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500 balloons tied one by one to this stool…I’m kind of surprised the price isn’t higher. Goodness knows if I spent that kind of time on something I’d want more money for it.

A playful disposition. Over 500 balloons are tied on a solid wood stool. Designer Natalie Kruch has a penchant for making the ordinary beautiful and intriguing. The BALLOONA stool is Natalie’s first object with Umbra, after graduating from the University of Alberta, Canada.

Size: 14 x 17 x 14″ (36 x 43 x 36 cm).
$350.00,
Buy it here.

These are pretty eye-catching with the angles and interior contrasting color; they’re also made from recycled plastic, so they can be indoors or out. Hurray.

Possum Chair, $285.00,
Buy it here.

The Possum recycled plastic chair is comfortable, compact, and solid. It is made from 100% recycled HDPE (like milk jugs) and corrosion resistant stainless steel fasteners. It works great outdoors or in. Dense rubber feet are suitable for most flooring. Recycled HDPE. Handmade in Chicago.
32 1/2″h x 18″w x 24’D

White Possum Round Side Table, $198.00, Buy it here.

Same materials as chair listed above.
18″ dia/top, stands 22″ high.

[posted by katie]

Two modern-ish items on sale…(I might say once more I firmly believe you get what you pay for, though I’m sure there are some of you that are more concerned with the price tag than materials).

Andrew Relax Chair, $189.00 $149.99, Buy it here.

Few chairs cut a slim, low-angled profile while having the kind of wide seat support that lets you settle in. Fewer still manage to be slender and inviting without hogging space. The European-style Andrew Relaxer does it all with a lineup of unbeatable qualities, from gently curving lines, rich chocolate
bi-cast leather to an elegant profile suitable for any room.
24″W x 23.5″D x 28.25″H (15.5″H Seat)

Twig Coffee Table, $499.00 $349.99,
Buy it here.

Frame is hand crafted of solid rattan stems. Each piece is nailed together by hand and then carefully assembled by the artisan. No two are alike. Each rattan stem is individually finished with a nitro-cellulose lacquer topcoat prior to assembly in a multi-step process. Glass top is .5” thick with a straight edge.

Dimensions: 38”W x 38”D x 18”H

[posted by katie]

A selection of red and black side chairs for your perusal, pictured
left to right, top to bottom:

Smile Chair, $690.00, Buy it here.
“With its simple, clean lines and curved spindle back, Lievore, Altherr, Molina’s Smile is a modern chair that references the past. Made from beech with a lacquered oak seat, this stackable chair is sturdy yet light.”

Ernst Chair, $275.00, Buy it here.
“This classic bentwood-style chair, which is exclusive to The Conran Shop, works equally well with traditional wood or contemporary glass tables. Its solid beech frame and beech plywood seat are stained with water-based color and varnished.”

Tolix A Chair, $250.00, Buy it here.
“Made from powder-coated steel, this simple chair is extremely durable and can be left outdoors permanently. However, please note that, if scratched, the exposed metal will rust. Available in cream, red, raw finish, orange.”

Avery Chair, $350.00 $175.00,
Buy it here.
“Russell Pinch’s pared-back Avery chair is made from dark-stained solid oak with a laminated seat.”

Tiffany Chair, $250.00,
Buy it here.
“Suitable for indoor or outdoor use, this simple chair by Marcello Ziliani is stackable, UV-resistant and scratch-resistant. Available in red, white or black.”

Manilla Side Chair, $325.00,
Buy it here.

“With its rustic yet pared-back design, the Manilla chair is equally at home in a traditional or contemporary setting. The curvy chair has a seagrass seat on a steel and wood frame and is available as an armchair or a side chair. Also available in natural.”
[posted by katie]

This excellent sofa has light legs and a modern silhouette that ensures an airy feel to any room.

Good design isn’t just about beauty or form. Good design is also about making our lives a little easier, just a little more enjoyable. And if so, shouldn’t we celebrate the functional as well as the beautiful. That’s where Blu Dot comes in..An understated stitch traces the lean silhouette of Blu Dot’s finely tailored Swept Sofa. Gently flared arms hover over a barely-there stainless steel base. Available in contract-grade slate grey or white leather alternative upholstery.

87″W x 26.5″H x 31.5″D

$1,799.00, Buy it here.

I’m surprised I haven’t seen this around at other retailers; seems like a decent price for a distinctive design.

Shiny, sleek and original, the Origami chair combines the ancient art of japanese paper folding and modern high tech materials, merging tradition with innovation. With its multi-angle silhouette reproducing the many folds of an origami, this beautiful chair is highly decorative and is perfect both as a stand alone piece or around a table. Glossy and see-through, the Origami chair will add a modern, original touch to any room, leaving it light and spacious. Manufactured in Italy. Made of polycarbonate. Stackable.

Available in transparent dark grey or transparent red.
Size: 34.25″ Backrest height 17.71″, Sitting position height 18.50″D 21.65″W

$185.00,
Buy it here.

The only thing that keeps me from labeling my design style as full-on modern is my slight obsession with all things antique, or maybe not all things, because there’s some pretty hideous furniture out there, but a fair portion at least. This bench has that ever-intriguing antique look along with the nice bullet point of being built from reclaimed wood salvaged from Korean farmhouses. It looks like the perfect companion to an empty entrance hall.

“This carved wooden bench features classic spiral patterns skirting the base of the seat and a beautiful patina.
The surface is smooth to the touch…”

74″w x 15″d x 22.5″h (exterior)
$650, Buy it here.

Another score for Ikea: this chair looks like it costs about 5 times as much as it does.

Wood Plastic Composite (wood fibers and propene plastic)
Width: 18 7/8 “, Depth: 26 “, Height: 31 7/8 “
$39.99,
Buy it here.

[via domino]

The Deja-Vu Chair by my favorite designer, Naoto Fukasawa, is on sale.

Made from mirror-polished aluminum with a contrasting oak wood back, this chair is a modern take on a traditional form and makes an attractive addition to a kitchen or dining area. It comes flat packed and is easy to assemble. Made by Magis.

Call me crazy, but I’m kind of liking the irreverent pattern on this rather traditional boxy frame:

Modern botany, courtesy of Marimekko. Filled with coiling ivy vines, Teflon-coated canvas wards off stains while looking spring-fresh year after year.

• Bolster pillows included
• Bowler finish
• Webbed seat construction
• Cotton; kiln-dried hardwood frame; polyfill, down blend
• Professionally clean
• 36.5″H, 85″W, 33.5″D, Seat: 22″H
• Handcrafted in USA

$3,498.00 Sale $1,799.95,
Buy it here.

Lovely and simple sofa. The seat and back cushions rest independently of the frame and look amazingly comfortable.

[posted by kris]

Talk about some summer colors, these stools are hand painted with a VOC-free milk paint, just like in the old days.

…the tables are made in New Mexico from locally-harvested Pine logs historically used in traditional Adobe homes as exposed ceiling beams called Vigas. Dried in a solar kiln, harnessing the energy of tomorrow, they have a 100% natural finish free of toxins. Hand-painted with a VOC-free milk paint, the hand-mixed colors, which include Federal Blue, Tavern Green, Marigold Yellow, Dove Gray, and Glazed Terracotta, are made with the same basic ingredients used during the Colonial era – milk protein, lime and earth pigments. Finished with a clear non-toxic topcoat, the tables are rubbed with a layer of an all-natural beeswax and lemon oil wood wax created by an 18th Century/Early American cabinetmaker.

12 dia x 16H inches, $219.00
12 dia x 20H inches, $239.00
12 dia x 22H inches, $259.00
Buy it here.

If I had a nickel for every time someone talked about needing a decent way to conceal a litter box, I’d have about 40 cents. Unfortunately that comes nowhere near paying for this particular solution.

A modern bench designed to conceal the cat litter box. The streamlined appearance hides its purpose. European hardware offers soft-close lid support to open and close without slamming. The interior is cleverly vented to provide adequate airflow for the cats health, yet does not give up any offending odors.

[posted by katie]

Finally, an inexpensive sectional with Italian simplicity. Even the color is perfect. I’m very impressed.

• Benchmade, kiln-dried hardwood frame
• 100% polyester fabric: grey
• Tight back and seat with foam core cushioning
• Back pillows have duck feather/down insert
• Plinth detail at base
• Spot clean

(update: price as shown is about $3414.00)

Instantly turn your living room into a guest room with this innocuous looking sofa. Just flip the seat forward and it converts into a queen size mattress.

[posted by kris]