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What’s on Our 2021 Holiday Wishlist? The DM Staff’s Top Picks Pt. 2

The Design Milk team knows a thing or two about finding the perfect holiday gift (have you seen our collection of hand-selected holiday gift guides?). Read on for part two of our team’s top holiday gift recommendations, and if you haven’t seen part one, give that a read when you’re done! You can always find all our staff picks and more in the Design Milk Shop here!

Gregory – Contributing Writer/Tech Editor | Cloth Napkins by Anchal Project

“Cloth napkins aren’t usually something that rates highly on wish lists typically, but as an admittedly eager and occasionally haphazard eater, I found myself amusingly enthused upgrading from an older set of very durable, yet rough fabric napkins recently to something more pleasantly tactile and contemporary – a complementary set of Graph and Prism design napkins. Not only does the subtle dotted line geometric patterns appeal aesthetically – hinting both of quilt-like craft and modernist wireframe forms – but the organic cotton is supple, absorbent, and textured and hasn’t failed me yet when I need to wipe my face clean between bites. These would make a great gift for anyone who loves to eat, as much as they appreciate good design.”

$28

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Vy – Lifestyle Editor | Kronos Double Wall Coffee Cup by KINTO

“No one needs another coffee mug for the holidays, but these coffee cups are truly the exception. The double wall design keeps you from burning your hands and the simple silhouette looks beautiful sitting on an open shelf. If you have a coffee-loving friend, I would definitely gift them a bag of fresh beans – they will be SO excited.”

$13

Jaime – Founder + Chief Creative Officer | Candlehand “Victory/Peace” by 54 Celsius

“This Candlehand Victory/Peace candle by 54 Celsius is a very cute and stylish accessory – makes it difficult to choose whether to light it or leave it! It would make a fun and unique gift for a new homeowner.”

$40

Kate – Director of Merchandising | B10 Blender + Hydration Station by Beast Health

“I LOVE this blender! My morning protein shakes come out perfectly smooth and the clean-up is so easy – and it looks fabulous sitting on your counter! I used to hide my blender away every day and now I don’t need to! It is functional with an amazing design aesthetic. The hydration system keeps me drinking my water goal thanks to the amazing infusions I can now add to my water! Let’s just say this also makes a mean frozen marg … so the gift is suitable for anyone in your life who wants to up their counter game with an amazing blender!”

$185

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Kelley – Operations — Small Cups by Fors Studio

“I love how cute these small cups are. The color is great for my little espresso collection. I would absolutely gift these to any espresso drinker. I will be purchasing the mini plates and the larger cups for my coffee mornings. Nothing like a functional yet aesthetically pleasing coffee bar! Also, these are the perfect size for my daughter to join in the morning routine. I put chocolate milk in hers. It’s an adorable grown-up tea party.”

$18

Stephanie – Director of Finance | Notabag Tote/Backpack by Notabag

“The Notabag was ultra-functional, comfortable, and stylish for our summer vacation. I’m obsessed with all the different colors. At such a reasonable price point, these make exceptional gifts (I sent one to my sister), and an easy grab for yourself to coordinate with your closet. Mine also washed up fantastically.”

$28 – 33

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Lucy – Director of Marketing | Desk Mat by Orbitkey

“Our Tech Editor Gregory recommended I try this Orbitkey Desk Mat and it’s a great addition to my workspace. I got the medium size (27×14.5 inch) that can easily accommodate a laptop or keyboard for desktop and a mouse. The magnetic cable holder is a bonus to keep my cables handy. It’s made from vegan leather so it’s durable and easy to clean. I also love the document hideaway under the top layer to store the multitude of loose papers and notes I seem to accumulate throughout the day.”

$79

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Kelly – Senior Editor | Small Bottle Grinder Set by MENU

“I’ve had a crush on this grinder set forever, so I was happy to get my hands on them and see how well-made the pieces are. The twisting motion to grind is super smooth and the cook in your life will love having quality fresh ground salt and pepper on hand for their culinary masterpieces. With a great color selection available it’s easy to choose a set that they’ll love.”

$90

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Matthew – Social Media Manager | Lincanabur Black Mountain Clay Stoneware Pipe by Miwak Junior

“There are A LOT of smoking doo-dads out there, but the best pieces are usually the simplest. Case in point: the Miwak Junior Stoneware Pipe. This design has remained largely unchanged since the company was founded in 2014 and for good reason. It fits in the hand like a perfectly rounded river rock and has a large hollow chamber for a smooth and even drag. And unlike a lot of the other high design options out there, it doesn’t draw attention to itself when not in use. This piece comes in a number of stoneware clay options, but the Lincanabur Black Mountain Clay rendition is easily the most low key and will hide the gunk and stains that mar glass and other light-colored pipes.”

$80

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Gabbie – Merchant + Brand Manager | Home Cycle Candle by Anecdote Candles

“The Home Cycle candle by Anecdote has the most refreshing/clean smelling scent. It smells exactly as described – like bergamot, rosemary, and amber. I bought it for myself but would happily buy it as a gift for someone, too!”

$26

>>> For more staff picks, visit the Design Milk Shop, here! <<<

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The Twee Keys Inspired by the Color Palette of Wes Anderson

The oeuvre of auteur Wesley Wales Anderson – aka Wes Anderson – is immediately distinguishable at even a quick glance. The filmmaker’s impeccable, precise eye for composition, illuminated by a seemingly timeless palette of pastels paints his body of work with a uniquely nostalgic aura swimming with whimsy and wonder. Keyboard maker Angry Miao surprisingly has dipped into this unmistakable tonal range to tinge a trio of mechanical keyboards with “a sense of idiosyncraticness and exquisiteness” with their anachronistically named, Cyberboard R3 series.

Anderson’s latest film, The French Dispatch, has reignited interest and discussion of the director’s body of work, and the Cyberboard R3 arrives as an unexpected homage to his previous cinematic efforts including The Grand Budapest Hotel and Isle of Dogs, alongside the lesser known short film, Come Together. Each keyboard is tinted as a visual homage, electro-coated for durability and saturation, with a sharply angled keyboard housing.

The entire layout sits atop a gasket mount to produce a slightly more cushioned feel with every keystroke. Perhaps more curiously – and in the retro-spirit of Anderson films – each keyboard also sports a fairly large and low resolution LED matrix display.

Aquatic Green: Tranquil yet refreshing, like the cabin in Come Together. Budapest Pink: Classy but not showy, like the hotel’s exterior wall. Cloud White: Calm and timeless; similar to Professor Watanabe’s lab in Isle of Dogs.

Keyboards can be used wired or wirelessly via Bluetooth, switching from one to another automatically.

Available in Budapest Pink, Aquatic Green, Cloud White, and a non-Anderson style Basalt Black, Angry Miao’s Cyberboard R3 series is available as both a DIY base kit or as a bundle with keys and switches included (currently sold out). We hope to see additional keyboard setups inspired by favorite filmmakers and TV series like this colorful homage…Squid Game, anyone?

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WantedDesign Manhattan 2021 Launch Pad Furniture Winner: Tom Lerental

Continuing with our winner spotlight from the WantedDesign Manhattan 2021 Launch Pad competition, we’re excited to present Tom Lerental of Tomma Bloom as the winner of the Furniture category for her Sonia and Rene Collection! Design Milk partnered with WantedDesign Manhattan alongside sponsor American Standard and led the jury panel with Giulio Cappellini of Cappellini, Andrea Cesarman of Design Week Mexico, Crystal Ellis of Egg Collective, and Jean-Jacques L’hénaff of LIXIL Global Design, Americas in determining the winners of this prestigious competition. Congratulations Tom!

Tom chats with Design Milk about her studio Tomma Bloom, the inspiration behind her work, and what she plans on taking on next:

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Can you tell us a little bit about your background? Who is Tom and how did Tomma Bloom come about?

I’m a textile designer in passion and practice. I’m 31 (but celebrate 19 every year), I grew up in Israel and currently live in Boston, MA with my wife and gorgeous dog-daughter, Kai. I graduated from Shenkar College of Design with a bachelor’s degree in Textile Design (Cum Laude) and from Tel-Aviv University with a Master of Art in Interdisciplinary Arts.

As a kid, I was the odd girl out, never felt like I quite fit anywhere. Luckily, I have a strong mom that has always made sure that I stay true to myself, to who I am and to what I believe in, so evidently it became the core to my values. Pursuing a creative profession was my calling, so I am doing it with open heart and open mind.

My grandma’s studio was my favorite place on earth. She was a textile artist, so I was familiar with textile as an artistic medium from an early age. When I applied to design school, I felt like I knew what I was getting into but had no idea how this choice would be so meaningful. It turns out that my whole essence was wired to textiles. Textile as a practice, a method and a visual language works perfectly with my repetitive-anxious-OCD mind. Framing my practice within a pattern or a structure is the basis of how I think and act.

Since an early age my dream was to live in NYC and have a space where I could practice my art. My wife and I moved to the New York three years ago to pursue new adventures and professional development. I founded Tomma Bloom around then, and my work focuses on surface design for interior. Textile design is the basis of my creative practice and a guideline to my work, but I believe that there is so much more to it than designing fabrics. It can be used both as a visual language and as an object in creating tactile and playful spaces. Through ever-evolving material research, I work to redefine the tools of my trade – pattern and structure, along with form and color – into tangible, three-dimensional experiences, inspired and driven by an exploration of material culture and the interactions between object and folklore.

What is so inspiring to you about Sonia Delaunay and Rene Lalique’s work?

My approach to design thinking and my creative practice are deeply influenced by the late 19th, early 20th centuries Art History. I believe that this era is one of the most meaningful in the development of our material culture, one that allowed us to move forward by questioning our culture, perception, and medium.

Sonia Delaunay and Rene Lalique are two examples of artists that created groundbreaking work that allowed us to be forward thinkers. I find Sonia Delaunay approach to form and color fascinating. Using abstraction to depict forms was not a new approach at her time, but the rhythm and motion she created using color were unique to her. As for Rene Lalique, I admire his utmost use of details, building his work through repetition of forms, translating his style through various mediums.

Saying that, the thing that inspires me the most about their work is their dedication and uncompromising approach towards their practice, and the fact that they were able to keep their unique voice while transitioning from one medium to another.

Who is your ideal customer?

Interior designers, architects and people who are visionary, forward thinkers who are not afraid to step out of the box and utilize bold designs into their spaces.

What were some of the challenges in creating your designs and how did you overcome them?

Being a designer is an ever-evolving practice that requires being madly in love with what you do to keep doing it. A lot of effort and even struggle goes into developing an artwork, and just because you have the talent doesn’t mean that things come easy. I believe that raw talent is not enough. It should be nurtured and must go hand by hand with persistence and hard work. The challenge is to constantly balance this trio, which feels like feeding a hungry beast, especially when you’re a one woman show. I love every minute of it, but sometimes I wish I had someone on my shoulder that would say “everything is going to be ok.”

The “Sonia and Rene” collection was the first time I experimented with 3D structures. I was curious about the three-dimensional possibilities hidden in my practice and took a leap of faith into the world of 3D structure. Frankly, when I started, I knew absolutely nothing about it. As someone who used to work with soft materials like yarn and fabrics, working with 3D printing, molds and casting was a steep learning curve. I still have so much to learn and am grateful for Itai Miller, who is an amazing industrial designer and who I have been working with to bring this collection to life. I used to think that I can make it on my own, but I know now that the people around you are those who make the difference. I’m lucky enough to say that I have a great support group of colleagues (shout out to FDC) and friends that keep my sanity intact.

How can you see your work being utilized by designers or manufacturers?

I believe that when you join forces great things happen, so I would love to work with professionals from the A&D community to develop work for interior design – home and commercial spaces. Upholstery, rugs, wall covers and tiles. Anything that can transform a space. My dream is to have a commission space designed from top to bottom –floor to ceiling Tomma Bloom.

Now that you’ve won WantedDesign Launch Pad, what do you plan on doing next?

Being awarded the Best of Launch Pad is a great honor and I am forever grateful to the panel of judges that believed in my practice and most importantly – in me. Along with a pat on the back comes the hunger to push harder and do better. I’m constantly developing new ideas and currently working on my next collection of fabrics.

The “Sonia and Rene” collection is only the tip of iceberg when it comes to experimenting with 3D and textile design. I will present my new collection at the May 2022 Launch Pad, so stay tuned!

Learn more about the designer at tommabloom. Meet Tom and see her prototype at WantedDesign Manhattan this Nov 14-15 at the Javits Center. Register to attend HERE.

Rendering by Itai Miller Photography by Roni Cnanni Upholstery by Avivit Porat

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Tom Dixon Looks for Mass Appeal in His Latest Furniture Collection

Back in 2020, we featured a massive dining table Tom Dixon made from solid brass. Now, the British designer is rounding out the Mass collection with four new pieces: an updated dining table, console table, bookshelf, and coat stand. Tom Dixon makes the Mass 2.0 pieces in the U.K. out of super polished solid brass in the shape of planks, the most often used unit in furniture construction. The results are everyday household archetypes transformed into captivating sculptures with lustrous, golden hued finishes.

Mass 2.0 Console Table

Mass 2.0 Dining Table 2M

Mass 2.0 Bookshelf

Mass 2.0 Coat Stand

Spring Brass Pendants by Tom Dixon

The Mass 2.0 collection will set you back U.S. $37,000 for the dining table, $29,000 for the console table, $32,000 for the bookshelf, and $13,000 for the coat stand. If that’s out of your budget (it is for most people!) but you still want the polished brass look, check out Tom Dixon’s Spring Brass Pendants. They come in Small, Medium, and Large and can be hung solo or in a grouping. The diagonal bands of brass-finished stainless steel come together to make a bold, sculptural statement on their own. They’re even adjustable so you can change the silhouette for a new look!

Spring Brass Pendants

A ceiling light made from multiple bands of high-performance stainless steel in a brass finish. Pliant ribbons of stainless steel have been arranged like a whisk around our custom-made dimmable Tom Dixon LED disc. The semi-transparent shape thus created can be adjusted to a variety of silhouettes.

$900 – 2,400

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>>> For more from Tom Dixon, click here! <<<

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The Best Gifts for Travelers – Modern Gift Ideas for the Jet Setter

Holiday shopping for someone with a major case of wanderlust? You don’t have to travel far and wide to find the best holiday gift. We rounded up the very best in modern and functional travel gifts so you can treat the jet setter in your life to a first-class holiday. For more holiday gift ideas, check out our library of holiday gift guides thoughtfully curated by Design Milk editors!

EvaMini by LOMMER

We love the EvaMini for its compact size and simple, minimalist design. Small enough to carry in your hand, but roomy enough to store the classic P.W.K (phone, wallet, keys?), the Mini is made of a foam-like, “E.V.A.” material, that’s completely waterproof so your traveler can feel good knowing their must-haves are safe and dry, come rain or shine. It’s even available in a variety of colorways, though we love the classic minimalist edge of the Off Black (are you surprised?).

$65

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Carry-all Set by Junes

This set of reusable pouches by Junes has a use for every phase of travel: use them to organize clothing and toiletries before packing, use them in place of disposable shopping bags while at your destination, use the smallest pouch as a wristlet for quick errands, store worn clothes in them on the trek home, the possibilities are endless. They come in a range of beautiful colors, and the brand’s sustainable bio-knit material means you can wash and reuse them again and again and help save the planet from single-use plastic pollution!

$18

CATCH:2 Wireless Charger in Black by Courant

This wireless charger by Courant will have all your recipient’s devices charged up and ready for whatever adventures they have in store. It’s slim profile and wide leather charging pad will save space in your jet setter’s luggage and keep them from wrangling a tangled mess of charging cables. Expect many thanks for this!

$150

The Diplomat Black Tie Travel Case by Capsule

Because there are few things more stressful than airport security checkpoints, the traveler in your circle will love having all their important documents – ID, passport, vaccine cards, you name it – in one easy to maneuver location. The stylish black leather Diplomat Blacktie Travel Case by Capsule has a roomy interior for all these essentials and more, and a secure closure to ensure nothing gets lost along the way.

$110

zMask Face Mask by Zimarty

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, face masks are a non-negotiable for safe travel – so you might as well have one you enjoy wearing. The zMask Face Mask by Zimarty does what you need face masks to do while looking incredibly cool in the process. The origami inspired design makes for a modern, architectural look, that also holds itself up around the mouth area, creating less friction between the mask and your recipient’s face (less friction = less maskne!).

$45 – 50

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City Backpack by mariamaleta

Frequent travelers will know the importance of having a bag that can do it all – especially when you’re trying to save luggage space! The City Backpack by mariamaleta does exactly that. The neutral style and easy closure are as fashionable as they are functional. The reversible black and brown leather design, and convertible straps that can be worn over both shoulders (backpack style) or slung over one like a tote – making this a bag you can switch up whenever the mood or destination strikes.

$220

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Obsidian Black Bottle by LARQ

Not to be confused with just any reusable water bottle, LARQ water bottles are the first ever self-cleaning bottles out there. They use a UV-C LED light to purify your water and bottle from 99.99% of contaminants – perfect for long haul hikes and camping enthusiasts. With one full charge, the purification system will do its thing for one whole month before needing to recharge so you can go the distance. We love the sleek look of the Obsidian Black colorway, but there’s bound to be a hue to suit your traveler.

$95

Haircare Minis by SEEN

This travel set of dermatologist-designed hair minis use hair-loving and non-pore clogging ingredients that will keep your recipient’s hair (and skin!) in check while on the go. The set includes a gentle cleansing shampoo, nourishing conditioner and blow-out cream for an easy hair care routine from in-shower to styling. Plus, it’s on sale!

$29

Porter 15 oz Glass by W&P

Perfect for the eco-conscious traveler, the Porter Glass is a must for your travel bag so you can refill and reuse while on the move and curb single-use plastic waste. The durable glass and protective matte silicone cover mean you can feel good about bringing the cup with you wherever you go. Use it for cocktails, coffees, teas, you name it. It’s even available in a bunch of soft pastel colors!

$25

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Tuplus X2 22″ Aluminum Carry-on by Tuplus

If the traveler on your list has been extra nice this year, pay it forward with a piece of high-quality luggage that will last a lifetime. This Aluminum Carry-on by Tuplus is the ultimate luxury suitcase. It’s equipped with all the bells and whistles – an aircraft grade aluminum and magnesium alloy exterior, genius upright opening capability, lightweight and space saving hydraulic hinges, and smooth, quiet wheels. The impeccable design and functionality of this carry-on is 100% worth the investment.

$549

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>>> For more travel gifts, visit the Design Milk Shop here! <<<

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Meet Eone – The Modern Watch Brand Championing Inclusive Design

Not all timepieces are created equal. In fact, most failed to accommodate those who are visually impaired, and the alternatives that sprung up in their place – talking and delicate tactile watches – fell short on quality and design. That is until modern watch brand Eone came to be, anyway. When founder Hyungsoo Kim learned of the watch world’s inaccessibility through a friend who is blind, he set out to create an inclusively designed timepiece that serves everyone – and delivers on next-level design in the process. Kim’s thoughtful collaboration with designers and people with vision impairments led to the engineering of a watch unlike anything else out there – a modern and iconic timepiece designed to communicate time through touch rather than only sight. Newly added to the Design Milk Shop, there’s plenty to admire about this trailblazing watch brand, so let’s dive in.

Eone’s best-selling model, The Bradley, is named after veteran turned Paralympic athlete and gold-medalist Bradley Snyder – who became blind while defusing bombs in the line of duty.

The hero of the Eone catalog is the Bradley model. Named after veteran turned Paralympic athlete and gold-medalist Bradley Snyder – who became blind while defusing bombs in the line of duty – this line of watches champions the needs of the visually impaired and can be enjoyed by everyone, blind and sighted alike. The best-selling watch collection lets users feel the time thanks to their unique three-dimensional form. Raised lines in varied widths denote the hours and ticking watch hands are reimagined with an innovative magnetic ball bearing system that circles the watch face on a track for minutes and another for the hour. Pretty cool right?

Being able to tell the time in a way that’s accessible and convenient, while core to Eone’s ethos, isn’t enough – the brand wants blind and sighted users to experience ultra-modern design and have options to choose from. The Bradley comes in a variety of styles and finishes, all befit with architectural details and minimalist aesthetic that have become synonymous with Eone. Their newest model, The Switch even has a Kickstarter community rallying behind it and is slated to join the DM shop soon.

The Bradley Element

Tested by Tech Editor Gregory Han (find his full review here), the Bradley Element is unique from others on the Eone line up due to the architectural planes that lead up to the raised hour lines, creating alternating high and low impressions across the watch face. Made with a durable, scratch-resistant ceramic and PVD coated – the materials are carefully considered for texture and resilience. The Element’s matte black finish and black stainless steel mesh strap give the watch a sleek and modern edge that’s as stylish as it is functional.

$350

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The Bradley Apex

Made for your everyday and any occasion, the Bradley Apex features the brand’s signature raised line notations, on a smooth black ceramic watch face. Italian leather straps give the piece a more casual look and feel and can even be swapped out for others in the brand’s collection for added versatility. The Apex even features a NATO strap, a call back to traditional military styling, that effortlessly loops around the watch to deliver a perfect fit.

$285

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The Slab Collection Is Minimal, Intentional Seating

A collaboration based on elevated aesthetics with everyday function has resulted in the Slab Collection of minimal seating. Furniture studio Union Wood Co and designer Alyssa Lewis of Studio Block have created three pieces – dining chair, counter stool, and bar stool – that intentionally reduce the details of a chair’s structure. These pieces are a true celebration of form and the natural beauty of wood.

The Slab Collection is the first collaboration between the two studios, who met while working closely together during the 2019 Interior Design Show Vancouver. It was an easy match thanks to their individual design approaches. Studio Block uses a minimalist’s eye to create serene living spaces: “I find there is a lot of visual noise that surrounds us every day, so I like to simplify things in my design work to quiet the world around us,” said Lewis. Union Wood Co crafts furniture that will stand the test of time in both design and construction.

Slab Dining Chair

The seating’s name comes from the raw material used to make each piece, hand-selected ash slabs. The hardwood is ideal for furniture for its durability, shock-resistence, and light weight. The Slab Collection allows you to choose from natural, whitewashed, or blackened finishes. Each piece is then coated with a matte commercial grade finish for a softened look that will last through a variety of living and working environments.

Slab Counter Stool

Slab Bar Stool

To learn more about the Slab Collection, visit unionwoodco.com.

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F5: Anda French Shares a Book That Inspires, a Provocative Artist + More

Anda French is cofounder of Boston-based architecture and design studio French 2D alongside her sister, Jenny French. The studio’s work on mixed-use projects combines ideas of collectivity with more radical organizations and typologies. The award-winning practice is deeply engaged with local issues of collectivity, housing, public space, history, and identity. They also focus on collaboration across multiple scales in environments for participatory events and dinners, urban-scale graphics, experimental facades, and buildings for collective living.

Anda and French 2D completed the first all compact housing unit building in Boston, and their work in collaborative and participant led design for Bay State Commons Cohousing won a 2020 Progressive Architecture Award from Architect Magazine. French 2D was named as a 2019 Architectural Record Design Vanguard, and the studio has been featured in numerous publications, including Domus, Metropolis, and The Architect’s Newspaper, and as Architect Magazine’s Next Progressives. Anda is currently a Visiting Faculty member at the Princeton University School of Architecture and is the 2022 President-Elect of the Boston Society of Architects/AIA.

Today Anda joins us for Friday Five!

Photo courtesy MoMA

1. Designing Motherhood

Designing Motherhood, by Michelle Millar Fisher and Amber Winick, was released in September from MIT Press. Their Instagram account showcases an incredible mix of work centered on human reproduction and design, and the politics and conversations that entails. I love that their work and advocacy speak so poignantly to pressing societal issues, while feeling personal as I go through my own journey, merging motherhood and design work.

Coffee Seeks Its Own Level by Allan Wexler \\\ Photo: Allan Wexler

2. Allan Wexler

The wonderful artist Allan Wexler always keeps us on our toes. Jenny and I are forever inspired by his provocative, and almost inevitable, take on defamiliarizing everyday objects, furniture, and spaces.

Cover art: Judith Leemann

3. Design Studio for Social Intervention / Ideas, Arrangements, Effects

Boston-based DS4Si released Ideas, Arrangements, Effects last year and generously held a reading group last Summer along with the University of Orange. This book was an incredible resource for getting my graduate and undergraduate students to help talk about the real dimensions of design work that addresses social justice in the built realm. The core premise is that “ideas are embedded in social arrangements, which in turn produce effects.” DS4Si explores this through accessible descriptions and incredible examples of their own work that help redefine our agency and impact in the material world.

Photo: Public Domain / Heinrich Böhler

4. Bodies and Textiles, Specifically Emilie Flöge’s Dresses

I keep returning to my own relationship to clothing and identity. Emilie Flöge’s work is an incredible example of the freeing of volumetric textiles that helps us rethink bodies in space. History paints her as Klimt’s muse, but a show a decade ago at the Leopold in Vienna proved through postcards and exchanges that Flöge was collaborator and confidant in the Secessionist movement. My own practice is drawn to historical and contemporary textile work that shifts and remolds gender and identity.

Snailor Moon & Snail Earnhardt Jr. 2021 by Haas Brothers

5. Siblings

Now, more than ever, I am so aware of how strange and lucky it is to run a practice with my sister. Sibling creative pairs are always fascinating to us – The Mulleavy Sisters, Haas Brothers, Leong Leong, Hariri and Hariri, the Bouroullec Brothers… We are proto-collectives: the place where we first learn to share and collaborate without judgement, but with the productive frictions that arise from knowing each other too well.

Work by Anda French + French 2D:

Kendall Garage and Dresses \ French 2D designed 26,000 sf of permanent graphic scrim to wrap the Kendall Square Garage in Cambridge, MA. The work wrestles with the relationship between seeing surface and volume, drawing and building. Jenny and Anda sewed dresses to stage the final photography. They acted as scale figures, pieces of the building broken free and traversing the site. \\\ Photo: John Horner Photography

Outlier Lofts \ Outlier Lofts is a three-unit residential building that conjures past lives as a new act of collective preservation and form-making. French 2D uses this playful technique as a radical way of thinking about alternative preservation in the otherwise strait-laced historic landscape of Boston. \\\ Photo: John Horner Photography

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A Jerusalem Historian Requests a Home Renovation Inspired by Her Work

In Ramat Gan, Israel, a family tasked Israeli interior designer Chen Shadmi to renovate their 1980s house into a modern tri-level home that’s inspired by the wife’s work as a historian specializing in Old Jerusalem. The family requested that the home celebrate Armenian art in Jerusalem, as well as integrate a more contemporary floor plan that was adaptable to different needs.

Shadmi and the family began the design process with a tour to Old Jerusalem to visit the wife’s favorite places and reacquaint themselves with materials that are customary in Eastern European homes. They asked Armean Darian, an Armenian ceramic artist based in Jerusalem, to hand-paint the illustrations on the tiles seen on the pillar on the ground floor and the stairs leading to the first floor.

The entrance floor has an open floor plan that includes the kitchen, dining area, and living room with a dedicated library. On the upper floor lives a family space, three children’s room, a laundry room, two baths, and a main bedrooms. The bottom floor includes two study rooms (one for each parent), and a secondary living room from which there is access to the lower garden.

Throughout the home, the walls are adorned with the client’s copies of manuscripts, murals, unique maps, and artwork.

Common to all the bathrooms is the dark chest of drawers and the application of colorful tiles

The upper garden is used for entertaining, equipped with an outdoor kitchen, dining area, and pampering seating under a pergola. In the lower garden, a cooking area with a pizza oven and meat smoker, a seating area, a kitchenette, a bathroom, and a kid’s wooden house and climbing wall provide ample opportunities to spend outside.

Photos by Shay Epstein.

via http://design-milk.com/

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connorrenwick · 2 years

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What’s in Angie Myung of Poketo’s Holiday Shopping Cart

Angie Myung is the co-founder and chief creative officer of Poketo (@poketo) – the cult-favorite lifestyle brand behind technicolored paper goods, homewares, and lifestyle objects that make functional fun. Myung and her husband, Ted Vadakan, founded Poketo back in 2003, with the goal to create design-driven goods that infuse art and design into every day and help cultivate a creative lifestyle. The brand has two LA-based retail locations in Downtown LA and Little Tokyo, where they regularly host art exhibitions, workshops, and other events designed to serve their local community of creatives. Most recently, Myung and Vadakan published their debut book, CREATIVE SPACES, a celebration of creatives, their works, and their spaces.

Aside from being practical objects you’ll reach for every day, Poketo goods are beloved for their bold and playful prints that bring eye-catching colors to your space – putting them at the top of our holiday wish lists this season.

But what’s on Angie’s holiday wish list? Read on to see the holiday gifts the Poketo co-founder is eyeing this Christmas season and keep an eye on our Instagram as we get closer to Christmas for an extra-special giveaway! And as you get started on your holiday shopping, remember that you can always find Poketo products in the Design Milk Shop. Now onto Angie’s shopping cart!

Bamboo Dining Collection by Poketo

“Really into all our tabletop items from bamboo dinner and salad plates, to bowls, coasters, and glass straws. We seriously bring all our bamboo ware to picnics and camping trips and see all our friends bring our bamboo tabletop wares, too. They’re light, unbreakable, and good for the environment because they’re made with bamboo and cornstarch and not plastic or melamine.”

$14-48

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Bento Boxes by Takenaka Bento Boxes

“As a home cook, I tend to bring my lunches to work, and the Takenaka Bento Boxes have never failed me. They’re safe for the microwave and freezer. Even with soupy things, I haven’t had any spillages, and they’re cute enough to leave on your desk. So much better than the boring tupperware.”

$30 – 38

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4 Piece Modern Knife Set by Hast Knives

“You can never have too many quality knives. These Hast Knives look cool and seem to have a comfortable handle, made with Japanese blades, which are my favorite. Just make sure to keep them sharp by purchasing a nice stone sharpener.”

$366 – 426

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Handmade Acacia Wood Serving Board – Set of 2 by Casa Amarosa

“These serving boards by Casa Amarosa are perfect cheese boards and eye-catching cutting boards. They look cool on your kitchen countertop and are made with quality solid wood, too.”

$50

Japanese Cast Iron Oven Pot by Vermicular

“As an avid home cook, you also can never have enough quality cast iron cookware. Easy to clean and big enough to feed a troop.”

$290

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connorrenwick · 2 years

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Author Clock: A New Quote With Every Minute

If you or someone in your life is a bibliophile, then the Author Clock is sure to pique your interest. Without question a statement piece, it uses thousands of quotes from books written across six centuries to spell out the current time every minute of the day. Checking the time becomes a whimsical moment that transports you through literature with every glance.

With $300,000 raised on Kickstarter in less than 36 hours, the Author Clock is already fully funded and will begin shipping April 2022. “We’re thrilled with the early response to Author, and hope that it will help readers discover new books, authors, and even genres,” says founder Jose Cardona. “We’re hopeful that displaying the Author Clock will spark conversations about literature between friends, family, and coworkers.”

It comes available in two sizes: a small 4″ display that’s ideal for a desk or bedside table, and a large 7.5″ display with a removable base perfect for a bookshelf or wall mount. The elegant wood housing of the clock uses white oak sourced from sustainable forests. Mechanical Design Labs, who create products that add moments of inspiration to everyday life, have partnered with OneTreePlanted to plant a tree for every Author Clock sold. Launch prices start at $99 for the small and $199 for the large, with limited discounts of over 30% off MSRP for the first Author Clock backers.

The creators are also excited to involve their Kickstarter community in further development of the Author Clock. Besides raising funds, during the campaign they’ll be crowdsourcing even more quotes that mention the time. “It will come as no surprise that our backers are avid readers,” says Cardona. “They’ve already begun finding new quotes for Author that will help us deliver an even better product.” There are still a few days left to get on board with the Author Clock Kickstarter, so back them now!

Photography by Jose Cardona.

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from WordPress https://connorrenwickblog.wordpress.com/2021/11/04/author-clock-a-new-quote-with-every-minute/

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connorrenwick · 2 years

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Chris Wolston Explores Materiality + Abstraction in His Newest Exhibition at Casa Perfect

The Future Perfect, a contemporary gallery founded by David Alhadeff, has just unveiled its latest exhibition at Casa Perfect, its Los Angeles outpost in Beverly Hills. Featuring new works by designer and sculptor Chris Wolston, Temperature’s Rising is a fantasy come to life, a compilation of 21 original works that explore materiality and abstraction through chairs, tables, loungers, and other furniture pieces. Wolson continues to expand his unique style of using fiber materials to weave anthropomorphic forms and silhouettes while also experimenting with metallurgy using bronze, brass, and copper metals.

Temperature’s Rising is an amalgamation of different inspirational sources, from the Andes Mountains in Western Colombia to Spanish modernism. The human elements of his pieces gives a sense of familiarity while reframing your perspective of the whimsical possibilities of furniture. Wolston explains:

I’m fascinated by the large-scale, gestural patterns that make up our world. The past year has thrown the beauty and fragility of our lives into sharp relief. Temperature’s Rising dually celebrates the essential elements of our world and encourages you to think differently about the objects you see everyday.

The collection includes Wolston’s first-ever standing mirror, seating woven from ethically sourced 100% Colombian wicker, a rattan sofa that upcycles animal hides, and a one-of-a-kind vessel that combines wicker and metal.

Temperature’s Rising is on view from November 3 through December 2021 at Casa Perfect LA by appointment only.

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connorrenwick · 2 years

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The Recently Launched TYP Furniture Brand by Helen Thonet and Florian Lambl

TYP is a recently launched furniture design brand bringing timeless modern classics to the masses. The inaugural collection includes a curated selection of contemporary designs aimed at bringing design history into the future, all made with sustainable, high-quality materials.

Notable designers include Klemens Schillinger – who created an aluminum chair out of the highest grade aluminum – and Jasper Morrison, bringing forth a redesigned tubular steel chair exclusive to TYP named PEL, originally manufactured by Practical Equipment Ltd in the 1930s.

“Our vision and ambition is to bring products to the market that will have substantial relevance,” says Helen Thonet, TYP CEO and co-Founder. “We know the demands set on products for modern interior collections today. More than just adjusting colors and fabrics season after season, we want to create a new standard within the design industry that revolves around great design, competitive pricing and sustainable manufacturing.”

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from WordPress https://connorrenwickblog.wordpress.com/2021/11/04/the-recently-launched-typ-furniture-brand-by-helen-thonet-and-florian-lambl/

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connorrenwick · 2 years

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Gift Modern on a Budget – Affordable Holiday Gift Ideas Under $50

Good design doesn’t have to break the bank. So for our latest holiday gift guide, we handpicked the best affordable and design-driven holiday gift ideas that’ll spark joy for everyone on your list, all for under $50. Read on to discover our favorites, and head over to the Design Milk Shop for more holiday gift ideas under $50, here!