Product Design
Kawaii! » Haute Honey Pot
Jaime Hayon is on the fast track to completely winning over my heart. First there was his Green Chicken, with its childish, nonsensical spirit, and now, in collaboration with French glassworks legend, Baccarat, Hayon has created these spectacular crystal and porcelain vessels for a collection simply titled: Baccarat Zoo. Their tongue-in-cheek opulence is right on the money (a hefty wad of money).
Go for the Gold » Brass Takes the Cake
Although brass is not a traditional medalling metal – and although paperweights belong to the class of less-than-necessary desktop equipment – we’re awarding gold to these exceptional objects by Japanese designer Oji Masanori. The solid brass polyhedra will oxidize over time, building up a gorgeous patina. They come in three different shapes, each with a satisfying heft and unfussy integrity. These paperweights are clearly made for more than holding down a stack of bills: they’re meant to be admired and held in the hand and set down on the top page of your finished novel, for example, by the window on a breezy day. Buy the set from one of our favorite shops for all things home, Toronto-based Mjölk.
Go for the Gold » Grin and Bear It
Care about the planet? Might as well be cute about it. Let your green credentials shine with this golden shopping bag by French designer Frédéric Perigot. It tucks away adorably into a little matching golden bear when not in use. We’d bust it out to shlep around our farmer’s market provender – or, better yet, to hold a heptathlon of Olympics-watching treats: Ritter Sports bar, Kind snacks, Volvic, TJ’s trail mix, watermelon, gum and Ella’s Kitchen squishies for the little guy.
Go for the Gold » Bust out the Bubbly!
Congratulations, Michael Phelps! You’ve just won your 19th medal and become the greatest Olympian ever. So now what? Bust out the Champers and get celebrating! Of course, your victorious glass of bubbly demands a vessel that’s suitably elevated. You want nothing less than Sieger’s Sip of Gold collection. These sumptuous Fürstenberg porcelain Champagne goblets come in glossy white, black or silver – and with their rim and interior gilding of 24kt gold, they should quench any Olympian’s thirst (for decadence). Yes, even yours. Snag ‘em here for a modest $200 a pop.
Papercuts » To-Do’s Have Never Been So Fun!
So you head out the door with the best of intentions: hard day’s work at the office, head to the gym, pick up a pint of milk on your way back home. But the following morning, when you reach for the 2% to complete your macchiato masterpiece – UGH – none to be found. Coffee FAIL. Similar scenarios: you’re out of diapers … dog food … beer … and you forgot to file a tax return. It doesn’t have to be this way! Thanks to the List-It by MOJIMOJI, you can keep your fridge stocked, your babies clean, your dogs fed and the IRS off your back. Just jot that pesky task down on a strip of List-It paper and wrap it around your wrist to gently (and fashionably) pester you for the day.
Eco-Friendlies » KeepCups in the Cupboard
So you’re a city dweller on the go. And a coffee fiend. And a tree-hugger. You can’t do without your daily brew (or two… or three…), but you hate seeing to-go cups piling up in the recycling bin. What you need is a KeepCup – the nifty, reusable coffee cup from Melbourne, Australia.
Found @ Etsy » Summer Brights
Rib & Hull’s collection of luscious leather goods is perfectly in line with this season’s celebration of all things neon. These Tokyo-style totes, carry-all wallets and oversized pouches – offered up at reasonable artisan rates – are just the right pop of color for this strict New Yorker’s grey-on-black daily attire.
Welcome Home » Glazed Over
Store your herbs (or herb) in these lovely pots by Minnesota-based ceramicist Ben Fiess.
Duck Duck Goose » Think-Inducing Toys for Tots
As motherhood inches nearer, I find my mind is preoccupied: where to put the crib, what to put on the iPod for our (hopefully short) stint in the birthing wing of Roosevelt Hospital, whether little Pipsqueek will be as boisterous as his/her cousin Lir, the baby’s college fund, where we’re sending the little munchkin to preschool…
Eco-Friendlies » Chop-Chop!
The kitchen is such a happy place in our house: full of anticipation, tempting aromas and (mostly) great results – thanks to head chef YZ. I’ve always had quite the weak spot for kitchen supplies but, with my klutzy husband breaking most of the japanese glassware and ceramic treasures of my past life, I realize that my attention should now turn to accessories of a less breakable nature. Already a big fan of beautiful wood objects, cutting boards are a great culinary object to focus on.
Geekology » Attention Clutterphobes!
As a design geek living with a music geek, I spend my days lost in an endless gaggle of wires: nests of audio-cables, tangled mouse-cords and — what the heck does this attach to!? Three cheers, then, for Pasadena-based design firm Bluelounge, who are single-handedly cutting through the technological gordian knot with a range of savvy clutter solutions…
Eco-Friendlies » Bobble On!
“Each year, nearly 1.5 million barrels of oil are used to make plastic water bottles. Most of those bottles end up in our landfills, in our oceans, littering our sidewalks.”
With stats like that, the fact that these water-filtering bottles are so slick is superfluous.
Kawaii! » Learn your Emoticons!
Totally useless? Perhaps. The envy of any desk trinket collection? For sure. These custom emoticon stamps from Tokyo-based company Gung are ready to crank out more than 2000 Japanese-esque smilie faces…
Gift Guide » Buy the Best for Your Bookworm!
For some of us, the holiday season is about one thing and one thing only. Ok, two things. Ok, a bunch of things—all nicely wrapped and book-related. Because there is nothing more satisfying than winter reading, whether it’s the classic you know almost by heart, the novel everybody else already read six months ago, or the thriller you’ll never admit you couldn’t put down.
What We’re Watching
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