Consulting for Business Design: 2009/04

24 April 2009

“Druzhba Holiday Center Hall” (Yalta, Ukraine, designed by Igor Vasilevsky 1984)© Frederic Chaubin

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

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

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

22 April 2009

Calling Card Elegance

Modern Flower Calling Card by Le Papier Studio

21 April 2009

Mellow Yellow

Fine wax yellow jacket by Oliver Spencer

Selections for feet that deserve

Hand-crafted leather shoes: Plus by Chausser

Household Indulgence

Wooden ironing board from Manufactum.

Supper Underground - feature

Congratulations to my sweet friend Hannah. Her clandestine dining project - Supper Underground - is featured in the current issue of Garden & Gun. Way to go Hannah & Tasso! Also featured are a few historical supper clubs in the American South.

20 April 2009

Parking Spot Redux

Streets celebrated and reclaimed with a well-designed swing set concept. found on Maandag Meubels

Public Space

Link to a very interesting article on Design and Diffusion about design development of furniture in public spaces.

Fence by Dutch design house Demakersvan

Can't beat the texture

......of delicious cotton

linen draps from Caroline et Geraldine.
Hotels that have these kinds of linens are so much more romantic and real.

17 April 2009

Observation, utility and honest use of materials

I love the values that Alex Hellum uses to direct design.

Summer Sunrise

by Sanna Annukka

Pretty Close to Perfect

Truck Furniture

16 April 2009

Swede Shopping Pleasure

New online find - Design Torget

They list their commitment to functionality on their site under 'business concept'
Here's a snippet:
"Beyond our high demands for quality and that the product meets our requirements for functionality, we also look for those products that encourage or reflect new thinking, as well as being laced with some humour. Among our great selection of designer products, some are available for months or even years, while others stay in our shops for just 8 to 10 weeks, depending on customer demand."

08 April 2009

About Time

It's often the simplest things that are overlooked by design innovation. Katrina Allen and her team in Australia have concepted a discreet line of femme hygiene products that successfully addresses the monthly challenge of clean and secure tamponage transport. Products are available in a practical mix pack and they also offer a liner that is black - as opposed to the ubiquitous bleached white. I thought, why is it that they are white anyway? How clever indeed. Thank you smart people from De jour.

Play All Day

gestalten has a brand new book out called Play All Day. It features loads of imaginative designs inspired by the notion of play. die Baupiloten have a fantastic video about their contribution to the book (I can't embed....) Also featured is my design crush de jour, Marije Vogelsang.

Breathing Harmonia

São Paulo architecture firm Tryiptyque (French/Brasilian) designed Harmonia House as a building that breathes. Its walls are caged within water pipes that feed the thirst of the building's vegetal ecosystem.