ann van hoey

item: ceramics
material: earthenware clay
designer: ann van hoey, belgium
photos via: ann van hoey
comments: these pieces were inspired by origami. after visiting japan, ann's work reflected the simplicity and geometry of origami. these pieces have no glaze or any decorative element added to them. they are simply the clay and the shape of a circle as it morphs into a square. simple and powerful.

tara donovan

item: untitled 2003, sculpture
material: styrofoam cups and hot glue
artist: tara donovan
photos via: ace gallery, ny
comments: tara uses everyday, mass-produced materials and through repetition, scale and form takes them completely out of context into incredibly monumental sculptures. her process started by accident when she purchased a roll of plastic sheeting to use as a drop cloth. as she was unrolling it, she noticed how beautiful the folds were that it created. this began her focus on such mundane materials and how they could be transformed into something quite spectacular. check out the ace gallery website to see more of her work. sublime.

elephant ceramics

item: ceramics
materials: porcelain and stoneware
designed by: elephant ceramics by michele michael, new york
photos via: flor's blog and automatism
comments: michele is a home design editor and prop stylist who has worked for many of the top home design magazines over the years. she also wrote a terrific book, the new apartment book, which is full of beautiful, well designed ideas for home decorating and is available on amazon. more recently, she opened a prop house that focused on tabletop items for photo shoots. in her work she sometimes had trouble finding the perfect piece for a shoot and so began making her own. these pieces are profoundly beautiful! she impressed the work with the texture of linen and applies glaze in a very organic, expressionistic way. each piece is hand made, unique and absolutely stunning.

made: origami vase covers and upcycled milk carton vase

ok, i know, i know, the images are crunchy. they were shot with my cell phone, so my apologies. the origami vase covers are brown kraft paper that is folded. it's one of my favorite materials to work with because it is utilitarian, humble, soft to the touch and has good memory for folding. the origami patterns are from the book, home decorating with origami, written by tomoko fuse. even if you are not skilled at origami, these are patterns you can fold with ease. the vase covers are beautiful, sculptural and almost architectural. all you need is an empty can or jar to hold the flowers inside and no one will notice because the paper will cover everything. i used tape to secure the edges together but if you have some of those mini magnets or brads, that would work also. when the flowers have faded, if you don't use tape, you can take off the magnets or brads and store the covers flat to reuse them later. the bottom images are of a plastic milk carton with the stickers removed and an angled section cut off the top to create the vase opening. leaving the handle on makes it easier to transport the vase. i usually use these when i am bringing flowers to a friend because it's so easy to grab and go. decorative paper shown is zinnias from snow and graham. the translucent character of the plastic has a nice diffused quality so you can skip the decorative paper if you want instead. just a couple of ideas to package flowers that save time and money by making use of everyday items that are usually already on hand.

alison berger lighting collection

items: glass lighting collection
designer: alison berger
photos via: plug lighting
comments: some of the inspiration for these hand blown glass fixtures include scientific apparatuses, bell jars, apothecary shapes, funnels and beakers. berger is an architect who changed her focus to working with glass in 1995. the first image is the bell word pendant which is etched with da vinci's theories. love the shadows that result from the etched writing. check out her website to see her work which includes lighting, objects and furniture. stunning.

address file, sharilyn wright

item: address file
designer: sharilyn wright
photos via: lovely design
comments: this is an item that i have loved for a long time. the base of this address file is hand made by the designer's father in maple or black walnut. the cards are die cut from found materials like maps, schoolbooks and wallpaper. check out her website on the link above (her blog too!) to see the full range of paper/stationery products she carries and to enjoy some personal projects she works on also. there is something nostalgic about her work that really is lovely.

buckminster fuller tribute light- the geodesic campaign pendant, by andrew thomson

item: buckminster fuller tribute light
designer: andrew thomson
photos via: andrew thomson blog
comments: how could i resist an homage to bucky fuller? this light is made from upcycled political signage printed on corrugated plastic. the material is cut into triangles and hot glued back together with plastic hinges. what a great way to reuse a material that does not biodegrade, is only used for a short period (election campaigning) and is free. andrew is an industrial designer in birmingham alabama. check out the link above to see his blog. it is filled with some incredible projects he has designed. everything from silk screened posters, to furniture to light fixtures. can't say enough about his talent, you just have to check out his blog to see his work.

elaine fong

designer: elaine fong, chicago
photos via: elaine fong
comments: elaine is a designer whose work i really admire. she has a unique vision, a thoughtful design process, and an insanely beautiful portfolio of work. her work has been featured in many media outlets including print, how, new york times online, cmyk, real simple, readymade and designsponge. it has been my pleasure to cross her path and i feel lucky to have worked with her on some projects. check out her website for more of her work and to contact her for your next project. amazing.

kolonihavehus, tom fruin

item: kolonihavehus
designer: tom fruin, new york
photos via: inhabitat and the cool hunter
comments: this portable structure in copenhagen was commissioned to be used for poetry performances. fruin, an installation artist, created it with iron and reclaimed plexiglass scraps. in the evening a light installation illuminates the structure while during the day the interior is flooded with color from sunlight filtering through the many colored plexiglass pieces. vibrant.

transparent table, nendo

item: transparent table
designed by: nendo, tokyo
photos via: nendo
comments: these tables are created by casting the acrylic into a wooden form that contains a wood grain pattern. the two tables shown both have dual optical representations. the dark table appears to be wood from a distance but upon a closer look you are able to see that it is transparent. the clear table appears transparent from a distance but only up close can you see the wood grain impression in the acrylic. it's interesting that they used the attributes of the acrylic to create opposing perceptions. check out their website for more of their interesting work.

cube letter set, kouichi okamoto

item: cube letter set
designer: kouichi okamoto
photos via: kyouei design
comments: this stationery design is based on the traditional japanese paper balloon. the correspondence is written while flat then you blow it up like a balloon. so simple.