I know it hasn't been too long since I posted a video of Dieter Rams, but I just can't get enough of his amazing product design.

Enjoy!

Ruka-Ruka is a London-based, family-run print studio specializing in custom prints. I love their bold, retro style, especially in their London, Paris, and New York prints! Personalized birth date prints are also available in a wide range of colors. (A great gift idea for a new, hip parent!) Be sure to check out the full range of available prints here. You can also purchase prints through SuperMarket.

Prints by Ruka-Ruka: $25 - $42 (personalized)

I'm not even going to try and defend this one as affordable, but I will say that it has to be one of the best looking cribs I have ever seen. In fact pretty much everything from Australian based Ubabub makes me swoon.

Pod Cot crib $1700 Bed conversion $180

The Nifty Timber crib shown above is equally attractive and slightly more affordable at $1075. Of course there is still the problem that there are no US distributers so shipping stateside is going to be a huge pain down under.

If you are in Salt Lake and you are looking for a screaming deal on a contemporary concrete sink, jump for joy. I just spotted these "prototypes" on KSL for $25 each. According to the ad, they may have some slight blemishes, but for $25 I think that could be overlooked.

$25 Concrete sinks on KSL

These gorgeous bamboo bird feeders and houses are handmade by Oryx and Crake Design in Rochester, New York. Suitable for most small to medium birds, each piece is coated with a matte outdoor weather proofing seal, ensuring a long life and preserving the natural beauty of the material. Includes everything you need to hang from your favorite tree!

Modern birdhouse and feeder by Oryx and Crake Design: $95

More pics after the jump!

It's hard to believe it's that time already, but the 2011 Ikea catalogue is officially available online! I haven't had a lot of time to go through it yet, but so far I'm most excited about the induction cook top for $1,000. We love our induction, and this will bring them down to a much more reasonable price.

What's your favorite new item?

Ikea 2011 catalogue

Flat-packed, self-assembly lamps are all the rage, right? I'm definitely digging this one by designer Simon Karkov for Normann Copenhagen.

Simon says about the design: "I have worked on Norm 06 for the last 3-4 years and just like many of my other projects I had to leave my idea for a while and look at it again a couple of months later. The design is inspired by nature, by the lilies and the water lilies. Norm 06 nicely follows the Danish design tradition for lamp shades with its shielding of the bulb and the soft light."

Did you hear that? This baby took three to four years of serious thinking, but can be yours for a mere $66 and a few minutes of assembly time. Fair trade, really.

Norm 06 Lamp available from Design Public: $66 - $128

As you may already know, we are big fans of monsters at our house. This great kids storage concept is a winner of the 2010 IDEA Design award. Not only is it a place to store toys, but it is also a ride on toy as well. Unfortunately no word on wether it will go into production or not.

More pictures and video after the jump.

via

I post a lot about dog products (what can I say, I'm biased), but I thought I ought to give the cat lovers amongst us something to smile about, too! Enter Modernist Cat, a Seattle-based design studio bringing the Mid-Century Modern aesthetic into the realm of dual-purpose pet furniture. From end tables to stools, each piece functions as a beautiful hideaway, play area, or den for your feline friend. Handcrafted from Russian Baltic Ply, each item is made to order and built to last. Be sure to check out all the available designs here or here.

Modern Cat Furniture by Modernist Cat: $199 - $299

A friend of mine recently asked me for recommendations for a good teapot. While I don't necessarily think that the Oiva Teapot by Marimekko is the end all of teapots, I do think it is one of the nicer ones I've seen in a while.

Oiva Teapot by Marimekko $66

What's your favorite teapot/kettle?

Wow! These ceramic pieces from Sometimes She Does are super fresh (and fun)! My favorite pieces are from the Foresta Collection, including these amazing bowls. Whether you choose a mug, a bowl, or a plate, you can feel extra cool by knowing that each piece is completely unique and one of a kind. Be sure to check out all the available collections here. For more images, check out the Sometimes She Does flickr stream!

Ceramics by Sometimes She Does: $24 - $52

In 1948 the Museum of Modern Art in conjunction with a group of retailers and manufactures organized the "International Competition for Low-Cost Furniture Design". The purpose behind the competition was thus:

To serve the needs of the vast majority of people we must have easily moved, stored, and cared for; in other words, mass-produced furniture that is planned and executed to fit the needs of modern living, production and merchandising.

Seems like we could use a little bit of that now a days. Donald R Knorr was co-awarded first prize in the Seating Units category for his side chair entry. The design was manufactured out of a sheet of metal painted in crack resistent paint. It was produced by Knoll.

This photo was captured for the April 1949 issue of House and Garden Pictured standing left to right: Don R Knorr, Robin day, Clive Latimer, Professor Georg Leowald. Middle row left to right David Pratt, Charles Eames, Alexey Brodovitch James Prestini. Front row left to right John McMorran Jr., John O'Merrill Jr.

Read the original press release about the winners.

Side chair images courtesy of MoMA

I spotted this great* poster from Olly Moss for his friend's upcoming Mad Men party. I don't know about you, but I can hardly contain my excitement for the new season! Only two more days! I've already exhausted all the little online games, including the one where I was offered a position as Senior Partner and the one where my dog played the part of Roger Sterling. And really, you can only Mad Men yourself so many times... or can you? So, let's hear. How excited are you for the new season of Mad Men? Any themed parties in the works?

See more: www.ollymoss.com

*minus the misspelling of Jon Hamm!

Last week I introduced a new project going up near downtown Salt Lake dubbed House 2 (as it is the second house the architect designed for this lot). Today I'm happy to announce that there is some great progress on the project. We are stepping into it a couple weeks in, and to date the footing foundation has been poured complete with radiant tubing in place. All the concrete will be exposed in the finished home and it has already been sealed and saw cut. There are some imperfections in the finish (aren't there always) but to me that is some of the charm of exposed concrete. Framing has started and will likely be finished in the next week or so. It's exciting to see the home taking shape, and I can already tell there are going to be some great spaces. In the photo above you can see the Architect looking out on the courtyard that is accessed from the kitchen and bedrooms. I can't wait to see that the huge open space in the foreground get filled up with a nice sliding glass door.

More pics after the jump.

View from the kitchen area looking through the future slider into the courtyard. Hard to tell from the photo, but the slider will 8'+ tall.

Another view from the livingroom/kitchen area. This time looking down the hallway towards the bedrooms. You can see all the radiant tubing poking out of the concrete on the left.

This gives you a little perspective of how the house sits relative to the neighbors. It's a typical skinny downtown lot but the design should still afford a lot of privacy.

I know it's been a while since I posted about mortar and pestles, but don't you worry. The obsession is still alive and well, re-ignited by this beautiful set from Sagaform. A simple oak base and a pressed stoneware ball function as one of the most minimal mortar and pestles I've ever seen. It's so lovely in fact, I think I'd have a hard time actually using it! Which is OK by me, it would make a beautiful objet d'art just sitting on the counter.

Designed by Pascal Charmolu for Sagaform.

Mortar and Pestle by Sagaform available from Burke Decor: $24

I have a confession to make. I am a bag whore. Specifically a messenger bag whore. I have a couple that I cycle through, including two timbuk2 bags. So when Nau offered to send me their Motil Commuter bag to review I was all over it. At first blush what really sets the Motil (and all of Nau's clothes) apart from the rest is the fact that it is made from 100% recycled content, right down to the recycled wool felt on the shoulder pad. After a week or so of using it daily, I must say I am really impressed with the overall design. My only two complaints are that it's not as easy to adjust the shoulder strap as my Timbuk2 and the waist strap seems a little more clumsy. As a result, when I'm doing more than just casual riding, I'll probably grab my timbuk2, but for the rest of the time the Motil has won my heart.

Motil commuter bag $225 from Nau

Make sure you check out their Grant for Change page too where you can vote on what non profit should receive a $10,000 grant.

WhoooOooa. How about a little op art for your light fixtures? The Submarine Lamp Shade attaches easily to ceiling or floor lights and brings a great pop of 60s style along with it. Ships flat packed and assembles in minutes. Available in white or yellow.

Submarine Lamp Shade available from GSelect: $99

Who's Bob you ask?

Bob's Your Uncle is a Boston Based wholesale gift and greeting card company founded by Martin and Michele Yeeles in 2001. Originally from England, they moved to the states in 1993 "just for a year or two" and have been in Boston ever since.

My favorite find are their melamine plates and trays, especially the Arrow set. Clever, unique, attractive, and like all melamine goodness, ohh so affordable.

Melamine tray's and plates from Bob's your uncle. Starting at $20.

Take the outdoor room concept to the next level with these wireless, solar-powered lamps from IKEA. Whether hung from a tree or awning, they're sure to make your yard feel a little more cozy. Available as a table lamp or hanging pendant in white, black, or red.

Solig Lights from IKEA: $19.99

I remember when shopping for wall tile I was looking for something other than the standard dimension tiles. While it sounds simple enough, it proved to be difficult to find, especially in the sub $10 sq/ft market. That's why I was excited to hear about the Intensity line by Atlas Concorde. It comes in a 12" x 36" wall tile, and it can be had for around $6 sq/ft. It's available in a variety of colors and textures, some of which are nice and some a little over the top.

Atlas Concorde Intensity

US Distribution by Daltile