A fly swatter exceptional enough to be passed down as an heirloom? That’s what Danish design studio Essey had in mind, apparently, when they created Fly Fly, a fly-shaped swatter that, in addition to being a visual pun, is also hand crafted in Finland from sustainably harvested Finnish birch wood and fine leather. “Fly Fly is a fly swat that will surely stand the test of time to be handed down from generation to generation.”

Photo: Essey

If it’s possible for the outside of a museum to upstage the show within it, Werner Aisslinger has no one but himself to blame. The German product designer, whose show Home of the Future is currently on view at the Haus am Waldsee in Berlin, sees the future of home life as one that portends re-invention more than invention. The show’s various installations address this notion, but Aisslinger goes a step further by making the historic building itself part of the exhibition. He’s constructed a colorful textile skin for the building’s facade, wrapping it in bright, color-blocked fabric by Kvadrat, transforming and remaking the museum entirely, if only temporarily. We’d actually say that’s pretty inventive.

The house of the future.

Mandarina pendant light by Tango.

Artek Aalto stool special edition design by Mads Norgaard.

Red delicious sofa and Mima pillow at Blu Dot.

Parabola chair by Carlo Aiello Design.

Wendy Morrison’s incredible Aster carpet.

Dazzling Tom Dixon pendant lights.

Jaime Hayon’s Ro chair for Fritz Hansen, in gorgeous purple.

Foam Brillo Box Poufs at Fab.

Magical Moooi booth.

Philippe Starck Broom chair by Emeco.

New Zealand designer David Trubridge has cornered the market on intricately constructed, dazzlingly beautiful pendant lights comprised of interlocking bamboo modules. His latest creation, Manuka, debuts this weekend during New York Design Week. Named after the flower of a New Zealand tree, Manuka is an especially large hanging ball (the smaller of the two sizes is over 2.5 feet in diameter) comprised of interlocking five-petaled and six-petaled bamboo flowers. A series of LED lights cradled within the ball cast an all-over pattern of shadows across the surrounding walls and ceilings. Says the designer, “With the light shining at all different directions from within the fitting, the projected patterns seem to overlap one another. It looks like wallpaper.”

Images: Studio Italia

Soap package design built around the concept of washing away sins. Pretty clever stuff from Greek design student Vassia Kalozoumi. Sins consists of seven different soaps and bath foams, each one representing one of the Biblically-based Seven Deadly Sins. Kalozoumi took inspiration from the triangles and circles referenced in Dante’s Inferno for the packaging’s pyramid shape and geometric graphics; and she assigned each sin a symbolic color after delving into color psychology. Of the soaps, she says, “Each one washes one sin away. If you are totally sinful, you can use them all to wash your sins away.” Ah, if only our sins could be banished away so easily—and this artfully.

Images: Vassia Kalozoumi

Gardeners unaccustomed to pushing around a wheelbarrow may want to reconsider doing so once they lay eyes on this ridiculously pretty Sawati Wheelbarrow from Anthropologie. Hand-painted with a paisley-and-flower motif, it’s clearly not built for carting around anything more hefty than a few small shrubs, but at least you won’t need to be in a rush to stow it away before guests arrive.

Images: Anthropologie

Montreal-based Studio Sasseville claims to be dedicated to “the design of rare objects; objects that are kept, bequeathed and become family heirlooms: tableware, decorative objects, timepieces, jewelry and furniture.” And, apparently, dumbbells. Their solid marble dumbbell, perhaps the only piece of exercise equipment yet that can lay legitimate claim to being a convincing decorative object, is on sale this week at CHCM Shop in New York City as part of New York Design Week. We’re in the mood for some exercise already.

Photo: LiCHM Shock

Australian architectural firm Tribe designed this sublime suburban loft-like house for a young New South Wales family. “Internally, the spaces are a playful study in volume and light,” Tribe Studio explains. To be sure, but it was the brick work that really got our attention, a traditional material that seems to rarely find its way into contemporary architecture. In a house this refined and drenched in light, the inclusion of rough-hewn brick, both inside and out, is a welcome break from more predictably sleek options.

Photos: Tribe

Proving that concrete is not just a building material anymore is Studio22, a Chinese product design studio founded by Sean Yu and Yi-ting Cheng, that specializes in items made from cement and metal. This elegant and stylish pen, crafted from hand-poured cement and stainless steel (and ridges that are meant to become smoother with use) is sure to be an attention getter when it’s time to sign that dinner tab. We’re wowed by what a dashing pair cement and metal make, but we do wonder what their combined weight is.

Photos: Bundshop

Are you a design-loving team player who prefers working in your pajamas? Is a rapidly growing company that appreciates both dedication and work/life balance your cup of tea? Well, you’re in luck! 2Modern is looking for a dynamic Production Artist! Click here for a complete job description, and then go ahead and apply!

Image: Artware Editions

Koike, a gifted illustrator, has also been creating a series of beautifully detailed paintings of interiors that speak charmingly to her love of domesticity and its rituals. Far from being picture-perfect shelter magazine spreads, her interiors reveal (and revel in) the ordinary, imperfect life lived within them—the unmade bed, odd sock lying on the floor, abandoned cup of coffee, sleeping dog—in ways so tranquil and inviting, the viewer is forced to rethink the very notion of home life.

“The morning, its silence, the purity of the air…the warmth of a dog, its innocent appearance and its gentle eyes. I appreciate the day to day life and simple things that are more than meets the eye.”

Images: Fumi Koike

Hinoki, we learn, is a species of cypress found in central Japan that gives off a desirable cedar-like aroma. Which is why it was used in the making of this closet hook, a device designed to hang amongst clothes to keep them smelling nicely while repelling fabric-damaging insects. Japanese product designer Hiroki Yoshitomi conceived of this simple design, and we especially like his inclusion of that great big knot!

Photo: MJÖLK

“I have always loved geometry, lines, curves, pattern and abstract designs. Architecture seems like a great way to express them.” Well, we agree, but something tells us that mere love of architecture won’t necessarily secure a series of images this resplendent. Photographer Jared Lim is one of many contemporary artists (see Amy Park’s watercolors, for another) for whom a separate creative discipline informs his own mode of expression. Urban Exploration is a travel diary with modern urban architecture—in all its colorful, modular glory—as its sole subject. And we, for one, hope he keeps on exploring it.
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Images: Jared Lim

Photos: Lovely Package

In the mood for elegant outdoor furniture that just happens to be in a handful of museum collections? Well, you’re in luck. Our Richard Schultz for Knoll outdoor furniture sale includes the always blooming Knoll Petal Coffee Table table and the forever modern 1966 Adjustable Chaise Lounge, both in the Museum of Modern Art’s permanent collection. Until May 24th, save 15% on these classics, as well as our entire line of Richard Schultz for Knoll outdoor furniture. And for a limited time only, free white glove service is included. Shop Richard Schultz furniture here.

Photo: Kakkoii

Images: Neo-Utility

We’re perusing The Frieze Art Fair today and tomorrow, eager to bring you the good, the bad, and the most memorable contemporary art this side of the Atlantic. We’re hopping a ferry over to Randall’s Island Park to take in the sights and sounds, and see what all the fuss is about—and, naturally, we’ll be letting you in on the secret. Stay tuned…

Hand metal stamping is an arduous process, and we admire anyone who has the patience to do it, let alone with such winsome flair as Jessica Numbers. Numbers sources vintage silver flatware, and hand stamps them with her own designs. We were taken with these particular spoons today—the etching-like permanence of these expressions seems particularly resonant—but deep sentiment is not the only thing on display in her collection. Clever humor and inspired prettiness abounds, too—I mean, is it even possible to resist a spoon full of falling stars?

Photos: Jessica Numbers

There’s a great deal to admire about this renovation of a compact single-family home in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, not the least of which is the impressive visual clarity (both literal and aesthetic) provided by the layout, the furnishings and multiple light sources. The refurbishment, undertaken by the Brooklyn firm General Assembly, involved creating an efficient, legible living space within a modest footprint. Smart custom built storage—a fairly fantastic suspended shelving unit, flip-top dining bench, concrete-topped kitchen island with built-in wine storage—help organize and delineate the open-plan single floor, along with clean-edged, carefully edited furnishings and generous swathes of light from windows and skylight. We especially like the way the classic modernist furniture (Saarinen Womb chair, Noguchi coffee table) is offset by novel injections of color (bright blue Marimekko fabric, pale blue Eames chairs) and thought-proving art selections for the walls.

Images: General Assembly

Images: Artecnica

Sturdy, compartmentalized, with see-through plastic lid, these smartly designed boxes are made from BPA-free polypropylene, and divided to include a removable inner dish which can be microwaved separately, if needed, while keeping the rest of the meal cold. In true bento box tradition, there’s also a built-in spot for holidng soy sauce (or any condiment), and a fork, which stays put via a lid clip, comes along for the ride.

With such a compact, airtight, and altogether fetching little mobile container at our disposal, we may need to pack a lunch just for the pleasure of eating on the run in such civilized and stylish fashion.

Photos: Black + Blum

We’ve been putting together a sweet and loving Mother’s Day Pinterest board with things (both grand and modest) that express what comes to mind when we think of our mothers, or mothers, in general. There are flowers and books and jewelry and art and a few other special things, too. And lots of love. Mother love, that is. Have a look and follow 2Modern on Pinterest!

It’s hard not to be awed and sobered by a work of beauty created from discarded materials—it’s both a reminder of our wastefulness and our failure to assess value accurately. And it’s impossible not to be wowed by the recent installations of New York artist Tom Fruin. Fruin, whose work has long been informed by found materials, has devoted much of the last few years to a series of city-specific public art projects made from salvaged pieces of plexiglass and steel. These structures, straddling the line between sculpture and architecture, pay homage to iconic elements found in each city’s architectural vernacular.

His first such piece, 2010′s Kolonihavehus, installed in Copenhagen, was a shimmering multicolored 14-foot ‘house,’ echoing the shape of the kolonihavehus, basic shed-like homes ubiquitous in the city. And for the past 11 months, New Yorkers typically inured to the sight of rooftop water towers—mandatory rainwater receptacles on buildings taller than 6 stories—have been seduced by the 25-foot Watertower, the prettiest water tower the Brooklyn skyline has ever seen. As he has elsewhere, Fruin has presented New York with a sight at once familiar and magical, re-imagined, remade, and bathed in dazzling new light.

Photos: Tom Fruin

Any hotel with a “do not disturb” sign this original deserves a mention. Es Marès Hotel & Spa, a boutique hotel on the Spanish island of Formentera, which takes its name from the local Marès sandstone used in its construction, is a bright and airy confection infused with distinctive Modernist touches. The pristine all-white color scheme, which extends from lobby to rooms, plays backdrop to clean-lined furnishings, crisp linens, and generous infusions of wood. Gossamer curtains and bleached driftwood emphasize the monochromatic beachy ambience, and less prolific Modernist furnishings, like Noguchi freeform couch in the lobby, and Jens Risom webbed armchairs in the private rooms, are inspired choices. And those hand-crafted hanging door signs? We could definitely see checking out with one of those heart-shaped beauties tucked into our bags!

Photos: Es Marès Hotel & Spa

This cute cactus-shaped toothpick container is by Danish company Essey, which espouses something called Symbolic Functionalism, or the concept of using metaphors to suggest an object’s function. “It is about giving objects a soul, an identity and letting them communicate this to us…let the products speak.” Well, this toothpick holder is telling us that pressing down on it when it’s closed will result in the top slowly rising to reveal the toothpicks inside. Cute indeed.

Photo: Essey

We’re really enjoying this little series on the history of color over at Design Sponge, and the truly lovely info-graphics they’re using to illustrate each narrative. They’ve committed to a simple template in which all the visual elements remain identical, with the only variable being the color of the day and the related repeat-pattern geometric motif. We especially like the nuanced color choices (when was the last time you considered cinnabar red and Naples yellow?) and the impressively authentic archival sensibility, both visually pitch-perfect for communicating historical data. Dare we suggest this series be parlayed into limited-edition prints for us admirers?

Images: Design Sponge

Shanghai designer Carl Liu and his product design company Newtive have created this fanciful and ingenious prototype for an environmentally-sensitive watering can. Flower Watering Pot, made from PVC plastic, has been designed to catch rain water through a system of funnels that sprout up from the can like flowering stems.

“The problem is that even though people want to protect the environment, most of don’t know how to act on it. I understand it is a long shot for us to fix what we have done to the earth, but I think there must be something we designers can do to at least effectively control the damage. So I decided to rethink our everyday household objects to make them more environmentally friendly.”

Well, we appreciate his thinking, and are keeping our fingers crossed for this prototype to…grow…to production phase.

Photos: Bundshop

We’re all for making personal artistic statements, and thanks to Wallpapered, we’ve discovered a way to make a really big one! The UK-based wallpaper company offers a novel way to create bespoke wallpaper that can do double duty as giant-format photograph or mural. It’s as simple as uploading an image of choice via their website, entering exact wall dimensions, and waiting for the postman do deliver that favorite holiday snapshot or treasured graphic motif digitally printed and ready for application. Now, that’s wall-to-wall service!

Photos: Wallpapered

Art Deco jewelry was distinguished by its geometric settings, and these 1920′s-inspired arrow bobby pins from Los Angeles jewelry designer Jennifer Meyer continue the tradition. Meyer, who happens to be married to the actor Tobey McGuire, was taken with the lavish Tiffany jewelry gracing the Jazz Age set of The Great Gatsby, the costume-lavish film remake which stars her husband. “The arrow shape was often featured in that period, and I wanted to bring it back with a contemporary spin,” she explains, of this diamond, turquoise and ruby trio rolling out in June at Barney’s New York. But be warned: contemporary art like this doesn’t come cheaply.

Photos: New York Times

Photos: Noted

Alexander Calder may or may not have invented the mobile, but his name nevertheless remains synonymous with hanging kinetic sculptures. So much so that we may be forgiven for assuming no other 20th Century artist ventured anywhere near the mobile (as an art form) in the wake of Calder’s defining innovation.

Not so, Michael and Frances Higgins, founders (in 1948) of Chicago’s venerable Higgins Glass Studio, and pioneers in the ancient technique of glass fusing. Though Higgins Glass became primarily known for tableware (“modern miracles with everyday glass”), some of Michael and Frances’ more inventive designs were surely mobiles: delicate, jewel-like dangles, reflecting and refracting light like glass chandeliers, not one bit derivative of Calder’s painted metal sculptures, and every bit as distinctive in their own way.

And while even small-scale Calder mobiles remain out of reach to most mobile enthusiasts, the relative lack of name recognition is good news for admirers of Michael and Frances Higgins’ hanging sculptures. Vintage mobiles in all their colorful glory can still be found on the auction circuit at prices that won’t break the bank.

Photos: Wright20

This beautifully contoured stool by Italy’s Studio 06 is named Saddle for the way its curved seat resembles the shape of a cowboy’s saddle. That wasn’t the first thing that came to our minds, though; we think the brightly colored seat looks like a perfect, shiny dot, curved just so. We also like its refined simplicity—with a single metal sheet forming the seat, and a pair of über linear legs, it could scarcely get more barely-there.

Images: Studio 06

Image: Tate Online Shop

The first thing you notice about Amy Park’s urban paintings is just how dazzling they are. Park, who has made architecture her sole subject of visual exploration, focuses on the facades of city buildings—famous skyscrapers and forgettable office buildings alike—and renders shimmering expanses of color and patterns, tightly cropped compositions of repeat motifs that turn concrete and glass monoliths into nuanced geometric abstractions. Park’s interest lies in abstraction as much as architecture, and she’s found the ideal medium to showcase her mastery of the brush. Through the ethereal expressiveness of watercolor, Park gives us gorgeous portraits of the modern urban landscape, awash in glass and metal, transparency and luster, with finesse and precision unimaginable in any other medium—or in any other hands.

Images: Amy Park