A recent collaboration between London-based designer Benjamin Hubert and Italian brand Moroso brought about a new compact lounge chair called Talma. Appropriately named Talma (a type of cloak), the chair looks as if it has been wrapped in a padded textile, similar to how a cloak would wrap a body.

Hidden under the wrap is a lightweight metal frame that follows the studio’s MO which was to reduce material, weight, and cost during the traditional construction of upholstered chairs. Using a CNC-shaped steel framework, upholstery straps are then integrated for support. By using this type of frame covered with the padded cover, they were able to use minimal polyurethane foam, therefore reducing the chair’s carbon footprint.

The custom-made textile was made in collaboration with Innofa and incorporates padding. The cover is then secured with strategically place zips and two fastenings at the front.

I don’t remember how I stumbled on the work of Laurie Close, but thank you to whoever shared it. Her paintings, done in gouache, acrylic or oil, are a combination of layered lines and curves in thick and thin single brush strokes—the kind you only dream of being able to create with one swoop.

Most of her work explores depth and color layering, something most abstract paintings do but there’s something about Laurie’s that reminds me a bit of colorful illustrations you might find in sophisticated children’s books. There is no hesitation in the lines, a display of confidence—something that can be appreciated.

You can shop her paintings on Etsy.

For this month’s Design Store(y) we hop across the pond for a tour of a new, all-Italian concept store, .IT London, in the heart of the city’s Clerkenwell Design District. The space, which includes a design studio and wine bar, is housed in a completely renewed 18th century palace. Florentine architect, designer, and co-owner Daniele Bendini created .IT. All the products, both furniture and food (there’s a cafe), come from Italy. Time to browse!

Why did you pick this city/neighborhood/storefront? 

I chose London because it is one of the strategic towns for interiors, architecture and design; I chose Clerkenwell because it is the design quarter of London and here there are 70 percent of all architect’s studios in London and 70 percent of world-wide architecture is designed here! I chose 20 Rosebery Avenue for its location and the unique opportunity to realize a multi-fuctional space, with an aparthotel above, a wine bar/cafe, and the furniture showroom with the interiors studio.

Where did you get the name for the store?

I started two years ago to think about this project. And I started to think also about a possible name for the showroom. I wanted to have a very short name and a direct connection to the Italian origin of all our brands, but in a contemporary way; so I chose .IT, which means Italy in internet era! and I quickly booked the web site….

Has it changed much since then? How?

I worked two years to realize this dream! First I travelled throughout Italy in order to search for the Italian brands to represent in my showroom. After one year, I selected 20 brands to start. Now I have more than 30 brands, and cover all the aspects of interiors.

What’s one of the challenges you have with the business?

There are many showrooms in London, many of them are mono-brand. The challenge of .IT is to give total support to architects, interior designers, and private customers. Total support means to cover all the aspects of a project, from finishings to furniture and art. Yes, we also have some artists who show paintings and sculptures at .IT. Another challenge is our hours. Since we have a wine bar, .IT is open until 9:30 in the evening so professionals can come after work and enjoy a glass of wine while searching the ad-hoc products.

What other stores have you worked in before opening this one?

I worked in a furniture and lighting store when I was very young. Then my career was based on architecture, interior design, and product design. But it is the first time that I have my own store! I know all the furniture and accessories brands very well and I like to create events, windows, and to be the art director!

What’s your favorite item in the store right now?

I like the VITA lamp by Lucente, designed by Danish architect Brian Rasmussen (seen hanging from the ceiling in the middle of the above photo). The design is neat and geometrical while at the same time looking vibrant and random. Of course I love a lot of articles I chose for my showroom!

What is this season’s theme/inspiration/story?

During the Clerkenwell Design Week in May we held a seasonal event, called “Nature Inspired Design.” All has been chosen in the colours and materials of nature—wood, green, orange, violet. All the showroom is like a garden with flowers, ivy, and artificial green grass.

Are you carrying any new products and/or undiscovered gems you’re particularly excited about?

Yes! I am showing new collections and colours by Lucente, Edra, Fiam, La Falegnami, Casamania, Tonon, and others. In particular, all the lamps will be white, the sofas in white leather, chairs in natural wood, orange, green and violet. The other items will be in natural tones.

What’s been a consistent best seller?

The best sellers are the Lucente lighting and Edra sofas. Happily, everything is doing quite well!

Do you have anything from the store in your own home? 

Yes, I have a black-orange ANKE lamp by Lucente; it’s the perfect lamp for my contemporary house.

Does the store have its own line?

We are thinking about starting our products collection next September. Stay tuned!

Seven young Mexican designers got together to form a design cooperative called Panorámica and the group debuted their collection of objects called Materiality at this year’s ICFF. The collection is made of everyday materials like basalt stone, terrazzo, copper, and glass, all of which might go unnoticed by modern urban dwellers and their aim was to “exalt the unique beauty of their “materiality.” Our favorites happened to be the Terrazzo Hanging Pot (above) and Bird Feeder (below), both made from terrazzo, a mix of concrete, stone, and granite, that are held from a copper ring and suspended from a rope to help save on space.

Urbanites often lack space and time and have rare moments to sit back and relax, so Panorámica set out to combat that with these designs to help you contemplate nature in the space you do have.

Designer Merel Karhof’s collection of upholstered furniture pieces, called Windworks, is made using materials produced using wind, an inexhaustible, and free, energy source.

Watch the video for a little insight into the production process:

In 2010, she set up the ‘Wind Knitting Factory’, which is a completely wind-powered knitting machine where when it’s windy, the machine knits quickly and when it’s calm, it knits more slowly. While generally the machine knits things like scarves, Karhof decided to go bigger and upholster furniture.

Karhof began the collaboration between three millers, that included a saw miller, a color miller, and a knitting miller (herself), in the northern part of Holland where windmills are common. Each of the well-preserved windmills in the area produces a different type of raw material.

The wood gets cut and assembled at the sawmill and then transported by the river to the pigment mill. The yarn is dyed with natural dyes and then it moves on to be knitted into the material for the collection you see here. Each colored pillow section denotes the amount of time needed by the wind to make it.

The Fagerström House, designed by Claesson Koivisto Rune Architects, is a curved L-shaped residence located in Sollentuna, Sweden. Built for a growing family, the home had to be large enough to accommodate their needs, while at the same time preserving an old oak tree that was growing in the middle of the property. So, an L-shaped design was born.

The exterior is clad with vertical boards that transition in color from ocher (wide boards) to dark red (narrow boards). The color inspiration came from a Swedish children’s book entitled “Where’s the Tall Uncle’s Hat?”.

If they’d stuck with a sharp corner instead of the curve, the flow would have been broken up. The curve also gives the exterior a sculptural feel which is something the homeowner asked for.

In the tall end of the house, there are two floors with the bedrooms being on the top floor that you access via a curved stairwell. The two-story end gradually transitions to a stopping point where there’s a balcony overlooking the living room (above). It gives the living room high ceilings where the top floor would have been.

The placement of the large windows was strategic as to avoid the visibility of the neighbors. It helps give the home a feeling of being located in a more rural location than it is.

The middle of the structure houses the open kitchen that flows into the living room, all with access to the outdoors and with views of the oak tree.

I love how they incorporated the curved bookcase into the stairs, all blood red and matching one of the shades on the exterior.

The downstairs floors are made of Carrara marble and laid perpendicularly to the main facade.

The bathrooms are covered from the floor, ceiling, and walls with various patterns from Marrakech Design’s collection that Claesson Koivisto Rune designed.

Photos by Åke E:son Lindman.

Back in February we posted a call for entries for The Modern Craft Project, presented by Ketel One® Vodka in partnership with Wallpaper* magazine. They were looking for modern craftspeople who push the limits of traditional craft, true innovators who could also represent Ketel One’s tradition of making high-quality products. The winners would receive a portion of the Ketel One® Legacy fund to use to refine their skills and take their work to a new level. We are excited to talk to all three U.S. winners about their craft and experience. 

You might not know Magda Sayeg’s name, but I’m sure you’ve either seen her work or the work of those influenced by her. She was one of the first “yarn bombers”—she who creates street art except instead of using paint, she uses yarn. She knits and crochets contrasting patterns and colors all over just about anything you can think of from cars to street poles to tree trunks. Quickly recognized for her work, Magda has been called on by companies such as Etsy, MINI, and Gap to do projects for them. I thought it would be cool to ask her more about the yarn bombing phenomenon and how it all started for her.

Where did the interest in knitting and crochet come from?

Not sure exactly. I often joke that I compensated for my mother’s absolute disinterest in all domestic duties. Anything handmade was completely foreign to me so when I saw anything handmade—sewn, knitted, crocheted… it was all very fascinating.

How does one even get started or recognized for yarn bombing? How did it evolve for you?

The timing was right on. When I look back at this whole experience, the DIY movement had begun and there was a renaissance happening in all crafts. But it was a newer, fresher interpretation. Street art was changing as well. There was more than just the spray can that was used. Now if you asked me this same question 10 years ago when I began putting my knitting out on the streets, I would not have analyzed it this much. It was really a selfish pursuit… wrapping that first stop sign pole just felt right. I didn’t understand or foresee the broader implications of what was happening here.

How much time does it take to make one of your larger installations? Do you have a team?

It is all about the team. I used to do these projects all on my own, and I had no life. When I brought in more skilled people, I realized the value of speed and efficiency. There are two parts to any project I do: the first phase is production of material and the second is installation. This entire process can take anywhere from 2 weeks to 6 weeks….which is really insane when you see the amount of knitting that is done. I have managed to produce hundreds of square footage of knitted material in a matter of weeks. Most projects have tight deadlines that clash with the normal speed of knitting and crocheting. I have solved that problem by bringing in a team of knitters when needed. If one knitter can yield X amount of footage of material what can 2, 3, 4, or 8 people yield at the same time? That is how stuff gets done when a company like Gap calls you up and needs you to cover an entire playground in NYC by next week. It’s not magic, it’s good project management.

Do you get inspired by a color scheme or pattern or do you let the place you’re installing be the inspiration?

Color schemes, patterns, color combos… I am constantly aware of this in my daily life. I have a file I add to almost daily. My favorite part of this process is seeing a color that isnt that appealing but when combined with another color or colors, it’s beautiful. Color schemes and patterns have to be decided long before installation so usually I am already done with production by the time I arrive at the site. Most of the time I discover a color scheme and pattern I am excited about so I figure out some way to bring it in to the next project or future projects.

What do you like better: crochet or knitting?

Good question! I knit more than I crochet but I prefer crocheting to knitting. Crocheting is like sculpting. I can take any random object, like my skulls, and crochet every detail rather easily. Knitting isn’t like that—I would lose all the details. BUT I can produce knitted material faster than crocheted material. There are knitting looms and machines that speed up the process. As far as I know, there are no crocheting machines.

How did you find out about Ketel One’s Modern Craft Project and why did you decide to submit your work?

I believe I saw something about the project on a blog. When I read that Ketel One was looking for people who celebrated craft with a modern approach… I was like THAT’S ME!

I don’t usually enter competitions so for me to actually submit work, there has to be screaming flashing signs that push me to act upon it.

What was your reaction when you learned that you were one of the winners?

I was in Australia, and I remember getting a call at 3 AM, which usually isn’t a good thing, but the time difference was around 14 hours ahead of the States. I was told I was short listed, and they would call me next week if I were chosen. Next week came by, and I assumed it didn’t happen. Then, they called at the end of the day and told me. It was like Charlie Bucket finding the golden ticket in the very last Wonka bar. No one was around except my bulldog, Stella, so she is the only one to witness my victory dance… thankfully. I may have tried to high five her as well.

What do you plan to do with your part of the Ketel One Legacy prize fund?

Make more stuff! Especially the expensive prototypes. I think this is dilemma I find myself in—I make work for specific projects… always feeling a bit unsatisfied that I never have time to experiment. I have a dream list of things I want to do. This prize will definitely put a dent in it FINALLY.

What do you think about the stereotypes of women who knit and crochet and how do you feel you’re breaking through those boundaries?

This craft, which is strongly associated with women has, in the past, been delegated to a domestic existence where it has been undervalued and under-appreciated. I love that, in some way, I have contributed to showing the strength of this craft—knitting and crocheting doesn’t have to be functional, it can be subversive, renegade—even illegal in certain cases. It’s bad ass! And it makes me proud, as a woman, to be a part of something that is so powerful. Taking this craft that is female dominated onto the streets graffiti style, which is male dominated, is what is appealing (or not) about yarn bombing. As long as it evokes some emotion, I believe it is good. Even if you don’t care for yarn bombing, it is undeniable that this has spread globally. I may have started this, but I certainly don’t own it anymore. Tens of thousands of people—men, women, children are doing this now. There is even a National Yarn Bombing Day. With the increasing mass appeal there is always a downside… I see a lot of bad work out there… or the corporate world tries to package it for their own profit in a way that feels contrary to the spirit of the movement. But I still see a positive side, especially when a grandma emails me to tell me she tagged her friend’s mail box… this will always make me smile :)

What is the creative process like for you?

When I am first approached to do a project, I always dream big. As the project develops it is usually downsized to something more palatable, manageable, or affordable. I am constantly thinking about what is next. In an ideal world, I get to do exactly what I want, but this is rare. Actually, I believe it is part of the creative process to be able to understand obstacles and compromises and still make something I am proud of in the end. I also like working with a project manager. That way I can focus on the creative process and keep my head free of all the usual details. I am very visual. I explain myself better through images… even my own work/profession is hard to explain with out some visuals. When I say I am an artist (which I am reluctant to say) people instantly assume I paint. And when I say I work with yarn, mainly knitting and crochet, they instantly think I make baby blankets… that’s when the iPhone comes out.

The creative process never stops for me. In my downtime, I look at blogs and save images for anything from designing my house to experimenting with lighting. So when something comes up like designing a chandelier for someone I have a lot of notes and images to start the process.

Collaboration with photographer Dave Mead

What are you currently working on at this very moment?

At this very moment, I am demoing my house, but when I am not inhaling fiberglass, I am making products. I love the collaborations I am doing right now with ceramist Ryan McKerley and the weaved pieces I am making with my friend and talented photographer Dave Mead. I love the spirographs and am looking for an opportunity to make one that is super sized like 20-50 ft in diameter. I always dream big—can’t help it.

And I am working on a community project that may be my favorite one yet… it’s a little hush hush for now but I believe it will be one of the most meaningful projects I have worked on.

Collaboration with Ryan McKerley

The art of Jeff Koons captivates me, not because of the price, his life, or his factory-like process. For me, the “art” is in the unworldly perfection of his objects, a level of quality so unbelievable that it can only be experienced or explained from 3 inches away.

At his current two-gallery exhibition in New York City, Design Milk was granted the rare opportunity to photograph the artwork at extremely close range. If you still don’t believe what you see, I highly recommend a visit to both Gagosian Gallery and David Zwirner Gallery, where the work will be on view through the end of the month.

Gagosian Gallery boasts the larger of the two exhibitions. The first room contains photo-real paintings based on digital collages of historical art, with such care and precision that brushstrokes are undetectable.

JEFF KOONS “Antiquity 1″ 2009-2012. Oil on canvas. © Jeff Koons. Courtesy Gagosian Gallery.

“Antiquity 1″ (detail). © Jeff Koons. Courtesy Gagosian Gallery.

“Antiquity 1″ (detail). © Jeff Koons. Courtesy Gagosian Gallery.

The only evidence that these are NOT high-quality prints on canvas is a peak at an unframed edge.

“Antiquity 1″ (detail). © Jeff Koons. Courtesy Gagosian Gallery.

JEFF KOONS “Hulk (Wheelbarrow)” 2004-2013. Polychromed bronze, mixed media and live flowering plants. © Jeff Koons. Courtesy Gagosian Gallery.

This incredible “Hulk” is not plastic. Though he holds a wood wheelbarrow with real living flowers (perhaps a reference to the artist’s famous “Puppy”), the Hulk himself is entirely painted bronze.

“Hulk (Wheelbarrow)” (detail). © Jeff Koons. Courtesy Gagosian Gallery.

“Hulk (Wheelbarrow)” (detail). © Jeff Koons. Courtesy Gagosian Gallery.

Though the sculpture weighs a thousand times more than a real inflatable, there is no visual difference between it and the toy EXCEPT the tiny inflation valve on the back:  on a real inflatable, this valve is translucent, but here it must be painted to LOOK translucent.

JEFF KOONS “Gorilla” 2006-2012, Black granite. © Jeff Koons. Courtesy Gagosian Gallery.

This 8-foot Gorilla, an enlargement of a tiny zoo souvenir, is neither plastic nor bronze. From inches away, what first appears to be dust is actually the speckled grain of the black granite (similar to my kitchen countertop) from which it was carved.

“Gorilla” (detail) © Jeff Koons. Courtesy Gagosian Gallery.

“JEFF KOONS: New Paintings and Sculpture” at Gagosian Gallery. Installation view. © Jeff Koons. Courtesy Gagosian Gallery. Photograph by Robert McKeever.

Koons’ most famous work is undoubtedly his massive “balloon animals” made from stainless steel. The high polish and transparent paint coating create a convincing illusion that you can see through the “balloons” when viewed from farther back in person. Up close however, each sculpture (a blue swan, a red monkey, and a yellow rabbit) function as funhouse mirrors for their neighborhoods, drawing attention to the flawless surface of the metal.

JEFF KOONS “Balloon Swan (Blue)” (detail) 2004-2011. High chromium stainless steel with transparent color coating. © Jeff Koons. Courtesy Gagosian Gallery.

JEFF KOONS “Balloon Monkey (Red)” (detail) 2006-2013. High chromium stainless steel with transparent color coating. © Jeff Koons. Courtesy Gagosian Gallery.

JEFF KOONS “Balloon Rabbit (Yellow)” (detail) 2005-2010. High chromium stainless steel with transparent color coating. © Jeff Koons. Courtesy Gagosian Gallery.

“Jeff Koons: Gazing Ball” at David Zwirner Gallery. Installation view. © Jeff Koons. Courtesy David Zwirner Gallery

Five blocks away at David Zwirner Gallery, Koons presents his newest work: exact copies of ancient Greco-Roman statues made from fragile white plaster, adorned with room-reflecting glass “gazing balls”.

Because the original statues were hand carved and weathered over more than two thousand years, the accuracy of his reproductions is more difficult to judge… so he proves it with a snowman and a mailbox in the same room.

Jeff Koons “Gazing Ball (Snowman)” 2013, Plaster and glass. © Jeff Koons. Courtesy David Zwirner Gallery

This “inflatable snowman” is 100% solid white plaster.

Jeff Koons “Gazing Ball (Snowman)” (detail) © Jeff Koons. Courtesy David Zwirner Gallery

Jeff Koons “Gazing Ball (Mailboxes)” 2013, Plaster and glass. © Jeff Koons. Courtesy David Zwirner Gallery

My favorite piece of both shows is this set of mailboxes. There is no metal, there is no wood, and most incredibly of all, there is no wire in the handle of the bucket. ALL of it (except the blue glass ball) is 100% solid plaster. Its extreme fragility made this the most nerve-racking piece to photograph up close.

Jeff Koons “Gazing Ball (Mailboxes)” (detail) © Jeff Koons. Courtesy David Zwirner Gallery

Jeff Koons “Gazing Ball (Mailboxes)” (detail) © Jeff Koons. Courtesy David Zwirner Gallery

Jeff Koons “Gazing Ball (Mailboxes)” (detail) © Jeff Koons. Courtesy David Zwirner Gallery

Jeff Koons “Gazing Ball (Crouching Venus)” 2013 (detail). Plaster and glass. © Jeff Koons. Courtesy David Zwirner Gallery

Only after a memorized inspection of every detail on the plaster mailboxes did I wander back through the exhibition to truly appreciate the ancient reproductions, now confident that every chip was intentional and every imperfection… was absolutely perfect.

What: Jeff Koons: New Paintings and Sculptures
Where: Gagosian Gallery, 555 West 24th St, New York, NY
When: May 9 – July 3, 2013

What: Jeff Koons: Gazing Ball
Where: David Zwirner Gallery, 525 W 19th St, New York, NY
When: May 8 – June 29, 2013

Unless otherwise noted, all images were photographed by the author, courtesy of Jeff Koons Studio, Gagosian Gallery, and David Zwirner Gallery.

When I think of wool felt rugs, for some reason I picture boring, flat solid-color rugs made of a simple sheet of felt, but San Francisco-based company Peace Industry has totally changed my perception.

They have created a line of gorgeous rugs made of 100% lambs wool and woven using traditional methods by Turkish artisans, but with contemporary patterns. Not only are the patterns great, but they look textured and thick.

Hive

Matrix

Fuller

Eggshell

Eggshell

Teepee

Pixel

Screen

You can see these beautiful felt rugs for yourself at Dwell on Design in booth #1621.

This month we head to Portugal for a Destination Design that lands us by the Tagus River in Eastern Lisbon to a hotel that’s all about business and pleasure. Designed by architect Nuno Leónidas, the Myriad by SANA Hotels boasts 186 rooms featuring bright, bold colors and to-die-for views of the Tagus estuary. The “futuristic oasis” stands over 143 meters (or 469 feet) tall, making way for a massive vertical transparent atrium in the center of the hotel that provides a light-filled interior. Let’s take a tour of this glimpse of the future…

The glass paneled lobby creates a light and airy space to welcome visitors.

The interiors were designed by Teresa Leónidas, who brought in modern touches and the bold pops of color you’ll spot throughout.

The wide open space of the atrium allows for some unusual lighting to be installed. Jellyfish-like chandeliers remind the guests of being by the water.

The hotel is composed of 150 deluxe rooms, 26 premium rooms, nine suites, and one presidential suite, each with modern furnishings and the hotel’s signature red color.

Are you packed yet?

What: Myriad by SANA Hotels
Where: Cais das Naus, Lote 2.21.01, Parque das Nações, Lisbon, Portugal
How much? From approximately $300 a night.
Highlights: Beautiful views of the Tagus River.
Design draw: Sleek modern decor with bright, airy rooms. Geometric, modern architecture.
Book it: info@myriad.pt

Go virtually on vacation with more design destinations right here.

Oh 3D printing, your wonders never cease to amaze! The things that those printers can do (like make Joy Division’s Unknown Pleasures album cover come to life) is truly mind-blowing, and with people like Kevin Spencerat the helm, I’m pretty sure anything can be made. Take this mini Eames Lounge Chair that is achieved through 3D color printing. It’s a 1/20 scale miniature that will make any design loving fanatic super excited.

The chair stands about 2″ tall and would be perfect to sit on your desk. The best part is that you can get your very own for $25!

The firm of David Guerra Architecture and Interior Design took over this massive (350 square meters or 3,767 square feet) apartment in Belvedere, Belo Horizonte, Brazil, and turned it into a cozy, yet urban, home for this family with two children. The couple moved to this apartment in the city when their first child became school age and kept their country house for the weekends, so Guerra set out to bring a bit of the country coziness to these sleek city digs.

Walls were removed to create an open concept living plan between the living room and the former balcony. The balcony became a sitting area and a gourmet bar/kitchen for when they have friends over or for a quick breakfast with the family.

They brought in warm woods for the floors, and in some cases, up the walls, mixing well with the gray Mister Cryl Silestone that gives an industrial feel.

The furnishings are kept pretty neutral with shades of brown and gray throughout, interspersed with various metals and glass that create a cohesive vibe.

There are plenty of fun elements though, like the addition of the Moooi Raimond chandeliers above the long wood dining table.

Various woods were used, like mahogany field, pink mahogany, cedar, and cinnamon, creating an almost striped panel treatment on the walls.

The kitchen features an array of gray and silver finishes, including graphite Silestone on the floors, silver Silestone on the countertops, and black and gray hydraulic tiles on the walls.

The architect also brought in a wooden table he designed, as well as some bright yellow Papilio chairs from B&B Italia.

In the master bedroom, they created an oversized headboard out of mahogany.

Photos by Jomar Bragança.

Chilean architecture and design studio gt2P (Great Things to People) has launched a new collection of lighting called Vilu, which happens to be their first collaboration with DHPH. Made using a combination of digital fabrication and traditional techniques, like assembling the pieces by hand, the organic forms let light peek out through the delicate perforations that are in place to bend the metal.

Watch the video:

The curved edges of the light help guide light down to define a space. The lighted area encapsulates whomever is underneath it to become “embedded in the inner spatiality.”

The collection is inspired by an old Chilean myth about the archipelago of Chiloé, where two forces battled and one raised the level of the water while the other raised the level of the land. They continued the fight until they were both satisfied with the shape of the archipelago.

Photos by Aryeh Kornfeld.

67 Inc set out to cram all of their passions into one discipline and the idea for the A to Z prints was born. Each print features letters A through Z and numbers 1 through 9, made up to look like 60′s or 70′s trading cards, and covering everything from iconic designs to movie classics to famous footballers. The brightly colored and beautifully curated picks are done in a stylized fashion giving them each a pop culture-y look.

Above: Design Classics A to Z (our favorite, of course!)

Design Classics A to Z – detail

Movie Classics A to Z

Movie Classics A to Z – detail

My Vinyl A to Z

My Vinyl A to Z – detail

Football Legends A to Z

Football Legends A to Z – detail

Here is a fun new product from Russian design company Maximovich Design founded by two young designers named Anna and Maxim Maximov.

The object, designed in three different versions and colors, was made to make sure you don’t forget the important things… you know, like your wallet, keys and cellphone. It literally points to the important things, which you place in the circular area, designating them as important.

You can get all three—one for each person in your family to place their important items.

I would totally use one as a banana stand. Bananas are important!

On Saturday, June 22nd at 10 AM EST, Skinner is holding a public 20th Century Design auction at their Downtown Boston gallery (63 Park Plaza).

This auction features a select group of mosaic glass lamps from a private collection as well as Favrile glass, lighting, and metalwork by Tiffany Studios. Studio furniture by George Nakashima highlights a fine furniture selection that includes modern designs from the United States, Denmark, and Italy including some great stuff by Hans Wegner, Charles and Ray Eames/Herman Miller and other big names. Works by Dale Chihuly and Scheier will be offered along with a large collection of experimental Chelsea and Dedham pottery.

There are over 800 lots in this auction, and we’ve combed through the goods for some of our favorites:

Hans Wegner Mama Bear Chair
Black wool upholstery, walnut hand rests raised on four tapered cylindrical legs. In fantastic condition. This is my favorite piece of the entire auction and whoever gets to own it is one lucky duck.

American School, 20th Century Op Art Composition, acrylic on canvas, 60″ x 60″ signed and dated “P Payne 1970″

Modern Sterling Silver Neck Collar, one of the pendants stamped L. Katz, Sterling. Definitely a statement piece.

Three Russel Wright Pieces from the 1930s made of spun aluminum with wood and wicker accents.

Signed and dated Curtis Jere Crane Lamp made of chrome-plated and enameled steel.

Walter Dorwin Teague Bluebird Radio, Sparton, model 566, c. 1934, Jackson, Michigan. This should be displayed prominently on ones mantle or vintage modern shelving unit.

If you’re interested, view the sale, register to bid online, make inquiries, or contact a department specialist here. You can also call or email: 508-970-3111 \\\ 20thcentury@skinnerinc.com

We first fell in love with Scott Daniel Design’s work when we spotted his Cmesh pendant lighting and he’s expanded the Cmesh line to include more table lamps, stools and wall tiles. This Brooklyn-based studio headed by artist Scott Daniel Strickstein is definitely one to watch. He creates beautiful porcelain designs by placing ceramic over top of mesh, which he calls Cmesh, that can be draped and manipulated until it hardens.

The results are tactile, translucent designs that feel lightweight and look sophisticated.

Some of the earlier designs in this collection:

On June 27th, during the Los Angeles Design Festival, join funky urban outdoor lifestyle pop-up shop Ilan Dei Venice for an in-store event to celebrate a new indoor-outdoor furniture collection. They’re keeping our doors open (and the roof off) and celebrating with refreshments and in-store giveaways.

Preview the new collection at the event on Thursday June 27th from 6-9PM. Ilan Dei Venice is located at 1650 Abbot Kinney in Venice, CA.

The new collection includes the Leaf dining tables, the Lily side table and the Lemonade chair. These colorful pieces are built to last and can be easily rearranged to accommodate any entertaining needs, no matter what the weather.

If you’re headed to Dwell on Design, they will also be debuting the new furniture collection in Booth #1422.

A small house located in Japan’s Yamaguchi prefecture has a bit of surprise located in the center of it. House J, designed by Keiko Maita Architect Office, was built for a client that longed for privacy and seclusion from the outside world. The narrow lot meant building up since it’s surrounded by other residences, so three floors were built around an interior garden.

All three floors lead to a roof terrace that allows the family to look down on the inner garden or to look out and enjoy the city views. It also adds to the outdoor space they have available.

The inner garden gives each floor a bit of nature to look at through the interior windows.

The main floor contains the family room, kitchen, and dining room, along with access to the garden.

The second floor has a small terrace as well.

The second floor has a study and reading space. You can even reach it via a ladder in the kitchen.

The top floor houses the bedrooms. The multitude of windows keeps each floor light-filled.

Photos by Yoshiharu Matsumura.

This week’s CMYLK looks at portraits by Russian-born, Tel Aviv-based artist and children’s book illustrator, Jenny Meilihove. Meilihove, who moved to Israel when she was a kid, studied at Bezalel Academy of Arts & Design in Jerusalem, and today, displays her naive, imaginative world, where anything is possible, through her pictures. These portraits—who appear to be of our favorite scarf-maker Yokoo Gibraan—made me smile.

French designer Philippe Starck talks about his new interactive designs for Flos that incorporate a bit of technology and some whimsy. The D’E-Light and Bibliotheque Nationale are a table and floor lamp that incorporate charging technology, and Chapeau is a new old-time movie-inspired design where your own hat becomes the shade.

Special thanks to Flos for making this video possible.

Born in Düsseldorf, Germany to Norwegian parents, designer Lars Tornøe graduated from the Bergen National Academy of the Arts and Design in 2006 and immediately started the successful design collaboration Tveit&Tornøe. After designing furniture, lighting, and accessories for various companies, like Muuto, Materia, and Helland, he decided move on. While exhibiting work all over the world, he continues to design award-winning home furnishings with his own distinct Norwegian stamp on them. Let’s see what inspires Tornøe in this week’s Friday Five.

Photo by Lars Tornøe

1. Tree canopies
What’s not to like? Especially after a long, Scandinavian winter it is such a pleasure to feel the temperature rise and see the fresh, green leaves emerge. They create the most beautiful spaces I can think of.

Photo via Wikimedia Commons

2. Science
Whether it is in articles, documentaries or photos, about biology, physics or engineering I love to learn about science. A source of endless inspiration and knowledge.

Photo via Adam Bronstein

3. Workshop
Making physical models and prototypes is essential when you’re doing products. It also gives me a lot of satisfaction to spend a day building something instead of working on the computer or having meetings. Currently I don’t have a workshop but this one would be excellent.

Photo by Lars Tornøe

4. Sketching and music
Goes hand in hand. I can do it for hours at a time.

Photo via Magis Spa

5. Steelwood Chair from Magis
This has been one of my favorites since it was launched. It is designed by the outrageously talented Bouroullecs and I love the idea behind the concept.

There’s always a trend or two that becomes quickly evident during ICFF and NYCxDesign and this year there were a few trends that seemed leftover from last year: marble, stone, brass and copper. But this year, we noticed another trend: color. Green, specifically, followed by yellows and jewel tones. We wonder if maybe this has anything to do with the PANTONE color of the year being Emerald…

Here are a few great green and yellow designs we spotted:

Tardi Sofa by Lindsey Adelman for The Future Perfect

Chubby Chairs from Dirk Vander Kooij

Designer Sinje Ollen created a colorful hand knitted cover made of hand dyed Italian merino wool for an Arne Jacobsen Egg Chair.

blu*stone’s electric neon bathtub. Is it green? Is it yellow? I think it’s both…

IKEA Stockholm Collection 2013 chair and rug

Folded Fiberglass chair by Roberto Dumont

Although this is just a small selection of pieces that we saw in this color family, the NYCxDesign color story here is pretty evident when you put all these photos together and create a palette:

Convinced you need to bust out a lemon and lime centerpiece, maybe pick some daffodils or even refresh with some new yellow or green paint? Yeah, me too. We also used Sherwin-Williams’ ColorSnap app to help make it easier to quickly view the colors in all of our photos and capture trends on the spot. Here are our ColorSnaps:

Pop! Karim Rashid x HP printed wallpaper and surface textiles. Learn more about these here.

Cool. Dirk Vander Kooij chairs made from refrigerators in the year’s hottest color.

Candy-coated trendy. We spotted this ottoman by Proper and fell in love. Neon is still in, y’all.

Americana. San Francisco-based design company Council brings some Americana to NYC Design Week.

Folk. VOLK was one of the only companies to do painted furniture this year and we salute them for doing it right.

Spot on trend. IKEA’s Stockholm collection hit the nail right on the head in terms of color story trend. This photo and collection pretty much sums up the entire show. Bravo, IKEA.

If you want to see more NYC Design Week, view all our posts from ICFF, WantedDesign and more here.

This post is brought to you by Sherwin-Williams. Turn your inspiration into reality with Sherwin-Williams Color Selection Tools.

Above: #20 Golden Angles

Tilman is an interaction and graphic designer living and working in and near Nuremberg, Germany but you might know him better as GeometryDaily, the everyday source for geometric goodness and inspiration for graphic designers and design enthusiasts. He’s halfway through his second year posting minimalist shapes, and we still can’t seem to get enough.

On his love for lines and shapes:

Lines, curves, rectangles, circles, triangles are a simplification of our real world but also their building blocks. Geometry, like physics or mathematics, defines how our world is constructed. I find endless beauty in this construction…These days our lives are full of noise and complex dependencies. Many strive for simplicity. Me too. I want to concentrate on the relevant things. That is why I like to concentrate on one idea and execute it straight-forward. No fuss. Hopefully that makes it more powerful. Also for me as a creative it is interesting to see how much effort I have to put into the artworks to make something unique but also as simple as possible. It is not a restriction, it sparks my creativity.

Well, wouldn’t you know that I was over the moon when I found out that he offers his daily designs as prints through Society6? Yes! Here are some of our faves:

#111 A Disruption in the Force

#387 Cyclone

#220 Manifold

#101 Scaffolding

Here are a few of my faves, which we added to our The Design Milk Dairy art collection. But you can shop all of Tilman’s designs here.

In an ongoing effort to support independent artists from around the world, Design Milk is proud to partner with Society6 to offer The Design Milk Dairy, a special collection of Society6 artists’ work curated by Design Milk and our readers. Proceeds from the The Design Milk Dairy help us bring Design Milk to you every day.

Sparkle is a new series of crystal-like furniture by Tokujin Yoshioka for Kartell. Presented during the Milan Salone del Mobile 2013, this sparkly table and stool reflect light coming from all directions.

Acting like a prism, the twisted design reflects light in many directions and casts beautiful shadows onto floors and walls. I’d be scared to put anything on them, as they look as delicate as fine crystal.