“Flying Green’ collection by Italian Studio Klass consists on a set of ceramic vases for fresh spices. Each vase has a unique shape inspired by the different kinds of roots and botanical of spices. Their metallic hooks make it possible to hang them on walls with a kitchen’s steel bar. Designed in collaboration with Laboratorio Pesaro. These are so beautiful, i was smitten with the concept and photography when i first spotted them on Design Milk! Take a peek at far more close up pics and various colors on the next page!

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Living walls are becoming more and more prevalent recently, and various arrangements have been popping up lately on variations on the concept. Insitu wall planters achieve a living wall through a grid frame to attach pots too which can easily be added to any wall. Made from powder coated steel and finished in either black satin or white gloss enamel, Insitu’s planters are available in a range of five standard sizes. See more images on the next page…

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Produced by Norway’s Northern Lighting, Sunday is a wall light and shelf combined. It is lit by using either a bulb or a candle light. This petite design object was created by Martina Carpelan of Studio Frost Produkt after being invited by the Norwegian design magazine Design Interior, to create a lamp within the time frame of a week.

Sunday may be used a bedside table or in the hallway, in the chalet or in the toilet - or actually anywhere you may need a light and a shelf combined. Vary the mood by simply turning the socket and re-lock it! The perfect mood maker for a Sunday morning in bed. See more images on the next page…

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On one of my favorite endlessly fascinating stops in NYC - Fishs Eddy ~ here are a few pics from the last time i was there! Warning: While much of what is available in store is online, SO much more is in store! From random overstocks, vintage plates/etc they find, crazy sales… there’s lots of goodies in store that are different each time i pop in. And always so much temptation! Last time i was there, they mentioned that you don’t have to worry about trying to pack it all home too, you can pick whatever you want in store and they are all set up to pack it up and ship it home for you… will definitely have to stop by again when i’m in NY this week! See more pics on the next page…

p.s. those crazy “glove molds” are available online, but how stunning is the display?!?!

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It is amazing how good the plastic version of a steel design classic can feel… you have to sit/lift this new 111 Navy Chair is! The Emeco classic remade in a special formulation of rPET (Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate- recycled plastic bottles) mixed with glass fiber for strength ~ where each chair contains 111 recycled plastic Coke bottles! Apparently over the last 4 years ~ Coke instigated this project, challenging Emeco designers/manufacturers to adapt the chair. While this launched in milan (frozen in a block of ice! - see pic on next page!) ~ the launch party for it at DWR NY in the meatpacking had so many fun design details, as well as lots of the chairs to sit on and play with ~ the experience had to be shared! From recycled coke glass bottle tumblers filled with rum and coke and topped off with paper straws ~ to fun graphics on walls/male models in tees/port-a-potties/coasters/pins ~ to a photobooth! And adorable bags with the Eames quote “Take your pleasure seriously.” (Words i definitely live by for NOTCOT!)… so take a peek at all the fun on the next page!

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On NY Design Week must sees… Merchant No. 4 Secret Shop is a MUST! Sadly it closes tomorrow, but you’ve still got a day! So get on it! I’ve always adored the wonderfully curated collection in the online store, but to see and touch and play with it all, i felt like a kid in a candy store. The products are even more incredible in person ~ in design, colors, packaging and more ~ few stores have made me want nearly everything! Cheri Caso’s beautiful selection of design objects of wood, glass, and porcelain make for a breath taking collection. So for a peek at the wonders that lie within… as well as the teak ice cream scoop, measuring spoons and cake knife i fell for… see it all on the next page!

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MIO debuted their new “Design On The Go” Collection ~ “featuring products that move with their owners and become part of their every day lives.”… As Isaac Salm said “We are extending MIO’s product line from the home to the rest of your life.” A true lifestyle company! This new collection includes bespoke 2000+ hats, tyvek Loop Cut jackets, and my favorite the Pop Up Bicycle Baskets and Pop Up Baskets. The bike baskets ship flat and are made of laser cut powder coated steel and come in the prettiest black, white, and green options…

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It was absolutely breathtaking to see the Lladró Parrot Party Collection in person (They launched in January at Maison et Objet). They are spectacular, and they truly capture those moments of curiosity, intrigue, and playfulness parrots are known for… and the pairing with such modern yet simple shapes and colors, mixtures of matte and glazed glossy porcelain goodness create such fascinating contrasts. This is apparently the first collection in the Lladró Atelier concept, “a world of new experiences in porcelain under the guidance of Jaime Hayon, conceived to showcase the creative potential of the brand’s designers.” As a contrast to the usual press photos, and while i still insist these are worth seeing in person if possible ~ take a peek on the next page of how incredible i found the details and lifelike character of the Parrots!

p.s. So far when asked what my favorite thing is at ICFF ~ this is what jumps to mind!

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Got to love a good room divider, and often they are not nearly as fun as they should be! Enter ~ SWARM for Council by Mike and Maaike! In playful, happy colors with a chaotically orderly pattern… and apparently there is even a large installation of it outside the ICFF Theater! “Swarm is a space divider that offers great flexibility in density and scale, enabling the creation of light-filled, intimate spaces within open environments. The term Swarm describes an aggregation of animals (insects, fish, birds and microorganisms) of similar size and body orientation, generally cruising in the same direction. The Swarm space divider displays a similar behavior, softening spaces, fading in and out, creating texture and motion. The self-standing units blend together when arranged in groups.” See more pics on the next page!

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Still working my way through lots of milan pics, and had to share this one ~ aren’t they lovely? Sam Baron, the current Art Director of Fabrica (Benetton Group) has created the beautiful Philippe I coffee table for Casamania, made of lime-wood, MDF and walnut finished in white lacquer with transparent glass top/black lacquer with mirrored glass top. Sweet and reminiscent of Jaime Hayon’s style legacy at Fabrica…. take a peek at more pics on the next page!

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Spotted across the street when we were in Milan ~ Fritz Hansen had an incredible display not only showcasing the new NAP chair by Kasper Salto… but the whole process, from inspiration boards to prototypes to failed tests and more! It’s an inspiring way to see how much work and testing goes into a product that ends up so simple, functional, and beautiful. See the full walk through on the next page!

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This post is a sponsored series that takes a fun peek at the gorgeous details of modern life. The irresistible design details that enhance our lives… Gillette is the sponsor… but, as always, the post and ideas are 100% NOTCOT.

Found at Agape’s showroom at this year’s Salone was a interesting combination between modern rustic and stylized high tech, Patricia Urquiola’s 2008 design “Vieques” bathtub and Gwenael Nicolas’s recent addition to his “Sen” faucet program created also in 2008 for the Italian company, which will be finally opening an Agape store in NY May 17th during design week! It’s absolutely breathtaking the way the faucet functions… and would be a perfect match with the matte black japanese “tools for men” featured earlier… even though first out in 2008, seeing it in person just made me want it that much more… take a peek at close up images of this beautiful line on the next page!

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It’s that time of year again ~ IKEA’s spring/summer goodies are out, and i’m once again fascinated by what they are doing design wise for low cost outdoor solar lighting. Here’s what they had going last year ~ and to be honest, and an upclose look at them unboxed… and a year later, the ones in my patio, some are holding up ok, some really just dont last long lighting the world up at night anymore. Perhaps i need to swap some new rechargable AA’s in. I’m intrigued by the new additions this year though ~ from floor lamps and desk lamps to pendant lamps and even snake like lighting tubes… do you use them indoors? but in strategic locations that get lots of light? They are apparently approved for outdoors, so it could make for a cute little patio set up… and it looks like you might even be able to turn the table and desk lamps on and off… so charge them up and only pull the switch when you need it outside? (Will this make the battery last longer?)… take a peek at some larger pics on the next page!

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While wandering the fiera during Milan design week ~ there were a LOT of chairs. And tables. And objects calling for your attention. Few booths made me feel ready to curl up in to bed, kick back on the couch… and just move in. LEMA did that. I walked in through the chaos, and even packed, it was a relaxing breathe of fresh air (and their flowers made it SMELL nicer than convention center too)… and then i fell in love with the bed. And the side table. and the desk. Take a peek at some of my favorite picks of their collection…

p.s. also noteworthy, they had an augmented reality aspect to their press materials! Check it out here: LEMA T030 Augmented Reality ~ you can print it and spin it around yourself even!

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Packaging based impulse buy at Whole Foods when i got home… “Clean Air Tree” ~ a biodegradable potato waste pod containing spruce tree seeds in a soiless growing pellet in a biodegradable growing pot… complete with an FSC paper booklet printed with veg based ink… sealed in a compostable corn starch sleeve… super green packaging? And apparently when you plant/buy one, they do too… but unfortunately their website seems a bit broken, so i couldn’t register my pod yet… See the next page for the unboxing… start at planting… and lets hop there are sprouts soon! And someday perhaps a tree…

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