Droog has done a complete overhaul on their website to make it so much more handy. If you’re not familiar with Droog, they are one of the most influential organizations in Dutch Design. It’s a treat to explore their wittey design objects and furniture, and it’s een more of a pleasure to explore this easily on their site. Mind you, their last site had this sort of adolescent game-like quality to it that made it fun as well. But if you were looking for something specific then forget it.
Droog

Businessweek recently created a special report highlighting several winners of the 2008 IDEA Awards. Consequently, IDEA stands for the International Design Excelence Award. In the report are a host of articles including a focus on Brazil, a design organization that strives to fix the voting process, and a look at IDEA megatrend: elegance and simplicity(hello! Ol Schoolz!)
2008 IDEA Design Awards – BusinessWeek

New York Design Week 2008 is here, and let’s not beat around the bush: possibly more fun than ICFF is BKLYN Designs. Yes, some might need to point out that they’ve misspelled the name of their city, but looking beyond this you are guaranteed a good time at this event. What is the event, you ask?

BKLYN DESIGNS™ is New York’s hottest exhibition of designers and manufacturers of contemporary furnishings, lighting, and accessories made and/or designed in Brooklyn, all handpicked by a jury of editors from leading design and shelter magazines. Founded in 2003, this not-to-be-missed tradeshow has doubled its attendance in just five years, and has grown to include a diverse array of satellite exhibits and demonstrations, panel discussions, and keynote speakers.

But why should you go? One word: fun. Brooklyn is full of fresh talent. It’s a bit like Manhattan used to be twenty years ago in that it is bursting with young designers clambering for creative ecstasy. Manhattan is still fun of course, but it’s calculated fun. I love Manhattan, to be sure, but we all know experimenters in design can’t afford to practice their craft in a city where 300 square feet might cost you a few G’s each month.

Jason Miller, one of the hottest American designers of the past five years, has created what may be seen as a continuation on his playful lounge chairs. His chairs, which are newly constructed and well designed, feature strips of fabric that stretch randomly across the furniture and appear as if they were made of duct tape. In other words, the furniture, just as his cups, plates, bowls, and teapots, look like mistakes or look distressed. The “Seconds” collection takes this idea of mistake to a new level. Each piece of china is mismatched. To take things a bit further, each piece of tableware has randomly placed designs that are juxtaposed in curious ways. This concept would baffle grandma, but if you were wanting to leave a fine set of plates, tea pots and all other forms of fine china to you grandchildren, then this set would be one of the most unique. Here are a number of pieces that I found striking available at Design Public:

Jason Miller Seconds Tall Teapot - Goldfinch


Jason Miller Seconds Set of Two Teacups #1


Jason Miller Seconds Round Teapot - Oriole


Jason Miller Seconds Dinner Plates - set of 4

Before I get started, I have to thank Kay McMahon of Wallpaper* for providing hundreds of fantastic photographs of the 2008 Milan Design Week which includes events from the Zona Tortona and the Salone Del Mobile. Although I don’t have descriptions for each image, leave a comment about any piece you’re curious about and I’ll find out what it is for you, I promise.

If you want to see Kay’s images in their entirety, go to her Flickr page and if you want to read about the exciting debuts that happened this past week, then check out Wallpaper*s fantastic coverage of Milan’s most exciting events.

Included are a number of objects or scenes that are very, very exciting in no particular order:

Bathtub of the gods. 

The next three images are from Bisazza. A sculpture by Jaime Hayon. 

Black Pig Side Table: Possibly Moooi? Yes.

What would the interiors look like if Santa Clause were married to Toni Basil? Now you know.

 Didn’t Olivia Newton John patent this look?

Too simple for Robert Kaindl, but equally beautiful.

Pink Jellyfish. 

These look like Marcel Wanders chewed gum moose heads in gold. 

 Mirrored Orbs.

Wallpaper* Party? 

Red Cocktail olives with lights. 

Horse Lamp from Moooi 

Massive Table Lamp tall enough to be a floor lamp. Marcel Wanders again?

Before I get started, I have to thank Kay McMahon of Wallpaper* for providing hundreds of fantastic photographs of the 2008 Milan Design Week which includes events from the Zona Tortona and the Salone Del Mobile. Although I don’t have descriptions for each image, leave a comment about any piece you’re curious about and I’ll find out what it is for you, I promise.

If you want to see Kay’s images in their entirety, go to her Flickr page and if you want to read about the exciting debuts that happened this past week, then check out Wallpaper*s fantastic coverage of Milan’s most exciting events.

Kay took so many images that I’m breaking these images up into multiple posts that I’ve categorized a bit. I call this post The White Album for its overwhelming whiteness.

Before I get started, I have to thank Kay McMahon of Wallpaper* for providing hundreds of fantastic photographs of the 2008 Milan Design Week which includes events from the Zona Tortona and the Salone Del Mobile. Although I don’t have descriptions for each image, leave a comment about any piece you’re curious about and I’ll find out what it is for you, I promise.

If you want to see Kay’s images in their entirety, go to her Flickr page and if you want to read about the exciting debuts that happened this past week, then check out Wallpaper*s fantastic coverage of Milan’s most exciting events.

Kay took so many images that I’m breaking these images up into multiple posts that I’ve categorized a bit. I call this post The White Album for its overwhelming whiteness.

Dating back several hundred years, the Japanese bento box is as integral a part of the country’s culinary identity as sushi. Today, a contemporary version of the bento box exists, inspired by the rampant popularity of movies, television shows and manga. These charaben, made by parents (mostly mothers) eager to bring attention to their children’s lunch boxes, comprise food crafted into visually creative, appealing and recognizable forms, and are as much about planning and preparation as nutrition.

Mark Batty Publisher/ Books/ Description