I'm always on the lookout for a good bed frame. Ever since I moved in with my girlfriend we have been sleeping on two mattresses on the ground. In all honesty it looks really good with our West Elm comforter on it, and free is the best price. Still I'm always on the lookout for something stylish and affordable. I know there has to be something out there between DWR (loving the American Modern Bed in Walnut) and bedroom world. If you have any favorite beds at affordable prices (or not) share them in the comments below.

I'm always on the lookout for great modern furniture built by small shop in the USA. The latest to hit my radar is Joe Joe Built It. They've got all sorts of FSC certified modern wood goodies, all at very reasonable prices considering what goes into making them.  Speaking of which, check out the video by LetsMakeMedia after the jump that shows a little of the process. 

Joe Joe Built It

LetsMakeMedia

JOEJOEBUILTIT from LetsMakeMedia on Vimeo.

So a few people asked about the clothes rack I made for the Evo Conference a few weeks ago. While it's a pretty straight forward project I figured I would do a little write up in case anyone else is interested.  First and for most I should give a shout out to Patch Davis a used-to-be-local friend of mine. I first saw a very similar design in his shop 6 months ago, so credit goes to him. And now for the how to….

The basic idea is to get a large rustic beam and use it as a heavy base for a free standing clothes rack. You will need the following:

Wooden Beam

Black gas pipe

Drill

Drill bit

For this specific project I wanted to make two decent sized "cups" to hold T Pins for the real world Pinterest pin boards they had, so I used a hole saw and hammer and chisel for that part. It's totally optional, but it is a nice touch, and a good place to put some random items.

Probably the hardest part was sourcing the wood. This particular piece was approximately 8" x 14" and just under 4' long. You will probably have the best luck looking for something from an architectural salvage place, or if you are lucky a local saw mill. The rougher the better.

Once you have your wood, and it's cut down to length (I had to use a bow saw) all you need to do is drill holes for your gas pipe. I was aiming for around 54" of clear space so for the vertical pieces I bought one 10' piece of pipe and had Home Depot cut it in half. The horizontal bar was a pre-cut (and threaded) 36" pipe. I used two 90 degree angles to hook it all together. I think the pipe comes in 1/2" or 3/4". I like the look of the 3/4" better.

To drill the holes into the wood I bought a 1 1/8" flat bit. 1 1/16" would have been a tighter fit, but they didn't have it. Hook all your pipes together, measure the distance center line to center line, and then lay it out where you want it on the log. Drill the holes nice and deep, say 4" (or as long as the bit is) and then just slide the pipes in. Walla, you have a clothes rack. 

As I mentioned above, there are some small touches that make it look a bit better. The "cups" I just used a 3" hole saw, then used a hammer and chisel to clean the holes up. I also mounted some scrap 3/4" wood I had laying around on the bottom of the beam. I set it back 3" or so from all the sides so you wouldn't see it. The result was a nice little shadow line all the way around the bottom.

Total cost? About $60 for the pipe and drill bit plus whatever you pay for the wood. 

Questions? Comments?

Every night I sleep with an iHome next to my bed. I think it has an alarm function, but honestly I can't tell you for sure because I've never used it. In fact for some reason I don't even dock my iPhone on it, I just use the charging cable that comes with it. I also use my iPhone for an alarm every day, and while I've gotten pretty good at hitting the snooze "button" on the screen with one sleepy eye open I admit a big physical button would be easier.  Enter Snooze. It is a convenient docking station for your iPhone, and perhaps more importantly it turns the whole top of the dock into a giant snooze button. It comes with a free alarm app that makes your volume button a snooze, and has other expanded options. It's on Kickstarter for another 16 days and is currently half funded. It you like it, support it.

Snooze on Kickstarter $40

One of my favorite craftsman at ICFF last year was Volk. I posted about some of Brian's amazing work that I saw while I was there. With ICFF looming on the horizon this year (shame I can't make it) Brian was kind enough to pass along a photo of one of the projects that he has completed since I met with him last. Stunning is the only way I can describe this Walnut dresser with hutch. It's made of solid walnut with inlaid brass details and custom brass drawer pulls. The hutch top has a sliding door with an inset Harris Tweed panel. It's finished off with a classy oil and wax finish. Volk furniture really has to be seen and touch to appreciate it, so if you do find yourself at ICFF make sure you stop by booth 2453. Make sure you tell Brian that Grassrootsmodern say's "hey". 

Volk Furniture

What do you get when you mix old school Bosnian craftsmanship with Washington  DC modernism?  Manulution. Such is the name of this amazing little company that was founded in 1927. If you want to get technical, Manulution is really a subsidiary of Rukotvorine, but what really matters is the furniture.  It's everything that a piece of modern furniture should be.  Well designed, not afraid to show it' origin and craftsmanship, and reasonably priced. I'm particularly fond of the Daisy Collection.  

What's your favorite?

Manulution

I may have mentioned it before, but I just moved into a new place, and I'm still desperately trying to get everything organized. The one thing that the house unfortunately lacks, is a good amount of closet storage.  There is a spare room in the basement that isn't really being used, and I have been thinking about using some sort of closet organizers to make if functional for clothes storage. Anyone have experience with California Closets or the like?

I am moving (again) and I'm in need of a new bed frame. I'm pretty set on making my own, so last night I sat down with my girlfriend and started looking for inspiration. I came across this brilliant design by German based Tojo called the V Bed. It uses inexpensive plywood, and a simple accordion style construction to make an unique and functional bed. It's not quite what I'm looking for, but it's definitely getting stored away in my head as a great idea. Tojo has a couple other accordion inspired designs on their site worth looking at.

Tojo V Bed

Photo's via

Coat rack designed by Anna Lee Nashem. Brilliant idea, and could be an easy DIY project. I've got plenty of black pipe laying around...

Via www.annaleenashem.blogspot.se/

The nightly ritual of reading to kids is performed by millions of parents. It's wonderful to think of a piece of furniture made to honor this Norman Rockwell-esque moment in the lives of most children but taking it in a very modern direction. I love the clean lines, the unfinished wood, and the sophisticated color and texture of the fabric on the canopy and integrated pockets. I think more kids would fall in love with reading with this bed in their room! Source Link: http://www.handmadecharlotte.com/childs-bed-designed-bedtime-stories/

I always love Thomas Paul's whimsical modern folk style. Typically I associate him with either pillows or tableware, but I'm absolutely in love with some of his recent duvet covers. From elephant to octopi to nautical ships, they are all killing it. If you are into the sea theme you should definitely check out his Lava Anchor pillows too. Ahoy!

Thomas Paul Bedding $250 - $400

Furni is one of my old favorites that consistently makes good looking quality products, and never seems to get the recognition that they deserve. I was delighted to see over the weekend that they are on Fab.com. Once again inspired, I checked out their website for the first time in a year or two, and I happy to find that they still have great stuff. The new and improved ALBA clock for example is not only fantastic looking and well detailed (see below) but it has some great features too. iPod/iPhone integration with a custom app available with purchase, 10 stage dimmable display, metal grill etc. Available in white, black, barn wood, walnut, concrete and all sorts of other amazing materials/finishes.

ALBA Alarm clock from Furni.

Remember books? Those things with all the pieces of paper with words on them. Word on the street is that people are still reading them. I know I've spent a few nights reading in bed lately. For like minded bed readers, may I introduce you to lililite. Besides being a handsome bookshelf/light, it's also an ingenious bookmark. Leaving an open book on top keeps the light turned off, pick it up, and you've got light.

lililite bed lamp 2 for €199

Just what you need to quench your bedside thirst without compromising your modern sensibilities.

Corky Carafe £35.00

Sex toys are a topic that don't get a lot of attention on design blogs, and for good reason. Most of them are at best semi discrete, and at worst an embarrassment to look at. There is however one company that has stood out among the crowd in a good way for a while, Jimmyjane.  I like to think of Jimmyjane as the Apple Computer of the pleasure toy world.  Their products are aesthetically pleasing, well made, and innovative. Their about page says it best:

Jimmy Jane Form series Since launching in late 2004, Jimmyjane has redefined the context and perception of sexual wellbeing. Combining sophisticated product development with proprietary technology, our collection encourages connection and excitement without compromising style, wellbeing or personal values.

So if you have a special lady in your life, may I suggest two words for the holiday season. Stocking Stuffer.

Jimmyjane

Buying furniture for little people can be a serious investment, and sometimes it's hard to justify dropping a large amount of cash for something that is only useful for a few years. That's why I love cribs that can serve multiple purposes, like this Gro 5 in 1 Companion crib. Besides being a crib, there are options to turn it into a toddler bed (shown above), day bed, play table, or desk. All that and it assembles in under 2 minutes with no tools needed. Thats smart. Gro 5 in 1 Companion Crib $999 - $1,390

I've been moving GRM over to a new server today and it's been sort of a bumpy ride. Kinda makes me want to go home and curl up in a blanket and take a nap. Specifically this brilliant blanket by Barbara Perrino.

b/perrino etsy shop

http://www.bperrino.com

It seems like I have been featuring a lot of great handmade furniture coming out of Colorado recently.  The most recent to catch my eye is David Rasmussen Design. Based out of Carbondale, Colorado David has an interesting mix of more traditional fine woodworking pieces like the Treehouse Stools shown above, to very modern Danish inspired pieces like the Curve A Linear chair and side table.

David Rasmussen Design on Etsy

DavidRasmussenDesign.com

Unison just launched a new collection of bedding for babies and kids and we couldn't be more in love!  The Sailor and Regatta duvet/sheet combo is an instant favorite in that bright, cheery yellow.  Check out the full line right here and let us know what you think!

Kids + Babies Collection from Unison

Natta (Norwegian slang for 'good night') is a bedside table with an integrated light hidden in the back.  When turned on, the light reflects off the wall behind it, filling the room with soft, diffused light.  Pretty brilliant I say!  Available in two styles: a simple tabletop or a single drawer unit.  Made of birch plywood.

Natta Side Table by Thomas Jenkins: available on request