Harry and Sal's Design Blog: July 2007

HARRY: Inspired by Sal's giraffe I went off looking for my own piece of kid's art. I came across Tinypeople - a new site and online store that ships in Australia and to the US. They've got a tonne of great stuff but the art they've collected is some of the best I've seen. It's not cheap but it's the kind of stuff your child can take with them when they move out!

Labels: Art, Furniture, Harry, Kids

posted by cerentha harris at 7/30/2007 0 Comments

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SAL: Romp. Who can resist a site with a name like that? I love these these animal silhouettes which are made from hand-cut from vintage 60-70's wallpapers - what a novel idea for your kid's room? You can even add a wallpaper tree to complete the picture. Each design is unique and patterns are often limited, so you're not necessarily guaranteed that the pattern of your choice will be immediately available. Judging from some of the designs on the site though, whatever you choose will be worth the wait!

Labels: 711, Kids, Sal, Walls

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 7/30/2007 0 Comments

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HARRY I'm having a Missoni moment. There's something about those colours and patterns that is just pure joy to have around. I know these beach towels are expensive but if you're like us you'll have them for years so spending a bit now is well worth it. (They are also much cheaper than a Missoni dress!) I found these at Top 3, a very cool Sydney design store. But you can also get them at New York's auto.

Labels: BedBath, Harry, Textiles

posted by cerentha harris at 7/30/2007 0 Comments

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SAL: If you're looking for a bowl that offers something slightly different, you may want to check out the range of bowls from newcomer BoConcept. BoConcept has just recently opened up their Westside showroom, right next to Design Within Reach in Santa Monica and the good news is their prices are a lot more reasonable. Combining good design with affordability and endless options for customization, they are really bringing something new to the world of high-concept design. Their range of design services will help you get an idea of how a specific piece will look in your room before you buy, as well as customize it to have the armrest, leg design or front you're looking for. Pretty nifty.

Labels: Floral, Furniture, Ornaments, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 7/29/2007 1 Comments

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HARRY: I came across this wastepaper basket (Eco) while flicking through the pages of Belle, an Australian design and architecture magazine (Treehugger also covered it ). It's designed by 366cm, a Swedish design compnay known for it's cutting-edge environmentally-friendly products. I really like that Eco is handmade and uses the material it will hold. Turns out 366cm has a lot of cool stuff. And their own online shop. The site is beautifully designed but as far as I can tell it's all in French. If anyone can figure out how to switch it to English please let me know! (I'd like to point to Belle, it is such a beautifully designed magazine, but they don't have a website.)

Labels: Furniture, Green, Harry

posted by cerentha harris at 7/28/2007 2 Comments

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SAL: Some things are just beautiful because of their elegant simplicity and this is one example. I cannot imagine the thought-process that goes through your head when you sit down one day and think - I know, I'll create a wooden orb that plays a tune when you turn a key! I don't know what spurs such ingenuity, but I'm jolly grateful for it! So take a moment to enjoy this little gem from Moma and listen to the sweet sounds of Mozart's "Voi Che Sapete," from The Marriage of Figaro. Note to self: second spherically-inclined posting - cause for concern?

Labels: Ornaments, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 7/27/2007 0 Comments

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HARRY: My husband and I just went tie shopping (don't ask, boring story) and let me tell you there aren't great ties out there. I wish I'd gone to etsy first. Designer Bethany Shorb takes waterbased inks and silk or microfiber and designs these cool ties. I wish she'd do some stuff for me (although I am tempted by the metallic gold poppy ties...very Annie Hall).

Labels: Harry, Style

posted by cerentha harris at 7/27/2007 1 Comments

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HARRY: I don't expect to find cool stuff at Neiman Marcus but I really like this picnic set. The cups and plates look like Missoni might have a hand in the design. And the backpack has a detachable wine holder - what's not to love. For more picnic basket choices check out Target...they've got a huge range. I also like the idea of taking a stripy canvas bag from QuelObjet and packing it with your own picnic essentials. With the weather warming up in Sydney and already lovely and sunny in Los Angeles I think a picnic is perfect in either hemisphere.

Labels: Dining, Harry, Outdoor

posted by cerentha harris at 7/26/2007 0 Comments

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SAL: So to begin with I was obsessing over the Shado lamp, now my friends I'm taking it to a new level. The Moonstruck lamp designed by Austrian firm feinedinge* is exquisitely made. The design on each lamp is different, with each porcelain sphere being individually handcrafted so it is unique. You can use a clear bulb for the full effect or opaque to soften the impact. They also have some beautiful vases well worth taking a look at. Feinedinge's wonderful work is available in the US through Peek Keep who specialize in Scandanavian design as well as Echo Interiors in the UK. Thanks to the funky folks at ShinyShiny for this treat.

Labels: 711, Ceramics, Lighting, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 7/25/2007 1 Comments

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HARRY: The mix of luxury and function is what turns this teapot into something so very covetable. Chic Italian architect and designer Paola Navone has taken a classic Victorian design and updated it by dipping the piece in high-grade platinum. Lush. The Gingerbread collection she designed for Lando is also extraordinary. Those shelves are just too cool. Her stuff is available in the States and Australia. Also check out the Oprah story on Navone. She does an amazing open house each year at her home in Milan. I want to go to that party! And Treehugger has done a great bit on her rattan pieces. For a look at her most recent work - the Gray collection for Gervasoni - check out Stylepark's site. It launched in Milan this year.

Labels: Ceramics, Dining, Furniture, Kitchen

posted by cerentha harris at 7/25/2007 0 Comments

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SAL: Continuing on the theme of table accessories, there are some novel approaches beyond conventional napkins, placemats and tablecloths. A favorite local store of Harry and mine here in Venice, that also has a great online presence is the Japanese boutique Tortoise. They have a collection of Japanese hand dyed cloths called Tenugui that can be used for a multitude of purposes. In times past they served as everything from a bandage, to towel to handkerchief. You could use them for napkins, or just use the fabric for accent color in your home as these are really beautiful designs.

Labels: 711, Dining, Japanese, Kitchen, Sal, Textiles

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 7/24/2007 0 Comments

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HARRY: I'm clearly obsessed with communication at the moment. Distance from dear friends will do that to you. I love this post box by New Zealand designer Catherine David (perfect for those Mrs John L Strong missives). It meets quite a few of our favourite criteria - practical, pretty and a little cheeky. At $580 (NZ dollars) it's not exactly cheap but every now and then it's nice to splurge. Also check out her cool shower curtains (love the bamboo one).

Labels: Harry, Outdoor

posted by cerentha harris at 7/23/2007 0 Comments

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HARRY: I'm back online. First, thanks to Sal for keeping the blog running while I was jetting back to Sydney (love the Dwell stuff). I'm writing this in an absolute jet lag haze. 14 hours on the plane with two young kids is not at all fun. But we're back in Sydney now and I'm going to spend the next few weeks immersing myself in the design scene here. It's going to be fun reporting on my finds. In the meantime I came across this classic Mrs John L. Strong stationery on the Barneys site. They've just released it in this rich blue. Love the idea of having cards for different cities. Although after that last plane trip I'm not flying anywhere for a while!

Labels: Harry, Stationery

posted by cerentha harris at 7/22/2007 0 Comments

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SAL: Are your table linens looking a little sad and in need of a refresher? Mine certainly are, my flea market finds and Cath Kidston splurges are starting to look a little tired. I've been thinking about the Dwell Table collection and was pleased to find the entire range available at Design Public. I do like the muted colors, but at the same time I hope to see new designs coming out with a bit more color and vibrancy. That neutral palette is very in right now, but I like a bit more color. On a related note I'm not quite sure what is up with Kidston, her Brentwood store has closed down and the US site is under construction. You can still check out her very pretty designs however on the UK site.

Labels: 711, Sal, Textiles

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 7/21/2007 0 Comments

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SAL: Trolling though Pottery Barn's latest collections today I found some novel ideas for helping keep your tech gear in order. I don't know about you, but all the cords and chargers and whatnot from my various IPods, cameras and cell phones drive me crazy. Check out the Smart Technology range, I especially liked the wall mount shelf, the pinboard and the desk hutch featured above.

Labels: Furniture, Sal, Tech

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 7/20/2007 0 Comments

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SAL: Today is a sad day dear reader, for tomorrow is the day our dear friend Harry flies back to Oz to rejoin her family and friends and the life she once led there. A happy day for Harry, but a sad one for those of us in LA who will miss her enormously. Sigh. However, fear not. Harry and Sal will continue, only now with a renewed international flava. Are you feelin' it? So much like myself, our Harry loves her music, so in that vein I thought I'd recommend these IPod sleeves available at the SFMOMA online store so she can travel and groove in style.

Labels: Sal, Tech

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 7/19/2007 0 Comments

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SAL: Whole Foods supermarket in Union Sq launched a product today that came with a celebrity-enthused hype not seen since, well, since a couple of weeks ago really and the launch of the IPhone. OK, perhaps I exaggerate, but the fact remains that there has been a lot of buzz about the "I'm Not a Plastic Bag" bag. Whole Food's noble effort/green marketing gimick is designed by accessories designer Anya Hindmarch in collaboration with the We Are What We Do organization. It is a cool bag, and I'd certainly fork over the $15 to make a statement and save a plastic bag or two from the landfill. However, it looks like I'll have to wait for the LA debut, it's only available at select Northeast stores, oh and Ebay.

Update 7/22: Looks like plastic bags as we know it may be on their way out. SF is considering banning their use in supermarkets.

Labels: Bags, Green, Sal, Style

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 7/18/2007 0 Comments

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HARRY: I've long been a fan of treehugger.com. Their design and architecture coverage is excellent. I stumbled across this cool chair on their site today. It looks so soft and inviting. The Danish designers at Komplot used industrial felt made mainly from recycled plastic bottles. Another cool blog, Dezeen, has written a lot about this chair and has some great pics. And another green note - the NYT's finally stumbled on Anya Hindmarch's cooler than cool cotton bag (Sal has also covered it in the post above). It took Whole Foods selling them for the NYT's to pay attention. We hate to gloat but we blogged it in May and back then I felt like we were a little late!

Labels: Bags, Furniture, Harry, Seating

posted by cerentha harris at 7/18/2007 0 Comments

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HARRY: Today the contents of our house is being wrapped and boxed and packed into a container (they are still deciding if it's 20 or 40 foot) and loaded onto a ship. It will arrive in Sydney sometime in September. So I am just a little distracted! I did want to post this great ceramic artist before we packed up the modem. An email from Scott Rench arrived a while back and both Sal and I loved his work. It's smart and beautiful. I especially love the limited edition mugs (or cups as you call them in the U.S). His day job is in advertising, which he fell into when he realised he knew more about design than a lot of the design majors at university. He makes stuff specifically to sell on his online store but he also does custom work. The cups for $12 seem like a good way to buy an original piece!

Labels: Art, Ceramics, Dining

posted by cerentha harris at 7/17/2007 0 Comments

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SAL: I'm a little obsessed with the Sha-do lamps. The wall and ceiling lamps create a combination of projection and illumination that make for some stunning images. I'm not sure how this would work in my own home, it looks like you don't really get enough light to see by, and it's too much to sleep by, but I have visions of just sitting quietly with a glass of full-bodied red on a hot sultry night, with a fan gently humming, the even glow of the Shado lamp and Miles Davis playing softly in the background. Groovy. The lamps are designed by Peter Buning in Germany and you can adjust the size and direction of the shadow cast. Thanks DesignSpotter!

Labels: Lighting, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 7/16/2007 1 Comments

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HARRY: It's wrong, I know, to love a dining chair. But I do love my Eames DCM. Sal posted her new tag (711) for their house renovation - we will also be renovating our place in Sydney. We're working with great architects and can't wait to get started. And, although it wont begin til next year (2008) we've still managed to start shopping for a house that only appears on paper. I'll tag my stuff 94 (our house number) so you'll have an idea of what we're collecting. When we moved to LA two years ago we bought these DCM chairs for the new house in Sydney. Hilarious. But we needed an excuse to spend that much money. They were worth every penny. They are so comfortable and they look like a piece of sculpture. What more could you ask for from a chair? Best of all Herman Miller is releasing them in new colours this fall - imagine the chair in purple?

Labels: 94, Dining, Furniture, Kitchen, Seating

posted by cerentha harris at 7/16/2007 1 Comments

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SAL: Anthropologie continues to expand their homewares collection with some gorgeous accessories for the home. This Sundrop Lamp I totally fell in love with - I'm going to add it to my list of things to remember for my new home. A new tag we're introducing will identify those items we're buying for our own homes so you can see that we do indeed put our money where are mouths are! 711 will link you to all good things that I'm looking to outfit the house I've just started to design with our architects from LA-based firm Assembledge. Stay tuned for more on that.

Labels: 711, Floral, Lighting, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 7/15/2007 0 Comments

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HARRY: Wallpaper* magazine has just posted its list of 101 new architects. Not quite sure how they get away with defining some of the guys on the list as 'new'... Sydney architect Ian Moore has been around for a good long time. But that's beside the point. What you get is an amazing collection - with pics and links - of some very interesting architects. Check out Japan's Takeshi Hosaka for some pure modern eye candy (including the 'Acrylic House' above) . Think of it as an update to The Phaidon Atlas of Contemporary World Architecture.

Labels: Architecture, Harry

posted by cerentha harris at 7/15/2007 0 Comments

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SAL: I've been looking around for a laptop bag of late, I upgraded to a 17" Mac and my old laptop sleeve, cute as it is, just wasn't cutting it. Target has some really cute designs and Etsy has some adorable prints for something different and eclectic, but it was this Angela Adams number at Design Public that really caught my eye. I actually ended up getting the tote as opposed to the formal laptop bag - just to have something a bit more flexible. For more ideas check out Oh Joy's recent post on laptop bags - there are some great ideas from her readers!

Labels: Bags, Floral, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 7/14/2007 0 Comments

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HARRY: My two favourite streets in Los Angeles for walking, eating and shopping are Abbot Kinney in Venice and Third Street in West Hollywood (the blocks between La Cienega and Fairfax). One of my all time faves on Third is Zipper. The owners, Steve Saden and Elizabeth Cashour, describe it as a modernist general store and, in 1993, they were one of the first to open on Third. I love their eclectic design eye (and the bowl of chocolate covered sunflower seeds by the cash register). This delicate spun metal nest and porcelain egg is just lovely. A little sculpture for your bookshelves. And at $30 it's not going to break the bank. Best spot to eat? Try the recently opened and very French Little Next Door ... delicious baguettes and excellent coffee (the wild mushroom Eggs Benedict is also amazing). Enjoy!

Labels: Ceramics, Dining, Eats, Furniture, Textiles

posted by cerentha harris at 7/14/2007 0 Comments

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SAL: My sister-in-law Nobu put me on to the work of Kae Higuchi. A recent exhibition of her paintings was held at the Nishimura Gallery in Tokyo, Tokyo Art Beat described her work as striving "to convey moments in time when one recalls certain memories and their ephemerality." I enjoy Yoshitomo Nara, and Higuchi has a similar feel, although not as intense as Nara, as Nobu says - the expression on the children in these paintings is quite blank and somewhat spookier as a result. I'm not sure if Higuchi is exhibiting in the US, but I look forward to when she does. Related note - Unica Home has a whole host of Nara-ware through a company called Cereal Art. Cereal Arts mission is to bring art to the masses through three-dimensional limited edition designs. Worth checking out.

Labels: Art, Japanese, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 7/13/2007 0 Comments

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HARRY: Another great non-plastic bag. I came across this linen one, from Swedish designer Lotta Jansdotter, on Greener Grass Design. The simple leaf design reminds me of those beautiful round-leaf eucalyptus trees (does anyone know the name of these gems?) Jansdotter has repeated the same pattern on a runner, place mats, napkins, coasters and porcelain plates. She's also designed some lovely stationery. Check out the journals with their sweet pale green sprouts.

Labels: Art, Bags, Dining, Stationery, Style

posted by cerentha harris at 7/13/2007 2 Comments

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SAL: When I saw this t-shirt on A+R I thought it was just cool, then I noticed that they were giving away $2 for every shirt purchased to Medecins Sans Frontieres and I realized it was so much more than that. Designed by Marten Lindquist, you can also find the design on a limited edition poster. A clever and somewhat subversive take on something we're all familiar with - the gas gauge - sweet. Take a look through their War and Pieces collection for some more good-statement making gear.

Labels: Art, Style

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 7/12/2007 0 Comments

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HARRY: Going green seems to be on everyone's mind right now. There was an interesting story by Anne Raver in the NYT's on a bamboo grower in Washington who has figured out a way to grow bamboo from test tubes. Supposedly this tenacious plant is in short supply because it's hard to propagate. Environmentalists are dubbing bamboo the new "it" plant because (once you get it going) it thrives without pesticides, grows quickly, pumps oxygen back into the atmosphere and its porous fibers make a cloth as soft as silk. Plus there's a whole wonderful range of homewares that are crafted from this versatile wood. West Elm has a bunch of bamboo products including bamboo/cotton sheets. I also found Bambu - naf name, but a great site. They sell through places like Sur la Table and have just opened their own online store. Go on, go green with style.

Labels: Dining, Kitchen

posted by cerentha harris at 7/11/2007 0 Comments

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SAL: A good bed is hard to find, especially one that speaks to the modern aesthetic whilst still being everything you really want a bed to be - mainly soft and cosy. So many modern designs seem very angular to me and lets face it - have very sharp corners! Enter the Dodu bed from BlueDot (thanks Harry!). It is made with felt of all things - so there will be no more tears after the kids come flying onto the bed with a glorious whoop! Available in aqua blue, wheat or charcoal.

Labels: Furniture

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 7/11/2007 0 Comments

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HARRY: I much prefer a bath to a shower. Our bath in LA is tiny and shallow and pretty unsatisfying on every level. So I need a bit of distraction when I'm in it. I've tried bath products lovely sponges and expensive candles. But I think this plug is the thing. It's new at Urban Outfitters. The boat is made of vinyl and it floats around as you soak. The kids are going to love it too.

Labels: BedBath, Kids

posted by cerentha harris at 7/11/2007 0 Comments

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