I have featured a couple of piggy banks here on GRM, and they have ranged from functional to whimsical. The Volcoino bank designed by Karim Rasid has got to be one of the best looking. Made from chromed aluminum, this little coin bank has a small slot at the top where you put your coins in, and a rubber stopper at the bottom to get them out. It's attractive enough to put in any room in your house, and priced at $22 you might even have enough change in your old piggy bank to buy it.

Available from I love UMA for $22.

I've always been a fan of Blu-Dot's real good chair. Made from powder-coated steel and folds along laser-cut lines to create a dynamic and comfortable chair. It has a brilliant flat pack design and assembly process, and once put together it looks great. If you haven't already seen the video of the squirrel putting it together, you are missing out. (I've included it after the jump) It is available in two glossy tone-on-tone colors, satin black and glossy red. Velocity Art and Design currently has it for $99, which is about the cheapest I have seen it online.

Available from Velocity Art and Design for $99.

Tissue boxes aren't always the best looking things in the world, and while some have been getting better in recent years many people still want to cover them up. If knit tissue box cozies aren't your style, and you are looking for something a little more modern, you should check out the Wooden Tissue Box over at Molla Space. Designed by Yamato Japan, these simple bent ply tissue boxes are simple and attractive. I can't quite tell from the picture, but it looks like you would just slide the actual tissues, sans box, into the holder. While it would probably be hard to try a DIY version of this in wood, a plastic one could be quite simple.... Available from Molla Space for $20.

It's no secret that here at Grassrootsmodern we love Etsy. Prices are usually much more affordable than anything you would find at a real store, and it makes you feel good knowing that the majority of the money is going directly to the artist/designer. I was skimming through some products this morning when I came across tinymodernist. They have all sorts of great baby clothing and accessories, everything from cross stitch patterns for Eero Aarnio's globe chair to American Apparel kids t shirts with Mies and Eames classics. Check out more at tinymodernis.com.

Here is another great Salt Lake City Craigslist find that was sent in by April. She didn't have the extra room for it in her house so had to pass it up. We're so house poor we don't even have an extra $100 for furniture right now. I'm sure that there is someone out there that will snatch this up though. This sideboard buffet was made by the Drexel company and measures 30" tall, 18" deep and 60" long. It looks to be in pretty good shape, and best of all is the price. $100 is a total steal for something like this. Some one go get this and let us know more about it.Retro Sideboard Chest Buffet Server available (for now) on Craigslist for $100.

Here at Grassrootsmodern we love vintage mid century modern furniture. Unfortunately tracking down that favorite Paul Mccobb piece or Arne Jacobsen chair is not always easy. Most of the time when you do find them, the prices are way unrealistic. The Good Mod seems to have a good solid collection of 50's and 60's furniture but the pricing is reasonable too. Sure it's not salvation army pricing, but it's not bad considering you are getting a classic design piece. Based out of the pacific northwest they sell locally and internationally, and offer affordable shipping. If you love mid century furniture, make sure you check out their link section as well. They have a good collection of MCM websites.The Good Mod

Memorial day has come and gone, and even though the weather wasn't exactly conducive to an outdoor celebration, the time for outdoor gatherings is upon us. Whether you are at an outdoor or indoor party, when there are more people than seating, there is always the problem of what to do with your drink. Setting it down may mean losing it, but you still need one free hand to eat with. These clever plates and glasses by Stark have got you covered. Each plate has a small spike built into it where you can set your glass, freeing up one hand and still keeping your drink close by. The plasticware is washable (or disposable for the less frugal) and available from the Conran Shop. Plates come in either round or square and are 6 for $12. Glasses are 10 for $6.Available from the Conran Shop.

I have decided that one of the best things about having Ikea open a store in Utah is the fact that there is now a ton of super cheap Ikea stuff on Craigslist. Some of the best deals I have found this week are a black leather poang chair for $50. It would normally run you over $200 with the leather. I'm not a huge fan of the cherry, but it's worth it just for the leather covers. There were also a couple good deals on Malm beds. There was an older ad for one in birch with sidetables for $75 and one in white with a mattress for $200. I emailed these guys, but no response yet :( . Craigslist has more than just Ikea goodies this week though. The Saarinen chairs shown above are a steal at $260 for the pair. I also came across a nice looking stainless steel Jen-Air gas stove for $300. It looks like it may be missing a bottom drawer.

More Ikea goodies.

There are lots of modern furniture websites out there and probably more popping up every day. But when one comes along that is brought to you by the founders of Y Lighting you know that it will probably be around for a while. Zwello may be the new kid on the block, but they have their bases covered. They have a strong focus on some of the mid century greats like Alvar Aalto, Carlo Alessi, Charles and Ray Eames, Frank Gehry, Michael Graves, Isamu Noguchi, and many more. That's not to say that they don't have up and coming artists too. There are plenty of those to be found at Zwello, with more being added every day. Prices aren't bargain basement, but the selection of quality goods it quite comprehensive. Definitely worth checking out. See more goods at Zwello.com.

Our little guy is quickly coming up on one year old, and with a growing mouth full of teeth, he loves to eat. Up until about two months ago, we didn't have a highchair which made feeding time not so easy. Arrington now takes his meals in a Boon Flair Elite, and it is so much nicer. The Elite is just like the normal Boon Flair, the main difference being the stainless steel base instead of the plastic. I was impressed with all the extra's it came with, two different seat covers, two washable trays. The two things that really set it apart from any other high chair are the pneumatic lift and the fact that it can roll around. I thought we would use the lift more than we do, but we honestly don't use it much. The rolling feature is quite nice though. The base is quite heavy to keep it stable, so rolling it around the kitchen is a nice alternative. It does have a brake too that you can set when you get it in place. The Flair is $199 and the Flair Elite is $349, neither of which is cheap, but the quality is great, and I'm sure it will hold up to many feedings to come.Boon Flair available from Target for $199. Boon Flair Elite available from Costco for $349.

More info at Boon.

While we are really pretty happy with our grill, this one from The Gadgetshop is pretty darn cool. It weighs in at just over 8 lbs and is able to fold up amazingly small for a grill. This would be a perfect grill for apartment dwellers who don't have a lot of space, or for people who like to take a grill with them for picnics but don't want to lug something heavy around with them. Foldable or not, it's a very good looking grill. Since it's a charcoal grill, you would still have to dispose of the used up charcoal before you could pack it up. Via Apartment Therapy Available from Gadgetshop for $38.

While we were in Chicago we had some of the best pizza I have had in a long time, and it got me thinking. Who's got the best pizza in Salt Lake city? I used to live a couple blocks from Este pizza, but it burnt down before I could check it out. Rumor on the block is that they have opened again, and have a new one downtown. I would love to hear feedback if it really is as tasty as it sounds. In looking for some pizza to rival that of Gino's, last night I stumbled across Sweet Home Chicago Pizza in Draper, which sounds promising. Some other favorites are the Pie Pizzaria and Rusted Sun. Any other favorites. I

Were going to get started on painting this weekend, so some good pizza may be in order.

My love for Balsa airplanes goes back a long time. When I was a kid, every time my Grandfather was in town he would take me down to the toy store to buy one. The best ones were the ones that were self powered via a rubberband. They proved to be cheap and provide hours of fun. I don't however remember them ever looking this good. These Yoshida airplane designs date back to late 1800's and they still look great today. They come in a single and double propeller version, both of which cost $19. They would be a perfect gift for any kid 10 yrs and up, or great as a mobile for the little one. For the big kid (read adult) check out the expensive, but amazing Carbon Butterfly indoor flyer.Yoshida Plane Kits available at Build It Play It for $19.

If you haven't already checked out the new Destination Japan series over at the MoMA Store, it's time you get over there. While Japanese design isn't exclusively modern, there is often a simplicity that lends itself to modern decor. Many of the items included in Destination Japan are exclusive to MoMA, and pricing ranges from reasonable to mildly shocking. Shown above is the apple jar with spoon, $55 (ouch). Make sure you check out their folding bread board, $75 (expensive but very cool), Ramen Spoon/Fork $12, and Recycled Dish and Bowl $10 - $15. Available at the MoMA Store Destination Japan.

Here is another cool looking light shade. The best thing about this one is it's free! OK, you have to make it yourself, but the plans are free. It comes from a website called Ponoko. Ponoko is a unique idea where designers can upload their designs and they will be built on demand. Consumers can go to the sight, if they see something they like, they can order it and it will be built just for them. Pretty cool idea. In addition to the on demand builds they have some plans that are downloadable for free. Supply your own materials, and with a little elbow grease you can skip the middleman and go straight from the designer to yourself. The Carbon lamp show is a free download. All you need to buy is some 1mm thick styrene, start tracing and cutting, and hopefully it turns out as good as the picture.Get you free Carbon Lamp plans here. If anyone takes this project on, send pics!

You've heard me say good things about the Ikea KNAPPA lights before. They are flat packed, assemble yourself, and look great for a pretty low price ($25). Well, it looks like they aren't the only ones on the block. The innermost 5 in 1 shade is another flat packed shade, that with a little assembly looks amazing. Available from Design Public for $43 you get 7 flat packed pieces that can be assembled to make one large or two smaller shades. That makes for great versatility and value. Dimensions range from 12" to 24" in height and diameter.Available from Design Public for $43.

I'm always on the look out for good trash cans. Most of the time the good ones are way out of my budget. Here is one from Blomus, that depending on the size, may fit yours. The larger pushman will set you back $111, which is no small change for something you throw your trash in, especially for something only 4 gallons. The smaller pushboy just may be the ticket though if you need a small waste bin. At only 2.6 gallons it's pretty pint size, but the $32 price reflects that. They both would look right at home in a kitchen. Available from Unica Home for $32 - $111.

While Crate and Barrel doesn't usually have as many good modern products, every once in a while you can find some really nice stuff on their website. I'm really liking this Dane Pendant Lamp. At 11" high and 18" diameter, it's a good sized lamp, perfect for over a dining room table. The Brazilian Sandalwood gives it a nice warm look that could soften up a space nicely. Regular pricing is $129, but it is currently on sale for only $79, which is a good deal. It includes a ceiling plate and translucent cord. Available from Crate and Barrel for $79.

Good lighting fixtures have the ability to totally transform a space. Unfortunately a lot of good looking lights can be quite expensive. That was why I was pleasantly surprised to see the prices on these porcelain hanging lamps from Greener Grass Design. Priced between $89 and $182 they will set you back a little more than your paper lamp shades you got at Ikea but they will stay looking nice a lot longer. I love the super clean look of the white porcelain. It's sure to add a touch of class to any space.Available from Greener Grass Design from $89 - $182.

When we first put an offer on our new home we had only walked through the interior once. Honestly we really didn't care what it was like as long as the bones were good. With that in mind, there were some surprises that we found as we started looking closer at the house. Take the kitchen for example. Upon closer inspection we saw that those ugly fake marble countertops were really shelf paper. Why someone would shelf paper their entire countertop is beyond me. We were however pleasantly surprised to find a nice funky red/orange laminate complete with cold boomerang designs and chrome edges hiding under all that shelf liner and wall paper. I'll take that over fake marble any day.