{ super kingdom by london fieldworks }

Based on animal hibernation patterns in England's
King’s Wood Forest, Super Kingdom by London Fieldworks is an installation of "show homes" for native animals. These luxury homes are modelled on the imperious palaces of Stalin, Ceauscescu and Mussolini and offer nesting and over-winter sites to native and migrant species.

via designboom and Stour Valley Arts

{ cristiana couceiro }

Incredible illustrations by Cristiana Couceiro.

via I Love Typography

{ pinch }

I stumbled upon the work of this husband and wife design team in Google image search today. The TWIG wall panel came up under a search for "exhibit banner displays" - I am baffled as to why, but how lucky for me!

London-based PINCH designs furniture for leading manufacturers as well as distributing their own designs. Their overall aesthetic is simple and elegant, balancing traditional and contemporary lines and materials.

{ maria by luca nichetto }

Maria is an interlocking decorative element in the form of a faceted leaf, designed by Luca Nichetto for Casamania. Casamania also offers an “additivated” version which changes color depending on temperature, so stick ‘em outside and watch the seasons change. I would love this product to use as a room divider, or perhaps in lieu of window treatments...

If you find a distributor in the states, let me know!

via Yanko Design

{ loyal loot log bowls }

Loyal Loot is an all-female collective based out of Edmonton, Alberta in Canada. Their beautiful work has been exhibited internationally. I orignally posted this with focus on their Log Bowls, made from locally reclaimed trees, but after exploring their website I couldn't neglect their other wonderful work!

Above: Log Bowls, Monsieur Dressup and Prarie House (this one has a tiny house beneath the flower blossom!)

via Sub-Studio Design Blog

{ vitra eames elephant }

To celebrate the 100th birthday of Charles Eames in 2007, Vitra introduced a limited edition of the the 1945 Eames Plywood Elephant.

Due to its success, they have now released a Vitra Eames Elephant, a fantastic polypropylene edition in 5 striking colours - dark lime, ice grey, light pink, classic red and white.

I want an elephant herd in my house!

via swissmiss

{ pikaland }

Today I found a new love - Pikaland! This site is a fabulous resource for discovering illustrators, finding great online artists' shops and visual inspiration for projects. If only I knew about this blog sooner!

via Creature Comforts

{ log pillows }

AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH! LOG PILLOWS!

Log Pillow by Sally England Design, $65
Birch Screen Printed Wool Log Pillow by myimaginaryboyfriend, $40
Log Pillow by CustomhouseLinen, $45
Woodgrain Log Pillow by Norwegian Wood, $39
Tree Stump Floor Pillow by bebmoon, $75

via Apartment Therapy

{ public bath by natsko }

Beautifully crafted illustration, Public Bath by Natsko

via 2modern

{ gustafson porter at the venice biennale }

Weeeeeee!

This outdoor design is by Gustafson Porter, landscape architect and designer of London's Diana Memorial water feature in Hyde Park.

Apartment Therapy

{ get felt up on supermarket }

I received an email from Supermarket about getting felt up, and I had to spread the love! Some of my top felt choices from the site, starting clockwise, from upper left:

Pillow Set by Etcetera Media
Felt Clock by Cake
Ridge Pack by SWIGG
Book Box by Etcetera Media

{ noah owl toy box by mod mom }

Cute hoot!

Made of eco-friendly birch plywood, hand drawn and cut veneer cut-outs, low-voc paint and water-based polyurethane. Measures 17" W x 18" D x 15.5" H.

Available here at Design Public for $475.

{ andrea williams pendant }

I really don't care for jewelry, but I find the design of Andrea Williams' Kyuma Pendant (Flat Stone) both simple and alluring. Using a magnetic clasp, the stone can be closed in either an aligned (round) or misaligned (asymmetric) position. Wonderful!

via bioephemera

{ loveleesoaps }

Yummy soaps from LoveLeeSoaps on Etsy.

via Apartment Therapy

{ 100 chairs by martino gamper }

Martino Gamper created a project called 100 Chairs in 100 Days and its 100 Ways in which he made new chairs from parts of discarded and donated chairs. By deconstructing the chair he gains a new insight into its construction and use of materials which informs the creation of the new design.

His creative designs go hand in hand with his great craftsmanship - his book would have been a great reference tool during school! Purchase the book with an image of each chair here.

via Apartment Therapy

{ flɐt: housewares & home decor }

Flɐt was stumbled upon by Apartment Therapy during a trip to Europe. Located in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The vast majority of their inventory comes from the Italian housewares brand Seletti — who have a knack for making useful, everyday objects like recycling bins, food storage containers and even exercise equipment. I really like the eclecticism of the store's interior!

via Apartment Therapy

{ gdiapers }

The gDiaper looks like a step in the right direction, fashionably and sustainably-speaking. Since disposable diapers are the third largest consumer item in landfills and make up about 4% of all solid waste, something had to be done in order to marry the sustainability of cloth diapers and the convenience of disposable ones.

The gDiaper consists of three "layers": washable outer cotton layer called the little G pant, a washable waterproof inner layer, and a flushable poop and peep absorbing insert (which sort of works like an old school maxi pad). When you change your baby’s diaper, you simply remove the flushable insert, toss it in your toilet, and replace it with a new insert.

Check out Inhabitots great in-depth review here for more information.

via Inhabitat

{ tea forté packaging }

Direct from an employee of Tea Forté:

"Tea Forté’s packaging plays into the brand identify and, most importantly, the product experience. The pyramid infusers, adapted from the Chinese tea tradition, are design-forward, but also allow the whole leaf teas room to unfurl as they steep a delicious cup of tea. These infusers are, in fact, recyclable."

Hopefully, this product is as delightful in flavour as it is in its packaging design! I am especially fond of the small leaf adorning the top of the tea bag creates a bridge between nature and the end product, and also serves as your string for removing the tea infuser.

via The Dieline

{ derek's portland apartment }

Hey, Justin!


A shameless callout to my boyfriend - lookit this incredible apartment! This is probably the closest any home has gotten to my (current) ideal design for my future apartment/house, as I still live with the 'rents.

I swoon over the whole rustic-modern style. The color palette is minimal - whites and grays - allowing the beauty of the natural materials to pop. The faux forest in the bathroom is just perfect. What a nice retreat!

Derek had the privilege of being a finalist for the northwest section of the "AT: Fall Colors Contest.", but I think he should have won, obviously.

via Apartment Therapy

{ the selby }

If you're like me, you find great enjoyment in the habits and habitats of others, from a glimpse through a window whilst driving home at night to house tours in blogs and magazines.

The Selby is a website of photography by Todd Selby that documents the interiors of homes and studios of artists, designers and other creative minds. A great resource for design (or lackthereof), from simple and down-to-earth interiors to ultra-modern and totally quirky!

via the style files

{ photography by trine thorsen }

I absolutely love the blend of rustic cottage and modern design in this home, photographed by Trine Thorsen! The white-on-white palette accentuates the richness of the various woods used in the home.

via the style files

{ printing by hand }

After being out of school for a little over a year, I've been getting a sort of "fine arts cabin fever." In school, there was always an elective - painting, printmaking, enameling - that served as the calm in my hectic interior and product design schedule. Recently, I've been craving any sort of silkscreen-related project, but I do not have the guidance of professor or the ready materials of a department.

Thus, I came across this book, Printing by Hand: A Modern Guide to Printing with Handmade Stamps, Stencils, and Silk Screens. The images are beautiful and the projects are relatable - these aren't your grandma's crafts!

Available at HNA and at Amazon.

{ pantone spring colour trends 2009 }

Blech.
An Easter bunny threw up (most) the new spring colour palette, apparently.

{ midwest plushform show }

Shoparooni, one of my favourite shops, and Carol & John's Comics, are the proud hosts of the first annual Midwest Plushform Show!

This is a benefit for Toys For Tots - 50% of all proceeds will be used to purchase Pocket Ninjas to donate to Toys For Tots! This show is open to everyone - aka. internationally - and as an incentive to get you to participate they are offering any artists a $5 discount on their Plushforms!

The show is from November 7th - 29th, with its opening Friday at Shoparooni from 8p -11p and Saturday at Carol & John's Comics from 9p -11p.

Get all the details at the Midwest Plushform Show website, and please participate - for the kids!

{ joints by nathan wierink }

This desk, designed by Nathan Wierink, has intricate - yet playful - decorative joinery created with a CNC router. Wood joinery was once simple in design because it was made by hand and meant to be entirely functional. With modern technology, joinery is now able to harmonize function and form.

Take that, dovetail joint!

via 2modern

{ home decor by nobuhiro sato }

After seeing this post over at Apartment Therapy, I had to explore more of Nobuhiro Sato's work. Utilizing his expertise in cement modeling, he created a whole line of unique products that incorporate architectural details into his products.

Above, clockwise from the top left: Cement Cube Planter, Cottage Incense Pot, Mansion Planter and Pipe Planter.

Purchase his products at MollaSpace and Generate

{ '09 calendars from sampson may }

Totally sweet poster-sized (A1), hand-screened calendars! For purchase here at justgonesix.

via Apartment Therapy

{ secondlineframes }

"Second Line Frames are built from authentic wood siding salvaged from homes destroyed during Hurricane Katrina. It’s our way of preserving a little part of the beloved memory of old New Orleans while helping to rebuild it toward a better tomorrow. A portion of each sale goes to assist in the rehabilitation of affected neighborhoods."

For purchase at their Etsy store, ranging from $45 to $125.

via Apartment Therapy

{ tea cups by claire coles }

Porcelain tea cups by Claire Coles Design. Wow!

via sub-studio design blog

{ askul branding by stockholm design }

In Japan, batteries are categorized by numbers 1 - 4. The packaging has been color coded to further identify each category.



The "6" notebook represents the mm spacing of the papers' lines, and the drip outline beautifully symbolizes the liquid glue.
Askul is one of Japan's fastest growing companies. Stockholm Design was involved in creating a comprehensive design program for them that covered corporate identity, product development and design, and packaging solutions. Their packaging concept was to remove all unnecessary information.

via The Dieline

{ event desserts by amy atlas }

Amy Atlas is the creator of these stylish and delectable desserts, great for weddings, birthdays, company parties and other events. She recently left the law field in order to pursue her event planning company - and after looking at these images, all I can say is thank goodness!

I am immediately drawn to her monochromatic layouts. Très chic!

via Style Me Pretty

{ sartoria vico collection }

Sartoria Vico has an incredible collection of wool apparel that could not have come at a better (seasonal) time! Most of their scarves, hats and even sweaters transform into various clothing arrangements, the forms of which I find sophisticated and captivating. I loved this line instantly, and I can actually justify the $100+ price tags on my meager budget.

Also, I love the illustrations - and that model's hair!

via swissmiss

{ lauren saunders collections }

The Design Series and Canyon Collections by California-based Lauren Saunders strike me as a "mod" interpretation of natural landscapes, from rolling meadows to icy mountainsides. I am very in tune with their business ethics, which aside from the aesthetics is yet another reason to invest in their products:

"As US manufacturing and now some service industry moves overseas, we see the need and opportunity to create products that are more personal. Small scale production in studio creates opportunity to offer some customization of design and color as well as employment for other artisans."

via 2modern

{ albero cuckoo clock }

Cute.

The albero modern cuckoo clock is made of wenge painted wood with a tree design in orange or white colour. Available for $350 from Momentoitalia.

via designmilk

{ mark tuckey }

The design and craftsmanship in the work of Australia-based Mark Tuckey takes my breath away. From traditional to modern (the latter mostly being shown here), their handmade products are made of new and recycled (predominantly Australian) timber in an 8,500 sq ft workshop employed with only ten people!

via Apartment Therapy

{ banksy in new orleans }

Banksy went to New Orleans recently to "battle with the Gray Ghost, a notorious vigilante who's been systematically painting over any graffiti he can find with the same shade of gray paint since 1997. Consequently, he's done more damage to the culture of the city than any section five hurricane could ever hope to achieve."

via sub-studio design blog

{ project runway, e08 }

Apparently, this past week's episode of Project Runway was a pretty big deal as Diane Von Furstenberg was both the guest judge and her fall collection was the design challenge. I am not ashamed to admit ignorance to icons of the fashion industry! However, I love her American Express commercial...

My top picks: Korto's bohemian dress, left, and Leanne's winning dress, right (unforuntately, this view does not highlight the cascading fabric on the back of the dress).

via BravoTV

{ pablo reinoso }

"Untitled" (Spaghetti Bench), 2006 and "Thonet Chairs" 2005

The sculptural furniture pieces above are from the beautiful mind of Paris-based artist and designer Pablo Reinoso. His talent ranges from consumer products to conceptual art installations. He explores both the hand-sculpted and the mass-produced, using materials like plastic, wood and metal.

See more of his work at his website and at Piece Unique Gallery.

via intramuros

{ letterpress delicacies }

Oh so cute portrait letterpress flat cards by Letterpress Delicacies on Etsy!

via sub-studio design blog

{ 'mystery of iceland' by tim gasperak }

These vivid photographs are from the "Mystery of Iceland" series by San Francisco-based photographer Tim Gasperak. Although he specializes in photographing people in environments, portraits, and landscapes for advertising and editorial, he admits:

"There's nothing I love more than engaging with the world on a visceral level – I need to touch rock, skim through water, feel the crisp air tweak my nose on a cold morning out in the big empty. A sense of place is as essential to me as food; it is sustenance and nourishment."

via designboom

{ buck by rachel denny }

Check out this incredible buck made from blue cabled wool! It is one of a kind and $700 at the Vitamin D(esign) Shop. Custom does or bucks are available in a variety of colors and knit textures!

via design milk

{ mossenger project }

Anna Garforth's 'Mossenger' project will use moss to create type for the verse of a poem written by poet Elly Stevens as part of YCN LIVE.

via swissmiss

{ kathryn parker almanas }

Glassware, 2007 from Medical Interior series



Blueberry Danish, 2006 from Pastry Anatomy series

Kathryn Parker Almanas has a style of photography that I find both unsettling and beautiful. A graduate with an MFA in photography from Yale University, her recent series, Medical Interior was the focus of an article in Metropolis magazine. The intent of the series is to consider medicine as an entity that is both conforting and threatening.

via Metropolis magazine

{ paola navone's greek island getaway }

Paola Navone's tranquil home is located perched over the Aegean in the Cyclades. The interior boasts an eclectic mix of imported Italian objects as well as flea market finds. The palette is soft and underwhelming, giving the spotlight to the incredible view outside.

View more images here via Marie Claire!

via Apartment Therapy

{ metal grilles by milgo bufkin }

Brooklyn-based MILGO/BUFKIN understands that even the smallest components of a home demand respect. Their architectural metal grilles exemplify their attention to detail that transform a home into a unique piece of architecture - literally down to the air duct register!

via sub-studio

{ firefly tonics and waters }

The packaging design for Firefly's juice and water products strikes me as simple and refreshing. The bright, bold labeling on their juice bottles creates a pleasant backdrop for both the flavour of the drink and the black and white photography on its label. Their bottled water graphics imply a delightful flavour awaits, sourced directly from nature.

The use of photographs reminds me of Jones Soda's labels. In fact, both companies allow for consumer-submitted photography, however Firefly appears to use images relevant to the "motto" of the juice (eg. detox, relax).

via The Dieline

{ alan, the gallant }

Formerly Ittestudio, Alan, The Gallant is a pattern studio based in Barcelona. Alan develops illustration, graphic design and branding on top of their stunning Pattern Tales that "can be applied to anything and everything you could think of, from wallpaper, furniture, textiles, clothing, tiles, note books, kitchen appliances to the most unimaginable plain objects that can come alive once a pattern touches it."

via Design*Sponge

{ current wants + future purchases }

Lately I've been selling random personal belongings online in an attempt to minimize the amount of stuff that I own. However, since I have made hundreds of dollars doing this, the situation has backfired - look at all the stuff I want now!



"Where Earth Meets Sky" by Ashley Goldberg, $64
Stockholm Bag by Et Cetera Media, $160
Smoke House Incense Burner, $36 each
Campfire Votive, $15 each



Areaware Fauna Pillows (Various), $24-$84 each
Roost Polished Antler Candlesticks, $108 set

{ project runway, e07 }

This project hit close to home, since transportation design is a huge deal at my school - well, within the industrial design department anyway. The designer challenge was to create a look from car components, specifically from a Saturn Vue. Above are my favourites: Leanne's winning number (the fringe is made of seatbelts!), left, and Terri's urban style, right.

via BravoTV

{ kim westad ceramics }

More fabulous ceramics today - this time from the main page of Supermarket! Introducing the work of Kim Westad, a full-time ceramic artist working out of her Bronx, New York studio. Each piece is made one at a time from hand-thrown porcelain.

{ lilach lotan lighting }

Sconces, votives and ceiling fixtures by Vancouver Island-based - via Israel - designer Lilach Lotan. I am attracted to the warmth in the purity of the clay's colour - not to mention the nature-inspired organic forms. Available for purchase here.

via Apartment Therapy

{ bound.to notebooks and journals }

Using mostly handmade papers and other high quality materials, Bound.To creates lovely handbound journals with patterns ranging from Victorian-esque to contemporary. See more at their Etsy store

via... somebody - I forgot where I found this!

{ lolley land owls }

Check out these hooters.

Designed by Kathleen Lolley, these adorable hoots are just one of many critters that are a continuous theme in her work. Check out more at the Lolley Land Etsy store.

via decor8

{ gigantic method soap bottle refills }

Two weeks ago I went to Costco to find this delightful surprise: a gigantic method soap refills! At $7, I had to snatch one up immediately. As a size reference, my Justin snapped this photo of the bottle next to my legs. Then I forgot to post my findings, but Apartment Therapy reminded me with their post from last week!

On the back, it cleverly states: Use to refill method 12 oz. hand wash, and when the bottle is empty (and thoroughly washed out), it's great as: a canteen, a vase, a piggy bank.

{ barn wood decor by paradisehilldesigns }

I spotted this Etsy seller over at the style files today and instantly swooned. Created by ParadiseHillDesigns, these products are made from aged reclaimed pine in most of their pieces, as well as local birch, poplar and cedar and maple wood, from old buildings, barns and fences.

via the style files and ParadiseHillDesigns @ Etsy

{ the visual assistance card }

The Visual Assistance Card
Designed by Kyle Lechtenberg

This product is designed to give the visually impaired the privacy they deserve whilst using card readers at retail checkout counters. This card overlays the existing card reader and provides the appropriate information to the user, thus preventing shared personal information, such as a PIN number, to be exchanged from the customer to the employee.

I would imagine that this is a product carried by the retail store, since card readers are not universal. Unfortunately, this concept draws attention to the disappointing flaw that many products have: their failure in accommodating a broad range of human percentiles and handicaps.

via Yanko Design