Now that Halloween is over I can officially start talking about Christmas right? Or do I have to wait until Thanksgiving is over?

I'm not usually the annoying guy that is whistling Christmas songs in July, but today thanks to West Elm I'm quietly humming a White Christmas. For 2010 they have a new collection of white modern Christmas decorations. To make the deal even sweeter, the majority of them are priced under $25 and $5 of the purchase goes to St Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Musical Objects $24
White Ceramic Owls $9-$16
Origami Banks $22-24
White Owl Sugar Shaker $14
Nutcracker Serving Platters $8-$24
White Nutcracker $24-$59

Well, I love this print! Local Utah girl Annily Green has a shop full of fun prints on canvas, as well as pillows and clutches. Each graphic print is printed on natural canvas and then backed with paper for sturdiness. My favorite is the "I Love This Town" print, but check them all out here.

Fabric Prints by Annily Green: $15

This is a great video about Italian furniture manufacture Zanotta which was founded in 1954 by Aureilio Zanotta. The video was recently presented at the California College of the Arts in San Francisco during a lecture organized by DZINE and the Furniture Design department at CCA.

The most recent Chiasso catalog arrived in my mailbox this week and, I'm not going to lie, this clock stopped me mid-page flip. It has everything I love: bright colors (yay!), typography, and a great price. It's a fun piece that would look great in an office or studio - or all gussied up this holiday season as a gift!

Hand-painted wood, 14" square.

Elevate Clock from Chiasso: $58

I've been keeping my eyes open for a new bar stool for my loft, and I came across these great ones from Token NYC. The Catenary Bar Stool is designed, developed and handcrafted in Brooklyn, NY from partially recycled steel, rift white oak, leather and ballistic nylon. I have no idea on pricing, but I'd bet they aren't cheap.

What's your favorite bar stool?

This Le Klint-inspired outdoor lantern is a) 1/10th of the cost of the real thing, and b) equipped with Earth-friendly solar panels. It's also totally portable, so you can hang it anywhere and not have to worry about a tangled string of electrical wires. Pretty fantastic, if I do say so myself!

Equipped with two high powered Amber LED lights, solar panel and a rechargeable AAA battery, 9" diameter.

Soji Solar Lantern available from SFMOMA Store: $40

I made mention a while ago that with the sale of my house I have moved into a loft in downtown Salt Lake. While I would ultimately like to either build a new modern home or renovate a MCM home, I figured this was a perfect time to try out downtown living. The Patrick Lofts are located at 163 W 200 S in the old Patrick Dry goods building originally built in 1914. The lofts were completed in 2008 and feature 40 individual units, all of which are two bedroom and one bathroom. Units are right around 800 square feet. South facing units feature a great glass garage door that can be opened up to access a small balcony.

All the units have a lovely 13' high ceiling as you can see in the photo of the model unit above. The layout is compact with the private areas such as bedrooms and bathrooms being located in the back, and an open kitchen/living room in the front. They have a surprising amount of storage in them too, which is one thing I was worried about. I didn't have any problems getting all my stuff into the new place.
Lofts are currently for sale starting in the low 200's, or if you are like me and are not quite sure if you want to commit there is a lease option as well. Lease pricing seems extremely reasonable. I am paying $975 a month and that includes all my HOA's and water and sewer.
If you are interested in seeing a unit and getting more information about leasing or purchasing you can contact Gary Howard at 801-706-5866. He's a great guy and is very helpful. Plus I'd love to have a couple more cool neighbors.

More photo's of the Patrick Lofts on Flickr.

A couple shots of my flat at the Patrick Lofts from a little get together I had last week.

And more shot's after the jump.

Glass garage door on south facing units.

Great view of downtown. One thing I really love about the Patrick Lofts is how close they are to everything. They are literally 2 blocks from any downtown location from Gateway to Temple Square.

The building was converted to have a wonderful open air interior atrium.

Get your printers ready, because Blue Ant Studio is offering a free downloadable 2011 calendar! It's full of poppy colors and all around mod goodness. Simply click, download, and print. Head on over to the BAS flickr page to see the whole set.

Brasa certainly isn't the only one out there making modern fire features that burn a liquid fuel. What sets them apart is that they seem to have priced everything fairly reasonably. Don't get me wrong, $295 for their cheapest insert is still a lot of money, but compared to some of the other ones I've seen out there it's very reasonable.

Has anyone ever tried a Brasa or similar insert?

If you've been wondering when those awesome planters from Wallter would be available, I've got news for you! Wallter just announced that all styles and colors are now available for purchase, just in time for the holidays! (These are definitely on my wish list this year!) The hanging and wall-mounted styles go to the tune of $72, while the post-mounted planters are available for $92.

Made of powder coated spun aluminum and available in white, mustard, orange, and turquoise.

Outdoor Planters by Wallter: $72 - $92

I bought my son a wooden balance bike this summer, and while I absolutely love it, and I have been amazed to see how quick he has picked it up, the $200+ price tag was hard to swallow. I came across this plastic version online the other day called the YBike and it looks like it has some good potential. It's plastic and reviews say it is very sturdy, and it's only $80 at your local Toys R Us. Anyone have any experience with the YBike?

YBike $80 from Toys R Us

I know, I know. Another West Elm post! But I'm telling you, this new catalog is blowing my mind. For realz. Just today, I was flipping through it and noticed this gorgeous dining set (which had somehow escaped my attention the 50 other times I looked through the catalog). Anyhow, I was struck by the simplified look and the throwback MCM-ness of it all. It's very on-trend for all the rustic/Scandinavian modern lovers, yet still has an air of vintage-y charm about it. What do you think?

Grace Round Table and Klismos Dining Chairs from West Elm: $499 / $99

Ohhhh, you know how much I love a good collage! When I spied Kareem's work on Thumbtack Press (an amazingly affordable art site, FYI), I sort of lost it. There was squealing, gnashing of teeth, and intense toe tapping. It was crazy, crazy good - just like Kareem's collages. Check out his portfolio for yourself and see if you don't spend an exorbitant amount of time perusing his galleries. Also, check out his store, where you can find T-shirts and prints featuring your favorite pieces.

LINK: www.kareemrizk.com

Prints available through Thumbtack Press: $29.99 - $34.99

More pics after the jump!

I have the feeling with this light that you're either going to love it or hate it. I for one love its semi-restrained gaudiness. It's light and airy, but has just the right amount of unexpected edginess. Plus, c'mon, the bling factor is out of this world. Made from two pieces of thin copper foil, approximately 24"D x 16"H. Ships mid-November.

So, let's hear it. Do you love it or hate it?

La Couronne by Artecnica available from Velocity Art & Design: $125

With halloween just around the corner I figured I could slip this one in with out coming off too morbid. These slip cast ceramic skulls from Michael McDowell of Mudpuppy go the extra mile right down to a 22k gold tooth. They would be the icing on the cake for your halloween decorations, and might just be able to find the perfect year round niche in your home.

Mudpuppy Ceramic Skulls

Ceramicist Paige Russell's newest collection is available now for pre-order, so get your clicker fingers ready! The Müzo Collection consists of porcelain and wood animals (in Ash or Walnut), and silk screened, wood veneer tree decorations. It's got that rustic, Scandi-modern charm no one can resist. All it needs now is felt! (Kidding.. Okay maybe not.)

Animals include caribou, polar bear, and sheep; available in Walnut or Ash. Trees available in three sizes: 6.25", 8.5", and 10".

Müzo Collection: $15 - $24

[Available for pre-order. Will ship November 15th.]

Time to put your thinking caps on, we have a friend in need. Bill writes in;

We have an exposed brick wall in our '52 Ranch, with really hideous brass fireplace doors. Our goal is to put a couple coats of white paint over the brick and replacing the doors. I'm trying to find anyone that can recommend a place to look for simple yet modern doors. I sent a link from DWELL of a house in Portland which shows kind of where we would like to go. I just can't find those doors or anything like them anywhere.
Got any suggestions? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Bill

The top picture shows his current fireplace, and the bottom one is the Dwell house that is inspiring him. Any suggestions? More pics of the dilemma after the jump.

Miriam Bereson is at it again with her over-sized wall calendars, this time in bright, poppy hues (remember last year's blue version?). If you're looking for a way to invigorate your space in the most unexpected way, this is it!

Speaking of 2011 calendars, have any caught your eye? Share in the comments!

2011 Yearly Planner by Miriam Bereson: $15

DesignPhiladelphia 2010... Wow. What a trip! As you know, I was invited to attend this year's event by the fine folks from DuPont / Corian. To be honest, I wasn't sure what to expect. As it turns out, it was one of the most rewarding experiences I've had in a long time. The exhibits were fascinating, but what truly made this experience so special were the incredibly genuine, warm, intelligent, and stimulating people that I had the good fortune of meeting. It was affirming and empowering all at once. I wasn't expecting that.

Read the rest of the post after the jump!

Dupont invited five bloggers to this event and we all had the opportunity to meet designer Todd Bracher on a one-on-one basis, as well as a group lunch. I can honestly say that Todd is one of the most inspiring people I've ever met. He has a genuine love of life and truth, and is on a never-ending quest for knowledge and ways to improve the human experience through design. To hear the process behind his work was fascinating, to say the least. [For a little taste of what I'm talking about, check out the video above, which was part of Design Boost 2010.] Be sure to check out his portfolio, as well.

The main event of this whole trip was the Carte Blanche exhibit launch, held at the Corian Design Studio. The exhibit features the work of 25 international designers and artists, who were tasked with the challenge of creating something from a single piece of A4-sized, white Corian. From the cheeky to the seemingly impossible, it was interesting to see the many varied interpretations and possibilities that were achieved. One of my favorite pieces was Moucharaby. The mass and the mesh. by designer Philippe Délis (third image, left side). The moucharaby is a natural ventilation system common in North Africa and the Middle East, that consists of a tight latticework that accelerates the air's passage. I loved seeing it re-interpreted in this new material and scale. Check out all 25 designs here. Also pictured: Looking Forward by Stefan Diez and Liasons by Inga Sempé.

We also had the opportunity to explore some of the other Corian-related exhibits, including this outdoor conversation room featuring modular Corian walls by DIRTT, as well as the Woven Car by artists Anne Conte and Jeanne Wiley. Unfortunately, the Woven Car exhibit was closed at the time we were scheduled to see it, but I was able to take a few photos through the window and meet with the artists later in the day. This was the first collaborative project for Ann and Jeanne, who took an old, rusted-out MG Midget and gave it new life through recycled and overstock materials. The entire exterior is made from recycled seat belts that were woven by hand, while the interior is comprised of pieces of Corian cut-offs. You can learn more and see the whole thing here.

I was also impressed with the Corian Design Studio, which had this incredible table, seemingly made from a single (and giant) piece of Corian, suspended between two rooms. I couldn't stop touching it! It may have been the single most-photographed thing on my trip - I was that obsessed. Isn't it strange what catches your eye sometimes?

As you can see, this whirlwind trip was packed full of visual and intellectual stimuli! I can honestly say it was one of the most inspiring experiences of my life, both on a personal and professional level. Itweeted this while I was there, but it bears repeating: It's always nice to be reminded that there are genuine people in the world. I was not expecting to connect with so many*. So, a huge, HUGE thank you to DuPont for inviting me to be a part of DesignPhiladelphia 2010. I'll never forget it!

*Have you ever had experiences like this, where you were expecting something a little more formal / all business, and you walked away with renewed faith in humanity or even just new relationships you hadn't anticipated? I'd love to hear your stories!

I know modern bungalow is a bit of an oxymoron, but believe me, this house pulls it off. From the street it's a total sleeper that looks like many other homes in the area, albeit with better landscaping. Inside, while not extravagant, is full of tasteful details everywhere you look. White walls meet up with warm fir floors with no base or case to ruin the look. A simple tasteful kitchen with black granite countertops. Modern Fan co fans in most of the rooms. There is even an nice built in bed with storage and a built in desk. The whole home comes in at just under 1,000 square feet, and best of all it's only priced at $188,000 and it's in a great area. This has got to be the best deal on the market right now. Buyers, make sure you do a walkthrough so you can really appreciate the home.

Modern Bungalow for sale