Design*Sponge

sorry for the slow loading

2007-10-02T10:33:00.003-05:00

sorry for the slow loading guys- we're switching to a dedicated server to handle the traffic on a new site. we're working on it. so sorry! grace

DESIGNSPONGEONLINE.COM

2007-10-01T10:00:00.000-05:00

we've moved! please visit DESIGNSPONGEONLINE.COM for all new content from design*sponge. this site will remain for the time being to prevent any broken links. see you at the new site!

the last post of the old d*s

2007-09-27T06:57:00.001-05:00

this is a bittersweet post to write, as it will be the last one written on this site before the new one goes live. blogger has been so good to me over the past three years but i'm excited to move to a new platform with more capabilities and an improved layout. on monday morning (october 1, 2007) design*sponge will be moving to:

DESIGNSPONGEONLINE.COM

PLEASE NOTE: the site will not load until 10 am on monday morning. until then it will be password protected.

all of the old content has been migrated to the new site, categorized and arranged in a way that makes the site so, so much easier to use. you can browse by categories, look at event calendars, read the guest blog on the same page as the main posts and see some of the many new features we've added to the site (including new people!). i've also answered some FAQ's in the comment section below.

ac and i are headed to montauk today for a much needed break before the new site launches. i have oodles of glitches to fix today so i'll be working on the new site and getting our sneak peek ready for monday. so i hope you all have a wonderful weekend, thank you for all of your support over the last three years. i'll see you on monday morning at 10 am at the new d*s: designspongeonline.com!

ps: the new feed is right here- in case you're reading via a feeder

[photo above from studio job for super design at covent garden]

nuggets

2007-09-27T06:00:00.000-05:00

my friend jennifer is obsessed with all things faux-wood. give her a good bark print and she's in heaven. she picked up a few of these little stitched nuggets from small stump the other day and now i have major nugget envy. they are so sweet and small- anything that fits perfectly in your palm has such a nice, comforting feel. you can pick up individual faux-wood nuggets right here for $16 each.

minimalist birdhouse

2007-09-26T14:00:00.000-05:00

inspired by the modern birdhouse we talked about a few months back, d*s reader courtney of two straight lines decided to create her own version, using eco (and bird) friendly materials. and to be honest, i like hers better! she used a found gourd that she painted with non-toxic paint and used little twigs as the perch. couldn't be cuter if she tried. [thanks, courtney!]

library love (part deux)

2007-09-26T13:00:00.000-05:00

d*s reader sam just sent this photo over after seeing jennifer's colorful libary below. ~~sam's not sure where the photo came from (if anyone knows please let us know below so i can properly credit the mag or owner~~) but we're both in awe of the sheer rainbow of color. this photo is from the home of flickr user chotda. [thanks, sam!]

creative painting

2007-09-26T12:00:00.000-05:00

yesterday i spent the afternoon painting a second coat of paint on our dining room walls. i figured some of the splotchy bits would show up in photos so i should really get around to fixing that. halfway through the painting i was cursing our uneven walls and my short legs for not being able to reach the top despite standing on the tallest chair we have. so i took a break and read an email from d*s reader nikki. after seeing what SHE did with paint in her home i felt like a total loser for complaining about a single plain room. nikki received a lighting fixture from a designer friend and decided to mimic the shape of the lamp in paint on the ceiling. it's such an unexpected but beautiful detail. then she added a slew of stripes on the wall by her door and i was suddenly filled with the desire to stripe our whole home. it looks so pretty and really gives life to what could have been a cold studio space. stay tuned for a full sneak peek of nikki's home on the new d*s next week. [thanks, nikki!]

parachutes

2007-09-26T11:30:00.000-05:00

i'm loving these parachute bike cards from etsy seller two guitars. i have a thing for bike prints (i'm dying to upholster a chair in julia rothman's bicycle print) right now and these are just what i've been looking for. you can pick up a set of 10 cards for $5 right here.

flor

2007-09-26T10:12:00.000-05:00

whoever is behind the styling in the new flor catalog is doing a fantastic job. we have some flor in the house but ours never manages to look this clean and cool. i particularly love the vintage furniture they're using in the shots- it really blends modern and traditional brilliantly. click here for more information on flor.

library love

2007-09-26T09:00:00.000-05:00

one day when we have room for two seperate rooms of books i'm going to hijack our collection and arrange half of it by color. right now ac prefers to arrange by theme but if this picture of jennifer's home from the domino decorating contest is any indicator- color looks way, way cooler. love that chest of drawers by the front door, too. so cute!

sample sale

2007-09-26T07:52:00.000-05:00

as part of the dumbo art under the bridge festival this weekend sesame letterpress and mooontree arts are having a sample sale this saturday and sunday (SEPT 29-30) at their studio (55 washington street, suite 608) from 11-5 pm. i attended last year and it was a great way to pick up some gorgeous letterpress goods for a discounted price so if you're in the area be sure to stop by! ac and i are taking one last weekend trip before the new site launches so i won't be there but hopefully some of you guys can attend!

20x200

2007-09-25T11:35:00.000-05:00

one more quick thing- jen bekman's new 20x200 project is a wonderful resource for affordable prints. i'm loving this "ny.07.#20" print by jennifer sanchez. you can choose from three sizes of prints ranging from $20 to $200 to $2,000. such a fun idea. click here to browse the full 20x200 selection.

the sound of panic

2007-09-25T11:00:00.000-05:00

today i'm heading out early to work on finishing up our apartment. the other day it hit me: i promised i'd do a sneak peek of our house as the first post on the new site and the house isn't done. eek! it will never be totally done but there's a lot that could be finished up today so i'm going to head out early to finish some painting, find some much needed details and make things a little spiffier for the big reveal next monday. so stay tuned, monday i'll introduce the new d*s (some new team members!) and our little d*s home. can't wait!

judy ross

2007-09-25T09:20:00.000-05:00

textile designer judy ross just launched two beautiful new collections of pillows and rugs. in addition to new styles and colorways, the pillow collection includes two styles with metallic rayon thread that give each piece a little extra shimmer. i've always loved judy's work and her way with color so i'm thrilled to see the new patterns that combine grey and yellow (my favorite color combo) as well as the new pattern, "carousel" (seen above in rug form). judy's site is being updated and will soon have e-commerce but for now you can contact the studio directly (212-352-1920) to buy any of the pieces above (pillows start at $190 and rugs start at $80 per square foot). enjoy! [thanks, judy!]

boston design guide

2007-09-24T15:11:00.000-05:00

i've wanted to put together a boston design guide for some time. it's one of the cities readers request guides for most often but sadly i always end up forgetting to take my camera around with me when we visit ac's family outside of the city. thankfully, while chatting with the lovely elisabeth of black pearl press she offered to help me out, as she's an actual local and we share the same love of local boutiques and an aversion to big box brands. her finds (with a few of my personal favorites added in) are now in guide form- arranged by neighborhood- and perfect for anyone heading up to boston on weekend vacations or over the holiday. elisabeth also included some great places to eat while you're shopping so click here to read the full guide. happy boston shopping! [as always, feel free to leave suggestions and we'll update them as we go along]

[stay tuned next week for the new d*s and a guide to chicago design!]

[Photos above: Good and Hudson, home stores in Boston]>

office help update

2007-09-24T12:31:00.000-05:00

with the help of your reader suggestions mk made some (fast!) changes to her office. i just wanted to share the new orange and blue theme she set up over the weekend. that's some quick painting!

walteria living + mark mothersbaugh

2007-09-24T11:00:00.000-05:00

i've been a big fan of mark mothersbaugh's music for some time now. his soundtracks always have such an wonderful, otherworldy feel and a sense that whoever is tinkering with the blips and bleeps really knows what they're doing. the life aquatic was one of my favorites as well as the simple theme he created for the rugrats animated show years ago. i couldn't stand the show but i loved the music. so it's no surprise that mark's new collection with walteria living would be just as interesting. mark's black forest collection features imagery that is a digital mutation of an illustration from a nineteenth-century pictorial archive of avian species. in addition to the black forest collection (which includes a 5-piece place setting and cuckoo clock), mark is releasing a series of vases and plates called the postcard diaries. inspired by downtime during world-wide devo tours in which mark would draw on the back of postcards to send to friend and family, this series is fascinating in the way that we catch a glimpse into the artist's private, very personal thoughts and drawings. you can find more information on mark mothersbaugh's new work with walteria living right here.

in addition to mark's work there are beautiful new pieces from kathleen at walteria as well. i'm smitten with the bespoke series of cast pendants and endangered species bracelets (made of porcelain with a portion of the proceeds going to the wspa). they have such a rich, exotic feel to them and they can be custom monogrammed for gifts. you can view the entire collection right here and contact walteria if you're interested in any of the designs above. [thanks, kathleen!]

coe & waito

2007-09-24T08:42:00.000-05:00

i'm always so thrilled to hear from alissa and carly at coe & waito- they were a big hit here last august and ever since i've been a huge fan of their work. now alissa and carly have launched a new collection of small bottles inspired by memories of antique bottles they dug up as children. made of slip cast porcelain with a creamy clear glaze, each bottle is embellished with platinum decals of insects, weeds, roots, and dirt, as if they were just pulled from the ground. you can choose from three shapes (measuring appx. four by two inches) for $68 each.

in addition to their beautiful new bottle collection, coe & waito have introduced a family of three spoons made of slip cast porcelain, unglazed and sanded smooth. there are three variations available: long ($32), medium ($30), and small ($28). the spoons are my absolute favorite and remind me of the wonderful back and forth on blogs like skinny laminx, hoping for happy accidents, lena corwin and port2port in which people sent each other photos of spoons in their home. you can find more information and purchase coe & waito's new products right here, at their newly updated website. [thanks to alissa and carly for the tip!]

[please note: carly and alissa added that because the spoons are unglazed, they will acquire a patina if used with highly pigmented foods/liquids]

guide to mirrors + weekly wrap up

2007-09-21T13:00:00.000-05:00

earlier this week i uploaded a guide to wall mirrors i've been working on for a few days. ac and i are looking for a mirror for our bedroom and i found some pretty spectacular (and affordable!) mirrors out there. the slideshow is grouped into categories like frameless, sunburst, etched, decorative frames, wooden and much more. this was one of my favorite slideshows i've done in a while- something about seeing all these beautiful mirrors together makes me really happy. one day when i can afford a big fancy mirror i'm definitely snagging this one. in the meantime, we went with this one. click here to check out the full slideshow and here to check out the rest of the guides i've done so far (lighting, budget lighting, desks, bedding, beds, dining chairs and sofas). i hope you all have a great weekend- i'll see you next week for the last full week of blogging on the old site (before we move to the new site)! below are highlights from this week:

architectural wall panels: perfect for inspiration boards
sneak peek: copenhagen book store
interior design: carla lane interiors
ceramics: new from feinedinge
sneak peek: sulu design
sneak peek: pink and black
new textile designs: mise en scene
reader suggestions: office design help
ugliest pillow contest contestants and winners!
sneak peek: office makeovers

american craft

2007-09-21T12:30:00.000-05:00

for me, this week's theme was all about "craft". wednesday night i attended the re-launch party for american craft magazine, followed by dinner at craftbar and then a lecture last night with rena tom and amy shaw at the american craft council library. former dwell editor andrew wagner is the new editor-in-chief of american craft magazine and has given the book a complete overhaul. i've spend the last two days pouring through the pages being pretty blown away by not only the gorgeous stories on artists and their studios but the little details like font choice, new page layouts (some of which reminded me of dwell) and their experimentation with cover flaps (when you turn the flap over, rather than an ad, there's a beautiful photo of the cover artist's work with a brief description and teaser for the story inside). some people at the party mentioned having an issue with the international craft coverage inside and the fact that a french artist (the incredible nathalie lete) graces the cover but ultimately after reading through it i agreed with andrew who said, "we're taken with all of the energy emanating from makers in the united states and abroad. w wanted to capture as much of that as possible." there is plenty to see and some truly goregous photography inside so if you're near a bookstore i highly suggest picking up a copy. and definitely check out the story on nathalie lete's work and home- you'll love it. [guide to mirrors next!]

plum

2007-09-21T11:43:00.000-05:00

i'm not a big brown, red and orange person so when fall comes around i always have a tough time adjusting to an autumnal color palette. but these colors seem like a nice compromise to me. i've been looking for fabric to upholster the bench at the foot of our bed and this palette seems rich and warm without being too much in the "fall leaves" direction. plus i'm a big fan of plum. you can pick up yardage of this fabric for $8.50 right here. [stay tuned for a new guide next!]

ugliest pillow winner(s)!

2007-09-21T10:45:00.000-05:00

well the results are in and after what has to be the most commented-on post i've ever done, the winner of the ugliest pillow contest is.....#3: phyllis! her fungus-filled craft project gone-wrong pillow was a landslide winner and she'll be receiving two brand new thomas paul pillows of her choice courtesy of pillows and throws.

and, as a special surprise, thomas paul himself decided to offer up to pillows himself to replace his personal favorite, #9: karen. so both karen and phyllis will be freed from a life of ugly pillows. thanks so much to everyone to entered, voted and to pillows and throws and thomas paul for providing us with pretty pillows to replace these seriously ugly accessories.

rust designs

2007-09-21T08:23:00.001-05:00

jessica just sent over these beautiful new bowls from her fall collection. this limited edition serving bowl is one of 50 produced and has an exterior coated with a 14k gold finish. you can pick up one of these limited edition bowls right here for $75 each. [thanks, jessica!]

sneak peek: office makeover

2007-09-21T07:16:00.000-05:00

d*s reader cassie sent over some fantastic photos of what must be the world's coolest advertising agency. apparently the white walls and awful built-ins with imitation formica were killing the creative spirit so the agency decided that a make-over was in order. cassie's bosses gave each employee a $300 allowance (some used additional funds of their own) plus a new desk and new chair to redo their cubicles. cassie said that at first they thought it might end up looking like a carnival, but they all were pleasantly surprised. "now we each truly have our own space. and it is “almost” as pleasant as coming home. certainly defines our creativity, which in fact is our job.". i love this idea and the results are pretty impressive. you can click here for larger versions of these photos or scroll down to see some of the results. [thanks, cassie!]

ugliest pillow contest: vote!

2007-09-20T12:00:00.000-05:00

after a few days of wading through everyone's ugliest pillow entries i feel like i need to take a shower. i saw some serious nastyness and some downright ugly pillows (why so many puppy pillows?). the top 10 finalists are now going public with their hidden shame and it's up to you guys to vote for who you think is the WORST. the winner will receive two brand new thomas paul pillows (of their choice) to replace their ugly one, courtesy of pillows and throws. each finalist is below so check them out and leave your vote (please use the numbers provided) in the comment section below. voting will close on friday morning at 9 am and the winner will be announced that afternoon. thanks to everyone who entered!

[Entry #1: Illeana]

[Entry #2: Rebecca]

[Entry #3: Phyllis]

[Entry #4: Sharon]

[Entry #5: Jessica G.]

[Entry #6: Sarah]

[Entry #7: Wilhelm]

[Entry #8: Jamie]

[Entry #9: Karen]

[Entry #10: Rachel]

ayumi horie

2007-09-20T10:15:00.000-05:00

artist ayumi horie is having a fantastic studio sale on october 6 and 7 with artists michael connelly, tim rowan and kathy erteman. the sale is held at a beautiful church in cottekill, ny (a little less than 2 hours from nyc) and is definitely worth the trip up if you're in the area. i'm going to see if i can drag ac and watch the leaves change while i look through tables of beautiful pottery. click here for more information. [thanks, ayumi!]

arien valizadeh

2007-09-20T10:04:00.000-05:00

i love this piece by los angeles based artist, arien valizadeh. [via fecalface]

proud fm

2007-09-20T08:57:00.000-05:00

i just wanted to thank proud FM in toronto for having me on the radio this morning! to my surprise hosts mary jo and ken invited me to talk about fall design trends this morning and we had a blast- i even got to sing etsy's praises a bit. thanks so much for having me guys!

office suggestions?

2007-09-20T08:00:00.000-05:00

d*s reader mk has what i think is a pretty adorable office. but after seeing yesterday's pink and black office she wanted to see if you guys had any ideas for her to help jazz things up a bit. i think it would be fun to paint the walls, reupholster the chair and find a funky chandelier to add some flair. i'd love to see some of these pieces in the room (i'm still really into yellow right now), but what do you guys think? mk is all ears!

tay lighting

2007-09-19T12:00:00.000-05:00

gorgeous pendant lamps from tay lighting, via irene at bloesem. [i'm heading out early to today to finish up some work on the new site and some projects around the house. stay tuned tomorrow for the ugly pillow finalists!]

maison et objet

2007-09-19T11:30:00.000-05:00

kristina at three layer cake has been sifting through hundreds of photos from her trip to maison et objet. i'd hoped to attend to with her but i wasn't able to this year so for now i'll have to drool over her beautiful shots of the fair (i love the photos of the heels she saw women wearing). looks like as far as trends are concerned yellow is still all over the place and resin is popular for furniture and accessories. click here for kristina's full coverage. [kristina will be producing a column for d*s in october combining my two favorite things: designers and food. stay tuned!]

mise en scene

2007-09-19T10:37:00.000-05:00

designers stephanie oh and kyoko kato met in 2004 at a surface design class held at F.I.T. they bonded quickly over their shared love of pattern and color and decided to work together on a collection of textile designs that are all hand-drawn, hand-painted or hand-rendered. all of their colors are custom-mixed and each design is printed by hand using silkscreens. currently stephanie and kyoko are looking to expand their capabilities by working with a textile silkscreen print company to create larger fabric rolls so i thought i'd see if anyone out there knew of a good domestic company with whom they could work? thanks for any tips. in the meantime, if you're interested in any of their designs you can send an email right here for more information and pricing.

sneak peek: pink and black

2007-09-19T09:30:00.000-05:00

d*s reader meagan goldberg is a graphic designer who lives my fantasy life. she decided she wanted to paint her office bright pink and well, she did. i have dreams about painting several rooms of our house a soft pink but i just don't think it would fly with ac. meagan however designed her dream pink office and sent it along after she read the pink + black article i wrote for etsy. she was kind enough to share a few extra pictures and i'm so happy that someone out there can have a bright pink room if they want to. great work meagan- thanks for sharing!

alphabet poster

2007-09-19T07:00:00.000-05:00

jon at standard motion and his lovely wife mindy are expecting their first child this fall. in preparation jon designed this cute alphabet poster for their soon-to-be son. i personally like the "N is for Noodles" picture but you can check out the full piece right here and shop more of jon's fantastic work.

sneak peek: sulu design

2007-09-18T13:00:00.000-05:00

last week kelly at hoping for happy accidents emailed me about a gorgeous home belonging to sulu design artist, susan lutjen. i immediately checked her website and was blown away by her bautiful portland, oregon home. not to mention the fact that they only moved in one month ago- wow (it's taken us two years to move in fully). susan was kind enough to share some additional photos of her home with us to create a full-sized sneak peek. as always, you can click here for (several) additional photos and full-sized versions of these images. thanks so much for susan for sharing her beautiful home with us, and to kelly for the great tip!

["My husband Barry and I moved to Portland just over a month ago. Barry is an avid photographer as well as a collector of found photos. Luckily, we share a very similar design sense. With our common eye and my obsessive nature, we had our apartment in Portland, Oregon unpacked and settled right away. We both are very drawn to the clean lines of midcentury design, but also love heavy, worn, industrial pieces and found objects with great patina. We are constantly looking at resale shops, antique malls, thrift stores, and in garbage piles to find pieces that will work in our home. We have pulled a lot of our belongings from the fabulous garbage piles in New York City, where we lived for the past thirteen years. We also have picked up many pieces in our travels - every summer for the past several years, we've gone on lengthy road trips all over America. We find such amazing pieces (and people) in small towns that aren't on the map. We do have a few shops on which we have relied heavily, too."]

["When we lived in Astoria Queens, the Astoria Furniture Market was a spot that we'd check out regularly. We found our sofa and rocking chair there. And the Chelsea Flea Market (several years back, before the lots it sat on were bought up and developed) was a weekly pilgrimage. We picked up our Bertoia chairs and Jonathan Adler pillows there."]

["We owe thanks for many of our pieces to our parents, too, who each have great design sense of their own. Barry's parents live in Richmond, Virginia, and they're always finding fabulous pieces like our dining table, the large blue vase in our bedroom, and the huge print above our record shelf. And my parents gave us our Case Study Bed as a wedding gift years ago. It is one of only a few things in our home that was not pre-owned. My brother, sister, and their spouses, too, are extremely design-minded and are sources of inspiration for us. As I express through the Original Intent project on my blog, inspiration is limitless. It's everywhere."]

["Iron Fish Trading Company in Beacon, NY has been our source for several weighty metal pieces as well as a beautiful midcentury bar cart. Both Beacon and Cold Spring in the Hudson River Valley have great antique shops."]

["Boom Modern in Cleveland, Ohio, my hometown, always has the most wonderful mix of midcentury finds (like the print in our dining area) and clunky metal pieces, like stools that we use all over the apartment. We picked up one of our Ironrite dining chairs there, found another at Suite Lorain, and got the other two on Lorain Avenue in Cleveland, which is lined with antique shops. The big mixer attachment is from a used restaurant supply store in Astoria."]

poladoodles

2007-09-18T12:30:00.000-05:00

artist jinnie lee from lilac moon studio sent over a link to her etsy shop. she sells these beautiful "poladoodle" prints for $20 each- i love the little drawings on top of the photos. they'd make a great affordable gift.

elise fouin

2007-09-18T11:45:00.000-05:00

kristina sent me a fantastic link to designer elise fouin. elise graduated from the ecole boulle in paris in 2003 and recently exhibited as part of maison&objet this month. i was smitten with her suspension lamp design called "lucinda"- what a dramatic statement this would make in a dining room. click here for more information on elise's work. [thanks, kristina!]

otsutree

2007-09-18T11:00:00.000-05:00

these beautiful heat transfer prints from sf artist theresa fong at otsutree are absolutely beautiful. each one is printed on a maple wood panel and available right here for $150. [thanks, theresa!]

daub & bauble

2007-09-18T10:30:00.000-05:00

josh from minnesota's daub & bauble emailed me today about their new line of soaps and lotion for the bathroom and kitchen. normally i'm not a big "bath products" girl but i do have a soft spot for great packaging. each of daub & bauble's products comes packaged in a cute, 100% recyclable bottle with a beautiful selection of patterns (designed by wink). i've picked some of my favorites above and below (the mission fig and sorrento lemon dish detergent sounds fantastic) but you can click here to view the full collection and find a retailer near you. enjoy! [thanks, josh!]

feinedinge

2007-09-18T08:00:00.000-05:00

beautiful new ceramics from viennese design studio, feinedinge. they were a big hit here last august so i thought i'd share some of their new pieces, courtesy of d*s reader margit. click here for more information. enjoy!

carla lane interiors

2007-09-17T12:00:00.000-05:00

for the past few years i've been daydreaming about either going back to school for interior design or opening my own specialty food shop. they're very different projects but for me, both are about expressing a vision for a specific art form. these days i've been leaning towards the food shop but when i meet a designer like carla lane, i start to think that design might be a more exciting option. carla emailed me about some beautiful wicker chairs she rehabbed and included a link to her website. based in the san fernando valley of california, carla recently opened her own interior design studio after years spent writing her own lifestyle column for angeleno magazine. i always love hearing about people switching careers and carla is a wonderful example of being able to transfer good taste from one field to another. her style is a mix of east-coast cool and california comfort with a dash of bold vintage furniture. i've included a few of my favorite photos above and below but you can see more of her work right here. enjoy! [thanks, carla!]

day-lab diy blog

2007-09-17T11:30:00.000-05:00

diy fans rejoice! amy at day-lab has launched a new diy blog project that will feature exclusive diy projects from amy and others. if you'd like to contribute a project please send your photos and info to amy at daylabdiy [at] yahoo [dot] com. click here to check it out and few amy's mosaic tile cabinet project above. design*sponge will be expanding in october to include weekly diy content as well so stay tuned for craftyness here and at amy's site.

black and white stripes

2007-09-17T10:45:00.000-05:00

since late spring, i've been much been obsessed with black and white stripes. anyone who's seen me in person since may can attest to the fact that i have been over-rocking a black and white horizontal stripe sweater and i've now transitioned to a heavier version of my favorite look made of wool instead of cotton. something about the black and white stripes feels so modern and fresh and it suddenly hit me- i wonder bedroom curtains would look good in a bold black and white horizontal stripe. i was really inspired by (and majorly want) the tracy reese dress above (and isaac mizrahi's stripes) and i thought, what about a soft white (or cream) and black shantung? maybe this is crazy but i thought it might be fun to at least check out. so i thought i'd see if anyone knew of any good resources for bold fabric (bonus point if it's shantung) in nyc? should i wade through mood again or is there a better solution? thanks for any tips!

sneak peek: copenhagen bookstore

2007-09-17T09:56:00.000-05:00

designer susan cerra at the kitchen designer sent over these beautiful photos of a modern bookstore in copenhagen denmark. i love the bold artwork on the walls, the throws over the reading chairs and the way the pendant lamps hang down low to light books on the table. looks like a nice place to relax with a cup of tea and read.

architectural panels

2007-09-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

i was helping a reader organize her office when i stumbled upon these fantastic framed panels fabric from pbteen. i've long been a fan of their home collection (you can find decent lighting there, too) but these little framed linens panels are fantastic. if you love the look of molding but don't have any in your home, these panels are a wonderful way to add some structure to the wall without nailing in architectural frames. each panel measures 18 inches wide x 50 inches tall and is available for $99 right here. i'm thinking about ordering a few for our office right now...

alyson fox + weekly wrap up

2007-09-14T13:30:00.000-05:00

austin based artist alyson fox just added a beautiful new series of fashion illustrations to her website. you can contact her at the site if you're interested in purchasing any of the illustrations. i think the sock puppet drawings would be so sweet in a little girl's room. click here for more information. what follows below is a summary of this week's highlights. see you monday!

UGLY PILLOW CONTEST: don't forget to enter!
before + after: chair project
clip wall: artwork idea
ditte sofa: paisley for fall
boodalee: new children's bedding
3d frank lloyd wright computer movie
sneak peek: mollie dash
lisa bengtsson wallpaper
new julia rothman patterns
pink and black trend story
disco, anyone?
good shape design: sneak peek and tshirts
new d*s lighting guides: table lamps
under $100: my affordable finds at HG

little girl's room

2007-09-14T12:43:00.000-05:00

speaking of little girls, who wouldn't want to live in this room? i would have loved that pink curtain by the bathroom and the bunny posts on the bed- it's so sweet and girly.

robert nassar design

2007-09-14T12:00:00.000-05:00

i love this bedroom shot over at desire to inspire- it looks like such a nice place to curl up with a good book and unplug from the rest of the world. the desire to inspire gang will be posting at the d*s guest blog soon so stay tuned!

MerMönster

2007-09-14T11:00:00.000-05:00

mermönster is a newly founded wallpaper company in based in sweden. designer karin moberg is behind their debut pattern, "storskogen". it looks like they're starting with just one style (in four different colors) so i'm excited to see what comes next. click here for more information.

table lamp extravaganza

2007-09-14T08:30:00.000-05:00

for the last week or so i've been building two big guides for table lighting. ac and i have been trying to find a desk lamp we both approve of (we share our bedroom office space) so i've been shopping for a while now. i thought i'd compile some of my favorite into two guides: lamps grouped by style and lamps under or around $100. my favorites are grouped by style but because the price skewed a little high on those i figured it was only fair to create a slideshow of lighting that was cute but still affordable. you can click here to check out the budget lighting, here for the non-budget lighting and here to check out the home page for guides i've created so far (beds, bedding, desks, dining chairs, etc.) a guide to ceiling and floor lights is up next...

camilla engman

2007-09-13T14:00:00.000-05:00

i love this little sneak peek into camilla engman's home on her blog. her shelves are so full of life and beautifully designed objects. click here for her full post and here to see more of camilla's home.

iomoi

2007-09-13T12:30:00.000-05:00

beautiful new paperweights from iomoi, just in time for fall. i love the new font and the range of purples and pinks available. $42-$68 each right here.

david tatham

2007-09-13T11:20:00.000-05:00

beautiful vintage furniture at david tatham, via grijs.

sarah cihat

2007-09-13T10:00:00.000-05:00

beautiful new ceramic bowls ($58) and ramekins ($39) from brooklyn artist sarah cihat, available at rose + radish.

good shape design

2007-09-13T08:10:00.000-05:00

here's a little sneak peek into the living room of good shape design artist wayne pate and his wife, designer rebecca taylor. wayne's bird prints (which were a big hit here back in february) are now available in t-shirt form, too. click here for more info. (if you're interested in ordering the bird print t-shirts just shoot wayne an email right here- they're not online yet)

front design

2007-09-13T07:25:00.000-05:00

i keep reading about this trend in home design that involves people installing poles (ahem, yes, those kind of poles) in their bedrooms. i read an article online the other day about seemingly timid mid-western housewives installing them in basements and above the garage playrooms. while i've never secretly wanted to install a stripper pole in my house, i do harbor a secret desire to install a disco ball. i think it would be so fun to turn the lights out, turn on the disco ball and dance to music in the living room. yep, that's my idea of a good time. but no ordinary disco ball will do- the object of my desire? this fancy disco ball fixture from front design. their confetti light would be the perfect way to set the mood and dance the night away. i can hear the music now...

christine kesler

2007-09-12T12:16:00.000-05:00

oliver at the present group sent over a link to artist christine kesler yesterday. she recently debuted a collection of drawings titled "i began drawing on a piece of land" that were made as she moved from brooklyn to san francisco. i love her way with line and little spots of bright color. you can find more information on christine and her work right here. [thanks, oliver!]

the storque

2007-09-12T12:15:00.000-05:00

etsy has a section of their website called the storque where they write about trends, sellers and all sorts of etsy-related topics. i contributed a short trends piece on black and pink using etsy sellers as examples right here. my favorite section so far is "funny forum quotes". can't wait to see the next installment of that one. [piece above by sk8ordiehard]

julia rothman

2007-09-12T11:00:00.000-05:00

i'm always thrilled to see an email from julia rothman in my inbox. julia has eight new patterns on her site, along with a lovely series of hand silkscreened 'bavaria' placemats. click here for more info.

lisa bengtsson

2007-09-12T07:27:00.000-05:00

based in stockholm, designer lisa bengtsson has just launched a collection of wallpaper called 'the family'. a recent graduate of the berghs school of communication in sweden, lisa was inspired by memories and nostalgia when she created her latest series of wallpaper. 'the family' reproduces images of frames to fill the wall with a blank canvas you can use to display your own photos. i prefer its blank state but i love the way they've framed knobs to hang jewelry in the situation shots. you can find more information on lisa right here (be sure to check our her illustrations) and purchase her work through these two sites. [thanks, sara!]

kevin mccarthy

2007-09-11T13:00:00.000-05:00

i love kevin mccarthy's lighting- especially these new pieces. davis, garcia, smith and thompson are all part of mccarthy's collections of lighting using monofiliment, yarn and lanyard materials. they create such beautiful shadows- click here to browse the full collection or find a retailer near you. [thanks, kevin!]

dear ada

2007-09-11T12:41:00.000-05:00

sometimes i feel birdie at dear ada can read my mind. every time i read her site (which has become a daily ritual for me now) i hear myself saying "it's like she knows exactly what i've been looking for"! every single day there's something i'm absolutely crazy about, but of course, never could have found on my own. her posts on fine artists are consistenly my favorite on the web and there hasn't been a week yet where she's posted something i didn't want to immediately save up for. this week she posted works by jennifer mercede, richard colman and mark grotjahn that are just superb. each piece is full of color (they all have pink, which i'm loving right now) and edited expertly. i love seeing sites that have such a specific eye for detail and curation. click here for more fantastic artwork at dear ada.

sneak peek: mollie dash

2007-09-11T12:00:00.000-05:00

i love that look at people's collections- the way they arrange things, what sort of objects they love- all the details intrigue me. it was fun to flip through these photos from artist mollie dash's house because she has all sorts of collections going on in her house: jewelry boxes, tools, books and supplies. i just wanted to share a few of them because they remind me to look at the small objects i own and rearrange them allows me to "rediscover" them on a regular basis. thanks to mollie for sharing!

[one of molly's bracelets from her collection]

haylie waring

2007-09-11T11:00:00.000-05:00

my visit to the savannah college of art and design was one of the most inspiring trips i've taken in years. the students in the fibers department quite simply blew me away with their dedication to craft and tradition. one of the students who stood out most to me was haylie waring. it's hard to describe that feeling you get when your gut tells you "this is someone with something special" but that's the way i felt about haylie's work. she had such a distinct style and feel to her work that instantly appealed to me. haylie recently launched a blog where she's showcasing some of her work- my favorite being this line of bags made from recycled heavy duty feed sacks. designed as a reusable grocery bag (though i'd proudly tote it as an everyday bag), haylie's bags play with the idea of altering an object that once carried goods to carry food once again, but in a new context. each bag is hand dyed using natural dyes to achieve a linen color, then screen printed, appliquéd, and hand embroidered. in addition, each bag is lined with matching commercial fabric- a reproduction of a traditional feed sack floral. i can't wait until these are available in one of my neighborhood stores but until then, haylie is selling these original prototypes for $125 each. you can choose from E for eggs, T for teapot and M for meat (sadly the cake and strawberries just sold). click here to check out the rest of haylie's work or shoot her an email right here if you're interested in purchasing a piece or would like to discuss working with her on another project (someone should definitely scoop her up while she's still available. if i had my own design firm i'd already be asking her to work for me). [thanks, haylie!]

falling water

2007-09-11T10:00:00.000-05:00

my dad always sends me the most fantastic links and this one is incredible. artist and desgner cristóbal vila created a stunning computer graphic movie featuring frank lloyd wright's masterpiece, falling water. the computer movie takes you on a trip that begins in the riverbed below the house and glides you through the construction of the house from beams to finished product- including a tour of the home's interior. the clip is only a few minutes long and is an absolute must-watch. click here to check it all out [thanks, dad!]

new from boodalee

2007-09-11T08:39:00.000-05:00

boodalee was one of my favorite new companies showing at icff this summer. in a sea of children's bedding and furniture designs, their bright colors and bold patterns stood out as a cheerful alternative to the rest of the pack. so i was excited to hear from jennifer at boodalee that they'd just launched four new collections (which debuted at the abc kids expo this weekend) full of whimsical patterns that are sure to please both child and parent. the new collections (seen above and below) includes: "space", "castle", and two color versions of a pattern called "world" printed on 250-thread count 100% combed cotton percale. you can view the new collections, boodalee's existing line and shop online right here. enjoy! [thanks, jennifer!]

ugliest pillow contest!

2007-09-10T13:30:00.000-05:00

this is always one of my favorite contests at d*s each year. last year pillows and throws offered up two new thomas paul pillows to replace the ugliest pillows we could find. this year they're doing the same and will hopefully be able to rid one lucky reader's home of a seriously hideous pillow collection. the details and guidelines are as follows:

the person with the ugliest pillow will win a pair of new thomas paul pillows. we're not out to trash any designer's work, but simply replace an outdated, rundown or unfortunate looking pillow with some cheerful new designs.
think you have a contender? send an email right here (subject: pillow contest) with your name, a photo of your pillow and the story behind it- the deadline for submissions is next monday, september 17, at 8 am
the finalists will be announced the following day, tuesday, september 18, and then i'll open it up to YOU guys to vote on who really has the ugliest pillow around.
the winner will be announced that friday, september 21 and their new thomas paul pillows will be shipped shortly thereafter.

thanks to pillows and throws for rescuing one lucky pillow-owner from a life of ugly pillows.

mod green pod

2007-09-10T12:40:00.000-05:00

this beautiful new atticus print from mod green pod is perfect for late summer. i love the kelly green/ basil color and the clean, crisp print. atticus (which is hand silk-screened on 100% organic cotton fabric) is one of three new prints at mod green pod so click here to check out the new designs. and be sure to check out mod green pod's sneak peek from the other week- nancy's home is stunning. [thanks, nancy!]

ditte

2007-09-10T11:40:00.000-05:00

if only i had $2,624 to spare. this slipcovered ditte sofa is to die for. one of my co-workers just ordered it for her house and i'm dying to check it out. click here for more information and to order.

clip wall

2007-09-10T10:45:00.000-05:00

what a fun idea- a wall full of prints hung by bull dog clips. inexpensive, quick and easy- can't beat that. via jan at poppytalk.

benedict calland

2007-09-10T09:36:00.000-05:00

one of the things i loved about last year's icff was the was designers were integrating textiles into furniture and lighting. there's something about the hand-crafted feel and softness of textiles that really appeals to me. so i was pleasantly surprised to hear from designer (and recent northumbria graduate) benedict calland about his work. benedict produced two chairs that i'm really loving- the first being a piece called aerith. aerith is a beautiful combination of sleek, modern design and traditional materials like wooden toggle buttons and soft, woven textiles. i love the way the chair feels both old and familiar and new and clean at the same time. the soft textile upholstery reminds me of an old sweater while the chair has a nice modern feel that balances out the rest of the design. benedict also created a chair called tifa (seen below) with a curved cushion to encourage lounging. i love any seat that feels like it's welcoming you to lean against it. the yellow upholstery is lovely as well. you can browse the rest of benedict's work and contact him right here. enjoy!

before + after

2007-09-10T08:43:00.000-05:00

i love a good before and after diy project. nothing is quite as satisfying as seeing what you can do with your own two hands. marie at justmariec made over this fantastic antique store find with a gorgeous amy butler fabric. it's amazing what a coat of white paint and a bit of new fabric can do. [thanks to marie for sharing and claire for the tip!]

sneak peek: paper pony

2007-09-07T10:00:00.000-05:00

i can think of no better way to end this week than with a sneak peek into the beautiful (beautiful) home of photographer raya carlisle. i've been a fan of raya's photography for a while now (her flickr page and blog are fantastic) and i was sure her home would be just as amazing. raya lives in ventura, california and her home oozes cool, california style. it was a treat just to click through all of these so i hope you'll enjoy them as much as i did. as always you can click here for larger versions of these photos and check out descriptions in raya's word's below. thanks to raya for sharing her lovely home with us! [see you all on monday!]

["The waterfall in our pool makes the backyard so peaceful. My favorite thing is to float on a raft with a magazine on a sunny day and listen to the water. This photo above is probably my favorite area in the house- a sitting area in our dining room that is great for morning tea and reading. These chairs were a craigslist buy and at first I thought I'd recover them, but this yellow is now working its way throughout the whole house. I'm finding as I decorate that I'm drawn to bright colors subconsciously - especially yellow and any shade of aqua/blue. The poster on the wall is for a Modest Mouse concert by The Decoder Ring Design Concern. They have a great selection of posters on their website."]

["A corner of our living room. This Ikea book shelf is one I see all over blogland, but it is such a great piece if you don't have much room because it holds so much. Our coffee table top is also from Ikea, but I found some old hairpin legs on craigslist that we used to give it a more mid-century mod look. We really haven't spent much money on furniture with the exception of our dining table - this chair was purchased second hand and our couch is one Forest was given to him during bachelorhood, but my mom recovered both in matching fabric. She's a professional seamstress and has made us so many pillows, cushion covers, etc..we can't thank her enough."]

["The dog painting is my first real art purchase from painter Andrea Heimer in Seattle. Her bright colors and imagery appeal to me - she has a great body of work on her website. This Bertoia diamond chair is the first piece I purchased when we got serious about decorating our house and I had recently discovered my attraction to mid-century modern. Our house is a 1951 beach town cottage so I want to keep the interior in line with the architecture, just mixing in modern pieces here and there. I bought these lockers from my neighbor for $15 - a steal in my mind, but he works for a local school district and just had them sitting in his garage. Forest repainted them and they now store all my craft/art supplies as well as other things. Our garage was converted into a room so we use it as our office/studio/garage. We covered an entire wall with cork and would like to eventually rip up the carpet and do a painted cement floor in a slate blue."]

["I love paint-by-numbers. They are so wonderfully tacky. Our kitchen is really spacious and it's nice to have so much counter space but then I don't know what to do with it! I know, it's a problem most people don't have. Here I've displayed a few of my sugar & creamer sets and baking ingredients in vintage jars."]

["I try to keep the house away from too much girliness, but with the guest bathroom I went a little more that way since we don't use it all the time. I found these portraits of 1960's actresses in cheesy gold frames at an antique store and they were my inspiration. Lots of pink, peach and green. The mirror is very old, found at a thrift store. Our bathrooms are very tiny, so the big mirror brings in more light."]

weekly wrap up

2007-09-07T09:49:00.000-05:00

i'm wrapping up pre-last post today because i want to leave the next post at the top this weekend. it's been a great week here at d*s- there are some major changes going on behind the scenes and i cannot wait to announce them all when we relaunch later this month. i'm lining up some amazing guest bloggers and new content so stay tuned for a new, improved d*s in a few weeks. until then, here are some highlights from this week:

must see: fantastic slideshow of danish restaurant interiors
christine misiak: old/new tea sets
emily morris: stunning student artwork (seen above)
sneak peek: leigh at jezebel
heavy metal headboard
hack to school: core77's must-read guide for design students
biz lady dates (LA to come soon)
diy chair project: before and after
stationery debut: yellow owl workshop
things we love and under $100: my weekly product roundup at HG

show announcements

2007-09-07T09:37:00.000-05:00

there are some great design shows and events going on this week. here's a roundup of events that have shown up in my inbox this week:

handmade parade in norfolk, va: sign up now for the nov 10 show
off they flew: an art show to benefit the griffith park restoration fund. 100 artists, 100 birds, $100 each, in LA
second storie: indie craft mart taking place today and tomorrow in rochester, ny

knit night cupcakes

2007-09-07T09:05:00.000-05:00

totally off topic but i can't resist these knit night cupcakes. amanda kavanagh sent me this link and i couldn't resist posting them. it's crafty lady heaven. knitting and cupcakes? love it.

brush and rinse

2007-09-07T08:11:00.000-05:00

designer scott amron sent over a link to his award-winning design, brush and rinse. i love the way scott modified a simple, classic toothbrush shape to create something fun and functional. i.d. magazine said that they loved that this, "common-looking toothbrush, gently tweaked, could shape tap water into a fluid parabola as perfect as the st. louis arch." other than using your hand, i appreciate the way that this allows you do away with cleaning a glass each day. because, as scott says, "no one should have to wash a cup or glass every time they rinse." sounds like a good idea to me. you can buy a working prototype ~~for $3~~ right here. [thanks, scott!]

tim forcum

2007-09-06T14:30:00.000-05:00

beautiful artwork by tim forcum, via dear ada.

encalmo-stamen

2007-09-06T13:00:00.001-05:00

the combination colored glass in this encalmo-stamen pendant lamp by niche modern is stunning. we have one of their smaller lights at home but this one has to be my new favorite. i love how soft and smooth the colors look and how romantic their lights are when lit. they're not right for an area that needs a lot of bright light but if you need to set a mood or have soft lighting in say, a dining room, they're absolutely perfect. click here for more information and to shop. [stay tuned for a series of lighting guides next week!]

yellow owl workshop

2007-09-06T12:00:00.000-05:00

i was so thrilled to hear from christine schmidt at yellow owl workshop about her newly launched e-commerce site. based in san francisco, christine designs a line of pre-made and custom stationery that have a wonderfully unique feel to them thanks in no small part to her particular style of illustration. in addition to her beautiful custom wedding, baby and holiday work, she now offers a line of screen printed cards that are signed, and printed on 100% recycled, chlorine-free paper with eco-friendly inks. my favorites are her custom designs for children and the gorgeous new line of california endangered cards (each set of 3 is available for $14). but you can click here to view her full collection and shop online. [thanks, chris!]

indib

2007-09-06T10:39:00.000-05:00

i'm loving these beautiful 100% new zealand wool rugs from indib. these two designs ("branches" and "deck") use silk and viscose accents and have such lush colors that it's hard to resist ordering one for our living room. emma at indib told me that these rugs have been tested in homes with children and are quite durable. indib doesn't have wholesaling set up yet but if you'd like to inquire about ordering for yourself or for a shop you can shoot emma and email right here.

diy

2007-09-06T08:42:00.000-05:00

d*s reader natalie hansen is one talented lady. she loved this ava green fabric from repro depot so much that she bought five yards of it and reupholstered her living room chair in- by herself! i'm not much of a seamstress (not one at all really) so i'm always in awe of anyone who can reupholster on their own- with such great results. i love seeing the diy talent out there- if you've done anything similar feel free to send it along! great work natalie!

jayson home and garden + biz ladies

2007-09-05T13:30:00.000-05:00

pretty fall things at jayson home and garden: wooden isa chandelier, pippa bowl chandelier, goodman banquette, vintage aqua dining chair, vintage leopard chaise, elizabeth cabinet, colorful mohair throws. don't forget the chicago biz ladies meetup is being held at jayson home and garden on thursday, november 15th at 7 pm!

also, we have new confirmed dates for the rest of the tour:

philadelphia (with oh joy!): thursday, october 11 at dwr
san francisco: tuesday, october 23 at dwr jackson street
portland, oregon: tuesday, february 26th at dwr
seattle, wa: thursday, february 28th at dwr

student design

2007-09-05T12:30:00.000-05:00

core77 built a fantastic resource for design students called hack 2 school. full of great advice on classes, work and promoting your work, this is one guide you won't want to miss if you're a student or designers fresh out of school. i got to add a little bit to the blog section but the meat of the guide is practical advice from the experts at core77. click here for the full shabang.

the tenderhearted

2007-09-05T12:00:00.001-05:00

i'm a big fan of lisa congdon so i'm jealous of anyone who's in the SF area for her new solo show- the tenderhearted. the show will take place at the candystore (16th street between valencia and guerrero) in san francisco and there will be a (fantastic) opening party tomorrow, september 6 from 6-9 pm. i hope anyone in the area will stop by- it looks like a fantastic show. click here for more on lisa and here for a preview of the pieces for sale.

sneak peek: jezebel

2007-09-05T10:00:00.000-05:00

i'm so happy to share a little sneak peek into the home of one of my favorite stationery (and soon to be interior!) designers- leigh batnick of jezebel. leigh has a brand new website and i thought it would be perfect to time her sneak peek with the launch of the new site. above and below are my favorite photos of her home but as always you can click here for larger versions of these photos. thanks so much for leigh for sharing her home with us.

["I am a magpie but also strict with myself in terms on new acquisitions. I love stories and lineage and being surrounded by that which tells a tale. My bed is surrounded by totemic bits: my boyfriend found the tile on the wall to the right of the bed- it's of an old Japanese erotic woodcut intertwined with a vintage wallpaper print and I dream of tiling an entire bathroom in it's likeness, a seashell lamp and mobile from a trip to Mexico with my mother, and jewelry belonging to my grandmother, and an alarm clock from Ikea that I love for its no-nonsense tight lines. The still life was done by my grandmother and the couch is piled with pillows from over the years- the mirrored pair were thrown in for free by the Indian woman I brought a brown velvet couch from when I lived in Washington D.C.. I had to leave the couch, but the pillows have stayed by my side."]

["My favorite old against my favorite new- books are first and foremost for me and I just purchased a pair of these crazy brass-studded, patent leather, swivel, chrome-based, bucket chairs. They make my heart beat faster."]

["We call my apartment the dollhouse as an ode to its diminutive proportions- quite the thrill to acquire this dollhouse shelving unit for $3 at a thrift store- it's stocked with my feathered headbands, my beloved black owls, a bit of coquillage, and an indispensable Radio Shack radio."]

["Photos of my grandparents (in high-stepping dollar store frames) flank either side of my desk. I think they were pretty glamorous and along with coffee, they provide daily inspiration. The amazing nautical themed table is courtesy of the painter Elizabeth Deull. Also, I'm mad for shells and do my best to sniff their low-tide brininess over the mustiness in any junk-tiquing situation."]

heavy metal

2007-09-05T08:00:00.000-05:00

i've been enjoying the way heavy metals and big gem stones seem to be back in style this fall. i especially love the way they've crept into this headboard belonging to gallery owner rachel lehmann. the spots are actually made of metallic leather but i think they look like big bright jewels. you can see the rest of her (mushroom-centric) house right here.

sneak peek: danish restaurants

2007-09-04T14:00:00.000-05:00

i am crazy about this sneak peek. d*s reader (and fabulous kitchen designer) susan serra recently took a trip to denmark and before she left offered to take some photos for d*s. i mentioned that i have a real passion for restaurant design so she kindly offered to take some photos of gorgeous restaurant interiors in denmark. the results are right here in slideshow form (some of my favorites are above and below) along with details about each restaurant. the photos are really lovely- it's like taking a quick day trip across the ocean to visit all of these beautiful spots. thanks again to susan for taking the time to share this with us. enjoy!

marie bossée

2007-09-04T12:30:00.000-05:00

good lord these are gorgeous- jan found these beautiful wire pieces from artist marie bossée in cote sud magazine this week. so, so lovely.

mister charlesworth

2007-09-04T11:00:00.000-05:00

hearing from students has got to be one of my favorite things in the world. there's something about the world of art and design school that i find endlessly inspiring and creative. so naturally i was thrilled to hear from british artist emily morris who just graduated from design school in the uk this summer. emily graduated with a degree in printed textile and surface design and recently debuted her first collection- a collection of laser cut paper panels called mister charlesworth- at the new designers exhibition. mister charlesworth is a stunning series of panels featuring insect imagery that has been transformed into intricate lace-like cut paper designs. the panels were on display at chiltern st. studio in london (seen above and below) and are really more beautiful than words. emily doesn't currently have a website but if you're interested in commissioning her work or just contacting her you can email her right here. [thanks, emily!]

port2port

2007-09-04T09:37:00.000-05:00

beautiful new cards and prints from mav at port2port press. i love (love) the vibrant purple in the dusky letterpress cards ($21 for a set of 5) and rich yellow in her "a new emptiness" print ($33).

christine misiak

2007-09-04T07:20:00.000-05:00

designer christine misiak emailed me over the weekend and i was blown away by her new/old tea sets. based in durham england, christine created her unique tea sets as her final project at northumbria university. afterwards she showed the set at the 2007 new designers exhibition where she received the peter walker award for innovation in product design. what i love so much about these new/old teasets is the way she reuses old tea set parts and combines them with pieces from new tea sets. a little bit of the old and new is such a fun idea- and it certainly gives the set a distinct look (you can see sketches from christine's design process right here). christine's sets aren't currently for sale but you can view more of her work and contact her online right here. be sure to check out her other tea sets in which she's repaired and repainted found tea sets in bold colors. [thanks, christine!]

weekly wrap up + mibo

2007-08-31T10:45:00.000-05:00

today is my mom's birthday [happy birthday mom!] and my dad is in town for work so i'm heading out early to catch up with him. i hope you all have a wonderful labor day weekend and enjoy the extra day off. i'll be back on tuesday with new sneak peeks and information on the biz lady meet ups. until then i hope you all enjoy the holiday! [photo above: new pillows from mibo uk, coming this fall]

under $100 and things we love: colorful new products for all price ranges
mimou wallpaper and textiles
biz lady date updates
interiors by fuse id
dunford wood wallpapers
sandberg textiles and wallpaper
artwork by clare grill
shop nyc without leaving your home, at shelterrific
gorgeous textile art at asog
molly briggs artwork at dear ada
great tour of the meatpacking district at housemartin
awesome weekend read at bloesem: bloggers' wish list
potato crouton recipe at 101cookbooks: yum
fun fabric pushpin board project at at:chicago

(mini) sneak peek: jenny's cabinets

2007-08-31T10:10:00.000-05:00

i love seeing how people choose to personalize their home. d*s reader jenny lives in north carolina and was kind enough to share a little peek into her kitchen with us. jenny hired her friend and local artist (and rock poster king) ron liberti to silkscreen this silhouette print onto their kitchen cabinets. it's definitely not something you'll see in everyone's kitchen and i love all of the possibilities you could have with this medium. i'd love to silkscreen a simplified version of my favorite wallpaper pattens on cabinets. how fun. click here to see larger pictures of jenny's cabinets. [thanks, jenny!]

green glass

2007-08-31T09:45:00.000-05:00

beautiful green glass from sköna hem, via jan at poppytalk.

miss martha

2007-08-31T09:00:00.000-05:00

i've come a long way since my first reading of martha stewart's blueprint magazine. it's gone from a magazine i barely read to probably my favorite book on the market right now. and this month's spread of beds and bedding is a perfect example of why. they mixed together a wide range of options for every price range and of course, shot them beautifully. i think when i die heaven to me will be decorated by martha stewart's stylists. you can read the bed story online right here but i suggest picking up the sept/oct 2007 issue for the full sized photos. the spread on "living with a guy" is fantastic if, like me, you really have to avoid girlyville. [thanks, katy!]

fabrics and papers

2007-08-31T08:00:00.000-05:00

gorgeous wallpaper from romo fabrics and fabrics and papers, via design milk.

clare grill

2007-08-30T13:30:00.000-05:00

for the last year or so i've been looking to invest in artwork (mainly paintings), but haven't quite found the perfect fit yet. there are many artists i love but i still seem to be on the search for the perfect combination of texture and color. but thanks to d*s reader emily i may have found my perfect match. brooklyn based artist clare grill creates these stunning paintings using gauche and oils; her use of color is really spot on for me. i love the vivid splashes of hot pink, yellow and purple. clare's mission statement says that she "juxtapose[s] structural and gestural marks, bold and neutral color, and varying surfaces to contain and protect painted areas [she] thinks look real in their unmediated directnessuses. [her] current work uses forms found both intuitively through my painting process, and from ephemeral and permanent structures found in nature, specifically camping tents and geological cross-sections, that reference this act of protection and containment." i love the geological references and her extensive series of tent paintings. clare is currently showing at real art ways in ~~new haven~~ hartford, ct but you can click here to see more of her work and contact her online. [thanks, emily!]

dash and albert

2007-08-30T12:00:00.001-05:00

our friends jon and mindy are putting together a nursery and pointed me in the direction of dash and albert rugs. they've got a huge collection of hooked, hand loomed, wool, braided, tufted and indoor/outdoor rugs- some of which might even be good for our dining room. i was drawn to the "rain or shine" diamond pattern, which is online at lavender fields for some pretty decent prices. just wanted to share in case anyone else was on a rug hunt like i am. [thanks, jon!]

urban

2007-08-30T11:00:00.000-05:00

i have mixed feelings on urban outfitters (and their new site) but something about these little accessories is hard to resist. eleanor grosch's owley clock ($28) and the vintage-inspired norwegian squirrel lamp base ($36) are fun ways to add some character to a room without dropping too much money.