Harry and Sal's Design Blog

HARRY: One of my favourite sites is Treehugger. Their design and architecture coverage always has something of interest. Check out this cool kitchen island - everything you need in one smart spot. The Compacta is by Artificio - a Spanish design company.

Labels: Harry, Kitchen

posted by cerentha harris at 2/01/2008 0 Comments

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HARRY: I do love breakfast in bed. So I am always in search of the perfect tray I stumbled on the one (below) at Room and Board. We've got Stelton's classic round tray (above) which is elegant but not really big enough. The only problem with the R&B one is the handles look like they would be uncomfortable. Has anyone tried one?

Labels: 94, Harry, Kitchen

posted by cerentha harris at 11/28/2007 0 Comments

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HARRY: Maarten Baptist of WAT Design came up with the elegant flatware pictured above. It's called Open Air and is made of high grade steel. It's $185 for 6 table settings. Sounds reasonable to me. Check out Core77's wrap up of Danish designers, including Baptist. Joost Wever's stuff is fantastic. I love the watering can (below) and the clothes rack. Nice clean smart design. Lovely.

Labels: Dining, Harry, Kitchen, Outdoor

posted by cerentha harris at 11/02/2007 0 Comments

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HARRY: How lovely are these? In an interesting pairing redstr/collective and Tobias Wong took the Alma Fortune cup and saucer and added a lush lick of gold. They were inspired by the age old tradition of Tasseography, Turkish coffee fortune telling. Here the coffee grains are replaced by 22k gold. Very decadent.

Labels: Ceramics, Harry, Kitchen

posted by cerentha harris at 10/22/2007 0 Comments

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HARRY: Lovely to have Sal back! As usual she's bought a nice bit of colour to the site. Inspired by her UK finds I came across these teapots (via Trunkt) from Daisy Dog Studios. The perfect antidote to beat winter gloom for all you northerners heading towards the cold weather. Also check out Grace's very handy teapot round-up on design*sponge...some nice finds there. On another note entirely, while searching through Trunkt I found these great leashes from The Modern Pet. We're seriously considering getting a dog (hopefully less hassle than a third baby!) so, of course, I've started obsessing about the accesories.

Labels: Harry, Kitchen, Pets

posted by cerentha harris at 10/18/2007 0 Comments

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SAL: Apologies dear reader for the lack of posting. I had to zap back to the UK for a flying visit. Although I was only there a couple of days, I did manage to get in some shopping - of course. :) Well, the holidays are only just around the corner! In Neale's Yard I fell upon a very cute store called Octopus. Unfortunately they don't have a website up yet. The theme of the store is pop-arty bright colored accessories and homewares mostly made by a company called Pylones. Pylones have a decent site and it seems I'm not the first to fall upon their eccentric designs. Check out more fun below.

Labels: Furniture, Kitchen, Sal, Style

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 10/18/2007 0 Comments

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HARRY: How clever is this? New York designer Sarah Cihat takes old plates and rejigs them. She reglazes and refires finds from the Salvos or Goodwill adding cool graphics. You can pick your own design and buy online or find her wares at a bunch of stores including I Heart in New York and Zelen in Los Angeles.
I'm off for a few days. We're heading to the beach with kids, grandparents and an enormous amount of food. Should be fun. I'll post again on Sunday night when we return. I'm sure Sal will keep you busy!

Labels: Harry, Kitchen

posted by cerentha harris at 10/11/2007 0 Comments

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HARRY: I'm looking for great examples of green architecture for a magazine article I'm working on. I'm actually having a hard time finding local (Sydney) examples. There's quite a bit of green stuff out there but so much of it is really ugly. If anyone has any leads please let me know! I did come across some cool stuff in my search. Check out architect Cracknell & Lonergan reno of an inner city Sydney terrace. I love the floral fomrica in the kitchen. I've no idea if it's green - but it is cool. There's also a real warmth and intelligence to their work. It reminds me of the Queensland firm, Donovan Hill. They did such a beautiful job on another inner city Sydney terrace - Tibet Sydney, a rug shop and residence. Lots of inspiring work on these two sites.

Labels: Architecture, Green, Harry, Kitchen

posted by cerentha harris at 10/07/2007 0 Comments

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HARRY: This is just a quickie (got to get my son to school). I'm doing a column for Good Weekend magazine called Favourite Things. I interview well known Sydneysiders about their favourite things. Simple idea, but it turns out to be really fun. One of the names that has come across my desk is Remo. Locals will remember the design store that once graced Oxford Street...I still remember those great fine white cotton t-shirts. Remo brought taste and style to Sydney and now Remo Guiffre brings that same style online. The website's been going for a while but he keeps adding stuff AND he ships to the US. Check out the Dinasour Designs gear (pictured above) and his great t-shirt designs. I love the site too. It's quirky, just like the store was.

Labels: Harry, Kitchen, Style

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 9/24/2007 1 Comments

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HARRY I've long been an admirer of Karim Rashid. There's a joy and exuberance to the Canadian designer's work - I'm thinking especially of his chairs (check out the blue Butterfly chair he designed for Magis). He recently opened an online store where you can peruse all his wares. But if you want to buy check out modernretro. They've got a great collection of design items and not only do they seem to sell things a little cheaper than everyone else, they are also having a sale on all their vases - including Rashid's 2002 "Rim" bud vase (it doubles as a candle holder).

Labels: Dining, Harry, Kitchen, Ornaments, Seating

posted by cerentha harris at 8/22/2007 0 Comments

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HARRY: I came across these bud vases on a wonderful blog - hoping for happy accidents (such a a sweet name). Esque Studio's glassware really impressed me. It's for serious collectors and the rest of us who just want to surround ourselves with lovely things. The forms are organic and richly coloured. Portland-based Andi Kovel and Justin Parker who make up Esque have a great sense of design and detail. Check out Kovel's salt and pepper orbs at Branch...luscious.

Labels: Art, Harry, Kitchen, Ornaments

posted by cerentha harris at 8/11/2007 0 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: 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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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: I've been a little obsessed about water recently - particularly water bottles and our conspicuous consumption of them. So I've weaned myself off my Arrowhead-habit and am now drinking filtered tap water - but still in a paper cup. So today I got to looking for an elegant carafe of sorts to have on my desk, that I could just refill all day guilt-free. Harry turned me on to the wonderful folks over at Fitzsu this week, so I meandered over to see what they had. They have a wonderful selection of pitchers perfect for this very use. The Artecnica Transglass Carafe with Glass Polish, above, is very organic and natural looking, and is fittingly made from recycled wine and beer bottles. Alternatively the Normann Cristal Carafe is appealing with a more sculptural style. Go on, save the bottles, save the world.

Labels: Eats, Kitchen, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 7/10/2007 0 Comments

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HARRY: Whimsy Press is such a great name for a stationery site. It took Sal and I a long time to come up with our name so I have a lot of respect for those sites who get it right. It's harder than you think! Whimsy is a collection of designers who also have an ad agency. They came up with a line of double-sided wrapping paper which they've morphed into a slew of cool products that includes these placemats. Besides looking good, they're also a bargain - you get a pack of 8 for $9. Also make sure you check out their wrapping tips for inspiration.

Labels: Art, Dining, Kitchen, Stationery

posted by cerentha harris at 7/10/2007 0 Comments

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HARRY: Actually this chair isn't heavy at all...just at a loss this morning when it comes to pithy headlines. But it is a great outdoor chair I found on the Conran site. And if you're like me and want your outdoor stuff to be no fuss and stay outdoors then this chair is perfection. The powder coated steel doesn't rust (unless you scratch the paint) and it wipes down with a cloth. I wish all my furniture was that easy. While you're on the Conran site check out the cool new outdoor lanterns.

Labels: Dining, Furniture, Kitchen, Lighting, Outdoor

posted by cerentha harris at 7/07/2007 0 Comments

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HARRY: No, this isn't a print. Although I guess you could frame it. It's a teatowel and I do love a good teatowel. It must to be absorbent - I hate the ones that just seem to shift the water around. And it's a plus if it also looks good. These cotton French ones look absolutely luscious. A perfect injection of colour into an all-white kitchen. At $18 they wont break the bank either.

Labels: Dining, Kitchen, Textiles

posted by cerentha harris at 6/29/2007 0 Comments

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HARRY: Tse & Tse is the brilliant collaboration of French designers Catherine Levy and Sigolene Prebois. Not only do they have the best dinnerware on the planet (check it out and see if you disagree!), they also have a very cool and whimsical website. So French. So very desirable. Right now my favourites are the Hungry bowls followed closely by the Thirsty Stemmed Glasses (the white ones lined with gold).

Labels: Dining, Kitchen

posted by cerentha harris at 6/26/2007 0 Comments

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HARRY: I am now old enough, as I edge toward 40, to own a real salt mill and pepper grinder. Those little ceramic pots I use now just aren't cutting it. I've got my eye on these pieces from Stelton. They're the kind of thing that will outlast us and get passed onto the kids. Investments really. I'm also keeping my eye on ebay but they don't seem to have much Stelton. Anyone got any other places to look?

Labels: Eats, Kitchen

posted by cerentha harris at 6/18/2007 0 Comments

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HARRY: We moved to LA two years ago and lugged all our cook books with us. Which ones do we use? Bill Granger's. Every single one and we've got five. The recipes are reliable, the food is fresh and unfussy and - best of all - delicious. I came across Bill's website recently and found a whole bunch of his recipes online. So if you don't have the book(s) you can get the chocolate pudding recipe right here! Try it...you'll never want another dessert again. An added bonus is the beautifully designed website and it's great photography...I've long admired Petrina Tinslay food shots. Delicious.

Labels: Eats, Kitchen

posted by cerentha harris at 6/14/2007 0 Comments

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HARRY While looking for a birthday present for myself I found these fantastic porcelain wall tiles. They attach to the wall by a hole in the back that slips over a nail or hook. So delicate and graphic. I like the idea of nine of them in a square on my kitchen wall. They are made by Mel Robson, an Australian artist based in Brisbane. Check out Mel's blog for more great ceramics (those little jugs are brilliant).

Labels: Art, Kitchen, Walls

posted by cerentha harris at 6/11/2007 1 Comments

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HARRY: Came across this little fungi print on etsy. I love the simplicity of the drawing and their graphic quality. No fuss or bother. Straight forward, spatial, lovely colour. There are three pages of prints...definitely worth a trawl. Love the pink doily inspired ones too.

Labels: Art, Kitchen, Plants

posted by cerentha harris at 6/01/2007 0 Comments

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HARRY: I've never owned a cake stand but I am drawn to them. It seems so frivolous (you can easily put a cake on a plate) but they are so pretty. Check out this one by Yvonne Lam and Gloria Law from MoMA. So elegant. And I love Alessi's 'Vague' cake stand that doubles as a fruit bowl.

Labels: Dining, Kitchen

posted by cerentha harris at 5/31/2007 0 Comments

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SAL: As you approach remodeling your kitchen there are a few companies experimenting with modern materials that offer a refreshing change from your typical grantite counter top. Italian cabinet maker Poliform's Varenna kitchen line offers something sleek and modern for the contemporary home, whilst retaining a sense of warmth essential in the social-hub that today's kitchens have become. Complement your design with a Pegasus commercial-style faucet available at Home Depot for $247 and you're on your way! (Thanks Grassroots Modern!)

Labels: Kitchen

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 5/23/2007 0 Comments

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