new blog: bloesem

we just got home yesterday and i'm catching up on emails- d*s won't kick back in until tuesday but i thought some of us might need good reading on new year's day. nothing like recovering from a fun night out by relaxing and reading up on a fun new design blog. bloesem is a new dutch design blog run by irene hoff. i'm always on the lookout for a blog to fill the niche that frida left and i'm hopeful that irene hoof's bloesem might be it. so click here to check out bloesem. happy new year- see you on tuesday! [thanks, irene!]

happy holidays

the holidays are here and i just wanted to wish everyone a very happy holiday and best wishes for a wonderful new year. it's been such a wonderful year here at d*s and i wanted to thank everyone for reading and their continued support. it's truly been an honor to work with and talk to you all. i'm closing up shop today and will be posting my next biz box post later next week. now that i'm home i'm going to try to step away from the computer and spend more time with my family. i hope you all enjoy the time off with your family and friends. i'll return on january 2 rested and ready to go...i hope you'll all join me for the launch of the new january d*s shop and the debut of my favorite d*s project to date. i'm so excited and i hope you'll all enjoy it. so again, happy holidays and best wishes for a wonderful new year. i'll see you next tuesday. xo, d*s

new podcast: cavern home

as something of a wallpaper fanatic, i've followed the recent resurgence in wall decor with great interest. from wall decals to wallpaper i've kept an eager eye on emerging designers in this field, anxious to see how people would reinterpret such a classic medium. cavern home was one of the first companies i took note of and followed as they launched their debut line at the 2006 icff. founded by a pair of childhood friends, carly margolis and ophir tanz, cavern home entered the market with a beautiful line of designs inspired by nature. cavern's collection often includes animal imagery and traditional techniques like flocking- all done with a modern twist. the result is a series of clean, modern papers that combine bold pattern with subtle color and metallics. thankfully carly and ophir were able to take some time out from their busy schedule to answer some of my questions and give some fascinating insight into the world of wallpaper and starting a new business. you can [click here] to hear the full podcast and hear about how the pair met (hint: it involved the beastie boys), why they're called cavern home and what they're working on for 2007. [thanks to carly and ophir for taking the time to record with me]

in addition, speaking with carly and ophir inspired a new bizbox post which will go live tomorrow. stay tuned for a link and new post on entrepreneurship in the creative community (along with some tips culled from this interview).

on the road...

happy holidays everyone- today i'm headed south on a train to va beach to see my family. i'll be posting a new podcast later this afternoon (around 3 or 4) but i'll be editing the sound on the train so it won't go live until i'm home with an internet connection. i'll have a few more posts for friday (including a new bizbox post) and then i'll be taking next week off to be with family and friends. when i return i'll be announcing a brand new project that i've been dying to share with everyone and that i hope will be a positive way to ring in the new year. in addition i'll be launching a new january d*s shop, the much-delayed letterpress guide and the international design project. my sincere apologies for the delay- november and december were nutty months and i'm just now getting back on my feet. so, i'll see everyone later this afternoon with a brand new podcast. [beautiful pottery above and below by artist diana fayt]

chirp chirp

not a home product, i know...but i love them. bird jewelry from EliandRa at etsy...

les louisettes

new from les louisettes- wall, glass and floor decals just in time for new year's decorating (i always de-clutter and redecorate over the holidays). i absolutely love the way the decals look on the floor. available at sprout home in chicago (they aren't online right now but just give them a ring, tara and her staff are extremely nice and will mail them to you (just call 312.226.5950) toot sweet).

french vogue

many thanks to scott at the sartorialist for the shout out in french vogue. merci beaucoup, scott.

terrariums by paula hayes

too beautiful not to post....terrariums by paula hayes via atny.

sarah cihat

brooklyn designer sarah cihat just sent over some custom pieces she created exclusively for the future perfect. they're fresh out of the kiln and ready to buy. click here to contact the future perfect for pricing on individual pieces. [thanks sarah!]

[minor christmas emergency so i've got to run out for some errands...be back tomorrow with a fresh podcast and some updates for the new year]

essimar

beautiful silkscreened cards by esther mar of essimar. i love the rounded edges and mix of bright color and texture...perfect for a unique holiay thank-you card. click here for more info and to contact essimar for orders. [thanks, esther!]

d*s shop: update

donna jo brady at re-surface design decided to run a little holiday special at the d*s shop- for the rest of the december shop run she'll be offering a fresh new design at a special discounted price. the lamps are available right here for $60 each and have a fresh new textile pattern on a soft lavender shade. click here for more info and to shop.

lost bird found

sara jenson's pomegranate bags were a huge hit in the shop this month so i was thrilled when she emailed today with new designs. sara is selling her gorgeous pomengranate designs via her site, lost bird found. the pomegranate pattern comes in canvas bag, small pouch, large tote, apron and as canvas fabric. each one is cuter than the next...click here to view the full collection and shop online. [great work, sara!]

amanda kavanagh

i first met artist amanda kavanagh through my dad- they were flickr photo buddies and from the moment he showed me her work i was hooked. amanda lives in brooklyn with her husband and creates beautiful paintings from her home near prospect park. i've always loved the sort of ethereal moods she creates in her work and her ability to play with light in such a powerful way. over lunch a few weeks ago we talked about affordable art and the trend in sites like tiny showcase (where she sold out almost immediately) that cater to people interested in prints. amanda was considering offering high quality print versions of her work and today she opened a shop where she's selling 8 prints (in limited additions of 100) for prices as low as $25 each. each print is signed and numbered and printed on acid-free hahnemuhle photo rag satin 310 gsm using ultrachrome archival inks. the prints are really lovely and since so many of us are interested in affordable art i thought this would be right up our alley. click here for more info and to shop online. [great work, amanda!]

[kristina from three layer cake is in town today (all the way from rome!) so i'm off to meet her and chat design. be back later this afternoon with a new post]

oh china by fifty-eight b

lorraine from design studio fifty-eight b sent over this beautiful new vase called "oh china". the oh china vase is made from silver and gold plated spools of colorful thread. the effect is simple but modern and the thread is such a nice pop of color. fifty-eight b has a great collection of furniture as well which you can check out right here- they also have studios in dublin and paris so click here for more info on the studio and their locations. [thanks, lorraine!]

stitchella

after yetserday's ipod cozies i got tons of requests for more handmade versions. these cozies from stitchella on etsy were too cute to pass up. each handmade felt case is perfect for an ipod nano or cell phone case and has a recycled button closure to keep your gadget from falling out. the final touch is a cute screen printed bird in three styles (crow, sparrow and something that looks like a chickadee)- they're available right here for $10 each. enjoy!

marimekko

i'm so happy i found my carrie bradshaw curtains at marimekko and it looks like their winter collection now includes a similar pattern called kirgiisi designed by maija isola and kristina isola. kirgiisi comes in a very holiday friendly palette of rich red and green and a muted tan and white variety. any of the colors would look lovely as curtains, table linens, pillows or anything you can think of...click here for more info.

new from cavern

cavern home has released a new colorway called "snow" in their blackbird line. "snow" is fun, modern and perfect for adding a little pattern to your life. click here for the full collection from cavern home and to place an order. [ps: stay tuned for a podcast with cavern home later this week]

osborne + little

pretty patterns for friday: wallpaper from the new tara collection by osborne + little.

ipod cozies

i love handmade ipod covers. i don't own an ipod but if i did i'd want to keep it snuggly in something like this- handmade felt ipod covers by suezybees at etsy. $18 right here. [update: they seem to be sold out- but there are similar products available on her site...]

a (pretty) cup of joe

i wish more coffee houses invested in pretty take-out coffee cups. these clever cups were designed by gina triplett for the last drop coffee house in philly. too cute to pass up. have a cute local cup to share? send an email and i'll post the results here. i've heard some shops in chicago have great custom cups...

[i'll be back at 1 with 2 new posts]

hygge life

lovely new additions to the (newly updated!) hygge shop (via mav)...

emma jeffs

i'm considering using emma jeff's adhesive window stickers in our bathroom...despite the rather high pricetag, i think it might make me happy enough to be work the cost in the long run. plus, as a renter i jump at the chance to add pattern to the walls and windows that isn't permanent. i was deciding on patterns when i noticed emma added pretty new photos to the site. i'm a sucker for a good product shot (i think it's one of the most crucial things to invest in when promoting a product) and these are a nice addition to the site. you can pick up emma's decals all over the place these days but you can view her full collection right here. happy sticking...

[i'll be sure to post pictures of our project when i'm done]

stuart

the ny times ran a fantastic article this morning on a new online gallery program created by charles saatchi. i've always admired saatchi's love for student work and he seems to be doing well by the students who've made him a lot of money over the years. he's created a new website called "stuart" (it stands for student-art) that lets student artists around the world create a free myspace-style page where they can post their work and sell it directly to customers without a gallery fee or rep cut. i love love love that he's letting artists sell their work without a fee and am curious to see how the site progresses. it's a potential cash cow for saatchi but he says he wants to leave the site alone for a year and see what happens (he's not buying any work from the site for at least a year). i can't wait to see how it works out- already gallery owners and buyers are discovering phenomenal new artists and i think it's a fantastic way for young artists to start selling their work and communicating with other student artists across the globe. what a fun idea...click here for more info (and to set up a free page) and here for the original times article.

studio t lighting

ac and i are about to have some lighting installed (pictures to come after the holidays- we're starting to spend more time on the apt these days) so i've been paying particular attention to pendants these days. these new pieces from studio t lighting in chrome, wood and powder coated aluminum are sleek, modern and just the right size for a little nook or small dining table. designed by pratt grad (and professor) timothy richartz, the pendants are available right here at velocity for around $375-$450 a piece.

sample sale

i'm a big fan of niche modern lighting and they're having a HUGE sample sale this weekend. niche will be offering 50–70% off hand blown lighting and home furnishings. if you know their work you know that is one heck of a steal. so stop on by and say hi to co-founders mary welch and jeremy pyles- you can even go home with a 10% off coupon for any future lighting order. it's a great deal so click here for more info and to get directions. [sale: december 16+17, 12-7, 258 e. third street at ave. c, 212-777-2101. cash and carry only please]

new podcast: paper + cup

earlier this week i sat down with minhee and truman of paper + cup press. i'm a huge fan of their stationery line and was thrilled that they were able to talk to me about their company, their thoughts on running a small business, how they met and everything in between. click here to hear their full podcast. the podcast runs a bit longer than most because they had such valuable insight on running a small business and the debate between mass market and keeping things small. it's definitely worth checking out.

[thanks so much to minhee and truman for taking the time to record the podcast!]

d*s shop update

heather guidero's ornaments just can't be stopped: she's sold out of two rounds of ornaments and she's now produced a third and last version. the newest version is made with a variscite stone and is available right here for $26.

gift on grand

this is a must-visit. there's not much more to say. if you're in nyc tomorrow you've got to check out the gift on grand fair (33 grand sreet, brooklyn)- some of the greatest artists in the area will be selling home-made goods just in time for the holiday season. i'm even dragging ac, that's how must-visit it is. click here for more info (sat, dec 15 from 11-8)...see you there!

kim family benefit

lisa, stephanie and gerrie are setting up a wonderful online auction to benefit the kim family of doe. it's such a thoughtful idea and a wonderful way to contribute to a good cause. there will be over 40 different artists contributing to the auction items in a wide range of media. you'll find paintings, prints, ceramics, soft toys, jewelery, paper goods, home decor and more. 100% of the auction proceeds will go to the kim family fund. bidding begins january 3rd and ends january 7th. click here for a preview of the auction items in the coming weeks.

at home: chloë sevigny

last week at h&g we passed around the january issue and checked out a new spread on chloë sevigny's home. i expected lots of edge and "look at me" accessories. you know, something that said "i was in the brown bunny". but when i opened the issue i was shocked to see a stylish, dare i say traditional connecticut-style townhouse. it turns out chloë is true to her ct roots and worked with a designer to create a classically beautiful home. there's a gorgeous slideshow of her home (love that green wallpaper) and an even better video of the photo shoot on the h&g site. i love watching people pose so getting to see chloë toss her head back and forth while standing on a ladder was priceless. it's definitely worth checking out- even though she lives a sort of movie-star life there are a lot of usable design tips to learn from her home.

d*s shop: update

just a quick update- heather guidero has added a few more of her branch ornaments to the d*s shop so they're available right here for $20. also, theresa's beautiful handmade holiday cards are available for $25 and would be perfect for those post-holiday thank yous we all have to send. and don't forget there are 2 new versions of the a-light available from re-surface design right here for $100. click here for more information on the shop and the charity of the month, art start. happy holiday shopping!

ferm living

yesterday i got an email from designer trine anderson who runs a small design company in denmark called ferm living. trine designs really beautiful wallpaper that combines bold graphic designs with bright pops of color. i'm nuts about the peacock pattern, but the entire collection is lovely. there's plenty to see at ferm (including an adorable collection of acrylic ornaments) so click here to view the full collection. [thanks, trine!]

[i'm heading out for a bit so i'll be back with more posts at 2:30]

maru calculator

this guy isn't new by any means but it's one of my favorite products around right now. so simple but so beautiful. the maru calculator was designed by takumi shimamura for monacca and uses yanese cedar veneer around a cork spacer. the effect is stunning and i love the idea of introducing a natural material like cedar into the office environment. available at moss online for $85.

wsj

thanks so much to jessica at the wall street journal for including d*s and the d*s shop in her roundup of blogs. it was an honor to be included among such a great collection of shops and websites.

sugar spoon

nature inspires some of the most beautiful designs. i'm loving this branch sugar spoon from egg mercantile in amsterdam. they offer overseas shipping so you can pick up this little guy or a host of similar spoons (in smaller and thinner varieties) right here. enjoy!

design blog party!