fisherman pendant and floor lamps, taf architects

item: fisherman pendant and floor lamps
designer: mattias ståhlbom, taf architects
materials: polypropylene and polyethylene
photos via: taf architects
comments: these lamps are inspired by glass floats that were used by fishermen to keep their nets afloat. a small company in sweden hand knits the rope into the round shapes that adorn the lamps. beautiful.

andy gilmore

artist: andy gilmore
images via: crowquills.com
comments: gilmore is a designer, illustrator and musician from new york. amazing how he balances the complexity of so much color and pattern.

brett coelho

designer: brett coelho
photos via: brettcoelho.com
comments: brett studied graphic design and then in 2004 he started focusing full time on his art. he describes his art as "collecting objects whose color or texture interest me... celebrating the ordinary and finding beauty in the most unlikely of places". he has an amazing collection of pieces from wall art to sculpture and furniture that combine his use of found materials with complex, modular compositions. he also collaborates with interior designers and architects on wall coverings/installations. check out his website for more examples of his work. i like that his graphic design studies come out in his focus and use of type and composition.

butter stool, designbythem

item: butter stool
designers: sarah gibson & nicholas karlovasitis of designbythem, australia
material: 100% post consumer recycled materials, mostly recycled milk containers.
photos via: designbythem
comments: as shown in the last photo, this stool starts out as one flat piece that is folded together and assembled. nice. it is stackable, comes in a variety of colors and can be used indoors or outdoors. designbythem is a multidisciplinary design firm that takes on varied client work as well as developing their own products. they are focused on simple but playful designs, environmentally focused materials and locally made products. check out their website for more of their interesting work.

landschaft mit haus, maria zaikina

item: landschaft mit haus, series of paintings
artist: maria zaikina
photos via: flickr
comments: maria changes color in this series to create a variety of shapes and moods. check out the link above to see an amazing range of identities for one space.

six architects poster series, andrea gallo

item: six architects poster series
designer: andrea gallo
photos via: arch daily
comments: series of posters that represent the essence of each architect. six more please.

perpetual calendar, maurizio navone

item: perpetual calendar
designer: maurizio navone
photo via: rossana orlandi
comments: simplicity at it's absolute best. not much more to say except, "thank you ever so much mr. navone".

one awa, ryohei yoshiyuki

item: one awa soap
designer: ryohei yoshiyuki for inframince
photos via: spoon & tamago
comments: the beautifully simple packaging drew me in. what's even more beautiful is the thought behind the product. one awa is a thin slice of natural hand made soap that is meant to be used in one day. beyond the economies of not being wasteful, it is also meant to eliminate the bacteria that normally gathers on a bar of soap over time. the soap is meant to be torn so that you can portion it out for the day based on your bathing and hygiene needs. check out ryohei yoshiyuki's website and blog, his work is profound and beautiful. enjoy.

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crushed bowl, julien de smedt

item: crushed bowl
designer: julien de smedt, jds architects
material: porcelain
photos via: mocoloco
comments: large scale architectural works influenced the design for these bowls. the varying angles of the planes create beautiful, subtle shadows and dimension. the architect describes them as "carefully crushed for everyday use". interesting.

wicker bread basket, cecilie manz

item: wicker bread basket
designer: cecilie manz
materials: ceramic/plastic composite
photos via: momentum store
comments: the design is inspired by traditional scandinavian basket weaving. the modern material (composite) and technique (moulded) make it durable, graphic and light.

thomas wold

items: furniture designs
designer: thomas wold
photos via: thomas wold
comments: i heard about thomas wold years ago in readymade magazine. his work is beautifully executed and playful at the same time. check out his website for the variety of work he does, everything from interiors to nightlights. unique, exceptional quality and fun. always a treat to see his work.

kaktus stool, enrico bressan

item: kaktus stool
designer: enrico bressan, architect and co-founder of artecnica
material: recycled aluminum
photos via: artecnica
comments: the design of this stool was inspired by the skeleton of a cactus. it appears lightweight but is actually quite sturdy as a stool or a basket. available for purchase at artecnica.

accidental carpet, remy/veenhuizen

item: accidental carpet
designers: tejo remy and rene veenhuizen, netherlands
material: recycled blankets
photos via: apartment therapy and clear magazine
comments: this colorful rug made from recycled blankets was originally designed for epileptic children to brighten up their environment. it's colorful, beautiful, playful, environmental and compassionate. that's quite a list for a rug design. available from droog.

underfull tablecloth, kristine bjaadal

item: underfull tablecloth
designer: kristine bjaadal, norway
photos via: mocoloco
comments: these textiles are designed with a secondary pattern that is only revealed when they get wet. in this way, spilling wine on a tablecloth becomes something unexpected and beautiful. i like the idea of using design to change a negative situation into a positive one.