Pendant Lamp with color cloth cord

NewImageEver since I posted about the vintage cage lights a while ago, I have been interested in making my own modern pendant light.  A lot of the parts are pretty standard, but it seemed to me that the cloth lamp cord was the chance to really make it into something amazing. I felt pretty lucky to have found out about Sundial, but a lot of their good cloth lamp cords were either sold out, or I was seeing bigger companies like Best Made use them. After a lot of searching around I was able to find a source for some fresh looking colorful cloth cord. I whipped up a few test pendants and shot some pictures of the results.

What does everyone think?

More available for sale (custom lengths etc) on my Modern Union Etsy shop.

Plus you can see some of the other colors I have on this listing here.

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Modern Coffee Tables

 

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When it comes to furniture, chairs are my first passion, but tables are a close second. I often overlook the coffee table partly because there are so many cheap coffee tables out there, but there are a lot of amazing ones too. I'm currently getting ready to move into a new home, and I'm looking to upgrade from my Ikea table I got in the "as is" section. Besides the fact that I used a sharpie to make all the scratches disappear, it's just too hight for my taste. Below is a quick round up of some that have recently caught my eye. Which one is your favorite?

(above "two leg table")

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Muji aluminum coffee table $185

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Blu Dot Ripple Square $399

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DIY Factory style cart via HGTV

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Conrad Coffee Table : Misewell $1,150

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Repurposed flat file. I'd love to find an old wood one of these. Image via Treehugger.

 

 

Also, there are the classics….

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Eames

 

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Noguchi

 

 

 

 

 

Herriott Grace

NewImageEqual parts art piece and useful kitchen utensil, Herriott Grace is making some of the best looking wooden spoons and kitchen utensils I have seen in a while. They definitely fall in the "not cheap" category, but that doesn't seem to stop them from selling.

Which is your favorite? How much would you pay for a gorgeous wooden spoon?

Herriott Grace

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Bloom Coffee table

NewImageI saw a similar looking coffee table last year in NY, and it just about blew my mind.

About:

The unique cantilevered Bloom coffee table features a salvaged Western Red cedar base fused with a colored top made of peanut and soy non-toxic resin and is finsihed with a clear lacquer.  Each base has been hand-salvaged, dried, peeled, sandblasted, and cut to size.  The fusion of the two elements creates a seamless connection that results in a heat and stain resistant surface.

Do want.

Bloom Coffee Table by Wood Design $3,900 CAD

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Gimme My Nixie!

I'm talking about the Nixie Clock, of course! Some of the older readers may know remember what I'm talking about... vintage digital display vaccuum tubes revived with new electronics as digital clocks. Let's face it, the aesthetics of modern digital clocks leave much to be desired. I vote for Nixie for my next clock sitting on my nightstand! Available as kits or completed units with stylish metal or lucite cases. However, I'm leaning toward an exotic wood cabinet from my woodshop to compliment that warm glow.... The web abounds with kits & completed units from such places as NixieClock and TubeClock. And for the DIYers, plenty of build stories like Pimp My Nixie.

 

Jielde - from factory to your desk

The Jielde lamp. Few have heard of this French pinnacle of industrial lighting design. But highly sought after by those in the know. Designed in the late 1940's by Jean-Louis Domecq (hence the initials and name JLD) as a factory or work lamp, the Jielde came into production in the 1950's. The ingenuity of the design is both amazing and timeless: No wires extend through the metal articulating arms! They come in one arm, two arms, up to 6 arms or more. Both the arms & the heavy ball joint conduct the electrical circuit to the light fixture, so no wires to worry about. The bulbous lamp shade has a 'crash guard' that is used to pull the lamp into position- no toasting your fingers on the metal lamp shade. The base is quite small as it was designed to mount to a wall or screwed to a workbench. Today, disc brake rotors or similar shapes are used as a stable base for use on a desk. The Jielde is still made today. And is very expensive. But the vintage lamps are where its at. On the recent Two and a Half Men sitcom, Walden had one on his desk!  

bedtime story anyone?

The nightly ritual of reading to kids is performed by millions of parents. It's wonderful to think of a piece of furniture made to honor this Norman Rockwell-esque moment in the lives of most children but taking it in a very modern direction. I love the clean lines, the unfinished wood, and the sophisticated color and texture of the fabric on the canopy and integrated pockets. I think more kids would fall in love with reading with this bed in their room! Source Link: http://www.handmadecharlotte.com/childs-bed-designed-bedtime-stories/

Noble Glass Tea Thermos

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Cold days call for hot drinks, and when you are on the move that means you need a good travel thermos. While there are lot's of good ones for coffee drinkers, if you are wanting to steep some tea on the run the choices are a little more slim. The Noble Travel Thermos definitely wins points for looks, but it's not all looks. It has some solid functionality as well. The stainless steel infuser holds your loose tea, and the double sided glass keeps the heat in. Available in a 12 or 16 ounce size.

Noble Glass Travel Thermos $29

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Hay : Bella Desk

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I was in the Bon Marche in Paris  today, and I was surprised to find that they had a very good selection of modern furniture.  Everything from the lovely yet semi ubiquitous Eames Lounge chair to some that I had heard of but never seen before, like the Paulistano chair. There were some really good pieces too from companies I've never heard of before. The one that caught my eye the most was the Bella Desk by Hay. The picture above doesn't really do it justice. It's well designed, well built, and reasonably affordable. If memory serves me right it was just over $1,300 EURO.

Anyone else know about Hay furniture?

Århus City Hall

NewImageWhile many people think of the iconic egg chair or swan chair when they think of Arne Jacobsen, he also enjoyed a successful career as an architect. One of his earlier commissions was the Århus City Hall in Denmark. Even if you haven't heard of the building there is a good chance you would recognize a picture of the amazing staircase.

One of the little known details of the building has recently been resurrected. Arne created all the typography for the interior signage in the building, and you can now have a little piece of it in your home. These Alfabet Cups can be ordered with the Arne Jacobsen designed letter of your choice.

Alfabet Cup EUR 14

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Modern Wooden Spoons

NewImageA while ago I decided to make my own wooden spoons. It turned out to be a lot of fun, and a lot of work. Ever sense I have a whole new appreciation for a good wooden spoon. I've been playing around with the idea for a while to do a best made style artistic spoon, but it looks like someone beat me to it. I love this collection of wooden spoons from Reine Mere, and it might even motivate me to bust out that english walnut I have laying around and carve out another set.

Wooden Spoons (five colors available) €11,50

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Please excuse me while I pay some bills...