National Geographic: Patterns in Nature

Inspired by nature . . . I think most of us are. Upholstery patterns, furniture forms, inlays, and even our hardware designs feature plant and flower motifs. Perhaps these close-up pattern studies will inspire you. I like the saturated colors and the clarity of focus. Click here for more.

On the Street Fashion

In order to NOT violate the copyright . . . I'm not posting pictures from this photo blog: The Sartorialist But the pictures are amazing to look through. I'm a bit of a people watcher and the designer in me loves seeing what "looks" people put together, especially from around the globe. The above picture I took in Milan. Love the orange-on-orange! Not something I see everyday in Michigan!

I've heard that European fashion comes over to the States. Also, that home furnishings follows fashion. This type of site could be good for getting a glimpse into what people currently, or will soon here, find desireable. (probably not the orange-on-orange though!)

IKEA Hacker

I really enjoy seeing the creativity of people, designers and non-designers. The IKEA Hacker blog showcases great solutions to everyday problems and some plain old funky stuff. The above bench was made of IKEA parts and holds a litter box. Nice huh? Looking at civilian solutions could help designers create products that fill a real functional need.

Click here to see some fun projects.

Google "Spider Web" Design

While I'm not a huge touter of Google, I do use it. Today I saw and messed around with a new format for searching, called: Wonder Wheel. Click "show options" to see this option and start searching by a visual web.

Furniture that Attaches

This table is meant to sit over a balcony, rail, wall, or where ever. It makes me think of other places that furniture could hang, hide, fit around, etc.

See IKEA's website for more info on this cheap problem solver.

Poll Results: "Which show are you attending?"

Well, our second poll revealed that 2 people were going to Market and 1 person was going to KBIS! Check out a new poll on the right . . . let's see if we can't get the participation up!

Inspiration: Textiles

I'm impressed with the products of Mogwaii, a British textiles firm that makes home furnishings and accessories from wool felt, embellished with simple stitching, found rocks and shells, and silhouette motifs derived from nature. I like the simple shapes and layering of pattern and texture. The delicate stitching reminds me of some of the incised lines we incorporate into our own product. We've been seeing stones used as decorative features in other home furnishing products, including cabinet hardware.

See www.mogwaiidesign.com.