Current Corkboard

Blame my amazon.com delivery for this one...if you only pick up one book...pick up Wabi-Sabi for Artists, Designers and Poets (worth the $8, shop here).  Happy weekend!

Coveting Cobalt

Really, this is not new.  But I thought I would share the visual love.  Above, a work on paper by Serena Mitnik-Miller.  Below, the most beautiful painted accent chairs...

But It's Only a Dollar: Corkboard

Okay, so I discovered an amazing invention this weekend: corkboard contact paper.

Picture Books

What is it about second-hand stores that warm my heart?  I walked in with no intention of buying anything, but managed to find myself in the children's book section.  Couldn't pass up the sugary sweet sentiments, the gestural illustrations and the whimsical storylines.

Renovation Envy

I'm in no position to afford a house.  My girlfriend, however, bought a house last year and has spent a huge chunk of her time renovating, room by room. Knowing how grueling this task can be (I used to work at an architecture firm), the second task is keeping the costs low.

I stumbled upon this blog and was astounded at the $200 price tag this woman had on her entire kitchen re-model.  Through clever re-purposing (or simply leaving cabinet doors off), she was able to re-work her kitchen into her own design aesthetic without blowing her budget.  And you can see (above) how dated her original kitchen was.  Eeek!

To see the entire remodel in photo documentation, check out Harbour Breeze (here).

Areaware, Everywhere

I like ingenious design.  I also like when brilliant design is priced for everyone. From Brendan Ravenhill's super rad bottle opener, to Jonas Damon's beechwood alarm clock and Paul Koh's lightswitch plate that stores your mail and keys...I can deal with under $40 a piece.  Nice job, Areaware.  Nice job.

Get your shop on, here.

Chillin' & Grillin'

Wodtke Gryll-L grill found, here.

I have a small balcony.  I like to barbecue.  I also like to invite people over.  Doing both is tough.  Yes, my life is full of difficult problems.  But, never one to take ‘no’ for an answer…I did some searching.  And, lo’ and behold…look what I found!

(clockwise from top right)
Klein & More folding grill (yup, it folds completely flat).  Found, here.
Sigma Wall-mounted grill available, here.
Henrik Drecker balcony grill, here.
Black + Blum hot pot (it stores a plant when not in use!).  Purchased, here.

Kick It!

Okay.  I'm a little behind the times.  While I was aware of Kickstarter.com I had never really checked it out.  Until I was informed of this prototype.  If only I had cool intro music to cue up...

Tembo Trunks are amazing.  A completely self-contained speaker system for your ipod.  It uses science (what? science?) to capitalize on the amplification properties of a cone.  You'll likely never hear me sound this intelligent again, so listen up.  Seriously, they are a one-piece molded rubber that contains no other parts, batteries or attachments.  You simply plug your earbuds into the pre-formed slot and the sound is exponentially amplified.  You can roll them up, hose them down, and even squish them into each other (they were designed that way).  Amazing.

So, if you like to see brilliant people succeed in business start-ups (oh, and you want a pair of these), check out their Kickstarter.com link, here.

One Coffee Table at a Time

Ever thought cardboard could look so good?  Take a look at furniture designer Domingos Totora (found here).  No joke, this cardboard stack actually became this table.  Amazing, right?  Maybe not saving the world...but definitely doing his part.

Rad.ziner.

There's something very perfectionist about an architecture firm that starts taking over the building practice as well.  Did I say "perfectionist"?  I meant perfect.  I meant brilliant.  Architects that manage their own in-house contractors.  Wait...what?  Yeah, what I just said.  So, specifications are exactly as drawn.  Materials are the exact quality, shade, and grain the architect envisioned.  The final look and feel of the shelter has the hand of the architect and design team all over it.  Can you say "control freak"?  I can.  I say it bouncing up and down, clapping my hands while I do it, though.  I imagine you are doing the same.  

If you aren't familiar with the work by Marmol Radziner, there's a great article (available here).  Or you can just swing by any Southern California, metropolitan city (gas prices be damned!)...they've made their mark somewhere.  Or, simply check out their extensive catalogue of work (seen here).

* photos courtesy of marmolradzinershops.com

Labor Union

Sometimes design fads saturate the market too quickly. This often leads to half-hearted imitations and cheap overabundance. While there has been an ever-increasing use of occupational furniture in current interior design, here is a phenomenal example of one couple who has found their own voice within this design aesthetic. Beautiful marriage of texture, finishes, warmth and personality.

I can't manage to get behind the phenomenon of viewing magazines on tablets and smartphones...but in case you can, the entire printed article (seen first in California Home+Design Magazine, Sept. 2010) is now archived here on their website.