ICFF previews are filling the inbox, and i'm getting giddier every day as we close in on NY Design Week (still kicking myself for not being able to make it to Milan this year!)... Check out the Abyss by Osko & Deichmann and Atomium by Hopf & Wortmann, both for Italian company, Kundalini.

These pieces will be a part of the Water Air Exhibition at 477 Broome Street, NY from May 17th through 20th from 12pm to 9pm. See more images of these gorgeous lamps (in and out of context!) on the next page...

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Tags: furniture - gifts - home - icff - lighting

Fluffy Sheep! I'm gearing up for Design Week in NY... and somehow have gotten backlogged enough with everything other than posting... anyhow, i digress... Fluffy Sheep!

I first fell giddily in love with these at the Danish Crafts space at ICFF last year - and just noticed that this year they are launching in hot pink and black (and also an unpictured brown and grey)... these are designed by Povl Kjær, more pictures and the story behind the sheep on the next page!

p.s.
i'm so excited about heading to NY this week for nearly 2 weeks.

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Tags: danish - furniture - icff - kids - sheep - toys

Browsing IKEA's latest today... they've jumped on a few trends i've been liking for a while... so naturally much like the laptop station that they made 10% of the original price... funny to see that they have taken to the vinyl stickering (i had kind of expected them to get on this one sooner since its so cheap/easy to produce)... and one trend i've been loving for apt dwellers that move frequently and don't want to worry about damaging the walls, yet want to mount that flat panel tv - the floating wall tv shelves, i'm kind of liking this Stiby one above that is $500... and there is also the Benno after the jump that is a mere$120. Now for the one piece i'm really really wanting - the Trollsta Sideboard... granted the whole series feels like a cheap jaime hayon knockoff... i'm still tempted. It looks really fun to add some subtle vinyl stickers to also.... few more pieces that grabbed me after the jump!

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Tags: furniture - gifts - ikea - shopping - table - tv

Warning, i have this tendency to do late night visual research binges - (binge and post?) - which result in rather large collaged image files - and tonight between the bottle of Veuve Clicquot and the press release i've been anxiously sitting on until i can share it with you without breaking embargo - i really couldn't help myself and dug up any and all crazy Veuve Clicquot inspired designs on the net. And really i've been truly fascinated by the really cool designs that have been popping up lately... the Karim Rashid Loveseat grabbed me in NY at ICFF last year (it's SO fun to sit in!) and then the Porsche Design Vertical Limit fridge at the Toronto IDS this year... and i just wanted to see what else there was... So see below for more of that signature Pantone 137c.

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Tags: drink - furniture - veuve cliquot

Swedish, I Do Design, and their gorgeous Union Benches... i showed you their Outdoor Union Bench and renderings of the indoor one previously, you remember, the gorgeously sleek concrete/wood outdoor benches that were shaped like three hemispheres molded together? Well Salone time is upon us, and they've shared the two new glossy red and black indoor versions (perfect for lounges, clubs, waiting areas) and a DESK! which looks like a very fun place to work closely together yet still have quite a bit of your own space to take over! I'm very tempted by both. Get a first look at all of these new pieces after the jump!

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Tags: bench - furniture - shopping - table

Back in October of 2005, I wrote about Anthro's new eNook, a thin, wall mounted laptop/charging hideaway... it was a brilliant idea, but with a $399 price tag, it was a bit steep to prioritize over buying a proper desk or chair... Well today i noticed that three years later Ikea has jumped on the design (oh ikea, *shakes head*), and in standard Ikea fashion, they moved the decimal point to $39. Far more tempting isn't it? And while i don't condone copying... at that price it is tempting to organize tech charging into a hidden box on the wall... See further comparison imagery below!

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Tags: furniture - laptop - technology

Ding3000 is gearing up for this year's salone in milan, and their theme is Animal Tales!

"Mother Nature is still the best designer in the world." That's why we started copying her most fascinating creations. Visit our petting zoo during the Milano Design Week 2008 and admire floating afghan hounds, shy giraffes, greedy chicks, and not-at-all-stubborn mules."

Just as interesting as their concept and products... the sneak peek they've sent over (images below of the collection!) show some creative use of shadowing to bring out that animal nature in the pieces...

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Tags: art - chair - furniture - table

I somehow wandered across the internet to Mid-Century Modernist where i encountered this crazy 1968 Danish Sleeper Sofa that lives on ebay... and its right in the LA area for pick up. Really as *just* a sofa, i'm not that floored, but the craziness by which it opens into a sleeper for two is interesting to take a look at. More images after the jump!

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Tags: furniture - gifts - shopping - sofa

The Nomad Yurt by EcoShack. I try to settle down, i try to find a "home" and stay put, but i seldom last more than a year. I'm a socal girl who's home is in her car, on the road, or bouncing between hotel rooms and friends' places around the world... I suppose i'm a modern day digital nomad. A digi-nomad that needs a yurt!

The one object i walked away from CA Boom V lusting after and itching to drop $8000 on is the Nomad Yurt... it breaks down and pops up in under a half hour (depending how many friends you have), and gives you an instant 120 square feet of calm, shady, cozy privacy, with a nice woody platform (don't worry about what the ground is like around you like most yurts), a light sturdy bamboo structure, and weatherMAX covering. Whether you use it as an instant studio, a guest room, a spa treatment room, or the best backyard under-tree-house ever... its a fun way to get some extra space, that you can pack up into the back of the car. Take a look at the images of this eco-friendly, permit-free, portable structure as it was at CA Boom, the view from within, and diagrams and images of how you put it together after the jump.

So, what do you think? Instead of investing in "real" offices, wouldn't it be fun to have a group (commune?) of these instant-office/studio yurts out in Topanga?

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Tags: furniture - gifts - shopping - tent - yurt

You can't go wrong with Magis, the products both large and small have had me lusting since i was a kid... and tonight in particular i've been rediscovering their Me Too children's collection (many of which have been on NOTCOT over the years)... one that i hadn't noticed before is this Alma and Linus stacking chair and table set from Spanish designer, Javier Mariscal. The most incredible part is seeing the patterns on the back up close, i love the trees filled with the birds in their leaves! Made of injection molded Polypropylene with glass fibre, this set is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. Below, see not only a close up of the detail of the back of these seats, but also a few other Mariscal pieces for the Magis Me Too Collection (like the crazy angler fish looking play thing!)

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Tags: furniture - gifts - kids - shopping - toys

The Puppy now comes in a sky blue! This was the first thing to grab me at CA Boom V at Santa Monica Airport's Barker Hangar today... the Magis Me Too Collection's booth is filled with all four sizes of the puppy in the four colors - green, white, orange, and now blue! This piece by Eero Aarnio is quite the iconic and irresistible kids piece that i would love to have around... see more pics below!

p.s. can you believe i first wrote about this puppy 3 years ago? (and for those who need a refresher, Aarnio is the man behind design icons like the ball chair and the bubble chair!)

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Tags: animals - chair - furniture - gifts - kids - toys

The Union Bench by swedish i do design. I wish they replaced public benches everywhere! And i'd love to have one in my courtyard/waiting room/etc. The outdoor model for this is made of concrete with wood seating, and the indoor version made of Glass Reinforced Plastic and finished with a comfortable leather cushioned seat and will be launching at this years Salone Satellite in Milan. I love that with no real front or back, and so many ways to sit on it (whether hanging off the edge, or straddling one of the in betweens)... its really created a unique communal yet private space, perfect for groups, loners, and even those with strollers to easily sit down and take a break. Take a look at further images in more situations, with no people, and of the different models... after the jump!

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Tags: bench - chair - furniture - home

NOTCOT Note: Here's another article from Anna Corpron of Sub-Studio!

Saw these gorgeous vases by Teori over at Designklub. Teori is a Japanese design collective with a focus on bamboo household objects. The craftsmanship in each piece from their Laminated Bamboo Lumber Project is beautiful, but what I love most are the surprising details, like the split in the wood that becomes the opening for the vase, or the slight peak in the bamboo tray (after the jump) that functions as a chopstick rest.

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Tags: furniture - kitchen - sub-studio - wood

NOTCOT Note: Here's another article from Anna Corpron of Sub-Studio!

nendo is a Japanese design firm run by Oki Sato. I'm loving his work, especially the products in his 1% project (only 100 pieces of each product were made - "to give owners the chance to experience the joy of owning 1%" - nice!).

The Fruit-Template (from the 1% project) puts the fruit on display, and moves away from the idea of a bowl by having the fruit plug into its similar shape. Tile Plants is an attempt to move us away from the negative association of grout lines (dirt/mold) and to make associations with growth and plant life.

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Tags: furniture - lighting - sub-studio

Ok perhaps chair wasn't quite the right word for the Slacker... its really Fredrik Olsson and and Sam Sihvonen's Slacker 'throne'... part throwback to viking times... part wide comfy lounger... and part gamer etchings? With wooden engraved skulls and "Game Over" messaging along the side, there's no mistaking this for an ancient relic. Fredrik Olsson and Sam Sihvonen are currently attending the master program at the School of Design and Crafts at Göteborg University in Sweden, and this piece was just exhibited at the Stockholm Furniture Fair... "Our aim was to try pushing the usual design furniture aesthetics to a more personalized look and load it with sentimental value. We have based the design on how we as teenagers sat while playing video games or acting as slackers. The chair is low with a stretched out upholstered seat. The design mix the styles of Scandinavian crafted woodwork with video games aesthetics resembling an Egyptian pharaoh throne." Only thing i think is missing? Perhaps some fabric options and a side table with engraved cheat codes and holsters for your various controllers (and your beer?). See close ups after the jump!

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Tags: chair - furniture - games - video game

NOTCOT Note: Here's another article from Anna Corpron of Sub-Studio!

&Larry is a Singaporean designer whose work very much references the local culture. We've all heard about the more infamous rules and regulations (no chewing gum other than therapeutic kinds), and &Larry's Anything but Red project is a direct response to what he calls "the stifling creative atmosphere that leads to the easy dismissal of potentially great ideas". The lamp base is made of stacked rolls of tapes of all kind - with the exclusion of red tape.

Another great project after the jump!

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Tags: furniture - sub-studio

NOTCOT Note: Here's another article from Anna Corpron of Sub-Studio!

Anon Pairot is a young furniture and product designer from Thailand with a body of work that reflects an innovative use of both material and function.

The Lampin Block (above) highlights the iconic shape of a lamp by illuminating the negative space of the concrete block. After the jump, check out the Vash Tray which has an ironic dual function - it serves both as an ash tray, and as a vase for freshly cut flowers. Also see the Pare Lounge Chair, Eng-Gu two seater, and Nature Hanger!

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Tags: accessories - candles - furniture - sub-studio

NOTCOT Note: Here's another article from Anna Corpron of Sub-Studio!

Four Design is a Danish furniture design company run by architects Christina Strand and Niels Hvass. I love the clean lines of their work but I think what attracts me most is the way the chairs look when they are stacked. There's just something about the skewed geometries that is amazing. From the Four Cast line, I love the thinness of the chair's back, and how it is creased for your body. These chairs would be amazing in an auditorium or in an office conference room...

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Tags: furniture - sub-studio

It's incredible what can be done with raw silkworm chrysalises. While at FORDBRADY last week for Dwell's cocktail party, i was immediately drawn to the work of Angus Hutcheson. He creates some breathtaking lighting pieces by wiring up hundreds of silk worm cocoons for wall, floor, ceiling, and table lamps, which come in both white and black, and the natural variation in the cocoons creates such a mesmerizing effect, particularly when casting fabulously dramatic shadows. The only thing that i couldn't help feeling was... what if they missed one! What if one of the moths was waiting to emerge... and found myself peering into all of the tiny chrysalises. Images below of the lamps, as well as a roundup of from Angus' collection.

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Tags: animals - furniture - gifts - home - insects - lighting - nature - shopping

On Thursday night i stopped by FORDBRADY's cocktail party for Dwell Magazine, "Los Angeles meet Dwell" where they announced the Dwell on Design Los Angeles Conference and Exhibition event in Los Angeles as well as launch the new look, "environmentally friendlier" Dwell magazine. On June 5th and 6th, it looks like Dwell is looking to start some friendly competition with CA Boom.

What was truly fascinating about the event was the incredible space that FORDBRADY occupies. Their downtown showroom (and home to Willard Ford, his fashion designer wife, Michelle Yu, and teenage son) is set in the historical Chinatown Kim Sing Theatre ~ which was built in 1926 as a vaudeville house, and served as a cinema from the 40's until '86 when it was abandoned... only over years of work, and with the help of Xten Architecture, they've turned it into an incredible loft/gallery space, with a gorgeous courtyard... really an unexpected modern oasis in Chinatown once you step under the original marquee and through the brilliantly orange entry tunnel. Check out their Interior Design Magazine feature for more details and images.

After the jump see many pictures of the incredible space as i viewed it at the party!

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Tags: dwell - events - fordbrady - furniture - party - theatre

Lobster Chair! Designed by Lund & Paarmann for the Verikon Furniture. Fun how this chair feel part egg shaped coziness, protected by a woody exoskeleton with the plush leather within. "The shell is laminated, bend wood with a walnut veneer at the back. Inside the shell we have used Pantera foam, as it is very durable and probably the least damaging foam regarding our environment. The swivel base is chrome-plated steel. The fabrics and the leather we are using for Lobster are of the very best quality."

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Tags: chair - furniture - gifts - home - leather - shopping - wood

In getting ready for another new year (Yay! 2008! I have no idea why i'm so excited for this one.) ~ just rediscovered this party popper chandelier by Stuart Haygarth, who collected up 1000 exploded party poppers on 01.01.00 after the MIllenium celebrations in London. Each popper is individually hung, and apparently create quite the organic swarm when hit (be it by a breeze or a bat). If he seems familiar, perhaps you've also seen some of his other found object chandeliers... like the one out of sun glasses? (images below!)

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Tags: art - furniture - recycled

I just got the sweetest email from Claire Sambrook, a senior lecturer of Creative and Cultural Industries at the University of Portsmouth, and i'm not sure why, but i think its refreshing to have someone sharing their student's work! I've had so many conversations recently about how there must be so many great student projects going unshown simply because they don't know how to market themselves, or are shy and maybe don't have much of an internet presence. Anyhow, she's shared this interesting "Perfect Perch" by 22 year old James Chu, a third year student in product design. His goal is to fill a need for "portable, cheap, lightweight and eco-friendly furniture" and he's thinking ahead already to all of the branding opportunities for these “Somewhere like Goodwood Racecourse could commission 1,000 carrying their name or a sponsor’s message and people could use them at the racecourse and then take them home afterwards. They would make excellent souvenirs.” The chairs have gone into production thanks to Hemingway Design and the South Coast Design Forum.

Tags: furniture - gifts - green - recycled - shopping

Bleu Nature's product line feels like what a five star lodge/igloo/boutique hotel in the woods in the flintstones would be furnished with... Something so natural with their use of found driftwood mixed with lush furs, and leathers... or as they say "Streamlined, sharp silhouettes, strikingly, contrasting materials, this winter, bases are ultra-flat, curves are more pronounced and furniture oscillates between trendy inspirations and Arctic breezes. Bleu Nature explores the nuances of polar white and revisits the concept of the modern igloo. Outside-blizzards and snow, inside, the warmth of driftwood, the softness of fur and the dazzling brilliance of enameled metal…" Beyond these globe like stools are some luscious day beds, couches, bookshelves and stools... remember that bed Odysseus made for Penelope? Carved out of the living tree that was rooted into the ground? Somehow these pieces feel like the perfect furnishings to have alongside it.

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Tags: furniture - gifts - green - shopping

"Big Dipper is a machine that mechanically creates twenty-four candle wax chandeliers by dipping. The principle is inspired on the technique of candle making, where straight strings of wick are dipped a number of times to become candles. Suspended from the ceiling, the machine itself looks like a chandelier with two ring tiers that are counter balanced to move up and down using a pulley system. On each of the two big rings, twelve smaller rings are suspended. They are the frameworks for strings of wick, hanging down in loops. Whenever one of the big rings moves down, the wick hanging from one of the smaller rings is dipped in a drum of melted wax standing below. A layer of wax attaches to the wick and slowly grows a chandelier with eight arms and eight candles. After moving up and down, the machine revolves 30 degrees and repeats the process. In twelve full cycles, twenty-four chandeliers are finished and ready to be unclipped. New ones will now be stringed up again. Each individual chandelier burns four hours before it’s gone. The remains can be thrown back into the drums where they melt down to become the material for a new cycle of chandeliers." this is the Big Dipper by Sarah Van Gameren, and its such a fun idea, i especially like the life cycle of the wax looping around from vat to chandelier to its deconstructed shape back to the vat... and around we go again.

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Tags: art - furniture - gifts - shopping