cup-a-cake

i am literally running to a car now to go to the airport but i wanted to thank tara for passing this on to me (thanks, tara!). this is too cute and i'm a sugar freak so well, that's that. it's pretty self-explanatory, but too cute not to post before i go.

ps: love you, ac.

regional design

i'm heading home to virginia today at 5, so i'll be gone tomorrow, but i was thinking about regional stuff and thought it would be fun to open up this post to suggestions about local design.

i'm always on the lookout for great stores (with websites, preferably) in places i've never been before. everyone's got a store in their hometown that they love, so if that's you, please, take a second to tell us all about it in the comments section below- please include a link to their website as well. depending on how it shapes up, i'll do a post on it for monday and showcase some of the best that everyone turned in. i'd love to hear about all the great little stores across the country. and heck, if you know of some in other parts of the world and they have websites, throw em in! i love good online resources. thanks guys and have a wonderful weekend! i'll be back on monday, fresh and full of the type of rest and relaxation you can only get in the south.

xoxo, d*s

whitney wares

the whitney has long been my favorite art museum in manhattan. even with the moma's big fancy schmancy re-do and all their "manhattan is modern again" signs, my allegiance belongs to the whitney. their biennial is consistently my favorite show in the city. while the museum of natural history is my all-time favorite musueum in ny, the whitney will always be my favorite art museum. so, in honor of my unicorn teammate, lindsay (who did a great job as offense last week!) who works there, i thought i'd mention some of the great pieces that the whitney store has to offer.

the main collection at the whitney store contains some of the great design classics of the last few decades-jeff koons pieces and the antler hooks by david wiseman- but it also houses a gorgeous jewelry collection by designer, dawn benedetto.

benedetto's work is both colorful and whimsical, two of my favorite characteristics for jewelry to have. i was immediately drawn in by the petal rings, a beautiful series of dazzling glass beads on stretchable cords strung through a sterling silver band. the multicolored version is my favorite, it looks like a beautiful explosion of colored glass on your finger.

dawn also created earring and bracelet sets that have a similar style to the petal collection, but my favorite works of hers are the roe rings, which i will be saving up for as a little treat for myself ($58 online). i'm in deep like with the "dark black" version that looks eerily like the squishy stuff it's named after. the roe rings are simple, elegant and modern- three things any girl can admire.

so, click on by the whitney's online store, or visit in person if you can- their collection is well edited and definitely deserves an online browse- and remember, mother's day is coming up so everyone has an excuse to be looking for great gifts online.

ps: you can also buy dawn's work online where there is a wide variety of color choices and a new style, pearl. i love the roe ring in bottle green, olive oil and hive- gorgeous.

thursday belongs to molo

it's no secret that i'm molo's biggest fan, and today, i'd like to honor my favorite canadian duo with an excited post about their upcoming icff goods.

if you don't know molo, let me fill you in: molo was formed in 2003 as the global vehicle to manufacture, distribute, and market the award winning product design work of stephanie forsythe and todd macAllen, of forsythe + macAllen design. the philosophy behind their product design work is the same as that behind their work in architecture, with one simply being an extension of the other. molo is actually an acronym for “middle ones, little ones”, reflecting only the scale difference in product design, as compared to the “big ones” of their buildings and structures. their work has won countless international design awards and promises to win many more as time goes on.

this year at icff, molo will debut several additions to their existing collection: a line of felt rocks and two new styles for the float collection, a martini glass and a half-sized tea lantern.

the float collection is a premium line of hand-made glassware/barware appropriate for hot or cold use. molo's master glassblowers in the czech republic handcraft float glassware, literally one piece at at time. the unique suspended bowl shape insulates the hand from the liquid inside the glass, and also serves to elevate condensation away from a table's surface, making the use of a coaster unnecessary. this spring, molo will add an elegant, modern martini glass to the collection, along with a half-sized tea lantern, which are sure to be a hit at icff.

molo's felt rocks are roughly the size of your hand, but will have varying sizes. like real stones, no two are ever alike and the shapes will be totally random. formed in the making of the very pure, wool felt buffing pads used to polish optical discs, the felt rocks are essentially an industrial by-product formed by break-away pieces that roll around in the hammering machine accumulating wool. molo collects them and then cleans them by hand. they will be available in groups of three.

in addition to these great new products, molo will be designing huge paper softwalls for the icff theater. i, for one, will be running to the theater to see how it turns out. molo's softwall is one of my favorite products of the whole year. you can see my write up on it here.

so, please stop on by molo's website, or, if you're in ny, check out their work at icff, ito en and felissimo, where their tea lanterns will soon be sold. enjoy!

sin city

i thought it was about time for a non-product post and although this came out a few weeks ago, i wanted to do a brief post on sin city. first, let me preface this by saying that i don't profess to be a) a film buff b) a comic buff or c) a lighting/tech buff. i'm merely expressing my personal interest in this film that i think, quite frankly, rules- in a visual sense.

while i think the plot line of sin city, and the dialogue for that matter, were rather lacking, i think the visuals were out of sight. everyone was all freaked out when skycaptain came out last year, but honestly, i think this is worth way more fuss than skycaptain. long story short, sin city is an adaptation of frank miller's stories based in a morally bankrupt metropolis. the characters and plot lines are deliciously over the top and they certainly made sure that the film lived up to the famed film noir comic.

black and white can seem played out sometimes, but in sin city, it provides the perfect backdrop for a series of seedy stories set in an even seedier town. it also makes for a wonderful vehicle with which to highlight the occasional splashes of color in the film (red blood, a yellow face). i was blown away by the sheer effect of the comic meets movie look. the actors left a bit to be desired (celeb overload combined with some poor choices- good god! why do people let brittany murphy act?!), but the visuals made up for it.

the scene i was struck most by was little gilmore girl, alexis bledel walking down the street in her whacked out street girl outfit with gloriously highlighted piece sign and cross chains (see above). it's just so gorgeous.

i highly suggest you check it out if you've got a high tolerance for gratuitous violence and shoddy dialogue. i sort of wish i could have watched it without the sound- it might have been better than way. but heck, sometimes in life there's room for the visual and this is a perfect case- i'd watch this over and over again just to see this gorgeous comic brought to life. you can click here to find out more about sin city and find out where it's playing near you.

i'm pretty!

these pillows remind me of an old ali fight we watched last night. he beat sonny liston and proceeded to scream to everyone, "i shook up the world! i shook up the world! i'm the greatest!. then he paused and screamed, "i'm pretty!". that was my favorite part. it relates because i think these pillows, if they could, would scream "i'm pretty!", too. cause they are. "botanical luxe pillows" available online at atmosphere home.

knobs and hooks

that sounds kind of dirty, but really this is a super girly, super proper post. as most people around me know, i'm an anthropologie freak. i literally donate half my paycheck to their well-designed stores every month. but, inspired by the idea of renovating some pieces of my old furniture, i thought i'd check out the knobs and doodads they had to offer.

seeing as coral has been the rage for the past few months they have a few coral pieces to keep you happy if that's your thing. i'm drawn towards the antique-looking glass knobs, but you really can't go wrong with any of them. so, whether you're dressing up a new dresser or adding some much needed flair to an old cabinet, anthropologie has some great designs you should definitely check out.

all eyes on....

sunglass shaped sunglass trays. i know, it's a bit unnecessary, but i think it's hysterical. for those of you who wear them (i don't, i know, i'm going to destroy my corneas) these might be a funny addition to a hall console table or wherever you throw your goods when you get home. found online for $18 buckaroos at decorativethings.com. they also make cute salad servers. sometimes cheap and plastic can be fun.

maxwell-silver

i love great online resources (because i happen to think product resources are helpful, not culture-destroying...). maxwell silver combines a bunch of great home boutiques into one online home design haven. i'm rather partial to the lacquered boxes and trays, but you can't go wrong with jill rosenwald's pottery or bernaudaud votives either. there's a whole slew of great stuff to check out, so cruise on by and see what you can find.

eva lee

eva lee emailed me yesterday about something unrelated to her own work, but once i saw it, i knew i had to post it. eva makes the most striking black and white illustrations that just blow me away. my favorite is posted above.

born and raised in good old nyc, eva currently lives and works in connecticut. she studied painting at bard, and earned her mfa at hunter college. during her time at hunter, eva was awarded the william graf travel grant to conduct research for her mfa thesis with scientists at the uc davis. her research there into methods of science and systems of knowledge culminated in a signature series of large-scale abstract drawings (which i love), made with white ink on black paper, consisting of numerous dots and lines that connect and evolve as the artist draws. these drawings have such a graphic elegance to them that i find myself wishing i was there to see them in person and experience the full effect of their size and their mastery of line. until then, you can see them online through eva's website. i hope you'll take the time to check them out.

domi-NO?

so everyone and their brother is emailing me to say "OH MY GOD! DID YOU SEE HOW SALON BASHED DOMINO?!?!". and i guess i felt that after the 14th email i should say something. i could go on and on about this for awhile, but i'll air my response simply: i couldn't disagree with salon more.

i say, read the magazine for yourself and see what you think. i happen to love domino and think many of you will. salon doesn't, so, more power to em. but hey, to each his own. i for one will be thrilled to get my next copy of domino in the mail. keep it up domino, it's just one writer's opinion and i like to think that this writer's opinion cancels it out in some sort of cosmic way. xoxo, d*s

this is swigg

i love swigg. they make the cutest, brightest products around. i'm in deep like with this "tsunami" line of pillows that have crazy bright fish on them. they were made before the tsunami tragedy, but 10% of the proceeds will go to unicef to benefit tsunami relief funds. swigg is always good at producing colorful products that make me smile, so i hope these can do that for you too (although now i'm noticing that the fish look kinda dead and i guess that's not so happy, but well, the colors are happy?). click here for the full story on swigg.

when i'm all grown up....

...i'll own nice pieces that i won't feel ok letting my cats tear up. and these are some i might consider- passed on to me by a lovely d*s reader, khaden tibetan rugs are rich, sensual and beautifully made. they're a bit more traditional than i'd normally go, but i'd love to have these in my hallways so i could walk on them barefoot, they look so thick and lush. i'm waiting to hear back about prices, but i'm sure they're pretty up there. so, if you can afford a nice investment piece now, i'd give these a look- they're gorgeous. more info on khaden here.

ms. ross

i've mentioned ms. ross before in a post about auto, but i just found her personal site and was blown away by her work for the second time. i knew her designs were beautiful, but i hadn't seen the gorgeous array of colors her work was available in. and wow, is it gorgeous. auto carries some great pieces of hers, but nothing in the beautiful colors i saw on her site.

judy ross is new york based textile artist whose work blows me away. she blends century old embroidery techniques with modern design to create subtle but beautiful textiles for the home. her collection includes pillows, rugs, curtains, upholstery fabric, tablemats and bed covers.

ms. ross' textiles are handmade using three different techniques, according to your preference: chainstitched (in india), hand-knotted and hand-tufted. each is gorgeous and oozes luxury.

i highly suggest you check out ms. ross' work on her website, her pieces are a bit on the high-end of the market, but are definitely worth the investment. enjoy!

ben loiz

chris bettig of the mountain label passed ben's site on to me this morning and i love it. ben loiz lives and works in LA as an artist and designer. his clients are a diverse group and his work ranges from print to packaging and identity. but what i love is his album cover work- it's gorgeous. there's something about these albums that i can't get enough of. simple, colorful, basic. i love it. you can see more of ben's work here.

ianonne sanderson

i found ianonne's website on the icff exhibitor list and have now added them to my "must see" list. mainly because of their "glow box" and the "red line cabinet" which is made from reclaimed douglas fir floorboards from the philadelphia academy of music- nailmarks and all. i love it. i'll be sure to let you know how they represent at icff. click here for more info on ianonne.

a love song for design blogs

maybe it's the sun outside, maybe it's the fact that i'm going home to VA on thursday, maybe it's ac's new job, but for some reason, i'm just happy today. and i thought, while i was thinking about all the things i'm happy about, why not share my love for my fellow design bloggers?

there are so many wonderful blogs out there that share my passion for design and have made this wonderful design community what it is, so i just wanted to send a little d*s virtual love note to each and every one of them. today is about celebrating you guys- you're amazing, you keep me up to date on all the wonderful things about there and i'm so lucky to be involved in a community full of great people like you guys. keep up the great work! (and if you haven't seen some of these sites, please check them out!)

to apartment therapy: you are the lifeblood of this community. thank you so, so much for your heart and all your dedication to making our apartments as wonderful as they can be.

to land+living: i just love you guys. you have just a nice, positive vibe on your site and you review really thoughtful projects that i wouldn't have heard about anywhere else. keep up the great work guys!

to josh rubin: you're the coolest of cool, josh. i don't know what we'd do without your insights on fashion, design and everything else that makes our lives just a little bit hipper. thanks so much for your eye and your dedication to finding the best of the best.

to core77: you guys are great. coroflot is a wonderful resource that i couldn't live without. you feature wonderful technological advancements in design and i'm always amazed by some of the stuff i see up there.

to unbeige: thanks for always investigating issues i wouldn't think to delve deeper into- your insights are thoughtful and timely- i really enjoy your site.

to treehugger: you know i love you guys- you're the greatest. putting out such wonderful, earth-friendly designs, you guys are in a class of your own. keep up the great work!

to id fuel: dom and crew, you guys rock. nuff said.

to not cot: welcome! you've got some really great stuff up there! i always love seeing what you've discovered!

to josh spear: we're in the young club together- don't know what i'd do without your insight on all things cool and buzz worthy.

to mocoloco: the classic, the ultimate- you consistently provide us with the best in european and american design, thank you for your commitment to excellence in design.

overjoyed

i just wanted to share some of the joy going on at design*sponge today. my wonderful, wonderful ac had his first day at his fantabulous new job today and i just wanted to tell everyone in the world how proud i am of him. he is now a super cool media writer in charge of writing all forms of media responses (op eds, press releases, statements) for an ultra-progressive group that is equal parts political and social change oriented. let's just say i'm the proudest sponge in the world. ac rules and now everyone in the political media world will know too. hooray for ac! xoxoxo, d*s

oh baby

i think mark at sparkability comes up with some of the greatest children's design around. he just passed this on to me and we commiserated about how it's not available in the states yet. he's trying to get it on sparkability in the not so distant future, so i'll let you know when it's up, but for now, i just wanted to share this because i think it's a great rocker. maybe not the most comfy, but definitely cool.

made by e-27, a german design firm, the re-tire is a great minimalist rocker that would make any modern parent proud. it's simple, well-designed and functional, so it's a-ok in my book. i know some parents will balk at the lack of cushy-ness, but perhaps it would be useful for short rocking times or for people who don't have babies- just as a porch rocker? would sure be a great modern re-do for the standard porch rocker. you can find more info (if you speak german) here, but in the meantime, mark and i will keep you posted when it hits the states. i'll be sure to let you know when and where and how much.

see-saw

ok before i start this post, let me add that i actually did "see saw" this weekend and it was horrible. i blame it on the cold and the easy access to movies on demand. damn you, cold! you make me want to watch horrible movies!

anyway, back to the saw at hand. alistair chang, master of acrylic seating, just launched a new chair called "sumo" at milan that brings the joy of see-sawing back to the adult set. if you're like me and always hated having to give up see-saws and swings because you had to be "mature", well this my friends in your chair. both users sit and face opposite directions and rock to create well, the see-saw effect. it's not a chair you'd wanna use for your dining table or anything, but if you've got room for a bit of whimsy in your life, sumo is for you. more info on alistair and oehm right here.

de-lovely

thanks to the wonderful d*s reader who passed lovelydesign on to me. LD makes the most beautiful paper products that just make my monday that much lovelier.

lovelydesign is the website of canadian designer sharilyn wright, from whom i will be ordering many paper goods asap. not only does she have an adorable website (you can scatter seeds, i love it), but she has a great mailorder section of the site where you can order her handmade paper goods, like the "i miss you" envelopes, comprised of vintage maps and recycled paper. sharilyn also makes an old school address file that i love. people have become so detached from paper that i think sometimes a return to beautiful, recycled paper address files is good. not that it would work well for someone with a bazillion contacts, but if you're like me, it would work for a good old friends and family list.

you can find more information on lovely design here. be sure to check out her gorgeous journey books and mini books made from recycled bits of paper. and don't miss the conifer poster, which is on my "must buy asap" list. i.love.it.

high octate

i couldn't wait to post this. i was going to save it for monday, but i was just too excited. velocity art and design (my west coast design heroes) has just picked up a great new line of lamps by octate that i lurve.

founded out of a desire to create honest products from honest materials, octate believes in designing elements that enhance the home without detriment to the environment. and heck, who doesn't like that? octate's reference to “honest materials” is right in line with velocity's commitment to selecting materials that are best suited for the design in question. octate's latest product, the bow lamp (available in wood or maple veneer), takes this honesty a step further by actually emphasizing the paper thin nature of wood veneer to create the lamp shade.

you can't go wrong with simplicity and commitment to quality- two things velocity art and design knows a lot about. so, if you're new to velocity, please please take the time this weekend to click around their site- i GUARANTEE there's no way you'll leave without buying something. they've got some of the best stuff around. alright- back to being sick and drinking lots of water while ac plays splinter cell. ahh...friday night.

noodles

i'm loopy with cold medicine so this seems really funny right now. koziol, a german company, makes this funny spaghetti measurer called basil. it measures 1-4 servings of pasta in it's little circles. too cute. you can find it here. ok, heading home to sleep like a rock and let the kitties nurse me back to health.

i love homework

praise be to bonny kang and her fantastic design suggestions. today it's homework, a great home store on labrea avenue in los angeles. after sifting through their flash site i managed to grab a few things i thought were cute. here it goes: great pillows from neisha crossland, a great clear acrylic tape dispenser, awesome glass pendant light from aquatinta and some sweet little egg timers. they're all winners in my book, so have a look and see what you find. enjoy!

editor's note: i'm feeling pretty cruddy today (cold) so i think i might head out a bit early, so this will prob be my last post of the day. i hope you all have wonderful weekends! take care and see you monday.

oh sweet, sweet table

i've been in love with this table for a long time. it showed up at my neighborhood loom last year and it never quite went on sale enough for me to afford one. i wanted two (in red tops) for bedside tables. alas, it has resurfaced again and i'm missing it all over again. it's so simple and nice. made by design house stockholm, the tablo table was designed by magnus loefgren. i just love how shiny the top is and how simple the design looks. it's just great. while i'm saving up, take a look at the table, and if you can afford one, i highly suggest you scoop one up at show in LA. have fun!

i want to ride my....

bicycle! bicycle! this always reminds me of that great queen song. my old roommate used to have it as her voicemail message. i don't think i ever left her a message that didn't start with hysterical laughing. anyway, ms. bonny "wonderful" kang from kewlfinds passed these cool bikes on to me and i thought they were super neat. i always fancy myself a bike rider, even though i'm not really. maybe if i ever leave the city i won't be so afraid i'm going to get sideswiped by a bus while i pedal. i digress...these bikes are made by the swedish comapany, skeppshult, and are available in the us. they've been out for awhile, but seeing as biking season is coming up, i thought, what the heck! you can find more info on the bikes here.

rubadubdub

i love bathtubs. i've always wanted a classic claw-foot bathtub, but while cruisin around for em, i found these and thought i'd share. not exactly hot off the presses (le cob is pretty old), but sometimes things are so cool you have to revisit them. if nothing else, they look cool and i thought you might get a kick of of em too.

the porthole bathtub from the water monopoly gives a whole new meaning the idea of peekaboo with it's porthole windows on the side of the tub. a very cool way to watch the water rise and maybe even get a rise out of whoever's watching you in the tub. i know i know, so bad, so bad. but if porthole's aren't your thing, check out the le cob tub from omviva. that's one hot bathtub. not exactly built for two, but you could have one heck of a relaxing time in this chaise-like tub. i don't care how much it costs or how practical it is- this thing is COOL. i'm sure i couldn't afford it in a million years, but to those of you who can- i'm very, very jealous. check out the rest of the tub gear that the water monopoly has to offer here and cruise on by omviva to learn more about the le cob tub's designer.

lebello

lebello is an LA based design manufacturer that will be at icff as well this year. i'm rather fond of their cute little swivel PT7 chair- a nice looking alternative to traditional swivel chairs. i mean, for the office. although i don't know how comfy that would be for an office chair. anyway, i was thinking of it with a cushion for the office, something yellow with piping. they also make cute little basket-like stools that would be perfect for easy-move seating. so, check out lebello and i'll see you guys tomorrow! (thanks for the support under the dooce post, it's much appreciated)

modern object

sometimes i'm a sucker for plain wood furniture. and well, modern object makes oodles of it. i like the min coffee table best. but you can decide for yourself by checking out their website and seeing which strikes you as the prettiest.

modern link

modern link is a group of new york based designers showing at this year's icff. i'm rather fond of their hudson sideboard, and the pretty leaves in the background of their website. very green and very pretty. they also make a really cute shelf called the honey shelf that has a built in place for magazines- my hero. you can find more info on modern link here.

pause

moment out to celebrate the beauty that was yesterday. i am so lucky to work here. it's gorgeous. if you're in the area, please go to blue apron. their cupcakes are to die for.

crush of the week: variegated

sometimes you're lucky enough to stumble upon something so great that you stop in your tracks, swoon and whip out your wallet to seal the deal. in my case, this happened yesterday at matter in brooklyn.

while browsing for some new ideas, i came across variegated's new "four seasons" pillows (seen above) and seriously had a cow. now, granted, i am a bonafide pillow freak, but these pillows rule. i love their simple, graphic style and all of the fantabulous colors in which they come. (i'm partial to the black and yellow). and to top it off, they're made by a wonderful team of design dynamos from north carolina. yes, that's right, represent for the south. (what what?).

variegated is a great bedding and textile design group started by corbett and jim in hudson, noo yawk. these guys make seriously beautiful bed linens that i wanted to post about awhile ago, but being the lazy butt that i am, i slept on it and managed to be dumb enough to forget all about it. i know i know, less alias and more work. anyway, while i slept apartment therapy did a lovely post on them, so i felt like it was unnecessary to repost it here because it was so good.

so anyway, back to the pillows. the four seasons collection is a series of long rectangular pillows that come with one of four patterns on them: spring, summer, fall or winter. (the four seasons, natch). the patterns are elegant, bold, graphic and delightfully fun to look at. i'm also nuts about the colors they come in. hot pink is one of them, and you know how i love hot pink. the pillows are 100 bucks a pop (i can't afford this now, but i'm saving up for 2 black and yellow ones, maybe more! i love em so much!) and you can find them at a number of retail locations, but if you're in ny, be sure to check out sleep, a brand new bedding store in my home neighborhood of williamsburg. it's lovely and run by very nice ladies. so, please please, go grab yourself some variegated goods (they don't just make pillows, they have all sorts of great bedding!) and support a good cause- these guys just lost a dear family pet and my thoughts are with them. so if you have a second, think a nice thought for the variegated crew and their departed friend. hang in there guys, we're thinking of you and sending good thoughts your way.

dooced!

hi guys, i just wanted to put a little post up this morning in light of some not so lovely emails i've received lately. i don't know what it is about my website that inspires such hatred (maybe all the "super!" and "awesome!"s ?). either way, i've decided to employ words of wisdom from my web idol, dooce.

this is her credo, and seeing as she seems to get a lot of hate mail too, i figured it was fair. so, this is the new perspective round these parts:

"I really enjoy reading your stories and your responses to what I’ve written, but if you feel that you must send me something hateful I reserve the right to publish your entire email and your email address on this site. This is a personal website, and while I understand that you may disagree with me on many topics, there is an obvious difference between disagreement and hate. If you are having feelings that you want to cause me harm, please take a step away from your computer and take your pills. I take mine. Also, comments left on this site are the opinions of the people who comment, not necessarily the opinion of dooce.com and dooce.com cannot be held responsible for the content therein."

insert design*sponge for dooce.com and there you go. i always welcome constructive criticism and hearty debate, but calling me a bitch or tell me i'm a stupid liar, a paid operative, or some other lovely assemblage of expletives is uncalled for. so, that said, thanks for listening.

cool design, eh?

montreal based design firm periphere has some great new designs appearing at icff this year. i'm hooked on their uno chair, a sorta boxy floor chair upholstered in a cool teal and brown fabric. i'm also kinda feelin their iceberg table (at least i think it's table)- it's not something i think would actually fit in my home's decor, but i bet it will fit in some of yours. you can check out the rest of their line here, and of course icff in may.

au naturel

i never thought i'd like wall murals, but i'm lovin these. designed and painted by nyc based artist, jason gaillard, natura design solututions' murals are interesting ways to bring the peace and quite of nature into your home. i'd ideally put them in a child's room, but i'm sure someone could make them work in a way that wasn't too cheesy and like "hey! my wall looks like the ocean!". jason and his work will be at icff, but be sure to check out his site in the meantime.

tin soldiers and nixon coming...

any excuse to reference neil young is a-ok with me. OHIO is a san franciso based design firm that has put out some nice, modern pieces. they're going to be at icff this year (i'm going to drop by their booth for sure) and i'm looking forward to what they have to show. right now, i'm digging their steel cubes (seating/storage/table) and the float mirrors. the float mirrors would look super slick in someone's downtown style loft. you can find more info on OHIO here. enjoy!

nibble nibble

i think squirrels are endlessly cute. i know some people think they look like rats with tails, but i happen to love them. for this reason, i think this glass squirrel is cute. i have NO idea what i'd do with it, but i'm sure someone out there could find a good place for it. so, if you're that squirrel loving person, check out orrefors and grab yer self a good piece a' glass.

oui oui!

in another life i think i was a tragically wispy french girl. you know, the kind with a perfect amelie coif and an innate sense of style. somehow that didn't quite translate into this life, but i think it explains my inner longing to be transported to a quaint cottage in provence (there's an asparagus festival there right now, mmm).

but, in the meantime, i'll just try to convert one room of my house into a french cottage. i'm thinking it might be the kitchen, but i'm not sure how far ac will let me go with the girly french thing. either way, i think i'm going to beg to be showered in french girl home accessories for my birthday in june. hence, let me introduce basic french: a lifestyle thing- a wonderfully cute french home store in good old red hook new york (i went to a hippy festival there once, it was a nightmare- but a beautiful location).

basic french is a haven for french enthusiasts- they have gorgeous french linens, clothing, cookware, toys, etc etc. it's wonderful. i highly suggest the french laundry detergents (much more chic than gain) and the adorable love labels. i'd love to sew them on all of my parents' things and ac's. i think they'd kill me though. basic french has so much to offer, so please, cruise on by the site, and if you're up for a weekend trip, check out their store in red hook. au revoir!

lille

a lovely d*s reader passed this gorgeous chicago home store onto me and i am most appreciative. lille is a beautiful shop on chicago's w north avenue that carries elegant home goods. most of them are a little bit more grown up than my tastes, but that's basically because i'm afraid that i'd break these nice things (and by me i mean my cat, turk). but, if i had a house where things didn't get knocked off of tables and counters constantly (down, turk, down!), i'd snatch these up in a heartbeat. you can find a whole slew of pretty things right here, at lille. or if you're in chicago (lookin at you, ms. sprout!) stop on by.

domino

i can't find my stupid digital camera cord so i can download my pictures...but as soon as i will, this post will be massively expanded. i just wanted to take this time to send a HUGE HUGE thank you to the hottest magazine around, DOMINO. the crew (one in particular, thank you ds) heard about my troubles at the party and took the time to messenger over a gift bag to me. i feel like a princess- this is the most impressive (and heaviest) gift bag i've ever seen. and i'm on top of the world. so 10 million thanks to domino for taking the time to make this little *sponge the happiest girl in the world. detailed pics to follow as soon as i find this stupid cord...where is it?!

ps: ac "agreed" to let me paint our new apt (well, one room somewhere in it) that AWESOME "soot" color from the magazine. i love it!

brooklyn icff

brooklyn will be jumpin for icff, but there are a few parties i'm definitely going to check out- and you should too. this one is a MUST- redstr/collective, the brooklyn design duo of alex valich and christine warren, will be having a show at the future perfect (a DEF icff hotspot) called american dollhouse. the opening reception will be MONDAY MAY 16, 6-10 PM. (but the show will run from may 13- july 7). be sure to check it out, and if you haven't checked out redstr in awhile, please do. they're a great, great team.

could they be any cooler?

i just had to stay late to post this. i'm drooling over the hipness that is deadly squire. not only are they a super cool rock and roll husband and wife team from brooklyn- but they make painfully awesome homewares with their own little hands. oh, and the husband half happens to be the lead singer from les savy fav (swoon). so, before i gush on about how great i think these guys are, let me just say the products speak for themselves. (and let me add that their website is fantastic. it reminds me of a decemberists song.) anna and tim harrington formed deadly squire in the winter of 2004 with the intention to combine their distinctive design senses, enthusiasm and "taste for mischief". they've since created an amazing home and apparel line that you really should go check out. it's simple (three patterns to choose from), graphic, colorful and just plain great. and hey- they're from brooklyn- and you know how i love brooklyn designers. you can find deadly squire products at clio home in the city or loom in brooklyn. enjoy!

2jane

2jane got gobs of press for their super cool paint by numbers wallpaper- but they carry a whole bunch of other great stuff that i thought was worth checking out. (you can see it in person at icff in may). they've added a sick new pattern to the paint by numbers line- hammerhead sharks- and i love it. ah to be 7 and have a little kid room again. aw heck, i'd put it up now- it would be fun in a bathroom. they also added a pineapple pattern that's pretty cool too. if paint it yourself wallpaper isn't your thing, be sure to check out the delicate leaf platters they carry- elegant and perfect for any occasion (i can't decide if i like red or silver better). but most importantly, they also carry the mr. and mrs. jones lemon/lime juicers that i can't believe i don't own yet. they are the cutest things ever. so, please please check out 2jane.com and pick yourself up something cute. and mosey by icff to meet em in person. see you tomorrow!

my neck my back...my neck and my back

if you get that title, you're awesome. i introduced ac to its place of origin this weekend and i don't think we'll ever be the same ("you ain't got to lie craig!"). anyway, i was thinking about sandback and it reminded me of that line. sandback is a cool little new hampshire based design team that makes cute little tables and stools you can customize with a bazillion different tops. that's really all there is to it- it's cool. check out out right here.

a good laugh

sometimes you need a laugh. and this does it for me. i know it's not new, and yes, it's totally morbid (and no, i don't think suicide itself is funny), but i think something about this little guy is too funny. it's a bathtub plug, btw. leave it to alessi to make weird, brightly colored things for your home.

sanden textiles

who doesn't like swedish textiles? cause i sure do. and sanden textiles is no exception. new to icff this year, the gang from sweden will be bringing they're gorgeous linens to javitt's just in time for a much needed bolt of color. i'm madly in love with the a.s.a.p. fabric (gotta love hot pink)- it's bright, summery and exactly what i need to usher in the warmer months with a bang. so, check out sanden textiles online and be sure to cruise their booth in may.

boom pow bang!

these last few posts are gonna be like the end of a fireworks show when you basically throw up everything else you have at once. blogger is being stubborn today and refuses to let me post without eating everything else up first. so, i hope this works! in my pre-icff frenzy i wanted to post about some great newbies to the icff scene- so the next few posts (above this one i guess) will be a great mix of newbies and oldies to icff. you can never get enough icff. and no, i don't work for icff, i seriously just love it that much.

first up- time and style, a japanese design group that has made a series of chairs i'm dying to put in my dream grownup house. they're simple, chic and elegant, but have a touch of cool that makes them appropriate enough for a youngin's apt. they've also got some great kitchen systems that are not to be missed. so click on by time and style and find yourself sumthin good. or just head on over to icff and see em in person. enjoy!

can you say glamour?

i remember zia-priven from last year's icff and just had to share their stuff, in case you haven't seen it. they make gorgeous lamps (my fav are the pendants) that manage to combine cool patterns and trends with pieces that you won't want to ditch after 6 months. and since i'm trying to invest in grown up furniture, i'm starting to dig stuff like this. zia-priven is the husband and wife team of marcia zia and paul priven. they quit their jobs in the film industry and now design their own range of glamorous lighting. i think it's boss, so, if you have some spare time, cruise on by zia-priven's site and check out the gorgeous waterfall light and others. gorgeous.

only one more month!

icff is coming up soon (can't.wait.) and i'm sooo excited. so i started thinking about last year and checking in on people i saw last may- so i thought i'd share a few of em. not brand spankin new, but if you haven't heard of some of these people, you should check em out- good stuff.

first up is whisler- the site is a little cheesy, but the "dot" line of furniture is pretty cute. i wish i could afford the orbiting dots audio cabinet. i'd like to eventually own some furniture that isn't from ikea, so this could be a good start, who knows. check out whilser's site for some more great pieces (be sure to find the shelving with thought bubbles cut into it).

clearly obsessed

i'm going through this weird acrylic phase. hopefully we won't move before i've outgrown it. i'm tempted to buy a ton of acrylic pieces. thank god i can't afford to. these were just sent to me by a designer from sao paulo, luciano santelli. cute stuff. sorta of that ghost candelabra vein for awhile back, but you know, it's acrylic and right now i'm devouring anything clear. click here for more of luciano's work.

chmoebel

ok, now this post is reminding me of lord of the rings and smeagol. because for some reason i keep wanting to pronounce this company's name like "schmee-bel" and that rhymes with "smeagol". anyway, it reminds me of college and laughing hysterically about the part where smeagol says, "what's taters?" over and over. don't ask. some things are just funnier when repeated over and over late at night when you should be writing a thesis on romanesque illuminated manuscripts...

chmoebel is a line of modern, swiss furniture designed by swiss architect, christian frey. the goal of chmoebel is to "exhibit swiss qualities of aesthetics and efficiency." they've surely done that with their minimalist line of furnishings that currently grace the lounge of gstaad, a swiss-themed bar in ny. all of the pieces can be assembled without the use of any nails, screws, glue or any other fasteners or adhesives. not bad. i'm not sure how comfy they'd be to lounge in for too long, but there's something about the look that i really like. i know they're super simple, but there's something to be said for efficiency of design. i just like em. esp in the installation shot at gstaad. so now i'll have to drag my anti-social self out to gstaad and see it in person. you can find more info on chmoebel here. or if you're in ny, have a martini for me at gstaad.

buy olympia!

buy olympia is a great online boutique that carries a phenomenal amount of great pieces from local artists. it's no secret that olympia has one heck of a craft scene and this site makes sure you can buy a piece of it all the way on the other coast. i've been a fan of nikki mclure for awhile now (and not just bc her son's name is finn- i love that name) and buy olympia certainly lets you stock up on nikki's work. i suggest her card sets- they're just so sweet. not to be missed: cat cards, all the handmade goodies olympia's artists have to offer and the patterned lunchbag- see below. enjoy!

are you adorned?

this post is reminding me of hendrix. you know, are you experienced? anyway...work is nuts today so i'm going to try and post more this afternoon after i get through a pile of post-milan work. but until then, cute bag alert! ash b makes cute little purses out in seattle and i thought they def deserved to be checked out. i'm loving the cirque du pétale A LOT. soo cute. so, please please stop on by ash's site and grab yourself a great new spring bag (or any of the other cute things she makes with her own little hands). be back later!

my dad rules

i just wanted to share a little proud daughter moment. my dad has a beautiful photograph published in the ghent reader (va) today. it's gorgeous. great job, dad. love you!

ps: i just found this on his site too...back in the days when i preferred teddy bears to eames chairs. i love my mom's shorts and socks. hysterical.

see jane work

sorry guys, this one's for the ladies...

i love see jane work. it's a fantastic online boutique that carries nothing but super stylish and super hip office accessories. and what girl doesn't want to add something a little nice to her desk? it's much better than that clunky old beige swingline you have on your desk. come on, you know you have one.

so, in light of banishing ugly office accessories everywhere, i give you see jane work and her fabulous clear acrylic stapler. i love it. simple and clearly cute (yes, it's friday and the puns are running wild). but hey, if acrylic staplers aren't your thing, check out the super cool desk trays in candy colors and the lovely folders that kick manila's ass any day. so, check out the goods at see jane work and i promise you your day at the office will be a lot cheerier.

russell+hazel

my best friend was i was little, courtney, had the best nanny ever. her name was hazel and i was instantly taken back to the days of sitting around courtney's playroom while hazel made us lunch (cappelletti) when i saw this company. courtney has since gone on to study to be some sort of brain doctor at mit (correct me if i'm wrong, court), while i spend my time blabbing about cute things. but heck, to each his own. anyway, back to hazel- russell+hazel is a fabulous stationery company that makes the cutest labels, erasers, rubber bands and paper. i saw their rubber bands and just HAD to have them. i have NO idea what i'll do with them, but I'll find something. if only i had long hair and could use them for ponytails. i know it's bad for your hair (lookin at you, mad), but they're too cute to leave for paper holding. anyway, you can find just about anything you need for the office at russell+hazel, but in a much cuter form. so check out russell+hazel and liven up your office accessories. enjoy!

fitzsu

inspired by the apartment therapy trip out west (which brought some GREAT store tips), i thought i'd check out some stores on the west coast....fitzsu is a great home store on melrose that carries these beautiful little self-watering planters from eva solo. they also carry my favorite little cotton pad dispensers from alessi. not new, but always cute. you can find more info on fitzsu here.

oh, clio

i love clio home. i've been a fan since i first discovered them last year (i know, i'm always late to the cool store bus). i thought i'd check in on their new stock and sure enough, i like it all. favorites: the napali vase and adorable oven mitts from brooklyn - because i'm in desp. need of a new oven mitt. click here for more clio fun.

i heart btsh

i play street hockey. i used to play field hockey and it was a reluctant change, but i'm so glad that ac made me stick with it. i play on the greatest team in the world, the unicorns (hence, the bag from elsewares). we happen to be the gayest team in the league, followed by the skyfighters. if you're ever up for some exercise, or just want to watch some skinny, dorky kids run around, come check out a hockey game on the LES. you can find our full schedule here. i suggest the unicorns game- our team is unstoppable this year. other teams to watch this season: pork fried rice, lbs ("pounds"), skyfighters, the dark rainbows and mexican standoff (if only for their kickass t shirts).

drool, wipe, drool...

i don't know how i stumbled onto nook design's website, but i'm so glad i did. i've been dreaming about someone who could re-brand d*s a little bit, you know, bring me up to date a bit more. nothing drastic, but like a fun little icon or something, sans asterisk. and well, if i had my wish, i'd hire nook (aka: riko enomoto) in a heartbeat. i LOVE the branding nook did for weaselworks and pixelwurld- they're just my style and absolutely perfect. if only i could afford a real designer. sigh, to dream. anyway, back to riko and nook. nook's work has such a nice smooth cartoon quality to it- it's simple, clean and wonderfully graphic. i wish i could have nook design me a logo for everyone i know. you know, just to have. but in the meantime, maybe i'll save up and beg nook to take pity on my broke-ass self and design me a business card with a cute little logo at half price. check out the full nook experience here. enjoy!

i know, i know

i'm supposed to be over the bent plywood and walnut thing (i know, it's everywhere), but i really like this table from remove design collective. they showed at the stockholm furniture fair's "together in the greenhouse" exhibition, which was a space for independent designers and design schools to show their work. this table is by thomas bentzen and i'll let you know as soon as i do about where you can order it or who's picking it up for distribution. if someone out there knows, please drop a line in the comments, i'd love to find out. thanks!

offecct

offecct is a swedish company that primarily makes office and conference furniture (usually a big snooze for me), but i really like this new chair that showed at the stockholm furniture fair in april. it's called the metro chair and i love the color, the simple lines and the overall effect of the look. it's simple and modern and i'd love to pair some with a great circular kitchen table for a little bit of spice. offecct also makes the "cell table" which is a great clear red table that would look slick in an apt that needed a little "mod-ing" up. if you're still not convinced that offecct has some great stuff, look no further than their well-known "dna" stool/table system that is too cute for words. it links together in fun colors and would brighten up any office (or kids' room?) space. while their prices are way above my range, it might be in someone's out there, so i thought i'd pass it on. if for nothing else but the "that's cool looking!" factor. offecct is carried in ny at mod objects (212-925-5506) but you can click here for more distribution in the states. enjoy...

figgy

fig is the handywork of designer ilene antelman. her sensuous textiles are both modern and timeless and you can really see the hardwork and skill that has gone into every piece. i haven't always been the biggest fan of quilted or embroidered textiles, but ilene made me a believer- her use of color and texture is out of this world and i only wish i could afford to drape all of my loved ones's beds, couches and chairs with her luxurious throws, blankets and pillows. my personal favorite is the ritu series, but you can't go wrong with the other sets- they're beautiful, feminine and the result of a remarkable talent that is ms. antelman. so, cruise on by figstyle.com and check out the rest of ms. antelman's work. you'll be glad you did.

do-gooder

between now and april 31, when you buy the thomas paul “palm” silk pillow velocity art and design will donate 30% of the proceeds to support the work of the wilderness society. so, please please please, if you've got the dough, put it to some good use. well, i mean if you've got some you should probably put it all towards a good cause, but if you're looking for some design too, this works. all the fabulousness that is velocity art and design is here.

peekaboo

domino featured a fantastic clear acrylic console table from cb2 that i'm already saving for. but i found its sister series, the arcylic nesting tables and fell even deeper in love. these would be perfect in my non-existent new apartment. i can already image an entire room around them. man i can't wait to move. anyway, back to cb2- you can find the whole acrylic "peekaboo" line at cb2 here (and hey, they're actually affordable too!)

and so it begins....

domino has given me so many new designers and stores to look up- i love it. thanks to domino for introducing me to cath kidson, a british designer with a flair for dots and color. i'm rather fond of the cowboy tray- but the dots tray is nice too (it's featured in the mag on page 92). you can find more info on lady kidson here.

you're fired!

that's right. i love trashy tv.

design*sponge + domino 4ever

i love domino magazine. i can't even describe how much. on the way to work this morning i poured over the first issue and spent the entire time thinking- finally, a magazine for me! domino is first class design*sponge heaven- affordable, stylish and focused on creative solutions to design problems. i can't say enough good things about this magazine. all i can say is that i ran out of those little sticky page markers they give you around page 13. nuff said. this magazine is going to be HUGE. HUGE. and actually, they already are.

last night's party was the most insanely crowded magazine party i've been to- ever. while the night was tons of fun (see below), i was pretty upset that even though i rsvp'd on the FIRST day you were allowed to, they managed to NOT have my name on the list, and hence, i didn't get one of the coveted gift bags. i wasn't happy about this, not because i didn't get a bag, but because i felt like i was trying to crash the party when i wasn't. oh well. the rest of the party made up for it. mainly because i got to meet several apprentice cast members (pics to come, thanks lockhart) and vern yip- my trading spaces super crush. he's so cute. he's like this little miniature perfect person. sigh. anyway, also spotted were: thom from queer eye, malcolm gladwell, mariska hargatay, marcia gay harden (love her), another makover show host (blanking on name) and oodles more. my favorite is still the apprentice cast. michael ("who doesn't love sexy european models?") met me and said "i know you! i totally know you! you look so familiar!" then i spoke with kristen ("more water on their faces!") for awhile about how nutty chris is. anyway, it was a lovely night.

however, the highlight was getting to spend more time with the greatest bloggers: the wonderful brothers of apartment therapy (so nice to meet you guys again) and the infamous lockhart steele (king of the gawker empire and party crasher extraordinaire). i also got to spend time with the lovely sophie of CITY, the ladies of novita (slope girls shout out) and ms. kelly carter from o at home (no, oprah didn't break up with stedman). all in all, it was a lovely evening and i'm so glad i didn't chicken out and bail. after all, how else would i have met vern yip?

so, walk- no run- to the nearest magazine stand to grab yourself a copy of domino magazine- i guarantee it will be your new favorite magazine. way to go domino, you guys are doing an amazing job and i hope to work with you some day. ahhh, to dream.

alpana bawa

matt from lite brite turned me on to alpana and her insanely colorful, insanely GORGEOUS work. she makes the most out there shirts, dresses, jackets and accessories- and a BEAUTIFUL line of pillows that i've been coveting for awhile. each one oozes handcrafted briliance and brings such a lovely glow to a room. her color palette and choice of materials are pure lux. i could go on and on but i have to run. so, please check out alpana bawa here. also, her mens' clothing is a bit out there, but if you know a guy who can pull it off, grab him and drag him to alpana's store- the shirts are gorgeous and look great on people who have the confidence to make it work.

brave space

tonight is the domino party and i'm so excited- it promises to be a pretty swank affair and i can't wait to spill everything about it tomorrow morning. can't wait. so, in anticipation, i've gotta go find something to wear. i have nothing, so i better head out asap. but before that, i wanted to post a little sumthin about brave space (i love their name), a brooklyn based design studio showing at this year's brooklyn designs show.

brave space is composed of three designers that create modular, multifuntional objects for the home or office. working out of williamsburg, brave space began by providing custom apartment renovation services. responding to the "modest" nature of most of the apts and lofts in the area, they designed pieces with a sized-to-fit sensibility in mind. with the understanding that work and live spaces often overlap, they continue to follow forms that include elements of customization and modularity (thanks to nikki for the info). the brave space team is: sam kragiel, jesse arnold, and nikki frazier, all of whom met while attending art school in gainesville, fla. you can check out the full brave space experience right here. enjoy...

last, desperate plea

so, this is my last gasp- the apt hunt has totally gutted me and i'm starting to believe that there are no good brokers anywhere. i mean, literally, anywhere. so, i thought i would check with you guys out there and see if you had any broker advice.

if anyone has ever used a broker in brooklyn and liked them, could you please please please pass them along? we've been lied to so many times that i'm starting to think they get paid to lie. the little d*s apt details are: 1br, no ground floor apts, cats allowed, $1400. areas: cobble hill, ft. greene, clinton hill, carroll gardens, boerum hill, park slope (fifth ave area, you know, near the fun stuff) and brooklyn heights. or if anyone knows of an area of williamsburg that has trees, we're in. i don't think it exists though. anyway, that's it. my last gasp. i appreciate any help at all, brokers, real estate companies, management companies, anything. i also appreciate your time and listening to my play by play of the horrors of apt hunting. all my deepest thanks, d*s

i feel so josh rubin...

i never post about shoes, even though i love fun sneakers. i just think it's such a huge field that it's best left to those who know best (jr). but while cruising the internet this weekend i found these from the mountain label (produced for the sneaker pimps tour) and thought they were too cool. they remind me of my friend jay from high school who was very mountain man, but often wore skate shoes. anyway, who knows if he'd actually like them, but i do. more info on them here.

busy being...

busy being is a great little store in LA that carries cute accessories (home, fashion, etc). they've got contemporary classics like david wiseman's deer hangers and lots of lotta jansdotter, but i've fallen for their adorable deer jewelry and this poster (see below) that puts a cute new spin on an old classic. check it out for yourself and see the coolness that is busy being.

one cute chika

chika is a los angeles based artist whose work i found this weekend- she makes the most adorable felt animals, and while i'm nearing the end of my obsession with felt (i know, about time), i had to post these. i'm not quite sure what i'd do with them, but mayve you guys could find a use for them. maybe for kids? who knows, they're cute and deserve a click and check. so please click here and check out the world of chickgraphy.

kelly mulloy

aside from totally loving kelly mulloy's site, i love her work. kelly makes beautiful bags, scarves, table placemats and accessories that i'm sure you'll love. her placemats have been covered a bunch, but i'm really digging her cuff bracelets and felt rings. so different. you can see the full mulloy lineup here. great stuff.

i. ronni kappos

i stumbled upon this last weekend and was so surprised! this is the designer who made the beautiful earrings ac gave me for christmas this year. i tried to find her but only had the logo on the box, not the name, so i was thrilled to find this. i. ronni kappos makes the most gorgeous, geometric jewelry. she is based in los angeles and started making jewelry after she graduated from uc santa cruz with a degree in art history. i'm so glad she started, because her work is gorgeous. check it out here. happy monday!

amy helfand

amy helfand is a star. and a brooklyn based star at that. i'm predicting that she blows away the crowd at brooklyn designs in may with her out of this world gorgeous rug designs. born and raised in the suburbs of chicago, amy's work has taken many forms over the years, from photography to sculpture and installation. but the link connecting it all has always been an interest in landscape, actual and imagined. her work has a beautiful grasp of line that i just can't get enough of- and can't wait to see in may. so, check out amy's work and have a great weekend!

a loomful of hues

a loomful of hues is jeanne heifetz, a brooklyn based handweaver who makes beautiful rugs for the home. her work will be on display at brooklyn designs this year and i'm anxious to see her newest designs. until then, you can see her existing collection above, below and online, here.

city joinery

ah, city joinery, you make such beautiful furniture. can't you furnish my whole house? please? pretty please? this gang makes some of the most beautiful wooden furniture around and i can't wait to see what they churn out at this year's brooklyn designs. the company was founded in 1996 by jonah zuckerman at one end of his loft on flatbush ave. tired of being in the same space as his equipment, jonah moved city joinery to dumbo in 1998, where a workshop and small showroom could accommodate the growing business. now, well, they're huge. and with good reason. check out their full line here and be sure to swing by dumbo for their work at this year's brooklyn designs show in may. enjoy...

brooklyn designs

i can't wait for brooklyn designs. i'm almost more excited for it than icff. well, maybe it's a tie. yep, the best time of year for furniture geeks. i've been browsing the site for new people and thought i'd showcase a few of my favorites. these are new products (i dont think they are at least), but they're a great way to see who's going to be there in hopes that you'll feel inspired enough to come out! it's going to be great! this post will be dedicated to further design- a nyc based glass studio that produces the most elegant modern glass. their series from 2003-2004 was my favorite, but i'm sure they'll make a great showing with their 2005 series in may. further glass is william couig works as an editorial assistant for glass magazine. can't wait to see his work at brooklyn designs!

cuteness!!

the cute factor on this stuff is through the roof- i saw puppiesandbabies.com in budget living (love.them.so.much.) and had to post them. i'm obsessed with the puggy bank. too cute. ac and i saw a pug on the subway this morning. their faces are too funny, like someone smooshed them in. cute. anyway, GREAT stuff for pets and babies, obviously. check it all out here. besides, everyone could use a smile on friday. yay friday!

blubber

these are rubber bowls from float that are all bendy-like. i saw them in an ad in metropolis, and although i couldn't find the same photography used in the ad, i thought i'd run it anyway. the photos in the mag are way better and give you a good sense of it's bendy-ness, but anyway, here it is. reminds me of blubber. kinda icky, but kinda cool, too.

fish eye

could these be any cuter? answer: no. thanks to the d*s reader who passed them along. perfect for your fish eye photos, and perfect for a sunny friday day. available at lomography 3.0

cole and son

cole and son consistently puts out some of the best wallpaper around. i did a short write up on them awhile back and felt the need to do it again. i just checked back and saw a few new patterns i just gushed over. "woods" is a gorgeous wallpaper with tree illustrations that comes in a number of subtle but colorful styles, each perfect for the pattern. "fioretti" reminds me of a bandana. i don't know why, but i like it. "woodstock"- well, it takes a bold person to put that up, but i'm sure someone could find a way to make it work- it's too cool not to use. and last, "paper roses" is an elegant, simple and beautiful pattern that i'd LOVE to have somewhere small and bright- perhaps a bathroom with a skylight or a small sun porch (sadly no apt in our range would ever have either). i'd even frame a square of it. so pretty. anyway, check out the whole cole and son line here. gorgeous papers.

kappa, kappa cabana

if you're like me and miss the good old days of trading spaces (when alex was the host, not mindy paige david. barf.), you'll remember laurie smith- the super souther, super preppy designer who never made a mistake (you'll remember what that title is from, too). her traditional meets modern style was always a winner with the homeowners and now she's taken that sensibility to hancock fabrics. she produced a nice line of sensible fabrics for designers and designees that includes this fabric, pacesetter, that i dig. it's sorta retro and nifty, i'd like to upholster a small cute piece, like an old ottoman, in it. pacesetter comes in three great colorways and is pretty easy on the purse. so, check out her line here, and see if you can find a way to bring a little old scholl trading spaces to your life.

who's there

knock knock is a hilarious company that makes all sorts of fun little things (what sort of things, you ask? fun things. that's right, fun things). i found them via stylephile and have been laughing ever since. they describe themselves as, "a semi-spanking-new design company with aspirations to greatness". well, i think they've met those aspirations and i can't wait to see what they do next. they make these cute little takeout menu holders- which ac and i should invest in, seeing as we haven't been very good little cooks lately, but what i love the most are their "wheels o' wisdom" that help you do things like "dial an excuse" or "choose your religion". perfect gifts for people who already have everything but could use a good laugh (or a new religion). they also have great banner signs that say things like "mad props" and "let's get it on", which are much better than "happy birthday" and "welcome back". basically they make great stuff. so go, now, hurry to knockknock.biz for some thursday fun.

grey lady

i liked unbeige's grey post today. i'm sort of grey paint obsessed. i don't think i've ever lived with anyone (or ever will) who'll indulge me in my fantasy of painting an entire apt grey, but oh well. unbeige's quest for the right grey reminds me of mine last year, but thankfully i found my sacred grey- so i'd like to praise benjamin moore for their CHELSEA GREY paint (see above), which is the most perfect grey i've ever seen. i flipped when i first painted it because it looked too green, but it ended up quite nice. sadly it came across as an odd blue color in the ny times shot (although everyone and their brother emailed me asking where to get "that great blue paint"). anyway, hooray for grey!

re:modern

mona from re:modern just emailed to say there were some new things online...and here they are- matching coasters from eleventwentyfive. i love the pafa coasters best, they're coaster sized versions of monique van genderen's popular wall paintings from the pennsylvania academy of the fine arts (pafa). you can see all the new goodies here. enjoy!

off to camp

tori of camp apparel just sent me her line and i LOVE it. i need to decide which to order. because when i'm down (about crap ass brokers who lie to us), i feel the need for some retail therapy. these bags are graphic, colorful and perfect for cheering you up when you need it. you can see the whole line here but i've added my favs above and below. enjoy!

forever your girl journal

this is hysterical. too hysterical. i LOVED paula abdul when i was little. i can remember singing out the windows of my family's car "or-am-i-a-page-in-your-history-book..." man, she was awesome. and now she's awesomely crazy. seriously, check out american idol and you'll see what i mean. the woman is on something. something heavy. she's always babbling about people's "souls shining through" and dancing like a drunken looney on the show. she's seriously on something. ac and i think she had minor plastic surgery and got addicted to the post op pain killers. who knows. either way, this is too funny.

murray's place, part two

murray moss has such lovely things. these came out last year, but i don't think they've gotten enough attention. napkin rings are usually so boring, but these are perfectly contemporary and i love them. would look so nice contrasted with some old antique linens (my mom's favorite). click here for more info.

mossy moss moss

this isn't brand new, but i love it anyway. sometimes subtle glassware can be so lovely to look at. especially when it involves insect patterns from moss- so summery. i can't wait for summer. thank goodness today isn't too horrible in ny. i can't wait for skirts and flip flop weather.

listen up...

ac is obsessed with sound arrangement. and i'll have to admit, i'm wising up to the beauty of speaker arrangement. so in honor of ac, i thought i'd post these. here's what the website says about the harman kardon soundsticks II, "three-piece speaker system that produces high-quality stereo sound for music, mp3's, movies and gaming experiences. soundsticks II employs a new computer-optimized multi-band parametric equalization and harman’s unique ”capacitance touch“ control buttons on the right satellite allow for direct access to volume control." i guess that's good. i don't really know. i'll have to ask for ac. but seeing as i'm concerned with design, i'm happy with it. more info on the soundsticks II here.

editor's note: i took off the comments because first, im having an icky morning and someone went a little nutso on the comments and decided to get personal. all because i posted something that wasn't new. would like to add i never said it was new, i just liked the way it looked. anyway. i wasn't in the mood for leaving up uber personal attacks. it's mean. and i'm too icky this morning to deal with mean people. sorry.

thinkcute

ms. bumblebee always has the greatest links in her "current obsessions" section. i really need to get one of those sections going...but anyway, i found thinkcollective on one good bumblebee 's website and just loved them from the start. they're a husband and wife duo that hand-makes books (you know, the journal-y kind) that come with handmade buttons to match. super cute. you can find more info on thinkcollective here.

calm and composed

composition is a great denver-based design store that has an online boutique strikingly similar to environment 337's. they have some wonderful pieces that are definitely worth checking out- i happen to like the city silhouette canvases, but i'm sure there's plenty for everyone. be sure to catch the cute dog beds and gorgeous wooden jewelry. so hop on by composition and see if you can find yourself something cute for spring.

spring!

spring is here and so is a short piece i did on spring design for the ny post. fun fun. springy things. click here for page 1, here for page 2.

i'm wearing a short sleeve shirt today! yay warm weather!

pps: i'm feeling lucky about apts this week, we may have found a few good ones. please please please, if you have, time think good apt thoughts for us! hope hope!

fiesta

today is nutso nutso so i need to take a blog fiesta. so here are some fiesta goods from pearl river mart. oh, and some cute childrens' chopsticks, cause i love chopsticks. xoxox, d*s

galangalangalang

i can't get enough of m.i.a. i got the cd this weekend and it's been on heavy rotation all day at the office. if you haven't heard maya arulpragasam (aka m.i.a.) then you're missing out. the sri lankan answer to dizzee rascal, ms. arulpragasam's sound is is all her own and i'm LOVING it. seriously, LOVING it. and to top it off, her style and video design is SUPER hot. i just watched galang online and i'm hooked. HOOKED. its spraypaint stencil style art is a welcome change to all the super smooth graphic gunk clogging up networks like mtv and vh1. it's raw, it's in your face, it's m.i.a. her sound is part revolutionary, part tribal, part jamaican dub and ALL good. really, can't recommend it more. it only took a day to grow on me. nuff said. hope i don't play it to death. even if her sound isn't for you, the look is gorgeous and deserves a second glance. so check her web here (it's down right now but should be back up soon) and the video here. i love it. love it. enjoy...

morning craft

morning craft just launched and features some great little accessories for the home (most important, ms. lena corwin who i've mentioned before). i'm a fan of the cute pillows with animals on them, as well as the felt bags and purses. but my favorite thing is a toy called "my guys" that totally reminds me of that creepy little alien thing from "flight of the navigator" (ie: the best movie of my childhood- hands down). see picture below. it's a dead ringer. anyway, check out morning craft for goods from lena and a whole slew of other talents.

chiasso

my mom mentioned chiasso the other day so i thought it was about time i got to posting on them. i'm particularly interested in their delmar grill which makes grilling on a tiny city apt patio super easy. they've also got a great collection of modern homewares that are pretty well priced. so if you've got a spare second, stop on by chiasso and check out the goods. not to be missed: the profile and silhouette vases, for those of you who can't get enough graphic goodness, and the tape timer- a clever helper when you're baking in the kitchen.

design without reach

thwart design is home to some of the funniest and most digusting design i've ever seen. disgusting but hysterical. well, i better expalin the disgusting first. thwart design is home to both bacon bracelets and nipple buttons. both of which make me cringe, laugh and then cringe some more. but, what i LOVE about thwart (besides the fact that they're in brooklyn) is their "design without reach" project, which is an attempt to recreate classic designs without going broke. it's hysterical. you can learn how to make a mini wassily chair with duct tape and paperclips or a satellite bowl with chopsticks and a rubber band. too funny. it's all meant to be tongue in cheek and that's why i love thwart- they don't take themselves too seriously. so, check out thwart and give yourself a good laugh. (not to be missed: their deface urban renewal project which is a poster that looks like clean bricks you can place over graffiti. hahaha.)

amadon

a lovely d*s reader thought i might like a lamp from amadon by brooklyn-based artist amy adams. and i do, so i thought i'd check out the rest of the line. amadon is a cute little online store (although their interface could use some work) carrying all sorts of design goodness. while i'd already seen some of it, i was happily surprised by the work of amy adams, whose ceramics are both sensuous and smooth. you can find the whole amadon line right here (don't miss the lotta jansdotter stuff- i'm always a fan of her work).

garnet hill

today i was thinking about how nice it would be if all design was affordable. and by affordable i mean i can afford it. which means most things are under 100 bucks. so, while i was thinking about this i happened to be browsing through the 800th garnet hill catalog we've gotten this month and i noticed some cute things- in happy summer colors too! so, i thought- why not do a garnet hill post? it's not exactly brand new cutting edge design, but sometimes you can find great things in the most unexpected places. i'm rather fond of the table spikes pictured above (all pics from garnethill.com) and the lemon drop vase- they're bright, colorful and remind me of beachhouses and vacation. win win win. so, cruise on by garnet hill and pick up an affordable slice of summer. enjoy!