Yvonne Laurysen of Lama is a Dutch designer focussed mainly on textiles. I came across her website today, and was really impressed by her felt rugs, each of which is created by cutting and assembling pressed industrial wool felt. The felt slices are randomly assembled, allowing for a natural pattern to emerge.

Lama makes furniture, too – check out the Loft light and the Sinus table and chair set.

Helena Schepens is a silversmith by education, but has created a series of very interesting, wooden fruit bowls. Each bowl seems to be sized somewhat particularly to a certain kind of fruit, so I don’t know that they will work with fruit across the board, but I love the sculptural quality of the bowls, as well as the dynamic kinetic nature of each.

Via Bientôt Demain.

2007 was an important year for the aeronautics division of NASA. The Skyray 48 program flew its first successful scale prototype test flights and is on its way to a full scale prototype in a few years. The Skyray/X-48B is a collaboration between Boeing Co., NASA and the Air Force Research Lab. As with many initially military technologies, the lessons learned by a project’s commercial collaborator will find their way down to the general public (GPS, cell phones, 4×4′s, etc.). The blended wing/lifting body type will increase capacity, lower fuel costs and reduce noise for military and commercial aircraft developed from the Skyray prototype.

photos courtesy of NASA

5.5 Designers is a French design firm with a conceptual design bent. I love the chair made from sandwiched broken/discarded chair ends. It doesn’t look very comfortable, but it would be cool to have around.

Now, the Style IV chandelier I wouldn’t actually put in my house, but I like the idea behind it – four chandeliers in one, depending on your vantage point. It’s simply made – two sheets of mirror form the axis, and allow each quartered lamp to be completed.

I’m also very taken with 5.5 Designers’ wallpaper – inviting user participation, the wallpaper slowly evolves over time, becoming richer and more interesting as it is intervened on. 5.5 Designers recommend using the wallpaper in spaces where we find ourselves bored or with some extra time on our hands – the bathroom, waiting rooms, etc.

Did you know that Ikea makes homes? BoKlok is a partnership between Ikea and Skanska, one of the world’s leading construction companies. In 1997, the two companies combined in order to provide quality low-cost housing throughout Scandanavia. In 2006, they expanded into the UK. Over the last decade they have garnered numerous design and social accolades for their projects and initiatives. I wonder how long it will be until they expand to the USA?

2008! Can you believe it? I hope you all had a great holiday and new year and are rested up and ready for 2008!

Getting right back to it…Johanna Lindgren is a Swedish designer who works mainly with textiles (both making textile prints, and using textiles in innovative ways in her products). The P.O.C. light would be awesome in a commercial space somewhere as an alternative to a chandelier…Johanna has also experimented with wall textiles and screens (the light and top screen in collaboration with Helen Högberg). My favorite is the Slinga (bottom right). Made of industrial felt, it’s a nice alternative to wallpaper or bare walls!