Enter your Email


Powered by FeedBlitz
 

30.12.04

happy new year

gmail

no more time to blog today, ac and i must get ready for very important new year's eve party at avalon, hosted by none other than ms. jenna jameson. that's right, jenna jameson. jealous, aren't ya? hope you all have a wonderful new years and i'll see you in 2005.

xoxo,

design*sponge

trivet is a funny word

gmail-1

w2 is jackie whitbread and victoria wilkinson. they make nice rubbery things for your home and office. so, um, that's all i have to say about that. i need to get ready for my jenna jameson party tomorrow. no more time to blog. click here to see the full w2 collection.

Labels:

28.12.04

texture fest 04'

p_cus2_bloom

anne kyyro quinn wants to wake you up. with her designs, that is. full of color and insanely cool textures, ms. kyyro quinn's textile collection is a wake up call of the pillow kind. so, take a look and enjoy- this london-based, finnish born designer is fabulous.

p_cus_9circle
ROUND UP [circle pillow*anne kyyro quinn]

p_wal_hoop
HOOPS [hoop wall panel*anne kyyro quinn]

p_cus_loopred
LOOPY [loop pillows*anne kyyro quinn]

p_cus2_flower
BLOOM [flower pillow*anne kyyro quinn]

Labels: ,

27.12.04


ROUND IS IN [orb binary light*niche nyc] i love niche nyc's lighting. it all looks very scientific to me, in a good way- like they should be in a lab, surrounded by people in white coats. but, they would still look totally cool in your house.

editor's note: whoops! my bad- i didn't see land+living's post on niche. click here for more niche coverage

Labels:

calm, cool and collected: ochre home


maybe it's because i'm a gemini, but my inner interior decorator is constantly flipping back and forth between colorful contemporary and super feminine victorian chic. in an attempt to satisfy the latter, i cruised on by ochre home today and left feeling as though my inner girly girl was happy, very very happy. take a look for yourself. it's a lovely haven for things like velvet loveseats in tones of lilac and mauve. mmmmm.


DIVINE [deeply divine recline sofa*ochre] don't you just want to collapse into this couch wearing a satin dress and diamonds? well, some of us do.


GIRLY SEATING [divine recline long banquette*ochre] mmmm...girly girly.


PURDY GIRL LIGHTS [cherub lamp*ochre] and it's purple too! gush.

Labels:

reunited and it feels so good.....


ahhh, it feels so good to be back at the computer (is that pathetic or just a sign i love my blog?)- this christmas was a wonderful one and i hope all of you had a wonderful holiday with friends and family. this christmas brought me all sorts of goodies, from gorgeous books and homewares (yay!) to fun toys like polaroid cameras. i hope all of you found what you wanted under the tree this year.

in other news, i was surprised to find some really cute kitchen stuff in the paper back home. really goes well with that crazy retro fridge i posted last week.....

so glad to be back,

design*sponge


SPOTTY [polka dot frying pan*bialetti] who knew i'd find such contemporary cuteness back home? way to go virginian pilot!

Labels:

22.12.04

thank you thank you thank you: design*sponge reflects on a great year


with the year coming to an end and christmas nearly upon us, i wanted to round up some of my favorite members of the design community to give thanks and share well wishes for everyone that supports us and makes this vibrant, passionate community possible. i know that for me, being a part of this amazing and highly unique design world has made my year a happier and more fulfilled one. so, in the interest of giving back to those who have given so much to me, i wanted to share a few things with everyone out there in design blog world, and then give some of my peers a chance to do the same thing. think of it as a big ol' design*sponge thank you meets holiday extravaganza.

this christmas i'm sending my best to everyone out there and wishing you all a safe, happy holiday and a prosperous new year. so, thank you reluct. thank you treehugger. thank you mocoloco, josh rubin, apartment therapy, land+living, the future perfect, id fuel, core77 and curbed. thank you for being a part of my world and opening yours to my little site. design*sponge is so happy to know you all.

so, to wrap up my section of the post, i've asked our peers to answer a few simple questions: what to you hope to find waiting for you under the xmas tree? what will you be giving to people this year? and lastly, what do you hope the new year holds? so, enjoy as they share their thoughts with you this holiday season.

joyeux noël (and see you on monday), design*sponge

+++ what do you hope the new year holds? +++

ryan from elswares:: i hope the new year holds a revolution in the cottage industry, designers/builders and short-distance manufacturing.

drew sanocki from edgemodern:: i hope the new year sees a continued growth in design-consciousness among the general public here in the US. we are finally catching up to the rest of the world as far as design goes, and i hope the trend continues.

meaghan from treehugger:: what i'd really like to see in the year ahead is a continuation of the trend toward eco-conscious design, resulting in a cleaner ocean, less melt, and an overall increase in the general health of the biosphere.

rena tom:: i hope the new year brings continued interest and support for independent designers, an appreciation of the handcrafted nature of much of our work, and enough money to keep it all rolling along

james murphy:: i hope this year brings everyone in the design community peace and prosperity. i'd also like to see young american designers really begin to take the world by storm.

alex of redstr/collective:: i hope that we just keep challenging ourselves, our industry, and the average consumer. even though of half this country voted for bush the other half still exists and is looking to expand their minds and tastes. hopefully design can help to get people thinking on a more positive and constructive level.

design*sponge:: i hope the new year holds a million exciting surprises for the design blog community, continued respect and recognition and unimaginable success for all of the amazing independent artists out there, struggling to get their work known.

+++ what do you hope is waiting for you under the tree and what what will you be giving to others? +++

ryan from elswares:: for me, one of these. for everyone else, if i could swing it, you'd all be naked and semi-submerged in one of these things.


MMM MMM GOOD [m-house*m-house] an m-house for ryan, please.


RUBADUBDUB [dutchtub*dutchtub] ryan wants us naked. and wet.

drew sanocki from edgemodern:: i hope a state of the art ecommerce platform is waiting for me under the tree, because I'm tired of building my own. and i hope to get some matteo bedding, too. for everyone else? vessel candelas, because they are fun and useful.


XMAS LIGHTS [candela*vessel] a candela for drew and crew...

meaghan from treehugger:: mostly what i'm hoping to get—a giro snowboarding helmet and a lendal sea-kayaking paddle —aren't what most folk in this design community would think of as high-end contemporary design. but in their genres they're top of the line—cutting-edge ingredients in the recipe for having a good time. other essentials? oceans and snow, of course—preferably clean. what i'm giving this year? aside from looolo pillows, mushroom logs, and xm radios, is a promise to do my part for the environment. partly, that means continuing to contribute to treehugger, but mostly it's a commitment to continue educating myself and making changes where i can.


LOCO FOR LOOOLO [pillow*looolo] for meaghan and co.

rena tom:: i'd most like for some new stores to carry my jewelry, to see my husband more (he's in architecture grad school), for the dog to enjoy her first snowfall, and oh yeah, a paragon kiln. for everyone else? i would like to give people more attention, i've been very neglectful. also encouragement in all their endeavors, and some knitting needles. everyone needs to know how to knit!


BUY ME! [oahu bracelet*rena tom] what everyone should be buying! support local artists!

james murphy:: i'd like to give everyone something handmade this year. small dovetailed boxes with riverstones inside, or funky turned wooden candlesticks or something contemporary with gold leaf. i'd like to see a vintage upright piano in black or a bass guitar under my tree.


GOLDY [anniversary table*eameses] for james murphy's friends...something cool and gold leafed

alex of redstr/collective:: for me: a new ipod, the latest droog design book, a carton of american spirit blues, new metroid prime, and aqua teen hunger force dvds. for others? a full set of godfathers of hip hop ornaments, because you can never have too much ghetto up in your crib, idoru by williiam gibson, and learning from las vegas (one of the best books for anyone to read.


AND YOU DON'T STOP... [godfathers of hip hop ornaments*redstr/collective] what alex will be giving....

design*sponge:: all i want to find under my christmas tree is my family, my pets and my wonderful a.c. i feel so lucky in my life right now that i think i'm set. for everyone else? things that remind people how loved they are...i'm a sucker for handmade gifts.

21.12.04


DAAAMN [eindhoven graduate show*yowza] geez this show looks like it was effing AMAZING. really. phenomenal. this is why i love student art so much. soo much raw creativity it makes me super depressed that i wasn't there. reluct has great coverage here. (picture from their site). ugh. why don't i live in eindhoven???

Labels:

for those who collect objects: object collection


object collection is a great new online collection of, well, objects. objects for the home, that is. they have a great selection of ceramic servingware that is a perfect last minute gift idea. stop on by objectcollection.com to check it out for yourself, of see the design*sponge favorites below...


COOL SERVINGWARE [nodo fruit bowl*object collection]


STACK IT [stack spice unit*object collection]


M.O. [modus salt and pepper shakers*object collection]


POLY BOWL [polyedre*object collection]

Labels:

20.12.04

computers and clay: when digital meets ceramic.....


it's rare that i come across a designer that makes me step back and say "wow. that shit is cool." in the current design climate it's not often that you find a designer doing something different, something creative, and above all, something original. so, you can imagine my delight when i was contacted by chicago-based artist scott rench, a pioneer in the world of digital ceramics. before you say, digital ceramics? whatchu talkin bout! let me explain...

scott's work consists of computer generated images that are printed with a ceramic glaze onto a large canvas of clay. after he creates and collects images, scott scans them into the computer and manipulates them to fit the concept. the new image is output onto transparent film that acts as a stencil for transferring the image to a silk-screen. glaze is then used (instead of ink) to print the image on to a slab of clay. once completely dry the slabs are fired. that's a mouthful, but the result is ridiculously cool. you can see a great step by step demonstration of the techinical stuff here.

a ceramist for ten years, scott also teaches seminars, workshops and was most recently in hungary creating work for the international ceramics museum. his work is amazingly creative and innovative- the digital transfer process allows for some really cool patterns to be placed on some really interesting places- like sinks. but enough of me talkin, check out the work for yourself below, or visit scott's site here. enjoy!


CLICK HERE [every1 wants it*scott rench]


SING IT [i sing cup*scott rench]


COMPU-BIRDIES [i sing platter*scott rench]


MOUSEY [arrow cup*scott rench]


DOWN THE DRAIN [every1 wants sink*scott rench] the coolest shit ever. ever.

Labels:

design*sponge coughs....

today's posts will be a bit late, or perhaps delayed until tomorrow morning. sorry. i'm a bit under the weather so, i should rest up and prepare for the last week of pre-holiday blogging madness. coming up this week: a profile on an amazing chicago based artist making waves in the field of ceramic and print, a feature on a great new online design company bringing you the best in ultra-mod home goodies and last, but certainly not least- my favorite post i've done so far- a design*sponge holiday spectacular...you'll just have to wait until wednesday to see it. be sure you don't miss it- the entire design community will be there- trust me. wink wink. see you guys soon...

cough cough,

design*sponge

17.12.04


LOOK WHO'S 10! [tree trunk bench*jurgen bey] droog celebrates the big 1-0 today! congratulations you guys on producing the most phenomenally creative collection of design anywhere. keep up the good work!

for more details on the history of droog, check out treehugger's piece today.

Labels:


FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS [wall light*yosuke watanabe] more from the realm of cool brit designers- yosuke watanabe's wall light blends into the wall when in the off position, but pull the cord and a beautiful sconce pattern appears. love it.

Labels:

16.12.04

design*sponge salutes: thorsten van elten


well folks, i've met my match. i've found my design soulmate and he's only a few thousand miles way. his name is thorsten van elten and i'm smitten. thorsten set up tve in 2002 in order to quote, "work with people i like on products i love". man, this guy has my dream job. when i set out to start this blog, my only goal was to share the things i loved with people who i thought might like them too. i think people who work hard and make interesting, creative things deserve attention and if i'm in a position to help in any way, then gosh darn it, i will. i love that thorsten is doing exactly what i set out to do, and helping scores of talented designers along the way. d*s salutes you thorsten- keep up the wonderful work!

i love thorsten because he does what i wish i could do- he represents great people who make great products. his all-star line up includes: electricwig (love them!), details, czechmania, trico and interior tools. but really, you can't go wrong, the man has impeccable taste. i've chosen a sampling below of my favorite things. but if you must know, the pidgeon light by ed carpenter (see above) is my favorite.

(for apartment therapy's bit on thorsten click here).


MESSY MESSY [stamp cups*caleria miglioli and barnaby barford] i love the name barnaby. and the fact that they turned a mistake into art.


OUCH OUCH [hot mug*electricwig] great way to ease the pain of a hot mug. you can switch back and forth!


KNIT WIT [crochet lampshade*electricwig]


TUBEY [tube candleholder*olgoj chorchoj] czechmania!


FILIGREE ME [filigrane vase*daniel pirsc]


TICK TOCK [koekoek clock*chris koens]

Labels: ,


CHANNELING CHANEL [couture*philippe starck for xo france] i love these i love these. i usually hate uncomfortable plastic chairs, and these aren't brand spankin new but, who cares, i like em. for more pics, check out designboom's coverage of xo at the milan furniture fair 2004.

Labels:

15.12.04


ZIPPY [speed flowers storage*carlo columbo for zanotta] i found this on the limn san francisco website and love love love it. if i had a sleek euro looking office like this i'd scoop one up. it looks great with a really modern, black and white office. love it! click here for limn and here for zanotta.

Labels:

14.12.04

atypyk-ical tuesday


thank you apartment for always having great things to look through at your online store. while browsing for cute xmas gifts, i found some cute stuff by french design house atypyk(which is ivan duval and jean sebastien ides) and decided to investigate...

these guys make some really interesting stuff. they're in the vein of designers like philippe starck and frank tjepkema who know how to infuse whimsy into their work. with products like scratchable postcards, confetti made of real money and "lucky you" four leaf clover stickers, these guys are on the fanciful side of design- and i love it. click here for more info on atypyk and see below for some product shots.


INSANELY DECADENT [100 dollars of confettis*atypyk] yeah, it's crazy. but you know what, someone might do it.


LUCKY DUCK [lucky you stickers and magnets*atypyk]


BELLE [tu es plus belle sticker*atypyk] to put on your love's mirror. so romantic. so french.


ROUND OF APPLAUSE [bravo flip book*atypyk] ha. give yourself a hand.


GOOD AND EVIL [before and after magnets*atypyk] cute. also available at theapt.com

Labels:

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 2.5 License.