john houshmand furniture

look here at this beautiful collection of contemporary furniture from multitalented new york designer john houshmand. his goal is to show what wood really looks like in a style he calls urban organic, which draws from eastern and western cultures for its aesthetic.

aptly put. and the restrained use of metal and glass only serves to expose the beauty of the wood, natural imperfections included, don’t you think?

see many more cool designs here.

via design milk

share this story

viva terra mahogany display shelf

i really like this efficiently designed mahogany sliding display shelf. made of solid sustainable wood, it has two drop down display frame that can be slid back and forth on an invisible track to highlight your most prized collectibles.

the shelf measures 32″l x 4″d x 2″h, and is available for $98 at viva terra.

share this story

french industrial furniture at wisteria

(ed. note: sorry folks, but as of 8/15/08 it appears that this furniture is not currently available. with any luck it will come back in stock. if anyone knows of another resource for it, please click the email button to the right and let me know so i can update this post. thanks.) 

q: have you seen what is new over at wisteria?

a: some gorgeous vintage modern french industrial furniture (like this double book shelf and chair), patterned after 19th century designer reactions to the elaborate pieces that were being produced at the time.

gorgeous.

see the whole collection and much more over at wisteria.

share this story

neverending bookcase by luca nichetto

italian designer luca nichetto has created some beautiful pieces for clients including salviati and carlo moretti. this undulating neverending bookcase, made of corian and inspired by the pattern a ribbon makes, was a special collaboration with andreoli, a factory specializing in its use.

i view this as more of a room divider or art piece than a bookcase; it would be really hard for me to put anything on the shelves!

see many more of luca’s designs right here.

via design milk

share this story

miron lior conceal bookshelf for umbra

i know that you know that i don’t like furniture with footprints - are you sick of hearing me say that? well i have to say it one more time. i love this clever conceal bookshelf from brooklyn designer miron lior for umbra. it’s made of powder coated steel and hangs simply on the wall with the included hardware. there are two tiny hooks that will hold the bottom book cover in place, to give the illusion that a stack of books is floating on the wall.

miron created this piece at the pratt institute and was a winner of the competition that umbra held for student design in 2005. a portion of the price goes back to pratt, so you’re shopping for a good cause!

this design is superior to the sticklebook shelf in my humble opinion, because you are able to keep the crisp straight lines intact on this shelf. i think stickle looks a little sloppy unless everything is hanging extremelyclose together.

they’re very affordable too - us $14 for the large size 5.5 x 7 x 6.5″ (14 x 18 x 17 cm) and $10.50 for the small one 5.25 x x 5.5″ (13 x 13 x 14 cm). purchase them right here.

via inspire me, now!

share this story

porada dedalo shelving

i love the soft square shapes of this dedalo wood shelving unit from italy’s porada design company. besides being a cool place to display your favorite pieces, this versatile shelf can be used as a room divider.

i’d love to see two of these next to each other, separating a living/dining room combination.

see this and more beautiful things on their website.

via freshome

share this story

sticklebook shelf

i like this quirky little sticklebook shelf. it’s built like a fine tooth comb. the wall bracket is aluminum which has a strip of little plastic grippy “teeth” that hold onto the cover and pages, which creates a floating illusion. it is meant for any size paperback book, and can hold up to a baker’s dozen.

no footprint - two thumbs up!

purchase them directly from sticklebook website, singulier and also here.

share this story

storylines wall shelf

i know i’m probably one of the last three people in the world who watches e/r, and i’m not ashamed to say it. this powder coated steel storylines wall shelf from dutch interior and product design house frederik roije reminds me of the heart monitor they frequently hook up to patients on the show, but it actually was inspired by soundwaves; specifically, the word bliss.

use it vertically or horizontally in singles or multiples for shelving, or simply place it on a wall to create some hanging interest.

it’s available in four different colors, measures 35″ x 8″ x 11″and sells for $319 at generate.

via betterlivingthroughdesign

share this story