The Website of Helen Dardik, Illustrator, Pattern Maker, Toy Creator and Painter. Whimsical and fun! here. Read More...

Nice Blog Covering all things Mid-Century Modern. here. Read More...

Usually color-changing products are associated with children - books and toys that work as novelty items. But is that the limit of their applicability? Or can they be used for much more interesting things, like light or touch sensitive wallpaper, posters or calenders. These curious designs turn otherwise inanimate objects into interactive design elements.

Artist Shi Yuan has worked on a number of subtle and complex projects that reinterpret conventional objects of design. She has worked on deconstructing advertisements, challenging empty spaces with digital overlays and repurposes everyday products with her own twist. Read More...

The Love Mattress offers a simple solution to the limp arms that often follow a lovers’ embrace. see it here. Read More...

Ace Jet 170 is the awesome blog. click the pic to see it.

snip: "I'm an English graphic designer now living in Belfast. Married with two very young, active, funny and very brilliant boys. At work I develop and implement brands and corporate IDs mostly, work very hard and eat cake.

I love stuff and Ace Jet 170 sets out to record the stuff I've found over the years and find in the future. Found on holiday, at boot sales, in book shops or junk shops, littering the pavement, dropped into a waste bin. Interesting stuff.

And then there's the stuff other people send me. I wasn't expecting that: more interesting stuff, from some very nice people. That's here too.

Feast upon the stuff."
Read More...

In this overview you’ll find 60 fresh, elegant, professional and visually appealing designs, which pay close attention to details and manage to remain simple, user-friendly and nice-looking. Click the pic to visit. Read More...

In their press release, Pantone described Ishii's mission for the Japanese market: "To expand the use of PANTONE Color Systems throughout the design and manufacturing sectors, thus linking industries and businesses in Japan to the global community with a universal color specification standard."

The personal site of Brazillian designer and artist Belo Horizonte. very diverse and interesting stuff. Read More...

Daniel Eatock is a London based idea person and creates a vast array of things. click the epic above to visit his newer site and view the series of prints made by pushing ink out of an matrix of Pantone Markers that are soaking through a stack of paper, and many more. Also, check out an older set of ideas here: http://www.foundation33.com/ Read More...

Yuko Shimizu is a Japanese illustrator, who lives and works in New York, USA. She was born in Tokyo and grew up in Tokyo and in New York. Although she always dreamed of becoming an artist, it took her a long time till she actually became one. She has the BA in marketing/advertising from Waseda University and worked in the field of publicity in Tokyo for a long time till she decided it was time to change her life to do what she really wanted before it was too late. She packed up everything and left Japan in 1999 to study in School of Visual Arts in New York, received the MFA in illustration from SVA in 2003.

She has been working as a full time illustrator since. Her work has been published in such countries as US, UK, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Spain and Turkey. Clients include: The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly, Interview Magazine (all US), Esquire and Financial Times Magazine (both UK). She has just finished set and costume design for M.A.C. Cosmetics (US) fall 2004 promotional campaign. She also teaches at School of Visual Arts in Illustration and Cartooning Department. Read More...

Ambigrams are delightful graphic logotypes that read the same if they are reversed or flipped upside-down. Here is a great article from "StepInsideDesign" Read More...

Some of the coolest mid-century album covers were illustrated by artist Jim Flora. Crazy angles, cubist stylings, playful lines and a touch of the diabolic were all part of his work for Columbia and RCA in the 40s and 50s. We always love seeing one his album covers in the thrift store record bin, and were excited to discover this Web site (JimFlora.com) that showcases his unique and graphic style. Read More...

Ghislaine Viñas established her interior design studio in 1999, when commissioned to do the complete build-out of a 9,000-sq-ft office/art gallery in the Starrett Lehigh Building in New York's Chelsea art district.

Born in the Netherlands and raised in South Africa, Ghislaine brings a special blend of international sensibility, intuitive style, humor and refreshing enthusiasm to her work.

Ghislaine is driven daily by her passion for interior design especially by form and color. "Color excites me. As a child, I would feel a rush of excitement when opening a box of crayons and seeing all the colors interact and relate. I still feel the same excitement when I see colors come together in a room."

Ghislaine lives in New York City with her husband and their two young girls. Click the pic to visit her website for more. Read More...

UK Designer Colin Lee is doing some cool Illustrator and Photoshop mash-ups. click the pic for more Read More...

Designed by Hiroshi Tsunoda, ‘Joyn’ is a hexagon curtain / wall which can be used to divide a room or funk up a window. The structure is made up of hexagons which can be connected together. There is no need for a standing structure; it’s connected and swiftly hung up, on a steel cable using the accompanying attachment pieces, or directly to the wall using a number of fixation methods. Joyn can be put together in countless aesthetic and functional ways. Read More...

Some pictures from Milan during the Salone del Mobile week in a Flickr Gallery Read More...

French Graphic Design Firm Creaktif "we are digital terrorist!". They have bad english grammar, but some interesting ideas.

Read More...

Nik Ainley combines illustration, design, typography, and 3D graphics to create some truly stunning imagery. The results of his work are often quite lovely. Click the pic to visit his portfolio site.

Cassie Metcalf collects and scans vintage ephemera... and sells scans of the old stuff to you at a reasonable price. Interesting idea, and for designers and craft people looking for inspiration... it's a nice collection.

Read More...

snip from the site: Headquartered in Orlando, Florida, USA, Right Brain Terrain ("RBT") was established in 2005 to produce Alternative Motivational Posters (affectionately known as "AMPs"). AMPs avoid the all-too-established formula of the mainstream motivational poster: color photograph, giant type, faux frame thingy, and inspirational quote on blindingly shiny paper. RBT believes that such posters serve a purpose and a specific audience, but since they don't appeal to me, I decided to create ones that do.

AMPs are subtle, loud, metaphoric, ambiguous, motivational, literal, symbolic, obvious, bright, dark, distressed, clean, colorful, black and white, surprising, predictable, unique, exciting, boring, inspiring... There are no rules - just gut. The process is a visceral one that is fueled by a yearning to positively contribute to society, for the sheer love of the creative process, for the poetically stagnant nature of posters, and for the deliberate art of contemporary graphic design.

click the pic for more Read More...

Shown here wearing a camera she designed for kodak (the 1881)... nice stuff. Read More...

These panels, are light, will withstand a fire for up to 2 hours, paintable and made of natural substances that won't poison your interiors. Did I mention that the creators of these wall panels won the 2004 Green Product Organic Design Award? Read More...

Amazing prints from Swedish sensation Hanna. Buy several "posters" and use like wallpaper.
Several styles to choose from. click the pic for more examples or the link below to visit design sponge

Via Design*Sponge. Read More...

These are by far the best in the recent world of embossed/textured wall coverings. They give pattern in such a way that adds interest without the distraction of too much detail or texture...

"Inhabit's Embossed Wall Flats are designed to expand in any direction. With peel-and-stick adhesive tabs and an automatic pattern repeat these wall tiles are simple, modern, versatile and goof-proof. You can cover a existing wall, help disguise a not-so-smooth wall or add a modern pattern to any room setting. "

Off-white paintable surface.
Inhabit Wall Flats are made with 100% bamboo pulp.

18" x 18" panels
10 panels per box
Coverage: 22.5 square feet Read More...

When it isn't accidenatly being added to pet food, Melamine is non-toxic and dishwasher safe, and with all the interesting designs and patterns out in the marketplace nowadays, it's about time you add some to your cabinet to spice up the dinnerware choices. Just keep in mind to avoid the microwave...small price to pay for the decorative options. Read More...

Shown here is one entry in the "ceramics for breakfast" contest. click the pic for many more interesting entries. Read More...

Flavor Paper. Founded on the Oregon by a guy named Ted. Later moved to New Orleans, still producing great art works, which are later printed as wallpaper. Each roll of Flavor paper is hand printed, sold in untrimmed 27 inch wide by 15 foot long single rolls. The guys do a great job, every their masterpiece will add a special flavor to any room. click the pic for more Read More...

This downloadable PDF magazine is a submission driven art & design magazine. To view Bastard magazine, you need a computer, Adobe Acrobat Reader and eyes. Read More...

a small collection of free fonts rounded up on Neil Scott's design Blog. Read More...

Diftype is the personal online portfolio and playground of graphic designer Niklas Lundberg, currently based in Umeå, Sweden. Read More...

Designer and Printmaker Sanna Annukka has been featured in Wallpaper and other fancy design magazines. Her work is a playful and fresh update on traditional folklore iconography. Click the pic for more. Read More...

A cool resource for designers. TextureKing is a project by REH3design. Throughout the site you will find a growing repository of high quality stock photos that are free for professional and personal use. Read More...

The classic paperclip is often heralded as the epitome of design. As functional as it is beautiful, the double oval paperclip was first designed by Gem Manufacturing Ltd. of England in the early 1890s. Now this classic design has been reinterpreted as an iconic radiator for your home. 80cm wide, the Towelclip is a compact radiator ideal for bathrooms. Perfect for warming your towels or even trousers, the Towel Clip features a low energy usage of only 45 watts. Simple and iconic, the Towelclip transforms the traditional radiator into a tribute to industrial elegance. Read More...

Science and art are combined in the distinctive Concrete Kitchen Sinks from Mark Concrete. With over 35 years experience, Mark Lesnick uses several varieties of stone and sand to create a wide range of fabulous textures. Made to a unique formula developed by Mark Concrete, their concrete kitchen sink is approximately one-third lighter than the ordinary variety. Long counters of the deepest Violet Black offer a rich satin-like finish. The deep concrete sink is cast of the same striking material, and framed with a simple carved bevel. From beneath the lovely dark surface a path of natural stones flows across the counter and through the deep basin. The gentle water worn stones give an organic pattern and add a touch of natural colour for a soothing Zen style. Read More...

Yes, this design motif is getting a little played out and over exposed, but I still want these plates. Read More...

Beautiful laser-cut skateboard decks .

An exhibition allowing artists to explore the idea of lasering away at seven layers of ply that make a deck and add their own distinctive mark.

A select group of artists globally have contributed their works to explore this new technology. Only 50 limited edition decks will be produced per artist. The aim of the show is to have a series of unique decks that collectors may choose to ride or display.

The exhibition will have its first show at the MTV Gallery Space in Sydney, Australia scheduled on Thursday 29th March, to be followed later in the year by New York, LA, Japan and finally a scheduled tour of Europe. Read More...

Continuing the trend to bring back real materials into the consumer electronics arena, this concept is by Joseph Graceffa at IDEO:

"The spinning CD, displayed as a table saw blade slicing through a rich piece of walnut, draws our attention to an element of elegant activity within a simple, tranquil object." Read More...

The Chase series of coat hooks are both highly functional but drastically different in terms of appearance. The Chase W is curvy and hollowed out, essentially hiding the hangers and minimizing its visual profile. Read More...

Her work is stunning. shown here is some detail from a Fox River Paper project... click the pic to see more.
Read More...

Choose an image you like from the web, copy the address into the "image url" box then go down and click "random from image" and you will get a color palette. When you get one you like, tag it with any combination of words or phrases. Read More...

A cool bar tool that has visual appeal and real utility, this Triple Jigger includes three measurements: .5 oz., .75 oz., and 1.5 oz. It also has the the added appeal of being made by world renowned (and often reviled) industrial designer Karim Rashid. (Available in blue or charcoal) click the pic to buy it for $10

A clever tool that provides double functionality in the kitchen, this Bottle Stopper and Opener [set of two] achieves the comfort and ease of use you expect from OXO. The nonslip, pressure-absorbing rubber tool features an opening with interior ridges that can be placed around stubborn twist-off bottle caps. Once a bottle is open, the rubber rings around the insert are designed to seal bottle necks.

A handwoven, 100% wool rug brings both comfort and the unique element of craftsmanship; cool imagery makes for a remarkable place to put your feet. This Sleepy Hollow Rug fits the description, available two sizes: 8" x 10" and 5" x 8", in both blue and black. Both sizes, in both colors. click the pic to shop.

These big bold asymmetrical bowls from RAW design in Oregon make your salad or anything you put in them, that much more colorful. The bowls are made of natural birch wood and are available in a rainbow of colors. They need a little special handling (don't throw these beauties in the dishwasher) but they are food-safe. The bowls cost from $58 to $112. Read More...

Designed by Max and Linda Geiser and made by FOLD, the Wallter Saucers wall applications are some of the most versatile that I've seen. They are made of wood and come primed for painting, so you can customize the colors to match your decor. Each set includes 5 nesting saucers, which can be arranged in just about any way you see fit. You can leave the saucers "nested" for compact accents or separate them, spreading them along the wall for a larger, more wallpaper-like, pattern. The largest in the set measures 23"W x 13"H and all are .5" thick. Price: $87. Read More...

With Blurb, anyone with access to a computer can make a book and get it professionally printed. The company offers free downloadable software, called BookSmart, which enables people without design experience to easily lay out the pages, choose background colors and fonts and edit photos. The design templates were created by book design experts.

Blurb prices range from $18.95 for a 40-page, full-color paperback and $29.95 for the same hardcover version, to $69.95 for a 440-page, full-color paperback and $79.95 for the same in hardcover. Volume discounts are available for orders of 25 and up, with custom quotes for a print order of 400 or higher. Shipping and handling charges are separate.

Read More...

The inflate concept seems to be going places, earlier it was that inflatable living places and now this innovative umbrella called the Bumprella.

You just have to use that bicycle pump to inflate this transparent umbrella and turning the handle backward can deflate it.
The basic aim of RKSDesigns, behind designing this kind of an umbrella is to avoid that irritating situation on a rainy day when all the umbrellas keep poking into each other, making it tough to walk.

However, with the Bumprella at hand, first and foremost you’ll avoid any kinda clashes, since it is transparent and secondly, even if you do, it would be just a bump and not poking. Read More...

A coat that glows when it rains has been created by a US-based designer.

Elise Co, of design and technology firm Aeolab in Los Angeles, will be discussing the latest version of her Puddlejumper coat at a textiles show in France this month.

Puddlejumper is a luminescent, nylon raincoat that turns the prospect of walking in the rain into an opportunity for play and performance, says Co, a former professor of new media. It’s coated with PVC and has water sensors on its back and left sleeve. The sensors are wired via interior electronics to electroluminescent panels on the front of the jacket.

When water hits one of the sensors, the corresponding lamp lights up on the front, creating a flickering pattern of illumination that mirrors the rhythm of rainfall, says Co. “You get a pattern of lights that really looks like water falling,” she says. Co says the electroluminescent panels are of the same kind of material used as backlighting for phones.

The material is usually purchased pre-manufactured as plastic sheets that are cut up and wired together. But Co mixed up the chemicals that make the panels and silk-screened them onto the jacket by hand, and hand printed the water sensors onto the jacket.

Read More...

Earlier this month, Hussein Chalayan wowed the audience at his Paris runway show with five dresses that automatically transformed in shape and style (video + interview). Zippers closed, cloth gathered, and hemlines rose–all without human assistance. Beneath each model’s skirt was a computer system designed by the London-based engineering and concept-creation firm 2D3D. click the pic to see the video at youtube Read More...

FiveFingers, footwear that offer the exhilarating feeling of going barefoot with the protection and grip of a Vibram sole. Read More...

You send in your fingerprint, and Piaget will trace out your unique whorls in diamonds on a pendant or watch. Read More...

With her Tattoo-me boots, Emily Jane Atkinson has developed a way of tattooing oneself without the use of inks and needles. The boots have changeable linings. Each of them have a different pattern on and when worn they leave an imprint on the legs, thus creating a temporary tattoo. Each lining depicts a rite of passage, the cherry symbolises losing your virginity, and it can also be used to allow your partner to know that you are ready for a sexual relationship. The butterfly symbolises coming of age and the doves symbolise new beginning. Read More...

shown here is his working concept of a kitchen control console called The Z island.

The Z Island is the first project to use a new interactive technology developed for DuPont Corian that allows interactive touch sensitive areas and information display on the surface of the Corian material. It features a touch pad and a large display area from where many functions of the kitchen can be controlled via menus. Read More...

Reginald Pike's Yael Staav and Ogilvy's Tim Piper created this ad that exploits the process of exploitation to show how the model (shown top) becomes the end product (shown bottom). The ad loses a little of it's shine since it was produced by the same advertising machine it is taking a hard look at... the message seems to be, "it's all fake, you know it, and you buy it anyway!"
click either pic to see the video Read More...

Cecilia Design in collaboration with Pompom Arkitekter have taken the boring clothes hanger and revived it.

The ‘Hang On’ is exquisitely beautiful as it is simple, dynamic as it is lustrous and carries all the functionality your wardrobe requires.

Cecilia Lundgren of Cecilia Design recently graduated with a BA in Design from the University of Kalmar having previously studied Illustration and Graphic Design at Forsbergs Skola in Stockholm. Read More...

Half Pint Glass, a double-walled insulating drinking glass for hot or cold drinks Read More...

I've never heard of him, but he's doing some interesting stuff and has a twisted sense of humor. Click the pic for more. Read More...

Saw this study of Elium Studio awhile ago but recently reminded by reading the current issue of Dwell magazine... 'don't lie. you've always wanted to be able to sit back and watch your fluffy white bread turn a golden, crunchy brown right before your eyes. well, now you can, thanks to Elium's Clear toaster, which reveals the magical transformation in all its glories. the decision of how toasted you'd like your toast is now all yours. you can also easily decide when it's time to clean your appliance.' Read More...

nice interlocking forms for wedding rings Read More...

shown here is a painting by Kelli Nelson... just one of many many skull and skeletal related art pieces featured on this blog. Fun! Read More...

This multifunctional piece of Hivemindesign's is a room divider that can also act as light shelving. it's a modern design with retro geometric aspect. although there's lots of lines involved, it won't make the space busy because the pattern's unified and repetitive (unless you put too many random pieces on it, in this case). remember this when you consider of incorporating any graphics on room dividing units. made with Knoll textiles; if you view the unit straight on, it's almost transparent. if you view it at an angle, you won't see past it. Read More...

Seen here making Spirograph style wallpaper, designer Augustin Scott de Martinville is a clever guy who has brought several ideas to market in various formats.

French by origin, Augustin lives in Lausanne, Switzerland where he studied at the famous local design school, Ecal. His aim is to edit each new year a series of objects that are linked to a self-imposed theme. The first year's theme is the reinterpretation of the codes of bourgeois furniture.

click the pic to see more. Read More...

I love tutorials. I like them even better when they're not six pages long and produce great results. I'm guessing you can guess from its name what 2 Minute Photoshop Tricks is. It's a text, video, and audio blog that shows gives you tips, tricks, and tutorials for Photoshop, each in about two minutes. Unfortunately it's not updated especially frequently, but there's a lot of good stuff there, from adding a dept of field effect to a photo to giving text a shiny Web 2.0 look. They've got feeds for their videos, podcasts, and blog posts, so you never miss a tip. Read More...

" Innovation, research, coherence, new materials and flexible solutions have been the key concepts of Agape's business philosophy since it was established in 1973.

The company's mission is to make the bathroom a more comfortable and aesthetically stimulating space by rethinking conventional typologies." Read More...

Those wanting to recapture the glorious joys of portion control can now do so without having to exercise any real judgment. Mesu bowls are lovely porcelain dishes made to hold specific volumes, from half a cup to two. Each bowl is decorated with a pretty yet functional pastel graphic — a circle stands for a cup, a segment of a circle is a fraction thereof — indicating which amount it can accommodate.

So now, instead of measuring your portions before serving them, you can do so as you serve. Mesu bowls are sold individually, but we suspect you’ll want to buy at least one of the nesting sets of six. Read More...

I like this Unikko Floral Bedding from Finland’s Marimekko brand. The Unikko floral design, originally created by Maija Isola, is bold and colourful and is back from the 1960's. Add the vibrant colors of Marimekko 100% soft cotton fabrics to your bedroom with a selection of duvets, sheets and pillow cases - they are just perfect for the summer. Designed in 1962, Unikko bedding floral patterns are the most famous and are the ones by which the Marimekko brand is instantly recognized. Read More...

Oded Ezer is an Israeli typographer, type designer and lecturer. A graduate at the V.C.D dep. of the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design, Jerusalem, Ezer founded (2000) his own independent studio in Givatayim, Israel, specializing in the typographic aspects of branding and publication designs.

click the pic to check out his site. Read More...

Nice short article that has a good summary of current trends (2006) in web design. It's a good quick overview if you are feeling clueless.

from the article:

Web 2.0 design style (seen in the 2 pics above) can be recognized by

- Fixed width
- Central (rounded) shape with shadows
- Lots of gradients and volumes
- Large fonts
- Headers, highlighted with bright colors
- Substantial amount of gray text
- Wide range of text size
- Rounded shapes and buttons
- Shadows, glass-effects, more gradients

click either pic for more info. Read More...

I love this letterpressed piece. I'm a sucker for icons.

from the site...

"Ronald Kurniawan graduated with honors from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. Inspired by ideograms, syllables, letterforms, beasts and heroic landscapes, he slowly but surely continues to create a visual language where the wilderness and civilization could merge happily together. With the belief that the sublime and nuclear age could coexist, he paints romantic environments and breaks the quiet scene with juxtaposed imagery taking the shape of icons and letterforms. He currently lives and works in Los Angeles where he paints meticulously and happily accompanied by his pug Ruffles, an avid artist himself."

click the pic to visit his stuff. Read More...

Door handles are often overlooked as decor elements. They can substantially impact overall design, and, in the case of contemporary handles, provide improved ergonomics. Colombo contemporary door handles are as cute as they get. Die-casted from Brass or Chrome alloy, Colombo door handles are very functional as well. These contemporary styled, ergonomically shaped handles come with wood and glass inserts, cool detailing and coordinating knobs, plates and pulls. Choose from many different handle styles, metal finishes and colors. Colombo Design. Read More...

Designed by a young Argentinean designer Batti, the fiberglass Placentero lounge chair got its name from combination of two words linked to the pregnancy period, "placenta" and "pleasure". The pregnancy "pleasure" part is arguable but what do we know... The chair itself is pleasurably comfortable - "giving [you] the chance to make any
movement and create whichever the position you like". It seems to be stable in any position, even when is upside-down. By Brion Arte Industrial, Argentina
How did they come up with the Placentero chair design ...?

"We had performed an investigation about the experiences the human beings have before birth. This took us to meet some techniques of recreation of this natural situation ... As a result of this deep investigation, this lounge chair design came almost naturally - it is able to hold a person and give the possibility to connect with himself ..." Weighs 70 Pounds (32 Kg). The seat's leather comes in multiple colors. The outside sphere plastic surface is fiberglass and is finished with coat-gel which helps to erase scratches using polish paste. Read More...