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Articles Written by Katie

Katie

About Katie: Katie has been a product and textile designer, an art restoration specialist, and an interior designer/merchandiser. Her interests are focused on finding well designed items that improve daily life as well as reading fiction and making stuff. (View Profile)

 
 

Wary Meyers’ Tossed & Found: Unconventional Design from Cast-offs

Man-oh-man, this book is one heck of a treasure. If you have any interest in junk/thrift/antique shops, then you’ll most likely appreciate the Meyers’ talent in transforming castoffs into delightful objects, and boy, are they delightful. There’s a lamp made from a pastry bag, a wonderful Blue Willow Canoe, a half painted dresser (Lichtenstein inspired), the ‘le french’ dresser (shown upper right) where scrolly letters were screwed onto the drawer fronts, Chippendale chairs changed into skeleton chairs, and so ever much more. And, not only are these projects shown in their before stages and after, but the Meyers include their sketches and instructions on replicating the idea on your very own castoff, giving you the tools to make your own interpretation.

What some view as trash, Linda and John Meyers see as raw material. The wife-and-husband team subscribers to the ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ ethos have perfected a design strategy that will save you money, help the planet, and provide hours of DIY fun. The strategy? First, visit a yard sale, construction-site dumpster, or even your own attic. Select something that somebody (even you) thought had outlived its usefulness. Then, transform that castoff into a piece that’s interesting and usable.

See more at Wary Meyers’ site.

Tossed & Found
Tossed & Found
Tossed & Found
Tossed & Found

Purchase Information:

Price: $18.15
Availability: Buy Wary Meyers’ Tossed & Found: Unconventional Design from Cast-offs here

Skulls Wallpaper – Bronze on Oil Slick

Mr. Skull just got fancy with bronze flock on a incredibly strange color-changing background. It’s super expensive but would look nice in a small powder room or entryway.
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Purchase Information:

Price: $210.00
Available from: Beware the Moon

Nina Bovasso Rug from BravinLee

Where do I even begin… this rug is so crazy freaking beautiful that I’m having heart palpitations. Did I mention that I’m in the market for an area rug? And this one has me dizzy. Did I also mention I’m drawn to the most expensive things, like a moth to a very bright lovely flamethrower? This rug by artist Nina Bovasso features 36 saturated colors and is GoodWeave certified, and if I owned it I would just point and stare.
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Purchase Information:

Price: $8,000.00
Availability: Buy Nina Bovasso Rug from BravinLee here

Birdhouse by Emilie Cazin

If you’re planning on giving birds a crashpad, why not give them some room to perch as well? Perfect for apartment dwellers or those of you without trees around, this birdhouse provides more than enough room for those feathery friends to chill out and chatter.

This Birdhouse links the balcony to its green surroundings, the inhabitants of apartments to the birds outside. Lacking a garden in her LEGO like apartment building, Emilie Cazin created this Birdhouse in order to attract birds to her balcony and thus stand out from all the piled up apartments with the same windows, same walls, same balconies. The uniform balcony is transformed into a lookout for birdwatchers.
Birdhouse, with a form that refers to, but clearly deviates from the parabolic antennas in the cityscape, is an invitation to the city’s birds to nest close to one’s window.

Designer: Emilie Cazin (Belgium)
Manufacturer: Vlaemsch() (Belgium)

Note: currently to order you can email info@vlaemsch.be, but their store should have the birdhouse up & available very soon.

Purchase Information:

Price: €275.00
Availability: Buy Birdhouse by Emilie Cazin here

Teeth Mug

I can think of one word for this: creepy. Since it’s October, creepy is kind of okay, and despite my initial reservations on the inconvenience of your tea/coffee seeping between the teeth and onto your hand or desk, not to mention how strange it would be to have your own teeth bump against the cup’s teeth (uck)… yeah, so despite all that, maybe you’ll get a kick out of it, or know someone who will.

Each one is individually hand carved by skilled Taiwanese ceramic artists.
Material: Ceramic
H3.8″ x D3.3″, 11.8oz

Purchase Information:

Price: $24.00
Availability: Buy Teeth Mug here

CLAMPLIGHT

How much you want to bet that this will be in your local mega-hardware store within the next two months? This is the superhero of flashlights. It clamps onto pretty much anything or it can stand on its own. The head swivels to put light right where you need it. Or, if need be, you can use it just like a regular flashlight. Plus, if you see the video/film demonstration, you’ll think it can fly too. Those poor other flashlights, they don’t stand a chance.

CLAMPLIGHT clamps virtually anywhere and stays out of the way versus stand lights like tripod mounted or snake like lights. Two axis swivel head directs light to any position. Shaped like a traditional flashlight for easy portability or to fit in a belt or pocket. Clamp converts to a stand light by pressing clamp and sliding lock feature. Non skid feet swivel down for stability.

Purchase Information:

Price: $29.99
Available from: Blackfire

Still Light by Nathalie Dewez

This is incredibly useful as well as lovely. The lamp slides to the desired position from the ‘T’ joint, enabling you to position the light above a table or seating area without messing too much with electrical wires.

”Electrical inlets rarely are just above the dining table…” This adjustable pendant lamp responds to this issue by combining functionality and poetry, rationalism and lightness. A lamp you can position in space like a graphic mobile. A thin line seems to float in the air; a puff of wind would have it slightly moving. According to wish or need, the whole lamp slides very simply in the T part that holds it.

Available in two sizes: 240cm and 150cm. Height adjustable. Sets of one or three lamps, sold in convenient cardboard tube package.

Use: Indoor
Materials: Stainless Steel
Finishes: Lacquered

Materials: Stainless Steel, Finishes: Lacquered

Purchase Information:

Price: €365.00
Availability: Buy Still Light by Nathalie Dewez here

Geo Side Table

I like the looks of this little table. Very architectural, but in a light sort of way. Nice.

25”diam x 18”h
Polished nickel
Lightweight design with a thin metal top and open, geometric base

Purchase Information:

Price: $199.00
Availability: Buy Geo Side Table here

UO Sawhorse Table Legs and Crawford Sawhorse

As one of you recently pointed out, there’s quite a few inexpensive trestle options out there, and you can get whatever sized top you want from a glass shop or hardware store.

On the left, is Urban Outfitter’s Sawhorse Table Legs, which at $38.00 for a set of two is a pretty good deal, and actually less expensive than the sawhorses on the right. However, the ones on the right are ‘real’ sawhorses, so they’re probably a bit more sturdy as well as adjustable. I actually used these yellow sawhorses as a work table base in my office/studio when I lived in Houston. It’s hard to tell, but from the side these sawhorses actually have a little Prouve-ish feel, or at least that’s what I thought of them (it’s the angled steel in a bright color, I think). If you don’t mind an industrial-edgy look, they do the job wonderfully and will hold up well over time, either in your studio/office space or in the garage for odd jobs.

Sawhorse Table Legs from UO, $38.00 for set of two, Buy it here.
Crawford 38 In. Folding Steel Sawhorse, Yellow $29.97 each, Buy it here.

Also, IKEA has essentially the same trestle base as UO: Vika Lerberg Trestle for $10 each. (thanks john for the link)

Purchase Information:

Price: $38.00
Availability: Buy UO Sawhorse Table Legs and Crawford Sawhorse here

Money Cufflinks

Awhh-yeah. Instead of the glitter, show off some bills (or should I say billz?) for a change. Umm, yes, they are one dollar bills, so maybe it’s not the most expensive, but it’s a set of six that you can mix it up however you want, which is a nice option. But $180, you say? Hmm…if it was a hundred dollar bill would that make the price point easier to swallow?

“Get creative with your cash and your cuffs with this set of six mix-and-match cufflinks. Taken from different parts of the one dollar bill, this set of six cufflinks can be mixed and matched to spell different things or send cryptic messages (like “eye” “do”). Made in Canada. Comes in a velvet jewelry box.”
Materials: copper, metal
Size: .75″ L x .75″ W

Purchase Information:

Price: $180.00
Available from: Uncommon Goods

Oak and Glass Trestle Table

Part of the new ‘Well Considered’ Collection from The Conran Shop, this table combines elegance and simplicity with a friendly price tag. (More items from the range will be posted within the next few weeks, but not so much that you’ll get sick of them.)

Terence Conran designed this simple, pared down trestle which is made in solid oak and combined with a clear glass top – ideal for sophisticated dining or as a chic desk at an excellent price.

W71 x D31.5 x H29.5 in
Materials: Solid Oak and Glass

Purchase Information:

Price: $595.00
Availability: Buy Oak and Glass Trestle Table here

Filex Wood Spiral Folder

I can’t believe these folders haven’t been posted before. Situation remedied.

Set of 6 printed file folders with 3 tab locations
Includes 12 Adhesive Tab Labels
Size: letter

Purchase Information:

Price: $10.00
Availability: Buy Filex Wood Spiral Folder here

The Art of Hand Magnets

At first these looked like Barbie-sized hand magnets, but they’re quite a bit larger than that, thank goodness. Barbie-sized hand magnets probably wouldn’t be very functional (unless they were mighty-magnet strong).

Each set includes 8 hands measuring 7cm x 3.5cm. Hand signals include; Budha hand, pick up the phone, ok, high five, raise your hand, win and good.

Purchase Information:

Price: £35.00
Availability: Buy The Art of Hand Magnets here

Raw Wood Wall Clock

It’s sort of rare for wood to be raw, isn’t it? Usually there’s some sort of finish or stain, and maybe that’s why this one looks particularly fresh and new.

Raw Wood Wall Clock made from milled solid maple with leather strap and aluminum hands.
Dimension: 10 in. Diam., 24 in. strap

Purchase Information:

Price: $250.00
Availability: Buy Raw Wood Wall Clock here

Twinkle Living Midnight Rug in Cream

It’s no secret that Twinkle Living has some great rugs to choose from; this circular cream and black design is a great option for a seating area that needs a focal point.

Originally trained in the arts, Wenlan draws all of her own patterns for both her home and fashion collections. With custom prints and designs inspired by imagery culled from a life spent working in the arts, traveling the world, and escaping with idle daydreams, Wenlan brings a fresh point of view to her work and is thrilled to translate her ideas into a line of unique but accessible collection for the home.

Designer: Wenlan Chia
Manufacturer: Twinkle Living
Dimensions (inches): Midnight Rug In Cream – 5′ Round: 5 Diam
Materials: 100% Hand tufted New Zealand wool.

Purchase Information:

Price: $679
Availability: Buy Twinkle Living Midnight Rug in Cream here