david wiseman for artel

david wiseman is one of my absolute favorite young designers. constantly working on innovative projects and never falling prey to some of the more superficial trends in the industry, wiseman continually produces products and interiors that are both elegant and wonderfully modern. his style manages to straddle the worlds of modern, pop, traditional and minimalist design with ease and what i enjoy most about wiseman's work is the way that you can follow his design progress and growth with each product. since the fame of his poppy deer hangers wiseman has gone on to create sophisticated wall and ceiling installations for private residences and designed a line of porcelain vases that mastered the art of simplicity and form. wiseman has now teamed up with famed glass designer and manufacturer artel to create the glacier collection- a series of cut glass vessels that experiment with faceting and different textures. each piece is handcut by artel's czech artisans and contrasts smooth polished surfaces with rougher faceted edges. you can click here to find out more about artel and you can find more on wiseman right here. this collection will debut at the gift fair (artel booth #4045, accent on design). [thanks david and adrian!]

[meeting at conde today, see you tomorrow! xo, d*s]

porcelain bud holder

the companion to her porcelain votive, louise langgaard's bud vase is a unique way to display your favorite summer blooms. available for $55 right here. enjoy!

we dream in colour

the lovely sophie from we dream in colour emailed me these 'plastic fantastic' necklaces and i just had to post them. i know, not a jewelery site, but i thought they were too cool to pass up. these little plastic people are available for around $28 and are designed by the lovely jade gedeon of we dream in colour. enjoy! [thanks, sophie!]

tak

scott at tak was kind enough to send over one of tak's latest products, the takboard bulletin board. available in a plain or printed version, each takboard is made of a lightweight tactile material that is perfect for tacking up messages and photos. you can hang it vertically or horizontally and pick from three super cute designs. available for $34.98 (plain) and $39.98 (printed versions) right here. enjoy! [thanks, scott]

d*s diversion: resources for artists

i'm working on a project involving independent designers so i've been storing up some useful links for those living and working in the creative field. i figured some of you might have use for them now rather than later so i thought i'd share some of these quickly.

• icovia design edition: test out this fantastic space planning software. you can check out the free trial online and move walls around, test furniture, accessories, etc. very handy for designers and non-designers alike.
• fractured atlas: passed on by d*s reader natalie, fractured atlas is a fantastic indie artist resource that provides health insurance, marketing, promotion and development resources. a lot to check out so click here to get the full story. could be a great resource for smaller designers.
• and last but not least, a fun new blog that helps you decorate and entertain and style. can be helpful if you're throwing an art event, hosting an event dinner or just looking to make some contacts or a dinner party. enjoy!

clear, inc

arlene from atlanta's clear, inc sent along their beautiful vine chair this morning. made of rustic twigs and clear resin, the vine chair is a wonderful way to celebrate nature and the cool, clean lines of minimalist design. you can click here for more info on clear, inc and the vine chair. [thanks, arlene!]

d*s sneak peek: amenity home newbies!

lauren at amenity home was kind enough to contact me with an exclusive sneak peek at amenity's brand new home collections set to debut at the gift fair in august- just for d*s readers! this gorgeous collection, available for purchase in mid-august includes a beautiful new duvet cover pattern, pillows, canvas wall art and a lovely bag (sure to be a hit). the earthy, organic amenity look is still there, but has been updated with fresh new colorways and great new patterns. click here to be notified when the collection hits the shop (just enter your email on the home page). great stuff, guys. [thanks, lauren!]

[i'm heading out to find something to wear to a wedding this weekend. have a great friday everyone!]

port2port july

hooray! my july package from mav's port2port press card club came in the mail today. a goregous botanical that's just begging to be framed in this little sponge's apartment. click here for more info, thanks mav!

twenty2 does wal-mart

kyra at twenty2 was kind enough to send along this announcement and give d*s readers a little heads up on their new collection of colorful wallbands for wal-mart. designed to coordinate with wal-mart's "get it together" back to college collection, the wallbands are designed for dorm room use and feature a new peel and stick adhesive that allows students to move out cleanly. the twenty2 collection is now available at select wal-mart stores so feel free to decorate and redecorate with ease ($19.96 each). [thanks kyra!]

mibo newbies

new patterns from the uk's mibo design. known for their colorful lighting and playful patterns, mibo adds "rhosilli" to their collection of pendant and table lamps. for a closer look and to shop online, click here.

claire de lune

beautiful clair de lune chandelier by danish designer clair requa. available in clear, black or white acrylic. you can grab your own claire de lune right here for $156. for more information on clair requa, click here. enjoy!

adler newbies

allison at jonathan adler was kind enough to send over these images of some gorgeous new adler ceramics that i've been lusting over. the lattice urn and the giant bjorn are perfect examples of what adler does well- really lovely shapes combined with the perfect amount of subtle pattern. if i had a bit more pocket change i'd love to snatch a few of these, but for now i'll be saving my pennies for the giant bjorn. i think just about any flowers you put in it would look stunning. but of course, it would look just as stunning on it's own. you can snag the giant bjorn for $250 right here and the lattice urn (in s/m/l) for $88-$198 right here (each size has a diff pattern). enjoy!

chilewich

the lovely ladies of chilewich invited me to their showroom for lunch yesterday to see their latest collections. over a delicious quesadilla i got to see a sneak peek of their new collections for fall 2006 and spring 2007. the spring collection is going to really surprise people- they're testing out a slightly different style that i think is going to be hugely successful. when a retail date is near you'll be the first to see them here! until then click here for a little glimpse into the colorful chilewich offices. thanks so much to sandy and camille for the wonderful lunch and showroom tour! [above, founder sandy chilewich and assisant camille howe]

[ps: on my way back i hopped in a cab just as the food network's dave lieberman was getting out. so dreamy]

d*s apartment project: artwork

i'm starting to actually get small steps in my decorating process squared away (shower curtain being made, couch company coming to measure, electrician on the way) and the first thing that's made me really happy was getting back my framed camilla engman prints. i just love her playful, child-like style and her simple use of color. if you're looking for some affordable prints i highly suggest camilla's work.

[ps: all sorts of drama in the project runway post. cara's stirring things up...i'm heading to chilewich for a studio visit, be back later!]

fantastic finds: threadless at blik!

i was so excited to see this beautiful new collection from blik design in my inbox this morning. blik held a fabulous design competition called "blik loves threadless" that encouraged designers to submit designs that would make great tees (for threadless) and would also work well as a set of wall decals. close to 340 designs were entered and 2 made the cut- happy when it rains by zeptonn.nl (a rainbow and bouncy people pattern) and 7.00 by letter (a bird on branch pattern). each pattern is fun, colorful, funky and totally fantastic. there's a cartoon flair to each pattern that makes them a bit more cutting edge than the main collection and perfect for those who find traditional wall graphics a little safe. each collection sells for $55 and can be arranged however you like- i think they're far too cool to hide in a small space so i suggest proudly displaying them in your most visible spot. i just think it's fantastic that blik is celebrating the talent of independent designers and making their work available for the mass market. more people should be doing this on a big, big scale. be sure to check out the fantastic gallery of entries, too!

soho house beauty

how gorgeous is this high road house project by soho house interior designer ilse crawford (she's the genius behind studio ilse!)? i love the wall behind her with the wallpaper. gorgeous. [via the nytimes, photo by luke tchalenko for the nytimes]

hable must-have

i'm loving this online-only pillow series by hable construction. this embroidered linen pillow has such a nice little punch of color with the hot pink and green iris. so lovely. available online right here for $160 (def a splurge item...)

dart coat hooks

i was so appreciative when d*s reader (and northumbria grad) paul taylor emailed me about his recent work and his buddy anthony chrisp's new dart hooks for suck uk. the very next day anthony emailed me himself (unbeknownst to paul) and shared his clever little hooks and some great photos so i couldn't pass up sharing them here. anthony is a 23 year old northumbria grad who works in a men's social club in the north east of england. it was this working class local that gave him the idea for his humorous coat hooks that recall the classic pub dartboard. suck uk is still in production with the dart hooks but they'll soon be available right here. to email anthony about his work, click here. [thanks to paul and anthony!]

dermond peterson

i've long been a fan of the design studio of dermond peterson and, after doing a little research this morning, found that they haven't gotten the online coverage they deserve for such beautiful work. founded in 2001 by sisters, sandra dermond and susan peterson, dermond peterson design produces gorgeous linens that bring such a freshness to the market that they're almost impossible to over praise. their commitment to beautiful linens, colors and patterns, coupled with their dedication to quality, is really spectacular (especially in an industry where people can skimp on the quality sometimes). i'm the proud owner of a dermond peterson artichoke tea towel, but when i discovered their table runner line this week i knew i had another purchase on the way.

the wonderful thing about the dermond peterson collection is its unique block-cut print patterns that combine an almost child-like playfulness with a sophisticated color palette and pattern selection. every item is block-printed by hand in their studios in milwaukee, wisconsin on top-quality linen and cotton fabric using environmentally sensitive, water-based inks . you can even wash them (in the washer, not by hand) and not have to worry about fading, color-bleeding or damage to the linens. i've used mine as my kitchen towel for a while now and can't get enough of the beautiful patterns and bold colors they use. my favorites are the sardine, gingkos (that runner is to die for), mussels and artichoke styles, but you can't go wrong with a single design. you can browse their entire collection right here and find a retailer near you right here. i use todd and holland to buy my dermond peterson goods (prices are quite reasonable, about $15 for a hand towel). enjoy and here's to another great business creating beautiful things by hand!

[don't forget there's project runway dirt being dished below!]

project runway: ehh?

ok, so let the project runway debates and comments begin! my gut reaction is: this season makes me sad. i feel like the whole season is sort of uninspired. but for me hope lies in alison, bradley (who i love) and michael. and is it just me or do we not hear anything or see anything from michael? they didnt even show his model walk all the way off the runway. it seems odd, i love his work and i don't think it gets the air time it deserves. i'm just really let down. i think the influence of the producers feels way too transparent, the designers seem uninspired and the judges just feel a little off. i've been shocked to see what vera wang thinks- i just don't see what she sees. tim gunn seems to be on a different page than the judges and to me that's a sign something's wrong. either way, i'll keep watching and hoping that we find the new helmut lang in bradley and the new jill stuart in allison. i just don't feel any spark with this cast and think the judges panel is off. i miss michael kors. i'd take his "look at this, i wrote down that it looked 'farty'!" over vera wang's random hairdo comments any day. but i do like that they questioned angela's taste level. she drives me nuts. ok, it's open (until i go to sleep) so have at it, what do you guys think? of and of course, are we all in agreement that jerkface (keith) goes home next week for being a copycat?

west elm newbies

loving these newbies at west elm. these colorful pillows are perfect for the end of summer and won't break the bank (around $24 each). you can just change them out with the seasons for a new look. click here for the full selection. [lurve the bronze and ceramic lamps, too]

reluct eindhoven coverage

reluct has great great coverage of the design academy eindhoven masters grad show. so many beautiful designs to soak up. click here for the full story!

porcelain

delicate porcelain rings give this candleholder it's graceful look. perfect for casting beautiful shadows on the table while you share a romantic meal or set the mood in your home. designed by louise langgaard of copenhagen, the porcelain rings candleholder is available at peek keep for $50 or $75. enjoy!

jefdesigns

the wonderful joe futschik of jefdesigns has just released a small series of limited edition prints that will be sold exclusively through velocity (who just had a beautiful baby boy, congrats!). the four prints feature sea-inspired designs and will be signed by the artist and available for around $200 each. enjoy!

d*s diversion: child-leash?

this is totally off topic but i'm pretty shocked after returning from my morning bagel and coffee. i was waiting for my bagel at la bagel delight and this woman walked in with three loud children. the smallest, a little girl maybe 6 or 7 years old, had a dog collar around her neck (with her name on the tag) with a real dog leash attached. for a second i was like, maybe she likes wearing it as a pretend game. then i saw her mother whip the leash and yank her over on it. people were shocked but no one said anything. then her brothers kept stepping on the leash and it would yank the little girl's neck and she would say "ouch!". maybe it's because i just read this ny times article, but i was shocked and didn't know what to do. does anyone know if this sort of thing is legal or has any precedence? it wasn't one of those "leashes" designed for kids, it was a real dog collar and leash and she was def being yanked forcefully by it. it just seemed cruel and unbelievably harsh. i'm just shocked, if anyone knows anything about this or if it's legal (i know it's probably none of my business anyway but that little girl looked like she was in pain from the collar yanking) i'd be most interested to know...

sneak peek: agnes and hoss

stephanie at agnes and hoss is debuting a gorgeous new fall pillow collection at the gift fair in august. just wanted to share a little sneak peek before the full write up in a few weeks. [thanks, steph!]

bouroullec brilliance

kristina is so good to me, she sent me these gorgeous pictures of the new bouroullec textile pavillion at the luxembourg museum of modern art (recognize those tiles?) it just opened this month and looks like such a pleasant place to dine outdoors. if only i could fit one of these in my back yard. well, if it had one that is. click here for more info on the bouroullecs, my heroes. [thanks, kristina!]

readymade proposal

ok ladies, ready to faint from cute overload? a friend of ours from street hockey (who runs a lovely stationery company) just proposed to his girlfriend my taking out an ad in readymade magazine. she got the proposal when it came in the mail. is that not the cutest thing ever? congrats to sarah and andy- you are a crafty couple's dream.

paper voyeur

designer nik daughtry passed along these fresh new wallpaper designs that ded ass studio just produced. fresh off the presses (they're being printed this week!) nik's paper voyeur line is called flora & fornication- each piece looks innocent enough but when you take a closer look you notice the spicer side of the design. the collection was designed for the modern boudoir and would certainly look great in any room (provided you're ok with the subtle sexual imagery). you can click here for more information and to get a rate quote. enjoy! [thanks, nik!]

[thanks also to clay at the/20 for featuring a little d*s interview he conducted. click here for the full story]

good morning!

hi guys! i'm back and rested after a lovely trip home to va. my inbox is loaded with great material so i'm hitting the ground running- d*s reader katya caught these great repro newbies ('coriander') and thought we would like them. i love the great colorways their available in- and for only $8.95 they're affordable enough for a large project! click here for more info. enjoy!

scandinavian textiles

bold prints and bright colors will always have a place in my heart- and no one does color and pattern quite designers from scandinavia. i was searching for some bright red fabric on scandinaviandesigncenter.com and found all of these fantastic textiles. you'll need to pay for overseas shipping but sometimes the right fabric can be all the inspiration you need for an entire room (or apartment!). i found myself drawn to the citrus panels (great for the kitchen!) and a number of fabrics by kvadrat but you can click here to browse and order for yourself. enjoy!

[i'm going home for a little family vacation so i'm closing up shop for a few days. i'll be finalizing the d*s shop details and getting ready to relaunch with an updated look in september! i'll be back on tuesday with oodles of fresh finds, but until then you can get new, exclusive d*s finds every day this week and next at d*s on hg. have a great week, see you tuesday! xo, d*s]

spira textiles

d*s reader linda passed along this wonderful textile company based in sweden. spira textiles specializes in modern scandinavian textiles that pop with color and bold patterns. i'm loving the red panel above- it would look gorgeous in an all white room where some bright color could be the focus. there's plenty to choose from so click here to see the full collection. spira seems to be retailed overseas only, so just shoot an email to spira right here to see if they'll mail to your hometown. they've mailed to a friend in ny before so hopefully they'll ship to the rest of us across the country. enjoy!

fornasetti

i love designer piero fornasetti's classic series of dinnerware inspired by his muse, lina cavalieri (a woman whose face he saw in 19th century french magazine). fornasetti originally designed 4 plates with her image and the collection now contains 350 variations on the theme. some of my favorite variations are these three at moss online. they're a little pricey, but i think they work best as accent pieces or decoration rather than everyday dinnerware. you can pick up these three (and even more variations) online at moss for $130 each. enjoy!

electrolux

electrolux has declared "war on white" with their wow fridge fronts in multiple styles and colors. i'm loving this floral pattern- i don't have a kitchen that really work with this, but if you have a home that would work with one of these patterns you can find more information right here. [via mocoloco]

[want some more patterns on your appliances? check this out!]

d*s in jane

thanks to the lovely jill serra at jane magazine for the wonderful mention in their newsletter this week. i was extremely flattered to be featured and can't thank jill enough for the kind words (click here for the full picture). thanks! [be sure to check out jill's totes, too!]

henry road

the lovely paula at henry road just sent out an announcement with her beautiful new runners in fresh summery colors. i love the way paula's patterns combine such a simple but bold pattern with colors that really pop. and to top it off, her patterns come in pillow and napkin form as well if runners aren't your thing. prices range from around $70 to $175 for most items and you can click here for more information and to purchase online. enjoy! [thanks, paula!]

emma jeffs newbies

i'm a big fan of british designer emma jeffs. her window stickers are great ways to decorate your glass and add a little bit of privacy in spaces that need it. ac and i need to hang some french doors in our bedroom (no doors to the room currently) and i'm against curtains on doors, so this might be a fun alternative. emma has two new patterns, clover and adelphi (i love clover), as well as an affordable sampler pack for $6. it's such a fun way to add a little privacy and design to your home. click here for more info. enjoy! [i'm off to the park, see you tomorrow!]

for the kids

not all design is for grown ups- sometimes the little ones need designs made especially for them. i'm loving these new bedding patterns from nurseryworks at sparkability and these super cool pendant lights at moderntots. i'd even consider the lights for myself if my house was a little funkier.

bullseye

colored glass can be so wonderful for decorating in the summer. it casts beautiful shadows and covers tables and surfaces with colored light, i love it. these beautiful bullseye vases are from clio home and are available right here for $187 each. enjoy! [ps: the d*s shop will be launching in the not so distant future, so stay tuned! i'm just starting to line up my first round of artists and i'm so excited i can't stand it!]

d*s in the garden

i have to run to street hockey but i wanted to add some quick modern garden finds for the weekend. hope you're all enjoying your weekends, stay cool! [planters above from dwr, $200-$250, and perfect for storing drinks!]

[outdoor mat from chiasso, $18]

[modern hanging planters at chiasso, $58-$68]

[garden aprons at sprout home, $37 each]

port2port

maria just sent me her lovely new tulip cards for sale at her etsy shop. this limited edition run is uber elegant and printed with a slightly shimmery white ink. available in packs of 5 cards for $20. enjoy!

vintage flair

in my dream house i'd have a little dressing room with a vanity so i could collect antique bottles and have a little vanity chair upholstered in something girly and vintage. this dandelion fabric at repro depot is perfect for my dream chair. colorful, vintage-inspired and modern enough to fit in a contemporary home. available right here for $8.95. enjoy!

special report: new designers exhibition

d*s correspondent laurence was kind enough to cover the new designers exhibition in london for us and send some pictures of her favorite pieces. the show looks like it was awesome (man i wish i could have been there!) and laurence adds, "the show was quite fun and seemed successful for the students; there were excellent showings from everyone but particularly from northumbria and manchester metropolitan university." so sit back and enjoy the fantastic student work- i've included links to designers wherever possible. thanks again to laurence for all her hard work! [i'm closing up early today so i'll see you sunday with some modern garden finds, and i'll be sending out the newsletter this weekend as well, so sorry for the delay!]

[tiles by makiko sanabe of london metropolitan u]

[silhouette radiator by daniel a ashley of central st. martin's. the decorative patterns are actually the heat elements]

[insanely cool birdhouse/feeders by rebecca livesley of northumbria]

[simple hob by susannah clarke of imperial college london. the flexible plastic hob hides wires beneath the silicone pattern that can be heated to create a cooking element! so cool!]

[geoff machen of northumbria's dining chairs. tres cool]

[jon harrison's armrest/table]

[richard sweeny's paper sculpture. richard is from manchester metropolitan]

[shiv kumar's reveal table]

charles harper

dwell magazine just launched a new website with posts written by their famed editors. i'm really enjoying a piece by sam grawe on designer charles harper- whose artwork inspired a new line of upholstery and furniture by todd oldham for la-z-boy (to come next year). grawe visited harper's home (where he's working away at age 83) for an interesting interview. you can click here to read the article, great stuff.

sofa brick

the crew at mocoloco just posted a very, very cool piece of "furniture" called the sofa brick by aya koike. made of cork, the sofa brick is basically a building block for creating a number of "furniture" or decoration pieces in or out of the home. very cool looking stuff. click here for the full post and here for more info on aya koike's work.

hi+low vintage ceramics

i stumbled upon this great little vintage ceramics resource yesterday while trying to find coral colored china for a reader. hi+low sells vintage ceramics, glass and pottery that mix well in today's modern homes. some can be pretty pricey, but a fair amount is under $50 and totally affordable. so if vintage is your style, check it out- products are arranged by region and type- it's fantastic. enjoy!

sale time: moss, auto and dp

it's summer sale madness this week, here are some sales that dropped in my inbox this week:

moss 3-d sale: discontinued or ever so slightly defective items at discounts up to 80%. between installations at the moss gallery space, 152 greene street. doors open at 6pm thursday july 20 (to 9pm) friday and saturday july 21/22: 11am to 7pm. first come, first served. credit cards cash only.

auto is having an online and in-store summer sale: 20-50% off selected merchandise, july 20-aug 13th. cash and cc only.

design public is having an online sample sale in san francisco this weekend (ala modern economy): order your goods online here (password: sweetfreedom) and then pick them up in san fran. details here.

happy shopping!

project runway

well it just wouldn't be d*s without a discussion of last night's project runway season 3 premier. my gut reaction: sigh, no one caught my eye and i miss characters like santino and jay. the fact that they kept the crazy hat man means they're seriously letting the producers weigh in on the rulings big time. i mean he put a basket on her head. YOU'RE OUT! anyway, i liked the winner, but i think the coffee filter guy was much more creative. so far, i'm looking forward to seeing more tim gunn, but that's about it. oh, and nina garcia is growing on me- she's so stylish! so, what did you guys think? good season? doomed? too early to tell?

birds of a feather...

speaking of helen ige, check out her great new mobile. i'm a bonafide mobile fan- if i didn't have cats that would immediately rip them down, i'd have a few of these and definitely helen's new birds of a feather mobile. available right here for $60 and here at a number of retail locations. enjoy!

selina rose

i was doing some research online this morning and stumbled upon the work of british textile designer selina rose (what a great name). rose runs her eponymous design studio in london and launched her first collection in early 2006.

rose creates intricately cut and printed textiles using industrial felt and techniques like water cutting. her work reminds me a bit of helen ige's velvet and metallic screenprint pillows, but i think there's plenty of room in the market for metallics on contrasting textiles. you can click here to find more information on selina rose and purchase at placesandspaces. (int'l shipping fees apply) enjoy!

[ps: i just got an email from catster- one of our cats, ms. jackson, is the cat of the day on the homepage!]

circles

sometimes you need bedding that's a little fun, a little colorful and a little, well, comfy looking. i'm loving this circle quilt at urban outfitters ($120). the little raw edged circles are too cute to pass up. this might be a nice fall quilt for my bedroom. hmmm...

rotor

rotor is the swedish design group behind these gorgeous black and grey window panels. made of 100% cotton, these "fruit" panels also come in a red/olive colorway and are available right here (int'l shipping fees apply). [via charles and marie]

señor adler

i'm normally a little adler-shy just because i feel like everywhere i turn there's something very adler being produced (or copied- he has to be one of the most ripped off designers these days). but i'm loving these new birdhouses from the jonathan adler collection. both the sgraffitto and lantern designs are available for $150 right here and here.

pampered pooch

i've mentioned this collection before but now they're actually available stateside at dwr. for those who want truly truly pamper their pets with high design goods, look no further. this gorgeous walnut dog bed and lucite dog bed are perfect for letting your pets lounge in style. them come with a hefty price tag but some people are ok with splurging on their pets so i thought i'd share them just in case. click here for more info.

osborne + little

so many beautiful new designs at osborne and little- frida at husmusen profiled her favorites and these are mine. you can browse through the entire collection (the new pieces are first) right here. osborne and little are distributed throughout the us, so click here to find a location near you. [via husmusen]

kings road

i can't wait for this to come out- rosanna bowles' special holiday designs to launch in september of 2006. i'm a sucker for a good metallic and this fun brit-inspired series would be great for a fall party. click here for more info, available in sept.

fokus fabrik

rena always sends me the best links. this weekend it was a link to finnish textile studio, fokus fabrik. there's something about the scandinavian culture that just breeds phenomenal artists- and when it comes to textiles, they are the cream of the crop. based in porvoo finland, fokus fabric is the designing team of tiia eronen, eeva heikkinen, laura jarvelainen and hanna kerman. together these ladies have created a beautiful collection of textiles that can be used for shades, pillows, linens or any other creative project you can dream up. right now they seem to be distributed only in finland, but i'm waiting to hear if those of us across the pond can place an order and have the textiles sent overseas. i'm digging that blue tree/cityscape print- it reminds me of madison square park for some reason. so cool. for more info on fokus fabric please click here. [thanks, rena!]

[ps: if anyone knows where i can find those clear bubble glasses in the photo with the sweets i'd be eternally thankful- i can't seem to find a clear version like this. thanks!]

luren jenison

the lovely luren jenison has been making the rounds online this weekend and i was delighted to see an email from her in my inbox this morning (and from d*s reader regina about the same print!). luren (whose screens we talked about last november) just released a great new set of pillows and a gorgeous red and white bird print ($30) that i thought you guys would love. she's also got a t-shirt available right here. enjoy! [thanks, luren!]

sunflower fridays

it's friday and i'm headed to prospect park to do some reading and clear my head. i saw some beautiful sunflowers this morning and have been wanting to bring those rich yellows and browns into my home. these chocolate vases at gumps ($30 for 5 vases!) are perfect for showcasing cheery sunflower heads and this fabric at repro really captures the bright gold and black colors of the sunflower ($8.50 a yard). i'm on my way out, so i'll see you on sunday with some modern garden finds. enjoy your weekend! [psst: i've been sidetracked by the world cup- garden finds next sunday, sorry!]

summer newbies at lille hus

great summer newbies from lille hus: alexa at lille hus sent out an email about her latest additions and i'm loving these little floral tins and vases. you can pick up 3 canisters for $38 and a vase for $16 right here. enjoy!

ambriel floyd

meg just sent me the work of new york designer ambriel floyd. ambriel's work has a lovely quilting feel to it ranges in price from around $40-$60 for pillow cases and $40 for table linens. click here for more info. [thanks, meg!]

dna

i'm a sucker for a fun pink lamp. who doesn't love a little color close to the ceiling? this dna lamp was designed by hopf & wortmann and is available via next. [via reluct]

esque + pets

andi kovel and co. at esque studio have just launched a new collection that includes these crazy pieces for pets. i think i'd rather use some of the vessels for non-pet related things (i don't store my litter in a glass jar, the glass is too nice for litter) but that's for you to decide. the vessels are so pretty in and of themselves that the pet part seems unimportant to me. though i'd love to see our plus-sized ms. jackson try to squish into that little jar of a pet cocoon. for more of esque's (non-pet) work click here. [thanks, andi!]

the rug company

i'm a big fan of most anything that diane von furstenberg does. her 2006 summer collection was full of gorgeous dresses so it's no surprise that her work for the rug company is any different. her purple heart rug above is a perfect solution to bland floors and, if you have the money to invest in a nice rug, would be perfect for both traditional and modern homes. if you'd prefer a different fashion designer, check out lulu guinness' gorgeous canvas rose rug. sorta goth, but definitely cool. click here for more info [browse the designer rug collection] enjoy!

cul de sac design

d*s reader mia sent along the work of her good friend laura mckibbon at cul de sac design who designs beautiful hand crafted pottery in vancouver. she uses wonderfully bright glazes against brown clay that create a lovely contrast in color and texture. recently mckibbon used the artwork of lori joy smith to glaze onto her pottery- the results are really nice. you can click here for more info and to place an order (prices are reasonable and around $30-$100). [thanks, mia!]

popoutz

jean always finds the coolest things- like these popoutz birdfeeders made of 100% recyclable plastic. they come flat packed and pop out to hold bird feed and can be cleaned and reused again and again. such a great idea.

d*s apt project

i'm going out on a limb today and i'm going to try to reproduce this look in my living room. our living room doesn't get much light is pretty narrow, so i need something that's going to let the room breathe and feel open and light. i saw this photo for the weegee light and thought, i like the idea of an oatmeal colored wall accented by lots of red, orange and maybe even some greens and pinks. oatmeal is such a great background for bold colors. and i'm thinking our artwork and accessories will be the color in the room. i may even get this light. i love the shade. so i'll have update photos soon...i'm off to the paint store. xo, d*s

royal college of art show

reluct has fantastic coverage ofthe royal college of art and design show. i love seeing great new student work- there's so much raw creativity on display. click here for the full review.

d*s diversion: foodies

if there's anything i love as much as (or more than) design, it's food. lately i've been consuming chef's books like there's no tomorrow (i have a particular fondness for anthony bourdain) and reading food blogs like they're going out of style (chocolate and zucchini is my dream blog). but if we're talking about food, there's one type of food i love among all others: fish. i could eat fish for breakfast, lunch and dinner (i even love fish designs for the home- maybe fish can become the new birds?). tuna will always be my favorite, along with salmon, monkfish and cod. i loved peeking in the window of fishes in amsterdam and it got me thinking about some great summer food blogs. if you need a little design diversion check out: chocolate and zucchini, afullbelly, slashfood, accidental hedonist and gastronome. do you guys have a favorite food blog you love to check? everyone can use a good summer recipe or two...

bling bling

the lovely jan at poppytalk spotted these fun little gem icecube sets at z gallerie. z gallerie gets a lot of crap (i used to give a lot of it when i was younger) but their collection has included some fun little accessories lately. for $8.95 you can grab these little gems right here and add some bling to your summer drinks. [great find, jan!]

mibo uk

frida mentioned these gorgeous new tea towels from mibo uk so i wanted to share them here, along with these organic cushions and a great mug collection with their signature patterns. their cheerful colors and patterns are perfect for a day like today when it seems like new york is going to be flooded with rain all day. click here for more info. [my internet is shakey today bc of the weather so if i disappear, i'll be back as soon as the connection is back]

july 4: happy holidays!

i'm closing up shop until wednesday, so until then, here are some lovely wrapping papers at luxe paperie to celebrate july 4 colors. happy independence day, see you on wednesday. xo, d*s

mozi australia

maja at polli and kristina at three layer cake both mentioned mozi to me last week. based in australia, mozi is the design duo of sisters camilla and olivia tipler. they design beautiful lighting, accessories and home goods filled with bright color and cheerful patterns. i'm waiting on stateside resources so i'll update that asap. until then, you can click here for some eye candy. enjoy! [kristina has a great interview with maarten baas up today]

umbra newbies

umbra just launched some fun new home accessories i thought you guys might get a kick out of. i'm really enjoying the "numbra" system above (to retail for $11) by designer matt carr. numbra is a customizable wall-mount house number system that lets you push the adjustable tabs to make any number you like out of 27 dots. you can even reverse the frame from brushed metal to black. for that price, it's a fun alternative to the pricier numbers you see these days.

if numbers aren't your thing, check out umbra's kitsch magnets (to retail for $11). this fun little set of magnets is a little bit of eye candy for the fridge. designed by anna buechin, the kitsch magnets come in a set of 4 that includes fun colors, a frame and a fun little tassel. products will be available in stores soon, so click here to find an umbra retailer near you. enjoy! [thanks, cynthia!]

port2port press: july

i'm a proud (card-carrying) member of mav's port2port press card society. every month we each get a lovingly wrapped package of fresh, limited-edition letterpress cards from mav in maine. this month's new card (that you can buy at mav's etsy shop) is a gorgeous print of rooftops done with a silvery blue ink. one of my favorites of hers so far. you can grab the july rooftops card right here, or find more information about the card club right here. enjoy! [great work, mav!]