I wish this existed when I got married. CB2 is offering a 42-piece dinner set for four for a mere $99. That's right people. Four square dinner plates, dessert plates, and soups bowls. Four marta coolers and double old-fashioned glasses. Six sets of knives, forks, and spoons. And four basket weave placemats in your choice of green, blue, black, or white. FOR $99!! That is absolutely nuts! Even though I already have a flatware set.. and drinking glasses.. and placemats.. I really want to get this! You can never have enough glasses, right? That's what I thought.
So, you have a bunch of wooden hangers, a bike rim, chain ring and a bunch of zip ties laying around. What are you going to do with them. The obvious answer for Organelle Design was to make a chandelier. I love repurposed design, and the Hanglier chandelier is no disappointment. Drop us an email if you decide to try you hand at making your own. Of course for those that aren't as brave, you can purchase a finished Hanglier from Etsy for $300.
I didn't realize people still used doilies, but if you're one of them, at least make it a Doileez from Modern Twist.
About: Bringing optimum functionality and style to the home, the eco-friendly and reusable silicone Doileez come in minimalist patterns that protect furniture surfaces, while adding a stylish design element to modern decor. It is available in a range of patterns including clusters and loop. These food safe, hand-silk-screened Doileez, are easy to clean and provide a variety of uses. Use them under vases, table centerpieces or to decorate food presentations at parties.
I've mentioned GIlt before, and even though I don't usually get too wrapped up in discount designer websites I continue to find myself quite smitten with GIlt. While it started out as a mostly women's site with a couple of home items, it has had some nice additions as of late. The Gilt website now has a mens specific section as well as a travel section. In addition, they have a great iPhone app that will even remind you when sales are starting and let you purchase straight from the app. Speaking of sales, starting today they have some Areaware goodies on sale, and later in the week some Alessi. I've also got my eye on the Adiadas Consortium and Timbuk2 goodies. As always, GIlt is for members only. Sign up here.
Since things are turning a bit chilly in these parts, my mind has turned towards staying warm. Our home does not have a fireplace, so we would need some sort of free-standing indoor variety. I ran across this unique fireplace concept from industrial designer Camillo Vanacore. It is made from a special kind of ceramic that turns transparent with heat. When the fireplace is off, it appears white, but as things heat up it becomes clear, allowing for an unhindered view of the fire inside. As it cools down, it returns to its original appearance. While still just a concept, the idea is interesting. I'd love to see this in other shapes besides a cylinder, although the resemblance to a giant light bulb is pretty cool.
What other uses could you think of for this unique kind of ceramic?
Can you recommend any other modern indoor fireplaces?
If you love classic mid century furniture and live near Scottsdale Arizona, mark your calendars. Jason Hill will be showing his latest work in a solo exhibition Dec 4th - 12th at the Scottsdale Design Within Reach.
Hill premieres “Tulip/Swan/Diamond/Egg”, his latest series of silkscreen prints this December at Design Within Reach, in Scottsdale. The new artworks are screen-printed interpretations of iconic chair designs by Eero Saarinen, Harry Bertoia, and Arne Jacobsen. Four different designs will be available in a limited edition of ten prints, each retaining it's own delightfully handcrafted character.
About Jason Hill
A prolific print maker, photographer, and painter, Jason Hill has exhibited work 30 times in the last four years. Best known for his artful depictions of historic and mid-century Arizona architecture, his work is cherished by hundreds of collectors around the world. His solo exhibitions in Phoenix include “Retro-Futurism,” “Visions of a Modern Oasis,” “Polynesian Pop!" and "Icons of Phoenix.”
I AM SO EXCITED! I love CB2 (in case you didn't know that by now), but my favorite things are always the Christmas ornaments and holiday decorations. My husband can attest - our tree is about 70% CB2. I think with these new ornaments it might get bumped up to 80 or 90% this year.
Where are your favorite places to get ornaments? Do you know of any other shops selling affordable, modern-looking Christmas/Holiday decor? Share!
While I'm a big fan of metal lunch boxes, I have to admit that these insulated ones from Dante Beatrix are probably a lot more functional. Made from laminated canvas they help keep your kids food fresh for lunchtime. In addition to being a good insulator, the canvas also makes it extremely durable and easy to clean. There is even a name tag on the back just in case some other lucky kid has a identical monkey lunchbox.
I stumbled across Johannes Heuckeroth's architectural photography portfolio and thought its beauty and awesomeness were too great not to share! He has such an incredible eye - the black and white photos are particularly stunning.
The bent ply stool certainly isn't a new theme, but the Peque stool designed by Marko Brajovic is certainly a wonderfully fresh looking design. A multi year collaboration between Marko and Brazilian bamboo manufacturing company TIVA Design, the Peque is as high tech as it is good looking. Built out of FSC certified MDF and Bamboo and finished with water based non toxic paints and varnishes it's good for the planet too.
A dollhouse for the eco-kid: Earth-friendly dollhouse is a natural fit for the eco-conscious family. House features a play wind turbine, solar cell panel, a barrel for collecting rain and recycle bins. Shade canopy can be pulled down to prevent or allow wind and sunlight (or little brothers) from coming through. Furniture sets included.
If you're serious about being green, shouldn't your kid's dollhouse reflect that too? Probably. This toy puts its money where its mouth is: the home is constructed of replenishable rubberwood while the furniture and accessories are all made from recycled materials. It seems a little pricey at $229, but you pay for what you get. I mean, can you really put a price on instilling earth-friendly values that will eventually save you (and them) much more than the cost of the toy? Of course, do you need a toy to teach them these principles? Conundrum!
I'll admit there's a lot of junk on Flickr, but every now and then you find some real gems, like these shots from Lori Andrew's interior design portfolio. She has such a great sense of design and I love how she is able to combine styles to create truly unique interiors. I don't know about you, but whenever I see such great interior shots, I want to rearrange my whole house! Lots of inspiring images after the jump!
Check out the whole set here.
With the waning daylight it is becoming evermore apparent that we need to finally get a pendant light put up over our kitchen table. While we originally had planned on putting a nice (1) Nelson Bubble up, we are definitely looking for other budget options too. Lights like the (2) Sol Pendant Lamp from CB2 are simple and have a nice pop of color, but at nearly half the price of a bubble I'm not sure it's worth it. Ikea has some nice options, from the ultra budget (3) KNAPPA to the slightly more expensive (4) KULLA or (5) BRASA. Lastly there is the prospect of doing a DIY similar to (6) MOOOI Random light (or the super budget UK knock off by (7) Wilko). All the choices have my head spinning. Any suggestions?
It's been a long while since we have been looking at strollers. Our Bob Revolution is still a strong performer and will only be retired when we move up to the double. That being said, if we were in the market, this Japanese stroller from Curio would be causing a great deal of envy. Designed for the compact environment of city streets in Japan, the Avventura is compact, versatile and efficient. It will pass through even the skinniest of subway gates, has room for a grocery basket, and the fabric section is even removable for washing. If anyone has information on pricing, pass it on in the comments. More pics after the jump.
I love that these can be used as individual waste bins or connected together for a complete recycling system. They're available in eight colors and are great for small spaces and/or garages. Mount them to the wall to free up floor space!
About: Within little more than a meter, TOP separates more than 100 liters of waste. The lids of the light grey plastic bins cover up the bags but also identify the contents of each via colors. TOP is handy...literally: it can be operated with one hand. A nudge to the counter-balanced handle opens it automatically, and another nudge closes it. Each bin can hold up to 25 liters, and comes with a series of stickers to help distinguish contents.
Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer is perhaps one of the most important names in international architecture. At 101 he might just be the oldest practicing architect ever. I've got a special place in my heart for Brazilian architecture, and Niemeyer is the builder of it.
Having spare change is not a big problem for me as I rarely pay for anything with cash these days, but if you are the kind of person that usually ends up with some extra coinage in your pocket this coin storage may be heaven sent. Designed to hold your keys and whatever other random items you keep in your pocket, and be a coin bank to store those unwanted pennies it's the best of both worlds. Available in white or black with a wood bottom.
If you've been looking around for some affordable artwork, consider these fun, 60s-style mod illustrations from Spanish designer Blanca Gómez. Blanca sells her digital illustrations through her Etsy shop Cosas Minimas for about $30. If several prints strike your fancy, consider taking advantage of this offer: a set of 4 for $75!
I love it when people think outside of the box. For instance, why does a smoke detector have to attach right to the ceiling? What if it was a attractive orb that could be snapped onto a pendant light? Snapalarm does just that. Winner of a Red Dot design award, this is the first smoke detector I have seen that completely breaks free of the typical design. Available in black or white to fit in with your decor. So is a wart on a lamp cord better looking than a wart on your ceiling?
The bent ply stool certainly isn't a new theme, but the 
Lots of inspiring images after the jump!
