Lately, Ford’s focus has been on technology. The Ford SYNC™ is a fully integrated, voice-activated in-car communications and entertainment system that works with most Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones and digital media players. They also just introduced the innovative MyFord Touch driver connect technology, which has received a Popular Mechanics’ Editor’s Choice award and CNET’s “Best of CES” at the 2010 International CES. Everywhere I look, I hear about what Ford is doing. And, to be honest, they are one of the friendliest brands out there when it comes to bloggers. Very refreshing.

Moray Callum (left) and Scott Monty (right) talking design online.

Moray Callum is Executive Director, Ford Americas Design. And I’m sure you’re wondering why I am chatting with him. Well, we don’t talk much about cars here and I thought it would be a good way to bring some more diversity into our technology category. Plus, I’m always interested to know a) where car designers get their inspiration, b) where cars are headed in terms of design and function, and c) when do we get our hovercrafts? OK, I didn’t ask that last one. But I did get on the phone with Mr. Callum to talk design. This guy’s a big fish: he has overall responsibility for the design of all cars and trucks designed in Ford’s North and South America studios, and he also will guide the design of Lincoln and Mercury products. Callum joined Ford in 1995 from Mazda, and he’s also worked with Chrysler Corp. UK, Peugeot-Citroen PSA, and Ghia Spa (he’s from the UK).

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I love terrariums. These terrariums by Lítill are the most beautiful ones I’ve ever seen.

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Jory Brigham and Aaron Gomez are Craft SLO, a custom furniture company located in San Luis Obispo, CA. Their signature atomic, one-of-a-kind style will certainly delight atomic-era buffs to modern art lovers. Not only do they make killer credenzas, but they do everything from entertainment centers to kitchen islands.

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Danielle Vroemen’s newest jewelry collection called Geom explores facets.

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When I was a little girl, I always dreamed of having a bunk bed. If I were a little girl now, I would dream of having this piece of multi-use furniture designed by h2o Architects all to myself (even though it’s designed to be shared by two children). The entire piece consists of multiple spaces that allow each child to have their own personal space. It’s also a fun-inducing area that provides fun possibilities for climbing, storing, hiding, and drawing.

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New glass vase collections from the Studio Cave Canem.

FLUCTUS
Design should makes you feel a sense of moving with glowing abstract shapes, light rails, and whirls.

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Why do our wall sockets have to be hard-to-reach eye sores? That’s the question Dutch design firm Neffa asked when they undertook the emerging work of I WANT contact wall sockets. Created to complement the decor, these socket covers remain both visible and functional.

Nina Bruun is a student at The Danish Designschool in Copenhagen. Her Fold chair, which was just completed, will be shown at the Stockholm Furniture Fair. She was inspired by origami and wanted the chair to be fold-able with references to both Scandinavian and Japanese design.

The frame consists of 10 mm plywood cut into six profiles and assembled with hinges. The shell is six pieces of hard plastic, and padded with 3 mm foam on both sides of the plastic. Finally, the chair is upholstered with woolen felt. All the seams on the chair were hand sewn, which took Nina a total of 105 hours!

She says, “The seams are visible to create a more industrially expression and to create sharp edges which gives the chair a lighter expression. It was important for me to achieve this ‘light expression’, so the chair doesn’t have too many references to elder heavy upholstery chairs.”

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Smart Furniture’s newest contest is up and running: “Smart Space Design Contest: Design and Win Your Dream Space.”

SmartFurniture.com is giving away some awesome chairs to folks who design the best interior space plans using its new space-planning tool: the Smart Designer®. You could win your choice of a Herman Miller Aeron Chair, Herman Miller Setu Chair, Herman Miller Mirra Chair, or a Herman Miller Embody Chair, and be entered to win the grand prize of $2,500 gift credit to Smart Furniture so you can buy your very own dream room!

Each week in February, the Smart Furniture Team will pick their favorite Smart Space Design to be a Finalist — go here to get the software and the details!

In addition, the Smart Space Design entry receiving the most votes on Facebook and the Smart Space Contest Page will be the People’s Choice Finalist. The $2,500 Grand Prize Winner will be chosen from the five Finalists. The Grand Prize Winner will be decided by a panel of guest judges (one of them being yours truly!) So, get your act together and go to the site to get started now — time is ticking! Or, just check out all the entries here.

Love Native Shoes — just discovered them via Design Catwalk. Website coming soon, but you can preview the collection here.