A lot of us try to "go modern" with most aspects of our lives, from our baby's bottle to our eyeglasses. It only makes sense to want the things that surround us to be consciously designed. That's why Danish eyewear company, ProDesign, is so freaking fantastic! It's like wearing a great piece of Danish modern furniture on your face. I'm not joking. Their tagline says it all: ProDesign - the essence of Danish design in eyewear for the world. The ProDesign product line is quite large, with an incredible range of styles and materials to suit any discerning design nerd. I personally have several pairs floating around my own home!

Browse the complete ProDesign collection here!

If you're in Utah, check out:
Sugar House Vision Clinic
2178 S 900 E Ste 4
Salt Lake City, UT 84106
Phone: (801) 484-2020
[They offer a large selection of designer frames, including ProDesign, and will special order frames for you if they don't have the ones you want in stock. Nice.]

Call me weird, but there is something strangely appealing about these porcelain mushrooms and miniature gnomes from BROOKLYNrehab. Designed and hand made by New York fashion designer Alyssa Zygmunt, these little curiosities are popping up in the most unlikely places like Bloomingdales windows. If you think you've got just the place for one of these little porcelain exotics the good news is it will put you out less than $20.

Available from BROOKLYNrehab's Etsy shop for $14 - $18.

What do you think, gorgeous, hideous, just plain weird?

The debate about "designer inspired" pieces is one that has been around as long as good design has. What some people see as blatant knock offs others find are an affordable alternative to the real thing. I tend to be split on the issue. For example I didn't mind saving a couple grand buying a knock off of Castiglioni Arco lamp, but something in me cringes at the thought of a fake Eames Lounge Chair. For those that are still on the fence and looking for some Eames Styled shelving, check out Modern Wood Works. They offer several different variations at reasonable prices.

Modern Wood Works Shelving $195 - $1,500+

Anyone have any experience or feedback on Modern Wood Works?

You can always count on DwellStudio to deliver bold, graphic home furnishings and their new "Abstractions" collection does not disappoint! I am especially fond of the "Collage" pattern, which features abstracted, hand drawn geometric forms. If you're a lover of mid-century art, this new collection will definitely be up your alley.

More on the new collection: Designed for comfort, but beautiful enough to hang on the wall: DwellStudio's Abstractions collection draws inspiration from the world of modern art. Abstract motifs, simple lines, and bold colors predominate on styles that will appeal to the most discerning palates.

Available from DesinPublic from $75 - $350.

I am really loving the products coming from Norwegian design studio Norway Says, especially these MHY Pendant Lights. Their products are manufactured by several companies, including muuto, who produces the MHY light as well as other products.

About this design:
"MHY has an elegant appearance and a strong personality. The playful shape of MHY draws inspiration from illustrations and characters from our childhood's literature. The neat size of MHY allows the pendant to be mounted in clusters or rows over your kitchen table, dinner table, in a hallway or somewhere else where you would like to add a design element with unique, but understated character." Made from lacquered aluminum shade with a textile cord. Available in White, Black, Yellow, Purple, Green.

For those of us in North America, try Generate Design, A+R Store, and Huset for Norway Says/muuto products.

I 'm loving the idea behind this flower pot and calendar by the Nothing Design Group. It creates a sort of DIY floral calendar that you can switch out any time you want. The tall linear shape of the calendar creates a simple backdrop to frame your flower of choice and the dates droop down in the shape of a vase. I haven't found any US distributers, but the daring can get it in Korea for 14,700 Won or about $10. This might even make a good DIY project.

Nothing Design Group.

Flower pot and calendar (in Korean).

I ran across these great illustrations from Etsy shop Please Be Still and had to share! Illustrator Jen Renninger came up with the idea for her "Modern Design Deck" cards originally as a way to get out of a creative funk. Prodded by her husband to draw his favorite chair, Jen went on to create 30 of these deck cards inspired by modern designs. From Aalto to Zeisel, she's got it covered! So whether you're looking for your favorite chair or your favorite letter, I think you'll find something to make you smile. And for those prone to indecision, there is even a poster featuring all 30 illustrations!

Modern Design Deck series prints from Please Be Still from $25 - $75.

One of my favorite artists on Etsy is Portland-based illustrator Yellena James. Originally from Sarajevo, Yellena journeyed to the U.S. and received a BA in graphic design from the University of Central Florida. Her illustrations are incredibly vibrant layers of organic shapes, lines, and textures that feel otherworldly and cerebral - like something from a familiar dream. I could stare at her work for hours! She has a pretty incredible story as well, which you can read about here. I don't know about you, but I would love to have her work on my walls!

Archival prints from Yellena James from $10 - $40.

When it comes to office furniture the two big companies Steelcase and Herman Miller come to mind. While Herman Miller actually has a really nice line of home furniture, for some reason I have never really thought of looking to Steelcase for something for my home. That perception is starting to change. Last month I was able to get my hands on one of their coffee tables designed and produced by Turnstone a Steelcase company and I have been really impressed. While the price certainly is out of Ikea territory, the Alight coffee table is priced at $449, which is fair value for the money considering the sturdy build.

We opted for the dark walnut finish which goes well with our brown KRAMFORS sofa and Avalisa rug. The only regret so far is having a glass top, which never stays free of fingerprints thanks to our son. Still it's a good upgrade from our LAKT tables we got for for free off Craigslist.

Available from the Steelcase store for $449

Here is an awesome video that I can't believe I have never seen before. It goes through the production of the fiberglass chair designed by Charles and Ray Eames starting at concept all the way through the finished product. It was made around 1962 for Herman Miller.

I saw this home in the most recent issue of Western Interiors & Design and thought it was a great example of what a modern home should do - engage the local landscape while employing its own unique aesthetic. This excerpt from the article sums it up pretty well:

From afar, the house that Lori Ryker and Brett Nave designed in the Wapiti Valley, Wyoming, evokes the freight trains that still rumble across the high prairie. Each room is clad in overlapping materials and separately expressed in a linear sequence of interconnected volumes. But the designers see it differently.

"We took our cues from the rock formations and their varied colors," says Ryker. "The exterior forms were shaped by our thinking about the interiors, and we strove to make them an integral part of this wild and beautiful landscape."

See more/Read more here.

What defines a modern home to you? The objects that go in it? Sustainability? Its contextual relevancy?  

Share your thoughts!

Since we're on a green kick today, I'll show off Umbra's new pulp bulletin board. I've never really been a fan of bulletin boards in general, but there is something appealing about this one. The black and white patterns are a result of stacking reprocessed paper and each one board will have it's own unique look. It has a paperboard frame which makes the entire board recyclable when you are done with it.

Available from Umbra for $24

Here's one for the Eco camp! These screen prints by Ork Posters are made from 100% recycled paper and are printed with soy based inks. On top of that, should you actually reside in the same city as the print you're purchasing, you can opt for local pick up (to reduce the carbon footprint of your transaction, of course). So, pick up some green art to hang over that low-VOC paint of yours!

If that doesn't persuade you, perhaps your love of typography will. These clever prints make bold use of typography to illustrate all the lovely neighborhoods of your favorite city. Current prints include Boston, Brooklyn, Chicago, Great Lakes, Los Angeles, Manhattan, NYC, Philadelphia, Portland, San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto, and Washington DC.  

I'm crossing my fingers for a Salt Lake City version. Hey, a girl can dream.

Earth-friendly prints, with a healthy dose of graphic design and urban appeal, by Ork Postsers from $20 - $27.

You've probably seen the paintable wallpapers from Graham & Brown. I really like the idea (not so much the paintable aspect as the textural quality) and am wanting to use the Curvy pattern in one of our bathrooms. I am wondering if anyone has tried this wallpaper? On top of that, I'm wondering if anyone has ANY experience with wallpaper? I've never wallpaperd anything, so any advice from those of you with experience would be fantastic!

Paintable wallpaper from Graham & Brown from $20 - $30 for a double roll.

Image, from left to right: Jazz, Squares, and Curvy

I'm a big fan of watches, especially obscure ones. Tokyo Flash seems to have that market pegged. While their site is full of obscure watches that really make you think to tell time, it's only every once in a while that they come out with one that looks simple enough that I would really want it. The Heko is one of those watches that will look good with any outfit, and it sure to get plenty of comments. The way you tell time with it doesn't look nearly as simple as the styling, but I have learned from my old Tokyo Flash watch that you get used to it pretty quick.

Heko watch available from Tokyo Flash for $109

As we get closer to having our second kid (May is coming quick) I guess it's time to start looking at all the cute modern kids stuff out there. The good news is that there is a ton more than there was even two years ago. My favorite of the day is Olli & Lime. Their line has a nice retro feel while still managing to come off as fresh. They also have a surprisingly wide array of things, everything from wallpaper and wall prints to bedding and burp cloths. The pricing seems about par for the course for modern kids goods.

Ollie & Lime available from 2 Modern

I came across Nervous System a while ago and was instantly intrigued and awed by their designs. Based on complex forms found in nature, such as the morphology of orchids or the aggregate growth of coral, Nervous System has developed a wide range of jewelry designs. They combine nontraditional materials like silicone rubber and stainless steel with rapid prototyping methods to create incredibly innovative products. Their methods allow for the creation of completely distinct designs, which can be personalized with interactive applets.

A little more about Nervous System: Our products are designed to be affordably and ethically made. We use manufacturing methods that do not require large facilities or massive manual labor. Often we employ rapid prototyping methods by which all unique pieces can be manufactured at the same cost as cookie cutter ones. We use inexpensive materials and believe that the value of our designs comes from an intelligent and beautiful marriage of form and function, not the current price of currency standards.

How do they do it? PLAY + LEARN

Jewelry for the nerdy, the quizzical, or the easily intrigued by Nervous System from $30 - $150.

Here is a great little video put out by GM in 1956. While there is a lot of car content, there is also some awesome kitchen shots. If you want to know more about the video which has a small cult following, check out Wikipedia: Design for Dreaming.

I'm a pretty big fan, well zealot is probably more apt, of Marimekko. So, I'm rather excited to see the new Spring 2009 fabrics - which one is your favorite? I'm loving Karkuteillä by Maija Louekari (who is always my favorite Marimekko designer!)

Want more? Check them out here!

And a little BONUS for the true fanatics - Marimekko desktop wallpapers from AlwaysMod! Woot!

I always love the little online style evaluators that tell you what you style is. While none of them seem to be really 100% accurate, they are usually a good time. I didn't even know that Ikea had one until yesterday, probably because it looks like they are pushing it more for business than the rest of their customer base. I put it through it's paces last night and found out that I am 40% modern, 40% scandinavian and 20% country (that must be the Utah sneaking in).

What is your style?

Ikea Stylemeter