These jug lamps are hand blown by a local artisan and are full of lots of great subtle details. They almost make me want to add glass blowing to my repertoire. Almost.
Available in sizes small through extra large (12" - 19") and in a myriad of colors.
If there is one good thing about winter, it's hot drinks. The Teavana Alasdair Glass Tea Kettle takes that one good thing, and makes it look amazing. Best of all, it's totally affordable.
As much as I've been trying to avoid it, I am finally back from Paris. I can confidently say that everything went off without a hitch, and it met all expectations that I had. So what did I do? Nothing. Absolutely nothing, and it was wonderful. I didn't spend the day in any famous museums, I didn't get my picture painted on the street, I didn't go on any tours of famous sites. I just enjoyed good company, amazing food and drink, and spent all day long exploring an amazing city, and I would gladly do it all again in a heartbeat.
I'm happy to report that both my new bag acquisitions worked wonderfully. The Bexar Aviator tote became the daily carry and was perfect for everything from morning trips to the boulangerie to get some baguette to daytime shopping trips or bringing home a bottle of wine late at night. The german garment bag was an equally amazing and swallowed up 10 days of clothes with room to spare. It was a bit heavy to lug around but I didn't miss the option of having wheels at all as I carried it up and down the steps while riding the metro.
While I was gone you guys did a good job taking over for me. We had reader submitted stories on chairs, clocks, lights, and beds. All the posts got a lot of love, but the winner was Jaren of Modern Union for his amazing submission of the best looking espresso machine I've ever seen.
I love a good high brow-low brow combination in furniture and these Eu/Phoria project chairs designed by Paola Navone out of Italy strike that balance perfectly. Using inexpensive industrial plastic material that we've all seen on plenty of Chinatown shopping bags.
Source Link: http://www.eumenes.it/collections/euphoria
Cold days call for hot drinks, and when you are on the move that means you need a good travel thermos. While there are lot's of good ones for coffee drinkers, if you are wanting to steep some tea on the run the choices are a little more slim. The Noble Travel Thermos definitely wins points for looks, but it's not all looks. It has some solid functionality as well. The stainless steel infuser holds your loose tea, and the double sided glass keeps the heat in. Available in a 12 or 16 ounce size.
While many people think of the iconic egg chair or swan chair when they think of Arne Jacobsen, he also enjoyed a successful career as an architect. One of his earlier commissions was the Århus City Hall in Denmark. Even if you haven't heard of the building there is a good chance you would recognize a picture of the amazing staircase.
One of the little known details of the building has recently been resurrected. Arne created all the typography for the interior signage in the building, and you can now have a little piece of it in your home. These Alfabet Cups can be ordered with the Arne Jacobsen designed letter of your choice.
I love celebrating everyday objects, and these matte finished porcelain vases are the perfect way to do it. They are glazed on the inside so they are perfect for keeping a cut flower looking fresh.
Bisque Finished Porcelain Vases $20
Etsy is always a great place to look for good affordable modern pillows, and Bird Mafia doesn't disappoint. Her pillows feature designs inspired by her cut paper dioramas (which are fantastic by the way). My favorite of them is the Sun Kissed Clouds pillow. Organic cotton, hand printed, and all for just $28.
The texture and quality of this print is fantastic.
– Limited edition of 75 prints.
– Blind embossed texture.
– Numbered by Tim Boelaars.
A while ago I decided to make my own wooden spoons. It turned out to be a lot of fun, and a lot of work. Ever sense I have a whole new appreciation for a good wooden spoon. I've been playing around with the idea for a while to do a best made style artistic spoon, but it looks like someone beat me to it. I love this collection of wooden spoons from Reine Mere, and it might even motivate me to bust out that english walnut I have laying around and carve out another set.
Wooden Spoons (five colors available) €11,50
I just can't get enough of this paired down simple modern craftsman aesthetic lately. The Moxo Stool is a simple Ipe stool made in Brazil. It's part of the Caboclas Project, which in and of itself is pretty cool.
The Caboclas Project is an innovative forest management project launched in 2000 with the support of leading Brazilian environmental agencies. It allows members to remain in their communities by providing an alternative income source through traditional woodworking while employing sustainable practices. Comprised of nearly 300 families, artisan members work in communal areas with simple hand tools. Their furniture and other handcrafted wood pieces reflect the rich folk culture and traditions of communities in the Tapajós region. The group's popular animal carvings illustrate these influences. The group uses wood from managed forests as well as reclaimed and dead trees.
I wish I lived somewhere where I could run a MCM rental business. Alas I don't. Instead I'll just keep watching this video of two cute people living the dream. Thanks Benni for the tip!
YEAH!rentals from Son of Shark Pig on Vimeo.
Holy MCM goodness! I recently discovered Thrive Furniture and I'm totally blown away with all the great original mid century modern furniture they have for a reasonably affordable price. To make things even sweeter, the Nixon Love seat (top) is currently on sale for $1,349 and the Fillmore (bottom) is only $1039. They appear to have a good selection of upholstery too, including leather. Does anyone have any experience with the quality?
The trestle leg is a classic design that always looks fresh. The Morton table takes that look and offers it in a white, oak, or dark ash leg coupled with a simple glass top.
Love Charles and Ray Eames? Who doesn't. Get your goodies from the Eames Office on Fab.com today. I've got my eye on Volume 3 of their DVD series.
It may be entirely too early to start thinking about outdoor furniture, but a boy can dream of warm or warm summer days spent on backyard patios right? Despite it's slightly awkward shape, there is some sort of irresistible charm to the MAYA chair. The brightly painted expanded metal is the perfect material to hold up to the summertime elements, and stay looking new.
Have a favorite outdoor piece? Share it in the comments!
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
My Stepfather was a photographer when I was growing up, and consequently I spent a good deal of time in the darkroom of our local newspaper. They had these fantastic glow in the dark timers to keep track of film processing (ohh the good old days) that looked exactly like this one from Kikkerland. While this one seemingly lacks glowing parts, it is magnetic which makes it easy to stick on your fridge, and it's only 1" thin.
As a bit of a fan of architecture I already feel like I am constantly annoying my friends with useless facts about "famous" architects that lived in the golden age of modernism. You can imagine how excited I am to now be able to annoy them and assert myself as the ultimate geek by playing The Modern Architecture Game. Bwaahaaahaaa. Game night anyone?
Video at the end.
I've been playing around with some pendant light with cloth cord ideas lately, so I'm thoroughly obsessed with ingenious and simple pendant solutions. The Laboratorio pendant uses a vintage borosilicate lab flask and combines it with a brass lamp socket and some cloth cord. The end result is clean and modern, with just a hint of vintage. The Castiglioni designed switch is a nice touch.
