Blogs are nothing more than a journal that are on display for the world to see. But long before the Internet existed, you could find the freshest ideas and individual discoveries between the pages of a good old paper journal. So even though blogs are taking off we shouldn't down play the importance of the old school journal. Over the years I have tried to keep a journal, and actually started quite a few. One thing that I did notice is that a good journal is hard to find. It can't be too big, or you never want to take it with you when you are going to the park, it can't have lines, because that makes any doodling hard, and most of all it has to look good. Well for you less technical people who haven't mastered the Internet, or those who just don't want your ideas out there for all to see, here is your chance. Sprout has a new Mosiac Journal that looks to fit the bill just right. It is only 4" x 5" so it isn't too bulky. The 100 smooth pages are devoid of lines, so you can let your Jonathan Ive out, and it has a great modern print on the front. Sounds good right, so what does it cost? Just $7. So forgo that Pumpkin Spice Latte this week, and put the money towards a new mod journal.

I came home the other day to a wonderful surprise, a new doormat. Ok sure, to some of you that might not be too exciting. But if you had seen the poor excuse of a carpet scrap that I had been wiping my feet on before, you would have been stoked too. My wife brought it home from one of her favorite brick and mortar stores Artichokes and Company. It was made by Creare and is 1 1/2" thick coir fiber, and has a beautiful red orchid on it. Turns out that they even use pure vegetable dyes, which they claim are very fade resistant. Best of all, it was only $25. I am always excited to see some good modern products, so I thought I would check out the rest of the line, to see if it was a nice as ours. Unfortunately, most of their line is not modern, but there are a few gems mixed in with the group. Looks like Creare sells at quite a few stores, check here to see if there is one near you, or you can contact Artichokes and Company, and get one from them.

If you haven't ever check out the Outlet over at Crate and Barrel, now is a good time. Looks like over the weekend they are havin a big sale with some things marked up to 75% off. A quick browse through showed a couple of good deals.

My personal favorite is the Krups sandwich maker. It made its rounds about six monthes ago in the magazines and blogs, but I always figured it was pretty pricey. Well not anymore. It is on sale at for $21 (normally $30). I am not a big fan of having a million different small appliances stuffed into my cupboards, but if you are big into the sandwhich maker, this one is for you. First of all, the minimalistic matte black finish looks great, and you have to love those bold square lines reminiscient of old german industrial styled design. Second, this thing is no whimp. It has 850 sandwhich searing watts, and a easy to clean non-stick surface. The pockets are extra deep to accomodate thick bread, or just lots of goodies inside. More pics after the jump.

They also had a nice little bent wood clock. I have a soft spot for anything bentwood, and this clock is no exeption. Its a bent alderwood, with a nice plain white face with minimalistic grey numbering. Its the kind of clock that looks nice on your wall without sticking out too much. It is marked down to $17 (normally $40).

Check them out online or at one of their brick and mortor outlet stores.

These little modular wood deck tiles made their way around the blogs a couple days ago, but I was hesitant to post anything about them until I knew a little bit more about the price. So here is the inside scoop. First for those of you that don't know anything about them, they are modular wooden squares that can be easily assembled on top of any hard flat surface, with no tools needed. They are available in several different patterns, and types of wood. One of the best wood choices is Ipe which is a sustainable hardwood, that is very durable. I contacted my local distributer to check for prices, and was pleasantly surprised. Ok, so it's not Target cheap, but its not bad. They start at $7.35 a square foot, which is a pretty good deal when you compare it to what it would cost to build your own comparable deck. Of course this assumes you have a hard surface to put them on already. I think that one are that these little guys shine is the portability factor. They would be great if you had a apartment with a small cement deck you wanted to cover. I thought they might even look good in the bathroom just outside the tub for a ofuro style look. Check them out here.

I got this email a couple of days ago, and I am just getting around to posting it. CB2 has just launched a new line of dinnerware. Its very asian inspired, and has that great simple look that goes well with a modern kitchen. Flat black on the outside, and crackled lime green on the inside, these twice-fired earthenware bowls, plates and cups are a great deal. They are priced from $1.95 - $4.95 per piece. They also have them in a blue, if you like.

So, I got an email from West Elm today, and while I kinda do like the look of their new Diamond Jacquard duvet cover and shams it was their sale items that got me excited. For those of you looking to completely redo your bedrooms on a budget, pay attention. This could be your ticket.

First off, if its an inexpensive platform bed you are looking for make sure you check out west elms low platform bed. You could get a full for $269 or a queen for $279. Be warned though, there have been some horror stories over at Apartment Therapy about the lack of quality. Seems to me that if you like the way they look, its almost a no brainer for the price. Just don't get too rowdy.

So, you don't want to risk it with the bed yet, but you could spring for some new sheets? Check out the Solid Color sheet sets. They come in aloe, indigo, or cloud. My personal favorite is the aloe. They are 200 thread count mercerized cotton. Each set set includes flat/fitted sheets and two cases (one case with the twin). A full sized set is only $59, queen $69, and king $69.

Next, I have always been a fan of nesting tables, although I don't own any yet. West elms Modular Nesting Tables are a steal for only $79. You get three tables and a counless number ways to arrange them for a very good price. It seems like nesting table are one of those items that just never go out of style too.

Last but not least, if you are one of those unfortunate people like me that have an old futon couch sitting around because it is all you can afford, do yourself a favor. Throw it away! Ok, that may not be an option unless you want to sit on the floor. In any case, at least treat yourself to a new cover for it. Their is a nice Kiwi Brushed Poly futon cover for only $54. I personally love the color, and it might be just what you need to get you through another year or two with your old futon.

Well as the weather starts to turn colder, my thoughts start to wander toward one of my favorite winter pastimes . . . hot beverages. To me there is just something comforting about the whole process of making tea, from the boiling of the water to steeping and of course the drinking. So for those of you that don't already have a tea pot, here is your chance. Sprout Home has some great new items, including some colorful teapots. The stump teapots come in four different colors, (my favorite is the orange, but the black or white would be good for you minamalists) and are just the right size for two cups of tea. They include a stainless steel lid, and a basket tea infuser. They are very resonably priced at $19. If you need some good teacups, make sure you check out my blog on Bodum.

Someone over at Livemodern asked about an affodable modern sofa, and this one from Scandinavian Designs came up. I thought it was such a good deal that I would at least mention it to everyone. Its called the Kiel Futon, and it is adjustable to three different positions (see pics). Available in grey microfiber with aluminum legs (as shown), or camel microfiber with black legs. Not a bad look for the price, I just wonder if it is durable? Anyone have any feedback?

***UPDATE***

Search around for the "Kiel Sofa" if you are looking for this.  It looks like bydesignfurniture has it in a faux leather for $498...

Also if you are looking for a cheap sofa, look at our Chelsea sofa for $649 post...

I have mentioned before how much I love the whole Offi line of furniture. Well Design Public has them on sale, as well as a couple of other things. Some info about it from their website:

Furniture should do more, and this piece does -- with a simple flip. This highly functional hybrid sits comfortably throughout the home as a side table or a stool with storage. Available in walnut or birch.

I have to admit, I do like the look of it, and the whole storage factor is a nice twist. They currently have it for sale for $89, down from thier usual $129. They do have free shipping for orders over $100, so throw in a set of Inhabit Placemats and call it a done deal.

Ok, I have to admit, there are a couple of things that I am an absolute sucker for when it comes to design. #1 Anything modular. The idea of a product that is flexible enough to be put together in a variety of ways, and allows for some creativity just appeals to me. #2 Green Design. To me good design should be global, since it is at the root of all consumerism, it only makes sense that efforts to protect our planet should start here. So, with these two weaknesses in mind, MIOculture has won my heart with their 3D Wallpaper. These made their way around the blogs about a year ago, but I thought that they were worth mentioning again for all of those that didn't catch it the first time. The 12" x 12" tiles can be arranged in any configuration you want and rotating them changes the pattern you get. They even have a program at their website that you can practice arranging them however you want. They are made completely of post and pre-consumer waste paper, and come with disasembly and recycling instructions. They come in four colors, and best of all, they are affordable. For $28 you get a pack of 12 tiles, or enough for a 3' x 4' space on your wall. That makes doing a whole wall fairly reasonable, or who says you have to do a whole wall. I think that a 3' x 4' section on a big wall would look great.

One of the first items I blogged about on the site was a wallet hand made by MAKR. I first found out about MAKR thanks to Josh Spear, and I have been following them ever since. MAKR started out about as grassroots as it gets, just one guy doing what he loves, creating. Although they have grown some since I first started checking their website, they are still very much a grassroots operation. And they are still making some beautiful leather accessories that I would love to have, although, they are getting a little bit out of my price range. I recently had a chance to catch up with Jason, MAKR's designer/founder, and ask him some questions.

OK, let’s get the basics out of the way so we are all on the same page. How old are you, where do you live, and what do you do for your real job.

I’m 24, I live in Florida and I work at a branding/architecture firm.

I noticed on your website you like photography a lot, how does that influence your work?

I’ve taken photos forever. I was really into skateboarding in school and I just wanted to document everything. I don’t know that the photography really influences my work as far as the imagery and production of the leather goods but it is part of my work in the broader sense. The photography is definitely part of MAKR as an identity because of how I represent the tangible goods but not as an inspiration.

What else are you passionate about?

I really love making things in general, food, art, whatever…….I love traveling, listening to things, I’m into lakes and forests and looking around.

You have a great eye for design, do you have any formal training in the area, or does it just come naturally?

I went to Ringling School of Art and Design, but it really doesn’t have anything to do (aesthetically) with what I am doing now. It was more for technical skills…….CAD, VIZ, RHINO, that kind of thing.

How did you get into making leather wallets and bags?

A lot of the inspiration for MAKR comes from summers in Iowa and all of the things that my grandfather had around. He was a private pilot so even though he lived in Iowa he still had these amazing luxury items that he would pick up on his travels. Tons of old cameras and bags and things….amazing things even to this day. I inherited this really old bag from my grandfather and it was falling apart from being in a basement in Iowa for so long. I loved the way it looked and felt so I wanted to turn it into something that I could use on a daily basis. At the time I was working on projects at a firm that owned a Laser Cam for model building. I threw some of the leather in there and cut a crude little wallet. The firm ended up closing and I bought the laser from them. I just kept experimenting with it and here I am.

Click below to continue the interview, and for more pics.

How long have you been doing it?

I started doing it seriously about 6 months ago but I have been messing around with it for over a year now.

What is it about leather and wood that you like so much?

The materials are beautiful in themselves so it’s easy to make something great out of them. I’ve always liked things that get better looking as they are used more and more. I like the way leather becomes this amazing texture after years of use.

Where did you learn your leather and woodworking skills?

Not a clue…..didn’t even read books or anything. I just started making things and the more I made the better the results. Completely trial and error. I have always been able to visualize how things come together to make an object. I used to make a lot of furniture so the concepts transferred over from that.

What inspirations do you draw from when designing a new product?

The majority of the time it is fulfilling needs of my own. If I need something when I go on a trip I make it, other times it will be when a friend asks for a certain item and I design it for them. The boxes and packaging works are inspired by the objects that they are going to contain. The wooden box for the wallets/cardholder has an acrylic element that inserts into the wallet, easy to see the inspiration there. All through school I was designing these experimental environmentally sounds homes and buildings that would have cost a shit load of money for me to actually see the realization of the design. When I started making the leather and wood items I finally felt fulfilled because I could hold these object that before only existed in my mind. It was a quick return on my investigations in form and how things go together.

I see you have teamed up with Chuck Anderson from Nopattern to make a Co-branded wallet, how did you two get together?

I was shamelessly self-promoting to Design Is Kinky because a friend had told me it was an interesting site. Chuck was the one that received the email and I guess the work struck him in some way. We emailed back and forth and talked on the phone a couple of times. I enjoy his work and he expressed interest in having his work on a wallet so I made up a prototype.

Any future plans with him?

We are planning a series of wallets in extremely limited quantities that have more designs etched into them than the prototype. These will definitely be some more elaborate stuff than previously seen on the site.

What other projects do you have planned for the immediate future?

I have been obsessed with travel trailers lately for some reason……I don’t even really know if I am going to do anything with one but they keep getting towed around in my mind. MAKR custom travel trailer…..if Airstream is reading you can go ahead and hook that up. I have some new treatments for the leather that I am planning on experimenting with. Some new stuff for girls….. a new clutch that I am almost finished with, a satchel type thing that I need to photograph. I want to make a row boat.

What do you want to be doing in 5 years?

I want MAKR to be able to sustain me financially…… I want to just make shit all day long, really. We‘ll see. Maybe someone wants to give me a ton of money. I’m waiting for that.

And finally, for all us poor design junkies at Grassroots Modern, What do you think it takes to make good design more affordable, and what are you personally doing about it?

I know everyone isn’t a designer but there are enough resources out there to learn how to make things and create the environment that you want. The barter system is always a good tool. Trading goods and services works really well for spreading style and design. I trade with tons of people all of the time for many different things. I did the identity of a skateboard/clothing boutique that a friend of mine owns and I can go in and grab whatever I need now. A friend of mine owns a salon where I make the leather goods to haircut swap for my girlfriend and I. Trading makes the exchange of goods or services a more personal thing…….you get to see where these things come from and who made or owned them. I always feel more fulfilled buying produce from a farmer than from a grocery store. The feeling lasts longer if you live with that item everyday.

Give up bad design for good, thats their moto, and I say more power to them. There is plenty of bad design out there, especially in the kitchen, so it refreshing to find a company like Bodum that offers well designed products for a resonable price. Bodum has been in the press a lot lately for their double walled drinking glasses, rightfully so, might I ad They were awarded the red dot design award this year for their inovative glasses, and have recieved press from many magazines, including Time. More recently they have been making their ciruit around the blogs, so I decided to check out their website, and I was plesently suprised. All of their products have that nice clean minimalist feel to them that looks great in any modern kitchen. Their double walled drinking glasses are fairly affodable at $19.95 for a set of two. If the idea of sipping on a hot latte in the summer heat makes you sick, remember they work just as well at keeping your iced drink of choice nice and cold. Available in 3, 9, and 12 oz sizes. They have a whole lot more than just glasses too. They have some very nice glass oven ware too. Perhaps best of all, the prices were not overly inflatted, especiall considering the high quality that you are getting. Three cheers for giving up bad design for good!

If you haven't heard about Normal yet, then you have been missing out. They may have only been around for a year, but all their well deserved news coverage just goes to show that they have some great ideas, and products. The whole company was started with the idea of designing for the future. No we are not talking space aged plastic Jetsons style products, but good old modern design that considers the future of our environment. For example the Juice Clock($39) is made of reclaimed and recycled HDPE (mostly detegent bottles). The Square Daisy($59) is made of sustainably harvested carbonized Bamboo ply with formaldehyde-free, low VOC satin finish. Its great to see that someone is up to the challenge of making an affodable modern product that is eco-friendly as well.

Make sure you check out their Website for other cool products that are all as nice on the environment as they are on your eyes. They have a great funky Trashcan that is made from 99% recycled car tires that would look great out in the garage.

Via Treehugger

I have always been a fan of bent ply furniture. There is just something about the way it looks, so natural and yet clean and fluid. To Charles and Ray Eames the bent ply technology embodied what this website is all about, affordability. They saw it as a way to mass produce well designed furniture, with the intent on making it readily available to the masses at an affordable price. Unfortunately for us, somewhere along the line the definition of affordable got skewed. But don't despair, many new modern designers have caught on to this technology that started in the 1850's and applied it to our times, and they haven't forgotten about affordability. One such designer is Eric Pfeiffer. I first descovered him while reading his latest book "Bent Ply: The Art of Plywood Furniture" which is a must have for any bent ply lovers. In it he covers the process of designing and manufacturing his Wave Desk. He has done some great stuff while with Offi, and lucky for us, Target has picked up a big piece of the Offi line, all of which are quite affordable.

Here are some example of his wonderful, and affordable works.

The Wavos Table $79 and Scoop TV Stand $99. The Flip Stool $89 and Magazine Stand $89.

The Overlap Tray $99.

Way to go Target for delivering quality design at an affordable price.

There is a new baby store in town, and its called Modern Mini. It seems like modern kids stores are the hot new thing, but its about time right? It used to be impossible to find something modern for the little tikes, but its getting easier. Modern Mini has many of the same products that the other modern kid stores have, most at pretty good prices too. Ok, not Target good, but at least not DWR prices. One of the things that I was very excited to find were the Premaxx baby carriers. I read about Premaxx a while ago, and was sold on their baby carriers, but I haven't been able to find them stateside until now. Modern Mini has a couple basic colors from the Premaxx line, all at a very reasonable $55. The slings can be used to carry your little lima bean in the fetal position until 5 monthes, and them after in the sitting position. Pics and instructions after the jump.

From birth to about 5 months a Insert you left or right arm through the carrying band of the Baby-Bag and hang this around your neck. Make sure that the label is positioned on one of your shoulders. By shifting the adjustable band, position the Baby-Bag at the level of your tummy. Tighten the inner cord and tie it with a secure bow.

b Place your baby in the Baby-Bag with its head on the side where the band crosses your shoulder. It is most comfortable for you and your baby if its head is at the level of your chest.

c Now tighten the outer cord and tie a bow in this as well.

tip: If you have a new-born baby, turn the band around the one across your shoulder. The folds will fall outwards enabling you to see your baby better. From 5 to about 18 months a Insert your left or right arm through the carrying band and hang this over one of your shoulders. Make sure that the label is positioned on one of your shoulders.

b Adjust the adjustable band so that the Baby-Bag reaches your hip (the mattress must be at the level of your hip bone). Tighten the inner cord so that it is equal in length with the Baby-Bag and tie it with a secure bow.

tip: Your baby should actually sit on your hip. Do not tighten the inner cord as this may not be very comfortable for your baby.

c Place your baby in the Baby-Bag in a seated position on your hip. The baby’s legs will be suspended from the front and side. Now tighten the outer cord and tie it with a secure bow.

If you think that Holdeverything is only for storage containers and solutions, then you are wrong. The have some great furniture too, some of which just happens to be on sale. Some of my favorites were the L Base Desk for only $199, the Nuo Chair on sale for $129, and the Linea Dining Chairs for $79. The best deal though are the Pocket Collapsable Chairs on sale for only $29. They have a metal frame and come in either four different colors of plastic, or my personal favorite wood with a golden oak stain. With the free shipping on all of their chairs, that makes a cheap couple of extra seats for your loft. I also liked the Metal Table Lamps too. The base is $38 and then you can pick from the three differnet colored shades at $8 each. I have added them to our Modern Link Database L Base Desk $199

See the rest of the pics after the jump.

Nuo Chair. On Sale for $129 Linea Dining Chair for $79, normally $195. Pocket Collapsable Chair for $29 with free shipping. Metal Table Lamp for $46.

I have always been in love with wooden kids toys. There is just something about them that is intrinsically satisfying. So of course the first time I saw Playsam's modern wooden toys, I was in love. Apparently I am not the only one that likes them either, since their Streamliner line of kids toys was Selected by Swedish National Museum as a Swedish Design Classic. They also have a really nice line of activity toys, my favorite of which is the Roadster Saab Car. Its not the most affordable at $315, but is definately better than the alternative. We can't help but notice how much the icar looks like the new Apple mouse. Maybe thats why we like it so much!

Ok Ebay junkies, here is a new resource that may help you to get some chic furniture and accessories without breaking your budget. Portero is a Ebay powerseller that focuses on "luxury online auctions". They are actually an ebay auction listing service aimed at serving the upperclass. For a $20 fee, and 30% of sales, they will stop by your house and pick up your no longer wanted luxury items, and list them on ebay. So, what does that have to do with affordable? Many of these items sell on ebay for a very reasonable price. For example, a quick glance through their ebay store found this Tacchini Sofa Bed. The reserve is not met yet, but the price is currently at $100, local pickup only. Via Apartment Therapy

Mod Living is an all around good site, and kudos to them to devoting a whole section to us budget minded modernists. The sale and under $100 section is frequently updated with deals that will beautify your homes without breaking your wallet. We thought it deserved to be added to our link database. For those of you that are feeling a little uninspired, they even have a "ideas" section that has all sort of inspirations to help you modernize your home. Here are some highlights from the under $100 section:This Stainless Steel Magazine Rack is $79. I am always a sucker for stainless.

This nice wooden Doodle Drawer Desk is only $99. A set of two of these Darjee Tea Glasses is only $40.

Thank to Design Sponge for the tip.

Ok, so maybe Ikea doesn't have anything to be scared of yet, but for those of us that are a days drive from the nearest Ikea, its a start. It seems that Kmart has a couple of new products that have a fairly nice design. The Mali Flex Futon unfortunately is only available online, but it looks fairly nice. It has adjustable "wings" that can transform it from a couch to a sleeper, and is only $199. I am not sure how good the quality is, but with a weight limit of 300 lbs it can't be too great. Perhaps the better find is their new Metal and Glass table and chairs. They have a nice modern look to them, and are available online or at select stores for $129 for the set. If anyone actually gets a chance to sit in these make sure you let us know about the quality.