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This is the sort of object I wish I had the patience to make. It’s a simple bookshelf made from a steel strip, leather strap, and a brass ring. Its form was inspired by the designer’s favorite old belt and has a handcrafted quality that would work well in many a modern interior. I also like how it would lend a certain amount of importance to one’s current reading material.

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Tear away placemats and napkins sound pretty perfect for an outdoor lunch or dinner, and, as is the case with this collection by MYdrap, they’re re-usable and fully washable 100% cotton fabric. Come to think of it, these would be handy for lots of occasions, not just for outdoor meals.

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The Australian store funkis has what looks to be a very thorough collection of Le Klint pendants, if you’re interested. I’ve always liked these shades, as they’re hand-folded and would add a nice, soft, textured light to any room, yet I was unaware at just how big the collection was. A quick search on your favorite engine and you’ll find various US retailers as well (YLighting, Hivemodern.com, allmodern.com, just to name a few, and Amazon too.)

Designed by Poul Christiansen between 1969 and 1978.
All pendants include 5 feet of white cord.

This sleek-yet-solid desk lamp is a new dark horse of task lighting. I recently received a sample and I was quite pleased with the heft and overall feel of it. The actual movement of the arm has a nice tension so that it stays at the exact angle you prefer, and as it’s an LED, it provides a great deal of concentrated light without much heat. The arm/shade rotates around so you can use it as a task or reading light, or if you rotate it up, it gives off a nice ambient light. There’s a floor lamp version ($387.03) as well. It looks a little Bauhaus too, don’t you think?

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Chances are if you’re near a wooded lot and own a saw, you could make something similar to these coasters pretty easily. However, they probably wouldn’t be teak and you’d spend a few hours replicating 4 coasters that cost $12.

4.25″ approx diameter.
Set of 4.

I’ve had this site bookmarked for a while now, and finally got a chance to go through it semi-thoroughly. If you’ve an empty spot for a piece of artwork, there’s a few gems that might fit. Here are a few random favorites.
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What’s the big deal about a blue spoon, you ask. Sometimes the tiniest tools make our lives a little easier, and that is just the case for this spoon designed by the Castiglioni brothers. It’s intended to retrieve the very last bits at the bottom of the jar, and, for anyone particular about using up the last teaspoon of mayonnaise, jam, or spread, it’ll most certainly be appreciated. Originally designed in 1962 and reissued by Alessi in 1997.

You’ll not be surprised that this expandable rack was originally made out of wood in 1924, as it’s most certainly not the most sleek and modern storage option out there. However, that’s its distinct appeal; the industrial quality of (recycled) aluminum makes for a no-nonsense file system that allows you to easily see all papers, projects, etc. and have them right at hand. The collator can be hung vertically on the wall or kept horizontally on your work surface. Previously priced at $140, it’s now on sale for $98.

Note: Or, as Brian and Joe commented below, you can get one from a stationery or office supply store for around $30. Thanks guys. Here are a few links: $26.12 at
thetwistergroup.com, $27.68 at shoplet.com, or $33.02 at Amazon.

Made in Germany.

So, air purifers. I used to think I had no need for one, but after living on a busy London street for about 2 years, I saw enough dust and grime to make me believe otherwise. This purifier by Humanscale removes more than 99% of airborne particles and employs a silent, breeze-free and ozone-free operation. Those attributes combined with its smallish size (13″ W X 9″ D X 14″ H) hopefully means it would all but disappear when cleaning the air.

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Post-Its are oh-so-convenient, as you might know, and for those of us that find them integral to our work habits, let’s take a moment to appreciate this grid version. I can’t think of all the ways these would come in handy, but I know I would use the heck out of them. Perhaps one could graph a few quadratic functions (as one does, often), sketch out a simple organizational chart, or just make the grocery list neat and tidy.

Genuine Post-It ® brand
50 notes per pad
Set of three pads

If you liked the Brass Clip Numbers, you might also consider adding this ruler to your desk tools. Made of solid brass, it has a nice weight to it and has one raised edge to prevent smudging. There’s also a lovely Brass Pen if you appreciate consistency.
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Ah, who among us wouldn’t enjoy eating off of a face from the National Gallery’s collection? It’d be satisfactory to say the least. The plates are melamine, so no risk of breakage at picnics or parties, and there’s a selection of 4 dinner plates, 4 side plates and 1 large platter.
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Normally I wouldn’t advocate using paper placemats, but these become animals, and that changes the whole ballgame. These are obviously geared towards kids and I’m sure they’re perfect for encouraging little ones to clean up after dinner, but I think it would be fun to have these at a low-key dinner party with friends, as each guest would be able to fold up their placemat and have an animal to take home. Sure, it’s a bit silly, but sometimes a little silliness is nice to have in our seriously adult world.
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This wall organizer is on sale from $59.95, which makes it an absolute steal if you’re in dire need of a landing pad for notes and messages (and keys and letters, etc.). It looks like powder coated steel, but you might want to email the retailer before purchasing just to make sure (and be sure to ask after the dimensions too so you’re not surprised when it arrives and it’s bigger/smaller than you had hoped).

Artist and designer Dino Snachez created this series of pencils as a reminder that “technology has displaced our use of a basic, steadfast tool of craft.” Apparently New Yorkers will soon find them throughout the city (especially Apple stores), as they’re meant to be taken and used by the public.

Sold as a set of 10 pencils.
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