Farewell!

Never judge a person until you've blogged two weeks in her shoes... I didn't know what to expect when I agreed to blog here for two weeks, but it has been an adventure and has taken over my life! I didn't know how Grace found the time to do so much in her life, and I *really* don't know how she does it now! I do hope, though, that you saw at least one thing you liked, or were able to identify with something that any one of the interviewees said.

Gigantic and most sincere thanks to all of the people who participated!

Last, Lena Corwin answered her own interview questions at the beginning of her two weeks, and I thought I'd close my two weeks by answering my own questions (based on the time I spent as a partner in a design studio+artists workshop).

Happy holidays!

Sketch something you remember from your childhood.

When my father was cleaning the house, he found this finger painting I did when I was about three… I still remember the smell of the paint and how it felt under my fingers, and I even remember bringing it home!

If you could do it all over again, the one thing you wouldn't change.
My undergraduate education. It was one of the most agonizing decisions I've made in life, and it's the one from which I continue to reap rewards.

The best business advice you've been given.
If someone is afraid to commit in writing (a proper contract), it’s not worth doing business with them.

As a mentor, the most important concept you'd want a mentee to take away from your relationship.
Never under estimate the common sense solution. I also agree very much with what Maarten Baas said earlier, “Among the many other ‘truths’, there’s your ‘truth’. That’s the one to explore.”

In a design studio, money invested in ____ is always well spent.
Good photography. And, if you have print materials of any kind (press kit, business cards, whatever), invest in the highest quality paper and best workmanship you can afford, or don’t have anything at all (put it on a CD). Even if it turns out to be expensive, consider it the cost of doing business. These are the things that will stay in someone’s hands or office when you’re gone or were never there and unable to present yourself and your product.

Montezuma's Chocolate

On my way back from meeting with Jonathan Levien and Nipa Doshi, I couldn't resist the temptation of stopping in the Montezuma's chocolate store in Spitalfields (right next to the market) to pick up a few gifts for my husband, an incurable chocoholic. There are no traces of the bar chocolate I brought back but there is still a tiny bit of this spicy drinking chocolate left. The truth is that I am not sure he got to taste very much of it because I drank it all. Unlike many other drinking chocolates which are just powder, this one also has flakes of chocolate mixed with red pepper. If you don't like the spicy kick, there are three other kinds, including with white chocolate! The cannisters make great gifts, or just give a box full of assorted gifts, no one will waste any time looking at the packaging! Organic, gluten free and handmade in Sussex.

Affordable Art - Public Service Announcements

I hope I don't draw fire for this, but sometimes I think that some of the best artwork you can find around is supplied by the city government! I took this "Operation Clean Forest" poster from a telephone pole in Camigliatello in the Sila mountains in Calabria ten years ago (it was the only one around and just put up with thumbtacks!!!). I kept it on my wall with thumbtacks, exactly as I found it, until I decided earlier this spring that it would be better to frame it. I have always wondered why the little porcupine didn't use his quills to speed up his work...

If you see a poster around that you like, try asking the local office responsible for the poster how you can get one... Or if it's just hanging there with thumbtacks, uh...

Crash!

Another fun interview for the weekend...

Name: Todfield Crash (BKA "Crash!")
Breed: Border Terrier
Birthplace/Date of Adoption: 07 January 1998 in Manassas, Virginia. I arrived in my current home on 20 March 1998.
Average hours of sleep per day: I’m not too good at counting, but I think half the day. How many is that?
Sun or Shade: Sun.

Favorite piece of furniture. I like to sleep in the corner of the arm of the sofa the most. No one is allowed to sit there when I’m around. And if they do, they have to share with me.

Your first crush. Pippi, a beautiful Fox Terrier. Or was it Baba...a cute little MinPin who taught me how to use the bathroom while walking on my two front legs...(she used to raise herself off the ground while still squatting!)

One food you never want to find on your plate. Arugula.

It might make you sound like a wimp, but you’re really scared of… The noise a broom makes!!

Film or TV program you could watch over and over. Good Boy! The main character “Hubble” is a Border Terrier, like me, and he was the leader of the pack and all the other dogs thought he was the smartest and wisest dog ever. I’d like to be like him someday.

Bouroullecs for Charity

Keeping with the sketch theme, the Bouroullec studio was nice enough to share some sketches which the brothers did for charity, which I thought would be nice to post here on my last day of guestblogging!

Arcat

étincelle (erwan bouroullec)

Plümo

There are so many things in the Plümo catalogue which I think are neat. I usually use my mantel as a place for post cards, but it tends to look messy, as you can see in the fireplace picture in a previous post. I thought this was a nice idea: a heart-shaped card holder!

etc. creations - splurge!

In addition to tableware, I also really love chairs. I was very happy to receive these images the other day! Neo-retro is the word Magali Jeambrun uses to describe her design style for etc. creations. I like even more that the chair frames are handmade in a workshop in France!! In addition to the pieces in her catalogue, she also has some one-off pieces. I think a one-off chair by Magali would definitely be a great splurge gift!! And maybe, just maybe you might be able to convince her to do a custom-designed chair?

Pink Paradise

Capiton Bleu et Rose

Mise en Nue Blanche

Pixel

OK, so I have presented these weeks some design, some food, and well...here's the rest! (dysfunction!) I found a couple of other personalities willing to interview... just for some weekend fun before I say bye on Sunday. I hope you like him.

Name: Pixel Wong Jackson
Breed: Boston Terrier
Birthplace/Date of Adoption: May 2001 in Cottonwood, California.
Average hours of sleep per day: Probably at least 16-20 hours. I’m so lucky!
Sun or Shade: Lots of sun!

Favorite piece of furniture. Wherever the sun lands, you’ll find me lying there. Sometimes it’s the top of the couch, sometimes it’s the bed, and sometimes there’s a sliver of sun peeking through the shades on the carpet.

Your first crush. Bucket… until I found out she was my sister.

One food you never want to find on your plate. Chocolate

It might make you sound like a wimp, but you’re really scared of… Bushes cut in the shape of animals or other shapes.

Film or TV program you could watch over and over. I love the Frontline flea control commercial with the pug vs. the boston terrier. And guess who wins?!

Thorsten van Elten

I saw his stand at Super Studio Piu` in Milan this Spring and didn't realize until much later that Thorsten van Elten was actually a real person, and an extremely nice one at that! He's another one of my favorites, and I couldn't do two weeks worth of interviews in the design field without calling upon Thorsten van Elten, someone who is behind designers, but not a designer himself. His story is simple: After working for so long in design, he became frustrated at the amount of design talent he saw out there but the lack of manufacturing facilities. He put together a team of a few young-London based designers and went to work. His first fair was 100% design in 2002. In 2004, he opened his own shop in London where he sells the Thorsten van Elten brand including lighting, furniture, home accessories, and clothing and other products for which he is distributor. Look for TVE in Milan in the Spring! (Photo of Thorsten by Jefferson Smith)

A snapshot of your favorite artwork.

1972 Munich Olympic Games Poster


If you could do it all over again, the one thing you wouldn't change about Thorsten van Elten.
I don’t think I would want to change anything at all. But I definitely wouldn’t have wanted my parents to give me a different name!!

The best business advice you've been given.
Ha ha, like I would ever listen to anyone else!

As a mentor, the most important concept you'd want a mentee to take away from your relationship.
It’s important not take ourselves too seriously and to be able to hold a conversation about other things than just Design.

In a design studio money invested in a good coffee machine and some good coffee is always well spent!!

Visit the Thorsten van Elten website to view the new 2006/7 catalogue.

From his portfolio:

Screwhead and dovetail tape by Sam Johnson and Richard Shed

Sweet Talker sugar shaker by Camila Prada

Pigeon Light by Ed Carpenter

USB Memory Stick by Guido Ooms

Plant Cup by Gitta Gschwendtner

van Amburgh stackable stool or side table by Sam Johnson

Maryink Aprons

I got an email from Mary at maryink the other day and I really liked what she was presenting! Whether you're dog grooming, crafting, gardening, in the kitchen, or just need to protect your clothes, it's always nice when you can do it in style! Maryink's brand new aprons (so new that they aren't yet on the website!) come in lots of her t-shirt prints- tiny town, sewing machine, owl, superbirds, dreamy forest, sparkly kitty, and more. They are $24, including shipping. All hand printed. Custom aprons available. For information contact Mary through maryink.

And for deer lovers, a new Maryink t-shirt:

More tableware...

Ok, so I'm a sucker for serving dishes and plates! I admit it! And between this post and all of the previous posts on design*sponge on Rosanna Bowles, I think we've got her entire collection covered!! These are all good affordable gifts for yourself and a good friend (because you won't be able to part with them so you'll end up buying two)!

Twelve Days of Christmas Dessert Plates by Rosanna Bowles. (Unfortunately they are sold out and won't be available til August 2007, so you can get a head start on next year!!)

Wine Tasting

Ladies Who Lunch cup and saucer set for two

Cupcake dessert plates

UK-based mail order catalogue Plümo also has some great items, like this Tea set:

and this Cake stand and the silver forks

Cookies

Grace mentioned she'd be looking for DIY ideas, and I have one which admittedly isn't my own. (Thanks Martha!) For the past five years, around Christmas I turn my kitchen into a bakery for a week or so, every counter stacked with cake stands, trays, plates full of cakes, cookies, brownies, etc. I make sampler boxes with nice tissue paper and food wrappers and tie it all with ribbon. The easiest place I've found for monogrammed boxes is Williams-Sonoma and Treenway Silks in Canada for silk ribbons for the extra special box, or any crafting store for other types of ribbon, tissue paper, and paper baking cups. Although I'm not crazy about the WS Christmas prints, they offer various colors and patterns, like pastels and occasionally toile, throughout the year. This takes a lot of time, but it's fun and people love it! It's also nice to present as a gift to hosts of parties during the holiday season and throughout the year.

Pictured below, a box full of cherry almond chocolate chip cookies.

Cherry Almond Chocolate Chip Bliss cookie by Christine Lee

• 2.5 sticks butter, unsalted and softened (10 oz/280g)
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon almond extract
• 8 oz/225g whole or sliced almonds
• 4.5 cups (610g/21.8 oz) all purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 cups (12 oz/330g) chocolate chips
• 1.5 cups (8 oz/ 225g) dried pitted cherries, such as Montmorency
  

Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Grind almonds in a food processor until fine (should yield approximately 2 cups of ground almonds). Set almonds aside. Sift together flour, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl and set aside. Cream together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer. Add eggs and beat to combine. Beat in almond extract. Add flour mixture and ground almonds and stir to combine. Stir in chocolate chips and dried cherries.

Use a #20 scoop to portion out dough (if you don’t have the scoop, make balls containing a little over 3 tablespoons of dough-about the size of a golf ball) and place 3 inches apart on ungreased nonstick cookie sheet. Use your fingers to flatten down dough to the height of a half an inch. Bake for 12-13 minutes or until light golden brown around the edges.

Cool on pan for five minutes, then remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Yields 24-36 cookies.

Baker’s note: Use regular sized chocolate chips to get a full chocolate burst in each bite.

Jeremy Cole

[Unfortunately this post was removed at the request of Mr. Cole's office. They were uncomfortable with the personal criticism that they received in one comment below the post (In which Mr. Cole was called "rude" by a reader) and asked that it be removed. I personally feel that hearing opinions that you may not like is part of being someone in the public eye but I did not want to damage Kristina's relationship with any designer or studio. Had this been my post on the main site I would have left it up as I feel that opinions should be shared freely. But rather than delete someone's comment (which I would never do unless profanity was contained within) I decided it would only be fair to delete the post if they were that uncomfortable with it.

As a side note- I've had a number of things said about me personally all over the web (far worse things that being called "rude") and feel that taking criticism (true or not) is part of being in this industry. I apologize to Kristina for having to remove this interview- she did a wonderful job and I look forward to reading the rest of her interviews on Three Layer Cake.com]

Hervé Matejewski

For so many reasons, Hervé Matejewski is really one of my absolute favorite designers, and I love to visit his stand at Maison-Objet to see what new work he's producing! Hervé, a native Parisian, is the designer behind the mat&jewski label which produces chic, sometimes flamboyant sometimes racy 'interior couture', right at the intersection of fashion and interior design. He decided to be a designer after time as a chef and ten years in an uninspiring corporate job. What a decision! He is a known trendsetter with the shapes and concepts of many of his creations and since founding his label in 1999 he has been named Designer of the Year at Maison-Objet and by French magazine IDEAT for his lamps. His signature creations are the perforated aluminum Totem and his feather lamps. His clients span the globe, from Tokyo, to Dubai, to New York. All of his products are 100% Made in Paris, or a little bit outside of the city!

Sketch something you remember from childhood.
I remember my grandfather working in the garden. We learned a lot about what real food tastes like, where it comes from, what fresh tomatoes and carrots smell and taste like. Wait...you want me to draw that? I better come up with something less complicated!!!

If you could do it all over again, the one thing you wouldn't change.
I wouldn't change a thing. I think everything is an experience, in good and in bad. Maybe would have become a designer sooner...but that's it.

The best business advice you've been given.
To always do the best quality work you're capable of.

As a mentor, the most important concept you'd want a mentee to take away from your relationship.
The nuts and bolts of business. The real world is night and day from what they teach you in school. In design there are financial constraints, client relationships to manage, maximizing quality within your budget... It can be a shock!!

In a design studio, money invested in photography is always well spent.


From the mat&jewski portfolio


Tasses (6 to a set, porcelain, each saucer and cup is different and interchangeable. Money? Love? Career? Vacation? Success? Happiness? Ask your question, and find the answer at the end of your drink!)

Standard Hotel, Paris: Japonais lamp

Boule plume oie a suspendre - Goose-feather suspension lampe

Assiettes, Porcelain du Belleville (6 to a set, porcelain, available in fruit/dessert, pasta bowl, and dinner plate sizes)

mat&jewski stand, Maison-Objet September 2006

Totem, perforated aluminum lamps

Toile de Jouy skateboard

Close up of Toile de Jouy

Social Stationery with Holiday Cheer

Having a Holiday Party? Try these Letter Press invitations and enclosures...

Hello Lucky Soiree Set - invitation, coaster, and place card

Hello Lucky Holiday Cheer enclosures with matching envelopes, blank inside

Hello Lucky Dog 'N' Lights enclosures with matching envelopes, blank inside

Aliroo makes these great festive invitations which double as coasters (see all 24 designs)

Lucy Jane Batchelor has also produced the greeting card with a dual function: turn it into an ornament!

Nipa Doshi and Jonathan Levien of Doshi Levien

I visited with Nipa Doshi and Jonathan Levien during the London Design Festival in their studio in Spitalfields, East London. Nipa who was born and raised in India is trained in furniture design. Jonathan grew up in the UK, with a background in cabinetmaking. They met at the Royal College of Art in London and graduated in 1997. I just can't say enough nice things about Nipa and Jonathan and the work that they do. For me, their work really is what I consider to be "good design". Their designs are inextricably linked to their thoughts, their experiences, their skills. The story that each piece tells is consistent and balanced, as is the story which led to the specific design of the piece-- why it is the way it is. In every piece of theirs, I really feel that there is a thinking, feeling person behind it. For me, "good design" is not just aesthetics, it's also intellectual interaction, and it's being able to put a person behind the design (within reason). That's what Doshi Levien produces. For a more in-depth interview, check back with Three Layer Cake...

Sketch something you remember from your childhood.

Nipa: 1980- Orange Nylon with black nylon piping. It was imported and felt so chic and modern. It was given to me by my auntie who was a bit exotic and glamorous because she was a Catholic who had married into our Hindu family! I wanted it to last forever.

Jonathan: 1975- Tricycle. It was my first bicycle and remember cycling in them as little boy in my white underpants!

Also 1975- Cart. It was made by my grandmother, Dee-Dee. she loved making things in wood. I used to cart my toys and sister in it.

If you could do it all over again, the one thing you wouldn't change
Doing our own thing and not following trends.

The best business advice you've been given
'surround yourself with good people'

As a mentor, the most important concept you'd want a mentee to take away from your relationship.

ND: That design is an attitude to life, reflected in the way one cooks, lays a table or carries out simple daily rituals. Design is about caring.

JL: To develop a curiosity about how things are made and why.

In a design studio, money invested in a good photographer and contracts is always well spent.

To learn more about one of Nipa and Jonathan's most amazing projects, take an interactive tour of the Wellcome Windows they designed for the Wellcome Trust.

From their contribution to the traveling exhibit, My World, for Experimenta Lisbon 2005 (and which showed at Design Museum London in late summer 2006).

Doshi Levien’s installation for My World is partly inspired by the shops and workshops of ancient but still functioning markets in India. Customers remove their shoes, sit on a mattress and spend time talking to the craftsman about what they need. (product descriptions/exhibit introduction by Doshi Levien; project realized with the generous support of the Arts Council of England and B&B Italia. )

"Matlo" - Terra cotta water vessel with diatomite filters, brass tap and enameled tripod stand. The terra cotta cools the water without need for electricity through natural evaporative process. The vessel is made in two parts. The water is poured into the top chamber and filters through into the bottom chamber.

"Marble table" This table combines the archetypal form of a work desk with sensual materials and proportions normally associated with pleasure, expressing the idea of work as a source of pleasure. The marble table has been machined using computer data. We were attracted by the idea of taking a natural material, usually carved by hand and applying an automated process associated with high tech industrial production.

Tefal Mosaic cookware (items, top picture; bases of the cookware, below). This range responds to the growing awareness and popularity of ‘exotic cuisine’ in Europe and America, with increasing world travel and multicultural societies in the west. The project aims to translate authentic characteristics of Asian, Moroccan and Latin American cookware into accessible products suitable for use with contemporary cooking appliances. Each item in the range expresses a strong cultural identity through material colour and the varying translation of the Tefal marque on the base.

Gudrun Gunnlaugsdottir + Studio Bility

I tried for geographic diversity in arranging interviews for the guestblog. I got as far as Australia in the South and here's Studio Bility from Iceland, altough they are definitely not new to design*sponge! (Unfortunately I missed Africa all together!)

I can't remember where I first saw Studio Bility's work...maybe in Cologne in January, but I really liked it. I was really mesmerized by the Rocking Beauty. The layered effect of the materials and shapes in the base really seemed like a very ncie terrarium. The detail in the work is amazing and seemingly delicate, but in reality quite sturdy.

Gudrun Gunnlaugsdottir and Jon Asgeir Hreinsson are the couple behind the Studio Bility label.

Just as I'm fascinated by her designs, I also like Gudrun's attitude toward life, like her recent decision on whether to purchase a car, or a Polder Sofa...Guess which won?

Name: Gudrun Gunnlaugsdottir
Birthplace: Iceland
Studies/year of graduation: 2005
Profession/how long you've been there: Long enough to know I am in the right place
Left handed or Right handed: Right
Favorite dessert: Skyr with freshly picked autumn blueberries

Sketch something you remember from your childhood.

I very often sketch in 3d, this is the sketch that I have on my office wall reminding me to never forget to play.

Object/Icon you wish you had designed and why?
The Polder sofa designed for Vitra by Hella Jongerius, Just bought it and it is hard to resist dwelling in it all day long…. ("we decided on the Polder instead of a new car...so we drive an old car and have a new sofa!")

The aspect of your work you never tire of?
Searching for the unexpected pleasure of a creative play.

One color/pattern we’ll never see in your design portfolio.
Deep purple!

You’ll know you’ve made it when…
You see someone copy your work like I saw at the 100% design at the redesign exhibition! It is great to see that your own design is such an inspiration…

From the Studiobility portfolio:

Rocking Beauty

Inner Beauty

Flower Chair

Flat Mac (from Flatpack Antiques line)

Visitors Center, Northern Iceland (opening April 2007)

Rouge Bunny Rouge cosmetics, shop interior and counter (Moscow, here; Warsaw, below)

Tea - Gifts under $25

When I travel, I always like to pick up three things: tea, mustard, and herbs and spices. I love tea, there's just no good mustard here in Italy that I've found, and not all herbs and spices are easy to find here either. Unfortunately with the restrictions on carry-on baggage, my last attempt at bringing home some organic Beer Mustard from London in my carry on failed miserably...

I was able to bring back a bunch of organic tea and curry (from the Spice Shop) though...

Here's a small sample of my tea collection, a passion I like to share at gift-giving times. I like to find nice tea cannisters or a neat cup and saucer on e-bay or at the flea market to package with a box or tin of tea and give as a gift.

1. Fall in Love tea by Mariage Frères (35 rue du Bourg-Tibourg, Paris)
2. Chai by Le Palais des Thés (64, rue Vieille-du-Temple, Paris)
3. English Breakfast Tea by Taylor's of Harrowgate
4. Boudha Bleu by Mariage Frères
5. Grand Himalaya by Le Palais des Thés
6. Tea box from Frontiers (37-39 Pembridge Rd, London, Notting Hill) as often as possible filled with the teas they bring back from India, but for now with Pleine Lune from Mariage.
7. Winter White Earl Grey by Harney & Sons Fine Teas (USA)
8. Teapot
9. Vintage wood serving tray
9. Camomile tea by Grace Tea Company (USA)

(I obviously can't count)

More tea ideas for gifts include a tin from Kusmi Tea (56, rue de Seine, Paris), specializing in Russian tea blends.

Try AtelierLZC's Earl Grey-- no need for a fancy cannister!

Junior Phipps + Conscious Forms

"Is that an eyeball?" I asked. "No...but you're the second person to ask me that this week!" Junior answered. "Only the second? And isn't that the optic nerve?" No and no! It wasn't an eyeball!! And the thought wasn't even on his mind when he cast these Liteballs in concrete. Needing a lot of help in my garden and looking for dog-proof, water-proof, energy-efficient solutions was at the front of my mind, and his LCD Liteball was the answer!

Junior Phipps, is a London-based furniture and product designer specialized in concrete applications for residential and commercial interiors and exteriors . Often working on commission, Junior is the designer behind Conscious Forms which exhibited in Milan during Salone Satellite in April as part of the Hidden Art collective. Just as much as I liked the Liteball, I liked Junior's enthusiasm about Hidden Art, his colleagues, and his work. It put me in a good mood to face the torrential downpour that seems to plague the Salone in the spring!!! (I never like to face bad weather!)

Name: Junior Phipps
Birthplace: London
Studies/year of graduation: BA Hons 3d Design, 1995. MA Furniture Design Technology, 1997
Profession/how long you've been there: Founded Conscious Forms, furniture/product design consultancy in 2004, working predominantly to commission but also producing own range of interior/exterior products that celebrates concrete. Associate Lecturer at the University of the Arts London
Left handed or Right handed: Mainly right
Favorite dessert: Carrot cake

Sketch something you remember from your childhood

Me and my wheels with the all important basket on the front.

Object/Icon you wish you had designed and why?
Pretty much most of the work of the inspirational guru Thomas Heatherwick, in particular, his Rolling Bridge in the Paddington Basin, completely breath taking design, art and engineering all encompassed

The aspect of your work you never tire of?
Seeing people enjoying using your creations

One color/pattern we’ll never see in your design portfolio.
Never say never!

You’ll know you’ve made it when…
...I have successfully completed my sustainable ecological retreat guest house up in the mountain in the Caribbean, a place to escape cold winters.

Liteball

Lite3

Splat! Clock (textured concrete)

Hidden Art Open Studios

This invitation in the mail couldn't have come at a better time: Hidden Art Open Studios will take place on November 25-26 and December 2-3 in London. This is one of the best opportunities of the year to find items by designer-makers and small producers who open their studios for public access on this occasion. Find textiles, ceramics, glass, jewelry, lighting, furniture, and more. Walking tours are available. Prices range from 50 pence and up! If you're not in London and see something you like, many of these designers' creations are available in the Hidden Art e-shop, or you may contact them directly.

Rebecca Steiner's cast silver ring

Dieneke Ferguson + Hidden Art

Even though Dieneke Ferguson is the mastermind behind Hidden Art, she'd prefer that all the attention go to the designer-makers the organization aims to help. Situated in East London, Hidden Art is the trading name of Mazorca Projects, the organization Dieneke founded 17 years ago with the mission of uncovering untapped creative resources in her local environment. Dieneke lives and works in East London. She treasures the strong 'maker' tradition on which East London was built and feels that the multicultural community is a factor which made it fertile testing ground for the growth of Hidden Art and the many designer-makers who have studios there. Although many of the 'hippest' products in design magazines and floating around the internet today share the Hidden Art affiliation, Dieneke willingly admits she hasn't yet found the perfect formula to take her organization where she'd like for it to go-- global-- she's never deterred from working toward that goal.

A snapshot of your favorite piece of artwork.

The stool is a prototype made by Unto this Last, one of our members. The cupboard you see at the back is specially designed by a local design company called Foundation 33. On one side it stores exhibition plinths to be used at our office or elsewhere, which is the side you see. On the other side it has filing cabinets which were all painted the same colour and recycled, as well as lots of storage space. It is on wheels, so our networking area can be made bigger depending on the number of attendees.

If you could do it all over again, is there anything you would change?
Hidden Art has developed in response to needs of designer-makers in a specific context. Changing it would change Hidden Art's nature.

Best business advice you've received.
How to not grow organically, where you end up working longer hours and can't control your time or the company. Find a structure for growth and then how to deal with growth.

As a mentor, the most important concept you'd want your mentee to take away from your relationship.
Be clear about what you want to achieve and be clear about how you can achieve it

In a design studio, money invested in ___________ is always well spent.
Flexible, versatile, modern and practical furniture

Dieneke's design pick: the Spline Chair by Unto This Last

80 slats individually shaped, framed by 12mm birch ply side.
Creates a 6.4kg chair with a comfortable spring.

Lisa Wong Jackson + Good on Paper Design

I was first introduced to Lisa Wong Jackson's work here on design*sponge when Grace did her podcast earlier this year. I looked over her website and really liked her simple designs, I like the fact that she was pursuing her dream but still held a full-time job. But what cemented it for me is her love of Pixel, her dog! Among the many things that Pixel is for Lisa, he was also the ring-bearer in her wedding!

Even though our alma maters should make us natural enemies, I couldn't pass up a chance to have a mini-interview with Lisa because she's such fun, her products are great, and one look at her pictures and you can't help but smile because her smile is contagious!

If you'd like to send an encouraging note to a friend, please have a look at Lisa's limited edition With You All the Way card. All proceeds go to the American Cancer Society. And of course, there's the d*s shop!

Birthplace: San Francisco, California
Studies/year of graduation: I studied Conservation and Resource Studies and Business Administration at UC Berkeley. Graduated in 1997. Seems so long ago!
Profession/how long you've been there: Graphic Designer for 7 years
Left handed or Right handed: Right handed
Favorite dessert: Ice cream (I love Strauss organic mint chocolate chip and Ben & Jerry’s Vermonty Python)

Sketch something you remember from your childhood.

It's a rough sketch of my one and only bicycle. My brother and I called it the Sunset Rider because of the sunset graphics on the banana seat!! It's the first thing that came to mind when you said to draw something from my childhood.

[Editor's note: I just had to put Shelley and Lisa in the same day given that their sketch is almost identical!! If they weren't on opposites side of the world and in two different hemispheres, I'd swear they'd copied...]

Object/Icon you wish you had designed and why?
I wish I could design and build a “green” home for myself.

The aspect of your work you never tire of?
Hearing from happy clients

One color/pattern we’ll never see in your design portfolio.
Probably plaid.

You’ll know you’ve made it when…
I can quit my full time job.

From Lisa's portfolio

Lisa's Gift Giving and Shopping Books are a perfect way to start your holiday shopping and keep up with your gift purchases.

Wall Calendar

Andrew Tanner Design

I thought I would start complementing Grace's Gift Guide with a few picks of my own. In addition to some of the products published last week with/without interview (Rikke Jakobsen Fine Bone China, Presse-Citron, Vernissage...and black+blum), I will post some products here this week in addition to interviews which are good gifts. They should mostly be near the $130/Euro 100 range or less for a single item, but you should check with their websites/retailers for certainty.

I am always on the look out for great serving dishes and Andrew Tanner's Flock range fits the bill. Andrew, who launched his consultancy in 2002, is based in Brighton (UK). He was awarded the National Home Awards Young Designer of the Year and Decorative Product of the Year Awards in 2005. His Flock range, inspired by embossed wallpaper, which he exhibited at 100% Design this year, blends traditional imagery with contemporary form. He has designed products for Cole and Son and Crabtree and Evelyn, to name a few. But Andrew isn't just a winner for bone china tableware, his wall tiles are also on the mark. Visit Andrew's website to see his entire range and for stockists.


Flock Bowl

Flock Serving Platter

Chef Kim

When I saw that Joy was organizing a Philly Biz Lady Night, I thought I'd make this post about another Philly Biz Lady: CIA graduate, and pastry-chef extraordinaire Kim Davis Cuthbert has a bakery, Sweet Jazmines, in Berwyn. Her cheesecakes have been voted best in Philly! Stop in and pick up a few refreshments for your gathering!

(Kim with her brother and her Easy Bake Oven)

Shelley Simpson + mud australia

I love mud australia's tableware. I love Shelley Simpson. I love Shelley's story. Usually I save such strong emotion for my little dog Crash!, but when I think about how much I really like tableware, serving dishes, having parties, having people over to eat (on nice dishes), no other tableware evokes the same reaction for me that mud australia's does. And I see a lot of products in a year!

mud's porcelain range offers almost every color you could ask for from soft pastels to vibrant red and orange (perhaps lilac/lavender is missing?) and the shapes are elegant enough for 'important' dining, but simple enough for every day. They are oven safe, dishwasher safe, and handmade (including Shelley's own two hands-- she's in the studio every day). What else could you want out of your tableware? To see the complete range, visit mud's website.

For Shelley's story, how she started mud, how she gets her products into new markets, and all sorts of other fun things, keep checking Three Layer Cake, where a full interview with her will be posted soon... (Below: Shelley in production)

Sketch something you remember from your childhood.

My Dragstar (a Christmas present when I was 10. Freedom.) …

If you could do it all over again, the one thing you wouldn't change.
Trick question? I don’t think I would/wouldn’t change anything. The whole process is what it is…

The best business advice you've been given.
In any day, do the hardest thing you have to do first.

As a mentor, the most important concept you'd want a mentee to take away from your relationship.
Work ethic and personal courage. And the knowledge that design goes nowhere without marketing, unfortunately.

In a design studio, money invested in people is always well spent...
However, work environment is really important, too. We just moved into a new space where we’ve finally merged studio, factory, office and showroom and I’m loving it!

mud production

From mud's current catalogue (flared bowls)

Pebble Bowls

Platters (including my favorite, the fish platter (oval))

Plates

Congratulations Jackie Choi

I thought it appropriate to update a post from last week on Jackie Choi to announce the following great news:

Last Tuesday, Jackie Choi London won an award from Hackney Enterprise Network 2006. Jackie Choi was winner of the Best New Product/Product Design Business category in the Mayor's Business Excellence Awards, and was also a finalist in the Best Women's Business section.

Congratulations!

Weekend fun

One of the reasons I really like Karin Eriksson's blog is that she puts up pictures of her work environment and what she sees each day from her studio. Her descriptions of how she starts her days are really poetic and well...inspirational! I can't believe she already has snow there and here we can (atypically) still manage without a coat during the day!

I thought I would post a few pictures here about what my weekends are like...

Saturday morning is dedicated to the market. What I save on produce, I spend on gas, but it's worth the fun. I live a bit outside of Rome in an area where there are no farmer's markets because everyone here is a farmer anyway and they have their own fields and livestock!

To keep the fire going on the weekends, we pick up wood...

And then I read in front of the fire (don't pay attention to the painting above the fireplace, as soon as I decide on the right design, it will be painted over! The Maglite is a must, as the power goes out often!)

This weekend though, I will go to Florence! I will be back Monday with more mini-interviews...

Clotilde Dusoulier of Chocolate & Zucchini

I know this isn't design, but given our common Southern upbringing, I just couldn't be a guest at design*sponge without bringing a small gift for Grace. Grace loves Clotilde at Chocolate&Zucchini, and reads her blog regularly. I think Clotilde is great and I love her blog, too! Who doesn't? The recipes are great and the photography amazing. Clotilde was nice enough, instead of making a sketch, to include a recipe, which I thought would be a good thing to try out over the weekend... (photo of Clotilde by Maxence Bernard, food photography and styling by Clotilde Dusoulier)

Name: Clotilde Dusoulier
Birthplace: Paris, France
Formal culinary preparation: Most of my culinary education comes from observing my mother and teaching myself, but I have taken a few cooking classes here and there.
Profession/how long you've been there: I have been working as a food writer for three years: two years part-time (in addition to my day job as a software engineer) and one year full-time.
Left handed or Right handed: I am right-handed, but I try to teach my left hand a few tricks (brush teeth, spread butter on baguette) so I’ll be prepared if I ever break my right wrist.
Favorite dessert: My mother’s strawberry tart – edible spring.

Describe your strongest food memory from your childhood
Going on vacation to Brittany with my family each spring, and having dinner at a crêperie every. single. night. I would usually order a tomato and cheese crêpe, followed by a lemon juice and sugar crêpe.

Dish/dessert you wish you had invented and why?
Michel Bras’ biscuit au chocolat coulant (molten chocolate cake) – probably the most copied recipe in the world.

The aspect of your work you never tire of?
Certainly the fact that so much of it doesn’t feel like work at all: playing in the kitchen, going out to restaurants, hunting for quirky ingredients, meeting chefs…

One food/spice we’ll never see in your recipe repertoire.
I have a visceral dislike for aniseed and liquorice, so you’ll never find these flavors in my cooking.

You’ll know you’ve made it when…
No master plan for this girl: I’m just taking it a day at a time and enjoying the journey.

Clotilde's book, Chocolate & Zucchini: Daily Adventures in a Parisian Kitchen, is scheduled for publication by Broadway Books on May 15, 2007 both in North America and the UK.

Macarons à la semoule de maïs
Cornmeal Macaroons

• 100 grams (1 cup) almond meal (see note below)
• 100 grams (1/2 cup) sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
• 50 grams (1/3 cup) flour
• 50 grams (1/3 cup) stone-ground cornmeal
• 3 medium egg whites

Flavoring: 2 teaspoons finely chopped citrus zest (lemon, lime, orange...) plus an optional pinch of cayenne or freshly ground black pepper; or 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; or 2 drops violet extract.

Makes 30 macaroons.

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine the almond meal, sugar, flour, and cornmeal in a medium mixing-bowl and whisk to remove any lump. Form a well in the center, add in the egg whites and flavoring of your choice, and whisk again, starting from the center, until combined. The batter will be thick. (This can be prepared up to a day ahead: place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the batter, cover, and refrigerate.)

Using two teaspoons, shape one-inch balls of batter and drop them on the baking sheet, spacing them by about an inch. Sprinkle with a little sugar and bake for 15 minutes, or until golden. Transfer to a rack to cool. The macaroons will keep in a cookie jar for up to a week.

Note: Almond meal, sometimes sold as ground almonds or powdered almonds, can be found at natural foods stores. If you can't find it, substitute 2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole blanched almonds. Combine them with the sugar in a food processor and process in short pulses until finely ground.

Some of Clotilde's props...

Stephen Burks at the Knoxville Museum of Art

For those of you in the East Tennessee area, or within traveling distance before 28 January, the Knoxville Museum of Art is featuring a solo-exhibition of the work of New York-based industrial designer Stephen Burks. Stephen Burks is founder of Readymade Projects.

Carla Gugi

When I was looking over Maarten's Clay Furniture images yesterday, I realized why I have always been drawn to it. This painting, which I bought in 2000 reminds me a lot of Maarten's chairs! By Carla Gugi, Il Saggiatore Gallery, via Margutta, Rome (in front of Mucci framers).

Mucci in via Margutta (framers)

Relationships are the key to getting everything done in Italy. Usually to get in good graces with someone, like your framer, you have to be introduced, as I was by an artist whose painting I bought some years ago. Since then I have tried six or seven framers around Rome and have kept coming back to Mucci in via Margutta because they are the only ones who have never ruined anything of mine and because they are nice. (Even if I really did like one of my other framers, Fernando, who always carried a pistol in his back pocket since the time he was robbed in his shop).

Mucci, his last name, works with his son and daughter. I never knew Mucci's first name until yesterday, when one of the gallery owners neaby referred to him as Rino. For some reason, many artisans are referred to by their last names. My upholsterer's name is Bucci (Beppe is his first name), the people who brought my Noguchi coffee table from Milan are I Fratelli Montorfano di Cantu` (The Montorfano Brothers from Cantu...It seems that everyone from Cantu adds "di Cantu`" to their last name...), my decorator is Remigi (Alessandro), my furniture restorer is Guiffrida (don't know his first name).

For seven years, I have always just called and said,"Mucci!!" and he responded,"Yes?" and I said, "Kristina!" and without any further exchange of how do you dos, he would just tell me whether my stuff was ready or not, or if Stefano his son would call me back. Yesterday, I called and learned that the rest of my stuff was ready, but I came with public transportation, so I couldn't carry the big painting home... The one I really cared about though was a greeting card I received for my wedding, one of the few gifts we got (that's what happens when you elope). It is a nice little reproduction of an Andy Warhol painting of a Wedding Cake. Since it is just about the only thing we got, I decided to pull out all the stops and make it a grand affair. But maybe it's not grand enough...?? (The elaborate frame is meant to be a joke!)

Chris Chun

I saw artist Chris Chun's Savour exhibit at the Washhouse Gallery in Rozelle (Sydney) almost a year ago and immediately fell in love with his the subjects of his paintings and the style of composing the canvases. His paintings generally feature his food memories of growing up in a Chinese family in Melbourne, the son of chefs: Afternoon tea, chocolate, cupcakes, sweets, but also fish, rice, and vegetables figure very big. As a trained textile designer, the dishes he paints to 'style' the canvasses are also sensational. The colors are vivid, often pastels, and to add texture, he incorporates elements of the dining experience, like grains of rice, chocolate wrappers, gold leaf, and thread. The end result is some of the most inviting and obsession-inducing artwork I've seen this year (and last!). Unfortunately, I wasn't able to acquire one of his paintings because the show was sold out (as often happens)! Chris is also a riot, a great resource for recipes, and fun to talk to about just about everything! (Photo taken in Hong Kong at Aqua restaurant). Oh and if you're in Australia next spring, Chris will be exhibiting at Washhouse again, from mid-April to early-May. Just a tip though-- if you might be interested in his work you should contact him ahead of time to preview the paintings!

Name: Chris Chun
Birthplace: Melbourne, Australia
Studies/year of graduation: B.A Textile Design with Honours 1991
Profession/how long you've been there: Textile designer/ stylist since 1991 in Australia, UK and Italy. Since 2004, full time exhibiting artist also licensing artwork for upcoming products!
Left handed or Right handed: Right
Favorite dessert: Depends on my mood!

Sketch something you remember from your childhood.

Object/Icon you wish you had designed and why?
I wished I’d designed the Anna G bottle opener by Alessi. It not only reminds me of my time living in Rome but it works perfectly. I love the way you push her arms down to pull the cork out; it’s like she’s giving birth to the cork and it makes me smile. Fun, fabulous and functional – all things I aspire to when I design!

Or if you’ll give me a second answer, a foodie one, I wish I had designed the egg! It is simply perfect - the shape is beautiful, it comes with it's own unique packaging, a great source of protein and you can cook with it so many ways. Very versatile. It tastes fantastic on its own - Boiled, Scrambled, Poached, Fried... it's a great accompaniment to things like caviar, smoked salmon and you can make the most fantastic creations - from the lightest souffle to a rich creme custard etc.

The aspect of your work you never tire of?
Working with the different personalities of colour and being inspired by anything in everyday life: from the perfect plate of pasta, the beauty of a peony rose, Marrakech latest holiday, watching Oprah……it never stops. The day it does will probably be the day I die.

One color/pattern we’ll never see in your design portfolio.
Never say never…but I have never done anything with poo brown or camouflage.

You’ll know you’ve made it when…
you see some of your designs being ripped off by companies all over the world. And you get an interview with Kristina from Three Layer Cake ;-)!!

From Chris' portfolio: (please note that the photographs render only a tiny tiny idea of the color and texture of the paintings!)

Tissue Butterfly

Afternoon Delight

Green Tea

Chris has also designed some very traditional prints for porcelain manufacturer Ashdene. Because I collect tea cups, tea pots, and cake plates, I think variety of patterns/colors is great and am lately into the floral motifs, especially if the shape of the dishes is good!

Kensington

Annie

More paintings...

High Tea, 60cm x 60cm, mixed media on canvas

La Dolce Vita, 80cm x 80cm, mixed media on canvas
(note: these are gelato flavors!)

The Way to Love, 40cm x 40cm, mixed media on canvas
(note: the heart is all hand-stitched)

Turkish Delight 45cm x 45cm, mixed media on canvas
(note the gold leaf and stitching)

Jackie Choi

As you have probably been able to tell from my previous posts, 'nice' is a preferred word of mine to describe the designers I have presented so far. Jackie Choi is no different. Every time I see her she's smiling, and has a sincere kind word for everyone. South Korean born Jackie and her sister Lloyd, attended design school in London-- Jackie in Furniture design, Lloyd in Fashion. They both design for the company which carries Jackie's name, Jackie Choi London. I met Jackie at Salone Satellite in Milan this spring where she was presenting her Eye chair and So coat stand. I was drawn to both pieces for their shape, and the functionality of the So coat stand. The other pieces of her porftolio are contemporary and functional as well, introducing an element of personalization so that you may manipulate their composition to fit your needs. I can't wait to see more of her work be produced!

Name: Jackie Choi
Birthplace: Taejeon, South Korea
Studies/year of graduation: BA (Hons) Furniture Design and Technology/ 2003
Profession/how long you've been there: Furniture Designer/ about 2 years
Left handed or Right handed: right handed
Favorite dessert: rich creamy chocolate pudding

Sketch something you remember from your childhood.

The tube I played on the water.

Object/Icon you wish you had designed and why?
Clock stands in Canary Wharf tube station. Simple and strong feature. Good expression of city life.

The aspect of your work you never tire of?
Seeing a real product from my sketch.

One color/pattern we’ll never see in your design portfolio.
Nothing. I love the possibilities that everything offers even from ‘ugly’ things.

You’ll know you’ve made it when…
I see lots of my products being used by people happily.

Lloyd and Jackie

Eye chair

So coat stand

Puzzle (Maze) Shelving

More Maarten Baas

I wanted to post two more Clay Furniture pieces before moving to the next designer...

Seating, also upholstered

and the Cabinet, which was my favorite piece at the Milan Salone del Mobile because I just loved that despite the fact that it all looked like toy furniture, the drawer actually works perfectly!

Presse Citron

Didier and Clotilde of Presse Citron are really fun and I love their work. They have the kind of products which cause you to take agonizing decisions for just one thing when you'd take quite a few, and more than one each of some of their pieces. I felt this way about the new products they introduced this fall, one of which a 'framed shelf'. Available in three designs (horizontal versions, too) and three colors, pink, white, and black. I am very tempted to order a few for the kitchen as shelving for small things. Or perhaps for the bathroom! 100% Made in France.

I also love their Antix magnetic picture frame! Previously available only in white and black, it is now offered in silver (mirrored)!

Maarten Baas

I usually think it's a cop out when people say someone needs no introduction, but Maarten Baas really doesn't. Maarten went straight from student show to 'haute couture', and his pieces immediately became serious design investments, you know, the type you see in museums. This value was in part driven by Murray "Midas" Moss' 'Where there's Smoke" exhibit showing Maarten's Smoke Furniture (if I may permit myself to refer to Murray's extraordinary ability to spot talent and set trends in this way). One of the things I really like about Maarten is how candid he is, and I know I've said this before, but I also like that he's an iconoclast. Probably if his personality were different, he wouldn't be where he is today at just 28 years young and maybe ever! You should read the very well written piece from last week in the International Herald Tribune on Maarten and see his the Three Layer Cake interview to understand a little more why and get a small feel for Maarten the person and Maarten the designer.

Catch Maarten's Clay Furniture in a Museum near you: London Design Museum from 31 October to 11 December, shown by Murray Moss at Miami Beach Art Basel Fair from 7 December to 10 December. Maarten's work will also be on permanent exhibition in Rotterdam at Animaux from 17 December... (all photos by Maarten van Houten).

Sketch something you remember from your childhood.

If you could do it all over again, the one thing you wouldn't change.
The ability to make mistakes.

The best business advice you've been given.
I never listened to too much advice, and still I never recognize my way of working in any advice. I think that's because most advice is always inherent to a certain plan or goal to reach. In the business field I never had a real "goal".

As a mentor, the most important concept you'd want a mentee to take away from your relationship.
Among many other "truths", there's your "truth". That's the one to explore.

In a design studio and anywhere else, money invested in having a nice time is always well spent.

Maarten's Clay Furniture

Bookshelf

Table and Chairs

Smoke Chaise Longue

More images to come...

Rikke Jakobsen Fine Bone China

It was so stressful to straighten out the kinks in the last post on Leo and Lelia that I needed to reward myself with a nice thought. Grace has mentioned Rikke Jakobsen Fine Bone China on d*s before, in particular some of the new lace designs available at Clio. I am a big fan of serving dishes, and one of the aspects of this Danish company's designs which attracts me most is the shape of the plates. I was really taken aback when they introduced their new pieces in late summer which include the signature 'oval' in individual and serving bowl sizes. These pieces were hands down the nicest, classiest, best tableware at Maison - Objet in September, offering also the best quality for price-- perfect for gifts, especially at Christmas.

Lélia Arruda + Leo Kim

Lots of my posts focus on protagonists of design, those on the 'front line'. But as many of you know, behind every good designer there's a good assistant [or two]! Lélia Arruda and Leo Kim are the two assistants at Estudio Campana in São Paulo, Brazil. In the Three Layer Cake interview with the Campana brothers, I was very happy to hear how Fernando and Humberto value their contributions to the studio: "Today we have two assistants, Leo and Lelia, who play important roles in our projects. Their opinions are very important because they don’t have the same stake that Fernando and I have. They’re at our studio in order to have fresh ideas in order to help us solve our problems. Once there were two of us, but today we create with four heads." I think it speaks volumes about the brothers, and I think it's fantastic that the respect and value they have for Leo and Lélia is mutual. I am not sure which two I envy more-- Leo and Lélia who get to work with the Campana brothers, or the Campana brothers who get to work with Leo and Lélia!!

Name: Lélia Arruda

Birthplace: Bonn, Germany

Studies/year of graduation: Graduated in Architecture and Urban Planning in June 2005.

Profession/how long you've been there: I’ve been at Estudio Campana since June 2005 – I got here one week before I graduated!

Left handed or Right handed: right handed

Favorite dessert: hard to say, I usually prefer salty snacks, but recently my favorite desert is tangerine.

Sketch something you remember from your childhood.

Me and my blanket!

Object/Icon you wish you had designed and why?
I wish I had invented the straw! I know it’s plastic and it creates waste, even more when they are wrapped in paper, but really, I cannot stand the ice cubes touching my lips, especially when it is in tiny bits.

The aspect of your work you never tire of?
It’s not really part of my job but I love playing pranks on others!

One color/pattern we’ll never see in your design portfolio.
I have no prejudice against any color. They are all potentially usable.

You’ll know you’ve made it when…
...I have no complaints – is that ever possible?

Name: Leo Kim
Birthplace: On a special day 25 years ago at around 9am in São Paulo, Brazil.
Studies/year of graduation: Architecture and Urban Planning. 2004. (Taking post-grad in Business)
Profession/how long you've been there: almost 5. (I feel so old now that I’ve counted!)
==> Come on Leo, you are only 25!!! (This was Lelia’s comment!)
Left handed or Right handed: hard working right-handed with corns. (Does this sound strange?)
Favorite dessert: anything with chocolate and/or berries, except for cherries!!

Sketch something you remember from your childhood.

The “Snoopy” drawing is actually a kids joke. First you write CU, which means “a**hole” in a childish way and forms the head. Then you do all the rest – I made short T-Rex dinosaur arms!. I don’t think this can be published, can it?

Object/Icon you wish you had designed and why?
The 14-BIS by Santos Dummont. Can you imagine the feeling of not only flying, but being the first one?

The aspect of your work you never tire of?
It’s speedy and spontaneous.

One color/pattern we’ll never see in your design portfolio.
I’m still learning how to deal patterns and colors, personally, this is the year of no-prejudice against anything for me.

You’ll know you’ve made it when...
...when frowning is impossible.

Daniel Black of black+blum

I interviewed Martin Blum at Maison-Objet in September for Three Layer Cake, so I thought it would be good to also pick up Dan's perspectives on his design experience for the Guest Blog. Dan and Martin founded the London-based black+blum design consultancy in 1998. They started out small and have grown their consultancy into a great model of success for taking products to worldwide distribution.

I like the ironic names given to the little characters they create in many of their projects, like James the Doorman, a little man who performs the Sisyphean task of holding your door open (pictured below), or his twin, James the Bookend, who holds your books up in the same way. Their newest designs, Loop candleholder and Venti fan (both also pictured below) make a small break from the usual 'design buddy', yet manage to keep the signature sleek and straight-forward black+blum look. I think their entire catalogue is perfect for gift giving year-round, but especially at Christmas when you want to give a useful, stylish and moderately priced gift.

Dan (right) doesn't like this picture because he thinks it makes him look mean, but don't be fooled by his serious look. Both he and Martin (left) are two of the nicest people out there.

Sketch something you remember from your childhood.

A red Massey Ferguson tractor!

If you could do it all over again, the one thing you wouldn't change.
From our range, it would be the Climbing Light. About as minimal as it gets with x1 screw, x1 wire frame and x1 electrical cord set. A fun, but functional design that continues is still popular design.

The best business advice you've been given.
Assumption is the mother of all f**k ups…not an original quote, but one that is regularly used for good reason. Although we design the products in our range, we have different manufacturers make them. Some are very good, but you can never assume they will get everything right. It is always best to check on every detail however small or trivial it seems to ensure that the quality remains high.

As a mentor, the most important concept you'd want a mentee to take away from your relationship. Passion for design. There is nothing more important. As a mentor, you should be able to inspire this.

In a design studio, money invested in _____ is always well spent.
CAKE. We always buy a big cake for anyone in the office on his/her birthday.

From their portfolio...


Climbing Light

Loop Candelabra (four Loop candleholders intertwined are pictured below)

Flow wine rack

Flik 'switchblade' cork screw and bottle opener

James the Doorman

Venti fan (remote controlled, wall mountable)

Louise Hederström

Ever wonder what some of the designers of IKEA’s products were like? Well, meet the lovely Louise Hederström, founder of the Charming Unit Design Studio in Malmö, Sweden, which designs for many other clients in addition to IKEA. Her designs are young and fun. I met Louise at Salone Satellite this year 2006. I walked past her stand, which was decorated in camouflage, and she looked so sad that I stopped to see if she was OK. She smiled and said that she wasn’t sad at all, just deep in thought and didn’t realize she looked so sad. Periodically during the fair, I’d pass by and say, “Looouuiiisseee are you smiling?” and she’d smile really big. Every so often, I get an email from her saying, “I’m smiling” and then one day, she sent me this as proof:

Birthplace: In a small village called Konga in the south of Sweden. I grew up on a farm.
Studies/year of graduation:
Graduation Beckmans College of Design 1995-1998
Lund School of Art and Design 1994-1995
Art History Lund University 1993-1995
Profession/how long you've been there: I have been working as a product designer since I graduated but with my own company since 2000
Left handed or Right handed: Right
Favorite dessert: Fresh fruit with vanilla ice cream.

Sketch something you remember from your childhood.

I grew up on a farm and we had a lot of animals and one of the best was our dog Anno, a Greater Swiss Mountain dog, a really good friend. I have really been thinking about this and animals live longer than objects in my heart and give me great inspiration.

Object/Icon you wish you had designed and why?
The Cap. I love caps because they protect you from rain, cold and sun and make me feel dressed. Not so fond of trucker caps though...

The aspect of your work you never tire of.
When you get that idea that you really love and believe in. Like: Aha! That feeling only lasts for a couple of seconds and after half an hour maybe that idea was not so good as I thought. Maybe good enough to continue working with and give some more ideas. The creative part of being a designer is very small so I often long for those moments when I can work with that part.

One color/pattern we’ll never see in your design portfolio.
I have to say that I like all colors, it depends on the coherence. And the same goes with patterns.

You’ll know you’ve made it when…
Hard to say, but maybe when Patricia Moroso phones me to ask for some help…!

From Louise's portfolio...

Grace Chandelier and Gladys Chandelier, respectively, for Belysningsbolaget:

Wire Branch, produced for Maze Int.:

Frän shelf and shoerack, one of many products Louise has designed for IKEA.

Scatter outdoor bench, produced by Nola:

1-2-3 Art

I saw this in Metropolitan Home over a year ago and thought the idea was fantastic since I LOOOOOOOOVE my dogs and I have absolutely no artistic abilities whatsoever! What could be better than having a paint-by-number on a real canvas of your pet? Or something else for that matter? Perfect as a gift or even for yourself! 123 Art, based in Louisville, Kentucky offers paper or canvas options and even accepts digital photography to make the outline. It's coded and they supply the paints. I think putting a big gaudy frame on it to contrast the artwork would be divine!

A sample of 123 Art work:

Garth Roberts

Canadian Garth Roberts is another designer whose accomplishments make you wonder how on earth one person can get so many things done in such little time. He was most recently awarded the Elle Decoration (France) Design Award for Best Furniture Piece of the Year (2006) for his Raw table (pictured above) which was first presented at his first ICFF offsite event in 2002. It is now being produced by Zanotta.

Garth divides his time between New York, Milan, and Berlin. He has collaborated with Zanotta, Design Torget, Fasem, Flou, and Donna Karan New York, and founded his own collective, Group Inc. for which he is the art director. He has worked with Jonathan Crinion, Jeffrey Bernett, Patricia Urquiola and...

For now I'll just say that I became a big fan of Garth's when he told me how he made the transition from design student to design professional: I decided to be a bike courier until I got my first full-time position...I interviewed on lunch breaks, using the bathrooms of the offices I delivered to as changing rooms to get into interview garb... A full interview with Garth will be featured at Three Layer Cake soon.

Sketch something you remember from your childhood.

My plastic fireman’s helmet: I think I never really wanted to be a fireman, but I sure loved that damned helmet…

If you could do it all over again, the one thing you wouldn't change.

Leaving Canada. Canada doesn’t support its design community [...this is not said relative to the support received by designers in the Netherlands, France or the UK…], meaning Canada really doesn’t value design’s contribution to Canadian society. This is reflected in the almost mute design culture of Canada. I am glad that I had the courage and was encouraged to expand my context of the world and humanity. Whether I had been a designer or an investment banker, this would have been, and is, of the utmost importance to my development as a person.

The best business advice you've been given.

Well I have been given a lot of advice and I must say that more than a bit of it was bad! But the best one that I have received would probably be…

Sometimes the best investment is to invest in yourself.

This was given to me after I had tanked some money on a multinational that had been charged with falsifying financial statements and so thereafter went under.

As a mentor, the most important concept you'd want a mentee to take away from your relationship.

...don’t be afraid of success…

and

…don’t be afraid to fail…sometimes it’s part of the process

In a design studio, money invested in ____ is always well spent.
Organization I think is the key. The less time you spend on office minutiae the more time you have to spend on the creative process. So I think it is good to try to minimize distractions of the day-to-day operational aspects of the studio as much as possible.

From Garth's porfolio:

Raw Table, 2006. Zanotta. Position of the table top can be set by the user for an all even (below) or staggered edge (intro).

ClassiCon Stand, Salone del Mobile, 2006.

With a Delicacy place setting in polished brass the diner focuses on quality not quantity. Produced for exhibit Value Meal: Design and (over)Eating at the 2004 International Design Biennale in St. Etienne, France.

PS Side Table by Fasem, 2005. Selected as one of the 50 most interesting projects of 2005 by ID Magazine.) Leather embellished top, chrome legs. Available also in rectangular form.

Reminisce runner and placemats, Group Inc 2003. Nothing like eating alone with one of these single placemats to remind you that dining with friends is a more complete experience!

Julia Lohmann

I admit that it took me several encounters with Julia's work to become intrigued. Normally, I wouldn't use the word 'disgust' to speak of someone's work, but well... That's what I felt when I saw her Ruminant Bloom (lamp, pictured below) made of a cow's preserved second stomach and imagined what it must be like to touch! Luckily, her Cow Benches don't evoke the same reaction. They are indeed intriguing, and have won her a spot in the very well edited Galerie Kreo in Paris. I'm still trying to decide how I'd feel sitting on one!

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Birthplace: Hildesheim, Germany
Studies/year of graduation: Royal College of Art, Design Products, 2004
Profession/how long you've been there: I've been involved in design since my A-levels in 1996. I went freelance after my graduation at the RCA.
Left handed or Right handed: Both- I write with my right and draw with my left. It's great for drawing elaborate pictures because you can swap hands every few hours but during math class in school it was always a nuisance as I wrote the numbers with my right and underlined the calculations with my left…
Favorite dessert: All desserts, but especially ice cream and my friend Michael's home-baked chocolate cookies

Sketch something you remember from your childhood

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On holidays my dad and I were scavenging the beach for flotsam to make sculptures. I was more interested in collecting and imagining than building. My mum was most interested in limiting the number of items that were taken home without offending dad or me. We had a great time!

Object/Icon you wish you had designed and why?
-Christiania Bicycle- I love the sustainable way of life it facilitates and promotes
-One of Thomas Heatherwick's sculptures- I think his work is ingenious

The aspect of your work you never tire of?
Looking at nature

One color/pattern we'll never see in your design portfolio.
Not a colour or pattern- but I try to create work with a long life span and a responsible use of resources.

You'll know you've made it when…
…you're free to do whatever you like and still don't become self indulgent or repeat yourself.


Julia's cow-benches, memento mori to the cows who died to give their leather to humans, explore the threshold between animal and material, were the first of her portfolio to which I was introduced. Each is handsculpted and unique, with no improvements or embellishments made to the cow's hide. The wrinkles and scars of her life are carried on in this functional bench which They are sculpted in different poses, and each has a name. [Alma Home in London provided generous support to Julia to help her realize this project.] Here they are on the lawn:

And here is Anoushka in the city [Tokyo, to be exact!]

The Ruminant Bloom still evokes a strong initial reaction, but I can see the beauty in the natural pattern around the lamp and how it glows. Made of preserved cows and sheep-stomachs. I am glad to know that my two-tiered reaction, even if in the wrong order, falls within the norm, according to Julia!!

Flock - an installation of fifty sheep stomachs as part of the Royal College of Art Summer Show (2004). Exhibited also at Design Mart at the Design Museum.

Izabella Kay + Vernissage

Grace often writes about being on a budget and I can sorely empathize. I have been on a near spending freeze for months, allowing myself only the tiniest luxury of framing some canvasses I have had lying around for four years and to repair the broken glass on a couple of prints, and to frame two new items (sounds expensive, but it was only $300 for 9 pieces, one of which was 1m x 1m!). All drama aside, half the items have been at the framer's for over two months, which is good and bad. Good because I brought half home and it was like Christmas in October, and with the second batch it will be like Christmas in November. It's bad because I would have preferred to have them all at once! But oh well!


If I weren't on a budget, I would clear a gigantic space somewhere in our home for an installation by Polish-born ex-investment banker, Izabella Kay. I love the gradations of color within each canvas and across the entire installation. I saw her work a couple of years ago and fell in love with it. Since then, Ms. Kay, resident in London, has founded Vernissage to promote the work of young Polish artists. Izabella got her start first at the Bloxham Galleries (London) in 2002 and then at the Affordable Art Fair in Battersea Park in London (all work under 3000GBP), and took Vernissage to exhibit in the Autumn edition just last month (October 2006). Those who bought Ms. Kay's work when she was starting out are now sitting on a healthy investment. I'm sure the art of many of the artists at Vernissage will also appreciate with time as well.

Installation by Izabella Kay (Photo: from Vernissage website).

Ronan + Erwan Bouroullec

The Bouroullec brothers, Ronan and Erwan, were a shoo-in for the mini-interview for a couple dozen reasons, but really the first two were decisive. First, they consistently contribute projects and products which are ' incredibly detailed and simple at the same time' [much like their interview answers!]. I like that this quality of their work often encourages viewer/user engagement. Second, Grace is crazy about them. OK, so only the first criteria really mattered. [Photo: Facett Conception by Morgane Le Gall]

If you could do it all over again, the one thing you wouldn't change
Our Mum.

The best business advice you've been given
Giulio Cappellini once advised us not to take a business card because he said, “When you have a business card, you won’t have ideas anymore.” We still do not have business cards.

As a mentor, the most important concept you'd want a mentee to take away from your relationship. The relativity of each idea.

In a design studio, money invested in ____ is always well spent.
In an apprenticeship of a new machine.

A sketch of your favorite piece of artwork?

Here are some images of the brothers' work over the course of their partnership, founded in 1999.

Fruit bowl 1999 polypropylene, ABS. [8,2 x Ø 30 cm. Photo: Paul Tahon] Edited by: Authentics, Germany.

Honda vase 2001: fiber glass, matt internal finish, external shiny finish paint, ballasted base. two colours: aubergine or black [100 x Ø50 cm. Photo: Morgane Le Gall] Edited by Galerie Kreo, Paris.

Spring chair, 2000 wood shell, then polyurethane, high-resilience foam, wool, stainless steel. [66 x 78 x 78 cm + foot rest + head rest. Photo: Paul Tahon] Edited by Cappellini, Italy.

The Floating House (la maison flottante) by night, a habitable studio for resident artists and authors initiated by public commission in 2002 and completed in October 2006. Designed by R & E Bouroullec together with architects Jean-Marie Finot and Denis Daversin. [Photo: Paul Tahon and R & E Bouroullec.]

Making a connection

Design, Food, and Dysfunction make the world go round…at least for those of us who assiduously read designsponge! During my time here over the next two weeks, through the mini-interview, I will present these “three layers” of daily life, focusing mostly on design, but also a small infusion of food and a sprinkle of dysfunction (which is in the eye of the beholder, I suppose!)

Each day, I will present a mini-interview with an established designer and one with a newer designer, with a few very important special guests here and there. I can’t say that there’s any particular focus except that the people who have agreed to share a bit about themselves and their work for this guestblog are really quite exceptional!

I am really very honored that Grace asked me to do this. If only she had asked me to go first, I wouldn't have such a high bar to get over...!

Lotta Jansdotter

: : d*sponge readers, it's been an amazing two weeks here on d*sponge's guestblog, I have had so much fun! Thank you for all your sweet words of encouragment. You have inspired ME and I really hope you have found joy and inspiration in my posts as well!

Although, I'm sad this will be my final post, I couldn't be more excited to introduce the last fabulous surface designer in my series of interviews. In addition to being a very talented, famous designer, she is also Swedish!! A Swede gone American.....meet Lotta Jansdotter!!

Lotta is just about to release a new line of products, and is giving us a sneak peak...some of these products are already available on her website....but some are brand new!

Time for me to go back to my red.house! Thank you everyone!


Can you tell us a little bit more about your company and how it first got started?

I started my company 10 years ago...1996 in a small basement space in my apartment building. The room was very small...but big enough to fit a small home built screening table and a sewing machine into...but that was all that fit! It was crammed in there !!!
Back in 1995 I took all kinds of classes at a community school not really knowing what I was looking for exactly..just took a bunch or art classes really. When I discovered screen printing I knew I had found my medium. I have always been creative and liked working with my hands..but I didnt know how to translate that into a profession- and I KNEW I wasnt a fine arts person.
With screen printing I realized that I could transfer my "doodles" and my motifs onto fabric and make duplicates and sell them...as products.




Growing up in Sweden I was surrounded by textile products: well designed and simple towels, curtains, pillows, pot holders with a contemporary feel ...but there simply wasnt ANYTHING fun. creative or contemporary on the US market at that time....so i figured that i would quit school and start my own company, give it a shot. I put together my first collection in the basement, took it to stores and started selling !!! I worked part time as a designer and in the evenings I waitressed...now I have been supporting myself full time ( and over time) as a designer for 5 years.




What drew you to America in the first place?

ahhh, I came to America to be with a man...not for America itself. Now that man is in my past and I am very grateful for my life here. I have found a lot of support and tapped into the entrpreneural spirit that USA truly do have. I dont think I could have grown and succeeded as a designer in Sweden like I have here in USA ! Sweden is simply too small, and a tad narrow minded: Swedes don't really encourage success too much. ( that is slowly changing as well...luckily) It has been a long journey these past 10 years. It hasn't been until the last 4-5 years that the general gift market in America have started to appreciate and value simple, clean designs with function.




You are a self-taught designer, when was your love/passion for design born, do you think?

hmmmmm..it has always been there..but when I was 3 it wasnt called "design"; it was me drawing and drawing, all the time..coloring and cutting paper..drawing flowers and more flowers..and as I grew older I would decorate letters to my 13 pen pals..make scrap books, decorate furniture and so on ......it is all the same still, I do the same things, except now I can actually make a living at it...it is rather remarkable and I am so happy to be so fortunate to work with what i love to do !!!



Being a Swede and all, I assume nature is an important influence to you, how does nature inspire you in your work?

yes...alot of running around in the mountains, eating mormors( grandmothers) carrots straight from the garden patch..riding hay rides, swimming in the great Baltic ocean, taking the boat out to the archipelago, picking 7 flowers to put under your pillow at midsummer and playing in the fields and in the red barns, walking home in the midnight sun....all of this time in nature have influenced my work..and still does.




Where do you feel most inspired?

really..anywhere..as long as I am removed from my everyday grind I can let my mind go...I stop thinking about the bills and all the have to's..and I take time to stop and notice my surrounding and let myself SEE things= be inspired. TRAVEL is so so great for this.



What is your relationship to Sweden (and Åland) today?

As I am getting older I find myself wanting to go home more often. Lately it has been 1-2 times a year.
I have lived in USA for 15 years now and I have struggled alot through the years with the fact that most of my family and roots are over there...in the old country: feeling a little guilty that I left everybody behind. But my life is so rich and wonderful here.
Now I have the means to go back to Sweden and Aland more often..and that helps alot.
The big dream is to eventually have a summer cabin on Aland ( the island where i was born). I want my children to grow up with many of the wonderful nature experiences I had as a child. I hope to spend 6-8 weeks there every summer ( like a real Scandinavian person) and really relax and charge for the rest of the year..and spend time with people near and dear to me. And with a husband that is an architect that dream just might happen !!!!
I had an exhibition on Aland this past summer and it was such a special event for me..and very sucessfull..it was so great to have the opportunity to do that !




What do you see in the near future for yourself and your company?

I hope to free more time up to create more. One drawback with having your own company is ALL the things you have to manage: all the admin. tasks that take you away from your creative time. I can finally delegate many tasks to my employees..and structure my schedule some more.
I want to focus on more one of a kind pieces...I get alot of requests for that..maybe eventually expand into some clothing?!
oh..and I have 3 books in the works. One sewing book with Chronicle Books that will be launched in a few months, very exciting...and then I have been working with a Japanese publisher on a very cool and creative book....you will be able to buy it on our website come may 2007. The third book is a book about fabric printing...-VERY VERY thrilled about this one...we will keep you posted.

Tack så jättemycket Lotta!! Thank you!

Form & Design

Time for another fabulous Swedish textile designer, Ulrika Elofsson of Form & Design. Although Form & Design is a fairly young company, Ulrika's products have been getting a lot of attention! And she deserves all of it, her work is wonderful!

Can you tell us a little about Form & Design and how it all got started?

Form & Design is the result of a dream that I have had, to do something on my own. To start a company under which I could create products that people love. I had been thinking about it for years, and eventually the time came when it just felt right and I decided to take the chance. The first collection, which came out Spring 2005, consisted of printed dishrags with different motifs with matching kitchen towels. I was very fortunate and got some great response from my customers as well as some great press. The positive feedback gave me confidence to continue creating new collections. My collections change and expand all the time. I want my products to brighten the everyday routine.


It's clear that nature is an important source of inspiration to you in your work, what's your relationship to nature? and how does nature inspire you in your work?

My relationship to nature and nature as a source of inspiration; I love nature!!! Nature has always been a very powerful and important source of inspiration. Whether it is a walk in the rain, mushroom picking in the woods in the fall, horseback riding in deep snow on a crisp winter day or standing on a rock soaking up the sun, letting the wind tug on my hair. Because I grew up in a smaller town, I’ve always been able to stay close to nature, both forest and lakes were just around the corner from my house.

I think I probably feel most inspired when I am outside walking. I feel like my head clears, I relax and feel present which is everything I need in order for the inspiration to flow. Many things in nature inspire me, for example I can find forms that I can scale up or scale down to create different patterns. But many times, it’s not that I find a form or an object in nature directly, just being close to nature simply helps me feel calm and puts me in a state of mind where I feel creative.




Can you tell us a little bit more about the materials that you use, and why it is important to you to use natural materials?

I try to use natural materials in my products to the extent that I can. I think the natural materials have a more beautiful glow and better characteristics etc. Of course it depends on what you are looking for, but I still try to always strive for as much of a natural product as possible.

Thank you Ulrika!

Danish wall decor

Lene Toni Kjeld is a Danish designer who has created a wallpaper collection consisting of 8 patterns transitioning from one to another so that pieces can be cut out with two patterns overlapping. Which makes for some beautiful wall art!

Niklas

As I was going through the catalogue for the Borås Student Show, I got curious about the graphics...I managed to find the artist who designed the catalogue, Niklas. Here are some wonderful images from the catalogue, they look like still life creations that were built to introduce each category in the catalogue. I also included some of his other work. I was very drawn to the simplicity of the pink flower illustration, yet it is so detailed and complex. The pictures of the graphic ads on the tram are actually from my hometown of Gothenburg, Sweden. To learn more about Niklas visit his website right here.

Borås Students Work

Here is some of the work of the Master Students of 2006 at Borås School of Textiles. This project is called Wearable sculptures, by Theres Söderwall.

Luminous Fabrics by Linnea Nilsson.


Fantasy animals, glow in the dark sheets for kids, by Bachelor student Maria Sandberg.

Every year, the Borås School of Textiles holds a big show at the school and people travel from all over the country to see it, it is called the "Examens utställning". These photos came directly from their catalogue that was created as a booklet version of the show, available on their website right here. If you want to learn more about these projects check out this.

Borås Textile Capital of the world

I had mentioned that I would get back to you with some more inspiration from the Textile University in Borås [School of Textiles], but first I would like to share some history about why Borås is the textile capital of Sweden today. This is a story that I learned from the ladies at Spira who all grew up in Borås [Sweden] and that is where Spira is based today. Here is their story..

Borås has been a textile centre for a very long time. –Since about 1621 actually, Göran Andersson chimes in. Göran is the superintendent at the Borås Textile museum. He continues: – 1621 was the year our king Gustav II Adolf founded Borås and made it a textile city. Prior to that, all the bartering and trading was reserved for the burghers, everyone else was strictly forbidden to manufacture and sell their goods. But by founding a city, within which the manufacturing and selling of ones goods was permitted by law, the King had created a safe haven and thus boosted the commerce sky high. Subsequently, everyone in the textile business as well as those with a bourgeoning career in that or any handicraft, moved to Borås. ”

Mod Green Pod

Hanna's and Lotta's work both have a similar playfulness and rhytm as the patterns of Mod Green Pod, which is my next featured interview. I had seen their wallpapers and fabrics in design magazines, but was not aware that they were local to Boston...until I visited the South end Open Studios [Boston] and found myself in the middle of Lisa's Studio. I was so excited! I have loved their patterns from the minute I first saw them, and the great news is that all of their products are organic, which makes them even more appealing.

Can you tell us a little bit about Mod Green Pod and how it all got started?
Mod Green Pod’s mission is to merge high design with environmentally responsible and home-healthy materials. Our first collection of products are for the home – upholstery fabrics and wallpapers. We design and produce these products so that they are eco-friendly yet hip not hippie.

Nancy and I decided to start a business together a few years ago when we realized that not only did we share common goals and aesthetics, but we also had extremely complimentary skills sets. Nancy was a successful and talented textile designer and artist, while my career had been focused on running businesses – MBA from Dartmouth and finance and operations with Kate Spade. From a goal perspective, Nancy and I were both interested in starting a business that had a favorable social impact. We didn’t want to introduce yet another textile product to an already saturated market! After some more research on the benefits of organic cotton, we decided that focusing on using organic cotton and non-toxic paints and finishers would be a great way to achieve a positive impact and also differentiate our product from others on the market.

We also chose to produce our textiles as a high-end, artisan quality line. Our fabric and wallpapers are all hand table-screened in New England in very small batches. The process gives each piece a unique, luxurious appeal, differentiating our fabrics from mass produced textiles.


Many of Mod Green Pod's patterns are very organic in their form, where does the inspiration come from?
Mod Green Pod’s premiere line, the Jubilee collection, is inspired by the traditionally baroque damask. By paring down a classic motif into sleek modern lines, we hoped to create eye-catching prints that appeal to a broad range of tastes, from traditional to vanguard. In our Butterfly Jubilee print, you can see the influence of nature in our work. We wanted to make sure to tie our environmental mission with our design mission in some way. Butterflies are a colorful and whimsical part of our natural environment and were a perfect fit for our first collection.


Can you tell us why the environmental aspects are so important to you and maybe tell us a bit about your relationship with the environment.
For our fabrics, Mod Green Pod uses organic cotton (we are introducing a hemp/organic cotton blend shortly!) grounds to print on, low impact water-based paints, and no harmful finishing chemicals. Once you start to peel back the layers of the onion, it is truly astonishing how many chemicals are applied to a “conventional” fabric. So, we take a lot of pride in the fact that our fabrics will not off-gas in your home and are safe for anyone with allergies or sensitive skin.

Nancy and I are mothers (or mothers-to-be), and our dedication to producing sustainable products is highly influenced by that. Not only do we want to leave this world a better place for our children, but we also want to make sure that our homes are safe havens for our children. And ideally, we want to provide this safe haven, while not sacrificing style or design – something that is important to both of us.

Nancy’s green-built studio in Austin, TX. My studio is a detached garage apartment behind my house. I love that my commute is so short and that i can wear pajamas to work each day. I also love the feeling of being in a tree house. My space has lots of windows and is surrounded by gorgeous old pecan trees so I'm literally surrounded by green when I'm at work. I'm also figuratively surrounded by green because the structure was built using sustainable materials.

Lisa’s studio in the South End of Boston. I love my studio as it gives me a place to experiment with our products. Recently, we wallpapered part of our wall.

Nancy and Lisa, Mod Green Pod. Thank you ladies!

Lotta Kuhlhorn

It's hard to mention Hanna Werning without mentioning Lotta Kuhlhorn, another talented Swedish graphic designer. Lotta returns to classical retro patterns yet with a very modern feel, to raise the question about our contemporary aesthetic ideals.

To visit Lotta's website, click here. And to read a quick bio on her by Swedish Style, click here.

Hanna Werning

I know most of you are already familiar with the work of Hanna Werning, but I can't resist bragging about her [since she's Swedish and incredibly talented], in case there is someone out there who has yet not discovered her wonderful patterns. I dream of my kitchen wall covered in Elefantgräs!

To see her Animal wall paper collection click here. To see some of Hanna's other work visit her website. And to read a quick bio on her by Swedish Style, click here.

Sandberg

Sandberg is another Swedish company with great fabrics and wallpapers. Offering everything from classical every day patterns to more modern and glamorous ones.

Muurbloem

Muurbloem is a Dutch company with wonderful products. I especially liked their graphics. Here are some examples of interior spaces that they have designed. I love the mixing of colors and overlapping of different patterns.

Amy Butler

Amy Butler designs some of the most beautiful patterns I've ever seen! I fall in love with these every time I look at them! Such beautiful colors and details. If you need ideas for a sewing project go to her website. You'll be inspired to make bags, hat, quilts and all kinds of other things. Patterns are available directly from her website. Find her fabrics at Reprodepot.

Nama Rococo

Grace first introduced me to wallpaper studio Nama Rococo. Nama stands for North Adams Massachusetts which is where the company was born. These are some of their more recent patterns. Just looking at their wallpapers makes me happy!

Icelandic Illustrations

It's a fabulous Saturday here in Boston! I'm so happy it's the weekend! I'm feeling especially inspired...I thought I'd share these wonderful happy illustrations by Icelandic graphic artist Ingi Erlingsson. [Via Josh Spear]. Ingi is currently working for British company ilove dust.

Erica Wakerly

Erica Wakerly creates wonderful patterns for fabrics and wallpaper. Geometrical, yet organic patterns. Erica graduated from the Royal College of Art in 2005 (MA Printed Textiles), specializing in surface design for interiors.

Fokus Fabrik

Out next is another group of fabulous women, the women behind Fokus Fabrik, a Finnish textile company, with dynamic, colorful fabrics inspired by nature and urban environments.

Can you tell us a little about Fokus Fabrik and how it all got started?

Fokus Fabrik consists of four textile designers (Eronen, Heikkinen,Järveläinen, Kerman). The first Fokus Fabrik collection came out in March 2006. We have been working together since year 2004 by participating in textile fairs, but as individuals. At that time we noticed that
together we posses an unique combination of creativity and knowledge. So, we started a company in October 2004. In Porvoo we have an atelier and a small factory, where we print all our fabrics.

All of us have our own style, but at the same time our designs are similar, with modern and graphical touches.



The printing process

It's clear that nature is an important source of inspiration to all of you at Fokus Fabrik.

For us nature is a wide concept - except grass, trees etc we see that nature also includes people, buildings and traffic - modern infrastructure in general. For many modern people of 20th century, classic nature is quite hard to reach and we need to find the nature from our
daily surroundings.

What's your relationship to nature?
Nature is important to us, not only aestethically, but also because of our interest in the state of the environment. To live in harmony with nature is something that we consider in our every day life, as well as in our design.


How does nature inspire you in your work?A lot of your work is also inspired by urban spaces, and the relationship between the urban environment and nature, can you tell us more about this?

Nature - or surroundings - inspires us day after day. The continuosly changing landscape with hurrying people, pulsing traffic, serene nature gives every day something to think about. For example a week ago there was green grass all around and today there is white snow.


I understand that the location of the Fokus Fabrik studio is very special, can you talk a bit about what you enjoy most about it?

Our little factory is located by the river of Porvoo, not far away from the old town. Porvoo is a picturesque town with old wooden houses from the 1800-century. Porvoo is well known for crafftsmen, artists and nowdays for designers. And it is only 50 km from Helsinki, capital of
Finland, where we stop by now and then enjoying the city life.

Visit their website for more information: Fokus Fabrik

fabric mosaic

Here's an innovative way of using textiles, fabric mosaic. This is a showroom made for Kvadrat textiles in Stockholm, designed by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec.

Josef Frank

The Jobs fabrics reminded me of Josefs Frank's wonderful fabrics...Oh, I love Josef Frank’s work! Available at Svenskt Tenn.

Swedish Jobs textiles

Here’s a hot tip from my dear Swedish friend Tina: Jobs is a Swedish company steeped in Swedish traditions, with some of the most beautiful classical Swedish patterns. Based in the deep woods of Dalarna [region of Sweden]. I think of Dalarna as the very core of Sweden and Swedish traditions.
These patterns remind me so much of Josef Frank, one of my favorite designers of all times! As well as one of the most influential designers in Swedish design history.

Seating cushions

These cool seating cushions are by GamplusFratesi too! What a brilliant idea.

lace chairs

I came across these fantastic lace chairs today, by Danish company GamplusFratesi. And look at where they are located, what a wonderfully inspiring environment. [Christianshavn, Denmark]

The lovely ladies of Spira

I am very excited to introduce the lovely ladies at Spira textiles as my first interview. I know that the wonderful patterns of textile team Spira are not new to d*s readers, most recently they were mentioned by Frida during her guest blogging two weeks ago. But I’m hoping to take you behind the scenes to show you a bit more of the company and what their daily environment is like.

Spira’s fabrics almost tell the story of the company in a way, with bold patterns, strong colors, yet simple and typically Swedish in pattern and color combinations. It all speaks of joy, and joy is the main ingredient. When Spira was founded, Anna, Lena and Sussi set out to find three words as guidance for the company, the words that they decided on were; quality, style and joy. With joy truly being the inspiration, the positive spirit of these three women has become the driving force behind Spira.

This is three women living out their dream, creating a product experience that they themselves had been searching for. Their goal is not to be the biggest they tell me, “we want to be the best”.


But there’s one more piece of the puzzle, Linda Sjunneson, a freelance designer who has been there from the start. Linda is responsible for the majority of their patterns. It’s seems very obvious as a Swede to find nature as a primary source of inspiration and it’s clear that Linda draws a lot of inspiration form nature. Nature is always present in my design, says Linda, but she also draws from her own personal experiences and relationships. Some of the patterns that she created are dedicated to her Grandmother. She emphasizes how much it means to her that each pattern is personal, that nothing is mass produced.

Spira is a relatively young company, which has been getting a lot of attention in the past year. Most of that, of course, is attributed to the incredible spirit and energy of the company. But these women didn’t come from anywhere in the country, they grew up in Borås, the textile capital of Sweden and this is where Spira is located today. [There will be more on Borås as a textile capital and more inspiration from there.] So, Swedes have had their eyes on them for a while, but they are now starting to think about how they can reach customers in the US and other parts of the world. Hopefully, their fabrics will be available to us over here in the near future.

For now, contact Spira via e.mail to get more information; spira@spirainredning.se.