One Less Drop

We are big fans of Kickstarter here at GRM. It helps put great ideas together with the monetary support they need to come to fruition. One project that is in need of some funding is One Less Drop. No it's not a water conservation project, but a cable management idea from Dean Heckler, designer of the One Less Desk series. Dean makes elegant aluminum products that compliment any Apple geeks home. In this case, One Less Drop keeps your power cords for macbooks and idevices from sliding off your desk. If this is a problem that plagues you, pledge $25.

One Less Drop $25


Way back when:: The Story of Eames Furniture

I have a book "Eames Design" that is written by John and Marilyn Neuhart, and it is one of my prized possessions. It's like an Eames bible for me. At 450+ pages, I thought it was the definitive book on the work of Charles and Ray, but "The Story of Eames Furniture" is an astounding 800 pages, two volumes and has more than 2,500 images.

It's officially on my wish list.

The video above is a wonderful interview with Marilyn and John. In it they talk about the process of making book, and what it was like to work with Charles Eames.


Luna Candle Holder :: Feiz

Hoo boy! That is one sexy candle holder. It's sexy in part because it's a "direct reinterpretation of Isamu Noguchi's coffee table": throw some Noguchi lines onto anything and it's instantly sexy. Ammiright? The Luna Candle Holder comes from Dutch design studio Feiz, whose other products are equally sexy (word of the day, P.S.). Check out their portfolio right here.

If the Luna's got you itchin' for more, click here to introduce yourself.

[via Blue Ant Studio]


Make Something Every Day

I absolutely love these images by Mark Weaver. You can see all of them on Mark's flickr page. While he does have a big cartel store, it doesn't look like he currently has much for sale. I might just have to contact him and see if I can convince him to run off a couple prints for me.

Also of note, he was recently commissioned by The Impossible Project to create a limited edition set of prints based on the inventor of Polaroid instant film. His print of Edwin Land is shown above. They are available to purchase.

Mark Weaver on Flickr


Mod Pillows :: Studio Tree

Pillows get a lot of love here on GRM, which is maybe because they're an easy and affordable way to mix up your decor or maybe it's because we just love pillows. Who really knows? One thing I do know is that these felt appliqued pillows from Studio Tree are downright fantastic. GRM catnip, even. Each one is made by hand and the appliques even have their own little bits of batting, which creates a pretty sweet 3D/textural experience. What more could you want?

Mod Pillows by Studio Tree: $40


Less Table

After my rant last week about expense and value comes a good example of something that pulls off the elusive feat of being both inexpensive and being valuable. Or at least it should be inexpensive. Honestly I don't think this table is actually for sale, but it should be. And it should be cheap. Um, I mean inexpensive.


Designed by Polish design team Kompott the Less Table was designed to be an easy to assemble flat pack table. It is make of simple metal and ash wood planks. It is simple, beautiful, modern, and hopefully affordable.

Less Table from Kompott

Since I'm all into polls lately, what would you personally pay for this table?

[polldaddy poll="4439684"]


Expense -vs- Value

Everyone knows that Grassrootsmodern is all about "affordable modern". The "affordable" part often implies inexpensive, but I like to think of it more as "good value". Unfortunately we can't always afford "good value". Point in case. Skram makes gorgeous hand made furniture. I'm not exactly sure on the pricing of the V4 chair or new V5 rocker shown above, but I image it's easily over $500. While a $500 hand made modern chair would be what I consider good value, unfortunately I still tell myself I can't afford it.

The reality is, I can.

It's all about perspective. When you think about owning something for a lifetime, something that is made to last, it changes your perspective. For example I will buy a $3,500 Eames Lounger someday and it will be the best value of any of my furniture because it will last decades and still look and function fantastically. That's value.

The balance of value and affordability is something that influences me daily. Last week I had a lovely dinner at a local restaurant called Forage. I spent over $200 for a 12 course meal for 2 people. While that may sound expensive, it is probably the best value I'll get out of a meal all year. The food, company and overall experience was amazing. Sometimes you really do get what you pay for. When you redefine the value of something, it brings a whole new perspective to what is affordable. I'm hoping the whole "slow home" movement will help encourage people to realize the value of boutique furniture builders like Skram, and support them.

With all that in mind, I'd like to know what you think. GRM readers are some of the biggest cheapskates in the design world. What do you consider affordable for hand made boutique modern furniture like Skram?

[polldaddy poll=4419765]

Gray Works :: Handcrafted Cutting Boards

Gray Works' handcrafted cutting boards, or "Footed Plattes" as they call them, are works of art. Each piece of functional design is made by hand (check out a video of the process here) from local, sustainably harvested or salvaged hardwoods. Working out of their studio in the small Catskills Mountain town of Woodstock, NY, Gray Works also creates solid wood furniture and decorative bowls. Check out their whole collection right here.

LINK: www.grayworksdesign.com

Footed Plattes by Gray Works: $35 - $100


Classic Bin

I'm always amazed at how much you can spend on something like a trash can. I've seen designer ones easily reach the $200 mark. That's why it's refreshing to see an affordable option from Conran with the classic bin. I love that its not stainless. Available options include black or red. White would have been a nice option too, but that's not anything $5 of spray paint couldn't take care of. The only downside that I can see is that there doesn't appear to be a liner which means your bag will always be hanging out.

Classic Bin $59


Mid-Century Mod Calendar :: PS Paper Goods

It's not too late* to snag a calendar for the new year! While we've featured quite a few recently, this Mid-Century themed wall/desk calendar from PS Paper Goods might be my favorite. Each month features an iconic design in a range of soft candy colors (reminiscent of the pink or blue tiled bathrooms of yore). If you're already set with a 2011 calendar, check out this Mid-Century notebookinstead!

Mid-Century Modern Calendar by PS Paper Goods: $15

*When is it too late to get a calendar for the current year? February? May? Are there rules for these things?


Pebble Floor Pillows :: Iglooplay

I'm just going to go out on a limb here and say that these pebble shaped floor pillows are completely DIY-able (a good thing, too, since they start at $175). It's a fun take on the old square pillow, that's for sure. What do you think? A relatively easy DIY project or worth throwing down $175 - $365 bones? I vote for a DIY version in a monochromatic color scheme, i.e. three shades of grey or green, etc.

Throwing Stones Floor Cushions by Iglooplay: $175 - $365