Everything IS Wonderful! Isn’t it? And if not, they should be. Came across one of these “Everything Here Is Wonderful” Best Made Co limited edition map prints while wandering the other day, and it just made me smile. Grin. Giggle? I need one, but i wish there was an LA one. From the NY based axe makers, Best Made Co, they created a “Limited edition of 15 woodblock prints on topographic maps from the United States Geological Survey. Handmade at the Best Made Outpost in St. Paul, MN.” With three maps currently available, you can choose from Mt Hood, MN, Mt Mansfield, VT, and Marfa ~ see them all on the next page!

--> to more images

I’ve always been terrible at sitting normally in chairs ~ i end up cross legged, legs hanging off the sides sideways, sitting backwards… and sure, i’ve probably flipped a few chairs in my time. Haven’t we all? Well… given that, when presented the opportunity to try the Knoll Generation ~ that claimed to support ANY way of sitting with its tagline “The first chair that lets you sit how you want.” Challenge, accepted! They are even collecting up pics of HOW people are sitting in them at MyGeneration! So in true NOTCOT fashion ~ here’s a big unboxing on the next page ~ and a peek at my favorite details… from the mesh, to the wheels, to the bendable back that screams office-slingshot…

--> to more images

Just in from the UK ~ Justine just checked out Clerkenwell Design Week!

I never knew i could do strawberries upside down! Justine’s pics of this display have me inspired to try it… they have some impressive yield even! And get so lovely and bushy looking! Love this display of Boskke Sky Planters in the House of Detention, an installation from Theo, the re-branded retail/online side of Thorsten van Elten at Clerkenwell Design Week. Take a peek at close ups… and views UP into the strawberries on the next page!

--> to more images

This series/post is brought to you by Gillette. Learn more about Gillette and its products at Gillette.com. As usual, thoughts and ideas are all NOTCOT, Gillette is sponsoring us to do our thing!

Buying and owning is really only half the battle… responsibility… whatever you want to call it when you are talking about all the clothes and other accouterments we adorn ourselves with. For this post, Leo and Marcia delved into the world of laundering and objects that help us care for the clothes we love that are worth showing off like a gorgeous piece of furniture. From laundry baskets to ironing boards that look like works of art ~ to unusually dressing/hanging stations and convertible furniture! Take a peek at it all on the next page!

--> to more images

Another ICFF discovery from Anna of Sub-Studio ~ we’re loving the Ply Project’s Flex Chair created by Kenichi Sato. It takes full advantage of plywood as a material, using its ability to be both rigid and supportive and take on a soft, bendable, almost woven texture. Being made of plywood, the chairs are lightweight and easily moved as they can be separated into a flexible plywood membrane which attaches to a metal frame with embedded magnets, making it so easy to remove/clean off/swap/etc! The Flex series comes in both a chair and chaise lounge. Take a peek at some of Anna’s pics from ICFF as well as product pics on the next page!

--> to more images

There’s no denying that Kindle Living has some of the nicest heat lamps around. In fact, its surprising that there aren’t more designs that make better use of people’s natural tendencies to cluster under heat lamps… love that these are beautiful designs (though a bit alice in wonderland with the HUGE scaled traditional looking lamp look), more functional than purely heating - with the ability to provide lighting, cocktail tables, and even customized shades and more. But what’s most fascinating that i just discovered, is HOW they are actually assembled. When researching heat lamps for my friend’s patio, we started reading up on all the details, and discovered the assembly guide filled with pics! Surprisingly easy, i’m tempted now… even though it doesn’t get THAT chilly here! Take a peek on the next page!

--> to more images

Been exploring NY Design Week digitally this year, and Anna of Sub-Studio, has been our eyes and ears! She just sent over these pics of The Reflective Work showing at The Future Perfect! Gorgeously simple idea, and so beautiful! Made by Lara Knutson, the shade is made out of a reflective glass fabric that is made from microscopic glass beads which magnify light 100 times. The fixture is lit with an LED that looks like a traditional lightbulb when reflected in the lampshade. There was also a bunch of vases and jewelry that was made from the same reflective fabric. See close ups on the next page!

--> to more images

Gorgeous! And so simple, minimal… just found this Schwenkgrill Rohstahl (Raw steel pivot grill) and Feuerschale Rohstahl (Crude steel fire bowl) over at the awesome German, Manufactum! While the fire bowl is beautifully tempting on its own already ~ when you add the grill pendulum/pulley set up above it ~ with controllable height, much like work out equipment… it becomes EVEN more interesting and functional! Take a peek at closeups on the next page!

--> to more images

WE LOVE CALIFORNIA! OMG it smells like socal ~ i can’t explain it. It’s like there’s some fresh beachy goodness baked into this new “We Love California” Candle (in “Cruel Summer” scent) from LA based, Baxter of California, in collaboration with Parisian, Colette… their description? “Cruel Summer opens with a very powerful green, leafy top note accented with a citrus lemon undertone. The body of this complex blend is a floral, green bouquet starring brilliant hyacinth, tempered with notes of cyclamen, and accented with a fresh marine accord. These rest on an alluring white musk base, embellished with cedar wood.” As usual, the design is by Marc Atlan ~ and gorgeously minimal! This limited edition of 400 candles will be available at Colette in Paris and online, at the Baxter LA Barbershop and online.

When they reached out to offer us a giveaway, i simply had to smell it before agreeing. When it arrived today, i was won over (first by their awesome custom packing tape!) by the scent and design ~ and what could be more appropriate than to share a little california love with you guys? As a born and raised LA girl, and seeing as i just canceled all my May travel to hide out and enjoy at least a month of this lovely LA summer… this seems like the perfect giveaway! But before you enter ~ take a peek at the unbox and close ups of packaging and candle on the next page…

TO WIN: Leave a comment by midnight in cali time, Friday, May 6th, with what you love about California ~ and i’ll pick and email a winner over the weekend! Oh! And you most definitely do not have to be IN California to win!

--> to more images

This post is brought to you by Lowe’s, and is the brainchild of NOTCOT. Find inspiration and encouragement as you plan, begin and complete do-it-yourself projects at Lowe’s Home 101.

The gardening bug seems to be going around as of late. Especially the trend in edible gardens at home! Regardless of whether you’re in a small apartment or a huge estate, we’ve been seeing windowbox gardens, herbs along the kitchen counter, upside down hanging tomato plants, rooftop gardens, guerilla gardens, community gardens, and full blown vegetable gardens fit to rival a farm. The daunting part perhaps is starting one…so Tasteologie Editor, Jackson, took on the task a few months ago in addition to working with friends on a few other vegetable gardens! On the next page you can see fun seedling growing options, and how they evolve into a full on vegetable garden!

--> to more images

Cleaning through my cell phone ~ i was wandering through pics from the last few trips and came across one from Paris. Really wishing i paid more attention to which store this was that we wandered by ~ possibly in the Marais? The tile patterns are so cute, colorful, simple, detailed… see more on the next page…

--> to more images

Happy Earth Day! It’s been fun watching the evolution and growing trend of seedbombing - our latest find, Seedboms from Kabloom which are featured in the Selfridges’ Guerrilla Gardening display in their windows and Wonder Room. The little grenades are only available in the UK for now, as they feature four mixes of native species (Sunflower Incredible, Nasturtium Peach Melba, Cornfield Annual Mix and Native Wildflower Mix). However, other EU mixes are under development! Their design, display, and packaging were too irresistible to pass up, so we picked up a few while there… they are now in 4 packs and singles (and the 4 packs can even be split up, complete with to:/from: tag, for sharing!) Check them out close up on the next page!

--> to more images

It’s hard not to be drawn in glass bubblers, plants, and large canisters mysteriously hooked up… spotted out in Ventura Lambrate in Milan, this is the Compost Distiller by Lisa Johansson from the Royal College of Art. The unit is no ordinary compost bin. The beautiful system turns plant-based waste into biofuel, soil nutrients and compost. Unlike your typical composter, the unit includes subsections for both fermentation and distillation processes between the bin and garden composter, allowing you to harness more energy and nutrients in the waste before it becomes soil. See more about how this contraption works as well as close ups on the next page!

--> to more images

Thanks, Veuve Clicquot, our Milano Design Week sponsor! We adore their new origami inspired ice bucket, Clicq’up.

Spotted at the awesome VIA Design: Les Aides a La Creation exhibition were some beautiful, modular pieces ~ like the Pentagon system, which is a series of tables and stools from Itamar Burstein. The pieces are constructed from five identical parts that have the shape of an upside down U (you can kind of peek at this behind the table up there ~ sorry i was distracted and forgot to get a good pic of the pieces taken apart!). These interlock during assembly to form a secure structure and support a table top in the case of the table piece, or for a fun stool in the smaller unit. See more pics on the next page!

--> to more images

Thanks, Veuve Clicquot, our Milano Design Week sponsor! We adore their new origami inspired ice bucket, Clicq’up.

We love living walls (and the many options available!) ~ found a gorgeous entry way of easily DIYable felt pouches housing strawberries and herbs at Ortofabbrica in Zona Tortona today! Gorgeous and simple, you can sew your own pocket panels with two sheets of felt, make grids across them… and slit them and pop your plants in! See the full installation on the next page!

--> to more images