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At these prices, it’s an easy reason/excuse to tidy up your workspace.

Pen Tray. 11″Wx2.5″Dx1.5″H, $9.95

Memo Holder. 4″Wx4.25″Dx1.5″H, reg. $5.95 $4.95

Paper Tray. 9.75″Wx13″Dx1.5″H, reg. $19.95 $14.95

This isn’t such a bad price to pay for a book with minimalist interiors…(it’s a bargain price, so quantities are limited)

“Inside MNM: Minimalist Interiors explains minimalist concepts and concentrates on private interiors. This guide includes dozens of sophisticated photographs and introductions to each chapter written by leaders of this extraordinary, contemporary design movement. All the examples featured in the book have one thing in common: they feature the essential, but use the minimal.”

Originally posted back in ’07, these knocked my socks off (I still love them ridiculously)…and, now they’re on sale(!).

Designer: Christien Meindertsma
100% wool cover; 100% cotton lining; polyester fill.

Medium: H 11″ Diameter 24″, $800.0 Now: $640.00
Large: H 15″ Diameter 33″, $1,600.00 Now: $1,280.00

Much better than any tissue box…

“When placed on top of a stack of tissues, this mountain-like dispenser creates the impression of plumes of smoke, billowing out from its hollow core. Translates as ‘volcano’ in Japanese.”

2.75″Ø x 1.5″H

I can’t stop looking at this small retreat located in Norway. Built by Todd Saunders and Tommie Wilhelmsen (of Saunders Architecture), it’s an experimental structure that was self-initiated and self-financed so that they “could pursue [their] architectural vision in line with [their] convictions: uncompromising, original and respect for the landscape.” Lovely.

SIZE: 20 m2
LOCATION: Kjepsø, Hardanger Fjord, Norway

Completed 2003

This is a rather unique flask- perfect as a gift for anyone who appreciates a tall tale or a warm drink.

“At 3.5″ x 4.5″ x 1″ (7,5 x 11,5 x 2,5 cm) it holds enough Glenmorangie to warm your heart on a cold winter day…”

I love the silhouette of these.

“The set consists of two speakers and a subwoofer and is the ideal accessory for your Mac (don’t worry, it will also work with your PC), but it also connects to your iPod, or anything that boasts a standard audio line-out jack.”

If you like Boontje, you might love covering your walls in his well-known pattern. It’s up to you to decide if you love it enough to pay $7000 though…

‘The Wall Graphic is composed of 7 individual panels of vinyl “stickers”.
Graphic vinyl panels are sold individually.
Available in White.’

Dimensions for each panel: 118″ H x 47 1/4″ W

We recently went to Stockholm for a friend’s wedding and I do have to say everything was absolutely lovely. We stayed at Hotel Rival, which is known not only for being Stockholm’s first boutique hotel, but also for one of its owners: Benny Andersson of Abba.

The rooms were excellent- the beds were superb, flat screen TVs (you can check out movies from the front desk) in each room, minimalist bathrooms… it just felt like a luxury hotel. There are tons of shops and sightseeing to be had within walking distance around the Södermalm district (Stockholm’s got good design coming out of its ears) and you can’t miss the sense of history with all the cobblestone streets and buildings that have survived hundreds of years. I recommend a visit if you ever get a chance.

This makes me want to redo my shower.

Twin concealed thermostatic shower valve (1/2in NPT inlets) with Square Sheer fixed head.

(This item’s link and price was updated 11/19/09.)

Man. I am very impressed with this book. I’m embarrassed to say I’ve had it for close to a year, and only now have I sat down and read through it. I won’t bore you with details, but I will say that these are the artists that stand out: Karen Reimer (her Chicago Tribune September 29, 2002 (0%) is shown bottom right, I absolutely love all of her pieces), Margarita Cabrera (Pink Blender shown top right- and, yes, it looks similar to Claes Oldenburg’s work, but she deals with current issues of immigration and factory workers to sum it up insufficiently), Robyn Love (It’s Cold Outside (shown top middle), Victoria May (not shown, but really kind of disturbing blouses). I recommend the book if you’re at all interested.

“In a response to the sleek forms and perfect angles of most late twentieth century design objects, many of today’s artists and designers are returning to handmade work such as hand lettering, hand drawing, and hand sewing. By Hand features an international collection of the most noteworthy artists and shows their work in detailed photography and insightful texts.From books to pillows to T-shirts to toys, the pieces in this volume define an alternative view of contemporary design. Personal craft is emphasized over perfection and the personality of the artist is put forth as a key element of the finished product.”

[posted by katie]

The North Face is one of very few logos that I can look out without getting an allergic reaction (anybody read Pattern Recognition by William Gibson?). This bag actually looks pretty sleek, which seems unlikely considering it’s a duffel coated with polyurethane, but there you go. It looks decent.

“Main compartment features a D-shaped zippered opening for high visibility of entire interior, plus an internal mesh pocket for organization; Shoulder straps with an alpine cut for comfortable, easy hauling as a backpack; Constructed of waterproof, tear-proof and abrasion-resistant 1000-denier polyester; coated with PVC on the inside and polyurethane on the outside.”

[posted by katie]

Recently saw these in a magazine- would be an excellent gift for yourself or an unorganized friend…

‘Set of six file folders: “One of these days I’m going to get myself organazized.” Inspired by Robert De Niro in the movie by Taxi Driver. Packaged in a cello bag with a contents band.’

This is quite clever, and even though you might have seen it before, you might consider buying a few up for holiday gifts or stocking stuffers (if you’re already thinking about that sort of thing).

“Think of it as an exact replica of a 9-Volt battery made out of high powered LED’s. All you do is plug it onto the before-mentioned 9-Volt battery and voila, you have a modern day version of a candle.”

[posted by katie]

Despite the intimidating title, this book sounds like it would be an excellent resource for anyone looking to understand art in a global sense. Now, I know not many people aspire to be art historians, but it doesn’t hurt to know enough to be able to have a decent conversation without sounding like an idiot. Plus, what would it hurt to broaden your horizons a bit?

“1000 great works of art from all periods and regions in the world.
* Follow-up to Phaidon’s phenomenally successful The Art Book
* An accessible, fun and informative compendium of world art, that offers an original and fresh way of looking at the whole of art history from 28,000 BC to the present day
* Debunks art historical classifications and hierarchies by presenting 1,000 masterworks of art in simple chronological order demonstrating what was being created all over the globe at the same time”