deborah bowness

british designer deborah bowness has been designing and producing hand printed wallpapers for 7 years. her work has a playful sophistication that combines wallpaper panels with photographs of things like clothing, shoes, mirrors and frames. what girl wouldn't want to cover her room (or dressing room) with wallpaper covered in fancy shoes? i know i would. you can browse deborah's entire collection right here. it's fantastic to see more designers using wallpaper to integrate photography more fully into the home. enjoy!

[thank you a million times over to mav for her amazing work on the guest blog- don't forget, it will be archived on the main page under "affordable art guide" next week. tune in monday for the debut of the d*s shop and click here for some cuckoo craziness at h&g]

more from cj o'neill

cj emailed me after her post went up yesterday to send over some brand new pieces from her feeding desire collection. inspired by the tradition of wall plates and embroidered "home sweet home" panels, cj used a waterjet to cut quotations into her new plates (so cool). the new collection uses imagery from urban scenes around the world (vancouver, new york, london, st. ives) and looks especially beautiful when placed on a wall that lets a pattern or bold color show through. you can click here for more information on cj o'neill. [thanks, cj!]

lindsey adelman

i'm a big fan of brooklyn artist lindsey adelman. she just dropped off a little comissioned piece she did for me and i'm beyond thrilled with it. her use of color is always spot on in my book. you can catch more of lindsey's work at art (212) this weekend, manhattan's fall contemporary art fair (booth 306). looks like a fantastic show. enjoy! [thanks, lindsey]

yoyo ceramics

i wrote about britain's yoyo ceramics back in 2004 when i was just starting, when the trend of "disposable" ceramics was so hot. it's still popular these days but i'm happy to see yoyo adding some non-dispoable pieces to their collection. these fruit pieces are a playful way to add some color to the table- and of course there's a new faux-plastic piece for good measure. click here for more information and purchase information on yoyo ceramics.

brian yates showroom

[whoops, a little confusion on my part from this email, changes are made] the brian yates showroom exhibited at 100% design last weekend and after a quick click through the site i was really taken with these wall coverings. sophisticated and modern, the patterns offered fit a number of styles- including more traditional homes. click here for more info and to contact the brian yates showroom for ordering. enjoy!

blik ideas

lately i've been trying to think of ways to use wall decals that would push the medium in different directions. it's not quite groundbreaking, but blik has some new photos of their decals being used on sliding glass doors and refrigerators. i like the idea of decals on appliances. applied well you could have yourself a flocked microwave if you can't get enough of that baroque look. click here for more info.

pink bathtub

i've gotten a lot of requests for great bird cards lately so i thought i'd add this cute block print version for kicks. hand-block printed by pink bathtub (reminds me of clare nicolson's work), this little guy is available at the art stream studios shop for $3.50. and if you need some more pink bathtub in your life, check out these great jfk sets at their etsy shop, very cool. enjoy!

both:::textile construction

design studios like this are the reason i kick myself every year for not shelling out to see 100% design in london. but next year i'll be there, hands down. both textile construction's website is a feast for the eyes- full of rich, colorful textile and texture to knock your socks off. their rugs, pillows and fabrics are just too beautiful for words. based in nottinghamshire, england, both is a collaborative esign partnership between artists ruth waller and lee hewett- you can contact them for more information (and view their full collection) right here. it's definitely worth checking out- i was blown away by the beauty of it all. enjoy!

[i'm out for appts all day, but be sure to check maria's affordable art guest blog for more great finds. and stick around because monday we launch the d*s shop!]

d*s updates: new new new

two exciting updates for next week. after months of hard work my dream project is finally launching. tune in next monday, october 2 for the debut of the d*s shop! all the artists are set and the products are ready to go so stay tuned! [and yes, we'll be shipping to australia and nz]

and for those of you taking part in the d*s int'l project, the deadline for emails has been extended to friday, october 6. can't wait to see the submissions...[print above by lindsey adelman]

knitta

jan posted on the knitta group yesterday and i had to repost. founded by a renegade group of crafters who know their way around a pair of knitting needles, knitta is a "tag crew of knitters, bombing the inner city with vibrant, stitched works of art, wrapped around everything from beer bottles on easy nights to public monuments and utility poles on more ambitious outings." click here to check out their projects- i love the idea of contributing something so homey and hand-made to an urban environment. [via poppytalk]

cindy jaswal

i'm loving this affordable cindy jaswal print over at maria's guest blog. click here for the full post, tomorrow is mav's last day so i'm trying to soak up as much affordable design as i can.

cj o'neill

i mentioned cj o'neill last january and was so taken with her bowls that doubled as light fixtures. kristina mentioned that she showed a whole slew of great new designs at 100% design this year so i just wanted to share them before we devolve into project runway talk below. you can click here to see cj's full collection. enjoy!

[ps: i always do my research, the lovely imedagoze and atelier455 also wrote about cj. just wanted to share their write ups, too]

project runway: spoiler (watch out!)

finally, this was the first good decision they've made all season. i'm so thrilled all four designers are in and i can't wait to see what the judges think of the final collections. it's great to know that the show has decided to give all four (very different) designers a platform from which to launch their careers. bravo, bravo. can't wait to see how it all ends. my money's on laura. i just really like the idea of her big career switch late in life. and next week? the reunion? can't wait. so what did you think? top 4 a good idea? does anyone think jeffrey's dress was provocative?

domestic meets colette

we had quite a wall decal discussion last week, so i thought i'd post these new pieces for those who are still hungry for more. stephane at domestic (my favorite of the wall decal lot) sent these new pieces over that will be launching in conjunction with colette in paris on september 30. what i love about domestic is that they're constantly pushing the medium in new directions. not content to churn out more vinyl dots, flowers and birds, they continue to produce pieces that are highly intricate and certainly unique to the market. starting september 30, you can order these styles right via colette. enjoy! [thanks, stephane]

nadia sparham: queen of cushions

i owe kristina big time for this one. she passed along a link to designer nadia sparham and now i'm in love. after a quick click over to nadia's site i found her stunning collection of playful pillows that combine all of my favorite details: silk, wool and buttons. i can't get enough silk in my system these days (i'm on the hunt for a honey colored silk top like bradley's from project runway) and nadia's cushions deftly combine colorful silk with hand sewn button, quilting, foiling and stitching details. i haven't been this taken with a series of pillows in quite some time. it's so nice to see someone working with detailing in a way that brings attention to craftsmanship and material. you can click here to see nadia's beautiful work, it's most definitely worth checking out. i think we'll be seeing a lot more (a whole lot more) of nadia over here in the states soon...enjoy! [to top it off, nadia makes some great plates and dishes, too!]

new in silverlake: reform school

i'm often told by people from la that if i ever moved to california i'd love silverlake. i'm certainly in awe of a number of shops there and several design savvy silverlakers have been on apartment therapy before, so i was excited to get an email about a new shop in the area. reform school was founded by d*s readers billie and tootie and focuses on artists who "reuse creatively". that means reform school will be making eco-friendly designs their priority, as well as showcasing great local and indie designers. here's a mere sampling of the artists they'll be carrying: esther derkx, portia wells, jason miller, perch, jill bliss, camilla engman, k studio and many, many more. sounds like a shop to add to my must-visit list if i ever make it to la. you can visit their website right here and check them out in person at 4014 santa monica blvd. happy shopping! [thanks billie and tootie!]

[reform school is offering d*s readers a 15% discount in the shop through this sunday- so if you're in the area swing on by and tell them you saw the shop on d*s for a sweet little discount]

new from blissen

jill at blissen just sent over this great new farm life calender she and saelee oh designed. full of playful farm scene illustrations, it's a great way to gear up for 2007. you can pick up a copy right here for $17. [thanks, jill!]

[need a little more jill in your life? check out her podcast here for an extra dose of blissen]

hotel fox

apartment therapy posted on some really cool european hotels today. i'm loving the shots from hotel fox in copenhagen. so colorful! click here for more info on hotel fox.

[also, megan at how magazine sent me a link to their new blog- thanks for the shoutout, guys!]

[uh oh- more cheating on this season's project runway? what do you think?]

new from sarah cihat

sarah cihat has some great new patterns out as part of her rehabilitated dishware collection. i'm loving the cream colored plates and the little owl dish. available at barneys- click here for more information. enjoy!

hanna werning for eastpak

just went i thought designer hanna werning couldn't be any cooler she goes and launches a fun line of backpacks with eastpak. i was a faithful eastpak wearer when i was in high school- i would have loved one of these when i was in 19th grade. you can browse hanna's designs right here and pick them up at ebags right here (search by pattern name) enjoy! [thanks to angelune for the tip!]

trade-link

i got an email from marcia trade-link that i thought might be of interest to the professionals among us. i get a fair amount of emails from interior designers asking to showcase their work, but since i tend not to run trade-only work i thought this would be a great resource for the interior designers among the audience. trade-link helps interior designs host and design their own customized websites to share their work, which they will in turn help publicize. in addition, they'll keep designers connected with their partners- manufacturers, suppliers and other trade resources (they'll also keep designers up to date on the latest products and industry events). the fee is $55 a year and you can join up right here. best of luck to all of you looking to launch your own interior design busineses!

websites as graphs

katey had a fun link up yesterday that lets you see your website as a (blooming) graph. i don't really understand it all but it's fun to watch a graph version of your site grow. click here to make your own- d*s as a graph is above. so flowery, i love it.

kaleidoscope

quick late night post: i'm loving this fabric at repro depot. colorful, fun and affordable. what could be better. click here for more info ($8.95 a yard) at repro depot. enjoy!

wunderwurks

with the wealth of minimalist clocks out there right now, sometimes it's fun to see something with a little pattern and color. this bold design by tony wurman is made of 100% hot glue. with the flexibility of rubber and an appearance like glass, these wunderwurks clocks are a fun way to add some color to the wall. they're available right here at unica home for $160 (small style) and $425 (larg style). enjoy!

affordable art

i've really been blown away by maria's art finds for the past 6 days and today she posted some gorgeous prints by christopher david ryan at my little underground. click here for the full post.

thomas paul

pam at pillows and throws let me know that their new collection of thomas paul pillows is now available for purchase online! thomas paul has also reintroduced their gorgeous linen pillows- my personal favorite. ps: stay tuned for a podcast with thomas paul next week! [thanks, pam]

[ps: in case you haven't seen it, thomas paul has a great new website up and running!]

amy cooper ceramics

based in brighton, amy cooper designs beautiful ceramics from her shop within the red herring studios group. amy's work is delicate and modern with such a nice use of light- i love when ceramicists play with perforation and let light and shadow effect their work. click here to see her full collection right here- enjoy! [thanks, kristina!]

[and a BIG BIG congratulations to joy and bob. they're married! hooray!]

refer + staer

kristina went to 100% design and has been sending over her favorites this morning. i'm loving one of her lighting picks- refer + staer from denmark. their lighting collection is really, really stunning and full of creative designs. you can click through their site right here, it's definitely worth checking out. [thanks, k]

new mini trend: glass lamps

i was chatting with kristina at three layer cake about what she saw at maison et objet and she mentioned a real trend towards dramatic glass lighting (especially those with a clear glass base). i've always loved a good glass bottomed lamp (especially in color), so it's great to see european designers spinning the look in a high-end direction. i myself favor the regular old retail versions (that seem to come with a cheaper pricetag) so i compiled a collection of glass lamp bases that are available for a wide variety of prices. what's nice about this look (which is far from new but seems to be experiencing a resurgence lately) is that it's virtually timeless. a nice subtle, blown-glass lamp base will work with a modern, traditional, retro or minimalist decor. the simplicity of most of these designs makes them a great investment. and if you're willing to splurge on something a bit more dramatic check out the gorgeous european designs within the group that kristina spotted in paris. [click here] for the full mini trend and lamp selection. enjoy!

supernaturale: wow

tsia at supernaturale emailed me about their wonderful new book set to launch in october. if you're not familiar with supernaturale, it's an independent site (produced by nyc design firm, flat) dedicated to, "do it yourself culture in all its glorious forms". they showcase really fantastic diy projects ranging from simple afternoon home improvement ideas to radical lifestyle choices. supernaturale also publishes an online magazine (which is overhwhelmingly inspirational) and has a group blog called glimmer. their new book is called "craftivity: 40 projects for the diy lifestyle" (harper collins). the book contains: 40 how to projects made by the brightest stars on the alt diy scene, easy to follow, step-by-step instructions and photos, lots of projects for the beginner as well as the seasoned maker, detailed explanations of techniques used like knitting, stitching, woodworking and slip mold casting. my favorite part of the book is the beautiful collection of "inspirational work" that really expands our idea of what diy can and will be. tsia really outdid herself on this one. you can pre-order the book right here for $13.57. i highly recommend it- i think i'll be making the chandy covers by scott bodenner to cover my ugly exposed bulb fixtures. enjoy! [thanks, tsia!]

mairo

mark at sparkability always trades links with me and this morning he shared a whopper- swedish design company mairo. they're carried at the scandinavian design center, but you can browse their full collection right here. i was really impressed with the beautiful color combinations in their textiles- so scandinavian. i swear they have textile design in their blood there- i'm consistently impressed with the designs coming from sweden, denmark, finland and the rest of the region. great stuff. [thanks, mark!]

[i'm done for the day but don't miss mav's salute to affordable photography on the guest blog. very cool. have a great weekend, see you monday!]

karen gelardi

hoping for happy accidents covered the cutest pinecone cards at ferdinand by artist karen gelardi (one of angela adams' favorite artists). while looking through karen's site i was really taken with her beautiful illustrations (check out the one above, wow) and installations. you can click here to see them in detail- her work is stunning.

tenje

tenje will be exhibiting at 100% design this weekend and showing some really gorgeous rugs. i'm a sucker for a good houndstooth so this black and white rug was right up my alley. i love how lush it looks. click here for more info on tenje.

100% design- 3 cubed

100% design takes place this weekend and i'm dying to see all the great designs that will be shown. if you're lucky enough to be in london this weekend feel free to send over any photos you take- i'd love to see them! in the meantime here are some interesting plates by 3 cubed that will be shown. 3 cubed is a sister company to timorous beasties run by ceramicist and glass designer rosie simmons. click here for more info.

an open letter to manufacturers...

i was talking with ac this morning about how happy i am to have such a large and enthusiastic aussie and new zealand audience, but that more often than not i get unhappy emails from them saying that about 70-80% of the american design shops i mention don't offer shipping to australia or nz. the common complaint i hear is that, while local aussie and kiwi designers are fantastic, they'd love to have more affordable mainstream modern design options. shops like dwr, west elm, cb2, etc. don't have australian outposts and while some might cringe at the "mainstream-ness" of the larger chains here, they are really great ways for people on a budget to pick up modern basics. the picture i have painted for me over and over by readers is that the market tends to be fairly polarized- there are great local craftsman ($$$$) and then local boutiques ($) but nothing in between (i often forget how lucky we are to have a wide range of design options in the states). so, to manufacturers, e-commerce sites and design outlets i say, don't forget our friends in australia and new zealand, they are passionate about great design and would love to be able to order things just like the rest of us here in the states. so, if you can, consider opening up your shipping range to include them, because affordable design should be able to arrive at all our doorsteps.

[if you live in australia and have suggestions for local design shops, please feel free to leave them below. if you're a shop and want to let readers know that you're ready and raring to ship down under, please leave your shop and contact info below. it's about time i rounded up great resources for the design fans down under]

roof

alyssa sent over this announcement about a design sale taking place in brooklyn this weekend. if you're in the area, stop by! roof will feature clothing, ceramics, floral design and more- details below:

"This weekend I'll have a table set up at ROOF, an artists' collective sale. The event will be on Saturday the 23rd, 3-7pm, and Sunday the 24th, 1-5 pm. The sale is on the roof at 65 Roebling Street (corner is North 8th). In case of rain, press buzzer #301; we'll be selling in a loft instead."

area home

i'm prepping my podcast with area home for next week and saw these pillows that i haven't posted before. made of 100% linen and embroidered either the net or origami pattern, they're a really sophisticated way to bring a bit of pattern into the room. i'm trying to find bedding that won't compete with my marimekko curtains too much so these are finalists...click here (under "around area") for more information.