sub-studio design blog

2 Form

noreply@blogger.com (Anna) — Fri, 09 May 2008 14:46:00 +0000

2 Form is a Norwegian design firm that focuses on textiles and furniture. I really love some of the rugs they make - they are totally non-traditional in the way that they are made - wool with a pattern punched out of it, so that the negative space forms the pattern; wool formed into stone shapes and threaded together...

Artek

noreply@blogger.com (Anna) — Thu, 08 May 2008 12:19:00 +0000

Check out this gorgeous set of chairs and table by Artek. I love the colorful chair seats and the sleek lines of the table legs. More great furniture can be found here.

Via Designboom.

Eye of Science

noreply@blogger.com (sean) — Wed, 07 May 2008 12:09:00 +0000

Eye of Science combines the exacting images of microscopic images with the artistry of photography and color. Started by a biologist and a photographer, EOS captures amazing moments of cellular processes as well as microscopic structures and organisms. The images make you think twice about how well designed the world around us is, down to the smallest detail.

via Digg

Nike Rejuven8

noreply@blogger.com (sean) — Tue, 06 May 2008 12:43:00 +0000

The Rejuven8 by Nike combines a lot of their previous lightweight/flexible footwear technologies into a new form. The removable sockliner and rubber upper combine for a comfortable and stable shoe that still provides flexibility and beathability. The images shown are of the Beijing Black version, part of the Beijing 2008 series Nike is releasing this year.

Laura Walker

noreply@blogger.com (Anna) — Tue, 06 May 2008 12:28:00 +0000

These Lace Print Buttons by Laura Walker are so amazing. Each ceramic button is so beautiful and unique and I love the lace graphic, not to mention the more oddly shaped buttons. You can see and purchase more of these buttons at Laura's Etsy store.

Via Style Files.

The Mulligan by Reef

noreply@blogger.com (sean) — Mon, 05 May 2008 12:37:00 +0000

The Mulligan from Reef has got to be one of the most absurd things I have ever seen. But kudos to the designers for having fun with the details. I love the astroturf, ball heel, dimpled strap and 1984 logo.

MDT-tex Tulip Umbrella

noreply@blogger.com (Anna) — Mon, 05 May 2008 12:03:00 +0000

Thanks to reader Frederika for sending us a link to MDT-tex's Tulip Umbrella. The base is a bit clunky, but I love the inside-out action and the elegant shape of the umbrella itself.

Second Line Frames

noreply@blogger.com (Anna) — Fri, 02 May 2008 12:55:00 +0000

You might remember our post on Second Line Frames' work a few months back - we were really impressed with their product and with the idea behind the salvaged frames made from reclaimed New Orleans housing siding, so we decided to ask them a few questions and got so much more! Thanks to Anika and her family for taking the time to give us such a great interview. Check out Second Line Frames' etsy store here.

Who are you?
We created Second Line Frames as a way to shed a little hope on what was left in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. It stands for a new beginning and cherishes the past at the same time. We salvage wood from homes that were destroyed in the storm and remake it into picture frames that people can use for their own memories. It's our way of giving something that has been through so much, a new life. The whole idea of our shop is to remind people that there is always something to look forward to, even when you're looking back.

The name comes from the "Second Line" – a timeless New Orleans tradition. It's the colorful parade that follows a funeral procession to turn tragedy into a celebration of rebirth.

It was important to us that those who experienced it up close and those of us who watched from afar be able to own a piece of the New Orleans story. We see it as an American tragedy that is significant to all of us. There is a preciousness in the lives we create and the homes we build. And in the wake of destruction, that should not be forgotten. So that's what we hope to do, reinvigorate the survival part of it all...reclaim what had been disregarded and give it a renewed purpose.

We currently donate ten percent of our proceeds to The Katrina Foundation for Recovery. It's a relief organization that disburses funds across the Gulf Coast to groups working to rebuild from Hurricane Katrina. Any amount can make a difference when it's going toward a focused effort like this. If you'd like to learn more, visit www.bandforkatrina.org.

There are four people involved:
Anika Easter: I am an artist, clothing designer and writer living in Tampa, FL. I visualize the design layout of most of the frames and am responsible for putting together most of the tinier frames and mosaics. I also manage the website and all correspondence.

Kris Anderson: Kris owns a boutique called Dunia in Orange Beach, Alabama full of unique home décor and clothing where she also sells the frames. After living in New Orleans for 22 years, she's definitely got that "flavor" and a great artsy personality because of it. It's Mom (Kris) that is primarily in charge of collecting the wood. She can spot an amazing piece in a pile of rubbish a mile away.

Terry Easter: Terry is the chief frame maker and a self admitted perfectionist. He has always had a naturally expert hand at anything he's picked up, whether it's a basketball, golf club, tool or cooking utensil. So it was no surprise that frame-making came just as naturally!

Michael: Michael takes care of Second Line Frames' more intricate layouts, and is also our resident mathematician - the go-to-guy for frame symmetry.

When did you start doing this?
We haven't been doing Second Line Frames long at all. Actually, we just started in January of this year!

Where did you get your inspiration for making frames out reclaimed frame siding from damaged Hurricane Katrina homes? Where does the material come from? Do you have to get permission to use the materials?
In the several times we went back to New Orleans within the first two years after the hurricane, we couldn't quite get over the shock of how much was still left to be done, although with each visit, it was getting better. We'd see an old restaurant had finally reopened, or a whole family energetically taking on a fresh remodel. The street music was starting up again. Night life was coming back. But on the other hand, there was that pile of debris you'd see where there was once a quaint old house. Or that completely empty lot roped off with construction tape. Or stains of flood water levels up to the windows on homes throughout entire neighborhoods. And that was unsettling. We all felt an unignorable inclination to do something. We wanted to create something that could give back to the cause while at the same time giving people something to hold onto. Luckily, we found something we could all do together.

We're people who, if it's possible, try to find something beautiful where you don't expect to see it. We all love walking the French Quarter and seeing the amazing walls down there, layers and layers of paint, so delightful, and colorfully complex in their history. That's what the wood is like. Years and years of bright new paint colors. All the times it was given a fresh start. All that it survived. That's what we find so valuable.

What is your process for producing the frames?
We get the wood by driving up and down the streets of New Orleans. All the wood we collect has either already been put into piles for trash pickup or we get permission from a family currently doing renovations. They have always been more than happy to give us the wood, and often, would like us to haul away more than we can carry.

One thing we are committed to doing sometime in the future is to give a frame back to the original person we got the wood from so they can have a preserved piece of their old house. That would be a fantastic moment!

As far as cleaning it goes, we wash it down through and through with a bleach and disinfectant solution, then lay it outside until it dries thoroughly in the sun. We sand it to remove any loose paint and to reveal some of the underlying layers, then seal it with a satin varnish.

When it comes to the designs, we pick out a plank of wood and think about what would best fit it, not how it would fit into our design. The wood inspires the frame. Sometimes we use the tiny leftover pieces to make mosaics. We try to maximize the wood we have and the dimensions of each frame are based on the most we could get out of each piece, in an attempt to produce as little waste as possible.

Why frames (as opposed to furniture, etc)?
Frames seemed only natural as a way to preserve a memory. They also allow for people to include their own personal touch and make it their own. We have a few ideas for other products too, though. So keep an eye out...there very well may be more items coming soon.

Leslie Shershow

noreply@blogger.com (Anna) — Thu, 01 May 2008 12:32:00 +0000

Leslie Shershow is a Boston-based jewelry designer. She spent a summer in Alaska and created a jewelry series in response to her time spent there, noting that "In a place coined by man as "the last frontier," Alaska faces the threat of human exploitation. I illustrate this exploitation with issues such as hunting, tourism, mining, drilling, climbing, controlling nature, developing, etc. I am not, however, deeply rooted in my views on preserving nature, in light of the dire economic situation that Alaskans face. Rather than illustrating this conquering with disgust, I choose to display a more vague and humorous approach to these issues. For many reasons I am contradictory to these subjects, for I was only a summer visitor."

A few of the pieces are available for purchase on Etsy.

Via Cool Hunting.

Craig Atkinson

noreply@blogger.com (sean) — Thu, 01 May 2008 12:27:00 +0000

Craig Atkinson is a UK designer/illustrator/artist whose sketch work brings out the quality of a single line. You can find a few of his drawings on Etsy or at his website.

Nike Terra CI

noreply@blogger.com (sean) — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:41:00 +0000

The new Terra CI from Nike expands their Considered line of sneakers. The shoe is full of great details, e.g. how the upper is stitched to the outsole with the shoelace that alternates with the waffle pattern below and the fold-down lace cover.

Supermarket Interview

noreply@blogger.com (Anna) — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 20:25:00 +0000

Ryan of Supermarket and Elsewares was kind enough to interview Sean and I about Sub-Studio and Brevity. You can check it out here.

Nixon Watches - Esquire and Groove

noreply@blogger.com (sean) — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 12:04:00 +0000

Nixon is just good at what they do. The Esquire (top) and Groove (bottom) show-off the designers' inventive use of strap material, clasp types and form.

fawn&forest

noreply@blogger.com (Anna) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 13:59:00 +0000

fawn&forest is another sponsor of our blog - they are an amazing online store focusing on everything green for your kids. The sell a huge range of really nice, modern goods - including products from some of my favorites - Three Sheets 2 the Wind, Area, Binth (octopus pillow above), Bookhou Design, and Netto (dresser, crib & polar bear rocker above).

Subliminal: Debi van Zyl

noreply@blogger.com (Anna) — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 21:20:00 +0000

Debi van Zyl is a British-born, South African-and-Canadian-raised, LA transplant (whew!), currently working in architecture and exhibition design. When she's not on the job, she's knitting little beastie creatures and creating paper goods, mobiles and designing furniture. She's been knitting beasts for about a year and a half, and is currently trying out knitting some new, more human-like creatures.

What are you currently inspired by?
Clever and elegant reuse of materials (ie: Piet Hein Eek) and Polaroid photos...with the news of Polaroid's demise, I love how everyone is in "Polaroid mode". It reminds us that new technology is not always better.

What websites can you not live without?
Besides all the blogs I have bookmarked (and there are too many to list)...designboom.

What magazine subscriptions do you currently have? (Bonus Q: How many of them do you actually read?)
None, actually...I used to subscribe to Dwell, Marie Claire Maison and an Australian design journal called Artichoke, but I had to stop. I couldn't store all the back issues and I felt guilty getting rid of any them. Now I just buy the ones I want when I want them. I am thinking about subscribing to I.D. magazine, though. These days I am reading it cover to cover.

4. Which designers most inspire you?
Eileen Gray
Eduardo Chillida
Piet Hein Eek
Hella Jongerius

What are your favorite inspirational spots?
The high desert - Joshua Tree, CA - the landscape is very inspiring. Sometimes in my car - the traffic has me sitting for hours, so a lot of day dreaming goes on.

What is your favorite local store?
The SCI-Arc Supply Store, in downtown LA. I still go there to buy stuff, long after graduation.
Tortoise, Venice, CA.
Turpan, Brentwood, CA.

What is your favorite music to work by?
I actually listen to a range of things...and it's never one artist or CD. Also, I listen to old 'This American Life' shows, though mostly I'm tuning out.

What books are you currently reading?
None at the moment, but I just finished "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy, which was incredible. And sad.

Any "inspiring" deadlines coming up?
My first wholesale order to an upstart shop in London to be completed in a about two weeks, and then my own personal deadline of launching a new set of knitted creatures (end of July).

Thanks to Debi for the interview!

Triptyque

noreply@blogger.com (Anna) — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:07:00 +0000

How gorgeous is this building? Designed by Triptyque and located on Columbia St. in São Paulo, Brazil, the building houses the Brazilian advertising agency Loducca. I love the use of the structural glass as a means of providing privacy and in contrast to the regular glass windows. A wood skeleton envelopes the front of the concrete building, filtering light and acting as a privacy screen.

Via Architechnophilia.

Celia Richards

noreply@blogger.com (Anna) — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 12:00:00 +0000

Celia Richards is an artist from the UK. The works above are from her Altered Objects series. I find it very poetic - cutting out all of the notes from a piece of sheet music and housing them all in a plastic bag. What's left of the sheet is beautiful, too, especially the way she uses it to play with light.

Via Daily Poetics.

Jelte van Geest

noreply@blogger.com (Anna) — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 12:22:00 +0000

Jelte van Geest is exhibiting the GrandChair at the Design Factory Brainport Eindhoven. I've seen the idea of a sort of loveseat rocking chair before, but I love the modern lines and that you can accommodate two adults and one child on the GrandChair. The child's chair actually swivels, so he/she can either face the adults, or sit in line with them.

Milan Design Week coverage

noreply@blogger.com (Anna) — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 13:42:00 +0000

I apologize for the lack of posts - I haven't been feeling so well the last few days, and so haven't been able to put together much by way of what's happening at Milan Design Week. But you can check out Yatzer, Dezeen, Wallpaper*, and MoCo Loco for coverage of the event.

(The George3 console table above is by Gareth Neal.)

Brevity website launch

noreply@blogger.com (Anna) — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 12:15:00 +0000

Hi all! Hope you had a good weekend...I finally finished the website for Brevity, my line of jewelry, and launched it late last night. It features all of the original acrylic pieces, as well as brand new stainless steel versions. I hope you'll check it out and let me know what you think!

Modern Printed Matter

noreply@blogger.com (Anna) — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 15:29:00 +0000

I just want to take a moment to highlight the work of one of our sponsors,
Modern Printed Matter. We've posted about Anna Cote's work before - I love the natural imagery, and the great colors she employs in her work. She also has a great range of products - notebooks, notepads, cards, coasters...check out her
website for more.

Wendy Plomp

noreply@blogger.com (Anna) — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:29:00 +0000

Wendy Plomp has taken the ubiquitous cardboard box and made an object out of it in her project "Message in a box". She silkscreens patterns and ornament onto flat cardboard boxes in an effort to give value to a typically discarded material - giving it a second life. I love the connection between the printed cardboard and traditional rugs.

50 Sad Chairs by Bill Keaggy

noreply@blogger.com (sean) — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 12:05:00 +0000

50 Sad Chairs by Bill Keaggy catalogs the vibrant colors and compositions of street chairs and their surroundings in St. Louis, MO. Keaggy's skill and eye bring out beauty in the banal, page after page.

50 Sad Chairs at Amazon.

Milan Design Week 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Anna) — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 12:41:00 +0000

Tomorrow kicks off Milan Design Week, and being that we are in New York and unable to cover the event live, we'll do our best to scour the internet and bring you the best of the blogs that are covering it. From Designboom (top row): Angle Chair by Julian Mayor and Clock by Christiaan Postma (the hour is spelled out by multiple clock hands!). From our inbox: new Union Bench designs by I Do Design.

Grijs - The Dipped Project

noreply@blogger.com (Anna) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 12:04:00 +0000

Loraine of the lovely blog Grijs has a new project called "the dipped project", which consists of eight tea towels whose ends were dipped in black ink. Such a simple, beautiful product! The towels are all unfortunately sold out at this moment, but I'm hoping she's back soon with some more (and maybe some other colors?). Beyond the fact that the towels are gorgeous, I think she presented the project really nicely - I love how the website consists of two overlapping photos of a person holding out the towels, and especially love how the website looks great at all browser sizes. Congrats on a new venture, Loraine!