Weekly Favorite

One of my projects in college was to design a convention center for a major corporation of our choice. My professor choose an old factory in Athens, Ga as our building footprint to renovate. It was a very old building with exposed brick and wood floors with the nails still imbedded from the factory. I have long been a fan of Marimekko the Finnish clothing and textile design company. Marimekko produces fabulous large scale patterned prints that are very colorful and dynamic.




Bottna Green - Anna Daniellson







The company was established in 1951 with a long history of textile, toy, clothing, and bag design. Marimekko products are a bit tricky to find, but Crate and Barrel & CB2 sells products as well as one of my favorite websites http://www.txtlart.com/ . My friend Hannah (who also has a wonderful blog (http://covetdesign.tumblr.com/) & Internet searching ability) introduced me to this website when I was working on my school project. It has been a go to for me from that point.

Unikko - Maija Isola

Kavivo - Maija Isola

Interior from CB2

City Garden apron with food graphics

Hetkia Shower curtainMy roommate lived in Buenos Aires for a year and my friend and I went to visit her. While we were visiting we went to the neighborhood La Boca. This design is inspired after Boca and captured the city perfectly! Dogs were everywhere, the people were dancing in the streets, music was playing and the overall atmosphere was a bit stimulating. I bought this as a kitchen towel, matted and framed it for her birthday. It turned out very nice and was different than a traditional photograph or art piece.
Textile Arts gives you the opportunity to buy large scale fabrics and wall hanging kits. Hanging large scale Marimekko prints is a great addition to any home. My roommate, Monica, bought a gorgeous black and white abstract floral design to hang above her bed. If you are feeling crafty you can run on over to Home Depot and buy the wood to stretch the fabric yourself. All you need is wood, nails, hammer, and staple. Any large space such as a foyer or entryway, large hallway, or room would be ideal for these large scale pieces. HGTV room design by Kristi Yamaguchi & Matthew Finlason


This is a view of Kone's lobby when you exit the elevator.

Wall Covering by Harri Koshinen

Wall Covering by Maija Isola

A fun table setting with new glassware and tableware from Marimekko. Anu Penttinen & Sami Ruotsalainen. Photo from Milanice.com.

My friend Sheenum's friend Jacquelyn, is a Fullbright Scholar, studying Finnish Textile design at the Aalto University in Hellsinki (very impressive!). She is a very talented artist (http://www.jacquelyngleisner.com/) and has a super cool blog. Marimekko is referenced in her blog with a first hand account of it's influence in Hellsinki and internationally. Check it out!

*image source Marimekko & Textile Arts

Ready, Set, Bike!

This Saturday my friends and I are participating in a bike race at the Budweiser Brewery in Cartersville. The weather has been beautiful and I am optimistic that the day will be fantastic! Riding, drinking beer, listening to music, and hanging out with friends can't be beat on a beautiful Saturday. It is a century ride or you can have incremental rides (33miles seems more appropriate based on my training so far). I feel inspired to share some sweet bike related design picks to ramp up my biking style.

(1) Tour de France Photography by Tim Irving





(2) Organic Bike Tee from Lofty Mornings $26


(3) Eco Cup Cozy by Laura Bucci Handmade $18

(4) Bike Espresso Cup & Saucer from Aceros $28

(4)Buck on Bike silk screened Cotton Canvas Throw Pillow from The Utilitarian Franchise $40

(5)Boneshaker: A Bicycling Almanac 42-500 by Wolverine Farm Publishing. Sold @ Inman Perk in Atlanta $6


(6)Block Print Stuffie from Artgoodie $16

(7)Bike Necklace from A Jewelry Box $20

(7)CB2 Recycled Bike $29.95

(8)Very Cool Tour de France Fabric from Marimekko $70.00

Certainty....?

Life can be a confusing place. A confusing yet wonderful place. In times of perspective it always helps to find the two W's - Wisdom & Wine. I find that for many of my friends, family members, and me, a transitional life phase is occurring. I am a strong believer that change produces positivity and growth no matter how strange and scary. Whether you are 100% content with life or finding your next calling, some insight never hurts. I have called in the ranks of one of my favorite writers, Elizabeth Gilbert. She is the beloved author of Eat, Pray, Love. Liz travels the world to Italy, India, and Indonesia (lucky) in search of balance and certainty. I found this article on Oprah.com and have been waiting to share. Enjoy!

Absolute certainty is not something I strive for anymore. I've learned the hard way that destiny usually looks upon our most strident convictions with amusement, or perhaps even pity. (Oh, those silly humans! So desperate for their absolutes!) Sometimes it seems like the only job of the world is to gently (or not so gently) separate us from our deepest assurances, exposing us once again to that ultimate moral teaching tool: humility.

Of course, it's not always a pleasant experience to have our certainties stripped away. Sureness is something like a neck brace, which we clamp around our lives, hoping to somehow protect ourselves from the frightening, constant whiplash of change. Sadly, the brace doesn't always hold. I could list for you a tragicomic litany of all the things I was once mistakenly completely certain about, and I'm sure you can do the same. Maybe you, too, were once absolutely sure that you'd found your great love, or your final best friend, or the perfect mentor, meditation, or medication that would—once and for all—never fail you. And then? Slowly, it seems, we are not so sure after all. Such is our slippery toehold here on Earth, and so it has always been.

Perhaps it is for this reason that the people we instinctively turn to in times of trouble are those who—we sense—have made space within their convictions for doubt and mystery. Compassion grows best, it appears, in the soft spots beneath quiet surrender. So I try very hard to go easy on the firm conclusions. These days I settle for feeling only 85 percent sure about most things, most of the time. I believe this is keeping me sane, and I also believe that it's keeping me human. In fact, I'm 85 percent sure of it.

Gilbert, E. (2008). What I know For Sure About Certainty. Retrieved from http://www.oprah.com/spirit/What-Elizabeth-Gilbert-Knows-for-Sure-About-Certainty

If you haven't had the pleasure of reading Eat, Pray, Love, please try and find the time to become inspired. It is truly a refreshing book that will help any feelings of certainty!

More design to come next post. Monday's are a day to refresh!

*image source: Elizabeth Gilbert

Favorite

I have many favorites in my design life. I don't have a favorite color, because all colors are equally my favorite. I do have a top 5 list of preferred colors, but I can't categorize a number one. This same general indecisiveness is applied to most finds (not boyfriends - I have one top and favorite all time boyfriend). I find it refreshing not to commit to one favorite and I would like to share my commitment phobia with you as I post a new favorite every week!

My fav this week (which is a perfect example of commitment issues) is the graphic wall company Blik (www.whatisblik.com/shop/explore).

This product line was started by two people trying to determine the best way to decorate a wall. Every solution was permanent which created the idea of a removable, art piece that can be changed. I just love how you can quickly transform a wall or room based on a mood, to surprise someone, or add something other than typical decoration. The prices are very affordable. The stickiness is strong as well as the material. You don't have to be afraid of tearing the parts or the pieces not sticking. You can easily remove and restick the pieces if not placed perfectly. Genius!

I used the safari theme for a nursery and I know for a fact that the baby is smarter and kinder to animals because of his mural!

You can also pick your preferred colors for more simple designs. Blik is so polite by adding a rating system to gauge the level of application intensity. Blik will also create beautiful custom pieces which you can request information through their website.

Here are some of my favorite products!

*Image Source: Blik

Decatur Book Festival

The Decatur Book Festival was held this beautiful weekend in Atlanta in downtown Decatur. My mother and I went to see the sites and find some great books. It was a nice showing of book tents, festival food, and live story tellers. Many authors were there representing and signing books for readers. Decatur is a quaint and lively city with great shopping and restaurants. My mom bought a book on Atlanta titled, Atlanta: Then and Now, by Michael Rose. The book has beautiful images of streets in Atlanta in the early days and street views now. I was interested in a signed book by David Bryne titled, Bicycle Diaries. David Bryne is the lead singer of the band Talking Heads as well as a avid bike rider. It describes his trials and tribulations while riding his fold-up bike around the world. I am definitely keeping this in my book queue and looking out for a folding bike...

Decatur offers a great choice of cute home goods and design boutiques. My favorite is Heliotrope. It has Jonathan Adler ceramics and his new line of stationary, mugs, planners, and other cute patterned desk accessories. Heliotrope offers a unique and large selection of stationary and cards. It is a perfect place to go for a spontaneous "spiff up the home" purchase or gift ideas. I also found these Charles and Ray Eames journal, bag, and mug. Definitely a place to stop to find many treasures.

Kudzu Antique Market is a very large antique store in Decatur. It isn't in the Decatur square, but on Dekalb Avenue near the Farmer's Market. If you are in the mood for antiquing it is a good place to check out. Homegrown is a cute new shop on Church street which showcases local artists work. This is taking the place of Taste. Decatur is a wonderful community and the perfect place for the book fair. It was a great opportunity to take in everything the city has to offer. And a good excuse for some funnel cake!

Color Confusion

I have been wanting to purchase a Herman Miller Eames Molded Plastic Side Chair for some time. When I decided to go ahead and go for it I came to find that I would be most overwhelmed with color confusion! Herman Miller introduced 5 new colors this year to make matters worse. The classic red, black, white, lime green, and light blue were enough to consider. Now the additional java, aqua sky, greystone, sparrow, and wafer had to be thrown in the mix.

I wanted to purchase a chair that would be classic , for multiple uses and a variety of spaces. I ultimately would like to use these chairs in the dining room, kitchen or as a desk chair. You can pretty much place this chair in any location and it becomes art. My place right now has many different colors going on. My room has mainly white, modern furniture with many color accents. Lime green had always been my original thought - it's one of my top favorites colors. The chair would be a total accent piece which I would love, however I just didn't think for now it was the most practical.

After a bit of thought I decided that for my space being transitional, white was the way to go. It is a safe color, but I will be able to fit this in any room at any time. And the chair design is fun so it will look fabulous no matter where it goes! I also purchased the Eiffel Tower base. I feel it is a glamorous, energetic base that compliments the simple lines of the chair.

If you have a space that is mostly a monotoned color palette than a fun color would be a great choice. If you have children a fun red or light blue would really make dinner time fun. These are very durable and easy to clean. White is such a popular furniture color at the moment a punch of color at a white desk or as a side chair next to a small table would work well. These are also available on a rocker base with arms. These are adorable in baby room's. If you are need for a simple, beautiful, and classic piece, this chair would be a wonderful option for any home owner or design enthusiast to own!

Bit of History:

Charles and Ray Eames designed this piece in the 1940s. The idea was to use a new material that could be mass produced. The Eames wanted to have the material sell and speak for the design. It has multiple base options and color options. It is very light weight and is used in many applications today.

*images source: Herman Miller