Nook

Robots & More Robots

2011-04-07T16:58:00.001-06:00

If your love of robots is anything like my love of robots, then you'll find these doodads just as smile-inducing as I do. From top left clockwise, we've got a toilet paper holder, a corkscrew, an incense burner and a tape measure. And if you're looking for a full-scale robot invasion, this is just the exploratory team.
@ General Robots, all goodies shown range from £6-£40.

Camper Bike

2011-04-06T17:41:00.003-06:00

Camper Bike is an utterly wonderful sculptural piece built by Brooklyn artist Kevin Cyr. I can't get a sense of the scale, but hope it's life size. [via swiss miss]

Tin Animals from Zimbabwe

2011-04-04T04:38:00.002-06:00

A pop of color. A rare find. An eco-friendly tchotchke with both kid & adult appeal.
This magical menagerie of recycled tin animals is handcrafted from scrap metal and soda cans by artists in Zimbabwe. These bright little critters were found by a curated boutique & gallery affiliated with LA’s Craft and Folk Art Museum, which helps sustain small arts collectives around the world.
@ The Egg & The Eye, $45

Emu Ivy Sofa

2011-04-01T04:16:00.000-06:00

Italian designer Paolo Navone was inspired by the ancient art of topiary -- the ornamental pruning of trees and hedges -- when she created this indoor/outdoor series made with woven steel mesh. I love the airy, minimal effect of her Emu Ivy "furniture sculptures" -- a series which includes the loveseat & side chairs, a table and ottomans. It'd be interesting to see this one in green, because it may simply disappear into the background.

@ Coalesse, $3,340

What To Do With Old Perfume?

2011-03-31T03:41:00.000-06:00

When it comes to spring cleaning, I try to stick by a simple rule: If I haven't used something in the past year, it's time to sell it, donate it or throw it out. But each year, I'm stumped by bottles of old perfume.
They aren't the kind of thing you donate, but still too aromatic to toss out. After a bit of online research, here's what I found:

MAKE BATH SALTS

Most homemade bath salt recipes -- like this one from a site named Picnic -- call for essential oils and perfume is generally a fine substitute.

FRESHEN ROOMS

Place a few drops of perfume in a pan with some water and simmer gently for an herbal steam. Toss in some petals for a stronger scent and the fragrance should permeate your home.

Another common suggestion is to use old perfume to revive potpourri. Since many of us don't use potpourri, I spritzed some onto a few collections of rocks and beach glass I display in glass containers in lieu of flowers and twigs. It worked reasonably well, but dissipated quickly.

I've also wondered if its a possible to put reeds in a bottle of perfume to diffuse the fragrance. Has anyone tried it? How did it work?

Hi + Lo: Slipcovered Chairs

2011-03-30T04:31:00.000-06:00

high: natural linen armchair @ wisteria, $1,300

Slipcovers are strongly favored by those of with messy kids and/or even messier pets for the obvious reason: You can toss 'em in the laundry machine to get rid of spills and the inevitable layer of pet fuzz. Placed in a sunny corner, a chair like one of these is ideal for a curling up with good book and a hot mug of tea and dozing off for an afternoon snooze. That is, if you can pry off any fur kids living in your home long enough to sit down.

low: khaki luxe slipcover chair @ world market, $250

G-1 Glass Top Pool Table

2011-03-29T04:56:00.003-06:00

Seems like the main question here is whether it's possible to put some English on a glass-top pool table. According to the designers, the playing surface replicates the rolling resistance of felt. And the transparent surface -- which offers the advantage of seeing angles on the supporting beams -- may make it easier to visualize a tricky bank shot into a corner pocket. Plus, watching the ball return is pretty cool, too.
@ Nottage Design.

Trend Spy: Bare Bulbs

2011-03-27T15:02:00.014-06:00

milk glass operating light @anthropologie, from $698; menlo lamp @anthropologie, $148; definace ceiling light @schoolhouse electric, $89; roost workshop cage pendant @velocity, $163.

Ooh la-la. These fixtures have slipped out of their shades and bared all. While some find the glare of bare bulbs to be off-putting, we like the clash between industrial chic and old-fashioned simplicity here. From chandeliers to bedside lamps, exposed bulbs are flashing their filaments for the world to see. And appreciate.

duncan table task lamp @pottery barn, $199; ball of twine lamp @ etsy, $40; c. 1900 train station swing arm lamp @ restoration hardware, from $159; lyon ceiling lamp @ schoolhouse electric, $85.

Overscale Office Supplies

2010-10-06T10:54:00.008-06:00

Made of polished steel, wood and real bristles, these giant school supplies are faithfully styled to look exactly like the tiny originals. Although I'm guessing that the scissors and eraser may not actually work. And the ruler may be not be entirely accurate. If you're looking for more oversized home accessories, you'll find more here.
@ Three Doors Down, $100-$200 (plus shipping from Australia)

Jessica Polka's Wunderkammer

2010-10-04T14:18:00.006-06:00

What happens when you cross a passion for the natural sciences with crochet skills? The answer -- as you can see from the works by Jessica Polka -- are crocheted specimens from the natural world.

Her subjects encompass sea life, bacteriology, molecular and protein structures and the result are these amazing little crocheted pieces that are sure to delight science geeks everywhere. You can see more of Jessica's work her blog, Wunderkammer, and many of her pieces are inspired by the classic illustrations of Albertus Seba.

Crochet patterns @ Etsy

Crochet squid @ Cog & Pearl, $35
Albertus Seba's Cabinet of Natural Curiosities @Amazon

A Sampler of Bacterial Microbiology

Crocheted Protein Structures

Oval Eye Platter

2010-10-01T05:06:00.000-06:00

I know John Derian's fantastic platters are now available at Target, but this one definitely caught my, um, attention. It's not quite as affordable as his Target line, but I'm just smitten with this design.
@ Cog & Pearl, $70

Rock & Roll Subway Map

2010-09-30T10:30:00.006-06:00

Italian graphic designer Alberto Antoniazzi created this clever subway map that traces some routes through pop, punk, emo and other musical genres. Along with created a great-looking map, the lines depict a musical history and illustrate how and when genres intersect. Cases in point: Nirvana is a major crossroad that connects alternative, grunge and pop.
@ Burger, € 7.50 [via gBlog]

NY Times Crossword Dishes

2010-09-30T05:28:00.001-06:00

As an avowed crossword puzzler, I've fallen hard for this line of ceramic dishes and kitchen necessities. I also love the light turquoisey-sage colored word highlighter so much that I might have to edit the colors on my online NYT crossword puzzle gadget.

@ Fishes Eddy, $5-$15

Salt & Pepper Pencil Shakers

2010-09-29T14:28:00.005-06:00

Love these. I'm not sure how the salt & pepper actually get dispensed -- and cannot read what seems to be Dutch to suss out further details. So the mystery continues....
@ Trendmind DK [via Design Milk]

[Editor's Note]

A reader was nice enough to shoot us the following email yesterday:

The pencil shakers are salt and pepper mills. You turn the top to grind the spices and they are dispensed through the bottom part.

Thanks, Hugo!

Peel & Stick Chalkboard

2010-09-29T05:21:00.002-06:00

Yes, chalkboard paint is available, but vinyl peel & stick decals (sized 9"x16") are affordable, mess-free and take mere seconds to transform a ho-hum wall into an instant writing surface.

@ Blue Ribbon General Store, $17/pack of 4

Anna Wintour's Long Island Home

2010-09-28T17:05:00.006-06:00

These pics are from World of Interiors -- and I just spotted them up on The Awl. Honestly, I don't know which was more fun: The glimpse into the summer cottage of the formidable Vogue editrix or reading the comments posted on the Awl.

La Wintour describes her property as "nearly 25 acres of difficult trees in deer-infested woods, and one readers quips: "You don't even WANT to know what she did to the "difficult trees."

Patina Antiques

2010-09-28T07:00:00.003-06:00

Patina Antiques in Chicago is a vintage-finds store where I could easily spend hours. They've got timeworn cabinets, industrial carts, a sampling of mid-century goodies, vintage signage and other wonderful things. I'm crazy about the pig parts canvas shown above.

@ Patina Antiques

Toy Dump Truck

2010-09-27T19:14:00.006-06:00

Despite my best efforts to put away stray thumb tacks and paper clips, they never quite make it back into their appropriate boxes. This little dump truck could be a perfect -- tho pricey -- desktop catch-all.
@ Fitzu, $64

Infinity Bench

2010-09-27T06:54:00.000-06:00

Created by Paris-based architect Carl Fredrik Svenstedt, the Infinity Bench owes its organic shape and concentric design to savvy mathematics. I'd be able to tell you more about exactly how the math applies, but since I barely survived basic algebra, I'll stick to descriptive terms. Like undulating, sinuous and tres chic.

@ Lerival, price n/a

Qubus Cross Cups

2010-09-24T11:47:00.003-06:00

I think these have been around for a while, but they've got such a classic design, it hardly matters. Designed by Maxim Velcovsky, they're the perfect cup for when you're desperate for a cuppa joe, but I also think these display-worthy porcelain cups would be ideal to catch keys, coins and other miscellaneous items.

@ Generate, $35

Belted Pillows

2010-09-24T11:08:00.006-06:00

Liking these eye-catching belted pillows, which are designed by Angela Finney-Hoffman. The combination of vintage fabrics and leather looks both funky and polished. Personally, I think the buckle adds to the effect.
@ Post 27, $95.

Helvetica Stool

2010-09-24T05:00:00.000-06:00

Now, if I had upwards of $1,000 to spend on a stool, this "a" stool would unquestionably be my first choice.

@ Hastell, £799

Dalton Ghetti's Pencil Nibs

2010-08-31T10:04:00.003-06:00

Sculptor Dalton Ghetti carves the tiniest creations on graphite pencil nibs. Truly amazing. As someone who used to sculpt in college, this guy seriously makes me want to go back to school. Check out more of his work at the Silvermine Guild Art Center.

[via Design Sponge]

Your Pet's Face Here Prints

2010-04-22T03:26:00.000-06:00

Anyone's who loves the animal portraiture trend can now get Fido or Kitty immortalized forever in the same way. The folks over Hot Digital Dog put it like this:

Send me a photo of your pet, and I will send you A Very Fancy Portrait of your Darling in Formal Victorian Wardrobe in beautiful sepia tones. I will work diligently in presenting your Dear Fluffy at his/her Hollywood best

I have to say, it's a pretty cute idea

@ Etsy, $50 for a customized print; $20 for standard prints.

Patio Furniture @ cb2

2010-04-21T01:47:00.001-06:00

If you're on the hunt for inexpensive patio or balcony furniture, make sure to check out cb2's latest collection. The Igloo chair, which does a great imitation of a satellite dish on legs, is constructed of white wire, and the Julep rocker is made with a white aluminum frame and silver mesh. Best of all, both are under $150.
@cb2