2Modern Design Talk - Modern Furniture & Design Blog

The Good Clip Art

I've always been a big stickler against using clip art; it's usually bad and I could do a better job myself. Until I found some Dover Clip Art books at my local Barnes & Nobel. These books come with a CD and are chalk full of beautiful, organic and detailed designs; most of which I wouldn't have the patience to do myself. And ranging from $7-$16 they're quite affordable, and a good deal for the amount of content you get. Subject matter ranges in everything from Elegant Floral Designs to Mythological and Fantastic Creatures to Vintage Advertising Illustrations. Just when I think I've found all the books I'd ever need, I find a new Dover book that I must have. If only used for inspiration, these books have added a fun new element to my artwork.

A Very Fun Find

I recently acquired a new laptop and to keep my new prized possession safe, I promptly began my search for a laptop bag. I want something funky and not stuffy. I travel a lot so I don't want my bag to scream "hey, there is an expensive piece of equipment in this bag, please swipe me". Instead I want something cool and nondescript. Something that other designers could appreciate as unique and desirable.

So, I googled "funky laptop bags" and fell upon a website that I love, aimeemichele. Much to my surprise, she has fabulous bags to tote my computer around and even better, her prices are fantastic. She has other cool items too. On this website, you can find anything from beanies to fingerless gloves and checkbook covers. All of her items are handmade, so no two things are exactly alike, which is a bonus of course to people like me who like to stand apart from the rest.

After a bit more research on her website, I discovered that she is based in San Luis Obispo, California. A town which happens to hold a special place in my heart, who doesn't have fond memories of their college town? Anyone who is creating from a little slice of heaven, like SLO must be cool. She flexible with her payments, it seems as though she accepts just about any type of payment and she is very prompt with her replies to questions.

Check out this site if you are looking for unique gift items or if you need a funky something to spice up your life.

My Marrakesh (blog) - The Story of An American Family Setting Up Home in Morocco

By: Holly Becker, decor8
Care to travel to Morocco for a bit? Visit my new friend Maryam, an American transplant in Marrakesh, who started blogging about her experience living in a foreign land. Fascinating! My Marrakesh tells, "The bemused tales of an American family's quest to design, build, and decorate a guest house in Morocco. Life, culture, style, shopping. And a couple of belly dancers thrown in there for good measure...."

I find the subject matter she posts quite fascinating, since she is embarking on a major project (guest house construction), while working full-time and raising a family. Her personal journey documents her life there, along with a good dose of  shopping and style sprinkled in. My Marrakesh is designed to take the reader into the life of an expat making her way in North Africa, and what a tale she tells!

I first fell in love with Morocco when I read about it in an issue of Travel + Leisure magazine when I was only 18 years old. Marrakesh is an amazing design destination that has inspired artists and designers all over the world.

Maryam blogs on a regular basis, her posts friendly and engaging, as she talks about her life on new soil. She hopes readers will provide advice and opinions as she makes important decor and gardening decisions for her family's guest house, the Persian Garden Pavillions. You'll see the whole process unfold before your eyes - from the day the concrete is first poured to the moment her first guest arrives.

Read (and bookmark!) Maryam's Morrocan adventures here and enjoy!

(image from my marrakesh)

Something New, Something Old

I have to confess, the only design I've been looking at lately is that of dresses, gloves, shoes, and corsets. Yes, I'm getting married in a couple weeks, and neither I nor my fiancee know what we're going to wear. I started out thinking I wanted something simple and practical, something I could wear again; but something that also went against tradition and stood out. And the more dresses I look at, the more I can feel myself getting sucked into the bridal vortex, where you fall for all the tradition and bliss; and decide to get a wedding dress and not just any dress. I still do not want to wear white, but I'll probably go for ivory.

I also find myself looking at dresses that have my basic design preference for furniture and household items: Black and White. Dresses that are very simple, stream-lined, and black and white. Dresses that have, dare I say it, Modern Design. But my preference in accessories stays the same: faux antique. I say faux because they're not really antique, just kind of old-timey. Which is where the gloves come in; some how I think they are both different and new, and a bit old-timey.

At any rate, I'm confident all will work out, I will look fabulous, and it will all be over before I know it. Here is the dress I might just get...

New pieces from Skram

New pieces from Skram! Created by Jacob Marks for Skram, a collection of solid wood furniture that merges unparalleled workmanship with spare but approachable modern design. The furniture is practical, keeping function in the forefront while maintaining a dramatic visual and tactile presence. Skram is well-suited for a variety of spaces, from hospitality to commercial and residential applications.

Light up with Luzifer

I love the new pieces from Luzifer Lamps. Wood veneer bent and twisted to create beautiful lighting with a soft glow. 2Modern now offers the Nut Pendant Lamp and the Cactus Lamp. Choose from several fabulous colors. Great for residential or commercial spaces.

Ringin' In The New Year

I was introduced to Etsy.com earlier this year and I am totally obsessed. There are so many underground designers on this website looking to expose us all to something a little less mainstream and a lot more affordable... I usually go straight to the art section to get my hands on original works but this year when I was doing some Christmas shopping I decided to venture into the jewelry category.
I have some funky fresh friends who would undoubtedly appreciate some original and unique acutriments to adorn their body with. I have absolutely fallen for one particular designer at tigerlillyshop.com. The designer, Allison Fomich makes unbelievable rings that are japanese inspired and made of a thin plastic. Although these rings are VERY fragile, they are so cool. Reserve these rings for special times...no washing dishes, no changing the oil in your car... you catch my drift. When you order, be prepared with a ring size. Rings aren't the only thing that you can find on tigerlillyshop. There are cool earrings, pendants and wallets. Everything is fabulous, so if you are not already signed up with Etsy, get it together and get shopping. You money goes a long way on this website.
Allison was kind enough to hook us up with her sister's site on Etsy too. Check out yabettasupadont for more unique pieces that will surely get you compliments. Just like Allison's pieces, Maria's are wearable art. I just bought my friend a sparkly yellow cuff that I may have a hard time giving up. Again, the pieces in this "store" are absolutely affordable and undeniably unique. Check it out.

all images are provided by tigerlillyshop and yabettasupadont on etsy.com

MIO

MIO is a design company dedicated to creating the most sustainable and innovative design experiences in the market. MIO was founded by the Salm brothers (Isaac, the numbers guy and Jaime, the design guy) with the objective of combining business rigor with environmentally and socially progressive design. I am crazy about some of thier lighting: L Lamp, LXL Lamp, Shroom Light, Bendant Lamp & Capsule Lamp.

too many choices

I admit I'm square when it comes to my kids and wanting to preserve things from the rugelach generation -- that is sadly fading -- I just think that in making everything so hip, it is our responsibilty to  ask ourselves what is really best for children. Kids think that they want a million choices, but what the hell do they know. So much random stimuli: the new animated movies like, Cars + Happy Feet are maddening -- there’s such an over-abundance of technical innovation in animation -- but there’s no storyline + point to all that labor… they’re more for/about the adults + they wind up not being suitable for children after all.

Of course, creativity and choices are important, but we too often pander to kids' expectations that every second be titillating -- we are setting them up for a lower threshold for boredom down the line. Yes, I try and buy my daughters organic produce, take them to hip-hop dance class (!) and design furniture for them, but still, I am in favor of balancing such things with subtlety and even boredom. A lot of good comes from having to invent your way out of boredom. Our generation doesn't have to be so in love with ourselves that everything be hip.

 

Domino (online) Glams Up!

By: Holly Becker, decor8

Domino magazine has revamped their website and it looks great. Don't miss it! Lots to read, a bulletin board to locate other design fanatics, and just all around great content. Don't miss their blogs, my personal favorite feature of the site. Enjoy!

(image from domino)

Hip Lofts

Loft apartments are hip, efficient, and probably every artist/designer's dream. Yet they can be incredibly expensive, despite the fact that they have less walls then a normal apartment. Though, on a recent apartment search, I found a loft explosion down in San Diego, CA. Since the new Petco Park stadium has been built, companies have been pouring in to build up around it and take advantage. Tons of lofts and condos, all in a prime location, right on top of San Diego's famed Gaslamp District. And because all these lofts have appeared on the market at relatively the same time, it has flooded the market, and forced resellers to sell cheaper.



My favorite aspect of the loft apartment is it's Bauhaus like design and efficienicy of space. Generally wide open spaces with lots of windows and light, with either an open balcony upstairs or a small platform downstairs for a bedroom. Less is definately more in this case. A very nice feature that has recently been popular with downtown area lofts, is the live/work. The live/work loft is a 2-story apartment, with the empty first story on ground level and a store-front facing the sidewalk; and has the bedroom and amenities all on the second-story. Though no matter what version loft it is, chances are the building it's in is going to have style.





Some hip lofts to check out:
www.777lofts.com

www.BroadwayLofts.com

www.92101UrbanLiving.com

icon-sandiego.com

Happy Holidays!!!

I promise to only share good links and worthwhile things on this blog (at least in my mind). Modern design first of course, but sometimes just things that I hope you will enjoy.

First, let me share (recycle :) a greeting card to all of our readers:

http://www.thecompassgroup.biz/merryxmas.swf

And here is an amazing video about a dog: Skidboot. I miss my dog.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5249518974978628334&q=skidboot&hl=en

Happy Holidays!!

G

Crafty Cards with Love

Ok, so I admit it, sometimes I cheat... I know it seems impossible but ya, I often don't have enough time in my busy schedule to be the artist that everyone thinks I am. That's why when I found townsendsakai.com. I was overwhelmed with designer delight. I used to be able to spend hours making my own christmas and birthday cards but truthfully, I find myself busy these days and my creative juices and time are just not my own.
Townsend Sakai has a beautiful and authentic product to make me look just as good without putting in my own personal time.

There is always something to be said about handmade... it's like giving the gift of love all wrapped up in time...At Townsend, each card is handmade and "never mass produced", how refreshing is that? The designs are embroidered on muslin and then sewn onto card-stock for that homespun feel. Found an imperfection?... Lucky you, that's what homemade is all about. Your receiver will appreciate the "not-so-perfect" look that these greetings send.

Okay, and even more cool, the greeting you send doesn't stop there. Your Eco-loving friends can recycle this Townsend patch by carefully removing the hand sewn treasure and sewing it to their favorite cap, t-shirt or onesie. The possibilities are endless. Check it out for yourself, I don't lie... There are retailers in your area and they love this product just as much as I do...
What says "hey you, I'm thinking of you", more than a Townsend Sakai greeting card? Now a days? not much, so bite the bullet, get hip and send a greeting of love from townsendsakai.com. You will have them all in stitches...
note: embroidered images provided by townsendsakai.com

Holland's Hottest New Blogger - The Style Files

By: Holly Becker, decor8

As both a blogger and an avid blog reader, I'm always on the hunt for great design and craft related that aren't a rehash of all the others, but truly one with a voice, well-written, informative, and that has a clean, fresh format with crystal clear photos and plenty of (working!) links. That's why I love the latest rising star to hit the scenes, The Style Files.

Written by Danielle De Lange in the Netherlands, she's quick to find products and cover topics that haven't been yet discovered in the blogging world - not even the top blogs here in the states are first to post what she's already found. In a way, she has become a resource for the US-based blogs, especially since she writes in English - very helpful for most of us. In fact, I see the leading blogs linking to her finds on a regular basis now - which is great - she is already becoming a voice in the online design community and for very good reason. One of her recent discoveries are the whimsical ceramic tiles from Tord Boontje (shown above) created for Bardelli of Italy, where you can read more about them here.

When I visited Holland a few months ago, since I had already met her through my own blog (she was a decor8 reader long before she launched The Style Files - I featured a tour of her living space on my site) we decided to meet up in person. I was most impressed with her warmth, how genuine she is, and both her design knowledge and her contagious zeal for design - especially European design.

During the day, Danielle holds down a position in the corporate world, but the moment she leaves the office, she is scouring the globe for fresh content to include in her blog.  In addition to The Style Files, Danielle also consults with clients as a freelance interior stylist and is a collector/buyer of Aboriginal Art. She's quite a lady, I can't sing her praises enough!

If you haven't checked out The Style Files, please consider making it your daily destination, you'll love her finds and the way she presents them through her own unique European perspective. Enjoy!

(images from danielle via bardelli)

A Great Time for Shadowboxes

Looking for a new and inventive way to frame my artwork, I came up with the idea of doing shadowboxes. Traditionally, shadowboxes have many small compartments, with little collectibles or memoriabilia inside. My idea was to have a frame, generally a nice fancy frame, inside the larger box frame, and then surround the frame inside with things that had a similar theme with the artwork inside.
Last year, I had great success finding decorations and little trinkets to use in my shadowboxes around Christmas time. There's a wider range of lace and ribbon and nik-naks out around Christmas then any other time of the year. One decoration in particular that I like are these faux icicles I got from Ikea, which I cannot find a picture of. I used those in a few gifts I made, and since they were odd colors, well for icicles anyways, like red and green, they work all year long.
Also during Christmas, frames are generally on sale, especially the smaller ones. As for the bigger shadowbox, I have found some reasonabily priced ones at Michaels Arts & Crafts Store, and they are always cheap at Ikea. After that, all you need is a glue gun and your imagination.
One word of advice though, I did find that the smaller frame is easier to work with after you take off the "leg" in the back that props it up. I also take off any metal loops that are sometimes attached to the backs of frames for easy hanging. I use a pair of ordinary pliers to carefully rip these two parts off; keyword being carefully, you don't want to distroy the back of your frame.

Emma Gardner Joy Rug Award

We are very pleased to announce that emma gardner design’s Joy rug has won Interior Design magazine’s Roscoe Award (Best of the Year or BoY) for soft floor covering. The presentation was at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City.

Fauna, Flora... Fabulous!

If you have not already heard of Alena Hennessy, then allow me to introduce this very talented artist to you. Alena's pieces are all hand crafted, hand signed and ship with authenticity certification. Speaking of shipping, during the holiday season, shipping is free for orders over $65.

Looking for a unique holiday gift this season? Don't waste anytime battling the parking lot at the mall. Instead go directly to Alena's website, www.alenahennessy.com and start your shopping. You can find thoughtful gifts for the nature lover in your life. Alena has artistically blended images from nature to be displayed on tiles, shirts, and scarves. She has even created a lovely, contemporary twist on the traditional mobile with her 'birds in flight'. These graceful birds are offered in fresh colors such as bright white, soft pearl, silver and pale sky. These birds in flight can be a wonderful addition to a nursery or even a picturesque window in your favorite room.

I adore Alena's paintings, but they do go fast. So, don't forget to sign up to be on her mailing list to see what sort of new pieces she is offering. This hook up will give you the heads up on anything new in Alena's line. Talk about being in the know...
To put the icing on the cake, Alena offers gift wrapping so that you can send a gift directly from her site and be assured that your recipient will be tickled from the moment their package arrives.
Alena Hennessy's product can be found at retailers across the country, so if you feel the need to touch and feel, check her site for a location nearest you.

Deer Heads You Can Sit On

By: Holly Becker, decor8

I attended Dutch Design Week in Eindhoven, Netherlands this year (end of October) and I absolutely loved the graduation galleries at the Design Academy Eindhoven. Grads showing off their latest creations, most still protypes, others in production but not yet available to the public. As I roamed the halls, I was taken aback by these deer heads. So sculptural - exquisite in every way - and a much more "pc" version for those that love the look and shape of atlers but aren't about to go purchase the real thing. These smooth modern horns are called "My Deer" designed by Jeroen Wesselink Vormgeving, yet another stellar example of the talent that emerges from the Design Academy Eindhoven each year. These deer heads, available in a multitude of colors (although only white or black were on display), can double as seating. This seemed to be a theme as I walked the galleries, creating items that serve multiple functions in order to save on space and clutter. If you prefer to not sit on them, hang them upside down on a wall hook and and you have yourself a sculptural and oh-so-sleek design element for the wall. Love these. (images from holly becker for decor8)