jon forsythe

i held off on entering jon in the diy contest- i thought he would be a bit of a ringer, in the sense that he's already an architect and clearly has an eye for design in a professional sense. that said, it doesn't make his work any less amazing. i love jon's work the way i love calvin klein's work from the early 90's- it's minimalist, stylish, sleek and modern. you can't go wrong with any of those adjectives, so clearly you can't go wrong with jon's work. he's just now expanding the firm to cover design in a non-architecture sense so there's no website yet. but you can contact jon here for more info. keep up the great work, jon. can't wait to see where it all goes.

ps: i have to go through a battery of icky medical tests today so i'm out of the office. i'll be back posting tomorrow. have a wonderful day and thank you again to all those who entered the diy contest!

the small object

sara from the small object makes the cutest stuff that i couldn't bear to leave out. i'm in love with her cute cards that apologize for being a "stinker". oh, and that great yellow ribbon heart pillow. too cute. sara has a whole little cottage industry going so check her out and support a wonderful indie artist. hooray for craftsters!

poster boy

i've had these sittin in my "to post" folder forever- no idea why i waited until now. whoops.

i've always been into rock posters so these were no exception. aesthetic apparatus designs posters for a whole slew of artists- i especially love these from rjd2 and christian marclay shows. very cool. check out more aesthetic apparatus work here. enjoy...

WINNERS!

well, the results are in, the votes have been tallied and your d*s diy contest winners are posted below. i can't stress how much i enjoyed this competition- i want to thank all of you who participated, from the very bottom of my heart. you overwhelmingly confirmed my suspicions that there was a well of untapped talent out there. so, my hat is off to all of you- it is because of people like you that i do this- i love to share all of the wonderful talent that's out there, so without further ado, here are your winners according to category.

FURNITURE!

my first love, the category nearest and dearest to my heart, furniture was the part of the contest i was most excited about- and i was far from dissapointed. you guys turned out in droves and i was so thrilled to see such enthusiastic and creative responses. so, here are your winners. enjoy...

FIRST PLACE [cardboard chair by nick tretiak] this chair was a clear favorite for me for one simple reason: this chair represents to me, the essence of design: a problem solving process that creates something that is both functional and beautiful. nick, an id student at rit, was short on cash but long on supply scraps, so he created something that combined function and form beautifully. i even love the way the graphic of the brand logo works with the design. this is design at in its most basic form and i wanted to celebrate it. so, congrats nick, great work.

2ND PLACE [shelves anna nicholson]anna's shelves are something i wish i could just whip up if i had the time. gorgeous, simple and functional, these shelves are the sort of thing i'm surprised hasn't already been picked up by a manufacturer. great work, anna. keep it up!

3RD PLACE [skifta mobller by peter hanchak] third place goes to brooklynite, peter hanchak (who i just realized i went on a blind date with before the days of ac. small world). his collection incorporates a subtly interactive material in each piece. ex: the chair features a thermochromic heat sensitive surface that creates a series of "memories" showing where the user sat and how they moved about on the chair. cool stuff, only reason it was third is because im kinda tired of bent ply. sorry. great stuff, peter.

HONORABLE MENTION(S) [smor chair by ilana and wooden bench by nick tretiak] i love both of these for their whimsy and creativity. definitely worth the honorable mention...

PRODUCT

this was a tough category for me bc i couldn't decide if some pieces should be in product or "other" so, sorry if it bugs anyone. i made these choices so i could showcase as many people as possible.

FIRST PLACE [pet products by mary] mary was turned in by her significant other and i'm so glad she was. i'm a sucker for pet-centric design so it's no surprise this was my favorite. i love what talented people can do with an idea and some spare time. these dog beds are great and the catnip toys are even cuter. way to go, mary!

2ND PLACE [key chains and record platters by jenn] while i've seen similar platters on the market already, i like the style of these much more. the others have sort of harsh edges. while both of these products are simple and straight forward i think that they represent diy design well- plus they reuse existing materials, which is always a bonus in my opinion. great job, jenn!

THIRD PLACE [external ipod charger by chris diclarico] i almost didn't put this one in because it's gotten so much attention already (next time please don't send me stuff that's been all over the internet already), but i had to admit it's cool.

JEWELRY!

i'll have to admit i was a bit underwhelmed in this category, but i found two entries that definitely stood out from the rest. check em out and enjoy...

FIRST PLACE [rose pins by llubav obando choy] llubav works for hable construction (love them!) and designs these adorable rose pins inspired by her nature peru. i think they're the perfect combination of dainty and elegant. you can contact llubav here.

SECOND PLACE [ear candy by manchester and hue] manchester and hue make the cutest earrings. founded by christie and brie, this company makes fantastic jewelry. but more interestingly, their turnons include chivalry and crosstown buses, while they're turnoffs are black socks. ick.

GRAPHIC/PAPER!

i created this category because the best entries were all paper products. so, hence, your graphic winners are as follows...

FIRST PLACE [cards by pancake and franks] i love these cards. enough said. the wood grain and the heart are fantastic.

SECOND PLACE [cards by saturate design] i know i know, i've talked about kate before, but i love her work. i don't exactly love the idea of animals as food, but you know, it's a cute design. there are plenty of others to choose from. great job, kate!

THIRD PLACE [pet cards from pixel and floyd] i love pixel and floyd. adorable handmade cards with a pet theme. too cute. i especially love that image of the dog jumping in the air.

OTHER!

this category is a mixed bag, some stuff might be a better fit for the product category, but it worked out that i could showcase more people this way. so, enjoy your other catgory winners!

FIRST PLACE [clocks by seth] i think these clocks are hysterical. they embody diy design. i'm especially fond of the little brown clock. too cute. makes you feel like design in within your reach (no pun intended) and anyone could make them. i love it. but didn't like the thinly veiled pickup attempt in seth's email. shame shame, seth.

SECOND PLACE [felt buddies by jessica] i love these. cute and a perfect fit for the "other" title. oh, and jessica likes noodles and cake. yum.

THIRD PLACE [porcelain chandelier by karen] karen is a swedish designer who's got a ton of talent. i love this porcelain disc chandelier, it's elegant and dangly and that's fantastic. what's also fantastic? karen is an american tv addict and she loves desperate housewives. lol. awesome. thanks, karen!

HONORABLE MENTION(S)[record boxed by walt and tool textile from enid] these guys deserve a nod for their hard work. i love walt's dedication to creating a home for his records out only record material (do you think that freaks the records out? to be housed in their own skin? eek) and enid's cool graphic tool pattern. two great designs that certainly earned their honorable mention. great job guys!

THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERED- I WAS SO HONORED THAT YOU ALL TOOK THE TIME TO ENTER. KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK! ALL MY LOVE AND ADMIRATION, D*S

lite brite neon to the rescue!

just when i think i'm about to die of a)boredom b)the winter doldrums and c)suffering from a crappy week, lite brite neon comes along to cheer me up with their bright new additions to the lighting world. not content to rest on their neon laurels (check their neon chandies from last year), matt dilling and co. have designed a new table light that evokes the baroque in such a modern, electric way. they're still in proto form but you can always contact matt here and get more info- they're always willing to build if there's a demand. you can find more info on lite brite neon here. enjoy!

editor's note: i have a scoop that lite brite neon is going to soon be the darling of the ny times style mag...i'll be sure to post the exclusive right before the pub date.

hooray for hive!

hiveminddesign is a brooklyn based design collective that i've been dying to post about for some time. their website was in constant construction and it's finally up with some pictures of their new work. hooray! these guys are amazingly talented and i was blown away when i saw them at last year's brooklyn designs show. sigh, i love brooklyn design.

hiveminddesign's furniture is beautiful in its simplicity and dedication to the highest level of quality. they work with beautiful materials and manage to find the best way to make each specific material shine within a piece. i'm rather partial to their initial hit- the honeycomb looking space dividing unit- but i'm also a new fan of their crux system- a walnut veneer storage system that, if i had the space, i would love to have. you can find more info on hiveminddesign here. have a wonderful weekend everyone!!

DON'T FORGET TO ENTER THE DIY CONTEST! TODAY'S THE LAST DAY FOR ENTRIES!! DETAILS HERE.

hit the floor

i'm in love with this floor tiling system. well, i'm assuming it's a floor tiling system. i'm waiting to hear back from vivid about it, as there's very little info on the website. i don't normally post things when i'm still waiting on info but, you guy know me, i'm horribly impatient and wanted to post it anyway- i'll update it as soon as i get the extra details. this floor installation was designed by dutch designer aad krol for vivid and i think it could certainly be produced in quantities large enough to cover a small room or heck- even a big room! you can see more of aad's work here and find more info on vivid here. i'll let you know when i get info on purchasing, etc etc.

elseware

elseware is a brooklyn based industrial design collective that makes one heck of a cool tiling system. if you're like me and positively loathe those weird suction cup things that you have to use to stick anything to a tile bathroom, you'll get why this is so great. janet villano designed a really cool tiling system called massa that is comprised of tiles that each have a different accesory built into them. you can have a built in bud vase, soap dish, hook, towel holder, toothbrush holder or sling shelf. it's a pretty cool idea. of course you'll need to be able to tile a section of your bathroom, but if you are- oohwee is this a cool idea. click here for more info on janet's massa system and here for more info on the goods from elseware.

that's one hot piece of glass

thanks to ryan kundrat for always introducing me to cool new design things. ryan pointed out that if i like john pomp, i'll probably like orbix hot glass. and well, ryan you were right. not only to i love the shapes they design, but i love the color range as well. with offerings in both opaque and transparent styles, orbix provides a fantastic line of glassware that is just dying to be purchased and placed in your home. (not to mention orbix is based in good old alabama- yay south!). click here for more info on orbix and to see their entire gorgeous collection. thanks, ryan!

pomp and glassblowing...

john pomp is a fantastic glass designer based in my home turf of williamsburg, brooklyn. he's no stranger to great press, so i'm sure some of you may have seen his work before. but i figured i'd mention him anyway, because i love his work. pomp was trained in venetian glass techniques and his skills shine through in each unique piece. i'm rather fond of the egg shapes vases (see below) he makes with beautiful color bands, but you really can't pick an ugly piece. pomp's work is ALL over the place but you can click here to find a retailer near you. click here for more info on john pomp and click here for info on john's glassblowing studio, one sixty glass. enjoy...

great goehl

i saw this piece at firstop last year and took a picture thinking, man, i need to talk about this on the site! and the somehow i forgot. whoops.

richard goehl is a williamsburg based risd grad who runs a small studio in my neighborhood. goehl's work strives to "bring out the beauty and elegance of wood" and i think he's done that pretty well. so far this is all i can grab in the way of pics, but you can contact richard here to get more info or pricing details.

re:bar

i love this "rebarred" table and chair set from nydesignroom. they were shown at firstop 2003 in williamsburg, but i guess i missed them. available in a limited quantity, rebarred is a beautiful example of how amazing rebars and cast resin can look together. i wish i could afford them. they would look so sick in my kitchen. ah, to dream. you can contact nydesignroom for more info and to see the rest of their collection. or, if you're in the 'burg, stop by their showroom at 339 bedford ave (take the L to bedford ave).

stick em' lights

wouldn't it be cool if you could just place your lights wherever you wanted on your wall like a sticker? well, now you can. dutch designer chris kabel designed these "sticky lights" for driade in 2003. i just found them and think that they serve an interesting purpose, although i'm not so keen on the bare bulb look. but the idea of sticky lights is fantastic. would love to see someone expand on this with more attractive lighting...let me know if you've seen some! click here for more info on chris kabel.

hooray for jay!

inspired by jay's win last night on project runway (hooooraay!) i decided to feature some gorgeous textiles by dutch designer claudy jognstra. she's also part of the vivid crew i mentioned yesterday. her work is breathtakingly beautiful and certainly deserves some recognition. click here for more info on claudy and the whole vivid crew.

editor's note: just got back from the doctor, will be posting more after i eat breakfast...it's been an icky morning.

esque! esque! esque!

do you ever have one of those days where everything just goes right? well, last wednesday i had one of those days. john from velocity art and design (fabulous seattle home store) emailed me with this scoop about their esque collection (sorry it took me so long to post it). it hit me like a bolt of lightning- i have been scouring the internet trying to find out who made these "sleeping" glass bird lights ever since i saw them at the future perfect party (my review of it here)....and here they are! they're by esque! hooray! some people might find them a bit morbid (they do kinda look like they're dead), but i can't get over how gorgeous the glass is. the texture looks like melting ice- i love it. anyway, esque also designs some beautiful glass homewares available through velocity. their line is unique, sensual and certainly worth checking out. click here for more info on the glass masters known as esque. enjoy...

bunny wall

i have a mild obsession with all things bunny related. something unbearably cute about it. although i don't have a single bunny item in my house. go figure. these animal "decals" (i think they can be used as rugs too) are from dutch designer ed annink- he's part of the vivid team and you can find more info on him here (it's in dutch but you can see pics of his work and you can email vivid for info in english).

mr. roboto

i found these guys through zach klein's blog and am utterly impressed with their work. founded by three college freshman (patrick, jesse and bill), stuffed robot is the perfect example of what can be done with the right combination of talent and initiative.

a while back when jesse gave bill one of these robots as a gift, they decided that the little guys were so cool that maybe they should make some more and see if they could sell them. after dabbling in web design, the three friends set up a retail site to launch their new robot line. and now they're making the rounds in the design world. i'm impressed not only by the uber cute designs, but the sheer fact that these guys proved that you can really start something great if you put your mind to it. if three talented kids from wake forest and rit can start a small design business, so can you. so, in the spirit of diy design (enter enter!)- here's to stuffed robot, and all of you just waiting to turn your hobbies and weekend projects into design success stories.

editor's note: damn damn damn! i'm too slow- i waited overnight to hear back from stuffed robot to fact check and gizmodo beat me to it! grrr...just kidding. just wanted to let you know that gizmodo posted on this too, you can see it here.

like a virgin

wonderful d*s reader, sally passed these gorgeous pillows from virgin threads on to me- and i love them. sally noticed my recent bird fetish and thought scottish designer clare nicolson's work would be up my alley. and boy is it. these pillows are fantastic. click here for more of clare's work. i'll have more info on virgin threads later today (after i work through the day job email crunch). enjoy...

i love wallpaper*

how great is this wallpaper magazine cover? i love it. just thought i'd share.

to beg or not to beg?

ugh this post was bumming me out so i decided to move it here so people can comment there if they want to keep going. i think you guys are right- talking about money and asking for it is depressing. i hate talking about money anyway. so yeah, enough of that. i like my site to be happy so...let the happiness continue without talk of money! hooray!

positively blissful...

i've always been a fan of blissen's work- they make adorable cards, books and journals with a unique design that's all their own. what's so wonderful about blissen is that each piece is handmade by the group's artists. i love the handcrafted feel behind each design and i think you will too. i'm rather partial to their "dango dango" cards that say things like, "too many dango made my face dango". i love it. click here for more info on blissen and to see their full line. enjoy...

SPEAKING OF HANDCRAFTED GOODS- DON'T FORGET TO ENTER THE DIY CONTEST!! DEADLINE IS THIS FRIDAY. SEE POST FOR DETAILS!

stuck on you

i love these magnets from the apartment. they're simple, chunky and cool. plus, i've been looking for a cool new way to display my polaroids of our cats...i really need to stop taking pictures of them...

jen corace

jen corace is an illustrator i discovered via one good bumblebee. her work is painfully cute and you really have to visit her site to see the work in full effect. you're greeted by bouncing gingerbread men, cupcakes and a giant snowman that houses her portfolio. if cute (but edgy) illustration is your thing, click here. i think ms. corace is phenomenally talented and i hope you do too. (be sure to catch her work for the portland mercury- it's great).

ahhh....long weekends

welcome back everyone, i hope all of you who were able to take monday off had a lovely long weekend. aaron and i were deliciously lazy and did very little. i just wanted to thank everyone out there who has taken the time to enter my little diy contest (which is not so little anymore). i am so excited and so impressed with all of the entries and can't wait to see how it turns out. so please please, enter! and pass it along to all your crafty and talented friends who may not know about the contest. so..thanks again everyone- keep em coming!

in other news, im positively in love with these gorgeous wire sculptures from milanese sculptor benedetta mori ubaldini. designboom had some great coverage of her work and i just had to scoop it up. thanks so much to designboom for their consistently amazing coverage of european design. (pictures from db). click here for more info.

editor's note: ac suggested i start a design version of project runway called "project woodshop". lol. wouldn't that be the best?

D*S CONTEST!! (woohoo! hey! look here!)

hear ye, hear ye, on this 18th day of february let the search for the best in independent, diy design begin!

in a world where it's so easy to lose track of what's really important about design (the process behind the product: the joy of building and designing things by hand), i thought it would be great to celebrate all of the talented designers out there who have yet to be noticed! so....

* submit your work via email with a short description, images and some fun things about yourself (like, do you like ice cream? oh really? what's your favorite flavor?)

* i'll take entries from today through next friday and announce the winners on monday, feb 28.

* entries are divided into the following categories: furniture, product, jewelry, graphic and other (bc i hate to leave anyone out).

so...tell a friend, tell a neighbor and spread the word! let's celebrate the diy-ers out there who are making great design a reality. d*s salutes you!!

update! please please please only send attached pictures (not just a link) and a description of the product and you (via email, not the comments section please). and remember diy, indie design can't be something that's being produced by a manufacturer...thanks!

i heart ferebee(s)

i really like chris ferebee. for starters, he's from my hometown (hooray for the 757!), he's really talented (and cute) and i used to be convinced he was the older brother of my quaker-school friend (who i had a huge crush on). turns out it's a different chris ferebee. oh well. i'm gonna do a big ol post on chris' new designs in a week or so, but until he gets some more pics for me (i've seen the sketches and they're awesome), here's a greatest hits of chris' work from 521 design studio. click here for more info. enjoy!

i feel all quibbly inside

one of the cutest diy, indepehttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifndent design sites is almost closed so hurry! hurry! to quibbly.net to purchase some of the remaining button and illustration designs from brooklyn based michi turner. her style is unique and definitely worth checking out (i'd love to frame a whole slew of her buttons). click here to catch the fleeting world of quibbly....enjoy.

superfantastico!

i found superfantastico via the wonderful ms. bumblebee. short and sweet this site has some funny posters that would be the perfect addition to a small space that needs some color, humor and aw heck, pizazz. click here for more info. (and be sure to catch the "ideal boy" poster below. ha.

never twice

since the theme of the next week is DIY, i figured i just had to feature never twice, a portland, oregon based crafts website that has some great designs to offer. i'm partial to the heart-a-twitter necklace above. so cute. click here for more info on never twice. hooray for diy!

when sprouse met louis xv....

did you ever have one of those crazy crazy small world moments? well, i just did. nathan from disfugure::san francisco just contacted me and thought i might like the cool antique meets mod chairs they design for retail and contract interiors. funny you should ask, nathan....when ac and i were in san francisco (i miss the weather so much), he was trying on a pair of pants at riley james and was like "that's a fabulous chair! and hey! that's knoll's sprouse fabric!". i took a pic and planned on posting it but it's been sitting in my "pending" folder for a few weeks now. i work with knolltextiles so i'm familiar with the fabric, but i thought just in case you guys weren't, this is a cool twist on an old staple. you can find disfigure's furniture at the future perfect in brooklyn and swallowtail in sf. (furniture also comes upholstered in paul smith fabric)

an ode to maine...

my old roommate, rachael is from maine, therefore this post is dedicated to her. another fantastic d*s reader IMed me yesterday with praise for their local portland, maine design store called ferdinand. and boy were they right- this store is painfully cute and has some awesome homemade goods that are available online right here. from gorgeous hand-crafted lampshades and stationery to super cute onesies for babies with images of squirrels and big wheels on them- this store has nailed the cute factor with an edge of cool. if you're in portland, be sure to check them out, otherwise, click and browse here for more ferdinand goodness.

editor's note: i'm uber busy at work today so my posts are short and sweet. sorry. but, i did however find time to watch project runway last night. man does wendy suck.

stamp it

a wonderful d*s reader passed these on to me. they're cute design stamps from sweden. you can buy them online here. enjoy.

the write stuff

this is seriously the shit. seriously. you can upload your own handwriting and create a font from it. do it. it's awesome. [via ms. jen's unbeige]

crazy for kiln

it's no secret that kiln enamel makes amazing products- their booth at the gift fair was swarming with admirers (myself included). they make beautiful jewelry, but this time i chose to focus on their beautiful bud vases. i've always been a sucker for an interteresting vase and these are no exception. cute, colorful and perfect for any apartment, these vases (although a bit pricey) are definitely worth the time it takes to click and view. visit kiln enamel for more info.

rain rain go away

although yesterday was a wonderfully lovely day (complete with a walk through prospect park for me!) the day before it was disgusting. first class yucky rain weather. hence, dom from id fuel emailed me with these umbrella designs, thinking they were up my alley, but hopefully not required during my day. so, even though the rain has lifted, i'm sure it will descend upon us again, so here are some darling designs from pare*umbrella for you. (be sure to check out the cute rattan and leather handles). they're based in seattle so believe me, they know rain. my favorite is the top design called "bracket", although it looks like underwear to me. enjoy...[thanks, dom!]

silho home

silho home is an LA based store with a lot to offer. while a bit more traditonal at times than my own personal style, i think it's worth checking out. their furniture is classy, stylish and above all, elegant. check out silho's website for more info. enjoy!

cheep cheep

cute bird necklace from cute jewelry company. nuff said. more info here.

boozy boozy

if you like design and architecture, your butt should be here. soon. ac and i are going pronto. i mean come on, a play about le courbusier and robert moses? sweeet. click here for more info on times, tix and location. [via the real janelle]

designing a hit: bravo's project runway

every wednesday night i sit on our little ikea couch in unbearable anticipation. with baited breath i wait for my favorite hour of television to begin, longing to hear those sweet, sweet words, "are you in or are you out"....because my heart belongs to wednesday night and wednesday night belongs to project runway.

bursting with creativity, innovation and delicious cat-fighting, project runway deserves the attention and respect of this dedicated design community. we have the utmost respect for the design process and those who do it well, and because of that, we should all pay attention to the phenomenal artistic process that is taking place on this gem of a bravo show. in my opinion, project runway is one of the most incredible reality tv shows ever created.

project runway tells the story of 12 aspiring designers who are given the chance compete in week-to-week design challenges (under the tutelage of tim gunn, chair of the dept of fashion design at parsons) and win $100,000, a mentorship with the banana republic design team and above all, their very own show at new york fashion week which will be photographed for elle magazine. the works are judged by heidi klum, michael kors (i had no idea he was such a queen) and elle magazine's nina garcia (who takes the word bitch to a whole new level). for those of you already rolling your eyes and thinking, "oh good god, not another reality show", hear me out- this little show is truly a diamond among the "fear factor" rough.

from week one, project runway has made it clear that, despite all the gossip and cat-fighting that surround the fashion industry, fashion is based on creativity, experimentation and raw talent. what this show capitalizes on is the fact that true talent and creativity are endlessly interesting to watch. at the helm of the cast are austin scarlett (a wonderfully wafty artist whose signature is over-the-top glamour), jay (a bitchy diva of a designer with a flair for deconstruction) and kara (a pro who stands out for her dedication to creativity and quality). these three designers hold the show together with consistently impressive work and an amazing ability to innovate under tough project and time restrictions. it is the combination of these amazing designers with truly interesting design challenges that makes this show what it is: a fascinating look at design as a process that is essentially about problem-solving.

the very first challenge cemented project runway's brilliance for me- the designers were taken to a grocery store, given fifty dollars and one hour to pick out materials from which to design an outfit. under great restrictions, true talent can really shine. instead of complaining for hours about how unfair the challenge was, we got to see great designers innovate and come up with creative solutions to a seemingly impossible challenge. while the majority of the cast (that would eventually be cut) went towards more obvious, fabric-like solutions like tin foil, wrapping paper and shower curtains- the real innovators chose to experiment with materials like feather dusters, roasting pans and corn husks. the winning design was nothing short of a design masterpiece- austin took corn husks and wove them into a gorgeous dress that proved this show would truly highlight creativity and experimentation.

from the grocery challenge on, project runway matured through more sophisticated challenges that tested the designers' ability to deal with the reality of the design industry- from responding to clients' demands and having to adapt one's personal style in the face of realistic project requirements down to dealing with the unpredictable nature of models and their scheduling. watching this show is truly an awe-inspiring experience; i used to think of myself as someone who admired fashion and found it interesting enough to warrant the occasional vogue flip-through, but i have really come to respect the hard work, creativity and experimentation that is put into fashion design.

whether you're a hard core fashionista or merely a fan of design, project runway is a show you should definitely check out. even if you've missed the season thus far, you can still tune in on wednesday night to see the final three present their runway shows at new york fashion week. (an insider tip told me that jay's show was clearly the best...). so, set your tv to bravo and take a look at the design process in action- it is truly a beautiful thing to watch.

editor's note/d*s uncensored: my no holds barred opinion is that jay should win. i hated him throughout the entire show until his talent was no longer avoidable. austin was always my favorite but in the end he was unwilling to compromise even a little to follow the rules. kara is amazing but something about her isn't as exciting as the rest. as for wendy? well, i wish i could smother wendy with her own tacky designs. eegads is she awful. so there you have it, my uncensored addendum. enjoy...

diy heaven

i love budget living magazine. it's a great magazine for people like me who are a veritable radar for high-end goods, but happen live on a low-end budget. this month's issue is home to tons of wonderful diy projects- mainly a GORGEOUS silver spoon mirror designed by flaunt magazine's jocelyn meintser. i absolutely love it. so, this has become my new project for the month. i'm going to have to track down some cheap, cool silver spoons (any ideas, ny-ers?) and a mirror, but i think it's worth the effort. too. cool. check out budget living's website for more info. (or just pick up the feb/march issue, it's worth the $3.99)

more cards for your cutie

bella muse cards makes elegant but hysterical cards that are perfect for today's holiday. i'm partial to their bold, graphic prints, but you can't go wrong with their more refined, feminine designs. click here for more info and a full catalog of their great work. happy valentine's day everyone!

good on paper

on a day when cute, mushy cards will be everywhere, i thought it appropriate to post these lovely cards from lisa wong at good on paper design. based in oakland, ms. wong creates beautiful cards with that hand-made look i love. plus she has a super cute boston terrier named pixel. what a great name. click here for more info on good on paper and click here to take a gander at her cute new line of cards for the savvy dog and their humans!

you shall know our...

velocity (art and design) in seattle is putting on a show of artist amy ruppel's 2005 works. i love her collage style and thought it was definitely worth taking the time out of my lunch break to add this. amy is a self-taught artist from the northwest who makes absolutely darling pieces based mostly on "snapped moments in time". i happen to love her bird motifs the most. check out velocity's site for details and a whole slew of amazing homewares. happy friday everyone, hope you all have a great weekend.

party over here, party over there...

williamsburg's epicenter of hip, the future perfect, is throwin down tonight. so, come one come all to north 6th and berry for a celebration of works by jason miller, redstr/collective, heather dunbar and others. it's called i heart snow because tfp will be showcasing some "coke mirror" designs by jason. don't ask, just go. should be cool. click here for directions and more info on the future perfect.

scot with one T

scot laughton is one of the many extraordinary designers that design for lolah, a fantastic canadian furniture manufacturer. i've been meaning to post something on cache, scot's wonderfully mod take on a storage trunk, for awhile now. made of molded birch plywood (available in an oak or walnut finish), cache is a beautiful solution to cleaning up that mess in your apartment (we all know it's messy, don't lie).

born in ottawa, scot studied industrial design at the ontario college of art in toronto. not content to be just another pretty face (and believe me, it's pretty), scot designed the strala light in his senior year, which time magazine named one of 1987’s top ten designs. not bad.

scot opened his own practice in 1992, boasting an impressive clientele that includes nienkämper, pure design and umbra. he was even named designer of the year in 2003 by the interior design show, toronto. impressive guy.

the furniture speaks for itself so check out the pictures above and below and check out scotlaughton.com for more info. have a great weekend everyone!

i heart tc design

in honor of the approaching holiday of love, i thought i'd post some lovey dovey cards from factory 37's website (which is a nifty little site if you're looking for a time suck). designed by tc design, these cards are a great way to tell someone you love them (or just really really like them) without having to buy some crap card with a puppy on it. click here for more info on tc design and factory 37.

great goetz!

i had the honor of working with the fabulous mr. andrew goetz back in the days of his tenure at vitra. we miss him so very much now that he's gone off to further fabulousness at his amazing new skin and hair care store he owns with his partner, matthew malin (a painfully cute kiehls alum). andrew followed his heart and brought his design contacts (this man knows everyone, and i mean everyone, in the industry) to malin+goetz, which is now open at 177 seventh ave in chelsea.

malin+goetz is the personification of DESIGN. from the phenomenal store design down to the font used on their product labels (courtesy of my personal favorites, 2x4), malin+goetz have NAILED their niche. i happen to love the product labels the most (a modern take on text-central apothecary style), but the store is nothing to sneeze at. take a look at eric laignel's photographs above and below and you'll see what i mean. from a GORGEOUS all-corian entryway to a painfully cool and painfully bright white store space(i'd go crazy if i had to clean that place), this store oozes design and i just love looking at it. so, if you're in chelsea, pop in and say hi to andrew and matthew, and try the face lotion- it's lovely.

photography by eric laignel, click here for photo source.

fake vs. natural moves to the furniture world

michael heltzer is a chicago based designer that we work with here at the firm. so, i hope no one gets too upset (shock! scandal!), but i really wanted to post this because well, it's made from fake boob material. yes, fake boob material. and i think that's hysterical. the chair has gone through a multitude of names, some of which were well, a bit risque. you can only imaging what a chair made of silicone could be called. anyway, i thought it was funny so, there ya go. you can find more info on senor heltzer here.

crafty crafty

someone from crafts collection emailed me in response to my recent dutch posts. it seems as though i've been neglecting the talent further north. so, i promised to check out crafts collection and i'm really glad i did. crafts collection is an online catalog of designs from denmark's greatest designers. (sorry denmark, i didn't mean to neglect you- you are just as talented as the netherlands). i found a ton of stuff i would purchase if i had the money- namely these ceramic boxes. i looove them. anyway, there's plenty to choose from, so go take a look and celebrate the wonderful design that comes from the denmark.

anything starting with choc- is good

i found chocosho via the wonderul ms. bumblebee. they're an e-commerce design site (mainly fashion and accessories though) that sells one-of-kind fun stuff. i fell in love with this bag. hard. too bad it's backordered or i'd buy it now on my credit card that is oh-so-close to maxed out. damn damn damn. i love cool bags. click here for the full shabang on chocosho. enjoy.

organic style, part deux

organic style also managed to cover some wonderful (organic) girly makeup this month. but don't worry this isn't about the makeup so much as the design of the makeup packaging. i've always been a sucker for girly french things, so when organic style introduced me to doux me and odile lecoin, it was over. super cute packaging and graphic design. odille has a great bubbly pattern, while doux me has a super feminine, but super cool, graphic floral pattern. i'm still trying to find out whether or not bjork's m/m graphic design team did the branding for doux me- looks like it. if you know, drop a line. (not to mention, organic style had a picture of audrey tatou above this section. she's so great.)

thursday is girly day

some days i just have to revel in how fun it is to be a girl. so, in honor of that, i'll be posting some rather girly things today. even some fashion. gasp. don't worry, i won't be doing much more of that- it's an area i'd prefer to leave to the pros. anyway, for starters- this dress. eeep! i love it! thank you organic style for your lovely lovely march issue. alicia silverstone looks smashing in what has to be the most painfully gorgeous lavender sheri bodell dress. check out the march issue for the real thing. oh man, sooo pretty.

very very vivid

ok, so i can barely keep my hands still because i'm so excited. my wonderful wonderful ac has an amazing job interview tomorrow that i am so so excited about. so please please please think good job thoughts for him if you have time- he soo deserves this job and i hope it works out. eeee! anyway, back to blogging...

vivid is a dutch design group that puts on amazing exhibitons every eight weeks or so, in order to provide up and coming designers with a wide audience for their work. once a year vivid does a show on a designer from the past whose work has been both inspirational and influential for contemporary designers. what i find so phenomenal about vivid is their commitment to true artists, people who push boundaries and are constantly thinking outside of the box. their dedication to supporting truly creative designers and those who have paved the way for them is amazing. in addition, they have an awesome roster of artists with whom they've worked. studio job is among them and i well, i looove studio job. click here for more info on vivid and their upcoming exhibitions (fyi- they don't just showcase dutch designers, they support a wide array of international artists as well).

editor's note: all pics courtesy of vivid's amazing website

not that corwin....

if you're like me and have always been a fan of that animal planet goof, jeff corwin, let me tell you- there's a new corwin in town. a much cooler, hipper one. and i bet she doesn't smell like animals and dirt all the time either.

lena corwin is a brooklyn (yay!) based designer who honed her skills in graphics and textiles while working for calvin klein and jill stuart. her work is cool enough that it has been used by the likes of tocca and anna sui (both of whom i love immensely). most recently though, she's decided to launch her own line of textiles in the form of pillows, bandanas and bags, inspired by sheet-sets of the 1960s and 70s. i happen to love the pom pom and village prints the most. click here and see the whole collection, i'm sure you'll love it.

dutch by design

this uber hip website aims to bring you the best in dutch home design, all at the click of your mouse. home to established designers like tord boontje, moooi and droog, dutch by design also showcases soon to be super famous designers like nicolette brunklaus (whose work i looove). you can find everything you need for your home, from furniture and tableware to ceramics and textiles at dutch by design. click here to see for yourself (and see my favs above and below).

the lovely ms. marci

marci washington is an artist from west l.a. that has caught my attention and promises to hold it for quite some time. her work is eerily beautiful. the subjects of her paintings are hauntingly elegant and evoke the sort of mood that is equal parts spooky and solemn. you can find more information on marci and her work here. click away and enjoy...it's gorgeous stuff.

design by dani m

the lovely ms. dani m emailed me with some info on her gorgeous collection and i am oh-so-glad she did. full of beautiful porcelain and ceramic pieces, dani's collection is elegant and fun at the same time. i absolutely love the little chicken and duck pins. too cute. you can find more info on this fabulous aussie here. thanks so much, dani for sending me your work- i love it!

siggy siggy

i stopped by the sigg booth at the gift fair last week and thought these little bottles were cute. they're sorta like sport bottles for design geeks. i love it. i couldn't get more pictures, but if you check out the site you can see the full line. they have a bunch of cute models with photographs of ducks and bunnies. i know it sounds juvenile but it's actually quite cool. so, check em out and see what you think...

help find this sponge a home.....

hi everyone. this might be a kind of silly post, but i figured, what the heck? ac and i are apartment hunting at the moment and haven't come up with much yet. seeing as i'm always the worrying one who assumes nothing will appear if it hasn't already in the last week, i decided to enlist the help of my design-loving friends out there. if anyone happens to know of a great 1br apartment that's in the boerum hill/cobble hill/carroll gardens area, won't you please drop me a line (or even williamsburg if it's near some trees)? nothing too fancy, as i live on a wee sponge budget and don't have as much money to spend on my home as i'd like. or if you know of a great no-fee broker i'd gladly take tips on that too! thanks so much you guys, i keep getting bummed out by the lack of selection on craigslist and the village voice but i'm keeping faith that we can find something low budget and non-broker. thanks so much for your help everyone!

xoxo,

design*sponge

the bee people....

you know those obnoxious cards that are always in manhattan restaurants? the ones that are in those little postcard holder boxes that are inevitably out of the one you actually like? well, sometimes i actually pay attention to them and it turns out, there's a whole website for that stupid card system. the one upside is, they also have the card for the freelancer's union, whose branding design i looove. i always see their subway banner ads and ooh and ahh over how cool they are. i'm a sucker for bold graphics and bee imagery, what can i say? click here to see more postcards and click here for more info on the freelancer's union.

where the music matters....

my wonderful ac is a huge, huge kexp fan so he tipped me off to these very cool posters on their site. i've always been a fan of pictograms, so these were instantly awesome to me. well, also because ac gave them to me. you can download them for FREE at kexp.com. so, go click and see if your knowledge of indie rock is up to snuff. (don't worry, even if you don't listen to indie rock, they're great posters from a design standpoint...)

onomato...pia

i was turned on to pia wallen's felt goodness by a wonderful wonderful d*s reader. pia is a felt designer extraordinaire from sweden. her designs are cute, thoughtful and above all, creative. you can find more information on ms. wallen here. thanks pia fan for the tip!

mix it up

mixture is a trendy little san diego design store. full of all sorts of great things for the home, it happens to house a cool collection of bedding that just might be up some of your alleys. FOLD bedding is a collection that celebrates texture, color and fun. so, if you're looking for bedding that does a little bit more than just blend in with its surroundings, FOLD is the answer. mixture also carries an adorable wooden purse by tivi. although i hate that it's made of leather inside, i love love love the wooden outside. go take a look for yourself, i'm sure you'll be able to find something cute at san diego's mixture. enjoy...

hable is quite able

i saw hable construction's booth at the gift fair last week and knew i had to post about them right away. started by two sisters, katharine hable sweeney and susan hable smith, hable construction creates unique and practical products with a modern sense, fusing fabric, art, and utility.

each season, hable mixes prints and colors inspired by changing leaves, budding flowers, holiday trips, far away places, and vacation spots. hand printed designs incorporate color and function with utilitarian cotton fabric creating an assortment of products including pillows, tote bags, outdoor and garden accessories, and tabletop items. my favorites happen to be their pillows, which are so cute i can hardly stand it. check out the pics above and below and then go visit hable online. happy monday!

today belongs to designboom....

for their smashing coverage of the imm cologne furniture fair 2005 (and for providing lovely photos which appear above and below). i so wish i could have been there to see all of these amazing designs. sigh, some day. but at least i missed karim rashid's crap designs for label. bleeeech. i hadn't even seen that fly chair. egad is it ugly. anyway, back to the good stuff...

kai linke's dahlia (see above) was to die for. so so creative and so so gorgeous. jeremy edwards' cork table was cute and functional (cork and felt are all over the place these days...) while australia's matt smith hit a homerun with this elegant PEACH fruit refrigeration system. please please click on by designboom's wonderful coverage of the show. it's not to be missed (just like the "tokens" wallpaper). plus, it gives you something to do while you're killing time until 5.

have a lovely weekend, see you monday...

woof woof

i love george. a lot. i ran into their booth at the gift fair (do the rows ever end there??) and thought, "this is SOO me!". i love any store devoted to pets, especially one that carries such hip stuff. i'm debating getting the crazy cat bowl above (soo cute!) and several other goodies for the fuzzy ones. click here and check out the joy that is george. (if you're in lovely san francisco you can check out george on fillmore street)

notNeutral

i ran into notNeutral at the gift fair too. cool stuff, not to mention, deemed worthy of being placed in the apt of the apprentice's third season (i.love.the.apprentice). i'm rather fond of the apple pillow and brown links vase, but there's plenty here for everyone. click here for their site and a whole world of home-goodness.

checking in...

motel is a fabulous gallery located in portland's chinatown. thanks to one fantastic reader i was tipped off to the coolness that they carry. their journals (especially the tiger one) are ridiculously cool and i'm totally ordering one of those cloud necklaces. you can find more info on motel here. and if you're in portland, go check it out. it's definitely worth the trip...

l.a. face with an oakland....

oakland artist kelly lynn jones makes hauntingly beautiful artwork that i just had to share here. working in mixed media, kelly has created some gorgeous pieces that are both provocative and playful. my favorites are the pieces involving woodland animals...can't beat it. check out kelly's site for more info. enjoy.

super kewl

bonny kang over at kewlfinds is a sweetheart, and her site positively rocks. full of cute things for the home, kewlfinds is one of those small e-commerce sites that i've become super fond of. i'm a sucker for felt things and products that make me laugh, so kewlfinds is definitely the place for me (and maybe you, too). check out the hilarious toast scrubbers (love it) and ultra cool suede card holder- it's a great way to carry around your gambling habit in style. check out kewlfinds.com for more info.

silly monkey

i love paper monkey press. especially these sweet little bird envelopes. i've gotten really into bird motifs (i positively flipped over dwell's soon to be released bird patterned duvet covers at the gift fair!) so these are right up my alley. maybe yours, too. check out paper monkey press here, please. enjoy!

boy next door...

so, wook kim was already written up in the ny times' currents section a few weeks back, and rightfully so. his work is breathtaking. i can't get enough of it. so, despite my abhorrence of re-posting things that the ny times already has, i had to give in. his wallpaper is just too cool. too. cool. click here for more info on the illustrious mr. kim.

for the love of bodo....

i mentioned bodo sperlein's work during my super gushy piece on clio home (such a gorgeous store, btw. i highly suggest you check it out if you're in ny), but i felt they deserved a second look. elegant, simple and understated enough to fit well within anyone's home, bodo sperlein's collection is full of graceful patterns and sensual curves. you can check out their online catalog for a better idea of what makes bodo sperlein such a wonderful company. (don't miss their slightly "dented" servingware- it's so so gorgeous)

southern man...

anthony bronza was passed on to me by one of his friends/fans. his work is a bit more traditional that i would normally like, but something about the wooden "stitch" look of his work is intriguing to me. not precisely my taste, but beautiful and interesting nonetheless. plus, he's from va, so i have to represent. check out more of anthony's work here.

pretty shiny things....

laurice curran is another fabulous brooklyn design girl. friend of rena tom, designer of gorgeous, colorful baubles, laurice started her line in 2002 and it's come a long way since. laurice's jewelry is the kind that i hope i own when i'm a full-fledged grown up, you know, the kind you're extra careful with and try not to leave in the bathroom when you wash your hands. every single one of her designs is beautiful and tragically lady-like, in the very best way possible. i wish i could cover myself in her jewelry while traipsing around in a ridiculously extravagent gown, something silk involving reams and reams of tulle. ah, heaven. so, if you're looking for the perfect jewelry for valentine's day, a birthday, an anniversary or just because, cruise on by laurice curran's site for some of the most graceful and decadent jewelry ever. mmmm....jewelry. enjoy!

re:modern

re:modern is a cute little online design website that offers modern goods for the home. the site is full of all sorts of cute storage, seating and table options but the pick of the litter is definitely the felt flower pin. i don't know why but i just love them. check out re:modern for more info. hooray for felt!

bird man

nate crane is an amazing artist i found via one good bumblebee's links (such good links!). his work is hip, graphic, cool and totally worthy of what i like to call "main wall placement". meaning, it should get some serious prominence when placed among your collection at home. the work speaks for itself, check it out above and below and click here for more info on nate and his full portfolio.

sit, bodhi sit. good bodhi.

i've seen bodhi products before, while checking out n. 9th street's newest hipster pet store with our good friends missy and alden. they make the coolest pet toys (albeit mostly for dogs) that certainly deserve some extra attention. full of lovely buddhist imagery, the collection also pays homage to some of bodhi's (the dog) favorite artists. modern and chic, these toys are definitely the kind that you won't be embarassed to have strewn about the floor when guests come. check out bodhitoys.com for more info. hooray for great pets....like turk and ms. j!!

b-jeweled

simple, elegant jewelry has always been my thing, so it's no surprise that i've taken a liking to b jewelry, friends of the wonderful ms. rena. i think this brooch is beautiful and thought it would be nice to share with everyone else. their stuff is a bit pricey, but if you're in the market for some killer jewels, b jewelry is a great place to check out. click here for more info.

editor's note: don't worry ac, the recent jewelry craze is not thinly veiled v-day hinting, i've really just been inundated with great jewelry designs. really. i promise.