designer's library

Jean Pelle

Kim (my asst.) and I think Jean Pelle is kinda awesome. Ok, really awesome. Her Vanity Cabinet, part of her Assemblage series, is the loveliest contraption I've seen yet.

Two Favorite Things

Information graphics and chocolate--two of my favorite things combined into one delicious object. The above image is from Mary & Matt. The images below are from 5.5 Designers in France from their 2008 Chocolat Factory collection.

I love wire

I'm a sucker for wire mesh. So I'm trying to find a right place for these pieces in my home to justify their purchase. (I'm sure I'll figure something out.) But first, I would also like to check them out in the store to see if they look and feel just as good in person. The chair is the De la tour chair from Urban Outfitters and the table is the Link side table from CB2. I'm glad they're finally opening a store in San Francisco this summer.

Marimekko Kulkue

I've been eyeing this Marimekko wall hanging at CB2 for sometime and I haven't quite pressed the order button yet. Of course, I love the primary colors.

Then I saw Joy's post on Maija Louekari, so I had to check to see if this piece was made by her. And indeed, it was. Damn that girl is talented!

Spirograph Log Basket

This has been permanently on my wish list though I haven't gotten around to actually buying it.

Tierdrop Lamp

It's no secret that I'm a big fan of the folks at Salvor. I got their wholesale catalog in the mail recently and it reminded me of this post that I forgot to publish after I saw co-owner, Ross Menuez's tierdrop lamp in ID mag months ago (Sept/Oct 2006). (Yes, I have a bunch of orphaned posts...half-finished or forgotten.)

I enjoy the delicate meets utilitarian meets minimalist look of the lamp and I bet it throws some cool shadows on the wall. And at $190, the price is nice, too. (Available at The Future Perfect in Brooklyn.)

Donghia Pillow

I saw this Donghia advertisement in Elle Decor and the pillow on top caught my eye. (The bottom three were just so-so for me.) I love the ethnic pattern with the textural pom poms. I've been digging decorative fringe lately! The pillow's got that whole Tibet Style appeal--not that I've actually seen that book in person...

Heather Dunbar

Despite the ubiquitousness of graffiti these days as surface design (from bags to shoes to clothing), I still find these Heather Dunbar needlepoint grafitti pillows ($700 each) stunning. Nothing like mixing street culture with grandma sensibilities. This image was from Domino (November 2006) featuring the home of Brian Wolk and Claude Morais of Ruffian. Unfortunately, I couldn't locate a website for Heather to learn more about her or view more of her fabulous work...

Lauren Saunders Article

I'm back from a mini-vacation to Hawaii and right before I left my article on Lauren Saunders published in the Home&Garden section of the San Francisco Chronicle last Wednesday. This is my first time freelancing for them. Lauren is one of my favorite California designers--I actually posted about her previously!

So when Lauren notified me that the article published (because apparently a store in Napa contacted her), I bought four copies of the paper. My parents came over and asked why I had so many newspapers. I told them that I had written an article. Naturally, they were overjoyed...well, until they found out the article was about a designer that makes pillows. With confused faces, they said, "Pillows?!" (Ironically, I am a designer that make pillows, too.) And my dad adds, "Is that really news?" Apparently, they were anticipating some hardhitting news article, you know, like on the global warming, an ecoli outbreak, or O.J.'s search for the "real killer". Well, pillows are news to me. And I plan to write about more pillows (or rugs or paperweights) in the future, if anything, just to bewilder my parents even more.

Parents, especially those of the geriatric Asian variety, are practically impossible to impress. Well, unless you graduate from Stanford with top honors and a trifecta degree in Medicine, Law and Engineering, then I say you're pretty much Golden. I remember when I told my dad I that I was going to get my first book published--which to his dismay was about bridesmaids' dresses--his response was: "Congratulations. Maybe next time you can write a book on world history." I'll get right on that mister!

2007, Welcome.

Geez. I haven't done a real post since Thanksgiving! I guess it's apparent how high up my blog is on my priority list. Seriously, I really do care and I promise to post often this year! (And by often, I mean once every other month...I kid.) Although 2006 definitely had its positive moments, it was a personally tumultuous year for people in my family with sickness, surgery, a layoff, and most recently, the passing of a beloved aunt.

So, I'm glad that 2007 is here. And I'd like to share some thoughts for the new year. First, let me just get this out of the way: Like a bajillion other people, I'm looking forward to the new season of 24, The Wire, and Project Runway. Who isn't, right? And I can't wait for Bravo's Top Design which is supposed to start this month. Hmm...interesting cast. What's up with the tight tees and jeans combo? I guess it isn't a show about fashion...

This year I'd also like to spend quality link-chasing time getting my laugh on via McSweeney's. I never leave that site disappointed! My favorite piece continues to be: WHAT I WOULD BE THINKING ABOUT IF I WERE BILLY JOEL DRIVING TOWARD A HOLIDAY PARTY WHERE I KNEW THERE WAS GOING TO BE A PIANO by Michael Ian Black--that title alone is hilarious.

And I hope McSweeney's author Lisa Brown adds another book to her "Baby Be of Use" series, which is excellent bedtime reading for your little ones, I might add. "Baby Fix My Car" is my one-year old son's favorite. I hope she's gearing up for new titles. If so, I'd love to see: "Baby Do My Laundry" and "Baby, Where are My F*cking Keys?" Okay, maybe without obscenity...

And on the design tip: I'm curious to know who West Elm is going to knock off in 2007. Besides Jonathan Adler, who is clearly their favorite artist to copy. A quick peak in their latest catalog and it looks like, Helene Ige is their latest victim:

Helene's is velvet, West Elm's is cotton. She's got a beetle, they've got a grasshopper. Helene use's gold metallic foil, they're using gold metallic sequins. Very clever West Elm. Very clever.

And on a positive note, it looks like they were forced to change their "etched botanical wall art", the previous design was a near direct copy of Beth Weintraub's work. Looks like someone got a cease and desist letter!

And what's in store for me in 2007? I'd love to put together another Modern Economy sale in SF (hopefully in March) and again in LA (maybe in August). I'm also looking forward to doing the National Stationery Show with Relish Accessories in May 2007. And I have a craft-related title with Chronicle Books coming out in August/September 2007. What else? Hmmm..just taking over the world, you know, stuff like that.