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I knew I had seen this rug somewhere before, or that at least it was very similar to Suki Cheema’s Black Marble Pillow (for which I’m still searching for an online retailer), and lo and behold, it actually is a Suki Cheema rug. I don’t quite get why some retailers choose not to list the name of the designer/manufacturer of the products they sell… it’s certainly their prerogative but it’s unfortunate for those of us interested in an item’s story.

100% hand printed rug
5×8

If you’re looking for a clock that’s equally vintage, modern, and pure geekery, look no further than the Chronotronix V400 Nixie Clock. Nixie tubes are electronic tubes that contain bent cathodes that glow, kind of like neon. They were used for displaying all kinds of information in electronic equipment but have long been replaced by the modern LCD display, but that didn’t stop the folks at NixieClock from creating this incredible desktop clock. Six nixie tubes are planted in a cherry wood frame and finished wita h black anodized aluminum surface, chosen specifically to reflect the glowing numbers. These are made in very limited quantities, so act quick if you want one.
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Check out Anthony Burrill’s posters. Sure, the colors and graphic fonts are nice, but so are some of the messages. More posters shown below.

I Like It (51×76 cm), £33.50
Work Hard (black), £48.50

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Well, if you’ve had little luck finding a vintage bus sign with that specific city/stop, you might consider a custom one from TransitDesign. Sure, part of the charm of a bus scroll is the fact that it was at one time actually used, but seeing as they can get a little pricey and hard to find, maybe it’s worth bending the rules a little bit.

Pictured:
Resort Towns of NW Michigan, Canvas 20.5 x 60, $195.00
Create Your Own Bus Roll, Canvas 20.5 x 60, $295.00
Not Pictured:
New York City Vintage, Canvas 20.5 x 60, $195.00

The Optical Mixer (Optischer Farbmischer) can demonstrate aspects of color theory when spinning the top with one of the seven interchangeable discs. So, you can buy it for color teaching purposes or buy it just for fun (which is what I’m tempted to do).

Seven interchangeable cardboard discs included with info describing the phenomenon.
Designed by Ludwig Hirschfeld-Mack.

Man-oh-man, here’s one killer task light. Amanda Levete showcases the new technology of OLED lighting in a twisting, flat ribbon of steel, with only the cord to offset the powder coated (or polished) surface. What’s so special about OLED lighting, you might wonder. Apparently it’s a super-thin, lightweight panel that casts an even glow without glare, flickering or excessive heat. Impressive, yes, but for now let’s just admire the beauty of this self-supporting form from afar, at least until the technology becomes a bit more affordable.

Available in powder coated or polished stainless steel with a red, yellow or blue cord.
H 11.2″ x L 19.7″ x D 14.6″
Cable L 78.8″
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These aren’t your normal composition books, of course. They’re made with Biogas derived energy from 100% recycled (post consumer waste) paper. If that’s not enough to win you over, I don’t know what will.

Available in Topographical Map with Grid Pages, Woodgrain and Cherry Blossom.
College Ruled, 80 Sheets/160 Pages
7.5 x 9.75
Made in USA

This and the High & Dry Dishrack can compete for the ‘coolest dishdrainer/rack’ title, though this one might lose since it’s a little higher price wise. It looks like the US Alessi shop is out of stock, but you can sign up to be notified when it’s back in.

Designed by Pauline Deltour.
18/10 stainless steel with cutlery drainer, £58.00
Tray in thermoplastic resin, £15.00

Might you care for some subway art? Bold and graphic, these prints are based on old signs found in a Brooklyn antiques store. Price varies according to size and each sign has a limited edition of 125.

16″ by 20″ starts at $249.

UltraChrome© print with hand-painted acrylic gloss
Drymounted onto 2″ deep birch wood panel

If you need some reminding about where the dessert spoon goes, here’s the perfect placemat for your table. Or, perhaps just get a few purely because you’ll enjoy the graphics. No one nowadays really cares all that much about correct placement of cutlery, do they?

60×65 cm (25” x 23”)
Cotton, machine washable.

This white aluminum clock is just begging for your own creative scribbling. Pen included.

Designer: Guixé Martí
40 cm dia.

Whoa, check out the new Theo site, the little brother/alter ego of Thorsten van Elten. It’s chock full of interesting objects for sale and the website is a sight for sore eyes, let me tell you. In a world of online shops with blaring graphics and flashing lights, it’s refreshing to see the fuss eliminated. This Messograf Pen caught my eye; it’s a caliper rule, tire tread gauge, ruler and pen all in one.

Retractable ballpoint pen
by Cleo Skribent
Made in Germany

These cast brass openers and trivet might seem like something you’d pass over in a second, but consider how nice they’d be as a gift for a host/hostess or coworker or something. I’m just saying think about it; they’re functional objects that will stand the test of time without offending anyone’s design sensibilities.

Crescent bottle opener, $50.00 (2.5″dia.)
Brass bottle opener, $60.00 (5.5″l)
Sunburst Brass Trivet, $99.00, (7″dia.)

I’m digging this series of glass pendant lamps from Produzione Privata. They’re created from mouth-blown Murano glass and are available in an assortment of finishes/colors, but I think most would agree with me that the ones to get are the transparent glass ones. They best illustrate the form and showcase the beauty of the internal hardware itself. Prices range from $600 – $900.

Designer: Michele de Lucchi
Colors: white, black, sanded, silver, transparent green, transparent
Material: Mouth blown Murano glass
Comes with 59″ of cable that can be shortened
Uses 1 X 100W 120V E26 (medium base) incandescent lamp (not included).
Dimensions: 8.75 H x 9.4 D (inches)

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Hello, hello. Check out this lovely reversible black-white-red rug. Named after the city on the island of Sicily, the rug’s graphic pattern could be a great choice to inject some interest in a slightly boring room. It’s also GoodWeave certified, so you know what you’re buying is helping to end illegal child labor in the carpet industry.

Designed by the Spanish textile designer Sandra Figuerola for Gandia Blasco.
100% new wool

59″ x 80″: $515.00
67″ x 95″: $690.00
80″ x 118″: $990.00