A huge congratulations to my friend and fellow blogger Tyler Goodro of Plastolux on his latest collaboration with Eastvold! It's great to see someone make the transition from talking about good design to producing good design. The Cube Side Table was designed by Tyler and made by Eastvold and is right on trend with one of my latest obsessions, wood and steel. He even has a walnut and brass version coming out soon that is going to be amazing.
I'm always thinking about good names for a website and/or business. The other day I was thinking about how much I like clean modern design but with age old hand made details. The name "Analogue Modern" popped into my head, and I was almost giddy to find out that the domain was still available. Seconds away from snatching it up, I started to wonder. Did I spell "Analogue" right? Yes and no. There are two spellings, and it looks like "Analog Modern" doesn't just exist, they are doing exactly what I had in mind. Despite the disappointment that someone got to the idea before I did, I'm mostly just excited to find another great indy shop putting out good furniture.
Today in Park City hordes of social media mavens are gathering at the Canyons resort for the 2012 Evo Conference. I hadn't even heard of the conference until this year, and while it's not really my scene (lots of mommy bloggers) I am super excited to be involved. The Ebay Green Team (bet you never heard of them either) asked me to help do the interior decoration of a suite they have at the conference. It's been an absolute blast to source furniture from some of my favorite companies (Moooi, Tom Dixon, Emeco, Studio Dunn, Pablo, Blu Dot) and to bring in some epic MCM pieces from some of my favorite local stores The Green Ant and Now and Again. Some of my favorite vintage pieces include 2 Eames Lounge chairs, a rosewood Eames screen (1 of 500 ever made) Bertoia chairs, a teak bar cart and more. I even had a chance to make a reclaimed clothes rack (above) out of a piece of wood used during the construction of the Brooklyn bridge. I'm hoping to get up there and take some more pictures of the rest of the suite tonight or tomorrow night. Stay tuned for more.
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.
To say that I love these stools would be an understatement. They are simple, effective and cheerful. I really like the contrast of the walnut and the painted steel, and the detailing on the seat is perfection. Do want.
Paul and Paula is the latest work to come out of the German based Moorman offices. I love the physical and visual tension of the red cables. It actually reminds me a bit of the camping gear from Snow Peak.
I like clever objects. I also like simple objects. So when a side table manages to be both clever and simple at the same time, it's almost a guarantee I'm going to like it. Throw in a little white Corian and some hand oiled domestic hardwood and I'm powerless to resist. Bravo Ampersand. Bravo.
Hot on the heels of yesterday's debut of new work by Volk comes a 2012 ICFF update of another one of my favorite furniture makers Asher Dunn. I fell in love with Studio Dunn's Scandinavian influenced furniture the first time I saw it. It is modern day americana at its best. Asher continues to delight my eyes with careful attention to detail and flowing joinery details. I'm happy to see he continues to design things besides just furniture too.
Narragansett Bowls
The shell-like Narragansett Bowls highlight the simplicity of natural utility. Drawing from the sea, Native Americans in Rhode Island had assimilated a variety of shells for plating food. Available in brass or cast iron, the Narragansett Bowls create an earthy vessel to display edible or decorative items. Exposed edges embellish angular shadows thrown from their bends, while the weight of the material anchors the humble receptacle.
Bristol Console Table
Find yourself entranced in the Bristol Console’s flowing pillars and waves. Indulge in the intricacy of its endless streaming lines, forged by its slim contours, branch-like stretcher, distinctive connection points, and the surface’s cusp. The console’s hardwood construction and sizeable top sends a personal invitation to a serene space while also playing host to casual use.
Coddington Vase
The dark shallow waters of the Coddington Vase illuminate the subtle radiance of sun kissed flowers. Pointed and sleek, the seafaring inspired stainless steel grate crosses with the exotic and precise art of Ikebana. With a cast aluminum base, its durable body emits a touch of masculinity and a rugged natural patina that’s gentle enough to embrace the most delicate beauty.
Corliss Chair
The spitting image of revolution. The Corliss Chair cleverly integrates traditional American hardwood construction in its maple seat with a graceful, comfort driven, and handcrafted aluminum backing. Its true connection a secret between them, this union of sustainable and recyclable materials harmoniously joins along a curved plane. Paying homage to George Corliss, the founder of the first independently-powered steam engine, the chair naturally innovates any setting.
About
Studio DUNN was founded in 2010 and launched its first collection, the Rhode Island Collection, at the ICFF in 2010, winning the Editor’s Award for Best New Designer. Studio DUNN has recently been featured in the Wall Street Journal, New England Home, Wallpaper*, and Dwell. This past April, founder Asher Dunn was awarded New England Home’s 5 Under 40 Award given to five individuals under the age of 40 for significant contributions to their design field.
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".
I'm always on the lookout for creative shelving solutions. This one comes from a collaborative design based out of Mexico called Masiosare Studio. The Paraleelos shelves are formed by two vertical ladders that hold the horizontal cross pieces. Smaller square shelves can be placed wherever needed. Originally designed for the Estudio in San Ángel project, they are now working on mass producing the piece. More information as well as a video is available on their website.
We love Kickstarted projects here at Grassrootsmodern. Not only are they a great way to help designers get funding for great projects, they are also a great way to get a cool product for a great price. The Cubby is a great example of that. It's an award winning design that has never made it into production. Now is your chance to help out, and to get a Cubby for you own for only $19. Watch the video below for more details.
Cubby coat hook and storage area
Summer is just around the corner, and that means it's time to have some quality porch time with your favorite refreshing beverage. I'm sort of obsessed with all sorts of bottle openers, the more interesting the better. The Kebo was designed by RUSH3 product design studio and is a modern take on a vintage design.
When it comes to furniture, chairs are my first passion, but tables are a close second. I often overlook the coffee table partly because there are so many cheap coffee tables out there, but there are a lot of amazing ones too. I'm currently getting ready to move into a new home, and I'm looking to upgrade from my Ikea table I got in the "as is" section. Besides the fact that I used a sharpie to make all the scratches disappear, it's just too hight for my taste. Below is a quick round up of some that have recently caught my eye. Which one is your favorite?
(above "two leg table")
Muji aluminum coffee table $185
DIY Factory style cart via HGTV
Conrad Coffee Table : Misewell $1,150
Repurposed flat file. I'd love to find an old wood one of these. Image via Treehugger.
Also, there are the classics….
These awesome Rocking Lamps from mineheart got quite a bit of press during ICFF last year, but I never did see any ordering information. It looks like they are now available to purchase in the mineheartstore and are available with a black or white shade. The £252 price tag is a bit hard to swallow, it makes me surprised that no one has figured out an Ikea hack to get a similar look.
Equal parts art piece and useful kitchen utensil, Herriott Grace is making some of the best looking wooden spoons and kitchen utensils I have seen in a while. They definitely fall in the "not cheap" category, but that doesn't seem to stop them from selling.
Which is your favorite? How much would you pay for a gorgeous wooden spoon?
I saw a similar looking coffee table last year in NY, and it just about blew my mind.
About:
The unique cantilevered Bloom coffee table features a salvaged Western Red cedar base fused with a colored top made of peanut and soy non-toxic resin and is finsihed with a clear lacquer. Each base has been hand-salvaged, dried, peeled, sandblasted, and cut to size. The fusion of the two elements creates a seamless connection that results in a heat and stain resistant surface.
Do want.
Bloom Coffee Table by Wood Design $3,900 CAD
I'm talking about the Nixie Clock, of course! Some of the older readers may know remember what I'm talking about... vintage digital display vaccuum tubes revived with new electronics as digital clocks. Let's face it, the aesthetics of modern digital clocks leave much to be desired. I vote for Nixie for my next clock sitting on my nightstand! Available as kits or completed units with stylish metal or lucite cases. However, I'm leaning toward an exotic wood cabinet from my woodshop to compliment that warm glow....
The web abounds with kits & completed units from such places as NixieClock and TubeClock. And for the DIYers, plenty of build stories like Pimp My Nixie.
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 mentioned last week my new found obsession for bags. I've been looking for a good leather or waxed canvas tote for a while now, and I was stoked to happen upon Bexar Goods Co. They were kind enough to send me a Black Aviator Carry tote last week, and I've been putting it to good use ever since. First impressions? I was really really impressed with the quality of the workmanship and the details. The copper rivets have got to be my favorite part of the whole bag. They look amazing, and are super sturdy and functional. The strap is just the perfect length to slip over your shoulder and the contrast between the black bag and the tanned leather handles is really nice. Overall, I couldn't be happier, and while it's not the cheapest bag, I'm betting it's the last tote I have to buy for a very long time.
Bexar Goods Co. Aviator Carry $219
I love these simple industrial/vintage looking bookshelves. The material pallet is simple and straight forward, as is the construction. Blake Avenue seems to have hit the nail firmly on the head, although the $1,150 price tag does seem a little on the high side. That being said the rest of his Etsy shop is full of great looking custom furniture that falls in the same industrial/vintage vein, and I'm always a fan of paying a little more for a truly custom piece.
What do you think about the price? To high? To Low? Just right?
Reclaimed Shelving Unit $1,150
