tall cu side table by kristalia

if i had seen this guy last week when i was doing my side table round up, i would have included him. i love the simple design and versatility of c tables (do you call them u?), to be used as table, seat or tray. this tall cu table from monica graffeo for kristalia is made of durable polyurethane, so it can take a beating inside or out.

the table measures 15 3/4″h x 25 5/8″w x 17 3/4″d, it’s $439, and it’s available right here.

via betterlivingthroughdesign

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bocina watering can

i keep my ugly watering can for my houseplants underneath the kitchen sink, but i would strongly reconsider my decision if i had this curvy stainless steel bocina can designed by mikaela dörfel for auerhahn. it is absolutely worthy of a place of honor, somewhere at eye level where i could frequently enjoy it.

i love it when form and function are married so beautifully together!

find it at uncommon goods or pro-idee.

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botanical paperworks 2008 seed calendar

create beauty instead of trash every month with this plantable seed desk calendar. seeds are cleverly embedded into the pages of the calendar. when the month changes, simply plant the previous month’s 5″ x 5″ page in a thin layer of soil, place in a sunny spot and watch it germinate! soon you will have coreopsis, clarkia, poppies and other traditional summer wildflowers. the handmade paper is made from recycled bond, renewable abaca and cotton remnants and is acid-free. it comes in a reuseable tin and is whimsically illustrated by canadian artist kal barteski.

this is a great way to do a good deed for the earth, and a fun way to teach a child about plants, recycling and being eco-friendly!

purchase the calendar and other items in the collection from botanical paperworks. it’s also available at the olive barn.

via rare bird finds

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b+b italia canasta outdoor furniture

it may cost multiple mortgage payments and might be just a tad too low to the ground for me, but i swiftly and deftly defy these challenges to present to you the new canasta collection designer by patricia urquiola for the ubercool b + b italia. patricia designed these gorgeous pieces as a nod to past traditions of woven seating, but exaggerated the loose weave to keep a contemporary edge. the collection is made of lightweight polyethylene for durability in the elements, and is offered with high and low backs in white or bronze with a variety of coordinating pillows.

oh, to be poolside reading something juicy and enjoying the weather around me while sitting on one of these… i love their loose, open weave and how they fit so seamlessly into modern garden spaces. sign me up.

see more beautiful furnishings at the b + b website.

via trendir

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stone buddha garden art

i wish my yard was big enough to fit this gorgeous sculpture! it’s made of cast stone and aggregates with a steel frame, and is meant to look like a fragment of a much larger sculpture. some of the components will age more quickly than others, adding even more poetic character.

it’s a substantial 36″ l x 24″ w x 9″ d and weighs 60 lb.

purchase it at dharmacrafts.

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modern romance - furniture by eva schildt

i like these outdoor pieces from swedish designer eva schildt; the bench for its sculptural quality, and the table because 1)it looks like an artist’s palette, and 2)has a small footprint. the pieces are cast in rust-protected metal, with your choice of grey or green lacquer finish. i’m visualizing some fabulous russian sage, yellow coneflowers and other tallish prairie plants surrounding the bench, so that you can barely see that it’s there…

eva studied furniture and product design at beckmans school of design in stockholm. she is inspired by nature and likes to include poetic elements and humor in her work. her clients include ikea and design house stockholm.

see more of eva’s inspiring designs on her website.

purchase her pieces at scandanavian details.

via betterlivingthroughdesign

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notneutral metal lantern

crazy about this mexi-moroccan inspired outdoor lantern from california’s notneutral, in a delectable color called persimmon.

they are designed to hold multiple candles for maximum light, and are a gorgeous way to light your table, backyard or pathway. i love those tiny, intricate light patterns they make.

purchase them in assorted colors at design public.

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clare dohna’s spectacular mosaic garden art

okay, so i’m an earth person, and it’s obvious that i have an affinity for clay. i’ll feature some other artists doing cool things in other media this week… but i just had to feature these exquisite mosaic works from washington artist clare dohna!

clare became enamorate of mosaics when a life-size piece she was working on blew up in the kiln. she glued her sculpture back together and afterwards, liked the way it looked.

clare cuts her mosaic tiles by hand, one by one. she then fires them, paints her glazes on, and fires again, cuerda seca style.

the mosaic tiles are set onto a base of concrete or clay, and then grouted and sealed.

of course she does custom work.

a limited selection of garden art is available at dig in vashon.

for more info, photos and to purchase clare’s work, click here.

n.b., she just taught a sold out mosaic class at dig this past weekend — maybe she’ll do another?!

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