color!

i LOVE the color of this organizer board from hold everything. kelly green is always such a nice way to brighten up your day. it's pebbled leather, so it's not cheap, but the color sure is fun to look at. i'd love to find a leather-free alternative...something new to hunt for. [no more time to post today, so i'll be back tomorrow with affordable bedding and kids design...have a great one!]

college

fun, affordable storage- perfect for college rooms. in clear, blue, hot pink and tomato at the container store for $30 a drawer.

wishing fish

i'm a sucker for this stuff. ready to go plants in a pretty heart shaped tin. a romantic gardener's weakness...$8 at wishing fish.

happy birthday!

today is my mom's birthday and i just wanted to wish her a happy birthday and a wonderful day of celebration. she is without a doubt the most amazing woman, mother and friend in the world. i don't know what i'd do without her. happy birthday, mom! love you!

french bull

speaking of french bull, they just put out some cute new coasters, $15 for 4 at plum party. very end of summer.

tar-jay

target always has fun stuff that everyone can afford. if those stylin melamine kids plates from french bull are too costly, check out this target set- $10 for the whole kit. not bad! they also have a cute notecard set in the hot shop this week. along with a pretty stylish first aid kit...

iluren

based on the chinese character 'ren', meaning 'people', iluren is a great online boutique dedicated to, "humanity and excellence". co-creators vincent wang and karl joseph ufert, iluren has a beautiful collection colorful glass vases, bowls and jars- along with a sophisticated collection of modern jewelry. above and below are my favorites: especially the bamboo cufflinks. more info and the whole collection right here.

glide

i ran into the gang from glide at brooklyn designs and thought they had some great products. while they're not exactly in my price range, they're definitely fun to look at. snap together lighting is such a fun idea. velocity is now carrying the 4 and 6 piece versions in 'chocolate' or 'candy' colored combinations, so you can see the whole shebang right here.

[busy day at the office, won't be blogging much more today. see you tomorrow. xo, d*s]

greenergrassdesign

greenergrassdesign is a brand new, two-person, houston-based design store. they describe themselves as, "native houstonians, [with a ] unique combination that includes a twenty-five year friendship, one fine art degree, one business degree and the need for something better." greenergrassdesign describes their style as a "curatorial approach...that hopes to offer-up something special to both designer and consumer".

i was quite impressed with their collection- especially a line of serving plates and dishes by robex guscio. according to ggd, "robex items are non-deformable and shock-resistant. they can withstand temperatures ranging from – 5° C to + 78° C. they are dishwasher safe, odorless, do not absorb liquids and the surface stays bright and shiny, even after prolonged use." not bad. plus they look fabulous.

along with a fantastic lighting, kitchen (don't miss the awesome knife holder!), home, accents and office collection, green grass design carries a great collection of jewelry, with pieces by one of my favorites, ronni kappos.

you can view the whole collection and find more information right here. enjoy!

dutch disturbance

the future perfect just announced a new show, with works by dutch artist, judith van den boom. DUTCH DISTURBANCE 2005 will run from september 7 - october 6, 2005, with an opening event friday, september 9, 2005 7-10 pm. (www.thefutureperfect.com for more info and location).

ms. van den boom's "dutch disturbance" series is a rather disturbing take on traditional dutch ceramics and icons. her "holy cow" vase features the headless body of a cow used as a vase, which she describes as, "inspired [by] the royal delft cows. true alienation of our dutch heritage." if that wasn't enough, she also has sweet little dutch girl figurines that have bullets, grenades and guns drawn on them. and believe me, there's plenty more. i still can't decide whether i'm intrigued or grossed out by them, but i figured you could all decide for yourselves...more info on judith can den boom right here [all pics from her website]

focus: AD VII

thank goodness for blueteabag who reminded me to check out the container store for great kids design. not only to they have two great pages for kids and teens, but they have a great set up with a ready made room set up so you can click on each item to get pricing, colors, etc. almost everything in each picture is under $225. click here for the kids playroom and here for the teen desk/room setup. my favorites are the clear chair for $7 and the blue desk chair for $180.

focus: AD VI

modern seed is overflowing with affordable design as well...[although no big furniture items yet, but i'll find some this week for sure]

the fat boy point is a great way to add some fun, cushy seating to your child's room without taking out a mortgage on the house. for $89 you can get a fat boy of your own in your choice of 12 colors.

if the fat boy isn't your style, how about a tiki stool for $40 (in 6 colors), a bronto chair for $85 or a complete 5 piece furniture set for $200?

beyond that, there are flensted mobiles for $60, candeloo lights (2 for $50), mini angela adams rugs for $100, an infant chair for $220, wallbands for $56, gorgeous mibo pendants for $86 and marimekko bedding for $69. the possibilities are endless. click here for more info.

focus: AD V

affordable kids design from kid o: the bilibo seat (toy, plaything?) for $30 and a gorgeous stainless steel 'first cutlery set' for $45.

focus: AD IV

modern mini has cute little mini poofs that would look super cute in any child's room- and they'll only set you back $80 a pop (not super cheap, but still do-able if you're only looking to buy a few). they also have girard floor pillows for $65 a piece that add a little pop of mid century modernism to the room. and don't forget the cute eva dva table for $100. more info here at modern mini.

focus: AD III

cool little cork board and chalkboard tiles for childrens rooms. ($32 and $34 a piece at design public).

focus: affordable design II

more great affordable kids design available at velocity art and design. great magnet boards from three by three design ($11-$24 a piece) and blik/not neutral wall decals for $45 (pack of 40).

focus: affordable design

although i don't have kids, i can understand the frustration of parents trying to find great stuff for their kids that won't drain their life savings. so, in honor of design under $250, here is the first post of the day on affordable childrens design. ps: i'm noticing there are very few large furniture items under $500, so i'm going to make it a priority to track some down by the end of the week...

i stopped by sparkability first to see what they had that was under $250...they had a ton of fun stuff, including some larger pieces like tables and chairs.

my favorite piece is the spaceframe sculpture kit that lets kids build any number of fun play things. made from a material derived from recycled soda bottles, the spaceframe kit starts at $170 and is a fun way to add some color and design to your childs room.

i also love the bumbo baby sitter ($45), cow baby bottle ($8.50), baby lounger ($100), handysit ($95), xo table ($45 on sale), the sibi flix ($150), the sled desk ($120), the built by me collection ($50-$140) and the casa rocker ($80). there are tons of great things to be found here that won't break the bank, so check out the full collection. [all items pictured are from sparkability and are under $250]

45 degrees

ok last thing, i promise. i totally forgot until i opened up my issue of wallpaper, that jason wade at 45 degrees had updated his website with that fantastic bamboo and blue painted poplar table i fell for at icff. my pics of it just didn't capture the color well, so here are some better ones. such a gorgeous blue color. great work, jason!

d' la tierra

one last thing! fantastically cute bird tiles from michigan artist, mariana arguelles. $20 a piece, in a wide range of colors. born and raised in mexico, mariana now works in michigan where she creates her beautiful tiles in the cuenca style, in which glazes are pooled in between raised lines to create a stained glass effect. gorgeous stuff. see and order the whole collection right here. [thanks, mariana!]

focus: affordable design

after numerous emails and comments with pleas for affordable design, the official column has been instituted and will begin on monday with:

BABIES AND BEDDING

next week's inaugural focus: affordable design will investigate affordable (under $250) options for both children's design and bedding. after much bruhaha over at apartment therapy after they mentioned moderntots like i did, i figured it would make sense to start with kids design. but since i'm also looking for the perfect quilt myself, i figured i'd combine it with an affordable bedding search for those of us sans children. so...have a lovely weekend and i'll see you monday with some great childrens and bedding designs that won't break the bank. xo, d*s

[piggy bank $36 at sparkability.net, sheets from dwell]

sketchy

i love the alambre sketch rug by nani marquina at modern seed. simple, graphic and perfect for both children and adults alike, this gorgeous rug with its simple meandering line design is available in three beautiful colors: a rusty orange color, a springy greenish yellow and a soothing cream color. starting at $136 at modern seed.

freckles

their first new exclusive design, modernseed's 'freckles' are moveable stickers with a low tack adhesive that can be removed and reused without damaging wood or painted walls (similar to blik's designs). each kit includes 40 white dots of varying sizes and 2, 19”x19” inch printed sheets backed with a low tack adhesive that can be placed, layered, removed and reused without damaging paint. the other cool thing is that freckles can be colored with crayons or cut with scissors to make customized designs. perfect for an afternoon art project. $32 at modernseed.

the next 100 years

i'm a huge fan of olympia-based artist, nikki mcclure. her newest piece, a calendar entitled, "the next 100 years" is a beautiful piece of work, filled with touching illustrations and nikki's signature papercut designs. ($16 at elsewares.com)

memories

i love these little notebooks from industries stationery ($13.50 each). they remind me of that artwork from that book, "the very hungry caterpillar". so cute. also comes as notecards. [thanks, shantel!]

sin in linen

since we were talking about tattoo-inspired design yesterday: for the ink lovers in need of bedding....sin in linen ($32-$35).

tink

ryan kundrat has just introduced a gorgeous new line of jewelry called 'tink'. featuring elegant freshwater pearls on sterling silver or 14k gold, tink brings a modern twist to the idea of traditional pearl jewelry. the colored suede on each necklace adds an organic, yet contemporary flair, while earrings are joined in a way which allows complete freedom of movement. there are currently 4 styles of neclaces and 3 styles earrings available. check ryankundrat.com for a retailer near you. [thanks, ryan!]

be good to mother earth

i'm a fan of design that makes an effort to be sustainable, recyclable or just plain good to the earth. these recycled green glass vases at uncommon goods ($15-$34) are certainly doing their part. and, while i'm on the subject, thank you so, so much to everyone who's been so good to ac. your support and help and tips have been amazing. we can't thank you enough.

back to school

these notebooks from sukie certainly trump anything from staples or the school bookstore. (although i prefer spiral notebooks...) click here for a retailer near you.

tats

i have always had a thing for tattoo-inspired anything. it's like the final frontier of body decoration that i've always been too scared to do- i tried to pierce everything i could get away with in college, but then again, so did every other nyu freshman. but this rug, don't know why i like it, but i do. certainly not the most chic example of tattoo inspired design, but i don't know. it makes me smile. anyone know of any other tat inspired art? there was this crazy tat chair a while back by a danish designer i believe, but haven't noticed much yet. any examples? [this one is from delias, yeah i know, delias.]

for people who really love furniture and tattoos: this

tp goes couture

thomas paul is king of pillow land these days, and these new additions, aptly titled the "couture collection", are gorgeous additions to their existing series.

racy reds, thick, rich greens and shimmery metallics are the hallmark of the collection, which consists of six patterns: peacock, feather, silhouettes, aviary, sparrow and barnwood. while each one will set you back between $80-$104 bucks (ouch!), they're fun to look at. (this is why i'm starting an affordable column each week...)

the collection was inspired by the heavyweight woven silks used in paris couture houses and comes in three sizes. so, if it's in your budget, check out the glam side of thomas paul. more info and purchasing right here at velocity.

dog town bites

calling all new yorkers- i have officially found the cutest thing in the entire world: dog town bites.

dog town bites is one of those fantastic projects that is bound to be in the new york times any day now, if it hasn't been already. an innovative (and painfully awww-inducing) concept in luxury dog treats, dog town bites is a roving cart for discerning dog owners who want to treat their pampered pups to some delicious street-side snacks. created by elise diruggiero (founder/ceo) and executive chef, carlos garcia, dog town bites roams the streets of new york with an adorable cart loaded with all sorts of gourmet dog goodies like ginger cookie bark, uber bones, biscotti and lickity splits(tm). of course, these treats aren't made with actual chocolate or ingredients that would be harmful to your pooch, but they are made with wholesome things like apricots, almonds, peanuts, oatmeal and wheat bran (all in safe, dog-healthy portions).

dog town bites hits the street in a cart that allows pets to safely hook their leashes up to the side as they nosh on their doggy biscotti and oatmeal crisp. the cart schedule in nyc is currently as follows:

thursday 9:30-6:30 meat packing district (9th ave/15th), friday - 9:30-6:30 union square (in front of dog run), saturday 9-2 abingdon sq market, 4-7 magnolia bakery (across the street) and sunday 11-7 washington square park

you can order dog town treats (in the nyc area and outside of it) by filling out a form from their website and faxing it in. but for those of you in the area, be sure to take your pets to the cart for a sweet summer treat. [thanks, bronwyn!]

stephanie waddell

stephanie waddell is chicago-based designer whose beautiful pillows caught my eye a few days ago. an artist/handbag designer by training, stephanie recently transitioned to designing her own printed fabrics (on heavy-weight silk charmeuse), which she's am using on new collections of handbags, scarves, and pillows launching this fall under the name "agnes and hoss".

long been entranced with the use of pattern and color to enhance surroundings, stepanie transitioned from painter (trained at dartmouth) to designer, using found fabrics in her work and then designing her own prints. stephanie chose to work with a heavyweight silk charmeuse for her designs, which combines that ultimate silky texture with long-standing durability. she's also drawn to silk's ability to retain color as this is virtually unparalleled in the textile world. believing that, "color should be embraced year-round", stephanie hopes you enjoy the inaugural agnes & hoss collections as much as she has enjoyed have creating them.

all of stepanie's prints feature organic/natural motifs (seaweed, pinecones, eucalyptus...) in fabulously vibrant color palettes. the pillows have a signature silk front panel, faux suede back panel and piping, a hidden zipper and a feather/down insert. (i'm a huge fan of the gorgeous purple seaweed pillows becasue, well, purple is my fall color. such a gorgeous shade, too.) you can find more information on stephanie and agnes and hoss right here. her work will soon be available at lille chicago and other retailers (check her website for more information). [thanks, stephanie!]

the well dressed home

just thought i'd check in with the well dressed home and see what was new. they have such a fantastic collection of ecelectic home goods...

while my interest in the coral fad is certainly dwindling (and pretty much gone), i still love these ceramic coral bowls by california artist, brenda holzke. so stylish. and if coral's not your thing, check out the great collection of simple, elegant glass bud vases. most are entirely affordable and they'd all make a great addition to your desk, tabletop or any small nook in need of some color.

if something soft is what you're searching for, look no further than the embroidered pillow set on sale for $34 (good deal!). along with the pillows, wdh's collection of resin magazine clips, stylish wooden storage boxes, gorgeous glass candelabras (only $38!) and super cute lightwords votives that let you punch out a phrase and send someone a special message.

you can check out the well dressed home's entire collection (and shop online!) right here. enjoy!

:: calling all design students ::

i've always been a fierce believer that following student design was essential to understanding where design was moving and what direction it would take next. i've been a huge follower of pratt students since i first came to ny for college, and have been constantly impressed by the work they produce and show at icff every year. but, that said, there are a TON of great design/art schools out there that i just can't cover the way i'd like (or fit in the silly clip art picture i made above).

so...i'm looking for a little help if anyone's interested. i'm going to introduce a new column called focus: student design, and i'd love to have roving design student "reporters" who could give us an update on what's going on at their art school (ie: what materials are hot right now, what styles, colors, etc.).

this has long been a passion of mine and i would love to give art students the credit and coverage they deserve. so, if you're a design student at any design school across the country (or intl!), please drop me a line (subject line: student design) if you'd be interested in having your thoughts, pictures and commentary published on d*s. you'll be my eyes and ears on the design school street. thanks so much! i hope d*s can become a place for design students and teachers alike to find out what's going on at schools everywhere. xo, d*s.