Consulting for Business Design

Seeing green

2011-03-18T08:05:00.001+01:00

From emmas design blog - best for scan design.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

simple & smart

2010-05-03T08:38:00.000+02:00

bike helmets that match your style pedal for pedal. by yakkay. available on finnish design shop.

game changer

2010-05-01T10:36:00.003+02:00

less is indeed more. puma + yves = brill

saddle up

2010-04-25T12:56:00.000+02:00

new bag for summer from claire vivier

unbeatable combination

2010-04-25T12:37:00.003+02:00

a springtime bike ride and new boots from helm / a new company from friend and client, joshua bingaman. see more at helm handmade.

summer feet

2010-04-25T12:15:00.009+02:00

super fine summer clogs from swedish hasbeens. the style in red is called grease.

you better shape up, indeed. available online at hasbeens.

Just Ship

2010-02-19T07:14:00.000+01:00

This video from 99 percent features Writer and Creative firebrand, Seth Godin. He talks about how vital getting our ideas out in the world really is.

yummy winter greens

2010-02-17T17:56:00.000+01:00

sunday suppers has some of the best food fotos i have seen in a very long time. this work communicates community and fellowship as it relates to sharing a table with wonderful people. and the winter salad looks like it is yummy. full of beautiful texture and color.

texil cables

2010-02-17T17:49:00.001+01:00

these are easy to use for all of your home lighting adventures. good plain or with a jar, lantern, or basket. very affordable and easy to order on midsommar

jam it up

2010-02-17T17:37:00.002+01:00

more jar repurposing from decor8

rays of light

2010-02-17T17:33:00.002+01:00

repurposed old jars as lights / ideas from desire to inspire

Planning For Terrace Time

2010-02-17T17:19:00.004+01:00

Excellent photo styling by Muskelil.

mossy high

2009-10-06T06:19:00.003+02:00

found a great new blog hashai. loads of before and afters design/decor shots.

french fall

2009-10-05T06:39:00.002+02:00

le tour les chapelains in southern france. why not?

irresistible

2009-10-04T23:10:00.003+02:00

my cousin was visiting last week and we found some amazing clothes for the babe. danish geniuses katvig won out big

brighten the kitchen with color

2009-10-04T23:02:00.003+02:00

for dreary winter days the best antidote is color.
stockholm kitchens from japanese press paumes.

play time

2009-10-04T22:52:00.002+02:00

Berlin has some of the most amazing playgrounds. Have been enjoying these inner-city treasures with my cousin and her babe.

trans-pecos love letters

2009-09-10T23:42:00.003+02:00

desert adventure 2009 | el cosmico

american lens

2009-09-10T07:54:00.003+02:00

mathew scott captures the essence of america in the 21st century. see more of his photos here.

wiry bits

2009-09-09T07:32:00.001+02:00

pretty wire creations from fil di ferro.

practical need

2009-09-09T07:21:00.003+02:00

practical note pads from the clever people at knock knock. i feel like i'm always looking for something like this every time i go on a trip and when i try to responsibly plan menus.

floor to heaven motif

2009-09-04T15:44:00.002+02:00

via idtextile

refreshing summertime baths

2009-09-02T14:53:00.004+02:00

don't know if this is available worldwide, but it's a great summertime bath product. chestnut bath from weleda

ties with tradition

2009-08-28T13:37:00.005+02:00

exhibit at the powerhouse design museum in sydney: macedonian apron designs.

bag lady

2009-08-28T13:22:00.003+02:00

colorful bags by RUDA
via la tercera

summer naps in a tree

2009-08-27T16:16:00.004+02:00

tree house from la cabane perchée. good video here - in french and still good even if you don't understand. via maire claire maison

color tick

2009-08-19T09:19:00.003+02:00

i'm a big fan of the swatch. it's practical, simple, durable and has a fiscally sensitive price tag. these watches from triwa are a mix of rubber and stainless steel. they're a nice alternative to the swiss standard - and in succulent colors. available here

cup of beauty & funny

2009-08-18T17:32:00.009+02:00

yoran morvant's pierres graphiques

ashes & milk is an online gallery that straddles the time/space challenge of modern vs. traditional with grace. its mission is deeply rooted in nature and simplicity. they have curated a lovely, organic and singular selection in their online gallery space.

they best express their mission in their own words:

ashes & milk is an online gallery space founded on the principle that a lot can be created from very little. We are driven by modern ideas with a reverence for traditional methods and believe that the things we bring into our homes should have a soul and a sense of history.

Our collection is a boutique of texture, organic materials, and nuances of white, brown, and gray. Each piece is made by hand - an original work of art. Created by one person, designed for one person.

Ashes & Milk is honored to present our patrons with a very fine selection of artists and their work. We love the artists we represent: for they observe the world in amazing detail and respond by constructing the most unexpected, beautiful things.

hairy chested swimmer by helen beard

natural | imaginative | delicious

2009-08-18T17:17:00.005+02:00

sarah weiner, my new food crush, has a few restaurants in berlin. she's a promi-chef who puts her focus on traditional, simple and healthy foods. she's one of the leading foodie activists against gen-manipulated foods.

i have one cookbook of hers, frau am herd (lady by the stove) - i love it. i am looking forward to trying her food at her cafes and checking out her set up. specifically menu design, uniforms, decor and operations.

majakowski.gasthaus | berlin

2009-08-18T17:06:00.003+02:00

with my summertime schedule and 'new to berlin' status, i've been doing a lot of research about my new surroundings.

i found this great design work about this restaurant on the outskirts of town. i haven't found much else about it and am very intrigued. the identity is done by a berlin/vienna cooperative called up designers.

design*sponge | biz ladies

2009-08-18T16:43:00.003+02:00

woohoo! new piece on design*sponge on the basics of preparing presentations & proposals

ship of dreams

2009-08-11T14:04:00.004+02:00

been trying to find a way to rent a house boat in berlin. today while searching i found a post on ouno design about ships and boats hanging from ceilings. this dragon photo is from their site. it got me thinking about my friend patty's idea some time ago about hanging a boat from the rafters and using that as your bed.

it got me searching for other hanging bed options and i found these:
this hilarious, so 1970's nest bed
and a source for my favorite playground swing that's like a bird's nest:
so, if i can't find that houseboat, maybe one of these options will do...

spanish zebras

2009-08-10T10:31:00.003+02:00

these zebra bike lane dividers are made from reclaimed tires and plastics. They are designed by Spanish designer Curro Claret and is the winner of the 2009 award in Design for Recycling, organised by the Catalan government.

{via treehugger}

texas gets better and better

2009-08-09T21:35:00.006+02:00

Open publication - Free publishing - More style

incredible feature in refueled on friend and client, liz lambert. amazing photos, background and design insight on liz's newest project, hotel saint cecilia. friends bobby & steve of mercury design studio get a shout out, too. hooray!

summer sunday

2009-08-09T15:17:00.005+02:00

on a bit of a summer holiday and not blogging too much.

biking, reading/writing, walking, cooking, swimming and catching rays.

i found these great illustrations by london artist fiona woodcock. this one is from a series called | sunburn.

interview with style

2009-08-09T14:33:00.005+02:00

Marije Vogelzang - Interview from Design Blast on Vimeo.

in june, Jill Enders and Chris Spatschek (students from the Arts and Design academy in Karlsruhe) interviewed dutch eating designer marije vogelzang. their approach was very whimsical and creative. they crafted a box of treats that had questions hidden underneath them. marije was allowed to choose eight from the eleven bits and answer those questions. clever, indeed....

spectacular spectacles

2009-08-01T12:25:00.003+02:00

scott urban in chicago makes handmade wooden eyeglass frames. his shop is urban spectacles.

simple men's

2009-07-30T10:28:00.005+02:00

homecore | men's basics with interest

see more on their site

wow | stunning on the ligurian coast

2009-07-29T06:57:00.004+02:00

found this hotel in vernazza, italy (on the cinque terra): la malà. the rooms seem so full of light and the furnishings well edited with clean lines.

vernazza is the birthplace of pesto and a great place to take a swim.

their site really captures the mood they're aiming to strike - because really, it's all about the food and the sea and the hotel is done in such a classy way that it frames it all perfectly.

wooden design for your every need

2009-07-28T21:36:00.005+02:00

berlin firm {wood begood} designs and builds customized wooden dwellings, furniture, kindergärtens, huts (!) ....more more more. they have some lovely photos on their site of a project in finland. the one above is a sample. check out their site for more.

{store front in berlin}

woohoo! design*sponge | biz ladies!

2009-07-28T21:21:00.003+02:00

very excited about my first contribution to design*sponge's biz ladies section. it's about calculating your rate. the entire series of biz ladies contributions are helpful guideposts for entrepreneurs of any size (or gender!). thank you grace for letting me be a part of your site that i so admire. my next piece on the site is on presentations....stay tuned!

Golden Twigs

2009-07-23T10:58:00.003+02:00

My sister Lexi forwarded me this pretty jewelry image from Melissa McClure : Jewelry Alchemy. The leather combined with the golden twigs is just my kind of bracelet.

Organization Necessity

2009-07-23T10:55:00.002+02:00

In the category of things that you know you need, but didn't know they existed: Cable Drops from Blue Lounge

Yesterday at Vitra

2009-07-15T09:22:00.005+02:00

It was rainy and nasty yesterday and I thought - how 'bout an outing?!

Got my stuff together and launched out to Weil am Rhein (close to Basel) to the Vitra Museum. It's a beautiful train ride there and the museum and grounds are fantastic.

main vitra entrance | building: frank gehry

balancing tools : claes oldenburg | coosje van bruggen

Saw exhibits by the Campana Brothers, Fernando & Humberto, of Buenos Aires, viewed the architecture of Frank Gerhry & Zaha Hadid, saw a very cool Oldenburg | Van Bruggen sculpture and fell in love with the bus stop.....a great day.

vitra holds workshops on a regular basis. I would love to go to the Re-Design workshop they have in September.

the best new accessory....

2009-07-13T14:38:00.004+02:00

Typically I'm not a techno accessory person, but these headphones are worth stepping away from my normal aversion to gadgetry as fashion. They work great with iphone (with the mic chiclet thingy) and have ones great for ipods, too. Best feature: they do not tangle....swoon.

Available from Danish design collective AIAIAI. Here's what they have to say about themselves:

The company AIAIAI was born out of Copenhagen’s nest of creativity known as the A-house. Apart from hosting a club on top of the old industrial building AIAIAI initiated a collective consisting of more than 200 young artists, musicians and designers in the years 2005-2006. We, the 4 partners of AIAIAI, started off with a vision that hasn’t changed: Together with a variety of different people, designers, musicians, artists etc. we create earphones, headsets, headphones and other kinds of consumer electronic related products that makes a genuine statement.

Vintage Wristwatch

2009-07-13T10:25:00.002+02:00

Portero is a site that sells authenticated luxury goods.

This vintage Rolex caught my eye....

Berlin Architecture Treasures

2009-07-13T09:37:00.004+02:00

Been hunting for new diggs in Berlin. I came across Rainer W. Leonhardt's warehouse in AD Deutschland. He runs an antique building materials warehouse in Charlottenburg. His online catalog details only a sliver of the treasures on offer.

Illustration

2009-06-29T13:54:00.003+02:00

Colorful illustrations from talented artist Jenny Bowers.

Perfect for menus, etiquettes, guest services books, and stationery. The grey in all of these above illustrations really adds interest - rather than the standard black.
Love these for house numbers.

Canning

2009-06-26T12:24:00.005+02:00

after I finish up my work today I'm going for a swim and will swing by the farm for some strawberries. It's canning time! Strawberry black pepper balsamic chutney...yummy with cheese.

If you aren't familiar with canning, author Barbara Kingsolver was interviewed last year by the SF Chronicle and she talks about her lifetime love for canning. In it there are a number of recommendations for books and resources.

best new supply

2009-06-26T12:07:00.004+02:00

japanese masking tape. heaps of colors, patterns & sizes available at happy tape

pretty videos for today

2009-06-26T12:02:00.001+02:00

Theater time this summer

2009-06-25T22:38:00.003+02:00

Looking forward to seeing this movie.

Bike Only Roads

2009-06-25T21:59:00.002+02:00

Max Fisher has a great article in the Atlantic today about bike-only roads.

Curl up & Read

2009-06-25T15:10:00.003+02:00

Lately we've had days that start out really sunny and clear and suddenly we have a huge downpour. Usually, I get all my work done early in the morning and so I can have the afternoons to myself to hike or just be outside. When it's raining though, I love some popcorn and a good book.

I love to curl up with a blanket like this:

This summer blanket is from Swan Island Blankets. They are based in Maine and have high-quality, luscious textiles.

New Food Crush

2009-06-25T14:49:00.004+02:00

While reading Elle Deco || South Africa, I learned of food adventurer Andreas Viestad. He's from Norway and is part farmer, chef, nomad, and all-round culinary gypsy. His site is beautiful and his books seem to offer up the multi-cultural and seasonal type of fare that I"m drawn to.

Moreover, I'm fascinated by his 'Garden of Elgin' project that he's working on together with fellow farmer (and brain surgeon!) Paul Cluver. Vistad describes the farming adventure as:

...a small agricultural project where we do everything that normal industrial agricultural wisdom tells us we shouldn’t. The only way to make agriculture profitable is to find out what you grow best and to specialize on that commodity. We do exactly the opposite – we cultivate diversity.

photos Elle Deco ZA

Key Components

2009-06-25T14:44:00.005+02:00

Two photos from Elle Deco | South Africa.

The storage along the ceiling in this kitchen is a great use of space and has the side benefit of creating depth and interest.

I think this bathtub speaks for itself.

featuring Marfa, Texas and JM Dry Goods

2009-06-19T16:37:00.004+02:00

NYT featured my friends' Michelle Teague and Ginger Griffice's new venture, JM Dry Goods in Marfa. This photo is from the feature linked here. Also mentioned in the piece are my clients Liz Lambert and El Cosmico.. Pals from the Food Shark get a shout out too - Hooray!

Been searching for this for months

2009-06-19T16:19:00.005+02:00

Ever since I was last in Munich I've been searching for this bench. It was outside the Haus der Kunst and I sat there while I was waiting for my friend Jürgen before we went to the Maison Martin Margelia and Gerhard Richter exhibits. I came across it today in a magazine and found out it's designed by Jurgen Bay who has a studio with his wife in Rotterdam.

Above is the photo from droog (it's only 11,000€....) and two of mine.

gestalten has a great video featuring the two of them. linked here....

Great Photography

2009-06-19T16:10:00.004+02:00

Found these photos absolutely captivating by Trine Thorsen.

Her story featured in the profile section is lovely. Well written and inspiring.

Top Shop Bicycle Club

2009-06-18T16:56:00.001+02:00

Kate Moss's top shop isn't a place I shop, but I'm completely curious about the Top Shop Bicycle Club.

Hard Times Commitment

2009-06-02T09:01:00.004+02:00

Fantastic profile of artist Alexander Conner in the NYT this morning. He talks about his art and what impact the financial constraints of the recession are having on his lifestyle and artistic passions.

Scripty Bits

2009-05-27T12:43:00.007+02:00

Marian Bantjes is an artist who specializes in script work. This image is of her business card. She has collaborated with Stefan Sagmeister on his books and her work is featured in numerous magazines. Her site is {lovely}.

Check out the {sugar type} on her site.

Seeing this got me thinking about guest services books in hotels and menus. They are so nice when the focus is on not only the information itself but also the communication channel & design.

From Tennis Ball Yellow to Green & Ivory Metal

2009-05-26T11:22:00.004+02:00

100 year anniversary collaboration:

Fred Perry + Vespa

via swipelife

News from the Coast of France

2009-05-26T11:13:00.005+02:00

Looking forward to the new film about Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky. The film stars Mads Mikkelsen & Anna Mouglalis who both look ravishing. The film was presented last week in Cannes.

Lounge & Kitchen

2009-05-26T11:07:00.002+02:00

Total kitchen & lounge envy. Images via desire to inspire

Aim for White & Blue City Fancy

2009-05-26T10:45:00.002+02:00

Photography by Brigitte Wolfgang Drejer. Represented by sisters agency in France, she has a whole category dedicated to *snow*

These selections are from her 'white' & 'city slickers' categories.

Sweet Air Sweets

2009-05-26T10:33:00.004+02:00

Karina from el beso is also associated with Buenos Aires Pastry who makes these lovely things. The creations are innovative combinations of sweet, savory, salty - with such distinct color combinations. Que linda...

Minimal Protection

2009-05-25T17:23:00.006+02:00

Maison Martin Margiela has teamed up with Les Ateliers Ruby Paris (featured earlier this winter) to produce a new line of moto helmets. MMM took on this design challenge in celebration of its 20th birthday. The helmet obliquely traces the history of the past 20 years and is covered in the signature shade of imperfect white.

via yatzer

Pea Green

2009-05-22T21:36:00.005+02:00

Asparagus, peas and strawberries are all now in season. The color is almost as good as the taste. Crisp and crunchy peas with tortellini white wine sauce - shaved asparagus over arugula dressed with dandelion balsamic sabayon - strawberries and rosé. I mean....come on...does it get any better?

Training Camp Italia

2009-05-19T15:02:00.001+02:00

Fierce and stylish Italian version of Bang Bang by Mina.

Farm Stay: Part 2

2009-05-19T13:20:00.007+02:00

Looking forward to my assignment in June in Italia. Staying at Fedrica's at this beautiful place {she was recently featured in Marie Claire Italia}. She runs Agrifuturismo and has beautiful photos on her site and in the feature in MC Italia. Fedrica's site works well in firefox (safari's not so hot...).

found out about this beautiful place through Mandarine...which is a lovely blog.

99 bottles of beer in my wall

2009-05-19T13:11:00.003+02:00

These buildings are constructed from glass bottles.
As Alex Steffen says:

There is no such thing as garbage, just useful stuff in the wrong place.

via treehugger

....bikes!

2009-05-18T15:48:00.006+02:00

I learned about these clever carrier bikes by trioBike about two years ago. They are a traditional city bike that has an integrated carrier attachment (for kiddos, groceries, admirers, etc.). Not cheap but damn ingenious.

This video shows how it works.

More bikes!

2009-05-18T15:40:00.003+02:00

My sweet friend Maury sent me a link to this awesome bike by Cynthia Rowley - featured on apartment therapy

I don't have any babes yet - but how awesome to take a ride with the whole passel in-tow.

Happy Blue

2009-05-13T09:46:00.006+02:00

via Tina/{swiss miss}

This a short film written and directed by Blacklist's Cisma for Adobe’s Shortcut to Brilliant campaign for CS4 (Creative Suite 4). Goodby, Silverstein & Partners came to Cisma with a 98% open brief - do whatever you want as long as you use CS4 to do it. Full credits on glossy inc.

Peace Plates

2009-05-13T09:12:00.006+02:00

On Mocoloco, they featured some designs from the Centre de Design at the Université du Québec in Montreal's school of design's year-end exhibition. This exhibition features the final projects from grad students in the Environmental Design program.

The exhibition was entitled Poupées Russes (French for "Russian Dolls" or more commonly known as Matryoshka dolls) aiming to show the importance of layers in designs - and more broadly conceived, the interplay and interdependence on form & function; how these layers are inextricably tied to one another.

The feature is fascinating and there are a number of excellent, inspired designs. My favorite is this dinner plate by Marie-Pier Rivard. Here's a snippet from Mocoloco about the design:

"Dinner plate for the elderly, disabled, by Marie-Pier Rivard. Taking on the task to improve the famous Manoy plate designed by Russel Manoy in the late 60s, the designer aimed to help without signaling, marking or even implying a person's disabilities: camouflage in tableware. The first step was switching the original oval design made of melamine to a more contemporary, common and elegant round ceramic dish. Though it keeps the vertically curved side wall designed by Manoy helping users pick-up difficult foods with only one hand, it now cleverly includes a slanted bottom to naturally set liquids on to one side, a groove under its rim facilitating handling, and finally an air-insulated double-wall which enables the safe manipulation of hot contents. Tutors: Patrick Evans & Katherine Lapierre."

I wasn't familiar with the Manoy plate. This is the original plate design (from MoMA's site) as well as its modern iteration which we all know from hospital, etc (...can almost smell it!)

The newer version from Rivard has a sophistication to it that I really appreciate. It is adult and civilized while successfully addressing the needs of its user in a subtle, classy way.

New Inspiration in Munich

2009-05-13T08:54:00.008+02:00

On May 21st the newest member of the Munich Kunstareal steps onto the scene: Museum Brandhorst. It will contain more than 700 artworks of the most renown artists of the 20th century, Pablo Picasso, Cy Twombly, Andy Warhol, Sigmar Polke, Bruce Nauman, Mike Kelley and many more. One whole floor will be dedicated to the Twombly collection of nearly 50 artworks and will be thus the second largest collection outside of the US.

I've watched it being constructed over the past three years and am so excited to see a museum embody (in my opinion) the approach to art that's very much this generation - a 21st century place - colorful, creative, lively use of light and shadow. It seems to jump right out of the ground and say - "come inside see these beautiful things!" The museum is located in Schwabing/Maxvorstadt - at the corner of Theresienstrasse & Türkenstrasse (Theresienstrasse 35).

Images & Imagination has some great photos up of the exterior and a nice bit on the architects and design process.

Cozy Grey

2009-05-13T08:41:00.005+02:00

This light is from the Danish design group Muuto - meaning change in Finnish. They designed this light to be used in early evening 'to create a cozy mood.' Their leading design principle is to take a fresh, uncomplicated look on everyday items - to illicit a response like: How clever - why didn't I think of that?

Goods available through Finnish Design Shop or via Muuto's website.

Going Dutch - from NYT

2009-05-13T08:31:00.006+02:00

Yesterday's article in the New York Times (first post from yesterday - just below) reminded me of an article from a few weeks back. It offers insight into what the perceived 'high' tax rates in European countries are comprised - what programs, initiatives and social support. Read the entire article {here}

Bike Crush

2009-05-13T07:54:00.000+02:00

...dear Madsen,

i think I love you.
see the video & blog

Community Pedal Power

2009-05-12T13:28:00.004+02:00

This feature today in NYT is so inspiring. It is a focus on Vauban, a town outside of Freiburg - close to the German/French/Swiss border. According to the article, almost 70% of the city's residents do not own a car and the city's streets are virtually 'car free.'

I'm going to take a visit to this city and check it all out for myself. Read the entire article {here}

Toujours Petite

2009-05-11T19:11:00.004+02:00

Love everything about this mini-maison. This idea is a bit like what we're working on at El Cosmico. Low-impact Mini dwellings and art shacks as an alternative to gigantic hospitality structures.

These photos are from a feature in Marie-Claire Maison on weekend homes.

Dinner al Fresco Tunes

2009-05-11T19:04:00.002+02:00

New Music by St. Vincent. Seems just right for an outside summer supper. Available at Beggars Group.

Me encanta....

2009-05-07T10:50:00.002+02:00

Jelena Behrend is a lovely metalsmith and jewelry designer in New York. A few years ago she made our wedding rings. It was one of the only places we could find to get rings that were simple, made from high-quality materials and crafted by a real person! I got an email from her the other day and had to check out some of her new pieces. While these rose gold hoops aren't part of her newest collection per se, they are stunning and I can imagine how much fun it would be to wear these with a great sundress and bronzed skin.

Maybe next month; waiting for it to break 80 degrees in Heidelberg ~ still in sweaters at night....

Pages that inspire

2009-05-07T10:36:00.005+02:00

Creative spirit Pia Jane Bijkerk has a new book out Handmade in Paris. It's available at The Little Book Room. Besides Pia Jane's great book, The Little Book room has treasures a plenty.

More Marije

2009-05-06T10:37:00.004+02:00

I can't even get over how amazing she is....
'In the food for love' video from {die gestalten}.
{link to video}

Michelin Star System on its Head

2009-05-06T10:09:00.009+02:00

New non-star hotel concept by Swiss twins Frank and Patrik Riklin. They run the {Atelier für Sonderaufgaben} and their newest project is {Null Stern Hotel} located near Zurich.

It is a fall-out shelter converted into a hotel. There are nods towards hostel-life, communes, ideas of elegance and 'traditional' hotel accommodations.

This video {in German} shows a bit of their construction process and a celebration. The twins are playing with the understanding of 'null' - 'nothing', contrast, content and community; a collective call for connection and focus on shared experience...

The concept allows the idea of without to be experienced as with.

Train Romance

2009-05-05T17:53:00.005+02:00

Very romantic new advertising campaign by {Chanel}. Film takes place on the elegant Orient Express train starring Audrey Tautou and a delicious seducer.

Happy Cinco de Mayo

2009-05-05T13:24:00.003+02:00

I'm celebrating with a margarita. Turns out, {Martha} can make a mean drink.

Lay your head down

2009-05-05T10:20:00.004+02:00

Found this photo on a post from {Ouno Design} featuring an old snippet out of Elle Decor Italia. More after the jump - all the photos are incredible - sturdy pieces & great lighting.

Kitchen Helper

2009-05-05T10:04:00.003+02:00

Have been looking for something like this for a long time at Brocantes, etc. Found one 'new' at {Octopus}

Cool Spring Night Coverlet

2009-05-05T10:00:00.002+02:00

Beautiful folk patterns on a cozy reading blanket by Charleen Mullen
{her site}

Nose Trio

2009-05-05T09:56:00.002+02:00

Elegant fragrance trio from Hermés: Eau d’Orange Verte, Eau de Pamplemousse Rose, Eau de Gentiane Blanche
{via le figaro}

2009-04-24T08:55:00.004+02:00

Frederic Chaubin has a collection of photos that feature Soviet-era architecture. The buildings are wacky and oddly futuristic and successfully communicate a feeling of dominion. Chaubin captures something very special in these photos.

found on grain edit

Dream Bath

2009-04-24T08:35:00.004+02:00

I've never seen porthole/trailer windows used on an interior. This bathtub parlour mixes a special shade of green with white and creates a boozy, sleepy, spell-like mood. It feels like it's nicely hidden - tucked away in a soft pocket of the house - and a perfect spot to sip on a chilled gin & tonic and read a delicious mystery.

via MCM

Sun Porch & Table

2009-04-24T08:25:00.004+02:00

Abandoned flour mill recrafted into a decadent penthouse. Sun porch has a homey, bohemian feeling with the rugs and rustic crates. Living/dining area is rooted by concrete floors and this gorgeous wooden table with benches & leather cushions. I love the role that the non-traditional windows play in creating length and offering such a party of sunlight.

All those agaves make me miss Texas....
Featured in Marie Claire Masion

Calling Card Elegance

2009-04-22T09:34:00.002+02:00

Modern Flower Calling Card by Le Papier Studio

Mellow Yellow

2009-04-21T13:59:00.001+02:00

Fine wax yellow jacket by Oliver Spencer

Selections for feet that deserve

2009-04-21T13:55:00.002+02:00

Hand-crafted leather shoes: Plus by Chausser

Household Indulgence

2009-04-21T12:34:00.002+02:00

Wooden ironing board from Manufactum.