“With “Bloom,” a 20-foot tall undulating installation in Silver Lake, Los Angeles, Sung has made these ideas a reality. She’s received multiple grants to further her research with thermobimetal, including one to reskin an Airstream trailer in this dynamic smart material, so it can fan open and air out on particularly hot days.” Whoa holy awesome!

If you have a physical or visual allergy to concrete walls and ceilings, big picture windows, beautiful wood floors and hip furniture, you might want to avoid the Casa Pocafarina home in Girona, Spain designed by Hidalgo Hartman. Of course, who would want to avoid a sort of modern floating-esque house? Doesn’t this kind of feel like a re-take of Le Corbusier’s Villa Savoie? Just a little bit?

“The house is situated on a corner plot with some good views over the distant landscape. In order to enjoy these views and avoid the neighboring buildings, the ideal configuration for the house was to create a compact form of cross which is placed at the center of gravity of the plot. The four wings are oriented in a way that ensures the selected views from inside the house.”

“The whole volume is supported by four pillars and cantilevers out over the garden level at a hight of one meter. The pillars itself are based on the lower ground floor of 8x8m that contains access to housing, the porch, garage and laundry. On the top floor, the cross-shaped plan organizes the four wings around a central space, an exterior courtyard, that provides sunlight Into the heart of the house.”

What do you think about this house? Super cool and modern or would you feel a little too on display in it? Let us know in the comments below!

Images: Architizer

Yeyeah. Enjoying all these great art prints from artist Matthew Korbel-Bowers. Really flat and 2D, the bold bright colors are so invigorating and energizing. Utilizing geometric shapes in their most simple form, he combines them for a really extraordinary effect. The designs on these art prints really seem to jump off the page, and we imagine they’d really do that when displayed crisply in a modern home.

We even love his bio on his website, perhaps one of the simplest bios ever written: “North Coast. Creative.” That really ties into his modern, clean art well in that you can tell he understands that it’s all about coming to artistic perfection when you can no longer take anything away from a composition. Spotted first on Forge. See more here.

What do you think about these colorful art prints? Of Matthew’s work?

This week’s 2M Collective Modern Décor Sale is perfect for those looking for a gift for their hunny that is hand made, made in the USA, modern, colorful, functional and gorgeous! Today’s sale features some small items that pack a big punch, and ones that are quite fashionable, cuff links from the great design brand IMOOI. Go ahead and click to see the sale…you and your significant other will be glad you did!

2M Collective is a weekly sale by 2Modern offering deeply discounted modern furniture & lighting in limited quantities. Sale starts at 9:00 AM PST every Thursday. Each item listed on 2M Collective is exclusively offered for a short period of time at a significantly reduced price. You will see discounts of up to 80% off regular retail prices. All products shown on 2M Collective are sold for a limited time and have a limited quantity.

Big, over-sized, rough textures is another trend that has certainly happened in interiors before. We confess we really love it; it’s a great way to add personality in a room without having to add a lot of elements. If you have a few pieces that have a great texture in a living space or other room, you can keep furnishings and colors simple and modern. The new trend we spotted at the Las Vegas Market wasn’t just a rehashing of this old trend, it’s about seeing it in a fresh new way.

We’ll definitely be seeing more thick textures this year, but used on different surfaces, out of new, unique materials and combined with other textures for really dynamic, stunning vignettes in your home.

Ahhh! Love these colorful, textural, modern, geometric, traditional, cultural fabulous Ojos de Dios Yarn Mandalas. Created by Jay Mohler, his Etsy store is filled with such wonderful patterns. Wouldn’t this look so awesome in a modern home? Like a bunch of them on a wall. One leaning on a shelf? So many cool spots for them, we think. What Jay has to say:

“I’ve been making Ojos de Dios ever since after seeing such yarn and stick mandalas in 1966, in almost the exact form, made by both Huicholi natives of Mexico, and monks from Tibet. Later I made many Ojos de Dios (Spanish for Eyes of God) in a Navajo 8-sided design, when “ojos” were a popular folk art in the 1970′s American Southwest. Much more recently I’ve mostly made 12-sided Ojos de Dios, which I believe can represent a whole panorama of spiritual cosmologies ….. although for myself, I create these for artistic satisfaction rather than as any sort of spiritual talisman.” You can buy them here. But if the price is too steep, he sells DIY kits, too!

You know we can never get enough of looking at pretty, modern interiors. Always fun for finding inspiration for your own home, sometimes even find inspiration for what you don’t want in your home (though you won’t be finding any the last one in this post). “Austin-based interior designer Kelle Contine founded KCID to serve both residential and commercial clientele. KCID provides exceptional service while fully engaging each client as a part of the design process from beginning to end.”

“We create aesthetic interiors that are functional. We encourage creative and collaborative working relationships to translate client goals and establish the most successful design solutions. We believe team collaboration with architects, builders, developers, owners, and industry professionals fosters forward thinking and results in smarter designed and built environments. We organize and clearly communicate ideas and information to the project team to ensure a quality product is delivered on time and within budget. Our collective passion for design paired with our expertise in offering professional guidance allows us to consistently exceed expectations.” More.

What do you think about these spaces?! Let us know in the comments below!

Images: Kelle Contine website

A magazine post last week notes about the bright red buildings around the world from a psychiatric centre in Spain, a shelter in Portugal, a chocolate museum in Brazil to red bridges and pavilions. Using materials such as steel tubing, red coated zinc sheets, red glass, steel-frames, aluminum and plastic make the color red to stand with its combined material for unique statements.

Associated with feelings such as anger, lust, love, danger, beauty and happiness, the selection of red for this psychiatric center with the peaked roofs represent the ups and downs of the emotional and mental activities within the structure.

A pedestrian walkway between a subway and bus station.

Serpentine gallery by Jean Nouvel.

For more images and stories about the red buildings, here is the link.

As you know, we have a pretty huge love affair with the DIY website Curbly. We basically love everything they do. Every now and then they post a DIY project so brilliant, so wonderful, so modern, we just have to share it with our modern DIY loving readers. Like this fabulous, ridiculously affordable and functional Asterisk Clock!

As usual, Chris at Curbly lays it all out for you: materials list, tools list and of course, the how to of it! Though we usually have a bit of a problem with clocks that don’t actually have numbers on it (hard to read at a glance for folks who missed the clock class in kindergarten) we love that you can have a fun accessory for your home that you can use and that you can make and looks great! Find all the instructions on Curbly.

photo credit: Tom Bonner

As the day turns to dusk and then to night the public art project Encompassing Aiso, comes more into view.  Unlike most public art projects which stand above ground, Encompassing Aiso is part of the ground.  The Aiso Plaza layout was designed by architect 0.10 (zero-ten).   Well versed in problem solving with a thoughtful modern aesthetic, architects Melynda Eccles, Carl Smith and Mathew Chaney , of Telemachus Studio in collaboration with Los Angeles artist John O’Brien, set out to acknowledge the original design intent incorporating the art into the existing concrete floor and wall designs.

photo credit: Tom Bonner

photo credit: Tom Bonner

The Aiso Street Plaza lies close to the center of the dramatic cross currents of downtown Los Angeles.  With Little Tokyo as a cornerstone, the site is steeped in history and movement. From this intersection of First and Aiso, echoes of Olvera Street, China Town, Union Station, the Museums and Monuments linger in the memory.  Aiso Plaza attempts to manifest these influences as an observatory mapping urban constellations.

“Through the concept of Encompassing Aiso, we chose to inscribe Aiso Plaza with an overarching mapping system, capable of locating it within the context of histories and cultures that define the place.”  This mapping system manifests in two interrelated elements:  Pathways and Portals.  The Pathways are envisioned as physical traces, broad elliptical stainless steel arcs set flush with the plaza concrete, which would mark trajectories from the plaza to other significant and nearby destinations.  The portals make reference to selected sites where there are potential walking paths from Aiso Plaza.   “Ultimately, this project is about looking at the city as more than a collection of isloated events, it reaches out to directly connect to it’s surroundings”, says Carl Smith of Telemachus Studio.

photo credit: Tom Bonner

The portals themselves are made from steel, glass and lighting effects which give the laser cut silhouetted shapes of Los Angeles iconic landmarks more intense contrast as the night sky falls.  The lighting that punctuates the walls of Aiso Plaza are also part of the art project as they mark the spot of intersection of mapping on the ground.

photo credit: Tom Bonner

photo credit: Tom Bonner

photo credit: Tom Bonner

John O’Brien observes, “public art that is integrated into the architectural site like Encompassing Aiso is downtown, allows for a more subtle appearance and a richer contextualization for the viewer. Like L.A., the artwork is a little hard to see right away but once the patterns are understood, it makes for a more fascinating place.”  I agree.

Have an infinitely modern day!

Yay for the combination of eco-friendly practices and furniture! Isn’t that just such a great thing to mix into something that will be going into your home, sharing space with you and your air? We think so (which is why, of course, we have so many eco-practices in the 2Modern store). We came across the furniture line of an interior designer out of Austin, Texas called Vervano, and we’re liking it!

Some of the pieces kind of just look like your standard furniture pieces. But a few of them, specifically their side chairs and that Lauren table, have these really simple, faceted angle details to their wood structures that we really like. It’s super, super subtle, but it’s enough to set them apart from the rest of the pact out there.

“VERVANO was born of a personal need: We needed a source for sustainable furnishings for our own studio at Laura Britt Design. A long search involving colleagues, vendors, research, and travel found nothing suitable. So, we decided to do it ourselves. The result is Vervano, an eco-conscious furnishings line from the Laura Britt Design studio in Austin, Texas.” More.

What do you think about this line of sustainable furniture pieces? Cool details? What?

No matter how old, overdone or even lame the world of tilt-shift photography becomes in the future, we will always love it. Always, you hear. It’s a kind of magic that though we technically understand how it works, still feel gooey inside when we look at it. Combine that with cool subject matter and raw talent, and you get an artist, Oliver Nieder, whose work is impressing us in all the right ways.

Wouldn’t it be cool to see the world from this great photographer’s perspective? We think so. It certainly makes all of our surroundings seem much more magical and mystical. Man, we love landscapes so much. More.

The purpose of this post is entirely to drool over some of the new stuff at 2Modern. It’s true—we do sell this stuff on the retail website, but we can’t help but love this stuff solely for the look of it! LZF is rocking our faces off with some new lights, like their Armadillo Suspension, Pleg Wall Sconce, Carambola Table Lamp and Link Chain Suspension. FontanaArte also has a lovely new fancy light fixture (that we forgot to put in that photo above) called Wig Pendant. Inhabit‘s new rugs look plush, thick, colorful and organic and we want to build extra rooms in our house just so we can have more rugs. Laguna Wool Rug and Mum Wool Rug making us swoon today. Can we do one more link in this post? Check out everything new under the What’s New section.

Which new design is your favorite this week!? There’s no contest but maybe a loving friend or family member will see your comment and then know to buy it for you for your next birthday. It’s worth a shot, comment!

Modern design is…coming up with a design so unique you can be sure no one else in world has it! We’re just loving the crazy-cool look of the Drew House, a home in Brisbane, Australia by Anthill Construction. The most striking feature of the house, of course, is the giant fan-looking window that terminates the end of a long, tubular-shaped great room that houses the living room and kitchen. Not only eye-catching, it’s probably really functional, too!

The whole house has such a organic, natural feel to it because of the color palette and materials choices. “The Drew house is a holiday retreat for a well know Australian photographic artist. The family took camping trips to the area in their youths so the house aims to create a kind of luxury campsite amongst mature Bloodwoods trees and Palms near the ocean at, Seventeen Seventy, a town just south of Gladstone and the most northerly surf break on the east Australian coast at the start of the Great Barrier Reef.” So dreamy! I’d “camp” here! We suggest reading the whole Architizer project information on this one…there’s a lot of cool sustainable features to this house, like how the sleeping pods don’t even have to be air conditioned because of the design.

What do you think about the look of this house?! Do you like the color palette? Let us know! We LOVE hearing your opinions!

Images: Architizer

“Luke Jerram is pulling data from two different stock graphs to create two sculptures: one on the New York Stock Exchange (Composite 2004-2012) and one on the Dow Jones (Industrial Average 1980-2012). He mapped the data and rotated it, turning it into a three dimensional form, and them created wooden sculptures from the data visualization.” From The Creators Project.

You know what looks unexpectedly sexy in a modern home? A farmhouse table. It’s one of the easiest ways to infuse a little homespun personality and charm into a cold, sterile modern interior and it even holds its own pretty well when it comes to wear and tear, being perfect for homes with kiddos or pets that enjoy eating at the table.

But what if you haven’t been able to find a farmhouse table that you love, can afford or that fits any odd home dimensions you may have? Why, build your own, of course! Ana White has the plans for you to make a farmhouse table for your home. Be sure to pair it with super colorful or modern chairs to pack a pretty awesome design punch. DIY plans here.

Images: Ana White, Desire to Inspire

Oh we love tiny houses and we love houses made out of affordable materials. This MYZ House in Nagano, Japan designed by no.555 fits the modern bill, alright. We love that it seems to be a thin, narrow rectangular shape that goes from public to private spaces. Love the mix of gorgeous, clean wood floors with a more affordable material for the walls and the ceiling. Love the simple furnishings, that big, bright front window and the fact that this is more proof that you don’t need a lot of space or things to be modernly happy! From Architizer:

“I aimed to assimilate,because the quiet surroundings. The building filled with soil, and low proportions. Levels in each room is a little lower, the animals like to enter in “nest”. Also the concrete wall is like a bird nest of woven grass. I aimed ” the quiet architecture ” idyllic landscape.”

Images: Architizer

You know, modern often means having to pack a lot of personality into a small space while not using a lot of elements to avoid clutter. We just haven’t seen a better example in awhile like this Gartner Residence in Venice, California by Bruce Bolander Architect. Wow it’s so gorgeous! Using affordable materials they manipulated color and space simply but powerfully. Check out that great kelly green kitchen! Or that dark, charcoal gray that shows up in the bedroom and living space. Tons of inspiration to be found in this home for a color palette.

“Located on a small lot on the canals in Venice, the existing 1100 sf house had a dilapidated charm on the outside but the inside was cramped and unusable. Client desires and the zoning code dictated that the size and location of building envelope near the canal remain unchanged. A large studio space and spa deck were added on the second floor near the rear of the residence.”

“The scope of work involved the removal of both interior partitions and parts of the second floor to create an interior space that connected from the living area near the canal on the first floor through the central stair to the second floor studio at the back of the house. The house’s small footprint is made large by voluminous birch plywood clad open ceilings.”

Images: Architizer

Sea creatures and other things that dwell in the deep blue oceans aren’t a new trend; anyone familiar with Thomas Paul products knows that a good octopus graphic or two is pretty much required in a hip, modern space these days. But while we were at Las Vegas Market last week, we spotted a few trends, one of them being a softer, more subtle under-the-sea feel.

First of all, no sea shells in glass jars or gaudy-colored coral arrangements — those are out. What’s in is taking those motifs, making them modern, re-creating them in earthy, natural materials and using them to be stand-out accents in a room whose main thrust is not under the sea. Also cool is unique under-the-sea things. Sea monsters are always in, always.

Find some subtle under-the-sea finds at 2Modern: 

Jefdesigns – Sea Fan Lightbox
Thomaspaul – Sealife Hand Towel Set
Thomaspaul – Octopus Tea Towel
Thomaspaul – Shell Bath Mat
Thomaspaul – Scrimshaw Tray

Has anyone else ever struggled with wanting to fit in? Or seem “cool”? If you have, you might find a little bit of a connection with artist Sarah Doyle’s mixed media series: “Nicknames – Celebrated Sobriquets aka Always Known As.” Playing off the idea of social media and the kinds of nicknames and personas young people are always trying to effect these days, Sarah used found clothing, toy stuffing and thread to create these 3D nicknames that make you at once feel embarrassed but also kind of that you want to be young again. From her website:

“Sarah Doyle’s work explores the construction of identity through visual culture. She has recently been using the nicknames and alter egos teenagers give themselves in her work. You will most likely have seen examples of such nicknames written on walls around most areas and as alias names on community sites such as Myspace. Part of the show includes a Myspace portal created by Sarah Doyle were teenagers blurb from Myspace is regurgitated by young Victorian girls and showgirls. The work looks at playing at being adult, pretending, mimicking and making believe that you are someone else. The fear of growing old and the desperation of trying to fit in.” More.

Images: From her website

What would a modern architect’s house in Finland look like? To a modern lover? Basically heaven. All blond wood, sleek lines and Scandinavian details, Architect’s House 1 designed by Haroma & Partners and located in Turku, Finland is filled with enviable and inspiring elements you just might want to emulate for your own space.

Before you try to explain that you could never live in a house that looked like this because you don’t share its awesome bones, let us assure you: lots of these details could be incorporated in just about any home and done so pretty affordably. Just some things we spotted in the photos: a crisp all white and blond wood color palette with black furniture and accessories accents. Simple, big white tile with a dark gray grout that really lends geometry in the spaces. Interior windows that let light flow through every space. Awesome Scandinavian modern furniture. Plywood room dividers with shelves inbetween. This is really a home full of inspiration for yours.

Images: Architizer

Mmm outdoor areas are the best when the weather is nice, right? Enjoying food and fun with friends and family in a little bit of nature that you control and decorate is sometimes the best remedy to a long day or week. Depending on where you live in the world, the weather definitely can decide when and if you enjoy your outdoor area, but if you’ve been dreaming of getting to enjoy yours, we have just the DIY project to work on to get yours ready for some fun.

We have to secretly admit that we love when folks figure out how to make items that are sometimes expensive in decor catalogs. Not everything mind you; we don’t advocate people give up buying from home decor stores altogether (obviously) and we certainly don’t enjoy seeing knock-offs of famous designs, but every now and then we like a project we spot, like this DIY version of a Restoration Hardware concrete fire column. We don’t think you’ll necessarily keep your outdoor area or patio warm with these suckers, but you certainly will keep it stylish, and on a budget! More.

Images: In my own style

Moebel by handwerk is a solid wood furniture line inspired by the earth’s best designer: Nature ! All Moebel by handwerk pieces are hand crafted in our workshop in Ottawa. They are finished with durable natural oils and waxes from Livos Germany, which are 100% petrochemical free. More.

This post comes courtesy of our “make a guest post” page. Got a great lead, product find or idea? Share yours and it could make it on the 2Modern blog!

While in college pursuing my degree in architecture, I spent a semester studying photography. We were required to use a manual camera (fortunately I was able to obtain one), and had to develop our shots in a dark room, so I learned that entire process. While it was interesting, I have to admit that I believe digital was the best thing to happen in photography, being able to see your image immediately on the LCD as opposed to having to wait for a print. This allows you to focus on composition, which is most important to me, although one must certainly have command of the basic technical details of camera operation (aperture, shutter speed, the impact of lighting, etc.) as this is essential in forming your compositional perspective.

Empire State Building Framed View

2. What type of camera do you use and why?

I shoot with Canon digital for no other reason than it was the camera brand used by the person who essentially served as my mentor when I was first interested in seriously pursuing photography as a form of artistic expression so I started with it. I have never had a reason or curiosity to try another brand, and have been completely satisfied with the Canon line, and recommend it.

3. How would you define your style? Do you focus on particular subject matters?

I see photography as a form of artistic expression, and am therefore interested in a variety of subject matter. I simply have a definitive need to convey my own artistic perspective, and as such, I really rather not shoot a particular subject if I can’t do so from my own unique perspective. I am indeed inspired by my peers and don’t feel a sense of competition with them. However, if (when) I see a shot from another photographer that I particularly admire, I would never copy it – often times I will see a great shot and wish that I would have captured it because it’s similar to how I would have seen it, but I won’t then copy it in my own work. Of course the possibility exists that there may be shots of mine that happen to be similar to another artist, but this is coincidence, and again never by intent. It’s a combination of respect and confidence in my own creative vision, without being limited in my growth as an artist. I am constantly inspired by the work of other artists. I would describe my style simply as the conveying of my own unique perspective.

4. What or who are your inspirations?

I love great art no matter who happens to be the artist, and I find inspiration in a plethora of stimuli. The beauty of art is that all it requires is honesty, a sincere response to an emotional stimuli. Good or bad is relative to the eye of the beholder, sincerity is absolute. So there are a host of photographers whose work I admire – the result (the image) is the attraction, and as such, whenever I come upon an inspiring image, its creator becomes someone whom I admire, whoever that may happen to be. There are, and have been so many talented artists, both unknown and infamous, alive and no longer with us, be it in photography, music, architecture, poetry, performance – there should be room for all of us. The forces of the universe provide a wealth of stimuli for which a response is inspired, and I am impacted accordingly. My response may be expressed via photography, poetry, essay, architecture, or any combination of these, and is always sincere, emanating from my heart and/or mind.

Still Life At Ocean

5. Do you have a dream subject or location that you would love to shoot?

I love Hawaii, and believe that it is the most beautiful place on earth. Perhaps there are places just as beautiful, but none moreso. I go there to center my soul, to polish my peace shield so that I can better take on the forces of the universe. I am very much inspired being there – it is the dream location that I have been fortunate to experience repeatedly.   The dream location that I have yet to experience is Egypt. For as long as I can remember I have been innately mesmerized by the Pyramids at Giza in particular, and the other remnants of Egyptian antiquity in general. If I could be transported back to a particular time in history, I would like it to be the time when all of that was new – with my camera in hand of course (hey, it’s my fantasy! :-) – as beautiful as it all is in ruin, I can only imagine the splendor of it all when it was new. If this journey that is my life finds me transitioning from it without having visited Egypt, and the Pyramids, et al, then my life will have been unfulfilled. So I hope to make it there as soon as circumstances allow.

6. Where can the majority of your work be seen?

The majority of my work can be seen on my website at http://www.a-d-imagery.com

A.M. Solitude II

7. You studied Architecture in school. How is this creative pursuit connected to your photography?

Like photography, I also see architecture as a form of artistic expression. It likewise requires the command and application of its associated technical aspects (construction) in order to bring it to form; however, I don’t separate this from its artistic essence. My innate predisposition is toward modern design. Essentially, I summarize the connection between photography and architecture via the best definition that I have ever heard for both: Art: The recording of a response to an emotional stimuli. Architecture: The design and construction of beautiful structures and spaces suitable for human habitation. Inherent in both of these is the requirement for sincerity of expression from the originator of the work. In my opinion the connection is a natural one, and based solely on the definition of both as forms of artistic expression (music (likewise essential to my life) can also be thrown in the mix).

FLW: Guggenheim IX

8. You grew up in Englewood, New Jersey and many of your photographs are shot in New York City. Can you discuss the impact of growing up so close to this epicenter of art and culture?

Actually I was born in Englewood but grew up in the city until high school. It is the epicenter of art and culture indeed, the most awesome city in the world in my opinion. I am attracted to the commingling of its dynamism and the fact that one can find a relative personal calm amid it all – at least I can – and this provides creative inspiration for me.

9. Your photographs make use of a variety of perspectives. How do you decide at the time which point of view will work best for the photograph?

Herein lies the sincerity factor in that, I’m always intent on capturing a different perspective because innately, I see things differently, I see the world differently. So it comes down to conveying/sharing my unique perspective. If I’ve already seen it, I don’t want to repeat it in my images. It brings me great satisfaction that I consistently hear from others, in response to my images, that they recognize the conveyance of my unique perspective, that this comes through to them.

Morning Haze At The GWB II

10. You say that you have an interest in conveying your creative vision through diverse mediums. In what other mediums do you work and what impact does a varied approach to art-making have on your photographic process?

Well, I’m a photographer, a designer (structures and interiors) (I can’t officially call myself an architect yet until I’m licensed, which I am pursuing), a poet, a writer. Examples of all of these may be found on my website with the exception of my architectural designs. The manifestation of my creative vision for all of these applications comes from the same place – my soul. My response to the forces of the universe, and the recording of it in my own voice, confident in my perspective, yet open to the possibilities that may broaden my vision. To see A.D.’s PrintedArt collection, visit his portfolio.

For more information or to purchase photos, visit http://www.printedart.com

This post comes courtesy of our “make a guest post” page. Got a great lead, product find or idea? Share yours and it could make it on the 2Modern blog!

Rural North Tipperary, Ireland – Have you ever admired the character of an old building and appreciated the story its materials tell about the place and its occupants? Young Irish Architect, Seán Fogarty and his Carpenter father-in-law Michael have begun to harness this sense of history in their new collection of furniture by making every piece from solid, reclaimed maple floorboards. “I’m a big fan of contemporary design” says Seán “but there’s something special about a material that has been used for a certain period of time and developed a patina of age that can’t be matched by typical virgin materials.”

The ecological benefits of reusing such timber are also important to the designer; “Building construction contributes hugely to the problem of Co2 emmisions worldwide, so it’s nice to be involved with a project that we know doesn’t harm the environment and yet produces designs of a very high quality.”

Sean and Michael first began experimenting with reclaimed timber in early 2011 when Sean needed a new dining table for his growing family in Dublin. The result was a great success and much admired by Seán’s architect friends who came for dinner. Spurred on by this initial positive response to their work they went on to develop a series of designs all utilising the unique properties of their favourite material, reclaimed maple floorboards. With Michael’s 45 years experience as a master-craftsman and Seán’s appreciation for modernist design, the results to date are an interesting display of how disused materials can be transformed into contemporary furniture designs that possess both soul and style.

The Rocker Lane Workshop “Craft | Design | Time Collection” was recently launched in Dublin’s Royal Hibernian Academy Gallery and currently their work can be bought online via www.rockerlaneworkshop.com or at the Buddha Bag shop in central Dublin. Custom orders are accepted and all queries can be addressed to sean@rockerlaneworkshop.com

This post comes courtesy of our “make a guest post” page. Got a great lead, product find or idea? Share yours and it could make it on the 2Modern blog!

It’s unusual to find a designing duo. Over the course of history, there have been a few famous teams, but usually creative types like to work alone for the most part, only coming out from their shells to collaborate with companies and others occasionally. That’s why we love to highlight when two people find their creative soul mates and make the world a more beautiful place by finding the power to work together, like the dynamic duo of Jurgen Laub & Markus Jehs. Jurgen Laub was born in Ulm, Germany in 1964 and Markus Jehs in Stuttgart, Germany in 1965. They met when they were studying industrial design at the Hochshcule für Gestaltung Schwäebisch Gmuend (graduating in 1992) and then became even better friends when they did an internship together in New York City in 1994.

Soon after that fateful internship, they set up their partnership and their studio: jehs+laub studio. They basically design a whole lotta of stuff, from furniture, to lighting, to accessories, to even interiors. After starting their studio, they hit it big pretty quickly, working with such famous companies as Cassina, Nemo, Ycami and Acerbis. They tackled office furniture and furniture for the home for German company Renz, Schönbuch and Thonet. They’ve created some lounge designs for Fritz Hansen and candleholders for Stelton.

They contributed their brilliance to suite 606 at the Ice Hotel in Sweden one year and gained much recognition for their designs of the master concept of worldwide showrooms for Mercedes-Benz®. Being so prolific, they’ve won a lot of international design awards for their work in the field.

At 2Modern, you can take some of Jurgen Laub & Markus Jehs’ designs home with their lighting fixtures they designed for Fambuena.

Bring some Jurgen Laub & Markus Jehs designs from 2Modern home today!

Images: Jehs+Laub website, Cassina, Knoll, Connox

A couple of things for your wall, something for your table, something for your technology and even a gift for your hunny; this week’s DIY projects were fast, easy, awesome and modern! Which one will you do this weekend?! Seriously…you don’t need a lot of time for any of these (okay that wood wall one, depending on the size you want to implement, might take a long time). Have a modern, DIY weekend:

• Reclaimed Wood Wall!
• Notebook iPad Case
• Hand Painted Mug
• City Map Paper Cut Out

And as always, check out all of our DIY projects in one handy, modern spot: DIY + How-to

We usually like to bring you fine folks new! exciting! artists that we stumble on, but sometimes, an artist we’ve already posted about does something so great we’ve just got to repeat an artist. Brandon F. Wilson‘s first debut on the 2Modern blog was a jumbled mix of awesomeness; he’s into mixed media collage art, embroidery, found images and more. We didn’t think we could love anything of his more, but then we found these paintings!

There’s certainly something vaguely abstract about his work, but also definitely organic. Love the neutral color palettes to these painted pieces (which contrast pretty remarkably to his previous work that sported bright, bold colors.) These painting are narrow, relaxing and just seem like something we want to be around. More.

Love those modern additions. Though they don’t show the entire house and the addition add-on for you to compare and contrast in this house addition project in Rhinebeck, New York designed by Martin Holub. But, we think it’s safe to say it probably matches the exterior aesthetics of the rest of the house, only with a sweet, modern twist. You were just asking the other day for inspiration for a modern hot tub addition to your house, weren’t you?

Okay so, we probably can’t all afford this sort of project addition, and least of all just to house a hot tub/flat screen TV set up, but the inspiration is still there. We love the geometric treatment of the window wall, giving it an airy sort of feeling that just wouldn’t have translated as well if it had been flat. Also containing a laundry room, bathroom and a bar, this is the sort of mix of activities that are perfect for the particular people living in the home.

What would be housed in your modern home addition, if you had one? Do you just need extra room in general, or would you make it a hot tub laundry TV space like they did? Or maybe a painter’s cottage or writer’s cottage? We’re curious! Let us know.

Images: Architizer

This week’s 2M Collective Modern Décor Sale is an extension of the ever-so-beautiful modern hanging light fixtures of sleek design brand Stig Hansen, specifically the fabulous IQ Light. They’re like geometric balls of joy that light up and that you can actually install into your home! Little planetary orbs of happiness and good design! If you didn’t click on the sale last week, you’re going to want to click on this week’s sale to see how much off these lights are — it’s quite a deal!

2M Collective is a weekly sale by 2Modern offering deeply discounted modern furniture & lighting in limited quantities. Sale starts at 9:00 AM PST every Thursday. Each item listed on 2M Collective is exclusively offered for a short period of time at a significantly reduced price. You will see discounts of up to 80% off regular retail prices. All products shown on 2M Collective are sold for a limited time and have a limited quantity.

Your trusty blog editor (moi) just got back from Las Vegas where I attended the Las Vegas Market at the World Market Center! Wow is all I have to say. First of all HUGE thanks to everyone involved with the market, from the folks who flew us out there and put is up gratis at the Venetian, all the vendors I got to meet and all the other designers and bloggers I got to share stories with.

If you followed our Twitter stream, you got some hints and peeks of things I saw. Basically, stay tuned next week where I’ll be letting loose with everything I spied, from old trends that are coming back in style, to new trends that will keep you up-to-date, to what Sherwin Williams says will be the hot colors of 2012 to whether or not you should be using Houzz (we got to meet the CEO and founder)!

A big fun thanks to everyone involved and everyone we met! And stay tuned next week!

Finland’s place, specifically, is worth noting. How, one wonders, has a country of just 5.5 million citizens managed to carve out such an admirable niche in the global design landscape?  One answer may lie in the philosophy of major Finnish product companies, whose respect for craftsmanship, coupled with lofty manufacturing standards, have helped ensure the longevity of their products—and, thereby, the enduring cache of their brands.

Artek

Founded in 1935 by a team that included the husband-and-wife team of Alvar and Aino Aalto, Artek’s commitment to sustainable design predates, by half a century, the phrase itself.  The core of Artek’s product line continues to be Aalto’s many furniture and lighting designs—still made to his exacting standards of high quality, locally sourced materials, and disdain for waste—and are manufactured in the same factory, using the same process. This production system ingeniously makes parts from vintage Artek pieces interchangeable with those manufactured today.

In 2007, Artek launched 2^nd Cycle, a program for sourcing and reselling used Artek pieces. Proud of the grace with which their products age and weather,  Artek”s 2^nd Cycle is a way of connecting consumers beguiled by vintage products with a seminal piece of design history.

Marimekko

In some ways, Marimekko’s big, exuberantly colored textile motifs seem contrary to the muted hues and pared down elegance of traditional Scandinavian design sensibilities. But the emphasis on quality, simplicity and originality are all hallmarks of the company founded in 1951 by Armi Ratia, whose vision was for bold, fresh patterns created by young graphic designers.

A haven for noted female designers, like Maija Isola, whose Unikko pattern is a company icon, Marimekko’s optimistic, unpretentious clothes and household products dovetailed with the dawning informality of the 1960’s and 70’s—reaching a crescendo of sorts when the fashion savy Jacqueline Kennedy was photographed wearing a Marimekko dress.  A half century later, most of those early Marimekko’s prints remain in production, a vivid reminder of something we may have seen before, but are happy to be seeing again.

iittala

The glass company iittala is committed to “creating objects that will never be thrown away.” Objects like, for instance, the series of undulating vases designed by Alvar Aalto, which iittala has been manufacturing since 1936—and which no consumer would dream of throwing away.

With timelessness and durability as major objectives, iittala’s long-standing collaboration with the best Scandinavian industrial designers—Timo Sarpaneva, Kaj Franck, Tapio Wirkkala, in additon to Aalto—has produced everyday objects of streamlined simplicity, at once functional and beautiful, versatile and distinctive.

In an age of disposable, poorly constructed products, “people value well-designed things that are made to endure time and changing trends.”  Who could argue?

Photo credits:  Artek; Marimekko; iittala.

Anyone who’s a fan of photography probably thinks any good camera is sexy in its own way, but when you combine famous, brilliant modern designer Marc Newson with a camera, do you know what you get? This one sexy-as-hell camera, the PENTAX K-01 (don’t embarrass yourself, it’s pronounced: “kay- zero-one”). I’m usually a Canon girl myself, but I might have to consider switching over for this hot shooting beast. More technical info here. You know what else is hot? World record breakers: the PENTAX K-01 is said to have “the world’s thinnest interchangeable lens for lens-interchangeable cameras, as of February 1, 2012″

The 2012 Light Festival in Ghent, Belgium was host to almost 30 exhibitions including plenty of 3D projection mapping, fields of luminous flowers, and a glowing phone booth aquarium, however with 55,000 LEDs and towering 28 meters high the Luminarie De Cagna,  with arches reminiscent  of Romanesque and Renaissance architecture with a modern twist of LEDs ,  is quite an impressive enchanted wonderland of light and color.

Luminarie De Cagna is an Italian family business founded in 1930. On festive occasions the  company illuminated buildings and squares with oil and carbide lamps. This was quickly switched to electric lights, and since 2006 only LEDs are used for new projects

Have an infinitely modern day!

via

Ahh the month of love is here! What a great time to introduce a dynamic designer duo we just discovered and love. Ladies and gentlemen we introduce to you Ladies & Gentleman. Besides being a very socially polite name, this designer couple of Jean and Dylan met at school, traveled around a bit, fell in love with the world, design and good things and decided to start making things to share with the world. We love everything they’re creating.

There’s the chalkboard pig (must-have). There’s that cool tray that would be perfect for entertaining guests. There’s a lovely cane stool that is so adorable and functional. There are some wooden house candle holders which look adorable. And plenty of other great things. Their aesthetic is warm, friendly, homey with a soft modern color palette sure to fit any home. More.

Which of their items is your favorite?

Aw man, is this the future? If this is what art will look like in the future we are totally down. Andy Gimore makes work that is “kaleidoscopic and hypnotic, though it could just as well be described as visually acoustic, his often complex arrangements referencing the scales and melodies in music.” You can see how geometric and psychedelic it is, too, consisting of a rainbow of colors, with shapes that seem almost mathematically figured out. As we all know, math is the universal language.

His pieces have been seen in print for clients like Wired Magazine, The New York Times, Fast Company, Wallpaper* and more, and he also sells art as prints that you could put in your home on The Ghostly Store. We dig the deep, dark, dramatic feel of all his work, and think it would be a cool addition to a space! More.

What do you think about his art?! Too dark or too awesome?

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could all live with our families all the time? Okay, maybe not everyone would want to live with their whole family, but some people really love hanging out with their loved ones. But sometimes you run out of space, and sometimes you need a little bit of distance, just a little bit. We love the modern solution of small garden homes or rooms in the backyard of a house, where families can have their own bits of space but just be a backyard apart.

Located in Kent, England, the Garden Home was designed by in.it.studios. ”The site – the rear of a detached home in Kent, England, offers a unique contemporary living space for a couple who required additional room for elderly loved ones. The 2 bedroom home provides 98 sq/m of independent living space for the elderly parents and offers a solution for bringing the family together whilst providing the necessary separate living spaces.”

If you had the space and the budget, would you want anyone in your family to live in a garden home in your backyard?!

Images: Architizer 

Architectural personality in a home is pretty much awesome and if you’ve found yourself a place that has it, then you are one lucky person! But if you don’t have any built-in architectural interest, things could be a bummer. But do not be too sad; you can totally add some! Take for instance this Awesome Wall Treatment with Reclaimed Wood we spotted on Curbly.

The best thing about this project is that you wouldn’t have to do a lot of it or do it on a huge portion of your house. As evidenced in this project example, they just did a bit of a wall behind the stove in their kitchen and wow what a punch it throws into the house! Truly a big difference. A lot of character, interest, texture and pattern just with some reclaimed wood and a few steps. Do it yourself.

You gonna try this project? Where would you add a reclaimed wood accent wall like this in your home?

Images: ”by the amazing Jess Edwards“

We happen to think a large part of modern design and architecture is helping people create a home oasis where they can retreat, relax, feel their most comfortable and creative and recharge before having to go back out into the world. Not all architecture has to do that, but it sure is nice when it does and when it looks good doing it. Like the House in Eifukucho.

Another house in Japan this week–this time in Tokyo–we love the amazing way in which the architects have sculpted a structure to create so many amazing spaces. Courtyard spaces, inner sanctum spaces, living spaces, spaces with which one can view the beautiful surroundings from.

There’s a real respect and organization to the sense of the way spaces flow from public to private, and you really wonder if folks just sort of shed those outer protective metaphysical layers as the delve deeper into this home to get to the core of themselves. We also really like the use of that safety-glass with the criss cross wire in the glass in the shower of a bathroom. Love the tile that continues onto a staircase creating a cool visual grid. Love a lot of this. Created by upsetters architects.

What do you think about the details of this modern home? Love or hate them?

Images: Architizer

• emma at home – Santa Cruz Throw Blanket
• Blu Dot – Desk 51
• Pablo – Tube Top Color Lamp
• Bholu – Dharti Red/Cream Pillow
• Nooka Inc- Zub ZenH Fire Red 20
• Chilewich – Mini Basketweave Rectangle Placemat
• Kartell – Victoria Ghost Chair
• Blomus – Edo 5 Piece Tea Light Set
• Kartell – Tip Top Mono Side Table

View more home decor trends.