Last month Capree mentioned that Dror had a whole collection coming to Target. It's officially online now, and they have some great items in the collection. My favorite though hands down is the Stick Table Lamp. Sitting 15" tall this little lamp would make a perfect affordable modern desk lamp for your favorite little corner. The white shade is made of plastic and can house up to a 40 watt bulb while the metal base keeps it well grounded.
I love the simple and elegant look of Katarina Andersson's Rondo series. These stoneware vessels can be mixed and matched, ready and willing to dispense sugar, salt + pepper, and even oil and vinegar. With their affordable prices, it's easy to get the whole set in each color!
Available in white or black sand-glazed stoneware.
While we have been having our fair share of rainy weather lately, I am hopeful that eventually the sun will come out. When it does, it's picnic time! This great Urbana Picnic set designed by Wolf Udo Wagner for Simplicitas has everything you need for a meal on the go. Each set contains five plates, five cups, and five "multi-tableware" which is the crazy looking triangle spoon/fork/knife thing. They all stack together to make nice compact set that will cover all your essentials.
The Lights Up! Woody pendant lamp is like the grandfather pendant lamp you never had. He is as natural and simple as you can get, no fancy colors or graphics. His character is in the wood grain and his warm wood lighting is like a good granddad hug. He is sleek, charming and comforting. Oh, granddad Woody, how I love you so.
If any of you are lucky enough to actually possess an original Enid Seeney/Ridgway Homemaker Plate, I envy you. You can find them sometimes on Ebay or sites likePreloved. There are plenty of plastic reproductions floating around as well. If you're looking for the real deal, be sure to check the back for the official Ridgway/Homemaker mark. This series was originally produced in England, so most plates you'll find will be for sale out of the UK.
About: The Homemaker range of tableware was mass produced by Ridgway Potteries Ltd, of Stoke-on-Trent, especially for the Woolworths chain of retail stores. Enid Seeley’s design of 1956-7 depicted other design classics of the period: an armchair designed by Robin Day, a sofa by Sigvard Bernadotte and a sideboard resembling one by Bernard Russell. The range had a long production run, between 1958 and 1970, and is now seen as a 1950s design classic.
There is an old MCM wall clock in the SJO airport that I always sit under while I am waiting for my flight. I've thought about how I could make something similar out clock parts, but never really figured out a good way to do it. It looks like all the hard work has been done for me. This DIY Wall Clock kit from Radius Design includes the clock hands and the dots for you to arrange however you want. This is no puny clock either, the big hand measures 18 inches long and the small hand is almost 16 inches. Made of aluminum and stainless steel.
Etsy has a great vintage selection, with quite a few mid-century finds. I'm especially fond of this little avian bottle opener from seller Ella Cinders. Check out her shop for more items - not everything is MCM, but this clock and desk lamp are pretty cool.
About: This cute would-be feathered friend is truly a "form meets functional" classic. It is the perfect shape for opening a bottle with ease and yet has an almost sculptural quality to it. Likely made of rosewood, this lovely is made in Denmark and signed.
I'm known for my incredible pancake making skills. One of my secrets is that I pre-butter each pancake while it's still on the griddle. That usually means fighting with a cold stick of butter to slice a chunk off. With that in mind I have been casually looking for a butter dish that isn't shaped like a cow. This Terence Conran butter dish from Overstock.com is actually pretty decent looking. I like the $12 price as well. There is also a whale butter dish by Jonathan Adler that I am strangely attracted to. Unfortunately the $68 price tag and uncomfortable feeling I get thinking about scooping butter out of a whale probably rule that one out.
Does anyone else know of a decent looking butter dish?
These planters are freaking rad! Love the bright colors, the refreshing shapes, and the fact that they're made from spun aluminum! A little on the pricey side at $160 a pop (extra $$ if you want a stand), but they might be worth it for their wow factor. From Pad Outdoor.
About:
Each planter is hand spun from aluminum and powder coated--making them durable for outdoors. The steel stands are fitted with rubber, shock-absorbing pads at both ends to protect the planter and floor surface--making them ideal for indoors. Two planter styles, two stand heights and six color options yield countless configurations to customize a single planter or grouping according to your site.
Muji is one of my favorite brands out there. This table is a good example of why I love them so much. It's a very simple design, and made out of one of the most inexpensive woods there is, pine. It's a handsome little pine folding table but looking at it you wouldn't expect it to cost very much. Of course that is the case with so many pieces of modern furniture which normally turn out to be very expensive. In this case it actually does cost about as much as you would expect it to. $64 to be exact. Not bad for a 14h x 32.5w x 20"d table from one of my favorite brands.
So charming! A great gift for the IKEA-phile in your life. "I Wish we had IKEA" pattern by Heather Moore of Skinny Laminx. Available as a tea towel or pillow cover.
About the design:
We don't have IKEA stores in South Africa (poor us!), so all that great design at good prices is frustratingly inaccessible. Last year, someone kindly sent a 2009 IKEA catalogue for me to drool over, and I've made some sketches of the things I liked best.
I thought it would be fun to share my IKEA wishlist on a tea towel, and I've called it "I Wish we had IKEA". So as you dry the dishes, you can think about your own IKEA shopping list, the next time you're lucky enough to visit!
If you weren't a fan of the wonderful Braun alarm clock I posted last week, maybe this will be more your style. The Click Clock may be the perfect alarm clock for the obsessive compulsive. I know when I set my alarm I end up checking it several times "just to make sure". When you set an alarm on the Click Clock it displays the alarm time prominently below the current time. That way it just takes a quick glance to make sure everything is set up the way it should be. Functional, good looking, and at only $35 relatively affordable.
I am really intrigued by this geometric/faceted floor lamp from Swiss designer Olivier Sottas. The Plié light was unveiled at this year's DMY Festival in Berlin. Made from artfully folded paper with a thin plywood base, the Plié is extremely lightweight and can be shipped flat packed. Overall, an impressive design in terms of aesthetics and sustainability. For purchasing queries, contact Olivier directly.
While the awesome hair of interviewer Barbaralee Diamonstein-Spielvogel put this clip in the 80's the work of Philip Johnson goes much further back. His most notable "modern" project was the glass house built in 1949. The interview is a little dry but if you are interested it is quite fascinating.
Please share you thoughts on architecture, 80's hair and funky glasses in the comments.
I saw these ridiculously awesome fire extinguishers on Plastolux (have I mentioned how much I love that blog?) and I felt compelled by the uncontrollable forces of badass design to share them with you. This is such a brilliant idea, I can't believe no one thought of it sooner. I wish there were more things like this - mundane items given the royal-design treatment. It would certainly make life a little more happy.
Tons of images after the jump!
Fire extinguishers by Fire Design.
(The site is in French. Since I don't speak French, I was unable to gather any purchasing info. If any of you speak the language, let us know what you find out!)
Today I'm taking my dog, Wrigley, into the vet for some 'issues' he's been having. Since I don't like going anymore than he does, (what with the cramped waiting room and crappy parking situation), it got me to thinking about modern veterinary offices and the fact that I've never heard of one. After some serious digging, I found this lovely example in the portfolio of Tuke Manton Architects, a UK-based firm.
The project involved overhauling an old industrial building which was linked to an adjacent office building. By opening up the space and incorporating tons of natural light, a calming and healing environment was created. The timber-clad building, with its barn-like appearance, makes use of openable aluminum windows in order to provide natural ventilation. Overall, I think this project is immensely successful - I especially love the warmth the timber adds to an otherwise industrial-looking building. It's all very modern and I love it. I suppose there is hope for the world afterall!
DWR is relaunching the Eames Molded Plastic Chairs with Wood Dowel Bases! Both the Armchair (DAW - $499) and Sidechair (DSW- $399) will be available exclusively from DWR starting Sept 1st. They will be fully licensed productions from Herman Miller. It will be available in the 5 colors that the "eiffel base" molded plastic chairs are available in, plus new colors debuting before the end of the year. They are accepting preorders for the first shipment that will be coming in August. You may have to call to preorder as they are not yet listed on their website.
I can understand how you might think I'm developing an obsession (healthy, of course) with wooden toys. I mean, the evidence is there (here and here, to be precise). There is just something sublimely appealing about them - tactilely, aesthetically, and cool-factor-ly. Take these toys by David Weeks, for example. Hardwood limbs, elastic muscles, endless poses - AWESOME. They're even made from sustainably harvested beech wood so you can feel good about life. Seriously, what's not to like? I for one am standing strong in my love for wooden toys - join me if you like!
A few days ago our faithful Ikea alarm clock that we have been using for the last 6 years finally died on us. I have casually been looking for a replacement for it for years, and I have never really found anything I thought I would want more, until now. A recent cache of the brilliant Braun AB1 alarm clocks have surfaced and are available for sale. Originally produced in the 70's and designed by Braun ID legend Dieter Rams this could be your last chance to get a NIB original AB1. Sure you are paying a greatly inflated price for a plastic clock designed in the 70's but you are also buying a icon for $40.
I am in love with these quirky wooden toys from TARU Design! Choose from 3 designs available in bocotte, cocobolo, wenge, zebrawood, or wild cherry.
About: TARU is a small Montreal workshop that designs, conceives and builds wooden art toys. Each toy is unique and hand-made from different wood essences. I am especially attentive to the materials and fabrication of my toys, in order to offer refined and quality objects. The sensual aspect of my figurines is evoked by rounded angles and silky texture. Their aesthetic simplicity and kind faces charm children and adults alike. After fifteen years of work in the field of illustration and cartooning/graphic novels, I only recently started to create small sculptures/art toys. My love for wood – a living, tactile material - as well as the birth of my first child motivated me to go from drawing to the making of tri-dimensional wooden figurines. Toys have always inspired me; they are precious tools that help us build our imagination.
These planters are freaking rad! Love the bright colors, the refreshing shapes, and the fact that they're made from spun aluminum! A little on the pricey side at $160 a pop (extra $$ if you want a stand), but they might be worth it for their wow factor. From 
I can understand how you might think I'm developing an obsession (healthy, of course) with wooden toys. I mean, the evidence is there (
