that they can be placed randomly in the hose, and that branch setting is sweet. Via @marionhousebook.
• I have always been a huge Norman Juster fan (think Phantom Tollbooth) and want to give a hat tip to @brainpicker for pointing me to his story The Dot and the Line: A 1965 Romance in Lower Mathematics as created by Chuck Jones. Based off of the old story Flatland, also a favorite, this is a sweet little tale.
• @NOTCOT presented an easy-open keyring that may keep me from breaking my nails to take keys off and on.
• I never knew there were rules of etiquette for chopsticks! Although I grew up learning all the standard Western table manners, so of course it makes sense. The Slurp gives us 10, via @tastologieFEED
• Ben Silbermann of Pinterest gives a great talk at Alt Summit, via @sfgirlbybay - I hope I can go to the event next year, the Twitter updates sounded intriguing.
• I learned that I have been tying my shoes the wrong way for 40 years - are you guilty as well? Terry Moore gives a very short TED talk on how to do it right, via @thenextweb

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

See the full gallery on Posterous

1. Dual-purpose extra long table: A gorgeous image from the online Magazine found through Lovenordic Design Blog. Of course you need a room that can support a lengthy table, but the idea is a great one, and I love how they delineated the spaces through a change in the seating.

2. Ape Aperitivo Set by Guilio Iacchetti: You had me at white, wood and metal. This is a great idea for an appetizer table. Stylists often work to put items at varying heights to add some vertical interest, and this set does it all by itself. It even includes a metal pick stand that can be used inside one of the vessels or on its own.

3. Canteen Tequila package design by Think Kaleidoscope: With glass faces and metal sides in different finishes to delineate the quality of the tequila, this packaging gives a cheeky nod to the old canteen while still looking fresh and modern.

4. Mossy Atrium: I have no idea where this image originates, but it was spotted on the This is My Future House blog. (updated: space by Gary Gladwish Architecture - thanks to Janet Myers on Pinterest for the info!) The moss, rocks and trees that echo the exterior landscape beyond look beautiful brought indoors and viewable from both a gallery and through the fireplace. Serene.

5. Type Embroidery: Unfortunately, this image from the Manchester School of Arts Textile Department didn't have an attribution for this image. I assume it is a previous student, although I looked through the galleries and somehow couldn't find it. The modularity of the type combined with the differing densities is really appealing, not to mention a ton of work.

6. 'Floral' cake: Not your typical floral cake, the single large flower spanning all four tiers is eyecatching without being frou-frou. This image looks like it was pinned back and forth between Pinterest and wanelo, so I have no idea who made this lovely creation.

I have been asked to provide individual images as well as my 'round-up' image, so I have added the single shots to the picture gallery to allow for your own pinning!

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

See the full gallery on Posterous

I spend lots of time chatting with friends and perusing new products and ideas on Twitter, so I decided to pull together some of my favorite finds for the week:

Ceramic and cork Tiffin lunch box seen at IDS Toronto via @mocoloco - I love bento boxes and tiffins of every kind, and adore the combination of these two materials.

Carnitas recipe (one of my favorite foods) from Tide and Thyme via @tasteologieFEED - can't wait to try this one out!

Mark Laita's new book Sea featuring stunning underwater macro photography via @brainpicker

A lovely small dining space posted by @DwellStudio

Angle-o-tron, a new mathematics-based video by my favorite, @vihartvihart about how to creat your own angles without a protractor.

Strengthbox, a MovNat based gym experience from Inside Fitness via @MovNat

Demetri Martin's photo of the day, which made me giggle via @DemetriMartin

Clear, reviewed by Fast Company, an upcoming productivity/to-do app that looks beautiful. Will check this one out when it's available. Via @UseClear

And a final though from @patrickrhone of Minimal Mac: 

Simple Mission: Start and keep a "Yay Me" list. Whenever you do something you are proud of, write it down. Whenever you feel down, read it.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Desk and shelf system

Furniture Suite

Desk

Lighting

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

1. Open view bedroom: There is nothing I don't love about this space. The neutral color palette, low bed, wood floors, large panes of glass, sheepskin and that gorgeous Jacobsen lamp, it's all good. Makes me want to curl up with a good book and some hot Earl Grey.

2. Rosewood Earbud Holder: I love beautiful wood, and there's something about the combination of technology and the tactile sense of finished wood that really appeals. Plus, I hate the way those silly earbuds get all tangled, no matter how hard I try to wind them carefully.

3. Glass fruit bowl by Rogier Martens: Glass is my medium, and transparency is something I play with a lot in my own work. Using the moveable nature of glass (FYI, it never is actually solid) to echo the forms of the fruit it is meant to hold is lovely.

4. Tangent 33 watch by Nomos: This watch is clean, simple and gorgeous. The condensed typeface used hearkens back to traditional type, and the bright blue hands on the neutral background give it a a modern edge.

5. Ylva Skarp home via Plaza Interiors: Although there is a decided lack of color in this living space, Ylva Skarp has added layers of texture through her use of type on the wall, rug and pillows. This adds a sense of depth and keeps the space from looking stagnant.

6. Shower connection to the outdoors: The materials here, concrete, smooth stucco, wood and glass and some of my favorites to work with. The wood floor keeps the space from feeling too cold, and the view to the exterior is really stunning. 

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Today's guest post for papernstitch is about the use of textiles in the home, including some modern macramé and a fabric made of wood.

Check it out here.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Less is not more any more than more is less, more or less. It is only when we reduce more or increase less so as to satisfy our needs and desires that Enough can be found.

I was flipping through Reeder and a link to Patrick Rhone's upcoming book Enough was right there in plain sight. After truly enjoying his last book, Keeping It Straight, I am looking forward to more of his stories interspersed with his philosophy of 'enough.' Enjoy a few essays from the upcoming work here.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Loving this crazy method for doing multiplication. If you think about it, this is exactly what we do in the standard written form, this just shows it visually. (Which can be super for some kids - it may make a lot more sense.) I think it would be great to explain the standard methodology alongside this to see how they achieve the same result.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

I have even designed a couple houses purely on a grid - and to be honest, they turned out great! It really helps everything to be visually in sync. Even though you might not know that it's there, the consistency of the grid is appealing to the eye. My husband's graphic design work is often based on grids, and we have worked together on a couple of modular typefaces that were completely grid- based.

The great thing about grids is that you can break them. But when you break with the grid, it becomes that much more important. I have included one in the image above that makes me smile each time I see it.

John K. Samson Providence album cover, Field Notes Grid Notebook, Cocoon's Grid-It system, Lian Ng's Graphik180:GridArt.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

1. Liquipel: This product is supposed to waterproof your phone completely, allowing for use in the rain or that unfortunate drop in the sink. I have no idea how well this works, but having bought a full-price phone months after purchasing on at a discount rate that fell in the water, this could be a godsend.

2. Ditte Isager: When you start to pay attention to interior images, you begin to find out that you have favorite stylists, much like you have clothing lines you naturally gravitate to. Ditte Isager is one of those people who lays things out in a way that really appeals to me. Clean and warm with a distinct Scandanavian bent.

3. Daniele Papuli: This paper artist created these beautiful undulating forms with sheets of paper. I love the pattern it makes on the floor.

4. Otokoyama Sake bottles: I think the clean look of all three bottles is very reminiscent of a minimalist Japanese aesthetic, and I love the way the three bottles become clearer as the product becomes more refined. Not sure if this is an actual product or a project, but I'd buy them.

5. Niche Modern pendant: I have been anamored with the Niche Modern product line ever since I first saw them years ago. The wonderful thing about these pieces is that the combination of clean lines with a nod to old fixtures gives an effect that is timeless, and doesn't appear dated.

6. Under-dock ice photo: If have no idea whatsoever the source of this photo. Unfortunately Tumblr often makes it well-nigh impossible to source images. But I love this - stunning and bleak all at once.

I'd love to get some feedback here - wondering if you'd prefer the source links or just the Pinterest links so you can repin these items to your own boards. Thoughts?

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

I am thrilled to say that I will be putting together a sale on Fab in the middle of March. Of course, now I'm panicked, as I need to choose the items I will be selling, get a lot of stock together and be prepared when the sale rolls around. So I am in decision mode for a couple days, then will shift into production mode. Wish me luck!

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

1. Honey Jar + Stick by Chabatree: This is just gorgeous on its own. Always a fan of wood/glass combinations. My concern would be that adding honey might make it nasty around the opening.

2. TV wall vignette by Stylizimo: I love how the TV seems to become just another object in a collection instead of a focal point for the room. That oversize mirror really balances the look, and as usual, the black and white combo is quite stunning.

3. Yellow Oyster Mushrooms image by francealot: If you look at my Pinterest boards, you will see that I have an entire board dedicated to macro photography. Nature and the world up close are even more interesting than normal, and I love seeing it in each detail. Unfortunately, I am a terrible photographer. Luckily, my husband is superb.

4. Nambu Ironware Tape Dispenser: Who doesn't just love office supplies? And add to that minimalism and great materials, and it's a winner. I bet this iron dispenser won't move on you when you try to tear off a strip, either!

5. Hörst Dusseldorf branding by Lg2boutique: The new branding package for this high-end men's clothiers looks both upscale and hip. I love the addition of the seal to some of the pieces, hearkening back to days past.

6. Gold Brushed Ceramic Bowls by Canvas: The hidden gilt interior of these sweet-looking bowls is a lovely surprise. It adds such a sense of depth with all the reflections that occur in the gold finish. I would imagine that even filled, you would get a peek of the gold here and there.

Stop by next week for a new set of Pinterest Picks!

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

My papernstitch guest post is all about using bright color in your interior spaces, a far cry from the minimal white I looked at for the last installment. If you are interested in adding a shot of color to your neutral space or going all out and mixing a trio of vibrant tones, check out my picks and suggestions here.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »