kitchen from Creede on Vimeo.We have been in our house for almost 6 months now, so it's inevitable that I finally got some demo work done. My wife was out of town for the week and had no idea what I was up to. The whole thing was very inexpensive, less than $200. It took me about a week working on it when I got home from my 9 - 5, and on the weekend. The worst part was really all the cleaning. I swear I spent as much time cleaning up my mess as I did making it. The video shows the progress as I knock down two walls, move the electrical, add some new lighting and start putting it all back together. This is the first phase in our kitchen remodel.

Sometimes you don't have to go to super discount shops like undrgrnd.com to get good design at 50% off list price. Such is the case with the Snare Pendant lamp from CB2. This compact 11" diameter brushed steel lamp with frosted glass is a good deal at it's normal retail price of $49. Lucky for us, it's and even better deal at the current price of $19! I have a feeling that these won't be sticking around for too much longer, so if you want one, I'd act fast. Available from CB2 for $19.

Just the other day I was watching a TED talk about wind energy, and thinking about the huge potential that it has for small scale applications like residential homes. I was wondering what it would take to throw a small turbine on my roof. Would it be ugly? Would it be expensive? Today I come across a story that design giant Philippe Starck has beat me to the punch. He has designed a small attractive wind turbine that can create up to 80% of a homes electricity. The price is expected to be between $800 - $1,200, which is way more affordable than solar. I looks like it may not be available for a while, but it definitely looks like a winner.

See the New York Times story "And Now, to Try and Catch the Wind"

I've always been a big fan of melamine plates. They are super durable which is nice if you have kids, and they are a nice medium to print graphics on. I stumbled across these Thomas Paul sea life plates, and I am loving them. It looks like I'm not the only one loving them too, as many retailers are backordered. The set includes the four plates shown above for $28, which is admittedly a little steep for melamine plates. Also available is a nice melamine tray.

Available from Burke Decor for $28 for the set of four.

Outdoor enthusiasts who know about websites like Steep and Cheap know just how addictive the one day limited quantity super discount sites can be. Now design junkies can rejoice and share in their addiction, undrgrnd.com is here to feed our hunger for affordable design. Here is the way it works. Undergrnd collects new and open box furniture and furnishings from stores like Design Public, and then offers them for sale on their website at deeply discounted prices. There are no returns, and shipping anywhere in the US is a flat 15% fee. To keep things interesting only type of product is available a day, and only for 24 hours. For example the Thomas Paul rugs shown here are 50% off, and will only be for sale for another 30 minutes until todays deal shows up. To get the good deals, you've got to check the website daily. I'll do my best to get the word out if I see great deals too.

Check out the crazy deals at undrgrnd.com.

The new Ikea catalog is out, and I've had a chance to glance through it real quick. Some of the things I am most excited about are the kitchens. It seems like there are a lot of new cabinet styles and colors that I hadn't seen before like the SOLAR beech cabinets (top right) and the APPLAD orange and white combo (bottom right). While I love most things that Ikea does, I still think that kitchen cabinetry is one of their stronger points. Not only are they able to make good looking affordable modern kitchen cabinets, the level of quality is really quite good. They use all high end Blum drawer slides and components that really give them a nice feel. When we get ready to redo our kitchen, there is definitely some Ikea in the future. Check out the new catalog here.

I have some good friends who have recently purchased a wonderful old Mid Century Modern home in Salt Lake City, and they are in the middle of updating the interior. While looking at kitchen appliances online at Jenn-Air they found this picture entitled "Scandanavian Oasis" and completely fell in love with all the white. The cabinets and appliances will be easy to reproduce (Ikea and Jenn-Air) but the white flooring has got them (and me) stumped.

So how do you get white flooring like the one in this picture?

I wanted to share some of the websites of the vendors I visited at the Las Vegas Market. They are not necessarily affordable, nor do they all sell directly to the public, but it will give you an idea of what most "modern" wholesalers are selling. They are listed below in no particular order. Surprisingly a lot of them have pretty lousy websites. Enjoy your curated virtual market... Modern Materials and Design - A Utah original. More updates soon.... Sitcom - They design for West Elm amongst others. Check out the Audrey line. Tema Home - Good European design and construction from Portugal. New site soon... Focus on Home - Southern California designed and produced. Very nice in person. Vig Furniture - They had a few nice lines. Acco Furniture - Lots of designer knock offs. Zuo Modern - Best website, large selection. Nuevo Living - Carry the Obelisk outdoor seating. Mobital - Nice design from our northern neighbor. Alphaville Design - Comprehensive modern line and accessories. K & D - Modern and Contemporary, extensive line. Pangea Furniture - Looks like a lot of Asian imports. Selamat Designs - Not all modern, but had some nice things. Against The Grain - Original designs, made in the USA. Creative Elegance - More good stuff made in the USA. Furnitech - Modern furniture for your home entertainment system. Pampa Export - Brazilian modern furniture exporters.

Urban Outfitters does a pretty good job at kicking out good looking products at an affordable price. It's always good to check it out in person first though, as the quality sometimes is not the best. This Mini Spindle Lamp may be small in size at only 12" high and a 4.5" diameter, but the price is small to match at only $19. The shade is not included in the price, but should be easy to pick up pretty cheap. Definitely stick with white on white for a nice clean looking affordable lamp. Available at Urban Outfitters for $19. via BLTD

I am totally in love with these Case Study Planters from Modernica. Available in Sage, White, or Charcoal these great mid-century planters would look equally great indoors or outdoors. The wooden base is really what makes the pots look great. At $149 for a small, and $189 for a large they are not cheap, but they are a pretty reasonable size. The small sits at 19" high and has a 12" diameter, while the large is 21" high and 14" diameter.

Available from Modernica starting at $149

I'm officially back from the market and unfortunately if anything, it has only made me more cynical. I have never seen more cheap Mies, Eames and Knoll knock offs in my entire life. While there were some original designs at the show, most were made overseas. It really got me thinking. If something is made in China or Vietnam, is it really any less quality than if it were made here stateside? Is it possible to produce quality original pieces here in the states and still have them be considered affordable? I will have a follow up post listing all the good companies that I came across, as well as elaborating a little more on some of the things I posted about while at the market.

Day two is off to a good start. So far some of the best accessories I have come across are from SLC locals Modern Materials Design. Check out some of the pictures below and stay tuned for more details.

My first day at the Las Vegas Market is coming to an end. I'm riding the shuttle back to the hotel right now. I got a late start today, and I only had a couple of hours to look around. I really didn't even make a dent in it. I saw 5 of 16 floors in 1 of 3 buildings. Luckily most of the modern goods are concentrated on two floors. I plan on checking them out first thing in the morning.

I've always been jealous of people who get to go to great modern furniture fairs like ICFF. Unfortunately for me, I never have the time or the funds to make it to those shows, so I'll have to settle for the next best thing. This morning I'm heading out for a quick overnighter down in Las Vegas for the summer Las Vegas Market. With over 1,500 exhibiting companies and 5 million square feet of space, I figure I'm sure to run across something good. I will hopefully be doing some moblogging with my iPhone now that wordpress for iPhone is out. Stay tuned..

Some of the best affordable modern finds are the secondhand ones. Unfortunately not everyone has the time to hit the second hand stores and garage sells looking for that undiscovered treasure. Luckily the kind folks over at Feel More Human are doing there best to help out the cheapskates. They have launched a modern flea market for people to be able to sell all their second hand modern goods. While it looks like things are starting out sort of slow, it's worth keeping your eye on it, as things may pick up. Besides, you have to admit it's a lot easier than looking in the paper for estate sells. Modern Flea Market at Feel More Human.

I'm always trying to think of great recycled materials that could be used for making affordable modern furniture and lighting. While cardboard doesn't seem like the most likely medium to create great lighting, the folks over at Graypants are out to show that it absolutely works. Using salvaged cardboard they sculpt beautiful modern lights that have a wonderful natural glow to them. You can purchase their wonderful lights from Velocity Art and Design in either a hard wired or plugged version with prices starting around $135, which is pretty reasonable. Of course if you are feeling a little more daring, and have access to some scrap cardboard then the possibilities are endless.

Available from Velocity Art and Design starting at $135 Via Shelterific

Proof that good design always looks good, this stacking bin has been in production for more than 30 years. Designed by Castelli Farrieri for Kartell the Componibili is made of durable plastic and available in the traditional red, or the recently introduced silver. The units are easily stackable and require no hardware to keep them secured together. The 16.5" diameter storage unit is available in either a 2 compartment or 3 compartment configuration, both of which are on sale for $48, a huge discount over the normal price. Better move quick, these won't stick around for long. Available from DWR fro $48.

Some people are better than others at keeping plants alive. If you are one of those that can't keep a plant green despite your best intentions, the Grobal Self-Watering Planter is for you. Designed by Karim Rashid this attractive little planter is as functional as it is good looking. The bottom of the pot is a reservoir of water that will slowly feed the plant of your choice, keeping it happy and green. It even has a small window to show you the level of the water. It is available in 8 different colors and two sizes. Available from A+R for $15 - $25.

Were big fans of the DIY approach here at Grassrootsmodern. Not only do you end up saving a lot of money, but there is an added satisfaction that you get knowing that you've made something. If you're looking for a little direction for a project, here is a coffee table plan for $3 to get you started. The only tools that you need are a jigsaw and a drill and you will be on your way. The whole table is made of one single sheet of plywood, which means it could cost you anywhere from $20 to $100 depending on what kind of plywood you use.Plans available from Plan Canvas for $3. Via Modern Furniture Plans.

I just caught wind of this one last night. It looks like Henriksen Butler, Salt Lake's local Herman Miller distributer, is having a warehouse sale. The majority of Henriksen Butlers clients are office related, so chances are that there wont be a whole lot of items from the Herman Miller Home line, but it's worth checking out. According to the flyer the pricing is "extremely aggressive" which sounds good to me. I plan on swinging by this afternoon just before 5 to see what they have.

Henriksen Butler Herman Miller