Harry and Sal's Design Blog

SAL: I have a sad admission to make. Since we got married my husband and I have been sleeping on the floor, on a mattress given to us by his best friend. It has been comfy enough but you get to a stage in your married life when an investment in a decent mattress, just, I don't know, seems like a good idea. So tonight we're sleeping on our new Tempurpedic. Very exciting. I gave it a quick test earlier and it feels weird I have to be honest with you, but I'm optimistic. Now we just need to get the bed. I'm really liking the LAX Wall Mounted Headboard and Platform Bed from MASH Studios - nice. One thing at a time though. Let's not get too crazy ;-)

Labels: 711, BedBath, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 2/05/2008 0 Comments

Post to Facebook Digg It Add to Delicious

SAL: If you do manage to get away from primary colors for your child's nursery, I sadly (or happily I can't quite make up my mind) did not - then enjoy this wonderful tree made with vintage wallpapers for your wee ones decor. These come courtesy of Enfant Terrible - an online store with a wealth of whimsy and interesting playthings and yumminess for the smallest members of your family. Speaking of nursery decor, the final product of my reinvention of Oliver and Lola's room you can see below. I shamelessly raided Ikea for inspiration - but you know what? It works, it's fun and it was totally reasonable!

Labels: 711, Kids, Sal, Walls

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 2/01/2008 0 Comments

Post to Facebook Digg It Add to Delicious

SAL: If you're in LA this week and you're interested in architecture, I strongly suggest you take advantage and go on a tour of the Ray Kappe designed Wired Home, currently on the market for a cool $4 million. It's open to the public until Sunday - you can buy tickets online at Wired's website.

Some of you may already be familiar with Kappe through his work with the Living Homes prefab folks. I like his style - modernism with warmth. In this house, fly ash concrete floors combined with cedar ceilings, bring a rich inviting feel, despite being very contemporary.

Wired mag have done a great job of the website, you can browse by category or room, and find out where to buy many of the products from the home. The kid's bedroom (below) I loved. Great wallpaper - although of course I can't find that listed!!

Labels: 711, Architecture, Green, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 11/13/2007 0 Comments

Post to Facebook Digg It Add to Delicious

SAL: I love wallpaper and I love to do what I can to be responsible about the resources I use. It hasn't always been the case, but now, I reuse and recycle where I can, I think about what goes in the trash and I think about the origins of what I buy. So I was pleased to see when reading one of my favorite blogs Jetson Green, that wallpaper company Graham & Brown now pride themselves, not only in making fabulous wallpaper, but also in making about 50% of their product from renewable resources - all their papers carry the FSC (Forestry Stewardship Council) logo to show that the paper comes from sustainably managed forests. Graham & Brown have a detailed Environmental Policy that you can download from their website which details more of their efforts, such as using recycled rainwater, special drainage systems to reduce runoff, and use non-acidic inks and coatings, which are more eco-friendly than conventional methods.

Labels: 711, Green, Sal, Walls

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 11/06/2007 0 Comments

Post to Facebook Digg It Add to Delicious

SAL: Here's a treat for all of you fans of Japanese modern design. Designshop specializes in simple, modern homewares made by contemporary Japanese designers. They have some beautiful furniture, timepieces and ironware. The Designshop though is only one store available at JPStores who offer a whole range of Japanese products, from toys to food, from fashion to tradtional gifts. Ah Nirvana! Now I just gotta get me one of those Unicharm Superior Masks and I'll be all set - "No disadvantages: Talk freely, breathe easily, protect yourself!" Sweet.

Labels: 711, Japanese, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 11/01/2007 0 Comments

Post to Facebook Digg It Add to Delicious

SAL: Inspired by Harry's recent post on buying art for your spouse - yes I can't get it out of my head! I was inspired to write about a local gallery here. I drive past the Applegate Gallery in Santa Monica almost every day and they always have really interesting work to see. Right now they have a great exhibition on Mexican pulp art featuring top novella artists from the 1950s and 1960s, together with gallery artists Mattia Biagi and Robert Palacios. Check out some of their other artists below, I particularly like Mark Hobley and Anne Faith Nicholls.

Labels: 711, Art, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 10/30/2007 0 Comments

Post to Facebook Digg It Add to Delicious

SAL: You may remember the excitement over Blue Art Studio's Alphabet of Design Classics poster (see below) - a must-have for precocious nurturing of our dear offspring's nascent design sensibilities. Well, now you will be pleased to know that Blue Art have released a new poster series featuring icons of Mid Century Modern furniture. Really very very beautiful work. The posters feature the work of famous designers like Prouve, The Eames', Saarinen, Bertoia, Nelson, Panton and come in a range of brilliant colors. They are extremely reasonable as well, at $35 for the first one and $30 for anything after that. Via Materialicio.us

Labels: 711, Art, Gifts, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 10/26/2007 0 Comments

Post to Facebook Digg It Add to Delicious

SAL: Love love love those lights from Harry! Here are a couple more random goodies I wanted to point out from my recent tour of the Project 710 house. First is the flueless fireplace from Ecosmart. Ecosmart were also the supplier of the fireplace in the Ray Kappe Living Home house too, their fireplaces burn Ethanol - which is a renewable fuel that also burns clean. The fact that it is open on both sides is a real bonus, allowing it to work beautifully as a room divider - elegant enough to stand on its own as a piece of furniture. On a fun note - check out the green to do list (below) that was posted in the kitchen, I have to say I'm a HUGE fan of kitchen chalkboards. I've emailed them to find out where they got this particular one, but if you're in a rush, Pottery Barn has some chalkboard tiles that are a good size and are also magnetic.

Labels: 711, Fireplace, Heating, Sal, Stickybeak

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 10/24/2007 0 Comments

Post to Facebook Digg It Add to Delicious

SAL: Speaking of Living Homes, and Ray Kappe, I toured this prefab Platinum-certified LEED house a few months ago. The first Living Home, unbelievably it was installed in just eight hours. It's located in Venice, CA not far from my home and my future home. If you're interested in prefab, Living Homes is definitely a good place to start - but even if you are just interested in green architecture you should check out Steve Glenn's online tour that goes through his house room by room, with entertaining and informative commentary. The tour provides a great source of ideas and resources for all parts of the house - from low VOC paint to energy-efficient LED lights.

Labels: 711, Architecture, Green, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 10/11/2007 0 Comments

Post to Facebook Digg It Add to Delicious

SAL: The answer to Harry's question is of course, yes, yes and yes. I've never been to Thailand and that place looks unbelievable! In the meantime, I'm planning a trip to London in the next week or so so should have some interesting finds to ping you all from there. To business, I recently discovered BBDW while reading one of the blogs on the HGTV website and I am smitten. If I could have a house entirely populated with this exquisite hand-made heirloom quality furniture I would. Check out the Captain's mirror above, a handsomely austere instant-classic. They also have lamps, rugs, tables, seating, beds and clocks. Sublime.

Labels: 711, Furniture

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 10/08/2007 0 Comments

Post to Facebook Digg It Add to Delicious

SAL: Before I continue on my outdoor theme, a brief disclaimer. I know most of you are heading into Winter - so, you may wonder, why do an outdoor theme now? Well in my house anyway, Fall is a time for sorting and storing, packing things away and generally having a bit of a clear out and the garden is no exception. So what better a time to review your outdoor options? Also here in sunny SoCal and in Harry's neck of the woods Down Under, the sun still shines, and I for one am making the most of it! With that being said, check out the Fatboy Headdemock. You can hang it from a tree or use the support frame and place it anywhere, perfect for a snuggle with the little ones, a blanket and some cocoa on these crisp Fall evenings.

Labels: 711, Furniture, Outdoor

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 10/04/2007 0 Comments

Post to Facebook Digg It Add to Delicious

SAL: OK people, I mean seriously. Isn't this the most fabulous thing you ever saw? I think I may be developing a pendant light fetish - but let me explain. You can do everything with a room, spend the earth, but if you neglect the lighting you are doomed. The right lighting transforms an ordinary room to an eye-popping statement. Speaking of which, I had to share with you the PXL lamp from lighting company Zero in Sweden. Stunning. Check out the camouflage pendant also, a white globe with molecule like clusters and holes spreading globby light throughout your home. Very cool.

Labels: 711, Lighting, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 9/29/2007 0 Comments

Post to Facebook Digg It Add to Delicious

SAL: Following on from Harry's recent post on cool bedding for kids - I had to share the cool duvets and sheets over at Boodalee. I particularly like the Circus print pictured above. However at $135 for a twin duvet set it's not the most thrifty of options. For those of you on a tighter budget such as myself, I hate to say it, but Ikea again has some really fun designs. I got the Barnslig Rand set for Oliver's room last week.

Labels: 711, Kids, Sal, Textiles

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 9/25/2007 0 Comments

Post to Facebook Digg It Add to Delicious

SAL: The desk - it's elegant yet functional, modern with a classic style - behold the Jonas from the ever inventive folks over at Ikea. What is not shown in this picture, is that the Jonas comes with a side desk that extends on the right, creating a retractable L - extra room that comes in super handy. All this for an unbelievable $129. I also got the filing cabinet to sit next to it. The final touch will be the Nominell chair. It wasn't necessarily the comfiest, but you got to love that green!

Labels: 711, Furniture

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 9/24/2007 0 Comments

Post to Facebook Digg It Add to Delicious

SAL: Apologies dear reader for the sparseness of our postings in recent days, we've been experiencing some technical difficulties, and add to that poor Harry was laid low with a wicked flu! But, onward... I've been meaning to write about this table for a couple of weeks now. DWR have introduced a new rosewood top to celebrate the anniversary of Eero Saarinen's pedastal collection. They are built from all sustainable materials and feature a nifty medallion on the bottom to remind us how special they are!

Labels: 711, Dining, Furniture

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 9/23/2007 0 Comments

Post to Facebook Digg It Add to Delicious

SAL: As we're looking at bathroom layouts for the Kydd House there's a little bit of pressure mounting as to what style of tub we want. Is it freestanding, or built-in? These decisions will impact the final bathroom design. A freestanding tub is a majestic thing, it needs room, it needs placement. I'm a big fan of a good tub, even though I might not use it for 360 out of 365 days a year - boy for those five days I'll be REALLY glad I had it! Tub-searches are not so easy to do online, like a bed, there's something about a tub that you really need to experience first hand before making a decision. That being said, I had a bit of a mooch about and found some gorgeous options. The Water Monopoly company in London has a great site to look at for ideas, the Paris tub pictured above is a nice combination of classic and contemporary. Vintage tub is a great stop if it's a clawfoot tub you're after, and Waterworks classic tub was a not-too-crazily-priced, but elegant built-in tub. I'm not one for the jets, or inline heating, so I'm hoping my needs will be relatively easy to address. If I can't find what I'm after, I may just throw in the towel (pardon the pun) and go for a hot tub in the yard and be done with it. Only the classiest ones though, of course.

Labels: 711, BedBath, Outdoor

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 9/11/2007 0 Comments

Post to Facebook Digg It Add to Delicious

SAL: Sometimes we get a little carried away as we surf the Web looking at all these beautiful objects, and sometimes we need to come down to earth - just a little bit. When I told my sister-in-law how much the satellite lamps that I was blogging about a couple of days ago, cost ($1320 a pop) her response, understandably, was "Lordy!" So that set me about looking for some more reasonably priced options and I've found a wealth of them. My fave was at Design Within Reach. DWR is not usually top of mind when it comes to inexpensive options, but the Icon pendant captures the same kind of vibe as the Encalmo-Stamen I mentioned this week, but at a fraction of the cost. $299 vs $1195. Bargain! Design Public also has some really simple and elegant pendants that I liked, especially the Deco Pendant that's very feminine with lots of different shade options.

Labels: 711, Lighting, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 9/10/2007 0 Comments

Post to Facebook Digg It Add to Delicious

SAL: More lighting deliciousness, this time via Grace at Design*Sponge (LOVE her). The Encalmo-Stamen (soothing flower?) pendant light available from Niche Modern is sublimely beautiful, perfect for an intimate space. The new house we are designing is all open spaces and airiness, but I'm keen for it not to become too Modern with a capital M - all white and stainless steel. I really want to retain a feeling of warmth and that for me boils down to two components - lighting and color palette. Think soft, think natural, think organic. That, my friends, is my new mantra.

Labels: 711, Lighting, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 9/07/2007 0 Comments

Post to Facebook Digg It Add to Delicious

SAL: A friend put me on to the gorgeous work of the folks over at Lampa and I am totally sold. I really love the satellite pendants pictured above, available in delicious shades of lemon, mandarin and lime! The Mother Lamp looks amazing - I'm not sure quite where in my house it would go - I'm imagining it over a dining table in a room with a very high ceiling. Ah - don't have that quite yet, but I'm working on it!

Labels: 711, Lighting, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 9/06/2007 0 Comments

Post to Facebook Digg It Add to Delicious

SAL: I know we've been pimping DWR a bit recently, but I couldn't NOT share with you the Modern Bed Sale going on right now - with 15% off and free shipping until Sept 14th. As Harry mentioned, I've been looking for a new bed for a while now. Our current bed is a Queen, an old (beautiful) cast iron thing, entirely unpractical now. I've been trying to decide whether we can live with it until the new house gets built, whereupon we'd certainly get a new more modern bed. However, the mattress has had it, so it may be forcing our hand a little bit. I do like this Elemento bed (above) very clean looking with a soft base, which with running children I appreciate. They also have the Sonno Prima mattress on sale for $1500, or you could try the Aireloom latex mattress available at Viesso.

Labels: 711, Furniture

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 9/03/2007 0 Comments

Post to Facebook Digg It Add to Delicious

SAL: It is hotter than you can imagine in LA right now. I feel bad even saying that, knowing that in some parts of the country temperatures haven't dropped below 115 degrees for a fair few days now. Here in Venice it's 71 degrees at 9pm and I feel overheated. What can I say, I'm a Brit, this kind of weather can take a lifetime to get used to. So with all this fuss and bother and perspiring of brows, I'm on the lookout for a fan or two to cool our house. No-one has air-conditioning in Venice, you would rarely use it (except for nights like tonight), but a ceiling fan, well, it would be nice. Ceiling fans aren't that easy to find though, not attractive ones anyway, they look all a bit Raffles Hotel circa 1930, else they look like a UFO just landed on your ceiling. So thank you Apartment Therapy for coming to the rescue with their excellent piece on the top 10 ceiling fans! My favorite is the Blow Ceiling Fan (above) with floppy blades. Quiet, operable by infrared remote control, and it can turn both directions - just what I need. Don't forget to check out these tips on how to order the right fan according to the size of your room and height of your ceiling.

Labels: 711, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 9/01/2007 0 Comments

Post to Facebook Digg It Add to Delicious

SAL: You can always look to Ikea to come up with an inexpensive take on a modern classic. The Docksta dining table is very simple and elegant with a nod to the space-obsessed aesthetic so popular in the 1950s. It's a perfect breakfast table for a small kitchen corner and comes at an unbelievable price of $149! With such a saving you could then splash out for some Eames plywood dining chairs which would look great with this, or the Boxy chair on Room and Board would also look cool. But if you are watching that budget, Ikea's Gilbert chairs below are a steal at $49.

Labels: 711, Dining, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 8/14/2007 1 Comments

Post to Facebook Digg It Add to Delicious

SAL: I'm always on the look out for something a bit different to hang on my walls and these stretched fabric prints from Hable are just the ticket! They are currently available in 14 different designs, in sizes from 10x10, to 20x20 or 30x30 - $45 for the smallest size to $105 for the largest. Pretty reasonable really. They also have a very cute range of pillows.

Labels: 711, Art, Floral, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 8/12/2007 0 Comments

Post to Facebook Digg It Add to Delicious

SAL: Design firm Artenica aims to enchant you and inspire you with a captivating range of products and I'd say they succeed - I could spend hours going through their beautifully crafted designs. I love these star lights, such a simple, fun design. What is also impressive about Artenica is their dedication to crafting their work with an awareness of the enviromental impact involved in its production - from the materials used, to the way the objects can be shipped to reduce transportation costs. Who knows how well they succeed in that endeavour, but the effort is a noble one, something the folks at Zero Footprint would be proud of. Looking through their range of designers I spotted one familiar name I wrote about back in June - Tord Boontje - whose decorative wall hangings are available at A+R. Love his work - check out these porcelain plates featuring what he calls "dreamscapes". Exquisite. You can find Artenica's products through a wide range of stores in the US.

Labels: 711, Lighting, Ornaments, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 8/10/2007 0 Comments

Post to Facebook Digg It Add to Delicious

SAL: I stumbled upon the super cute array of prints available at Marimekko for the first time today. Their designs span everything from tableware to kids bedlinen, bathroom towels to office accessories and it is all simply gorgeous. They have their own stores in Finland, Sweden and Germany - but the good news for us is that their products can also be found in Australia (thinking of you Harry!) and here in the US. Hooray! Funnily enough all three stores in Los Angeles are on W Third St which Harry has been telling me I have to check out. Next time I get some free time without the little ones - Inago, OK and Plastica here I come!

Labels: 711, Floral, Sal, Textiles

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 8/09/2007 0 Comments

Post to Facebook Digg It Add to Delicious

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

Post to Facebook Digg It Add to Delicious

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

Post to Facebook Digg It Add to Delicious

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

Post to Facebook Digg It Add to Delicious

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

Post to Facebook Digg It Add to Delicious

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