Gift Guide - Jewelry: Phuze

The Bling glass ring from Phuze. The Bling ring is handmade from crystal, so each one is one of a kind. $95.

Gift Guide - Jewelry: MOCA

A friend in college always wore ring watches (hi alisa!). I like this ring watch from MOCA. Not too bad at $22, either.

Gift Guide - Jewelry: Studio 1 a.m.

This is an interesting choice of material by Studio 1 a.m.. The Cork Cuff, for $48. You can tack notes to your bracelet as reminders...

Gift Guide - Jewelry: Early Jewelry

I love this simple Horseshoe necklace from Early Jewelry for $60.

Gift Guide - Jewelry: Maren Kramer

Ok. So this isn't under $100, but I love this watch bangle designed by Maren Kramer (for a student design competition at Dusseldorf University!). The watch face is mostly hidden, but is revealed through a piece of stainless steel that sits opposite, through which the time is mirrored and reflected. Clever! Yours for $260.

Gift Guide - Jewelry: Ozzi Oswald and Ursi Graf

Beautiful Venetian Murano glass Anemone ring from Ozzi Oswald and Ursi Graf for $95.

Gift Guide - Jewelry: Amy Tavern

I like delicate rings, so this is right up my alley - a 1 mm wide gold ring (called the very thin gold ring) from Amy Tavern. If you like thicker rings - stack them! $50 each from Rare Device. Also very nice is the Tension necklace, which is made of steel and 18k gold, which you can get for $46.50.

Gift Guide - Jewelry: Marina and Susanna Sent

This is a cool necklace from the Sent sisters (Marina and Susanna). Made of Venetian glass, the necklace mimics a cluster of bubbles. Available for $95.

Gift Guide - Jewelry: Lisa Ceccorulli

Lisa Ceccorulli is a jewelrysmith whose work is inspired by the 3-5-7 relationships of Japanese gardens. The pieces all have a very interesting texture to them, one that is not normally associated with silver and gold. The juxtaposition of the stone-like texture and the reflectivity of the metals make me want to examine the pieces more and more. The pieces range from $300 to $500, but I think they are worth the splurge.

Gift Guide - Ceramics: Egglings

For all of your garden-challenged friends, I present the Eggling. Ceramic eggs that look and feel like the real thing - just crack one open and add water and voila! Garden! The eggling is available with seeds for basil, italian parsley, mint, thyme, chrysanthemum, lobelia, phlox, and petunia.

Available at Elsewares for $8.95.

Gift Guide - Ceramics: Mint

A very nice looking mortar and pestle from design collaborative Mint. The shapes of the mortar and pestle work together to provide a "full contact" effect which makes grinding spices etc very efficient.

Also very sweet is the Coink - a piggy bank in which you can dump all your change easily (and remove just as quickly). It also has a fun funnel system that reminds me of the McDonalds' penny donation stations. Both are available for $36.

Gift Guide - Ceramics: Barnaby Barford

Barnaby Barford is a London-based artist and designer whose body of work ranges from manipulations and reinterpretations of existing ceramic sculptures to clever pillows stuffed with conversation suggestions. The Solitaire Olive Plate makes a beautiful hors d'oeuvres platter, and also includes instructions on how to play a game of solitaire using the snacks. Designed in collaboration with Andre Klausér, and available from the MOMA design store for $45.

Also clever are the Stamp Cups, designed in conjunction with Valeria Miglioli. Using the inevitable stain left behind by drinking coffee or tea, the Stamp Cup turns the stain into a cute floral pattern. Available as a set of two for $55 from Greener Grass Design.

Gift Guide - Ceramics: Fishs Eddy

Fishs Eddy is a local NYC ceramics and glassware shop started 17 years ago by Julie Gaines and Dave Lenovitz. Their ceramics are commercial grade and stylishly stand up to the rigors of everyday use. The Spot On Series(left) and the Pantone Collection(right) are clean and simple dishes for every meal.

Gift Guide - Ceramics: Joanna Mendicino

Here's a cute little bird vase from California based Joanna Mendicino for $42. Also shown is her cobblestone bud vase which ranges in price from $21 to $40 dollars.

Gift Guide - Ceramics: Tonfisk Design

A porcelain tea set from Tonfisk Design. An oak "bracelet" provides insulation for both the hot liquid and your hand. I mostly love the oversized cork stopper. The teapot is $95 and a set of two cups is $55. Rare Device also caries the matching sugar/creamer set for $70.

Gift Guide - Ceramics: Perch!

Two handmade ceramic vases from Perch! The vase to the left is the "Let Me Take a Look at You Vase", and the vase to the right is the Basket Bowl. They are $26 and $48 respectively.

Gift Guide - Paper Goods: Port2Port Press

For a nice gift that keeps on giving throughout the year, consider Maria of Port2Port Press' Card Society. You can sign up for a one, three, six or twelve month subscription, and the recipient will receive two unique cards per month. Each card is a limited edition print, that will never be repeated. All cards are hand printed by Maria on a Pilot letterpress and have a blank interior. Subscriptions to the Card Society vary from $16 - $134.

Gift Guide - Paper Goods: Heiko Windisch

Thanks to Heiko Windisch, for pointing us towards his new postcard set. All postcards are signed by Heiko unless otherwise requested. Sets are available for $10.50.

Gift Guide - Paper Goods: Ichthyo-Series Notecards

We know this is shameless self-promotion, but Sub-Studio @ Etsy.com stocks the Ichthyo-Series of notecards. The cards are hand silkscreened on 100lb. cardstock and come individually packaged for $3.50 per card.

Gift Guide - Paper Goods: D-Bros

Again, my favorite D-Bros, with their playful Tale Tail note book. The center page has an illustration of a horse, which you can glimpse through semi-transparent writing pages. The place holder mimics a horses tail - cuteness.

Gift Guide - Paper Goods: Ordning & Reda

Ordning & Reda is the paper goods branch of Bodum. They have a huge selection of planners and diaries available for 2007. The journals are available in a range of colors and fabric or leather and are designed with the same simplicity as the Bodum glassware and kitchenware.

Gift Guide - Paper Goods: The Kenspeckle Letterpress

The Kenspeckle Letterpress makes a wide range of beautiful prints and notecards. Shown are the Dancing Loon (left) and the Two Chickadees (right).

Gift Guide - Paper Goods: Sesame Letterpress

Lovely coasters from Brooklyn-based Sesame Letterpress. Each coaster is hand-pressed on heavyweight, absorbent beverage board with a rubber-based ink that won't run. Available for $10 from Elsewares.

Gift Guide - Paper Goods: Nava Design

For any of your friends who keep journals, here is "one year of white pages" - a collection of moleskine-esque journals from Nava Design in Italy. There are twelve books in total, with 80 pages per journal. A hole is punched out of the edge for each month. $35 from Rare Device.

Gift Guide - Glassware: D-Bros

At $115 per pair, these are pretty pricey considering they are just drinking glasses, but they are so cute that I couldn't resist. "Live Together" glasses, designed by D-Bros.

Gift Guide - Glassware: Rikke Hagen

I don't drink cognac, but I like the hand-blown "Wobble" glass, designed by Rikke Hagen. It's like a top! The Moma store (who knows about cognac drinking better than I) says that "the glass was designed with bouquet, temperature, and volume in mind. The graceful wobble shape of the glass increases the pleasure, deep color, and movement of the liquid." And for a set of two for $50, that sounds good to me!

Gift Guide - Glassware: Tord Boontje and Emma Woffenden

The Transglass Bottle Collection is a beautiful assembly of jugs, tumblers, carafes and other vessels made of entirely recycled beer and wine bottles. Each piece is unique and comes in multiple colors, with either a polished or sandblasted finish. Designed by Tord Boontje and artist Emma Woffenden and produced by Artecnica, the vessels are handmade by artisans in Guatemala, and are available for $32 each.

Gift Guide - Glassware: Bodum

These Bodum double wall glasses are one of my favorite purchases from this year. Made from a heat-resistant glass, the double wall system allows you to pour both very hot and very cold liquids into the glass, while still holding it comfortably in your hand. Priced at $14.95 for two glasses, they are an inexpensive addition to your drinkware. The sake glasses are $24.95 for six, and while you're at it, you might as well get the teapot, too.

Gift Guide - Glassware: Riedel & Crate and Barrel

Riedel, the Austrian crystalware company, is the originator of the idea that different wines should have different glass shapes in order to emphasize the qualities of each wine variety. If you were so inclined, you could amass a wine glass quiver of some 30 different shapes.

However, these glasses would only be needed for those special occasions when the wine you are drinking is of a supremely high quality. And since we enjoy wine on a regular basis and simply cannot afford a $500 bottle, we enjoy the European method for wine glasses: use whatever is around and enjoy the wine, fool!



These stemless glasses from Crate and Barrel do just that. No pretense, just a simple shape and a heavy base. And at $2.00 each, they are quite a bargain.

Gift Guide 2006

The winter holiday season is upon us and finding well-designed gifts can be difficult in the sea of festive potpourri and teddy bears with mistletoe. We compiled a few of our favorites that are available for under $100, with a few splurges here and there for those who are extra special. We hope your loved ones enjoy not only the gifts, but the giving spirit as well. Check back often!

Peace and Love,
Sean and Anna

Studio Bility

We are out for Thanksgiving until Monday. For all you Americans - Happy Thanksgiving! For everyone not celebrating, give your friends and family a call and tell them why you love them!

In the meantime, we leave you with some lovely furniture pieces by Icelandic design duo Gudrun Gunnlaugsdottir and Jon Asgeir Hreinsson over at Studio Bility. I like the simple shapes of the furniture, with the layered interior graphics.



Via Kristina of Three Layer Cake on the Design*Sponge Guest Blog.

Lacoste Footwear

Lacoste is the clothier created by Rene Lacoste in 1933, and is known for its iconic polo shirts. In addition to their clothing line, their footwear is making great strides in bringing sport to fashion without becoming overly technical a la puma or oakley. The women's L33 (left) and the men's Boston (right), are two examples of a more refined take on sport fashion.

Culture Corporation

Thanks to Jeremy for sending us his "line drawing 0007" project. Exhibited earlier this year at the Danish Design Centre, "line drawing 0007" was envisioned as a technical drawing of a chair, bench and light in elevation. Created under the art collaborative Culture Corporation (Jeremy Walton, Claus Bjerre & Ditte Hammerstøm), the installation began as a series of hooks within which the three took turns using an orange string to "draw". Ultimately, the installation went from a drawing to a functional piece of furniture, with up to four people sitting on the bench (including a nursing mother). I don't know if I would have been so brave!

Parket Sonnet

The Sonnet, made by Parker, is a fountain pen that has all the old school detailing of a classic pen. The black lacquer finish has a deep shine to it and the weight of the pen feels great in hand.

Propaganda

Nice "Dish Up" dinnerware series from Thai design house Propaganda. A smart take on the food tray...Also, because of the flat edge, these plates can easily be stored vertically.

Via bltd.

Joel Peck

Joel Peck comes from a family of printmakers and is an amazing printmaker himself. His work's focus is a combination of collections and personal narratives. If you can see any of his prints in-person, the depth of the insects defies traditional intaglio techniques.

Caraibi Couch

This is a cool couch! Living in a tiny studio in NYC, most couches would crowd me out of my apartment in a second. I love that this Caraibi couch by Kappa (designed by Paolo Passerini) provides you with storage options - bookshelves, a roll-out arm rest for CD/book/liquor storage...Still too big for my apartment, but I like that it is multi-functional! Available at Europe By Net.

Via Design Milk.

Duncan Wilson and Sirkka Hammer

I'm almost afraid to post this, because apparently there is some controversy as to who the designer is for this project (Duncan Wilson or Sirkka Hammer). A google search didn't bring any clarification, but regardless, some beautiful wallpaper ideas. Above is the "Pixel Notes" wall, which won 2nd prize in the 2004 "New Walls, Please" competition. It is essentially a wall several layers deep of post it notes. Use one and peel it off to reveal another colored post-it below. Beautiful!

I also love their "cutout" wallpaper with a pattern of tabs for standard paper sizes. Mount whatever you want within the given framework, and do away with tacks, pins and tape!



Via Swissmiss & Neverhappened.

Kristin Laing

Beautiful etched sterling silver jewelry from Kristin Laing.

Vox Footwear

Vox Footwear is a relative newcomer to the skate shoe market, having started last spring. Almost all of the shoes have vulcanized outsoles for increased board feel, with the remainder having the low profile court outsoles. The Hewitt (left) and The Vato (right) are two from their current line. Check them out.

Cuff Links

Brooks Brothers started back in 1818 and has outfitted some of the most famous historical figures including Lincoln, FDR, Hoover and JFK. Synonimous with old-school American suiting, Brooks Brothers still keeps it fresh with items like the silk knot cuff links above. The Mother of Pearl Silk Knots (left) and Knots (right) are great for wearing french cuff shirts without appearing too like too much of a fancypants.

JVC HP-DX1000 Headphones

The JVC HP-DX1000 Headphones are no joke. The wood ear cups are not just for show, the natural properties of the wood grain absorb and resonate the sound waves and create the warm and rich sound that wood-housed speaker systems produce. They don't come cheap though, these cans will run you $1,000USD(!).

Sweet Thunder

Lovely necklaces from Chicago-based Sweet Thunder (Jenny Mangun & RJ Porter). Sweet Thunder's designs incorporate recycled, reconstructed and antique materials.

Glug Glug Glug

With the Mr. Suicide Bathtub Plug from Alessi, you can recreate your own 'you'll be swimmin wit da fishes' scenes in the privacy of your own bathtub.

Stella

Vases derived from paper bags, and cast concrete stepping stones with graphic perforations for moss and grass to grow through. Stella is a collaboration between Johnathan Hopp + Sarah Auslander.

Node 12050 Outlets

The NODE 12050 continuous plug outlet operates on the same principal as standard track lighting. The electrified strips make a continuous loop around the perimeter of the outlet and by inserting the plug into the outlet, the circuit is completed and your device receives power. Pretty neat and much nicer to look at than the standard duplex. Too bad they are only available in Japan.

Stormproof

When it comes to living in the Northeast, rain is always an issue. Waterproof jackets have come a long way since pvc coated fabrics. Waterproof and breathable laminates are the best choice for foul weather gear and they work great. Next time you visit an outdoor store, be sure to check out how complete the waterproofing is on any rain jacket. From taped and welded seams to little individual hoods for the zipper gates, you can be sure to stay dry walking around the city.

Above is the EMS Thunderhead II Jacket from EMS. I have always been a big fan of EMS gear, since I grew up in the Northeast and it was all over. Their gear is incredibly durable and the value cannot be beat. And while they do not command the premium of companies like Patagonia and The North Face, they actually build more usable details into their clothing and gear. Like the inside pocket on the Thunderhead Jacket for your ipod so you can control it from the outside pocket.

Sandra Haischberger

Gosh! I wish I spoke German, so that I could understand Sandra Haischberger's website. Her work is beautiful, though, and speaks for itself.

Orit Ivshin

I love the subtle way that Orit Ivshin works with a simple band. She allows the material to pucker and distort slightly, while still maintaining a simple form. Lovely!

Joji Okazaki

I love this chipboard bonzai tree! As someone with a black thumb, this tree would really build up my confidence...You can even 'prune' it by rearranging the branches and leaves. The Atomic Bonsai was designed for Tokion Magazine by Joji Okazaki and is available here.

Via Swissmiss.

Shahar Peleg

This is an interesting product - a magnetic vase by Israeli designer Shahar Peleg. You slip the aluminum base plate underneath a table cloth or runner, and the magnetized vase sits on top, appearing to balance very delicately on the table.

I also like his Domino Candlestick. Cute!

The Second Life of Buildings

Some buildings have two very distinct appearances, some do not. The Irwin National Bank, in Columbus, IN, is one such example of a building that has a striking second life. Although most people would not see the night side, I think it is a great thing to do. And I appreciate that the client was willing to pursue an inventive way to bring light down into the bank.

The bank was designed by Deborah Berke and Partners in NYC. The perpendicular light volume has a strange mix of Miesian geometries and Dutch weirdness. Either way, I think it's great.

Technical glitches

Thanks to Jeremy for notifying me of an IE bug. We are Firefox users and so were totally oblivious to the issue. Sorry to any IE users who have been getting the 'Stack over flow at line 54' error. It seems to be fixed, but please let me know if for some reason you continue to get that error. I also discovered that the right sidebar is pushed all the way to the bottom in IE, which is annoying. Grr...if anyone knows has a fix, let us know!

SANAA

This is a rendering of the new home for the New Museum of Contemporary Art by SANAA: Kazuyo Sejima + Ryue Nishizawa. The design reinterprets the traditional New York wedding cake building. The museum, which is sited on the Bowery in Manhattan is set to open in late 2007.

One Form Design

An expensive cat house (considering it is made of cardboard - $250) - the cat cocoon by One Form Design. It's a multi-functional cat house/scratching post. I wonder how long it holds together before the cat shreds it to pieces.

Stelton Lamps

Stelton is a Danish design studio founded in 1960. They produce very clean and modern housewares such as the Ship Lamp (left) and the Table Lamp (right). All of the Stelton objects are striking in their simplicity and thoughtfulness of form. The trait linking the entire Stelton line is the use of stainless steel in nearly all of their products, from moneyclips to coffee pots.

Jessica Lee

Jessica Lee makes jewelry from recycled pottery and beach glass. So pretty!

Norway Says

Nice plywood chair from Norway Says.

Honeycomb Tumbler

The Honeycomb Tumbler, designed by Carl Rotter in 1940, is mouth-blown and then hand-turned to grind the dimples into the glass to create the final honeycomb form. The optical effect of peering through the glass is mesmerizing and the time invested to hand-craft each glass makes these tumblers more than a joy to hold.

Individual Icons

LeeAnn Herreid of Individual Icons is a super cool jewelry designer who turns everyday household objects into functional pieces of jewelry. Poor sense of direction? Check out her compass bracelet or cufflinks. Want to know the temperature of the shady side of the street vs. the sunny side? Wear a pair of her thermometer earrings. Besides these functional pieces, she has done something I've always wanted to do - turned nuts, bolts and other construction materials into jewelry. Nice!

Phillip Toledano

An interesting series of photos from Phillip Toledano. He photographed friends playing video games.

Via NotCot.

Brown Banana

I love this! Gabriel Colaluca of Brown Banana creates jewelry from recycled products such as silverware, typewriters, watches, etc. His work beautifully re-imagines uses for every day objects. Brown Banana is aptly named - it refers to the fact that you can either throw the banana away, or you can use it to make something else - like banana bread!

Resin Lamp

Interesting lamp made from resin by a chemical company (!), Asahi Kasei.

Via MocoLoco.

Nike Elite Quilted Jacket

Dress for the cold. It's getting chilly here in NYC and girls are starting to break out the puffy jackets. But the bubbles are so unflattering. The Nike Elite Quilted Jacket is a great women's winter jacket with great use of material and a great silhouette as well.

Ceramics

New specialized ceramics are super-light, super-durable, and pretty expensive. Above are two examples of ceramics replacing other materials in product design (metal in this case). On the left is the Nixon Ceramic Player, Nixon's first ceramic watch. Ceramic replaces steel watch band and case and reduces the weight of the watch considerably.

On the right is one of the Kyocera Ceramic Cutlery Series. The ceramic blade replaces the traditional steel blade. Ceramic blades remain sharp for much longer than steel and are more resistant to damages to the blade edge.

Fisher Space Pen

This is the Fisher Space Pen, designed by Paul Fisher in 1965 with NASA astronauts in mind. It allows for writing in a weightless environment and in extreme temperatures due to a pressurized ink cartridge (and the ink never leaks!) - you can even use the pen underwater. Besides all that, it's the Seinfeld pen! Available online at Canoe.

Farm Designs

A cardboard lamp from Giles Miller of Farm Designs. I love the process (called fluting) he uses to bring out a design from within the cardboard. Fluting involves alternating the angle of the corrugation in a piece of cardboard to produce varied designs and patterns on its surface.

Via Inhabitat.

Not Exactly Vintage Swatches

Swatch, the iconic Swiss watch maker, has always produced well-designed watches. Although recently their designers have not really been up to their old standards. The three watches above are (left to right) 'Icy Area'-199?, 'Date Line'-2001, and 'Velocita'-1998.

Front Design

An interesting bench from Front Design. I'm not sure how this works, but the bench is made up of lots of pieces of wood and maintains your imprint for a while after you've sat.

Via Treehugger.

Michael Schall

I love Michael Schall's work. He re-imagines landscapes that are built or threaded together by infrastructure. From his artist statement: "I draw imagined landscapes where instruments of human industry attempt to somehow alter the surface of the earth...Drawn from little visual reference, each piece develops its own inherent logic, resulting in fantastic, yet recognizable, worlds of pipes, rocks, cables, scaffoldings and cliffs...". Michael was recently part of Dumbo's Art Under the Bridge festival.

Portable Fireplace

For all of you kids out there that have started garbage can fires in your room because you were cold/stupid/drunk/high: use this next time! A portable fireplace from PID.

Via Design Milk.