agape steel tub - modern rustic

Q: Why does this Vieques tub that looks like it is straight out of 1870’s Deadwood appeal so much to me? I half expect to see some gold miner dude in it, wearing grimy long johns with a back button flap, trying to scrub himself clean while he smokes a cigar.

A: Well, duh - it’s designed by Patricia Urquiola for agape, and she can do no wrong as I have previously mentioned. Love her style. This beast is made of two toned steel and has an optional teak backrest and shelf, which totally make this piece as I see it.

See it and more ultra modern bathroom design right over here.

via Trendir

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alpha coffee table

hey letterpress fans - check out this fun mod alpha coffee table offered at crate and barrel. it was created by a graphic designer in london after an inspiring trip to a paris flea market by the cb buyers. the glass-protected top is carved from a single piece of shesham wood, has raised letters and sits atop a steel base.

it’s 36″ square x 17″ high, it’s $899 and it’s available right here.

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here there designs lamp collection

i am still sick but i think i have enough energy today to hop back up on the saddle and ride for a little while, which is a positive thing. please enjoy these pretty and delicate looking lamps from the folks at here there designs. do you like how these pieces look like pods? i do. they are made from abaca fiber, concrete and steel. in addition to these materials being non-toxic, renewable and sustainable, the collection is completely recyclable. that’s good enough for me!

see more and place an order through their website.

via the ecosalon

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susan graham sculpture: miniview

i thoroughly enjoy the thoughtful construction and loose style of these metal animal sculptures from new york artist susan graham. her handmade menagerie is created from the idea of a three dimensional drawing, with a single continuous strand of steel or copper wire used for as long as possible for stability. special attention is addressed toward the character, gestures and expression of each animal, which makes it difficult to choose a favorite! ever curious to know more about the brains behind the operation, i asked susan three quick questions…

q: how did you get into making these sculptures?
a: i made a wire animal a long time ago as an art assignment. a teacher brought in a live rooster in a cage (this was in ohio, where i’m from) and asked us to use wire as a medium and capture the character of the rooster.

q: do you have an art background?
a: i do have an art background. i had started school in chemistry at ohio state university and then switched to art-sculpture and photography - because that’s what i had always wanted to do. i moved to new york city and started a degree at the school of visual arts, but did not finish. i was afraid of getting too much in debt and not being able to afford an art studio here. i have a whole other art career besides the wire animals - i show at a gallery in chelsea called schroeder romero.

q: what inspires you to create?
a: i am not sure what prompts my desire to create, but it is constant - a basic need. i do my art, i sew clothes sometimes, i make the wire pieces, i like to make cakes. it just seems to be built in.

susan will be exhibiting in future tense: reshaping the landscape at the neuberger museum from may 11th - july 20th, 2008. be sure to see her etsy shop for her wonderful collection (or to commission your favorite animal), and go here to see some of her photographs from a recent exhibition she had at the philip morris branch of the whitney.

thank you susan!

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studiomold manimani clock

i like this lovely looking laser cut steel manimani clock, from multi-disciplinary uk designer brendan young for his studiomold company. it was inspired by the outline of a handful of antique clock parts that were dropped onto the floor.

loose and fun, and i like the industrial edge in the rusty finish.

purchase this piece (in five different colors and two different sizes!) and see more truly gorgeous product designs at the studiomold website, and view more work on brendan’s (and his design partner vanessa battaglia’s) design website.

via design milk

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contraforma mw cabinetry

when i first saw these beautiful dresser cabinets, i though they were from room and board. it turns out that these handsome powder coated steel furniture pieces, accented with natural antique wood fronts from old homes, are from lithuanian designer nauris kalinauskas for contraforma.

i love the masculine simplicity of the materials used, as well as the design. it’s old and new.

purchase them (cabinet available with drawers and doors; frame available in black, white or champagne) at ona.

via betterlivingthroughdesign

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furniture and lighting by chris poehlmann

i really like this fun split log sconce that i saw on designspotter, and now i know why — it’s made by chris poehlmann, a very talented wisconsin artist whose work we used to carry in the shop! this handmade piece is acrylic embedded with a digital image (there are several to choose from), and it comes in a pendant version as well:

chris, a self-taught artist, recognizes good design instinctively, and his minimal, organic shapes pay homage to popular periods of art and design history. he also attempts to honor the earth by featuring pieces that are largely crafted from recycled materials. this concept, combined with frequently grand, unexpected scale and unique combinations of materials, is carried through to both his lighting design and limited edition furniture.

the playful acrylic lamps are offered in twelve luscious colors. the subtlety and saturation of the tone in the shades is simply gorgeous, whether the light is switched on or off. all pieces in his striking, substantial collections and custom work are of course hand painted, welded, shaped and detailed, which to me is the most fantastic part of all.

truth be told, i find it very challenging to walk by any of the pieces in chris’ collection and not admiringly caress them. and i dare anyone else not to do the same — i know i’m not the only one.

chris is pleased to do custom work, and his installations for private collections are a pleasure to behold.

contact chris, see custom samples and a broad variety of his collections here or there.

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east beach cafe by thomas heatherwick

behold, the 60 seat east beach cafe on the south coast of england in littlehampton!

designed by the boldly adroit thomas heatherwick of heatherwick studio, the simultaneously industrial and organic building has a slender footprint, and is sliced into sculptural steel “ribbons,” which wrap up and over itself.

the gorgeous views are showcased in the front of the building through glass doors and windows, which open to the sea.

the building’s shell is finished with an oil-based coating that allows a patina to come through, while still protecting its structural purpose.

peruse the menu and make reservations here.

via designspotter

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