gone fishin'

ok, not really, since the idea of putting a hook in something makes me squirm, but i'm leaving tomorrow morning for a much needed summer vacation. ac and i are heading to my family's house in virginia beach until next tuesday. so, d*s will be closing shop and coming back on wednesday morning. sorry i didn't post much of anything today, my posts for apartment therapy took more time than i thought. plus i'm running things at work solo for the next week or two so i've been bogged down more than i normally am. anyway, i hope everyone has a wonderful fourth of july! i'll see you all on wednesday. have a safe and happy holiday. xoxo, d*s

more cupcakes for everyone....

ever felt wasteful using paper cupcake tin liners? well, kaiser bakeware has the solution- resuable (up to 1,000 times) cupcake tin liners! available in a pack of 6 for $10, they make baking a little bit more earth friendly. although, i really do love all those fun patterned cupcake liners...available online right here.

precidio objects

ok, i admittedly had nothing to do with finding these guys, although i wish i had. i swear, i'm always one step behind the coolness that is velocity art and design. john of velocity mentioned these guys and i've been trying to track them down ever since. they're going to be up on velocity's online store soon (correct me if i'm wrong, john!), but until then, you can get some more info on them right here...

precidio objects is an ontario based distributor of modern housewares. i'm wild about their "sum" line by helen kerr. "sum" is a series of vessels and containers that have about a gazillion different uses. made of materials like melamine, acrylic and silicone, the line has lids that can serve as plates, and vessels that can double as vases, bowls, pencil-holders, do-dads containers and and endless amount of other options. The range costs anywhere from $3-$24, so it's certainly not hard to bring "sum" modern style into your home (har har). you can get more information and retail details right here (i'll let you know when they're up on velocity's site).

perry lancaster

perry lancaster is a british artist now based in the sunny south of france who makes the most beautiful small scale sculptures. his work is so beautiful i really want the pictures to speak for themselves. you can see the full collection and find more info on his work right here. [thanks, claire!]

ornament and crime

it's been way too long since i posted something on rena tom. i can't believe it, what was i thinking? i've been guest posting over at apartment therapy all week so it must have drained some brain power. anyway, time's up and here comes the "ornament and crime" (fall 2005) collection from my favorite jewelry-makin brooklynite, ms. rena tom.

rena's fall collection is full of trusty standbys (delicate flower beading themes and great big chunks of wood and onyx with dangly strings of gold), but makes a great big gorgeous leap into engraved and patterned metalwork. her "honeycomb" pieces are simply gorgeous and mark a wonderful new direction for ms. tom. i'm always a huge fan of her simple wood pieces (love love love the duchess necklace), but these new metal pieces add a great sense of progression to her collection- it's so fun to watch rena try out new materials and methods.

you can browse and shop rena's new "ornament and crime" collection online right here.

coasters

the boys of variegated passed these fantastic coasters on to me this weekend...thanks so much, guys. dinner-ware is a fantastic little design studio that makes coasters (marble and cork), trivets and tables. there is a series of 12 patterns that you can choose to put on one of the above products. i'm keen on the cork coasters in the abstract, animal and split flowers patterns. super cute and fairly affordable ($30 for 4 coasters, $25 for a trivet). available online at dinner-ware.com.

pen and paper

i love line drawings. i'm sort of nuts about them. it was the one thing i couldn't do well as an art major, so of course, i love me a good line drawing. ac and i currently sleep under a framed one by sleepy cow's kate sutton (love her work to pieces). these pieces are by chris bettig of the mountain label. i posted about his show last week, which i hear is going smashingly, so i wanted to share some pieces he did for it. these are called "animals and minerals". anyway, just wanted to share...

cover it up

i like these padded laptop covers at kate's paperie. yes, they lack the strap that would make them really useful and handy, but if you're just looking for something to prevent your laptop from being scratched by crazy cats (like me) or getting spilled on, these are the ticket. cute, poppy colors and patterns at $40 a pop. yes, not the most practical thing in the world (no strap to carry), but it's fun to look at. available in an ipod form too ($30)...but i'll have to say, i've been ok with not having to talk about or be attacked by massive amounts of ipod covers lately...

beach bunnies

ac and i just got back from ocean grove, nj last night and i just wanted to thank everyone for their suggestions and tips! we had a WONDERFUL time and couldn't have enjoyed our weekend getaway more if we tried. we stayed at the majestic, which was fanastic (karen and les were a trip), and ate at both captain jack's (loved it) and moonstruck (our food was just so-so there). we drove home tanned and rested and just wanted to thank everyone for suggesting places to eat, shop (LOVED kitch n kaboodle, i bought a super cool old milk bottle to use as a carafe) and stay. xo, d*s

ooh! don't forget!

beach bum

so, ac and i are off to ocean grove, nj this weekend to try and get some much needed sun. hopefully we'll do nothing but bake in the sun on bright beach towels all day and eat ice cream until we're forced to move to the pool to cool down. i'll be back on monday morning- hope you all have a wonderful weekend. thank you again for all the new jersey shore suggestions, they were a huge help! xo, d*s

animal lover

oops, i missed these in the "new" section at velocity. salvor, designers of those super cute animal pillows, now make kids t-shirts to match. my favorites are the squirrel, pidgeon and fawn. and what kid doesn't like animal shirts? $32 bucks a pop at velocity online.

whats new, velocity?

i'm the biggest velocity fan (happy late birthday velocitygirl!), so i always love checking their "what's new" section...this week they added a great set of area tables including a bedside table with drawer, a high bench and a long low table. each one is made of curved plywood with an oiled walnut veneer and ranges from $280-$330. available online at velocity art and design.

mono y mono

mono's filio collection is really great tea service series. consisting of a teapot, warmer, cup and sugar/creamer set, it's a great way to add a little modernity to your morning brew. the components start at about $100 and go up to $130 for the teapot itself, but i think it's a nice piece worth investing in if tea is really your thing. myself? i'm a molo tea lantern girl, but this might be just right for someone out there. available at the magazine online.

roll with it baby

i love the rollwagen from mueller moebel. not exactly cheap ($300+), but man do i love anything in hot pink and red. i'd actually prefer a model in rubber rather than solid painted steel, but this one would do mighty fine if i could find the dough. available at the magazine.

tableware

i'm becoming sort of a cooking and tableware freak, so i was psyched to check out the magazine's tableware collection. among my favorites: oven, dishwasher and microwave safe origo bowls (love the colorful stripes, so summery); asta servingware, rosendahl flatware and the colorful stelton vacuum jugs. too cute. more info here.

van gregory + norton

i love this finial from van gregory + norton (it reminds me of white coral), a brooklyn-based curtain hardware design studio. their work is carried in showrooms across the country, and if you're in atlanta, try jerry pair fine furnishings, san francisco try shears and window and in ny, carlton v at the d&d building.

marvelous molo

the innovative design team of stephanie forsythe and todd macallen, also known as molo design, is at it again with some great new additions to their existing lines...

after receiving requests from people who wanted to use their paper softwall at work or for exhibits, molo is in the process of perfecting a process by which things can be hung off of the softwall, for mulitple purporses. they are also beginning to have their first successes at making a textile softwall – made from a water-resistant and tear-resistant non-woven textile. neither are completely finished, but when they are, look out! these guys are unstoppable and i'm so thrilled that the industry has such innovative players like molo.

not content to stop at updating the softwall, molo has added two new pieces to their award-winning float line: a gorgeous martini glass and a small version of their elegant tea lantern. the float martini glasses preserve the classic shape of the martini bowl while harmonizing beautifully with the aesthetics of the full line of float barware. like all of molo's pieces, the martini glasses are handcrafted from the highest quality german borosilicate glass. the small tea latern, like it's larger cousin, is a beautifully innovative way to enjoy your relaxing cup of tea in style. both will be in stock and ready to sell next week. you can contact molo for purchasing information.

faces faces everywhere

i love these little vases, they remind of a game i used to play where each person had a little stand with people on it and you had to guess who each person had by saying things like, "does your person have red hair? brown eyes? a hat?" (does anyone remember what this was called??). anyway, these "genetic tale" vases are an older piece from alessi that are currently carried at the magazine. i know they're not new, but they're oh so cute. each one is a small porcelain flower vase decorated with tiny blue vases. i just like the idea of a whole town of people taking care of my flowers. $45 at the magazine.

georgie boy

i'm a huge fan of george nelson. it's hard not to be when you work in the industry i do. he designed this gorgeous line of mini cabinets (i love the stands) in 1952 that are now manufactured by herman miller (not who i work for). they're available at the magazine and i'm determined to save up for one, though it may take some time (they start at $1,000).

nelson was totally into all things japanese, so you can definitely see it in these pieces. according to the magazine these pieces are, "reminiscent of tansu (traditional japanese cabinetry)." made of teak, these pieces are offered in a variety of sizes and drawer configurations and use environmentally friendly rosewood stain to replace the original rosewood drawer fronts. available right here.

hable haute couture

i love hable construction, always have, always will. their designs are just so friendly and fun. while most of their line is within my price range, these are a bit above it...most are above $200. these are what i like to call, "hable haute couture" and they're all available at the magazine online.

each felted wool pillow is hand-made in hungary using traditional hammer and chisel cutting and applique techniques. the patterns are gorgeous and plafyul as always, and the subject matter is undeniably happy. while these may be a bit too child-like for some people (i often hear the complaint that hable patterns look like little kid stuff), i think, used in the right capacity, these could fit well into any home. they're certainly not cheap, but for me, these pieces are just gorgeous to look at. the whole line is available right here, at the magazine.

oh, walter...

raised wall art has been all the rage (along with wallpaper) this year, so why not try out some affordable wall art from walter? these cute little sunbursts are a more affordable way to do that mid-century star burst look, without splurging on that gorgeous mirror that inspired it. available at the magazine.

i know i know....

i'm supposed to be dropping the bird thing...so consider this its last gasp (at least i'll try to make it the last gasp). these wool blend felt "rest" bird pillows at sprout home are too cute. i just love bird sillhouettes- shoot me. available for $40 at sprout home online.

eva solo

super cool eva solo bbq grill at the magazine- pricey ($560 and up, but aren't grills expensive anyway?), but so, sooo cool. the eva solo bbq collection is a complete bbq collection that covers every angle of outdoor living. it includes: a barrel grill, completely made in stainless steel, practical with a portable coal bucket, a flat protective flat lid, tongs, skewers, spatula and more! you can find it all online, right here.

if you've got $2,430 to spare....

you can buy those nutso GIANT (79" h) lamps that cappellini showed at the milan furniture fair 2005. i know, kind of crazy all around, but fun to look at nonetheless. you can buy them online at the magazine.

that's right, i'm a princess

my old governor's school (and then college) roommate, ariel, used to call me a "beach princess" (i used to dress up a lot, and at smart kid summer camp, that looks like you're trying too hard), while i found it to be a rather inaccurate description of me, i thought it would be a great lead-in to a post on the princess vase from serralunga (debuted at this year's milan furniture fair). while it's wildly expensive (over $500, ahh!), it's still nice to look at. such nice, soft curves and subtle leaf patterns. details: oversized vase made from a lightweight thermoplastic that is weather and UV resistant and virtually unbreakable. more info here.

itchy and scratchy

i love this garden piece- it looks like some weird animated back scratcher plant from a cartoon show. but, it's actually "ramo", a garden ladder, meant to double as an architectural element you can leave outside, leaning against a wall or even lying down. it's also apparently quite helpul when trying to reach the highest branches of a tree or to hold your jacket on a hot summer day. available at the magazine online ($186).

the magazine

i have NO idea how i haven't posted on the magazine before. i am a huge, huge advocate of online design stores, and these guys are a great resource for design lovers all over. carrying everything from eames to hable, the magazine provides a wonderfully well organized resource for those interested in design-conscious gifts.

based in berkeley, the magazine was founded in 1990 and continues to have a presence as a great online store. carrying predominantly imported pieces (italy, holland, germany), but certainly not limited to them, the magazine also carries some gorgeous pillows from hable construction (think of them as their couture line, super pricey) that have beautiful felt patterns sewn into them. if they weren't so pricey i'd scoop them up toot sweet (i just wanted to say toot sweet, actually).

while the magazine does carry some pieces that are so expensive i wanna cry, they have a GREAT gift guide that lets you chose products from under $50 to above $1000. it's really well put together and provides a wonderful resource to those with little time and lots to do.

d*s highlights of the collection are: mamanonmama wooden mirrors, mono collection hanging holders, great modern doormat, gorgeous baba planter/vases. more great magazine goods here (and to follow above!)

i love these so, so much

praise be to our good friends, missy and alden (and their dog, roosevelt) for their fabulous design taste. they have had these fabulous coasters ever since i've known them and i've always forgotten to ask who made them. designed by bogdan co. in california, these stainless steel star coasters have rubber tips on them to prevent scratching and thermal damage on your table surface. although, missy points out (in the midst of searching for new coasters), when your drink gets all sweaty the water can drip down on the table. not good. but, if you're using them somewhere that won't cause drink sweat and doesn't matter if it gets wet, go ahead! you can contact bogdan co. right here to see where they sell them near you, or you can get them online right here!

drawing exhibit

because i love busy-being and christopher bettig...

Drawing Exhibit: Blank Gallery / Busy-Being bring you new drawings by : Christopher Bettig, Carolina Chaves, Ben Loiz, Timothy Reed and Albert Reyes.

Opening: Saturday June 25th, 2005. Exhibition Dates: 6.25.05- 7.25.05

Location: Blank Gallery 1202 Alvarado Street. Echo Park, California 90026. http://www.blank-echopark.com

bbb+at

starting today i'll be doing some guest posts over at apartment therapy. maxwell and co. will be traveling to france so i'm helping out with a post a day for the next week or so. today i'm adding some info about jonathan adler's collection at bed bath and beyond...but these caught my eye too....

i looove these striped oval tubs (only $10 a piece!) they're such a cheerful way to store drinks outside for picnics, beach parties, etc. and while you're at it, why not grab some of these (sort of cheesy, but hey, it's summer backyard fun) flower candles for the table. everyone loves to eat by candlelight ($10 for a pack of 6).

focus: student design

i really like these two seating systems from korean design student, duck young kong. he sent them to me, and although they're not yet available in america, i thought they were definitely worth sharing. i think it's so important to showcase and support the generation of young designers out there contributing such great ideas to the industry.

born in korea, duck young kong is a student at the cranbrook academy of art, getting an mfa in 3d design. his work shows a wonderful balance between form and function and creativity and practicality. his "my zone part 1" and "my zone part 2" pieces show a clear awareness of what is required from a client or user and how to infuse that with an artistic vision that brings both fun and function to the project.

both "my zone 1" and "my zone 2" play with the idea of personal space and the changing demands on seating situations. both systems allow for two people to either increase or decrease the amount of space between them, making each system ideal for both professional and personal use. "my zone part 1", the sliding chair system, seems ideal for an office/waiting room setting, allowing those in the waiting area to either sit close together (ie: perhaps a hospital setting where families want to sit close together) or further apart (ie: guests waiting who don't know each other). the second system has a bit more whimsy and would probably need to be slightly adapted for production, but i love its use of felt and the idea of creating a number of different sitting areas. it allows the user to determine any number of ways they would feel more comfortable using the system. seems like it would be cute for a school, child's room or something involving kids that might like little cubby corners to talk, read, play in. all in all, i think these two pieces show a ton of design smarts and the potential for a great career in 3d design. best of luck to duck young kong and many thanks for sending along your work!

lost city of vases

these gorgeous vases are from artist sara paloma. their beautiful shapes remind me of graceful landscapes and towering city lines. sara's work is so stunning that i just had to post it. you can find her work all over the internet, here are a few choices: show lifestyle, relish, artisance, propeller and space downtown (starting in august). some of these you might have to visit in person for specific pieces, but each one should have her work in stock. thanks, sara!

new joisey

does anyone know any good towns in the jersey shore? preferably something reasonably close to nyc? north shore towns? something beachy, not too crazy..if that's possible. thank you so much! xo, d*s

UPDATE- we're staying in ocean grove, thanks everyone!

improved crockery

i like the word crockery. it has such a nice sound to it, crockery. makes me want to say it again and again. anyway, before you think i've gone mental, let me explain why i'm murmuring "crockery" over and over in my head like a mad woman...clio home just added a great new plate and tea set to their collection called "improved crockery"- they're designer silk screened images of men and women on vintage crockery pieces. they're oh so sarah cihat. they're not dishwasher safe, but these aren't really everyday pieces- i guess they'd be funny to use to serve tea and biscuits on or something. the line ranges from $37-$130 and must be ordered via phone, as their online stock is out. you can contact clio home at 212.966.8991. enjoy!

relish

whenever i hear the word relish i think of this really obnoxious waitress at relish diner in williamsburg. she once spilled coffee on ac's plate and the table and then said, "oh...that's a drag." ahhh, williamsburg service. anyway, back to the other relish...

relish::modern objects ("because design matters") is a cool little online boutique that carries some nifty tableware and home accessories. most are down right affordable, but there are a few super pricey items. but for the most part, you can shop happy and shop well at relish without doing too much damage to your visa.

my favorites? their fantastic verre ny glass pieces (ac gave me a gorgeous verre red glass necklace for our anniversary last year), a super cute candle holder collection (i normally don't care for candle things, but these are cool), really fun, colorful "love" plates and bowls, moya bowls, lsa tumblers and last but not least, some elegant vases. take a look around and i'm sure you'll find something...have fun!