The new thing I'm drooling over

I'd written previously about how much I really wanted a Dyson magic fan. (not its actual name, but I think we all know what I'm talking about here). Well, between getting my mini fan and not actually having a place to put the magic fan, I'm going to have to cut it from my list of awesome things to get. Womp womp. Instead, I'm going to get one of these!

House Industries has made some pretty cool things, but in a collaboration with Herman Miller of Japan, they're producing a series of tables inspired by some of House's more iconic fonts. The downside? There's only going to be 80 of them. And they're all in Japan. And you thought the Missoni for Target lines were cutthroat. However, the wire-base tables appear on my local craigslist from time to time. If I was crafty, I could probably DIY something kind of like this. But I'd feel a little guilty about modifying a vintage table, especially if it turned out badly. Anyone else ever feel furniture modification guilt? Who's booking a plane ticket to Japan to pick up one of these?

I need glasses...

... and I've found just the right sort I'm looking for.
It's (maybe a week) old news at this point, but Fishs Eddy has a lovely Todd Oldham and Charley Harper collection they've just announced. And I am all about the glasses.

(Source:Fishs Eddy)

(Source: Fishs Eddy)

What I'm also excited for is that the Alice in wonderland series is on sale. Or at least what's left of the series.

I went to the Brick House (and others) Garage sale and I got...

This sweet vase!


It was cheap, and you've got to love the colors and soft undulating pattern. I'm sorry, you have no choice but to love it. As much as you'd love a puppy.

Right now, I've got a bit of the plant that was growing in the backyard in it. When I move into the new place, I'm thinking it might get some actual flowers in it.

The joy of posters

I'm going to own real art someday. But as long as I live in substandard college housing where I can't nail anything into the wall, posters will have to do.
I'm currently in the 'cheap posters from that booth on move-in day' stage:

Chat Noir poster, with life imitating art. Yes, my wall is striped, but the colors are more saturated.
But I want to move on to bigger and better things.

























Hail Minnesota from Aesthetic Apparatus. In Minnesota Twins Red and White, so I can further pretend to care about sports. 25 dolla.
Aesthetic Apparatus also has some pretty sweet test prints, if grungy overspray mish-mash is your thing.

Eventual goal is to get an original Shag. Of course the one I really wanted to get sold out. It would have been $150. Curses.

ooh, artsy

I have a nasty habit of culling the material for this blog from a couple sources: Apartment Therapy and Desire To Inspire are two that provide most of the material here. Until I get a photo of the changes I've made to my room, here is something completely off the wall.
Erwin Olaf is a photographer based out of Amsterdam, whose photos struck me. I have fallen in love with the interiors he creates and styles for his shoots. Though his work often has a photo-shoot-ish feel, there's a lot here that grabbed me, especially the way that these first two photos have a strong narrative quality to them - like I've stumbled into the room and have interrupted something.


The furniture is what I want soooooo badly.



























Erwin Olaf(it's art, so there's the occasional nude project. Not sure if your workplace is cool with the naked human body if it's in an artsy context.)

We have in fact entered the future

Popular Mechanics and Popular Science have placed loads of their back issues on Google Books. I loved those magazines for their outlandish depictions of what the future was going to look like. We still don't have a flying car, or kitchens that cook for you

but we do have this projector from David Riesenberg:

Holy mother of cheese it is equal parts beautiful and mildly terrifying. It's a projector. It looks like it came from the prisoner or some other 1960s version of the future. It looks like it knows all your secrets. It looks like it could hover. Finally, we have achieved the future that the past wanted us to have.

The problem is, I don't need to own a TV. And this is something I've been thinking about a lot. I do everything on my laptop. Will I be weird if my first house doesn't have a TV in it at all? I feel like if you have a TV you have to have a space organized around that one thing. That's kind of a waste of space, which could be organized to highlight architectural features or to facilitate conversation.
Think you could live without a TV? What would you do differently in your home?

Thanks, Design Milk!

Affordable AND stylish LA living?

Can such a thing be true?
Gramercy Row looks like it might deliver. Units are 600-700k, which might be reasonable, given all the style and eco-friendly points it hits. I'll just ignore the fact that I'm dirt poor and try to secure a lease.
I love the design, but I'm hesitant about living in LA because public transportation is better in most third world countries, car traffic is insane once you are at the 110 through downtown or get close to k-town, and everyone's secret murderous impulses are triggered when people ride their bikes in traffic.
Enough of that, lets drool over some pictures.




Images stolen with love from the Gramercy Row website.

Sunday Showdown!

And now, a summary of all kinds of stuff that I should have blogged about earlier.
Let's start with this dresser from West Elm.

I like it.
The new color of Vipp waste cans.

I like it.

The Parlour sofa from CB2.
I like it, even though it has a superfluous 'u'.

Lastly, the arbor desk from outofstock.
I like it. You probably figured out the theme of this post by now.
I could go into the reasons why I like all of these, but I have more fun pointing out all the things I don't like about design. It's easier to get impassioned.

things I love: movie edition

Hello readers,
One thing that's lightly off topic, but still worth a gander: I love mid-century modern design, and I love comedies. So when I finally got around to seeing the French spy farce OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies, it was worth the wait. The film parodies the James Bond Eurospy movies of the 60s. Think of it as the movie Get Smart was supposed to be.
The title cards alone (done by Laurent Brett, who is clearly a master) are spot-on midcentury wonders, suitable for framing.

two lamps I like

Retro To Go highlighted this wonderful lamp from Pokono. I'm a fan of the way it melds textures and materials into something unique. I'm not a fan of the 200 dollar price tag, but you can't win them all.

Lamp number two comes to us courtesy of Cribcandy and it is a stunner. Dynamic lines combine to make a piece that looks like it could take off from the desk at any moment.

Green and white kitchen, take three

I think I'm starting a collection of these. I fully recognize that this is a look that is entirely 'of-the-moment' and will look dated in a decade's time. I also don't care.
Apartment Therapy featured this kitchen, which comes all the way from Australia.

This room uses balance so well. We've got high-impact, and almost clinical white countertops set off against organic, warm wood floors. High-contrast (almost) black and white gets mixed up with a splash of green. It's modern, it's classic, it's perfect. I may have to rescind my claim about this being a look that will age poorly. Call me in 5 years' time.

Urano Bed

I wish I had enough bedroom space to have one of these in my room. I think it makes a stunning design statement placed in the middle of the room. This is the Urano Bed, designed by Leonardo Dainelli.
Available from Falegnameria (I wish I could get a link to the specific product, but the website is flash)
Image taken from Cribcandy

A thought on open shelves

If you're going to go for open shelves in your kitchen, you have to keep your cabinets organized, because you can't hide the clutter. Ask yourself 'how organized am I?' before making the choice to add them to your kitchen.
Image from Apartment Therapy

Also, I'm a little bit in love with these checkered storage tins from Lavender and Sage. They're just that perfect cheery retro accessory for storing kitchen staples.

Wood Paneling grows up

Wood paneling without the basement rec-room feel. My unrequited love for Apartment Therapy continues with this product from B&N Industries. As far as wood paneling goes, I think that this would make an excellent choice for an accent wall, or as a great way to add texture and interest to an entryway. Just be prepared to pay a grown-up price: $600 to $1000 for the standard panels, and $1000 to $1600
I think that someone with very good Dremel skills and plenty of free time could mimic the look, so this has the potential for a DIY inspiration.

Reconciling 'car people' with 'art people'

I'm one of those car guys. The major downside to that aspect of my personality is that it's hard to bring that into design. Most car posters are perfect for garages or the bedroom walls of teenage boys. As a former teenage boy, I admit it worked well for a while.
Now I'm trying to keep things classier. And nothing says class better than rather expensive rugs. (except for caviar, roses, well-pressed tuxedo shirts and Gary Cooper).
Behold, the Oto rug from the Nought Collective

Part of me wonders why a room would need most of a 1970's station wagon on the floor. Part of me thinks that the iconic meaning of that image transcends the seemingly random nature of the design choice. And the last part of me would buy it in a heartbeat, were it either cheaper or me wealthier.
In the meantime, I'll go about seeing if I can't get a super-sized print of this image made.



Image credits:
Apartment Therapy, whom I love and adore.
Flickr

Fun little test: What's your design style

A simple 5 minute quiz from Sproost will answer what your design preferences are. The first time I took the test, the result was 60% Contemporary, 40% Vintage Modern. There's a lot of wiggle-room, and the test is about as scientific as your horoscope, but it's a great weekend time-waster.

So readers, I'm curious to figure out how y'all score.

I believe this is what they call a 'shout-out'

So, readers of my blog, one of us has recently announced a new line of upholstered furniture. As though he's not getting enough kudos and complements, I must say I like what I've seen so far. So, a big congratulations are in store to Angelo Surmelis!

More details are available at his blog. (and its a great read, so be sure to check it out)
In the meantime, check out this picture, which I've lovingly stolen from his blog. I really like the pattern: its bold without being gaudy, and works really well with the lines of the piece. I've always felt that stark, contrasting colors work best with simple patterns like this.

A few things I like.

There is a lot of design out there, and trying to keep on top of all of it is a full-time job. I haven't been able to find TOO much I'm morally opposed to, which is a good sign.

This brings me to the following few things that I really like. These Hovis tins from Pedlars. These are the perfect thing for a windowsill garden: clean lines, substantial size, and they'll take on a great patina with age.


This tealight/candle holder from Bald Man Mod. I know the picture shows four, but at time of publishing, there's only one left. I'm a big fan of the color; its the sort of grey that goes with virtually everything.



BAI design clocks
if using the word 'timeless' when describing a clock is wrong, then I don't want to be right. It's got retro style, but it would still look great in a modern kitchen.

Let's talk pets

Earlier, I made the joking comment that if your dog clashes with your color palette, you should consider getting a new dog. Bad jokes aside, this is a question that you do need to think about. Our pets scratch, shed and sometimes break things, but we love them all the same. Food, pet beds, bowls and toys all have to go somewhere.

While on the subject of bowls, I'm a little bit in love with these bowls from urban materials + accessories: Not only are they really clean looking, but my cat pushes her water bowl into the middle of the doorway and spills water everywhere. Maybe this will stop her. (Probably not)


So readers, what are your design stories involving your pets? Did Fido break your brand-new DWR lamp? Does Fluffy shed so much that you decided to save time and buy furniture to match her coat? Or have you incorporated your pets seamlessly into your design? Your comments, stories and pictures are all welcome!

urban pet bowl

The Secret to getting the Most from the Ruffle Frame Shelf

Taking a brief step aside from my typical tastes in design, I confess that I really like the look of the Ruffle frame shelf from Brocade Home. The lines may be more ornate than I usually like, but the white gives it a really clean aesthetic. Now, someone who's more crafty than me could replicate the look with an old frame and paint.
Okay, fine, what's the secret? You've got a white background, so the lines of whatever you put on it stand out more: this shelf makes things look better. This means the less you've got on the shelf, the better it works.

Ruffle Frame Shelf, On sale, $199.