DESIGNER
I am totally in love with everything Light + Ladder. This tiered ceramic hanging planter is so perfect with it’s nude leather strap and gold fasteners! And everything else on their site, including these fabulous wall hooks, is amazing and so well designed. Farrah Sit has a refined eye and selects the best of local (to Brooklyn, New York) artisan’s and her own work to populate the shop. I highly recommend a visit.
The simple little Bud Vase is one of my favorite pieces from Heath Ceramics. Heath was founded in 1948 and still is produced in their factory in Sausalito, California. The products they produce are classic examples of solid mid century Californian design. Every piece is thoughtful and functional and lovely, like this little vase. I think these bud vases have a wonderful handmade quality with that great fired ceramic texture and a perfectly balanced weight. They come in a variety of seasonally updated, and classic standard, colors. And make great small gifts (wink). Heath Ceramics are available on the web or, if you find yourself in San Fransisco, stop by their Ferry Building shop (they also have SF, Sausalito and LA showrooms).
The Stockholm Furniture + Light Fair was amazing. I feel like I learned so much about the who the major Scandinavian vendors are and all about their lines and where they see design moving. More about that later this week.
Right now, though, I want to show you one of my most favorite pieces from the fair. The Offecct Oyster Wood Low designed by Michael Sodeau. I discovered this beauty near the end of my second day at the fair, so I was pretty tired when I plunked down to send yet another Instagram photo. This chair definitely has visual appeal, elegant and not too heavy, but the shape is also so perfectly suited for lounging. The seat dips back enough to be cozy but still offers enough leverage to get back up again. The arms fan out just enough to give you a personal bubble to relax and yet the foot print of the chair is quite small. It’s like that magical feeling where it’s larger on the inside than the outside. And I love all the little custom details, like the six different seam stitch designs in 12 different colors and all of the options for fabrics and leather. The legs are a solid white pigmented oak but has an option for a chrome swivel and foot stool and/or a high back. The wonderfully small but large Oyser would fit perfectly in a large lobby but also the corner of an office or the corner of my living room.
To see a bit more of the show, check out my sneak peek from last week or my Instagram and Twitter feed.
The Aalto Stool 60 isn’t a new piece, it was originally released in 1933 for Artek. However, the graphic simplicity of this design icon is still relevant today. The three legged stool was Finnish architect and designer, Alvar Aalto’s first use of the L-leg. Steam is used to bend the solid birch leg, eliminating the need for visually intrusive joinery to connect the top. This technique was later employed by American modernist designers, Charles & Ray Eames. The Aalto Stool 60 works great as extra seating but is just as stunning as a small side table beside the couch or bed. Or, if your lucky enough to have an excess of these classics, they look great stacked.
You can find Aalto Stool 60 on Artek and for purchase through Svenssons i Lammhult and in the States through Hive.
This weekend was quite an exciting one for me. I found the last unsold issue of the impossible to find US mag Dwell at our train station’s magazine shop!! I know. I was beyond excited, too. My last issue is from this summer when I had our cousin tote it from California for me. Needless to say, I spent a good chuck of the rest of the weekend on the couch reading.
I was happy to see that one of my favorite furniture design companies, Blu Dot, was featured for inexpensive chair design. The faceted Real Good Chair comes in at just $149 and has a name Ron Swanson would approve. It’s made of durable powder coated steel and is flat packed for cheaper + more environmental shipping. Which means it’s also semi-DIY! It even has a cardboard angle guide so all those facets come out perfect. The Real Good Chair has two companion sizes (bar and counter height stools) and comes in 7 colors + copper, guaranteed to beautifully patina with use.