Caroline Williamson
Mexican Getaway: Tepoztlan Lounge by Cadaval & Solà-Morales
Designed by the Barcelona-based Cadaval & Solà-Morales as the first of many bungalows in Tepoztlan, Mexico, the Tepoztlan Lounge is most impressive and where I'd like to call home (please?). Located south of Mexico City in a place that's known for attracting the creative types, the curvy, triangular-shaped guesthouse will be part of a larger series in which the spaces can be rented for years, months, or even days.
Modern Kitchen Accessories by Hlynur Atlason for Umbra
Partnerships happen everyday in the design world and when it's between a brilliant housewares company and one innovative designer, you have yourself a match made in design heaven. This happens to be the case when the New York-based Icelandic designer Hlynur Atlason recently teamed up with Umbra to create two new kitchen designs - Bento and Tricon.
Ceramics for Plastics by Roos Gomperts
Feeling that the plastic parts that come as screw tops, buckets, and lids on everyday objects don't get the proper dues they deserve, artist Roos Gomperts decided to create a way to showcase their colorful lure by designing ceramics to display them in a series called Ceramics for Plastics. Partnering the vibrant machine-made plastics next to the subtle neutral tones of the handmade ceramics gives the once disposable objects a new lease on life for all to appreciate them.
Pöl Collection by Caroline Gomez
French designer Caroline Gomez is well known for her simple yet functional objects that focus on natural materials. Pöl is the latest collection that consists of two desktop organizers that serve different purposes. The overall organic shape is meant to reflect a puddle, which is the English word for Pöl.
Real Parque Loft by Diego Revollo
Brazilian architect and designer Diego Revollo recently completed the Real Parque Loft in a residential neighborhood of São Paulo, Brazil. The space was reconfigured from its original, broken up floor plan to an open, loft-like space. They chose a burned cement coating for the floors, walls, and ceilings to give it an overall uniform look, which lends itself to the modern aesthetic the owner was looking for.
MINI Urban Bag Collection by PUMA
MINI by PUMA is another collaboration that knocks it out of the park. MINI with their ability to pack a mean punch in a very tiny space and PUMA with their sleek urban footwear and accessories, seems like a match made in a cleverly designed heaven, yes? The collection of six bags and one wallet is both sporty and modern and could work for either sex.
Bichos Oak Branch Lamps by Martinho Pita
The Bichos lamp series comes from Portuguese architect Martinho Pita, who creates the handmade lamps from pruned Portuguese Holly Oak trees. Bichos, which roughly translates to "creatures", is meant to reflect just that - some type of wild creature that's frozen while in motion.
Disappointments Diary 2013
While I try (I said try) really hard be on the side where the glass is half full (it doesn't always happen), sometimes it's easy to go to the dark side. You know, that dark, "woe is me" kind of mood that we have to go to from time to time it get it out of our systems. Written by Nick Asbury, designed by Hat-trick Design, and published by Asbury & Asbury, the Disappointments Diary 2013 is perfect for the inner pessimist in all of us.
UM Pack Felt Bag by Actual
You might have seen the Um Tote that was designed back in 2005 that took a single piece of industrial felt and zipped its way into a bag. Actual, led by Josh Jakus, has released their latest design, the UM Pack, which is larger than the Tote and comes complete with a shoulder strap and side pockets.
Living Wall Planter by Woolly Pocket
Well known for their soft-sided vertical garden wall pockets, Woolly Pocket is back with their latest design, Living Wall Planter. The indoor/outdoor planter is made of a sturdy hard shell with its own self-watering tank with holes to distribute water to the roots when necessary.
Electrolux Design Lab 2012 - The Winner!
You've seen the final designs and now it's time to go in-depth with the winner of Electrolux Design Lab 2012. The Aeroball design was interesting based on the description but hearing Polish designer Jan Ankiersztajn talk about it, made the product that much more fascinating. Not only did he win €5000, he also gets a much-coveted, six-month paid internship with Electrolux that will no doubt provide him with invaluable knowledge for the future.
Removable Triangle Wall Decals by MUR
Wall decals are a great alternative to wallpaper as they don't damage your walls when they're removed and you can change them the moment you get tired of your handiwork with little effort. While there are a lot of wall decals out there, it's harder to find simple shapes that can create modern patterns like the Removable Wall Patterns from the Salt Lake City based MUR.
Amazing Mosaic Tile Mural by Agencia de Construcción de Ideas
Located in Valladolid, Spain, Café Lempicka is a cozy little corner cafe/bar that's all about utilizing the outside space it faces by completely opening itself up with it's giant glass doors. Designed by Agencia de Construcción de Ideas, the interior functions for the necessities - the bar, a few tables and the restroom. Their main desire is to lose the separation between the interior and the exterior, which really increases the size of the space. From afar, you may notice the captivating mosaic tile mural on the ceiling based on Tamara de Lempicka's painting "The Pink Tunic".