hat's off: cooper-hewitt.

Newsflash: Money doesn't grow on trees.
Another newsflash? Designers keep designing as if it did.

Enter Cooper-Hewitt's latest design exhibition: Design for the Other 90%.

I am SO excited about this exhibition, which is on tap until September 23, 2007 at Cooper-Hewitt's National Design Museum.

“The majority of the world’s designers focus all their efforts on developing products and services exclusively for the richest 10% of the world’s customers. Nothing less than a revolution in design is needed to reach the other 90%.”
—Dr. Paul Polak, International Development Enterprises

Amen.

spade of all trades.

I always forgot that the lovely Kate Spade graces more than just the handbag market. And then I see this piece, which is pretty much the best vase in the entire world.

And then it's like my Kate Spade radar has been turned on and it's all downhill from there. I mean, dinnerware? Stationary? What WILL she think of next?

hat's off: the cocker.

No, really, that's the name of this spectacular hotel in Buenos Aires. And I swear, I am SO not a traveler, but I'd swim overseas to stay in this room.
Check out more pics to the right, or take a virtual tour here.

out of the box: adhesive sculptures.

Check out the latest in out of the box designs: sculptures and art work made entirely out of adhesive tape.

This is ridiculously impressive, huh?

Thanks, Tricky!

if it ain't baroque...

I keep telling my husband that should we have young'ns, that this would be the bed in which our gal will sleep when she turns oh... seven-ish (by the way, her name will be Ella and don't you dare steal that name from me or Ms. Fitzgerald).

He's right to tell me I'll change my mind (because I will), but even so, is this daybed not adorable AND sophisticated? It's just so Viceroy/American Girl/San Francisco. And I LOVE it. So much that I would even campaign to have a matching daybed on my patio a la the above photo. Yes, THAT'S how much I love it.

Leave it to Brocade to sweep me off my feet and into the back patio.

etsy love.

You know it's true, I'm an etsy lover. I won't deny it. Now normally, I hit etsy for the usuals: prints, paintings, artwork and sometimes totally fun jewelry that is just super cheap.

And today, I happened to stumble upon the furniture section, which I guess I just ignored until today. And WHOA. This stuff is seriously and ridiculously unbelievable.

I'm in love with this person who designed this lamp who decided to sell it for this price.

Are you kidding me? $45 for a handmade, totally cool stud of a lamp. I'm in LOVE.

Could a star have born today in the city of Pittsburgh? I think so.

color me happy.

A good friend who is well aware of my slight Pantone obsession has just sent over a link to Core77's coverage of W2's fascinatingly simple new mugs, sold here.

In fact, I love 5757C so much I could drink it up.

Hey...

how NOT to spot a tourist.

Wallpaper has done it again. Only Phaidon Press' new city guides could make a tourist look cool. And with the latest in pocket-sized books for the directionally challenged, Wallpaper marks the spot with beautifully-packaged advice that any tourist would be happy to show off.

Now if we could just get our hands on that horrid fanny pack.

hat's off: organic interior design.

My favorite read, Dooce [Hi, Heather!], gave a nod to interior designer Kelly LaPlante of Organic Interior Design a few months ago, and I can't believe it's taken me this long to give this gal a hat tip of my own.

Not only is this fabulous gal a soon-to-be published author, but her work has recently been seen at the Global Green Oscar Party and the Ultimate Emmy Green Room. AND [are you totally smitten yet?], she's even designed her own line of eco-friendly, elegant furnishings, which you can pick up at her showroom in Venice Beach.

Anyway, check out more photos of what Kelly and her gal Sarah did to Dooce's home office. LOVE it.

Keep up the great work, OID!

who's who: luis pons.

A fellow mankind reader just opened my eyes to Luis Pons recently, and WHOA. In true WW fashion, top three reasons mankind loves LP:

(3). His apartment is covered almost entirely in air mattresses and inflatable furniture. And no, it's not like that.
(2). His firm designed this room.
(1). He's pretty. [Guy on the left, not right]
Call me superficial, but hey... design IS in the details, you know!

paul. thomas paul.

Thomas Paul makes me melt. In a good way. The sort of way I melt when I hear that Lisa Loeb song from like 1992.

And now I hear from the beautiful Grace Bonney that the old TP will debut his new stationary line.

Of course it would start with bookmarks. That's so Thomas Paul to resurrect the lost art of bookmarking. Forget the Trader Joe's receipts, the old postcards (actually don't, b/c those are great bookmarks), the gum wrappers. Yes, TP, you are revolutionizing literature, one page at a time.

Stay, TP. Stay.

rosey glow.

Holy crap. I just don't think this could be any cuter/weirder/perfect for me. Would love this piece for a boy's nursery, or even a mod library full of kelly green club chairs and mustard colored books.

From Rose and Radish, $385.

the write stuff.

I'm a sucker for stationary, big time. Naturally, I can't help but fall for these magazine notecards from one of my fave spots: Branch.
Five envelopes and ten writing sheets, $9.00.

I'll race ya there.

design for mankind.

You guessed it. Yet another "design" blog. Another place to see yet another Viceroy veranda that you will (a) never own, (b) never see, or (c) never remember.

Until now. My wish is to integrate design into everyday life. Design should make things simple. Clean. Beautiful. Design should be affordable, reachable, attainable.

Lovable.

So. My goal is to introduce design for all mankind. Design for those with pennies. Dollars. Billions, even (but let's be honest, we all hate those posts).

Sit back, relax and enjoy makind. I'm happy to have you.