designklub: a meeting place for design, style and craft

Designklub is Moving

2009-06-09T08:34:00.004-06:00

Designklub is moving! Please check out the new site at www.design-klub.com. Let me know what you think...new logo, new look - same focus, cutting edge modern design. A huge thanks goes out to the amazing Josh Wills from Super Ordinary who built the site and did all of the re-design. Please update your bookmarks, in a few days this site will be automatically re-directed. Thanks for your support.

Sarah Krieger

2009-06-08T08:44:00.002-06:00

Modular coat hooks by Sarah Krienger allow the user to create a graphic element on their wall. (via today and tomorrow)

No Problem

2009-06-03T10:38:00.003-06:00

No Problem is a Danish design studio whose portfolio includes some simple and smart projects. Mule is defined as "plant furniture" - a place to hang and display your pots without blocking sunlight on the windowsill. Their Hang-On! wall mounted hangers lift up for easy access and fold down to keep clothes neatly pressed against the wall. (via neo2)

TAF Arkitektkontor

2009-06-02T08:27:00.003-06:00

Interesting concept for seating from TAF Arkitektkontor. Soft Parcels was an idea that came out of a need to create very simple upholstered furniture. The individual pieces can be used to build different combinations of seating.

Daisuke Hiraiwa

2009-05-29T12:40:00.003-06:00

Daisuke Hiraiwa exhibited three of his lights as part of the Contemporary British Design at ICFF. The larger of the toothpick versions, called 'Stamen', was made with app. 12,500 toothpicks.

Moroso and Kim Beck

2009-05-27T08:13:00.003-06:00

Seeing the Moroso showroom was one of the highlights of New York Design Week. Patrizia Moroso found Kim Beck's book, "A Field Guide to Weeds," and loved the graphic imagery. She invited the artist to create an installation to go along with Moroso's outdoor furniture collection. A forest of acrylic trees and vinyl vines covered everything - I love Patrizia's vision, stunning as always.

ICFF: RISD

2009-05-26T02:25:00.000-06:00

Another nice exhibit among the student booths was RISD's Immaterialize. The pieces focused on materials' abilities vs. their typical applications. Among the highlights were Elisa Werbler's Pour cups, Ruth Fore's Crochet Crochet chair, Ian Horowitz's Loofah Ankle Boot and Debra Folz's 100% Wax table.

ICFF: Pratt

2009-05-25T18:06:00.004-06:00

Pratt's 'Design for a Dollar' exhibition asked its students to create pieces made from a dollar of materials. Above are scissors made from discarded saw blades by Brian Persico, an oiled and heat pressed paper bag bag by Rebecca Marchall and pendants made from borax soaked pipe cleaners by Jennie Maneri.

ICFF: Brklyn Designs

2009-05-21T06:56:00.003-06:00

I was really excited to see that Brklyn Designs had a booth at this year's fair. The show, which highlights local NY designers, usually takes place the week before ICFF - thus eliminating my chance of seeing it. The first table is by Umproject, while the bottom two pieces 'Metal Stoolen' and 'Stitched Table' are by Uhuru.

ICFF: Cranbrook

2009-05-21T06:32:00.004-06:00

During ICFF, I spent most of my time scouring the off-site exhibitions for MoCo Loco. Over the next few weeks you can read many, many posts over there. However, I did make it to the Javitts Center for a few hours and came across some interesting new items.

Some of my favorite places to stop are the booths containing student work. Cranbrook's collection was called 'Innate Gestures', items that have been designed to interact with the the user through "natural sensory cues" thus enhancing the function and pleasure the object brings.

Above are the 'Newspaper Table' and 'Magazine Hanger' by Isaac Yu Chen, 'Symmetrican' by Saebyul Lim, and 'Triad' by Talha Khwaja. With the glut of "stuff" at ICFF, these objects were beautiful in their simplicity.

Daniel Franzen

2009-05-13T08:27:00.002-06:00

Nice table made from sliced boards of turned pine by Daniel Franzen. He also recently teamed up with Marie-Louise Gustafsson to create the 'Come Rain or Come Shine lighting series. (via Malo)

Designklub Tweets from ICFF

2009-05-11T09:03:00.003-06:00

So much stuff to do before ICFF it's making my head spin, but I'll be there Friday - covering the off-site shows for MoCo Loco, and all the events for designklub. If you want the play-by-play on everything from how my hotel will (hopefully) be open to the latest designs, follow me around the city on Twitter (name: designklub). Going to have to practice my text to twitter before I go.

Moooi: Brave New World

2009-05-11T08:59:00.002-06:00

Love the 'Brave New World' lamp by Fresh West for Moooi. Made up of pegged and notched wood, reminiscent of old Far Eastern bamboo scaffolding.

Jón Björnsson

2009-05-08T08:43:00.002-06:00

Stumbled across the work of Icelandic designer, Jón Björnsson, and really enjoyed his portfolio. Above are Björnsson's 'Table Rack', a magazine holder/side table combo and 'Flower Eruption', a series of vases he made by casting volcanic sand in paper molds. Mixed with resin, the sand dries and the paper is torn away - leaving a simple and crisp geometric form. He has some other nice projects made from folded paper (a chair and lights) that are worth checking out.

Craft Punk: Simon Hasan

2009-05-07T11:19:00.001-06:00

Last post on 'Craft Punk', promise, but the exhibit looked amazing. Designer Simon Hasan utilized an ancient technique called cuir bouilli where leather is boiled and placed on wooden forms. After hardening, Hasan applies paint and creates watertight vessels that can be used as cups or vases. (photos from designboom)

Kate MccGwire

2009-05-07T04:48:00.001-06:00

Artist Kate MccGwire uses pigeon feathers to make site specific installations that draw people in by both a sense of repulsion and awe. Above are her pieces, 'Sluice' and 'Heave'.

MID Magazine

2009-05-06T19:57:00.000-06:00

Denver's newest publication, Modern in Denver magazine, has launched their website and it looks great. Lots of good resources for the mid-century modern/contemporary design enthusiast in Denver and beyond. I select the "Field Study" product reviews each issue, so keep an eye out for the hard copy too!

Craft Punk: Studio Glithero

2009-05-06T13:03:00.002-06:00

Studio Glithero, a London based collective founded by Sarah van Gameren (one of my favorite young designers) and Tim Simpson, were among the participants in Fendi's 'Craft Punk' exhibition. The pair used light sensitive material to transform white ceramic vases into Prussian blue pieces. Above is Studio Glithero at the Craft Punk exhibit and below is an example of their work in plate form. (photos from designboom)

Craft Punk: Kwangho Lee

2009-05-06T10:36:00.002-06:00

Kwangho Lee recently took part in 'Craft Punk', an exhibition in Milan where designers made furniture and accessories on-site with recycled materials from Fendi's manufacturing process. Lee made chairs out of re-purposed garden hoses and electrical wire. (photos from designboom)

Craft Punk: Raw Edges

2009-05-05T08:15:00.002-06:00

During 'Craft Punk', a design performance exhibition in Milan, the London based studio Raw Edges created a series of chairs called "Pleated Pleat". The furniture was made by folding and re-folding Tyvek, which was then filled with soft polyurethane foam (note the blue caps). The exhibit was produced by Design Miami. (photos via designboom)

Victoria Wilmotte

2009-05-04T05:47:00.000-06:00

Recent Royal College of Art graduate Victoria Wilmotte's collection titled, "A Domestic Landscape", includes angular ceramics, stools and tables.

Everyday Life Objects Shop

2009-04-30T17:25:00.002-06:00

Wish I could have been in Milan to see the Everyday Life Objects Shop by the Reference Library and Apartamento magazine. Lunch by Martino Gamper, things made to order by Max Lamb, hot air balloons by Bertjan Pot...sounds nice. Photos by Nacho Alegre.

Christien Meindertsma: Flax Part 2

2009-04-22T01:43:00.000-06:00

More photos of Christien Meindertsma's Flax project on display in Milan. Above are the pendant light, tea towels and rug.

PKN Denver: Volume 5

2009-04-21T13:46:00.001-06:00

If you are in Denver, come down to Pecha Kucha Night Volume 5 tonight at Buntport Theater. Great speakers and big announcements!

Christien Meindertsma: Flax

2009-04-21T13:35:00.003-06:00

This is one of the projects I've been waiting to hear about from Milan - thankfully Thomas Eyck updated their website first. Designer Christien Meindertsma, (creator of Flocks) has introduced a beautiful new series titled, 'Flax'. By studying the history of the 16th century Dutch cordage industry, Meindertsma collected flax, spun the filaments into yarn/strands and then crafted several objects, including an extension cord and ottoman (above). More photos of the other pieces tomorrow.