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)
Written by Katie on June 30, 2008. Permalink
If you ever find yourself in Louisville, Kentucky, and need a place to rest your head, there’s a luxury hotel that also happens to house a $10 million art collection. So, in addition to the regular fare of sleep + food, you also have the option of absorbing some worthwhile art to memory. Respectable idea, no?
Written by Katie on June 30, 2008. Permalink
The Rug Company recently joined RugMark, the foundation dedicated to ending child labor in the handmade carpet industry. If you’re not familiar with either you can follow a few links and find out that this is a very good thing, because a major player in the rug industry jumping on this particular boat signals a shift in industry standards of child-labor-free carpets.
The prices are a little higher, but the particular peace of mind of knowing that a rug is child-labor-free seems well worth saving up for…Plus, there’s some pretty intriguing designs by some kind-of-quirky designers that The Rug Company has up their sleeve…I’m kind of in love with some of the stranger ones, too many to show them all, but here’s a handful:
(shown left to right)
Swirl by Paul Smith
Carmelina by
The Rug Company
Overleaf by Marni
Love Heart by Vivienne Westwood
Palette by Fiona Curran
$32.50- $230.00 per square foot, from a 3’x5′ to a 18’x12′ (this means anywhere between $485.00 to $49,680.00(!))
To learn more, visit RugMark Foundation
More information:
View The Rug Company & RugMark here
Written by Katie on June 30, 2008. Permalink
To coordinate with today’s Green Roofs/Wall Panel post in the remodel section, this book seems like it would be a good accompaniment to any ideas you might have for your own home.
$23.07, Buy it here.
Written by Katie on June 30, 2008. Permalink
Audrey over at the Dwell Blog wrote a short article about green roofs that’s worth a look. Installation is not as simple as I’m sure we’d all like to believe, but when done right, green roofs can have important economic benefits that add up into one smart investment.
When looking through some of the companies offering green roof systems, there was some impressive photos of Green Wall Panels by G-SKY that had me imagining my second floor patio walls completely covered in greenery. Might be just the thing for those of us who can’t quite commit (or afford) to redo our roofs yet, but still want to scratch that itch of ‘green-ing’ our home a little bit more. Pricing depends on plant selections, wall type, and overall size.
There’s also ELT Living Walls (not shown), which are a bit more accessible (and affordable, starting at $189.00).
(photo on upper left
[via Dwell Blog]
Written by Katie on June 30, 2008. Permalink
These planters would certainly set you back a fair amount, but their substantial sizes and über modern design is surprisingly hard to find among most outdoor décor suppliers.
Made entirely of fiberglass, these planters are not only extremely light weight but will also withstand the elements and resist dents better than any other material on the market. Also, since fiberglass is non-porous, the bowls are completely waterproof, making them a perfect choice for indoor and outdoor applications.
Minimalist Bowl: 30″ x 24″H, $1,395.00, Buy it here.
Ideas: Use a minimalist bowl as a bold stand alone accent piece, purchase a pair to frame a dramatic entryway, or use as a recurring element to unify your habitat.
Shallow Bowl: 48″ x 14″ H, $1,695.00, Buy it here.
Ideas: Fill a shallow bowl with eye-catching succulents or create a self contained water garden by filling with river rock, aquatic plants, and goldfish or koi.
Written by Katie on June 30, 2008. Permalink
Distinctly influenced by mid century modern style, these occasional tables are entirely affordable.
“Sleek wooden table cut in the Danish Modern style, with rounded edges and simple, slim legs. Finished with a deep shelf with plenty of room for all of your coffee table needs. Imported.”
MDF bentwood with walnut wood veneer, four round wood legs
Some assembly required; hardware included
Coffee Table, $180.00,
35.25″ W x 23.5″ D x 18.25″ H
Side Table, $130.00,
19″ W x 19″ D x 21″ H
This item is no longer available from the original retailer.
Written by Katie on June 30, 2008. Permalink
Oooo. These are strange and kind of beautiful.
Includes white 6′ cord and uses a max 60w bulb.
Written by Katie on June 30, 2008. Permalink
The interesting framework of this hand-assembled chair seems to merge an old school sensibility with a more modern appreciation of construction.
The Valdes furniture collection, still solely hand-assembled in Santiago, Chile, has been named “one of the truly great chair designs of the 20th Century” by Architectural Digest. The intricate design features a combination of leather, steel tubing and laminated wood.
Lead time is 8-10 weeks.
Leather, Steel Tubing, and Laminated Wood
L 31.5” x W 26.8” x H 28.7”
Written by Katie on June 27, 2008. Permalink
Tray tables are excellent choices for either beside the sofa or paired as a coffee table…and, while the idea of using this one as a birdbath is a little unorthodox, it’s also kind of nice to know it has such versatility.
Side table, serving tray, birdbath or plant holder, the indoor/outdoor Tablo Table (2001) embodies versatility in a compact and minimal form. Magnus Lofgren first designed the oversized lacquered metal serving tray and then added the teak wood stand, greatly increasing its functionality. The complementary materials and neutral colors suit most interiors and exteriors alike and the tray can be used on its own.
H 17.5″ W 21.75″ D 21.75″
(just remembered we posted this same Tablo Table back in January from a different retailer, where it’s sold separately as a stand and a tray and it’s available in other colors, for about the same price, AND there’s two different heights for the stands: 15.75″ and 21″. fyi.)
Written by Katie on June 27, 2008. Permalink
Whoa. This table is a show stopper. Absolutely lovely…
“Starfish is made of solid European walnut and looks great as a dining table or a desk. Also offered but not shown on the site: Oak. Please call to order.”
Designed by Autoban
74.5″l x 35.5″w x 29.5″h
(Lead Time: 14 weeks)
Written by Katie on June 27, 2008. Permalink
These color-coded keyboard skins hold the secret to learning the bajillion shortcuts that come with certain applications.
Our custom-fitted color-coded keyboard skins are available for…
APPLICATIONS: * Photoshop * Aperture (1.5) * Final Cut Pro/Express * Pro Tools * After Effects * Logic Pro
KEYBOARDS: * MacBook Pro
* Macbook (Black and White)
* Macbook Air
* Apple Thin Keyboard
* Apple Thin Wireless Keyboard
* Apple Classic Keyboard
-Models available for notebook computers and desktop keyboards.
-Molded exactly to fit your keyboard like a glove.
-Quick to remove and reapply as often as you wish.
-Keeps your keyboard clean and clear of debris.
-Made from beautiful, flexible, washable rubber, color-coded by function.
Skins for Laptops, $30.00
Skins for Desktops, $40.00
(Thanks Amit!)
Written by Katie on June 27, 2008. Permalink
A concrete clock to keep your time…
“Using concrete as the canvas, designer Marit Meisler created this angular, stark wall clock with imprint design. A welcome accent and timekeeper for cool modern interior settings.”
Notes: Requires one AA battery (not included).
Material(s): Cement
H 10″ W 10″ D 1.5″
Written by Katie on June 26, 2008. Permalink
These Still Lifes (yes, the plural is ‘Lifes’) by John Murphy remind me a little of Harry Allen’s My Brother’s Frame, except they’re a fraction of the cost and you get the art as well. Go figure.
Archival Pigment Print, Open edition
10 x 12 inches framed (image size 5×7).
Still Life from the series Seeing is Believing, $150.00,
Buy it here.
Hand finished frame in Antique Blue. High Luster finish.
Still Life from the series That Way the Feeling Never Ends, $150.00,
Buy it here.
Hand finished frame in Chinese Red. Luster finish.
Still Life 2 from the series Seeing is Believing, $150.00, Buy it here.
Hand finished frame in Graphite. Satin finish.
Written by Katie on June 25, 2008. Permalink
One of my favorite objects from the MUJI store is Naoto Fukasawa’s cd player, and that alone makes a browse through this book somewhat necessary, though at this price (why is it so much?) I’m absolutely positive I won’t be buying it anytime soon.
Written by Katie on June 25, 2008. Permalink
This apartment by Triptyque Architecture has a few excellent examples of minimal concrete pieces worth filing away for reference. Plus, the wrap around curvy bookcase is something special. (Note: this particular cantilevered concrete kitchen island/table completely screams ‘hire a professional’…definitely not within a DIY realm. If proof exists otherwise, please let me know.)
[via (the always inspirational) dezeen]