Were big fans of the DIY approach here at Grassrootsmodern. Not only do you end up saving a lot of money, but there is an added satisfaction that you get knowing that you've made something. If you're looking for a little direction for a project, here is a coffee table plan for $3 to get you started. The only tools that you need are a jigsaw and a drill and you will be on your way. The whole table is made of one single sheet of plywood, which means it could cost you anywhere from $20 to $100 depending on what kind of plywood you use.Plans available from Plan Canvas for $3. Via Modern Furniture Plans.

I just caught wind of this one last night. It looks like Henriksen Butler, Salt Lake's local Herman Miller distributer, is having a warehouse sale. The majority of Henriksen Butlers clients are office related, so chances are that there wont be a whole lot of items from the Herman Miller Home line, but it's worth checking out. According to the flyer the pricing is "extremely aggressive" which sounds good to me. I plan on swinging by this afternoon just before 5 to see what they have.

Henriksen Butler Herman Miller

This CB2 exclusive is what a good pendant lamp should be, sleek, sexy and not overstated. The white fluid shape is handmade iron painted gloss white and is 13" dia and 9" H. The sleek lines of the Puddle Pendant Lamp are obviously reminiscent of saarinen tulip line of furniture, they definitely carry that mid-century vibe. They can be used individually, or hung in series (see the picture after the jump). Best of all is that they are currently 50% off at CB2!Available from CB2 for $19

This is a great example of someone who is breaking the mold to come up with some great new design. It seems like these days it's hard to get an angle on furniture design that hasn't already been done. Alexander Pelikan has combined wood and plastic in a very dramatic way. By using molded plastic for all the joinery it gives the chair an organic look that you would expect to find in classic danish design, but achieved with modern manufacturing practices. What's best of all is that Alexander has been gracious enough to share exactly how he does it. Check out the video below.... I've been anxious to play with some resins lately, any idea what he is using?

iChime may very well be the perfect doorbell for geeks. They are touting it as a "Play Anything" digital doorbell, and that's exactly what it will do. Out of the box it comes with 50 pre recorded sounds and if that's not good enough you can load 6 customs tracks. All you have to do is hook it up to your iPod or computer and load them on. With all that customization it's bound to sound good, best of all though is that it looks decent as well.Available from iChime for $90. Via uncrate.

I have to admit that if you are looking for a affordable modern kids chair and table, Ikea can't be beaten. If you just don't like Ikea, or are looking for something a little different make sure you check out the Alma chair and Linus table. Not nearly as affordable at $56 a chair and over $200 for the table, the Alma/Linus combo is still a good looking set. The chairs are available in 4 different colors of made of injection-molded polypropylene goodness. The table only comes in white.

Available from Unica home $56 - $258.

I'm loving these Kivi Table Top pot holders from the scandinavian design center. These thick 100% wool placemats are just the thing to set your hot pots on. They look especially good when mixed and matched with some smaller sizes, and some coasters. They come in a good selection of colors. I'm particularly partial to the more earthy tones.

Available from Scandinavian Design Center, starting at $9.

Ever since my wife and I got married, we have never really had a proper dining room table. Unfortunately with our new house, we still don't really have a great spot for a decent sized table. We could however probably find a place for this nice little four seater from West Elm. The Round Leg Dining Table (quite the creative name) is 42" diameter and comes in two colors, acorn (shown here) and chocolate. It's simple shape and clean lines definitely have a retro feel about them, especially when pared with the oval backed dining chairs. Available from West Elm for $399

One of the best things about holidays (besides not having to go to work) are the sales. I just got word that Modernica will be having a 72 hour 4th of July sale on some of their Eames case study units. I am a huge fan of Modernica and all the original Eames pieces that they have. One of these days I might actually save my pennies and buy something from them.Sale begins July 4th. Check it out.

Does anybody know of any other good 4th of July Sales?

Things are heating up in Utah. It looks like we should be hitting triple digits this week. Unfortunately for us our house has neither central air or a swamp cooler. We have been blowing cold air from our basement up the stairs to try and keep things cool, and it definitely helps. To make sleeping a little bit nicer, we decided to buy some ceiling fans. We went with the cirrus hugger from modern fan. It's the same fan we had at our last house, and we loved them there. Installation was a breeze (luckily our boxes were already braced for a ceiling fan) and they look great in our room with our new Malm bed and dresser. Cirrus Hugger Fans available from Y Lighting starting at $304 Malm bed and dresser available from Ikea $149 - $199

The Jerry Lamp could very well be the ideal lamp for a kids room. It's made of nontoxic hypoallergenic silicone that is unbreakable and never gets hot to the touch. That means it can stand up to the abuse of a toddler, and get knocked off a table without causing any tears. The Jerry lamp sits about 10" high and 5" wide and is currently on sale at DWR for $50, a huge savings over the normal $145 price tag. It is available in white or green.

Available at DWR for $50.

Here is a great little retro boomerang table from Etsy. Made of Beechwood veneered plywood, the table top is 1 1/2" thick and has a black polyethylene molding around the edges. It is also available in white with classic hairpin legs. Each table is made in a small shop in Austin Texas, flat packed and shipped to your door. Assembly is simple, and the price is very affordable. Tables start at $75, which is a smoking deal for something hand made. Dimensions are apx 30" long, 24" wide and 17" tall.

Available from Shereemc's Etsy shop starting at $75.

I was perusing Overstock for some good modern outdoor furniture and I came across two decent pieces. Both are made of ABS plastic and available in a variety of colors. The Prism table is very contemporary and is almost a little far out there for me. Depending on the space however, it could look great. At $50 it's 50% off of the original price. The Uforia Chairs are a little more conservative, and thanks to the ABS that they are made of they would be a great little outdoor chair. You can pick up a set of two for $119. My only worry about it are those skinny little legs. No leaning back on those.

Available from Overstock.com Prism table $50, Uforia chairs 2 for $119.

Kohler has some great looking new products out. I am particularly smitten with some of their new sinks. The 8 degree sinks (above left) are some nice looking undermount stainless steel sinks with a more angular design. Very clean looking, and shockingly expensive at around $1,600! The other unique idea that I really liked was their Crevasse Prep Sink (above right). It's basically a skinny sink with a garbage disposal at the bottom. It has some touch sensitive trickery to turn on the water and disposal and is also shockingly expensive at $1,350. So you may be thinking to yourself at this point, why am I featuring unaffordable modern things at Grassrootsmodern? These same ideas could be fairly simply incorporated into a DIY concrete or resin countertop, or perhaps done on the cheap with a little creativity. Were still a couple months out from starting our kitchen remodel, but we're always looking for inspiration.

More information and pics at Kohler.

Roscoe Jackson may be a new kid on the block, but they have some of the best looking sustainable furniture I have seen in a long time. The new Possum furniture collection is made of 100% HDPE (from milk jugs and such) and stainless steel fasteners. This results in a chair that is both sturdy and suitable for indoor or outdoor use. The design reminds me of Bludot's Barabarella line of furniture, which is a good thing. While the Possum furniture may not be as cheap as a Ikea plastic chair you at least get the satisfaction of knowing that you money is supporting both an environmental cause, as well as a great startup design firm.

Available from RoscoeJackson.com or Sprout home from $198 - $285.

Water is something that we can't live without. I have always been surprised that an entire market has been created around selling something that is almost free. For those water snobs only a bottled water like Voss will do, but then there is the rest of us. Plastic water bottles have gotten a bad rap lately, which has helped out companies that make non plastic water bottles like Sigg. Well there is a new kid on the block, and they are here to show that not only can a plastic water bottle be healthy and environmentally responsible, it can look amazing too. The Kor One Hydration Vessel is a new water bottle which will be available soon. It's BPA free, wide mouthed, and absolutely sexy. At $29 they aren't cheap, but if you stopped buying bottled water and just filtered your own at home it would not only be better for the environment, but cheaper overall. More pics after the jump.

Available in August from Kor for $29 Via Coolhunting.

Fans of Blu Dot rejoice! Their new 2008 line is now available for preorder over at Design Public. They have some great new sofa's like the One Night Stand sofa shown above, which converts into a queen sized bed. The new Blu Dot Paramount Sofa is one of my favorites. It has some obvious mid century cues, and manages to stay low key and good looking at the same time. While none of these goodies are ready to ship, you can preorder now and be first in line. Design Public has a low price guarantee, which means they will match or beat anyones pricing.

Available from Design Public.

I love wooden toys and puzzles. They are generally either very simple, and in many cases very ingenious. The 3d wooden sphere puzzle falls into the later category. The puzzle has three separate planes connecting four chambers filled with colored wooden balls. It works much like a rubiks cube, in that if you make a change in one chamber, it will effect another. Besides being a great mind bending puzzler, it is also good looking and affordable.

Available from Deep Discount for $8.

Via Bem Legaus!

OK, so this may not be the most affordable bread bin, but it has to be one of the best looking, and most functional. Designed by Antony Joseph, this Bread Bin features a melamine box with a beech lid. The lid, once removed, can double as a cutting board for your favorite loaf of bread. The Bread BIn measures aprox. 14" long, 7" wide and 8" high. It is available in either black or white melamine with a beech lid.

Available from Generate for $85.

Anybody have any ideas on how to achieve the same look for cheaper?

Via Bem Legaus!

The FORSA is a new lamp from Ikea. In classic Ikea style it manages to look great and not cost you an arm and a leg. This little guy takes some obvious cues from Tolomeo and classic architect lamps. While it is available in the more traditional nickel plated, it also comes in dark red, dark blue, and black. It sits about 20" high and it's base diameter is 6". Since it's brand new it still isn't available online, so you will have to check out your local Ikea if you want to get it.Available from Ikea for $25.