Kitchen Wishes

I've been busy putting together my son's teacher's wish list for his second grade classroom. And that got my thinking, hmmmm, the holidays aren't too far away. How about a wish list for my home? So I will leave it at this for now: my list of 3. A few things to change the look of my home. First lets hit the kitchen. It doesn't take too much to give it a little face lift.

My kitchen has some open shelves so how about some gorgeous glassware from my favorite, Iittala. These are designed by Aleksi Perala for iittala, the ote/grip is this century’s design glass for multi-functional everyday use. Offered in the minimum amount of sizes, and in shapes that fit perfectly in the hand, the ote can serve every glass function. This is such a beautiful picture of all the colors, but for me, I'd go with the clear. That way I can judge the color of my cranberry lime and vodka ;-). http://www.unicahome.com


How about these Jonathon Adler tea towels. Darjeeling, English Breakfast, and Earl Grey $12 each. They come in 3 color combos, I think the names are very fun. Definitely mix and match a few.
http://www.jonathanadler.com

Then a kettle for the stove. Our kettle top actually broke almost a year ago and I haven't replaced it. So why not give it a little upgrade with the Bodum Osirus 2-liter water kettle $69.95. Nicey nice!
www.bodumusa.com

Be square

Who would've thought--how about a bamboo sink. This moso bamboo sink 19 x 14" looks so very serene, in balance and best of all 100% organic. This design happens to be on sale for $289.95 from $599.95 at Modern Danish. Has me wondering whether to do this in our bathroom while it's still on sale!


And, in case you're not the square type they're also created in a beautiful handsome round bowl style. According to Totally Bamboo and Modern Danish, the sinks are guaranteed for 10 years. Not to shabby for a wood sink. After that time, you'd have to have it refinished with polyurethane waterproof seal again. It's 17" in diameter and 6" deep. This beauty is $499.99 at Totally Bamboo.

Start with a Vidalia Onion

I've been following Jonathan Adler since he first began his "Vidalia" vases that resembled shapes like my own ceramic work. Mine were somewhere between a snowman and a Mrs. Butterworth's vase. Anyway here are a few images taken from his website that I find inspiring.

Such a whimiscal one-of-a-kind tile design. Makes me smile.


I love looking at the crystal ship chandelier is such a great surprise. I also like the eclectic moroccan side table. Things I would not have thought to put together.

Don't you just want to roll all over this bed? And I love that orange lightin the corner. Put an email out to Jonathan's Design Group to find out where to get one of them. Can't seem to find that color on his website but the undulating shape is very appealing to me.


It's all about the knight on the side and the cascading ceiling fixture.



Now I'm ready to have a tete a tete with a dear friend and a glass of my favorite wine (it's the chocolate overtones that make it delish). Or so I wish...this is at the Parker Hotel in Palm Springs...

Two for One

Sorry for the hiatus, but I'm back on track again. This is the prototype Silla-Guarda Inside-Out Collection designed in Mexico City by Alberto Villarreal. Two chairs in one. The first chair is made of Corian, the second, or inner core, of Red Wood. Just think, you can have your everyday chairs and then have people over and double the seat power. Beautiful design and sooo elegant and graceful for those short in space!

More From BKLYN Designs

Here are a few more favs from the St. Ann's Warehouse show. The work was pretty inspiring to me. So glad to have to much talent in Brooklyn.

This was one of my "ooooo, nice" reactions to the Loop End Table by Carla Franciose. She's a Pratt student we'll have to keep an eye out for her. It's sooo, nice.



This melting chandelier was gorgeous. By Studio Vetro.



The Axonometric 2 Table was an exploration of an axonometric drawing of a cube. Made of 4 x 4 cedar wood it was a stunning combination of function and sculpture.




Didn't get the name of who made this, but I liked the sustainability idea.



These pieces are part of the Array Series by Jason Pfaeffle, another Pratt student. He uses a single cast component combined with wooden dowels to create this series.



This first piece is from young designers Levent & Romme. It's a cool weavescreen.

Not your Mama's wallpaper

Another great find at BKLYNDesigns was Flavor Paper formerly of New Orleans, but soon moving to Brooklyn! (in the beloved neighborhood of Cobble Hill.) The hand screened printing process will be on street level and serve as a public art display. They'll have a showroom upstairs. Think I'll have to check it all out. The designs and colors are very beautiful and yet they incorporate a great sense of humor. Look carefully and you'll see what I mean. This one's called Flower Pedal-ha.

Here's a detail in another color combination, called smores. Love it.


Design: Fruits of Design, Color: Sweet Potato



Design: Elysian Fields, Color: Antique Pink



This one's genius. Perfect for a Manhattan apartment!
Design: City Park, Color: Licorice



Design: Valencia, Color: Conch


Design: Power Plant, Color: Southweezy / Electric Company




Figure out which are your favorites. www.flavorleague.com

Uhuru (pronounced oo-HOO-oo)

I spotted these tables and chairs at the BKLYNDesigns show in May. Really loved their simplicity. They're made by the sustainable furniture design company, Uhuru. Located in Red Hook, Brooklyn they focus on using local materials for produce their work from old buildings being taken down in NYC. The results are beautiful and satisfying to the soul.

Summer inspiration

These lovelies are from LBK Studios. The designs are thought provoking and inspired. If you're looking for pieces to spice up your table or home, there's is a wonderful balance between grace and function. These twisted tumblers are scrumptious, bright lollipop colors. They're about 3" high and there are also pitchers with the same twists! Got me thinking about iced tea lemonade combos. I think Martha Stewart must've been thinking the same thing (they're featured in her May issue). Am I inferring that she and I think along the same lines? Hmm, yeah, okay.

I love these vases too--they can fit the perfect occasion by writing your own message or by creating your design for the day. It's an ideal DIY look without too much of the doing yourself part!


Now these Genie vases are really cool. Almost looks like they'd float up in the air like a balloon. You can find all of these inspirations at LBK Studios website. Very reasonable too. http://www.lbkstudio.com/lbk/home.html

A great twist on antiques

The Chair Couture is great this season. Love, love, love these antique french chairs re-done with modern flair. Great pieces to perk up any room and give it that "je ne sais quoi". Especially the french rococo style settee. Or the white fluffy sette. I'm thinking that would go nicely in the bedroom. J'adore. chaircouture.com

Whose line is it?

We're talking pictoral calligraphy.
I've always enjoyed it. I just never knew it had a name.



Taken from the nearly lost art of ornate pictorial calligraphy, or “flourishing”, Thomas Paul makes these dinner plates 11' diam (set of four $36) and coasters 4 1/2" diam. (set of four $14) http://www.velocityartanddesign.com



Okay even this rug's got modern geometry meeting organic shapes. It looks a bit like ornate challigraphy to me! Pretty nice in it's subtlety. Guess where it's from? Hint: one of my favorite stores. Target (pronounced tar-shjay). Zurich Rug - Twilight (10'9"x13'2") $1,139.99 Perhaps this "Lost Art" is not so lost anymore.