It looks like Gus Modern has a whole slew of new chairs and stool, and I really really like them. Maybe even love them. They have that old MCM simplicity and style that I love, which to me makes them timeless. Pricing for the stackable church chair shown above is $190, which is no bargain, but it is a chair I can see having for a very very long time.
With all the terrarium buzz that's been going on in the last year or so, it's unusual to see such a unique approach to the trend. But, the super-creative Shane Powers managed to pull off a refreshing twist - in collaboration with West Elm, no less. The Cut Clay Cylinders and Dome set consists of three earthenware vases and a large glass dome. Each element is sold separately, but can be combined to create a "staggered, architectural tableau for rocks, sand, cacti and succulents". Very cool. Very cool, indeed.
Cut Clay Dome available from West Elm: $19 - $49
Click here to see Shane's other designs for West Elm.
I've been looking for small and simple key hook and this steel number from CB2 may be just the thing! It gets its name from the fold at the top, which is designed to hold mail, checks, bills, you name it. At only 3 by 4.5 inches, it'll fit pretty much anywhere, too. Designed by Mark Daniel; powder coated in a bright Pool Blue.
I'm loving this 1957 Czech video about the kitchen of the future. I'm obviously behind the times because they predicted that we would have induction cooktops in the year 2000, and I totally didn't get mine until 2009. I do LOVE the way it is fully integrated into the marble countertop though. Someone get on that.
Most planters I see like this fall somewhere in the $150+ range, so seeing these new ceramic planters from West Elm for $70 and $80 is pretty fantastic. Plus, they have such great, modern shapes. I'll take one of each, please!
Ceramic Planters from West Elm: $70 - $80
I love the look of these vintage cage lights. I have been seeing them everywhere too. Remodelista featured some great vintage cage lights a couple years ago for a mere $900. Anthropology has some cool "mechanic's beacon lights" for $150. Apartment had a good list of metal cage lights from $43-$3,200. But it just doesn't seem like they should be so expensive. I mean, these are like the simplest wire cage lights that used to be so common back in the 30's. Determined to find a better deal I rolled up my sleeves and started looking.
It was actually a lot harder than I thought. Eventually after searching for a while I was able to find two metal replacement cages that are fairly readily available. The small wire keyless lamp guard (left) for $2.84 and the metal lamp guard (right) for $3.70. Both are available from 1000bulbs.com which looks to be fairly reputable. Grainger has the metal lamp guard too for $6.82 and I know they are legit.
Of course that's just the replacement cage. Keep reading after the jump for the rest of the story....
To make your sweet new $3 cage into an actual light fixture, you are going to need a socket.
In the interest of one stop shopping, 1,000 bulbs has this decent porcelain socket for a cool $1.73. They also have a black candelabra socket that appears to be switched for $1.36 although it looks like it would be a little harder to cover all the wiring on it.
Speaking of wiring. Next thing you need is some good cord to get power to your lovely new light. This is where a little attention to detail will go a long way. To pull of the look you really need to get a nice cloth covered cord. Luckily Sundial Wire seems to have a huge selection of everything from braided to colored or just plain black or brown. I'm no electrician, but I think a 2 wire 18 gauge should do the trick. Someone correct me if I'm wrong. Either way all their wire is about $1.30 a foot. Wiring should be pretty straight forward. If you've never done it before, find a friend that has and invite them over for dinner.
To finish it all off you will need a nice Edison style bulb. 1,000 bulbs has you covered there again with a decent selection of vintage bulbs priced between $2 - $12. Buy a couple extra so while you are at it to save on shipping when it burns out.
Total cost: $10.64
Metal cage $2.84
Socket $1.73
3 ft wire $4.05
1 bulb $2.02
I'm sure there will be some shipping and tax mixed in there, but that is much more reasonable sounding than $150. Plus you get to do a fun project too.
If you are looking to mix it up a little, here are some other cool things I found while searching around.
Two different wire guards from a company called Vator. Price is $5.50 each.
McGill had some of the coolest wire lamp guards I found. I emailed them to try and get pricing but never heard back. I'm sure with a little effort you could get a hold of them and place an order. Based on the nature of the website I would assume pricing is reasonable.
Lastly if you are looking for some better sockets, grandbrass seems to have a good selection. Just keep scrolling.
Pricing seems very reasonable, around $5 each. They even have some pre-wired one if the idea of wiring your own terrifies you.
I've never ordered from any of these stores, so if you decide to take on this project, let us know how it goes. We'd love to see pictures of you finished project too!
I love LOVE it when I see architects and builders working to make affordable modern housing. The 100k house was a great example of this, and now Celtic Works and Studio 2LR have come up with another shinning example. 1519 Cleveland.
This 1,120 SF single-family dwelling includes 2 bedrooms and 2 full baths with an open living/dining/kitchen space.It's located at 1519 Cleveland St. in Columbia, SC, and is listed at $130K.
Yes, you read that right. 130K for a brand new 2 bed 2 bath modern home.
Check out the 1519 Cleveland FB page for more info.
More pics and a floor plan after the jump.
Putting my pet peeve of words spelled with K's when they should be C's or Z's when they should be S's away for one second, the Klock 01 from Indonesian designer Singgih Kartono is pretty sweet. With those little legs, it almost feels like it could go all Fantasia on you while you're sleeping though. Which, I suppose, isn't necessarily a bad thing.
Made from Pine and Rosewood.
Klock 01 available from Design Public: $90
So, CB2 just released a whole slew of new products for 2011, including this here Lotus Sectional. I think I like it; I want to like it. But, truth be told, those steel legs make me feel weird. They look great on each individual section, but once you get the corner piece in there, mixed with the ottoman, and then the armless chair piece... Well, things start to get a little crazy down there. With the legs, I mean. What do you think? Like it? Love it? Think I'm crazy? To be honest, if it weren't for my mixed feelings about the legs, I'd be all over this sectional. I love the dark grey fabric and general shape. Help me out here, folks.
Lotus Sectional from CB2: $499 - $799 (sold in individual pieces)
Happy first-day-back-to-reality! Hopefully you all had a fantastic New Year's. I thought we'd take it a little easy on the first Monday of 2011 with a big heaping spoonful of eye candy. What do ya say? Yay? Fabulous. These visual treats come courtesy of Marjon Hoogervorst, a Dutch photographer with a love of (sexy) interiors and modern design. Take a peek at her images, and I think you'll see how her passion for great design shines through.
LINK: www.vorstin.nl
More pics after the jump!
[via emmas designblogg]
Tel Aviv-based shop PrintParty has a whole slew of cool hand-printed cork accessories for the home. Placemats, baskets, coasters, you name it - they're all decidedly hip and modern. My favorite are the pieces in the Forest collection, pictured above. Check out all the available goods and designs here.
Modern Cork Accessories by PrintParty: $16 - $69
When it comes to design I have a secret split personality. One part of me is in love with minimalism, while the other loves color. I fully admit I don't let the color side out enough. It's a little shy. I'm thinking a deep emersion in scandinavian design in 2011 may cure that. I'll kick start the year off with these bold and beautiful Futura trays from Swedish graphic designer Maria Holmer Dahlgren. Made from Swedish birchwood from a sustainable forest laminated with a protective (and colorful) coating. Dishwasher safe.
Triangles and geometric patterns are all the rage these days. If you're looking for a way to jump on the trend without making a huge commitment, tea towels are the way to go. This set from Normann Copenhagen includes one wildly patterned towel and two solid colors to temper all the triangular madness.
Diamond Tea Towels by Normann Copenhagen available from 2Modern: $29
I'm a big fan of carafes, although I willingly admit that I rarely use them. This picture of the "simply carafe" is almost enough to quench my thirst. As the name implies, it's simple, the way a carafe should be. It's wide mouth is accommodating when you decide you want to sass up your water with some lemon, mint or even cucumber. If you have $56 burning a hole in your pocket, treat yourself. If you are poor like me, just go buy some Voss water and keep the bottle.
I know it's way too early to be itchin' for Spring, but maybe I can start bringing a little bit of color inside with these playful tube vases from Chive. Available in sets of 8 or 12, each ceramic grouping comes with your choice of a square, rectangular, or circular base. Also available in white.
Tube Vases by Chive: $26 - $44
I discovered Aluminum Christmas trees this year, and was lucky enough to pick up a nice 7' Evergleam and color wheel for my place. I came across this fantastic How To on decorating your aluminum Christmas tree at AluminumChristmastrees.net. It's worth a read even if you don't have an aluminum tree. Check out the rest of the guide after the jump.
Via AluminumChristmasTrees.net
Brothers Don and Ryan Clark are Invisible Creature, a full service design, illustration, and art direction studio based out of Washington state. Their unique style has brought them a whole slew of accolades, including four Grammy nominations for music packaging. Other clients include Target, Nike, Esquire, and Sony to name a few. Fortunately for us little guys, their sweet illustrations are available as posters, prints, and t-shirts. My favorite is definitely the Time Will Tell t-shirt featuring a whole collection of George Nelson and other atomic-era clocks!
LINK: www.invisiblecreature.com
Prints, Posters, Apparel from Invisible Creature: $15 - $45
P.S. While you're at it, snag a peek at their super cool HQ right here!
Okay, that's it. I've decided that with all these cool wall calendars we keep finding, maybe I ought to have a "wall calendar wall"... This All Year Round calendar might be the star of the show, though! I love the color gradation and graphic quality. Beautiful, beautiful!
Made in Denmark and printed on matte paper. 27.5" x 27.5".
All Year Round Calendar available from the MoMA Store: $45
I'm telling you, that "at" symbol was made for me! Edie's Lab creates modern typographic decor and accessories using completely recycled and/or reclaimed content. From plaques to single letters, each object is handmade and available in a variety of water-based paints and finishes. Check out all the available options here, I don't think you'll be disappointed! (My other fave: walnut veneered Retro Modern Wood Letters. Hello!)
Typographic decor from Edie's Lab: $15 - $42
[via 2Modern Design Talk]
Chicago-based graphic design and screen printing studio Sonnenzimmer has some of the sweetest prints this side of anywhere. Each print is available in a limited edition and, once sold out, never printed again. What's more, these large prints (typically around 19 x 25 inches) are only a mind-boggling $40. That's total crazy talk, I say. So get 'em while they're hot... and cheap!
Limited Edition Screen Prints by Sonnenzimmer: $40
