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Anything that will help keep plants alive is pretty much a must-have, but this Grow Greenhouse has me itching to buy multiples. Two handmade glass parts combine to create a small nursery for beginning plants. A small valve on the top dome allows for air and moisture regulation, and a spout on the dome’s edge allows you to use it for watering. Smart, isn’t it?
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– A decent looking fitness tracker: Steel HR (via Forbes)

– Michael K. Williams asks Michael K. Williams: You think I’m being typecast?

– Cue: The Smart Cuckoo Clock

– Hmm. “Tell me what kinds of toxins are in your body, and I’ll tell you how much you’re worth,”

– How the Design of Your Spoon Can Enhance the Taste of Food

– The science of “hangry”

– Fun! Vintage Vogue Tattly

Enjoy your weekend.

Are you old enough to remember (or still use) an actual clipboard? I like how this molded plywood Pupitre* designed by José Cabrita functions sort of like a clipboard, without the clip. Sure, it holds your iPad or tablet upright handily enough with the slot in its curved surface, but that surface also gives you a place to take notes or stack your current papers and magazines. The curvature also makes it easy for you to grab the whole stack and move it from the table to the sofa, or from your desk to the conference room.
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We all know that simple, clean-cut planters aren’t abundant at the local plant nurseries. That’s probably why every time we run across one it’s a mad dash to see how much it is, what colors it comes in, and quick! buy it before someone else snatches it up. So, sure, we’re into the Linear Box Planter. Skinny, square legs, and a simple rectangular box, what’s not to like? It’s worth noting that the plywood box has an open bottom, with what looks like a metal cross bar for supporting your own pots in their not-so-pretty plastic.
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The Piippu Pot by Kaksikko looks a like a distant relative of the Svante Watering Can, no? Its shape and side handle reference traditional tea service, yet the addition of the filter holder makes it suitable for coffee as well. Each pot is crafted by hand by designer Salla Luhtasela and is available in a black engobe finish or white gas-fired porcelain.
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There’s nothing complicated about this Birch Coat Hook. It’s made of two wooden dowels, so it’s simple and sturdy, and will have no trouble holding up your heavy coats and other entryway (or office) miscellany. The lower hook has its tip hand-painted in either white, teal, or gray for just a hint of contrast.

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I bet this cushion would kick ass in a pillow fight, though you might prefer to take a nap instead as it looks so delightfully soft. Icelandic designer Ragnheiður Ösps Sigurðardóttir was making legs for stuffed teddy bears when inspiration hit: why not tie the flexible tubes into a knot? And this comfortable, soft, sculptural cushion is the result. Pretty fun, don’t you think?
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If you saw this sitting on a kitchen counter, would you immediately know what it was? Probably not, especially if it wasn’t wearing the item it was designed to hold. Yep, it’s a paper towel holder, quite possibly the only one that doesn’t offend a design snob. The top of the rod bends to lock in the paper towel roll; the bent top also functions as a handle.
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The tonal colors on the handmade Transience Mirrors involve a little chemistry. Sulfur is used to create layers of color; the longer the chemical is left to oxidize, the deeper the color. With repeating geometric shapes reinforcing each mirror’s perimeter, you’ll have a strong visual statement fit for any room. The hard part will be choosing your favorite- in addition to the Large Mirror Circle you see above, there’s the smaller Mirror Circle, the Large Mirror Rectangle, the Large Mirror Triangle, the Large Cubic Mirror, and the Mirror Linear.
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Okay, this Slatted Barstool is beautifully balanced and elegant, but it’s… inexpensive? Are we reading that right? Jasper Morrison designed the bent tubular steel stool with rolled steel slats back in 1986, and luckily, it looks like it could have hit the marketplace yesterday, and we’d be none the wiser. It’s available in black or silver powder-coated textured finish.
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Who wants a funny looking watering can? We do, we do! Because then we will never forget to water the plants, and it can double as a vase when not in use. Broberg & Ridderstråle’s watering can is made of brass with two odd-shaped spouts- one flared spout for filling and one skinny spout for pouring. The care of design and choice of materials makes this watering can one to hold on to, and maybe even pass down to your offspring (or your other favorite young friends).
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– How To Make Speakers From Post-Its

– It’s that time of year again… Knoll Classics Sale

– Superb little summer home: Font Rubi Cottage

– For your favorite records: flipbin

– Opening Soon: A New Architecture School With No Fees and Zero Studio Hours

– This Metal Conducts Electricity But Not Heat “That could make it useful as a coating for smart windows; when they got enough sun, they’d become reflective like metal and keep some of that light out.”

– ORBIT Ruler BY STUDIO JUJU

– The Privacy Enthusiast’s Guide to Using an iPhone

– Loewe reveals its inaugural Craft Prize finalists

Enjoy your weekend!

A new measuring tool? Sign us up. The InstruMMent 01 captures dimensions of any object and logs the measurements through your smartphone. One end of the pen/pencil/stylus has a black rubberized wheel that rolls over flat and curved surfaces. Sensors record the distance travelled (in 0.1 mm increments) with a laser to help you gauge exactly where you start and finish. Want to see how big your face is, or capture your exact profile? Roll the end from your forehead to your chin, then watch the line appear in the accompanying app. What about measuring a chair or a sculpture? Roll the end across and around, and ta-da! You’ll have the dimensions ready to share. The app will translate scaled quantities as well (and you can import to CAD!). So fun.
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If you’re drinking your favorite cold beverage out of a chipped mug, snap up this set of Ripple Glasses pronto. Mouth blown into the mold, each glass features a lovely rippled surface. Look closer and you’ll see that each glass has a varied height to its collar; that adds interest, of course, but it also means you’ll be able to tell which glass is yours when your friends and family are around. Go ahead and get the matching carafe too- you might as well, as the whole grouping is quite affordable.
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No serving trays? Good, because now you have an excuse to buy one or two of Darin Montgomery’s Serving Trays. Made from FSC certified solid domestic maple, each tray is hand finished with food safe oil/wax. Subtle curved edges provide a functional handle while also adding to the beauty of the simple design. Your tea (or snack) time just became more special.
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