teresa chang

teresa chang is a philadelphia-based artist whose line of tableware is simply gorgeous. reminiscent of the same sturdy, warm feeling found in the work of san francisco studio heath ceramics, teresa's work is both elegant and visually substantial. i've always been a fan of plates and bowls that looked as if they were heavy and would feel comforting to have rest on your lap as you ate noodles (or ice cream) and watched a good movie- and these pieces look like just that. the colors are comforting and subtle, and the designs are simple and understated. and to top it off, most of the prices won't send you into credit card debt.

ms. chang is away on vacation until august 2, but after that you can place orders with her via email, phone or fax. you can see the whole collection and find pricing right here.

bone simple

bone simple design is the work of ny based artist, chad jacobs. i'm quite fond of this horizontal striped sconce (even though i don't normally like sconces), although i'd like to see it in different colors. something with a bold vermillion stripe would look great. more info right here.

uranium glass

ok, ever since i read this article about the woman designing marc jacob's home collection, i've been nursing this small obsession with uranium glass. i can't remember where i read the article, or the name of the marc jacobs woman (does anyone remember this??) but she had a gorgeous collection of uranium glass and i've been trying to find it online ever since. i like the sort of pale yellow colored class, and i'd love to find it in all sorts of weird glassware, esp anything looking like a beaker or plain glass, nothing fancy or victorian. anyone have any ideas? i tried ebay but everything was really green and super ornate. thanks for any tips!

angela adams at ann sacks

starting august 1st, angela adams will debut a beautiful collection of tiles she designed for ann sacks. characteristic of ms. adams' work, the collection includes 6 patterns in her signature geometric but organic style. the colorways are bright, happy and very angela. you can view the line here and start ordering on august 1.

a little kitsch goes a long way...

too much kitsch can be awful, but just enough can be fantastic. these vintage phones at uncommon goods would be perfect used in just the right place. next to a shag rug and pea green refridgerator, this would certainly be overkill, but i could see someone working this in to an existing decor really well. available in three colors at uncommon goods for around $150 (the orange is out of stock for two weeks, but will be back soon if you're interested in it).

woof woof

i'm a sucker for pet designs. like these fun feeders and toys from wetnoz- they're fun, affordable and available online (or you can check out their list of retailers to find a store near you). my favorites: the springroll toy, the non-slip mat and the metro line of scoop/feeder bowls.

cheep cheep, part deux

thanks to everyone who sent in great modern bird feeder suggestions- velocity art and design has now decided to sell one of the suggestions on their site! you can now see (and buy) the whole collection from "modern birdhouses" online at velocity. so, i will now proceed to blatantly steal of all the text from velocity's site, written by dail at modern birdhouses.

"Modern Birdhouses' Case Study Masters Series honors the architectural pioneers who participated in the Case Study Houses Program. The Case Study Houses Program was established in 1945 by John Entenza, the progressive editor and publisher of Arts and Architecture magazine. Entenza commissioned architects to design simple and innovative modern homes for a growing post-war housing market. The resulting homes took full advantage of industrialized building processes and continue to broadly influence modern architecture. Participants included such icons as Charles Eames and Eero Saarinen. Our birdhouses — named after Case Study participants J.R. Davidson, Richard Neutra, and Ralph Rapson — feature simple lines, modern detailing, and durable materials. They are hand-made from sustainably harvested teak that has been certified with the Rainforest Alliance's SmartWood program (www.smartwood.org). The wood is finished with an oil that protects against water, mildew, and UV rays. The roofs are constructed of sandblasted 1/4" thick aluminum plate and aluminum dowels. Stainless steel fasteners prevent rust and corrosion. The opening is 1-3/8" in diameter, which will accomodate common cavity-nesting birds such as chickadees, bluebirds, wrens, and swallows."

"The birdhouses ship pre-assembled, except for the mounting bracket, which can be attached with two provided stainless steel screws. A keyhole slot on the back of the mounting bracket allow the birdhouse to be hung on a single screw. The floor is easily removable for cleaning."

so, check out the whole line at velocity. thanks l+j!

love it

i don't often mention music or do music review on d*s, but i had to put this up today. i've been listening to of montreal's latest cd "the sunlandic twins" for the last week and i highly suggest that, if you can get your hands on a copy, you take a listen. it's phenomenal. knowing me i'll play it to death and be sick of it by next week, but for now, i'm hooked- which is kind of funny, considering i used to hate indie rock. but thanks to ac i'm now a recovering hippy who has learned to find joy in music that doesn't last for 6 hours. you can find out more about of montreal right here.

go, jane, go

i love see jane work- such fun work accessories. today i'm crazy about their pepperpot file folders and mousepad (they're girly, be warned..) and the clip on file labels (so helpful for people like me that run through files and don't want to get a new one because the permanent label is wrong). i also love the sleek little silver pencil sharpener, r+h composition books, hable spiral notebooks and the fancy accordion files. see them all at seejanework.

risd(ee)

risd works, the online store for risd, carries some amazing products. i just wanted to share these two because they're among my favorites: a bean-print dish set (3 for $70) by hirokazu + oranudh ingkhavat masuda and the tote bag by shawn parks that reminds me of a tomato ($40).

hey ladies....

inspired by o at home's "women who make beautiful things" section (it's a fantastic section), i decided to install a permanent feature on d*s: hey ladies...

this (weekly or bi-weekly) section will feature a talented female designer whose work deserves both celebration and in-depth discussion. in an industry dominated by men (i'll be dealing mainly with product and graphic design...), i think these successful women deserve to be noticed, commended and applauded for their wonderful work.

today i want to focus on pamela sunday, a brooklyn-based designer whose sculpture is carried throughout new york. formerly an art director, ms. sunday discovered her passion for clay over 10 years ago. while working in world of fashion advertising, she decided the time was right to follow her heart, so she left fashion for design and hasn't looked back since. for the past 10 years she's been creating beautiful, one of a kind, hand built ceramics from her carroll gardens studio that reflect her interest in texture and form. what i love most about ms. sunday's work is its clear interest in and focus on surface texture and organic shapes. her sculptures remind me of shapes and textures found underwater- her pieces are wonderfully reminiscent of both prickly sea urchins and star fish, with textures and patterns recalling coral and plant life.

ms. sunday's work is an oasis of in-your-face texture in a world of jonathan adler-ish smooth perfection. while it may not be for everyone- it's certainly more intense than a lot of the ceramics i've seen in most people's houses (and some of the textures give even me the willies)- i think it has a very specific audience that will appreciate the exploration into form and its relationship to texture and surface. you can find ms. sunday's work at karkula in nyc (68 gansvoort street), regeneration furniture, the jason lamberth gallery in the hamptons (103 hayground rd., water mill, ny) and belvedere in atlanta. thank you, pamela for passing along your work- it's wonderful to see what the brooklyn women around me are up to...

extras

these are too cute- the retro radio from levenger (plays mp3s from your ipod) and the stainless steel magazine rack from wactor. [via productdose]

focus: packaging

celebrity hairstylist to the stars (ok, not that stylist to the stars), yuki sharoni has introduced a new line of hair products with distinct, y-shaped packaging. while i normally don't like the idea of shaping a bottle after your intitial, i think the packaging looks pretty neat- it reminds me of a tree branch, or this. [via stylephile]

sit on it

i love this chair from hivemind (fantastic brooklyn-based designers, ruby and sather). chair-4 is contructed of powder-coated steel and walnut. it's simple with clean lines and a sleek finish- perfect. i think their crux credenza and crux shelving system are pretty slick too. you can see the whole shebang right here.

i wanna be made

besides sharing a name with one of mtv's most fantastically awful television shows, made is a portland oregon-based design studio that produces some of the most lovely, modern woodwork around.

their two existing lines, plateau and nest, are characterized by their clean lines, modern forms and quality woodwork. the plateau collection's simple steel and wood construction is wonderfully sparse and perfect for an urban loft that needs something minimal, yet cool for storage.

the nest line is full of beautiful dark woods offset by white lacquer drawers and doors. i love the combination of dark and light- it's perfect for most modern interiors.

made also carries a "low down media cabinet" that i'd love to get my hands on if i could- it's so simple and so clean-lined that i just have to have it in my apt. but then again, i made myself a promise that i'd stay away from walnut for a while...

you can see made's full collection here and contact them for ordering and pricing information right here.

a word with dom...

mocoloco has a great interview with idfuel's dominic muren up today- i think it's a fantastic idea. dom has some really interesting things to say as he heads back to school for his masters in industrial design at the university of the arts in philly. check it out if you have time.

land of all things wonderful...

ac is from massachusetts, so in my opinion it's no wonder there are so many great things coming out of the mass moca. like this "upside down syrup" inspired by artist natalie jeremijenko's 1999 on-site installation, "tree logic". i love the font, the packaging and the fact that the can will read right side up or upside down. $8.95 at the mass moca "hardware" store.

mmm...moca

the moca has some great gift shop goods as well. i have a serious design crush on this anchor key chain. it's summer and i can't get enough of nautical themes...

sf moma

fun things at the sf moma...i love these acrylic dominos by david quan. available in lime, blue or pink for $12. [don't miss the 2x4 exhibition going on through november 27!]

michelle smith

michelle smith is a great raleigh, nc-based designer specializing in handcrafted home goods, accessories and paper products. you can see all of her work by checking out michelle's site (which will have a working e-commerce section soon).

my favorites are the graphic lavender sachets (especially the tree pattern version), the notecard sets and the sophia bag. until her shopping site is up, you can purchase via etsy online, right here. thanks, michelle!

oooms

oooms is the design studio of eindohoven based product designer, guido oooms. founded in 2000, the studio works on primarly self-initiated products and is looking for manufacturers and producers for the bulk of the existing pieces, but, i thought it definitely warranted checking out. who knows, maybe someone out there can help with finding a (manufacturing) home for oooms' products.

my favorites are the bright green wire chair (i think it would look fabulous anywhere) and the low res chair, made of steel and polyether foam. both are pretty conceptual and might not be the comfiest of chairs, but i think they have great lines, a simple concept and a lot to work with in terms of creating a sell-able version with a manufacturer. check out the full oooms line here.

day-lab

thank goodness for d*s reader, stephanie. without her i would never have found out about day-lab, an adorable little online boutique that sells gorgeously crafty things like cards, painfully awesome jewelry and all sorts of accessories like bags, shirts and pins. a bit towards the crafty set for some people, but if you're a one good bumblebee reader and you know what craftster is, this site is for you.

run out of a tiny apt in the garden district of baton rouge, louisianna, day-lab is full of wonderfully designed, hand-made goodies. started (and still run) by amy shutt (who designs cool pillows herself) and ryan baudoin, day-lab is the perfect place to cruise around if you're looking for something cute, reasonably priced and made by someone with their own two hands.

i'm tied for my favorites- it's a dead heat between the animal pillows and the freakishly awesome jewelry section. as far as jewelry goes, i love the owl earrings, the bird earrings and pin, the apple necklaces and the lovely, lovely bubble collection. you can't go wrong with any of it. it's just too cute. (yes, too cutesy for some, but not for all)

thanks to stephanie for passing this along. i believe she found it via the daily candy, so i wanted to throw that credit in, too. thanks stephanie and dc!

[editor's note: the day-lab site is down as i'm finishing this post, so try back again if it poops out on you]

i've been thinking about what i'd like to have another contest for...but seem to be drawing up blanks. apartment therapy has the interior design category down- i always love seeing people's places up close like that- but there seems to be a lot of room for more fun contests out there.

i loved the DIY contest from earlier this year, but it's time for something new- so, if anyone has any ideas, please do throw them out there. feel free to fill the comments section with any ideas you have about what it might be fun to throw a contest for...best new chair? best new kitchen product? i don't know, something more exciting, right? i'm feeling uninspired so i'd love to see what all the other design lovers out there are thinking about...thanks for your tips! i'll look them over, process and announce the contest(s?) in early august. thanks!

atlas

atlas is a manufacturer of beautiful, quality wooden furniture. my favorite pieces in their collection are far from new, but i haven't heard much about them lately so i thought i'd check back in, because sometimes pieces that are built so well continue to look fresh and modern. and these certainly fit that description.

run by designers joseph fratesi and thomas wright (atlas west and atlas east, respectively), atlas operates in both brooklyn and sanfranciso. their work has been mentioned in all the top design publications, and with good reason- their clean lines, beautiful materials and timeless designs are perfect for those looking to invest in a truly beautiful piece of furniture. you can see the whole collection here and contact them here for information on pricing, installation and purchase. (my favorites are the bed, shelving and dresser)

zid zid kids

i was wondering who made the adorable giraffe pillow i saw at romp brooklyn and i managed to stumble upon the designers while cruising the internet during my lunch break...hooray for lucky coincidences!

zid zid kids is a wonderful manufacturer and designer of fantastic children's products. they make furniture, textilesand accessories that ooze a warm homemade feel that is just right for decorating a child's room. i've always thought that if i have children one day i'll want to make sure their rooms are a perfect combination of toys and decorations that are both pleasing to the eye and soft to the touch- this collection from zid zid is just like that. each piece, from their adorable "poofs" to their friendly looking animal cushions, are welcoming, cuddly and cute enough to make them an all around hit.

my favorites are the cushions, mini poofs and the adorable flower and cloud table/chair sets. but you can't go wrong with anything from zid zid. you can find retailers near you by clicking right here, or, if you're in NY, check out romp brooklyn in park slope for zid zid pillows.

company c

fantastic linens (rugs, pillows and textiles) from company c- as colorful as they could possibly be and equally fun. my favorites are above and below (love that silk quilt above). click here for the full collection (and shopping online).

cheep cheep

calling all bird lovers- some dear friends of mine are looking for a great bird feeder for their fabulous new apt's deck. something modern and simple is the best. i've found a few (above and below), but if anyone out there new of any other great resources, i'd appreciate the tips! modern would be the key...thanks guys! [feeders from velocity art and design, perch, eva solo, menu, j schatz, vogeli, and mono]

for the aussies....

i often get emails from internet buddies down under and thought i'd share this for them, as i don't believe they're shipping our way right now...

cloth is a new australian fabric company that sells gorgeous lamp shades, pillows, bedding and bags with beautiful, organic patterns. the designs are very much in the lotta jansdotter vein, but lovely in their own way as well. my personal favorites are the gorgeous table linens and lampshades- their subtle colors and calming patterns would fit perfectly in a room designed to be a tranquil retreat. so, for all of you down under, check out cloth's website to see the full collection and find information on ordering. enjoy!

fabrics

i'm in the market for bright poppy fabrics to redo an old family couch and while these aren't exactly what i'm looking for, they're fabulous. amy butler design is run by, well, amy butler, in ohio. she designed gorgeous fabrics with exotic colors and patterns that just scream "sunporch!" to me. she also writes books on decorating that look pretty nifty. you can see her full collection here and find out where to buy (online or in person) right here. enjoy!

murals

d*s reader, melissa passed along her dear friend's website, which showcases beautiful murals done for children's rooms. full of color and fun designs, the work of welybom studios is done by lisa williams, a risd grad currently residing in nyc with her jack russell, moby (who often appears in her murals). the process is simple, a free estimate and consultation are offered to discuss what sort of project would be perfect for your space; then sketches are offered and altered at the client's request. after the final approval painting begins on either a canvas or on the wall directly. i love this because i think a giant canvas would be perfect for the frequent re-decorators out there. you can find more information about ms. williams and welybom studios right here. [thanks, melissa!]

bow wow

too cute. "spot" from bowhaus design (they brought you the super cute "bowhaus" modern pet bed that doubles as a side table) is a great way to organize all your dog walking necessities. with space for keys, leashes, bags (that's right, you can store your pooper scooper bags in there!) and even a photo of your beloved fuzzy one- the "spot" is a clever way to deal with dog accessories in a stylish way. $50 online at bowhaus.

trunk time

this adorable elephant mobile (by flensted) at modern seed is just too cute to pass up if you're in the market for kids' design. the colors are lovely and so is the price, only $24. you can find it online right here.

COLOURlovers

i'm a colorlover, you're a colorlover, we're all colorlovers, so why not check out this fantastic site that bills itself as, "a place to view, rate and review some lovely colours & palettes. the idea is to create a place of color inspiration where a designer of any sort can see new and lovely colours... find out what colors are hot, what work well in other uses... and simply make some love with colour." i love it. because you can never, ever have too much color. [it's a great place to start if you're trying to paint or lacquer something, because they offer a wide palette in which to find inspiration]

ipop!

SUCH a great idea. thanks to janessa bautista for passing on her boyfriend's fantastic new design- the ipop! designed by charlie becker, the ipop holds an ipod shuffle in place anywhere you need it. it is made of silicone rubber and will soon retail for approximately twelve dollars. more info at dxp. [thanks, janessa!]