magisso teacup, laura bougdanos and vesa jaasko

item: magisso teacup
designers: laura bougdanos and vesa jaasko
photos via: magisso
comments: this design is brilliant in its simplicity. the bottom of the teacup is angled which provides dual functionality. when the cup is tipped to one side you are able to steep the tea. balance the cup on the other side and you are able to drink the tea. so well done. the tea strainer is built into the cup so everything you need is there, just add tea and water. beautiful. bravo.

oversized clutch, by phillip lim

item: over sized clutch
designer: phillip lim
photo via: the fashion spot
comment: this bag is the ultimate blend of beauty, simplicity, and utility. enough said.

urbncal 2012 helsinki by jollygoodfellow

item: urbncal 2012 helsinki
designers: jollygoodfellow
photos via: urbncal
comments: this beautiful calendar is made from photographs of numbers throughout helsinki. the designers, esa and lisa of jollygoodfellow, describe it as a combination of architecture and typography. lovely. each month is made of a particular section of the city. there is an appendix which notes the location where each number was photographed. this is the third calendar they have created. each year they focus on a new city which creates an interesting visual catalog specific to that location. please check out the urbancal and jollygoodfellow websites (links above) to see more of this duo's work. nice.

folding techniques for designers: from sheet to form, by paul jackson

item: folding techniques for designers: from sheet to form
designer: paul jackson
photos via: daily icon
comments: i have been dreaming of this book for awhile. thanks to a late birthday gift, it now resides with me. yes! paul jackson has a background in fine art and origami. he has created origami patterns, written many books on paper folding, taught folding to a number of design schools, and consulted with many design related companies. this book is a compilation of the folding exercises he has taught. what's interesting about this book is that it focuses on individual types of folds more than the finished model. this allows the reader to combine and or alter the folds according to their needs. elegant, modern, geometric, i can't say enough about how beautiful and useful this book is. here is a not-so-short list of the types of people who have benefited from his workshops: designers (fashion, graphic, architectural, industrial, jewelry, and interior), artists (sculpture, ceramics, printmaking and fine art) and engineers, model makers, mathematicians, and scientists. wow, it's impressive how far reaching the exercises in this book are.

cats let nothing darken their roar 2012 calendar, noa bembibre

item: cats let nothing darken their roar 2012 calendar
designer: noa bembibre, helsinki
images via: cats let nothing darken their roar
comments: noa is a graphic designer working in helsinki. this is the sixth year noa has designed this calendar. each year she comes up with new phrases, typesets the dates and designs these magnificently beautiful calendars. lucky for us. the phrases are playful, the type is refined and simple, and the date grids have an interesting layout too. nice. i just never get tired of seeing these calendars! check out her website for more of her design work, it is spot on. yes.

paperlux, novum cover

item: novum magazine cover
design firm: paperlux, hamburg
photos via: designcollector
comments: novum is a design magazine from germany that commissioned paperlux to design a cover for them. buckminster fuller was the inspiration behind their design. wow. the colors are brilliant, but what really amazes are the more than 1,000 triangles that are die cut into the surface of the cover. again, wow. this gives the cover the ability to fold and move in a fluid and complex way. one more time, wow.

trevor elliott, magnetic pallet chair

item: magnetic pallet chair

designer: trevor elliott
photos via: uncommongoods
comments: trevor is an art director who recently shifted to product design. his focus with this new discipline is on sustainability, reclaimed materials and modularity. enter the magnetic pallet chair. besides the simple lines, bright colors and reclaimed materials (it's made from pallets), the chair has magnets which allow it to be taken apart and stored flat when not in use. brilliant.

monsieur dressup, anna thomas

item: monsieur dressup
designer: anna thomas
photos via: the design gift shop
comments: anna thomas is part of a group of designers in canada called, loyal loot collective. monsieur dressup is a collection of maple wall hooks that include a collar, cuff and pocket. the images here show the collar. wow. the design is exquisite, refined and subtle all at the same time. what's also wonderful about this is that the curve of the collar allows you to hang clothing on it without distorting or stretching the shape of the item the way that standard wall hooks sometimes do. i love this too too much, hope you do too.

piano coat rack, patrick seha for feld

item: piano coat rack
designer: patrick seha, belgium
photos via: feld
comments: ok, i love this on so many levels. the influence for this coat rack is piano keys and the movement they have. that movement reflects the thoughtful utility of this piece. the slats fold down creating a multiple hook coat rack that can be customized to your current hanging needs. you are not bound by traditional stationary hooks. love it. also love that when not being used, it still lends the room texture and interest. that's doesn't happen a lot with coat racks. lastly, i love how it uses so little space. yes, yes, and yes.

culinarium, concrete hexagon coasters

item: concrete hexagon coasters
designed by: culinarium, boston
photos via: culinarium
comments: the material is subtle, the pattern is beautiful, but what i enjoy even more is that the recessed lines that create the hexagon pattern serve to pull and absorb moisture away from a bottle or glass. functional, nice. the formula that culinarium uses for the concrete is just as thoughtful. the mix is proprietary and has been carefully honed over the years. the particulates are extremely fine and a lot less water is used which results in strength and smoothness that is more comparable to ceramic than to concrete. well done! please check out their work on etsy, it's really beautiful. I have my eye on the salt cellar...

balancing blocks, fort standard

item: balancing blocks
designers: gregory buntain and ian collings of fort standard
photos via: fort standard
comments: this set of balancing blocks is made from salvaged hardwood and painted in white and primary colors. the faceted edges are interesting visually as well as functionally because they allow more surfaces and angles to balance with. neat.

bike tube table, andrew thomson

item: bike tube table
designer: andrew thomson
photos via: andrew thomson
comments: the frame of the table is made of steel tubes that are cut at angles and welded together. the top of the table consists of bicycle inner tubes that are bolted to the frame. love, love, love the simplicity and contrast of the materials, the shape of the piece and the functionality. please check out the link above to see more of andrew's work. every time i see his work i am amazed and delighted with his talent.

lauren dicioccio

items: paintings from a series called, color codification dot drawings
artist: lauren dicioccio
images via: lauren dicioccio
comments: lauren's work is focused on the beauty in mass produced media and how they are becoming obsolete because of technology. the paintings shown here are made by placing frosted mylar over a magazine page. she then uses a color code assigned to each letter to paint a loose representation of the type and layout of the magazine spread. she intends for this work to impart of feeling of nostalgia for print media and the physical quality of it as we continue to move toward more and more electronic media. please check out the link above for more of her work. you'll be glad you did!