Urban Flea

nouveau

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Lee) — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 02:23:00 +0000

Happy New Year! I've been MIA for quite some time, life got in the way. I'll be starting grad school soon to get my Masters in design, so I'm sure I'll have plenty of incidental finds to share with you as the semesters tick on... stay tuned.

nema workshop

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Lee) — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 00:08:00 +0000

While trolling the pages of one of my favorite blogs, The Cool Hunter, I came across images of one of the trippiest spaces I've seen in awhile. D'Espresso coffee shop in Manhattan is modeled after what a library would look like if it was flipped on its side, and it succeeds in high style.

This little discovery prompted me to look into the geniuses behind the design, and I was downright tickled to find Nema Workshop. They are a team of architects, designers, and "thinkers," who use their collective and collaborative spirit to bring ideas to life that tend to be highly conceptual and spacially brilliant. I think I'm in love. Scroll on for a little sampling of their hive of genius...

easy as abc

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Lee) — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 02:09:00 +0000

I was looking back through my archives the other day, and was shocked to realize that I had never done a post on one of my favorite spots in the whole wide world: ABC Carpet and Home. If you're a design nerd like me, I'm sure you've heard of the spot, but I wanted to highlight some of my favorite items they have on their website at the moment. I have so many wonderful memories of hours spent wandering through when I lived in NYC. It used to be a destination I would go to just because; each floor is it's own world, it's like wandering through a dreamland. Scroll on for some of my current favorite picks...

Cobble Hill Union Square Sectional

Bokja Demi Chair with Metal Base

Brass Shell Bowl

Clarity Multi-Color Glass Tables

Cobble Hill Francis Metal Leg Chair

Cobble Hill Napa Bed

Design Workshop Adjustable Stool

Cognita Storage Bench by Herman Miller

Deer Linen Pillow by Kevin O'Brien

Kartell Stone Stool in Smoke

Eames Molded Plywood Dining Chair by Herman Miller

Enchord Desk by Herman Miller

Indian Charpoy

Pillow with Silver Lame

Malva Square Pendant Light

Mesh Chair

Nomad Pillow by Michele Varian

Pair of Union Jack Curtain Panels

Sunny Chair by Moroso M'Afrique

Silver Compinibili Storage Units by Kartell

Slab Chair in Natural by Tom Dixon

Snake Side Table by Gabriela Vellon

Wood Block Light

Tom Dixon Pipe Light

Vintage Framed Tsakli

Vintage French Storage Cabinet

Wishbone Chair in Oak by Hans Wegner

Steel 3 Door Bookcase

Kantha Quilt with Ikat Print

Deja Vu Illuminated Lamp

the silverlake collection

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Lee) — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 23:57:00 +0000

I'm loving Moroso's Silverlake furniture collection. They're basically classic shapes given a bit of a mid-century modern twist; tradition butting up against futurism, an aesthetic right up my alley. What do you think?

rich brilliant willing

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Lee) — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 23:49:00 +0000

To name your own design collective "Rich Brilliant Willing" may seem a bit cavalier, but I think it's, well, brilliant. You see, the three gentlemen who make up this lovely little collective have the last names Richardson, Brill, and Williams. Get it? Pretty clever. Equally as clever are their dynamic pieces including furniture, lighting, even packaging. They've had partnerships with clients as varied as Urban Outfitters and Artecnica, and have been consistently featured in publications such as The World of Interiors, Dwell, and Ready Made. I think they're one of the most exciting young firms working in the States today. Scroll on, and let me know if you think so too.

postfossil

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Lee) — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 22:51:00 +0000

Swiss design collective Postfossil is comprised of young and talented emerging designers on a mission to create designs for living that take into direct consideration current and future resource scarcity. In a "post fossil" age, they use only renewable and reusable materials to create some surprisingly chic pieces.

oscar niemeyer for h.stern

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Lee) — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 22:36:00 +0000

The estate of legendary architect Oscar Niemeyer, inventor of the "Brasilia" style of architecture, has recently partnered with jewelry company H. Stern to create a gorgeous line of fluid precious ornamentation. This recent partnership prompted me to look again into his prolific portfolio of work; I love his sculptural buildings, they read as sort of functional monuments and go far beyond just being "buildings." He really was one of the pioneers of modern architecture, and was one of the first to explore using raw concrete as a primary construction material.

This great Brazilian once said "It is not the right angle that attracts me, nor the straight line, hard and inflexible, created by man. What attracts me is the free and sensual curve — the curve that I find in the mountains of my country, in the sinuous course of its rivers, in the body of the beloved woman." Those "free and sensual curves" lend themselves perfectly to jewelry; it's a surprise that this partnership didn't take place sooner!

mamma mia

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Lee) — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 19:50:00 +0000

If you've been reading this blog for any length of time, you'll know that I'm quite a glutton for lighting; anytime I see something a bit different or intriguing, you'll definitely see it here. I got excited when I discovered the work of Mammalampa; they have "declared a gentle war making lamps differently without adapting, killing or violently beautifying materials." Don't you just love that? I know I do.

laurens van wieringen

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Lee) — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 19:37:00 +0000

"You can play with the rules if you know the rules. Nevertheless, sometimes you have to come up with a new game in order to create new rules". These are the words of the whimsically wonderful Dutch designer Laurens van Wieringen, and create a new game he certainly has. Laurens is all about pioneering new production techniques, which of course leads to some pretty unique work. I love his "shattered" vases and his 3D topographical rug. I say once again, there must be something pretty special in that Dutch water.

jason phillips

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Lee) — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 18:58:00 +0000

Young designer Jason Phillips recently took over his family's furniture and decorative accessories business, breathing new life and a vibrant creativity into each piece he creates. I love the playful attitude he takes with wood, creating forms that explode existing imperfections and knots, and dressing them up with gilt gold and silver.

item du jour

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Lee) — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 01:24:00 +0000

Molteni's Arc table is absolutely an instant classic. Architectural, graceful... all that and a bag of chips. Gorgeous eye candy, don't you think?

mamounia

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Lee) — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 01:16:00 +0000

I must be on a rug spree today. I know I have said in the past that I generally prefer bare floors, but I have to say, the tide may be turning for this little flea... Exhibit A: this gorgeous Morroco-inspired Mamounia carpet designed for the Rug Company by Martyn Lawrence-Bullard. It's named for the uber-luxe hotel he designed in Marrakech; if you like the rug, you'll be obsessed with the inspiration. Click here for more info on the Mamounia Hotel.

room du jour

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Lee) — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 23:37:00 +0000

I love the airy, almost surreal space that is the Restaurant Georges atop Paris's Centre Pompidou museum. White, clean, perfect. Can you even imagine how stunning it must look at night? Le sigh.

via. elle decor

carini lang

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Lee) — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 23:18:00 +0000

Generally, I prefer bare floors, no fuss, no muss. But I will make exceptions for coverings that read as art for that surface upon which you tread. Designer Joseph Lang of Carini Lang creates beautiful hand-knotted, super-vibrant silk and wool carpets using botanical dyes, fair trade, and no child labor. As their website says, the rugs speak for themselves. So scroll on...

viva italia

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Lee) — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 22:23:00 +0000

There's something so alluring about glass, don't you think? It's rare to find a material that allows for so many possibilities; it can be nearly invisible, or run through with vibrant colors, or, or, or... it goes on. I recently discovered the wonderful Glas Italia through my love of designer Piero Lissoni's work. He designed a gorgeous little rainbow-striped coffee table for the company and it happened to catch my eye in the most recent issue of Elle Decor. I love what this company is doing with glass; super-clean lines, no fuss; I previously have only really seen this kind of work done in lucite, but I'm loving the heavier glass alternatives.

felicia ferrone

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Lee) — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 22:10:00 +0000

Italian designer Felicia Ferrone is the definition of a renaissance woman; her title "designer" means just that, she designs everything. Chicago condos, gorgeous packaging and product design, glassware, nothing seems off-limits for this gal. Before taking off to start up her own firm, she worked for the storied Milanese studio Citterio, where she honed her skills and realized her true passion laid in the field of product design. Her best known work is probably her Revolution glassware line; the uber-chef Thomas Keller chose her pieces to serve diners at several of his restaurants. Scroll on for a wee sample of her stunners...

palatial...

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Lee) — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 21:48:00 +0000

... i do so love that word, I'm not quite sure why. I find that happens to me a fair bit when it comes to both verbiage and design; I love it, and I'm not quite sure why. Chicago-based Palace Papers earns that distinction in my book. Don't let the name fool you, these two ladies churn out way more than just wallpaper: make sure you check out their gorgeous fabrics. A former saddlemaker's apprentice and a designer walk into a bar... want to know more? Check these palatial ladies out here.

images via apartment therapy and design sponge

mid mod whimsy

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Lee) — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 03:21:00 +0000

I can be a bit of a design glutton, and will be the first to admit that a bit of well-placed flair and bling can do a body good. But I think I'm becoming more enamored with what I like to call "whimsical minimalism." Simple shapes with tiny surprises. Designer Ellen Thomas strikes this balance very well; simple, classic shapes with little bits of surrealist fun peppered throughout. Take this lovely bureau for example; pretty standard mid-mod shape, but check out the little key-shaped holes...

I love the little decorative tips on a single leg of each stool. At first glance the pieces are pretty ordinary and utilitarian, but as you take a closer look, there's a little bit of simple whimsy to be found.

oh wow is right

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Lee) — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 02:44:00 +0000

Now this is what I call a bookshop. The "Oh Wow" bookstore in the West Village of NYC is seriously brilliant. No dusty tomes and stuffy aisles here; this is the new wave of literary housing. I think I could move right in!

pop

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Lee) — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 02:24:00 +0000

I'm loving this graphic pop-ey curtain from Dutch design Jeroen Vinken. It would definitely need the right space to really shine... I'm thinking white glossy surfaces and not much else... le sigh.

days of ink...

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Lee) — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 01:57:00 +0000

This might just be the coolest, strangest, most ingenious calendar I've ever seen. Not that I've seen that many calendars, but still. London-based Spanish designer Oscar Diaz has created this incredible "Ink Calendar"
fashioned from a large strip of paper numbers that are timed to absorb the ink at a rate of one full digit per day. You can literally watch time pass in a simple and expressive way... wow.

item du jour: yaniv berg espresso maker

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Lee) — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 00:37:00 +0000

All things coffee-related tend to make my lips pucker and my nose wrinkle, but I might have to become a java-nut just to have an excuse to display this little gem. Isreali designer Yaniv Berg created this sleek and lovely espresso-maker in a cheery yellow... yes... this might be just what I need to get a kick-start in the A.M.

via. dezeen

serena and sang

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Lee) — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 19:18:00 +0000

"Being good, doing good, and having good." Not much to argue with, is there? This is the motto of furniture and textile distribution duo Sang and Serena. While traveling in India, the couple met up with a local artisan who ran a school dedicated to preserving the traditional crafts of the region. It was through the fostering of this relationship that they decided to bring the work to the States. I love the bone inlayed bureaus and printed pillow shams in particular...

the flea is back!

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Lee) — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 03:13:00 +0000

Hello! You may have noticed I haven't posted for awhile, I had a shoulder injury that made it a bit tricky to type, and I took a wee break. But now the flea is back, and I'm so happy to be tossed back in the design blog stream. Huzzah!

So to kick it off, I present to you the manifold masterpeices of artist and designer extraordinaire Shlomi Haziza. His company HStudio creates some breathtaking work. Chairs, tables, beds, art, jewelry, it's a pretty prolific hoard of product. Recently they partnered with the venerable CaesarStone to create their Concetto range of tables topped with delicious slabs of semi-precious stone. Yum.

a trove of inspiration...

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Lee) — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 04:09:00 +0000

Sometimes the stars align, and you suddenly stumble across a trove of images that make your head spin. While poking around the web today, I found the tumblr site Convoy. It's chock-a-block full of remarkable inspiration. I'll shut my pie-hole now and let the visuals speak for themselves. Enjoy...