quite possibly the best blog you will ever stumble upon.

A really cool chair from really cool designers

2012-02-09T00:56:00.001-05:00

I tried this Tip Ton chair the other day while visiting Vitra, and I must say it was quite comfortable. It comes in fun colors, is stackable, made out of polypropylene and rocks! I mean, it actually rocks, as in a rocking chair. I want one! I bet it would look really cool on a really cool desk. And it's around $350, which is not that cheap, but not THAT expensive either. Check out this cool video:

Tip Ton from BarberOsgerby on Vimeo.

Snoopy!

2012-02-06T13:56:00.004-05:00

This cool couch is called Snoopy, because it looks kind of Snoopy-ish or something. I like it because it looks super comfortable and friendly. I imagine it would leave a giant smile on its owner's face whenever she comes home to see it. Sort of reminds me of the Norwich Terrier from Best in Show.

http://www.versus.as/snoopy.html

What what? Que que?

2012-01-19T18:40:00.000-05:00

Here again is another brilliant Mexican design by Manada. It was truly love at first sight, this Bed 42 design. The wood, its texture, its simplicity and craft. I want one! However, our intern has rightfully informed us that this beautiful piece of furniture is probably a wee too big for anyone living in the tight orners of a NYC apartment. Too bad. Still, we at CLI give the Bed 42 an A+++++!
http://www.manada.com.mx/#1248900/news

A really cool coffee table by another cool Japanese designer

2012-01-15T12:15:00.001-05:00

How I wish I could go back in time to be born as a Japanese product/furniture designer! Oh, How grand that would be! To design beautiful, simple and elegant wares for my fellow humans. To be among the likes of Naoto Fukusawa and Teruhiro Yanagihara!

Anyway, thankfully, one can at least buy cool Japanese products easily these days with the help of the interweb and "online payments"! All is not lost. And, take a look at this beautiful piece of furniture. Soo cool and simple. But I'm also betting this can easily be built using some basic carpenter skills. Perhaps a new project for the CLI intern for the new year! Yes!
Check it out here: http://teruhiroyanagihara.jp/#/177/

2012-01-09T18:33:00.004-05:00

I really love this new-ish "Birdie" lamp by Foscarini designed by Ludovica+Roberto Palomba. The lamp is quite playful and comes in a floor or table lamp size. I totally want one. Enough said. Check it out here: http://www.palombaserafini.com/works_1_1_1.asp?ID=289&sez=1&az=7#

Another cool Mexican designer!

2012-01-09T18:23:00.003-05:00

Christian Vivanco is my new favorite designer. He's Mexican and builds his furniture and stuff in Mexico, probably about 2 hours north of Mexico City. I must plan a pilgrimage to visit his studio sometime. Anyway, this really awesome storage island thing is called From a Lost City, and I simply love it. I need to figure out where I can store this, or maybe our CLI intern will find a good use for this clever piece of multi- use shelving work of art. Check it out here: http://christianvivanco.bigcartel.com/product/from-a-lost-city

Peter Bristol to the rescue!

2012-01-04T18:40:00.001-05:00

As some loyal readers of CLI may know, our intern broke her beloved May Day Lamp by Konstantin Grcic (the thing magically dismembered itself), and so we've been on a dutiful lookout for a new cool lamp that can be placed both on a bookshelf, desk or table, yet also able to placed on the floor. Lucky for us we stumbled upon Peter Bristol's American Standard Lamp.

Says Peter of his design, "for better or worse, construction materials, methods, and dimensions are quite homogenized in the United States. From the 2×4 wall studs to the cheap light switches, it seems that when building a wall, location is really the only decision left to make. The utilitarian relationship between these standard materials, dimensions, and parts comes together to create a modern icon that is hidden in plain sight. By deriving its character directly from this set of rules, the American Standards Lamp’s is instantly familiar and intuitive to use (for people living among these standards). Flipping on the American Standards Lamp is as routine as unlocking the door. The lamp creates diffused light and provides an accessible extra power outlet."

I don't think the lamp is for sale, but I hope it is! Our poor intern needs a new lamp!

http://www.peterbristol.net/projects/american-standards-lamp/

Help!

2011-12-26T23:25:00.003-05:00

My May Day lamp broke today. Sob, sob. Now I'm on the lookout for a cool light that can be hung on the wall or ceiling, or sit on a bookshelf, or even on the floor. So far, I've found a few contenders by Artek, the super cool Finnish company. In particular, I like the White Collection by Ville Kokkonen designs. (That's a cool pretty cool name, by the way). Check them out here: http://mattermatters.com/product.asp?id=1015

A really great video about one of the world's great designers!

2011-12-10T21:14:00.001-05:00

Enzo Mari for Artek: Homage to Autoprogettazione from Anna Vartiainen on Vimeo.

Naoto's cool new re-do

2011-12-08T23:26:00.001-05:00

My favorite designer, Naoto Fukusawa, designed this cool CD player for Muji a while ago, but people don't really play CD's much these days, so this cool apparatus was re-designed to also function as a radio! Cool! Now I can listen to NPR while showering or brushing my teeth! And it now comes in black!

http://www.muji.us/store/special-offer/new-wall-mounted-cd-player-with-fm-radio-white.html

Ice Cube!!

2011-12-08T10:55:00.001-05:00

I I just saw this awesome video and had to share it!

Click on this link for an awesome video of Ice Cube talking about the Eames!

Hee Lounge Chair by Hay

2011-11-30T19:59:00.001-05:00

Lately I am obsessed with finding the perfect lounge chair, perhaps for a bedroom setting. My ideal chair would be something lightweight-looking, maybe in a light natural wood but not necessarily, something very comfortable and of course, something incredibly beautiful yet cheerful. So far, I have found one really cool rocking chair that might work. But also I am kind of liking this Hee Lounge Chair by Hay furniture, the very cool Danish company that brought the world the DLM side table. The best thing about this Hee Lounge is that it comes in many colors, looks comfortable, and only costs about $230 or so. That's not too bad considering what the rest of the design world is offering. Unfortunately I have never seen this chair in person, so I can't attest to how comfortable it is. But I'm on the look-out so will keep fellow CLI readers in the loop! Check it out here: http://hayshop.dk/products/25-lounge-chairs/139-hee-lounge-chair/

A really, really cool bed

2011-11-28T17:43:00.001-05:00

I'm not currently in the market for a new bed, but If I were, I'd totally get this Beam Bed by Gavin Coyle. I don't know anything about the materials or anything, so you'll have to contact Gavin if you're interested in purchasing. http://gavincoyle.co.uk/

Jump!

2011-11-28T11:35:00.001-05:00

Not really sure why this lamp is called "Jump" but I like it irregardless (or regardless). Jump is designed by Claude Saos and is made with porcelain, maple wood and uses LED light. Nice. Oh, and there are only 20 limited edition Jumps available! If you want one, contact Claude now! http://www.claudesaos.com/jump.html

Asaf Weinbroom Studio!

2011-11-15T18:34:00.007-05:00

We couldn't believe our eyes when upon seeing this extremely beautiful, clean-lined and super functional/utilitarian wall lamp. Called the Vash Light, it is made from white oak and veneer and is adjustable, and I'm just wondering where in the USA one can get their hands on this baby. If anyone knows, tell us! We'll send you some free cheese! Mazel, Asaf Weinbroom!

http://www.weinbroom.com/#!__page-1/vash-light

Normal Studio, the almighty!

2011-11-14T14:12:00.001-05:00

I think our CLI intern has mentioned Normal Studio before on this site, but in case she hasn't, please check out this amazing company/studio. They have truly amazing design, and a neat story behind the company's origin. Drool. I wish their lamp was adaptable for US electric requirements.
http://www.normalstudio.fr/

One of the best things in the world...from IKEA

2011-11-04T15:24:00.001-04:00

Notes from the CLI Intern:Maybe about 2 years ago, someone "accidentally" broke the dryer machine in our house. I don't know who it was, and though I was peeved for a while, this actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Why? Because if this hadn't happened, I never would've looked for the FROST drying rack from IKEA. Not only does it save energy, money and back-breaking word of unloading a dryer machine, it actually makes your clothes last longer as well! You can even dry giant blankets on it! FROST is soo wonderful that I've decided to write a poem in its honor:

The shirt I wore last night
How the smoke-filled bar left it pungent
with carcinogenic odors and residues!
And those socks that got wet from the unduly
Tireless rain, pounding through my non-waterproof shoes
The favorite pair of trousers with the mint chocolate chip ice cream smudge
Oh! How the laundry ills pains me so
So much so that I yearn for a respite from it all
And then comes frostFROST!
With its sturdy legs and arms
You are the hero of my day!

Find it here: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50095091/

A really cool video from Droog

2011-11-04T10:57:00.001-04:00

In honor of actual cheese....Grand Ewe Sheep Gouda!

2011-10-03T14:38:00.002-04:00

We are CLI have not discussed cheese for some time. To remedy that, we have a nice story from one of our illustrious interns:The other day I was at the store and accidentally bought the wrong kind of cheese. But like all serendipitous accidents, this one has turned out to be a true blessing. For how often is it that one craves and yearns for just a tiny sliver of a delicious goat cheese from Holland? Not often!My friends, I bring you Grand Ewe Gouda! It is light yet crunchy, sweet yet salty, and of course beautiful yet understated. I imagine it would go quite well with a nice baguette and some organic honey. Perhaps a blueberry honey? You be the judge. I am soo thankful to the sheep of Holland (or the Netherlands if you prefer) for giving us such a delicious treat!CLI Intern

Scandi Standi

2011-09-07T11:06:00.000-04:00

II haven't seen anything noteworthy lately until today when I stumbled upon Scandi Standi by Daniel Schofield! The bench is made out of only one piece of FSC birch ply. And it has space to hang your coats or bags, and also a small little drawer for maybe socks or magazines or other stuff. I like it very much. Well done, indeed, Daniel!

Catch Cabinet

2011-07-22T19:04:00.004-04:00

"Wow" is all I can say right now. I love the Catch Cabinet by Todd McCollister! I believe Todd is a Brooklyn-based designer, and he is quite talented. The Catch is customizable and you can choose any colors you like. Well done, Todd!

http://www.mccollister.com/todd/Catch_Cabinet.htm

Prouve and G-Star!!!

2011-06-24T12:53:00.006-04:00

I could not believe my eyes when I checked on the Vitra website for something (I can't remember what) and saw this new Vitra/G-Star Raw collection based on and in collaboration with Jean Prouve classics (and his estate, run by his daughter)! WTH!! I think this version of the Standard chair will cost over $2,500, and it's a limited edition that will only be available until 2012.

Check out this insane video. http://www.g-star.com/en/crossovers/raw_prouve/videos/

Brilliant, clean and elegant

2011-06-23T14:51:00.004-04:00

Sistema by studio Cappellini for Luminaire. Sistema has a number of different components, from drawers to flap doors to doors, etc. Simply stunning.

http://luminaire.com/catalog/1409_0/

Industrial Facility!

2011-06-22T14:36:00.004-04:00

One of the coolest companies on the planet, Industrial Facility, made this cool Dryerhair product for the handmade special in the August issue of Wallpaper magazine. It was designed a little while ago, but I'm kind of disappointed I missed it! I'm not sure if Sam Hecht or Kim Colin is the designer, because the two obviously have very similar styles. What I do know is Sam Hecht used to work with Naoto Fukusawa, who is admired greatly by all of us at CLI.

Which brings us back to the product, Dryerhair; I think it's about time someone designed a very cool and more aesthetically pleasing hair drying apparatus. For a product that is used to make your hair look great, shouldn't the product also embody those same function and virtue?

http://www.industrialfacility.co.uk/if.html

Joo Design

2011-06-22T13:31:00.004-04:00

I saw this cool "Tavolino" cushion/table/seat at the ICFF a few weeks ago, and kind of really liked it. The Tavolino comes in two sizes, in various colors and materials. I think it's great for eating or reading in bed. How many times have I wanted a hot chocolate but didn't want to spill it on a couch or bed!? Many! I wonder if they can be used as extra seating?

Check it out here: http://joohongkyu.com/

A really fun cabinet!

2011-06-13T17:43:00.003-04:00

Wow! Matthias Hahn is a pure genius. Check out these really cool Odd Cabinets! I am totally in love. I don't even know what to say, except I wish I had these in my house right now. Not sure how much they cost, but I'm guessing by the wooden dowel hinges, these will each cost about $1,000? Please tell me I am wrong, dear Matthias!

http://www.mathiashahn.com/furniture/odd%20cabinet.html

Kursi!

2011-06-13T17:32:00.002-04:00

Check out this cool media or sideboard thing by a British company called Kursi (I'm not totally sure if they are British, but they are based in the UK, so...) This sideboard beauty will cost you about $5,000, but it's handmade used traditional joinery and it's made in Northwest England. It's quite pretty!

http://www.kursi.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=2

Another CLI first!

2011-06-08T16:59:00.005-04:00

Friends of CLI! I was just browsing through the Milano Furniture Fair stuff, and found this awesome mirror by Rob Gilad! I LOVE this mirror, and I don't think we at CLI have talked much about mirrors since the beginning/founding of Cheese Lovers International!

Check this site out for more of Ron Gilad's cool mirrors, especially IX MORRORS: M7! They are super fun! http://www.dilmos.com/exhibitions/salone2011.html

P.S. Doesn't this mirror sort of remind you of Tom and Jerry?

Bamboo from India!

2011-06-06T20:37:00.006-04:00

If you check out Sangaru's website and click on the "Crafts" section, you will discover some really cool stuff made from bamboo. Somehow it seems more cool that Indian designers are using bamboo than other people, but I can't quite put my finger on why I think that's cool. Maybe it's the idea of rural tools being used in a less traditional but also post-modern fashion? For example, check out these cool shelving things. They are not traditional, and not what I would call "modern" in the sense of the post 1950s meaning. I think my verbal diarrhea is getting the better of me. Let these photos speak instead!

http://www.sangaru.com/

MILK Mini

2011-06-03T12:52:00.004-04:00

I super duper like this MILK Mini desk by MILK! For those of us with small spaces, it looks it would pretty much fit in any super tiny place, and I love how it's designed for laptops. Fortunately or unfortunately, it's only available in white (or I think you can order it in a special color for an extra charge). But it has cool little compartments for storage and also built in wiring. Pretty neat!

http://www.milk.dk/products.php

Mark Braun

2011-05-18T14:43:00.004-04:00

We sent our CLI intern to the ICFF show in New York this year, and unfortunately she missed this really cool piece by the German designer, Mark Braun.

Luckily we had "other means" of getting a preview of Mark's work. So check it out: Floor 95 is a bench, wardrobe and shelf all in one piece. Better yet, the pieces can be moved around and configured any way you like. I imagine this kind of thing would be very, very popular in Japan! I personally love it! Well done, Mark! Das ist gut! Now, if we can only find out how much this Floor 95 costs and where it's available....

http://www.markbraun.org/Mark_Projects_1.html

Cool picnic table

2011-05-17T14:15:00.005-04:00

I saw this totally awesome new picnic table on Design Boom the other day, and I thought to myself "I must share this with other CLI people"! So here it is, my friends! A very clever picnic table that can seat people in a couple of different ways. I've often wondered how one can make a picnic table more comfortable, and here is the answer. If I had an outdoor space of some kind, I would definitely "acquire" this beautiful thing. My hat off to both of you, Wouter Nieuwendijk and Jair Straschnow!

http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/8/view/14547/wouter-nieuwendijk-and-jair-straschnow-another-picnic-table.html

A cool wall calendar

2011-05-11T17:58:00.005-04:00

Although my first love will always be Enzo Mari's Formosa calendar, I really like this DateBlock wall calendar. Unfortunately, I think it's only available in Japan. And since I don't read Japanese, I'm not sure if this does something cool, or if it just looks pretty. But if that's all it does, look pretty it does! I think it is meant to replace the traditional paper calendars used in many offices. No more paper needed! Yay! Anything to save some trees is cool with CLI!

If anyone out there can read this description or can tell us something other than what is written above, please share!

http://dateblock.com/mpage/dbw_w.html

Obsession. Enough said!

2011-05-08T17:33:00.002-04:00

Something cool you will love!

2011-05-03T14:29:00.002-04:00

While I was in Cape Town, South Africa, I visited this really cool place called the "Old Biscuit Mill." From the name, I am guessing it used to be an old biscuit mill, but now it's a really cool outdoor plaza/shopping area in Cape Town's Woodstock area. The Old Biscuit Mill has food, coffee, furniture, home accessories, clothing, etc. And on Saturdays they have a really cool farmers market type of thing.

Anyway, there's a store in the Old Biscuit Mill that I loved, but can't find the name. Nor did I remember to write down the name of this cool piece of furniture that I LOVED! Stay tuned while I conduct some "research." In the meantime, drool away!

Other People's Trash

2011-04-28T14:21:00.004-04:00

As the illustrious CLI intern, I had the good fortune to visit Cape Town's Heath Nash Studio. It wasn't quite what I imagined, since it was pretty much a large room full of plastic trash (like containers, bottles, etc.). But even cooler because it was easier for me to imagine the process and amount of work that goes into producing things out of Other People's Trash. While Heath has many light fixtures and tons of other cool stuff that is actually really beautiful, my favorite is the cool soccer ball made electrical wire over a galvanized steel frame. The cool bowl comes in both black and white and green and yellow (the color of South Africa's bafana bafana!).

It's great for putting in some fruits and other stuff. I love mine! Plus, Heath is suuuuper nice and cool.

http://www.heathnash.com/strength.php

This lamp = true love

2011-04-24T16:20:00.003-04:00

I'm pretty keen on Guillaume Delvigne's work. It seems he is a pretty respected and prolific designer. In particular, I like his Lamp 010. Not quite sure where it's available since we at CLI have no French speakers.

But check it out here: http://guillaumedelvigne.com/projet.php?id=154

He has other cool stuff on his site, so browse away!

South Africa!

2011-04-24T14:29:00.005-04:00

Friends! Cheese Lovers! Our CLI intern has been away for a few weeks in the land of the beginnings of homo-sapiens! Yes, Africa!

And while there, the illustrious intern has discovered a really cool bunch of designers. Indeed, the design scene, particularly in Cape Town, South Africa is quite impressive. And cool!

One cool dude we met is called Liam Mooney. He has his own studio of South African-made goods, including this cool bench and sofa-like piece. Drool. Liam is super nice and fun. I wish our intern's suitcase was big enough to bring some of Liam's furniture over, but alas, we will have to make do with our pictures.

http://www.liammooney.co.za/signature/the-low-back-settee/#

Matthew Hilton is cool

2011-03-17T15:15:00.003-04:00

I'm really into Matthew Hilton's Case Furniture, but for some reason, I can't find where where one can "acquire" his cool sofas. Does anyone in the world wide web have any ideas? I know he has his own website, but the Case Furniture is not on there. Oh well! I'm not really in the market for a new sofa, but these are pretty cool!

http://www.architonic.com/pmsht/stanley-range-sofa-case-furniture/1125887

Cool eco lighting!

2011-03-12T18:29:00.006-05:00

As avid readers, we at CLI are constantly perusing the world wide web for great table lamps and floor lighting. Just today we saw this amazing lighting concept by Rodger Stevens. Apparently this Mr. Stevens dude is quite an accomplished designer, with many accolades to his name. Bravo!

Check out his cool Arm, Paul and Rodger lamps here. They are made from eco-friendly wood and are compatible with compact fluorescent lighting. I want one (or two)!

http://rodgerstevens.info/index.php

Does this look familiar?

2011-03-10T16:19:00.004-05:00

Hi!

Do you remember sprinting back and forth the basketball court in high school? No? Well, I do! It was hard, but good fun at the same time. Anyway, this cool coffee table and bookshelf thing are made from recycled gym floors! That's pretty cool. I'm sure they were cleaned very well, so they probably don't smell like sweat! Ick.

http://www.uncommongoods.com/product/reclaimed-gym-floor-coffee-table

Poki Rack by Holm Giessler & Jennifer Heimann!

2011-02-23T19:09:00.007-05:00

Check out this cool Poki Rack by Holm and Jennifer! I quite like it. It adds a bit of an organic feel to an already simple drawer. Unfortunately, I think the designers are quite new, so it's hard to get some price and dimension descriptions, but check out this website anyway! Maybe you can check it in a few weeks. Or better yet, if you get to go to the Stockholm Furniture Fair, then you will see this in person. Also, if you are going to the design fair, you are really lucky!

http://www.hallo-essen.com/hallo-essen/leer.html

A cool clock

2011-02-17T14:12:00.003-05:00

Mr.Clock_Hye-yeon.park_Design Product_2010 RCA from hye-yeon.park on Vimeo.

We at CLI are quite taken by Hyeon Park's Mr. Clock. It's sort of a museum peace, and I'm not sure people would really want this in their house, but there are those of us who dare to be bold. Check out the cool video also, and you will see that Mr. Clock's brilliance is in that it is interactive with humans (or other moving objects). I kind of want one, but don't have the space. Perhaps you do, dear CLI reader!

http://www.hyeonpark.com/index.php?/mrclock/mrclock/

A cool Portland-based company!

2011-02-14T12:34:00.002-05:00

I am pretty in love right now with this cool "Civic Stack" by a Portland, Oregon based company called Von Tundra (run by three dudes: Dan Anderson, Chris Held, and Brian Pietrowski). I wonder how much it is! I hope it's not like $3,000. I am hearing a lot about Portland these days, and really need to check it out. Check out the rest of their cool furniture and other stuff on their site below.

http://www.vontundra.com/civic-stack

Prouve's Potence on a super budget

2011-02-14T12:29:00.004-05:00

This dude named Brendan Ravenhill has designed a pretty nice lamp that is a pretty good price! At $150, the Cord Lamp is attractive and well-designed in that it can hide screws in the wall, and also be pivoted to the desired position without moving. I want one. Sign me up!

http://www.brendanravenhill.com/index.php?/objects/cord-lamp/

A cool desk/table!

2011-02-11T14:39:00.011-05:00

I've sort of been on the look out for a new desk. My current desk is fine for the amount of space I have, but in the future it might be nice to have a multi-functional place to work, especially my glorious darling also needs a place to work. Maybe this desk is big enough for both of us!

This wonderful thing is called Doppelleben, and it is the recent creation of the Ahhaproject design studio. Basically the table can be a desk/work space, place to have tea or snacks, and then later on when you are done working, it can become a dining table! Note that the tabletop consists of two layers. If you need to use the lower layer, you can slide two lightweight panels down the sides. And when the work is done (or is safe to be interrupted), the panels come up creating a surface for dining and entertaining.

That's pretty neat! If I had this desk, it would be put to good use right away. In fact, instead of sitting at this tiny console table, I could be using the Doppelleben instead. Someday!

http://www.ahhaproject.com/

Under My Roof!

2011-02-10T17:59:00.006-05:00

I think CLI has mentioned the brilliant work of Christian Vivanco before, because he is such a great designer and genius. I am quite taken by his "Under My Roof" desktop storage thing! It's very playful yet functional. What more can one ask for in great design?

If I had enough room on my desk, I would totally get this. It looks pretty easy to build. And it looks fun!

http://christianvivanco.com/storage/under-my-roof-new/

2011-01-28T13:20:00.005-05:00

I really like this Pontus Desk by Pinch Design in the UK. It won a design award from Wallpaper magazine, and it is well deserved! The desk is quite expensive and can come with the optional pigeon-hole unit. I hope you like it too!

http://www.pinchdesign.com/pontus.htm

A cool dude named Seongyong Lee

2011-01-21T16:08:00.011-05:00

I want to meet Mr. Lee, because he is a totally awesome Korean designer, and I am in love with his plytube stool and bench. Plytubes are really cool and despite their lightweight appearance, they are quite strong. I want one right now!!! In fact, if any of you out there can find out where he sells his stuff, let me know and I will personally see to it that you receive 3 pounds of our favorite cheese here at Cheese Lovers International.

Mr. Seongyong Lee studied product design at the Royal College of Art in London, and my hat goes off to him. Cheers, Mr. Lee!!

http://www.seongyonglee.com/

Frederik Roijé - a cool Dutch dude

2011-01-18T16:44:00.007-05:00

I seriously wish I could go back in time and study furniture design at the Design Academy Eindhoven in the Netherlands!! Alas, time machines have yet been invented. But I have an idea: When they finally are invented and become affordable enough for regular people, I will transport myself back in time to around 1997 or so and convince my past self to attend the Design Academy, then I will return to 2011. Brilliant!

I digress -- what I really wanted to talk about was Frederik Roijé and his "Slow Sofa" which is made in the Netherlands. Made out of fabric, foam, metal and plywood, the sofa was designed to accommodate a sofa that evolves with whatever configuration you would like, since the parts are modular. I quite like it. I wish they made it in leather, but oh well!

http://www.roije.com/#/products

A really cool phone!

2011-01-10T17:00:00.006-05:00

We at CLI love practical things, and that's why we totally love the new John's Phone by John Doe Amsterdam. There is nothing fancy about this phone, and it has no email, internet, special ring tones, text messaging, etc. Many might wonder why a person would want something with only the most traditional function of a phone, but I find myself thinking "why not"? Sure, it's great to have GPS, facebook and the NY Times accessible at all times, but sometimes it gets to be too much! Don't you agree? Sometimes it's nice to not be sooo connected to the wired world. I'm not sure I am personally ready to give up text messaging, but I would seriously consider it for this phone since it's sooo pretty! Check out all the colors it comes in, and it even has a place for you to physically write down phone numbers! What a novelty nowadays!

http://www.johnsphones.com/

A cool way to hang your books

2011-01-09T16:24:00.008-05:00

This cool Sticklebook by Mode Studio in the UK is one of the coolest things I've seen in a while. I totally want it and am trying to find out where it's sold in the USA! (It ships free in the UK).

If anyone knows, please help your friends at CLI and share this news with us! I can't wait to buy one so that I can stick my books in this thing, just like the video shows!

Stop the Presses!!

2011-01-06T14:09:00.004-05:00

Check out this amazing "Doc" sofa/bunk bed from Resources Furniture! It even comes in cool colors! I love it soo much!

There are no words. Just check out the thing for yourself!

http://www.resourcefurniture.com/space-savers/bunk-beds/doc

Jörg Boner!

2011-01-06T12:35:00.006-05:00

First, let me just say that I love Jörg Boner's product design! He's got really cool products that offer a clean, minimalist aesthetic that really appeals to many of us here at CLI. I've chosen a few of my favorite of his designs, but the one that really caught my eye was his street lamp design. I wish he could make this for inside use instead, as it kind of reminds me of the Manana lamp I love soo much (from Design House Stockholm). Check out Boner's stuff below, or also check out his cool website:

http://joergboner.ch/en/index.html

Happy New Year, Metropolitan Sofa!

2011-01-03T16:38:00.004-05:00

I came across this sofa today while doing a search for a new sofa, albeit the one we need should be in leather. It's by a company called Thayer Coggin (what a cool name innit?). It sucks to have to buy a new sofa, as we at CLI believe in having furniture for a lifetime, and if not, until as long as possible. However, for those of you who have dust and/or dust mite allergies, leather furniture is best. Of course, you can always try plastic, wood or synthetic leather instead, but that's not a comfortable material for a couch for reasons we don't really need to mention.

Anyway, going to research if this Metropolitan Sofa comes in leather!

http://www.thayercoggin.com/metropolitan.html

Oh, and Happy New Year! Hope to write more posts this year for the CLI community out there! Hahahaha.

A guy called Louie Rigano!

2010-12-22T20:40:00.006-05:00

I recently came upon this awesome designer called Louie Rigano, and totally fell in love with his "Breakdown" furniture series. Louie studied at RISD and seems like a cool dude. I love the joinery on the beautiful Japanese oak! Soo simple and soo beautiful. Good job, Louie!

http://www.louierigano.com/index.php?/furniture-design/breakdown/

A Prouve imposter

2010-12-09T19:53:00.007-05:00

The whole world knows that Jean Prouve is a master designer and that his epic Potence Lamp is one of the most beautiful things ever made, so when I see imposters of his, I stop to ponder. The subject of my pondering differs each time, but when I saw this lamp in Los Angeles recently, I thought "Hmm, that's a good price!"

http://amsterdammodern.com/categories/1-Lamps/11075-prouve-style-atelier-swing-arm-lamp?order=added_new-old&page=1&show_all=true

Not sure what you think, ladies and gentlemen. The lamp comes in two sizes and three different colors, but not sure about the lighting watt requirements, etc.

P.S. Sorry for the lack of posts lately, dear reader(s).

Naoto Fukusawa: Will you marry me?

2010-11-19T16:00:00.006-05:00

Dear Naoto,

I know that maybe you are already married, and so am I, but can you please consider maybe marrying me in perhaps another life? I simply am in love with your design aesthetic, and, well, I am deeply infatuated with you. I saw your Phaidon book and also was lusting over every graphic and word. I also love your Plus Minus Zero collection. If we get married, I don't mind moving to Japan!

Yours truly,

Intern
Cheese Lovers International

P.S. Check out Naoto's Hiroshima chair here: http://mjolk.ca/product/dining/hiroshima-chair/

Jielde!

2010-11-19T15:27:00.004-05:00

I fell in love with the Jielde lighting collection the first time I laid my tired little eyes on them, with their curvaceous, bending and whimsical bodies. Lust, true lust!

http://www.jielde.com/

A CLI first!

2010-11-10T20:41:00.004-05:00

Dear friends of CLI,

Guess what? One of our interns has designed and built her own table! She had a lot of help from her nice boss and an architect friend, but the concept was an original, and we think it's quite nice. What say you? Orders are being taken as we speak/write!

A fun light!

2010-11-09T19:21:00.004-05:00

Though most of us at CLI are children of the 1980s, we spend a lot of time trying to block out the horrific fashion and home design that came out of that dreadful, Ronald Reagan-era. BUT! Lately our intern has discovered a few prized gems from that infamous time, and dare we say some things from that time could even be called decent?

Take, for example, the Callimaco floor lamp by Ettore Sottass (nice name). It's quite fun and interesting, and the design reminds some of us of perhaps a matchstick! And who doesn't like matchsticks?

You be the judge -- the 1980s; In Oder Aus?!

http://www.artemide.us/?page=main/flypage&product_id=3146

Design Against the Clock (a cool video!)

2010-11-04T14:53:00.003-04:00

Design-loving friends, check out this cool video! You'll have to click on the link below, or just click the title of this blog post!

http://www.gestalten.com/motion/established-sons

Another cool Dutch dude

2010-11-04T11:46:00.006-04:00

I don't speak or read Dutch, but the pictoral qualities of Floris Hovers' website inspired a lust for beautiful and simply wonderful furniture (and other things). Floris, you are one cool dude!

Check out his work here and below: http://www.florishovers.nl/site/

The perfect couch

2010-11-01T14:06:00.003-04:00

Although there is a plethora of lounging options these days, it's still hard for one to find the perfect couch. Well, if you are currently searching for a nice place to place your behind, we might have a nice suggestion for you! Check out Hay's Mags sofa. (Hay is a really Danish furniture company, and everything they have is super cool). It's around $3,500 or so, so it's not affordable. But at least we are on the right track, yes?

http://www.hay.dk/hay_web.html

Something very beautiful!

2010-10-26T18:34:00.003-04:00

I stumbled into Moss the other day and had my breath taken away by this most beautiful of chairs. Seriously, it's one of the most good-looking things I've seen in a while! I wish I could buy it, but it's $2,300! hahahahaahahahah!

Seriously, why does this Tajá chair cost soo much? I don't really get it. Whatever. It's still stunning!

http://www.mossonline.com/product-exec/product_id/45970/category_id/420

Paperback Shelf!!

2010-10-25T14:22:00.004-04:00

One of our favorite design stores EVER is in none other than the lovely London (across the pond for many people). The next time our intern is able to travel, maybe she will be sent to this rainy but fair city! And while she is there, she will be sure to check out Twenty Twenty One. Pretty much everything on their website makes us drool. Yes, even our serious Editor-in-Chief often has pitter patters of the heart upon glancing at this company's quite stupendous collection of furniture and other things.

We particularly like their Linea1 I Jurassic paper shelving system. It is especially designed for paperback books. Here, my friends, is another reason not to entirely abandon the art of a paperback book! Let the paperback live on!

http://www.twentytwentyone.com/displayProduct.asp?ProductID=3151&x=190

The Belgians

2010-10-22T18:26:00.004-04:00

It has been a long time since we at CLI mentioned the work of Belgian designers. Dare we say we have never discussed this country's talent? If so, please forgive our despicable transgression!

We do like the work of Sylvain Willenz, especially his cool "Landmark" lighting collection! It nearly took our collective breaths away!!

Check this Landmark out here:

http://www.sylvainwillenz.com/en/products/7/2/Landmarks-Established-and-Sons-2009

The "It" Box

2010-10-18T12:56:00.004-04:00

Check out this cool company called "It Design" -- we at CLI quite like the name. We also especially like their "Itbox" because it's really cool. The design is quite simple and minimalist and colorful. What more could you want? The "itbox" is available in metal and comes in several different configurations. You can create a desk, file system, wall shelves, etc. The possibilities seem quite limitless. I think they would work well in a kitchen!

Check them out here:

http://www.it-happens.ch/eng/index.html

Alex Hellum!

2010-10-14T10:49:00.001-04:00

Alex Hellum has really fun and cutesy-ish furniture and products. We can't collectively decide which product we like best, and some we are not in "love" with, but check them out here:

http://www.alexhellum.com/index.html

Foosball!

2010-10-14T10:41:00.004-04:00

Just think, for only $500 you can have this beautiful football table in your very own home! Indeed, instead of paying over $4,000 for something similar, you can play for hours on this super nice Champion Pro table. Another cool thing is that this English company, Made.com, guarantees its quality and craftsmanship. I think Made is worth checking out, since they try their best to help consumers find designer furniture for a very decent price!

http://www.made.com/leisure/the-champion-pro-table-football

Lighting That Rules (LTR)

2010-10-12T10:47:00.006-04:00

The search for the perfect light is something that will forever engage our various interns here at CLI. Sometimes, we admit, the Editor in Chief, finds herself spending hours and hours contemplating the ideal light, the light to shine on all lights, the light to illuminate the world!

But, my friends, we have found something quite awesome. From a company called Rich, Brilliant, Willing, comes the cool "Newtility Lighting Collection" and "Branch Floor Lamp" and they are quite something. We find the clever design to be not only quite visually pleasing but also quite utilitarian! Lighting that includes electrical outlets! Our world today is soo gadget-rich that sometimes I think it would be useful to have electrical chargers installed in our elbows or knees! Oh! That reminds me of the movie "The Matrix" -- why don't we just start charging our iPods using our own body's BTU's? That is the next design challenge.

Anywho, check out this cool company and its lights here:

http://www.richbrilliantwilling.com/Projects?

Book sharing!!

2010-10-06T23:48:00.003-04:00

This cool Spanish lady named Joan Rojeski (I think she's Spanish) designed this cool "Primer B" book-sharing device thing that kind of looks like and acts like a mail box thing, but for books! So, say you have a book you no longer want, but you are too lazy to

1) donate it
2) recycle it
3) ask your friends if they want it
4) give it to someone as a present
5) sell it to a used bookstore

...then this is just the thing for you! Now you can leave your books in your lobby or downstairs area of your apartment building, and leave the book there for your neighbors to take! I actually really like this idea, and think it can be used for other things, like delivery menus, DVD's, CD's and Netflix or something! Or maybe even recipes or a cool poem. Or maybe even a magazine or newspaper! The possibilities are endless, my friend CLI reader!

Actually, I think Joan meant something more like this: "We would pass on books we no longer needed by displaying them in a clear box attached to this mailbox, designed by Joan Rojeski, to catch our neighbours’ attention.

If they see a book they would like, they can knock the neighbour’s door and borrow the book. We remove the desired book and slip it into their box. This encourages interaction between neighbours and the re-use of books."

Anyway, check it out here: http://www.joanrojeski.com/

Cool shelves for your house!!

2010-10-04T11:35:00.004-04:00

I'm kind of in love/like with these cool Swiss and US shelving systems by a company called Loadbearing. They are configurable to your liking and come in any color you select (within their selection). And they are not THAT expensive! Made from galvanized steel, these shelves are super strong (hold about 220 pounds for each shelf) and I just think they are marvelous!

Check them out here: http://loadbearing.com/

The best speaker ever!

2010-09-30T12:40:00.007-04:00

This cool Scandinavian speaker is currently occupying my thoughts. Called the "Libratone" this cool little speaker does just that...it liberates us from the usual oppression we experience from mundane and commonplace speakers that require wires, lots of space, and ....more wires! The Libratone actually lets you listen to music wirelessly from any iPod or iPad or iPhone, or any other system with that allows a transmitter to be plugged in. And not only that, the Libratone comes in cool colors with felt! FELT! Felt is something that is quite nice to look at, and it's also eco-friendly! The cost is not THAT bad at around $600, but it's too much for our intern at the moment! Oh, and they aren't actually on sale yet, but will be available in the US starting in 2011!

From the website: "Libratone is not just another speaker - it's something entirely different. Regular speakers have closed cabinets that provide one-way sound: That means, your audio experience depends on your position in the room. Libratone, on the other hand, works like an acoustic instrument filling the entire room with sound. The tweeters and midrange drivers disperse sound in different directions, reflecting it off the walls, providing 360° sound. We call it FullRoom™ sound - and yes, it's patent pending. FullRoom™ means that no matter if you're walking, dancing, working or playing, and no matter how far you are from the speaker, the audio experience will stay the same."

Check it out here: http://www.libratone.com/

For those of you with bikes!

2010-09-29T13:44:00.004-04:00

Ladies and gentlemen, like most urban dwellers, many of us at CLI have bikes! Bikes are fun to ride, are a good way to exercise and save us from having to walk! Many people in our neighborhood have very cool, stylish bikes that probably cost anywhere from $1,000 to $2,500, or even more! And many of these people dare not leave their bikes outside during the night, inviting some hungry bicycle thief to take what is not theirs!

Luckily, this dude (Chris Brigham) invented this really great Bike Shelf! The Bike Shelf is well-designed, thoughtful and even has storage for books, bike helmets or other things one puts on a shelf. I quite like it. One of our interns who owns a bike, however, is quite anal and doesn't like having dirty bikes in her house, so this wouldn't work for her. But for many others, this is a great invention. They seem to cost around $250 to $300, and you can check them out here:

http://knifeandsaw.wordpress.com/furniture/bike-shelf/

The perfect table

2010-09-27T14:58:00.002-04:00

I don't know about you, but I've always wanted a bench table of sorts. Bench-seating allows for more people and looks more stream-lined than tables with boring chairs. The real reason, of course, is because I just like benches because I think they look cool and invoke memories of camping in the American pastoral.

The Germans do it best here:

http://www.zeitraum-moebel.de/eng/produkt.php?Produkt=FLOWBANK&Seite=1

A long hiatus

2010-09-27T14:29:00.006-04:00

...and we are back!

Dear CLI Readers:

We are sorry to have abandoned our posts for soo long, but our intern just got married and has been busy preparing for and adjusting to married life! A thousand pardons! To bring CLI back to life, we thought we might inject some humor into your day. Perhaps you are currently at your office suffering from an impossible number of annoyances? Perhaps your boss is hovering over your desk now and breathing down your neck? Or worse yet, could it be that one of your co-workers won't stop blabbering about his/her weekend? We have just the thing for you, if the latter is the case! And they are only $8 each for a set of...I'm not sure, but buy them anyway!

http://www.cooperhewittshop.org/?path=item&topid=3&itemid=328

Something that is really pretty!

2010-08-24T21:37:00.004-04:00

Our intern has today made us very happy by discovering yet another cool product from Voos Furniture. We are totally fans of this place. It is insanely cool.

"Jilt" by James Lear is made of solid maple and is, as described above, really pretty. The light-colored maple reminds us of warm beach furniture, or maybe something else entirely? Something about this maple makes me think of maple syrup for some reason. Does it have the same effect on you, dear reader?

http://www.voosfurniture.com/#/storage/jilt

Pillows!

2010-08-24T21:31:00.004-04:00

One of our new interns today was exploring in Williamsburg and discovered these cool Carton Pillows at the coolest of the cool, Voos Furniture. How we at CLI love this store! It is probably one of the best stores around. No joke! Those who visit New York and do not venture to Voos Furniture are really missing out. Really!

Check out these awesome pillows. I think they're made from recycled polyester. Nice!

http://www.voosfurniture.com/#/others/carton-pillow

His Holiness, The Great Twiggy Lamp

2010-08-21T01:18:00.008-04:00

First of all, who wouldn't love a lamp named "Twiggy"? Second of all, I totally love the lamp named Twiggy. Third of all, I really want this lamp and wish it wasn't $600+! Sheesh, can't a person get a lamp for under $200 anymore these days?

Having said that, this lamp is awesome, and it's made in the USA. So that has to count for something. It's also an LED light, which will last around 9 years or something. For real! And, the "design focuses around two ball & socket joints which allows for an extremely versatile wall mounted lamp that can be moved to a multitude of radial positions. The lamp is constructed of anodized aluminum, available in black and red. Available with exposed cord or without cord for wiring directly into wall."

I want one!

http://objeti.com/twiggy.html

This day bed = love!

2010-08-18T14:17:00.003-04:00

I had a "day bed" when I was a child, and to be honest, I really didn't like it. (No offense, Mom!) It was kind of corny and cheesy, and it put me off to day beds forever. No longer! This "Day Bed One" by "Another Country" has brought my day bed infatuation back to life. I love that it can be used as a coffee table, seating area and a bed! And how pretty is the cushion? Very beautiful! The Day Bed One are made in England by a very small wood working shop/company, and I think they do nice work!

From the website: "The base of our day bed is solid European oak and shares the screw leg system of our dining table. The mattress is made for us by Naturalmat in Devon and has a Latex core wrapped in organic coir and wool, perfect for sleeping and completely hypo allergic. The mattress is upholstered in Bute fabric and has a six-button detail."

While this beautiful piece of furniture is not cheap, you can rest assured it was made with very good quality!

http://www.anothercountry.com/products/day-bed-one

Bed!

2010-08-17T00:19:00.004-04:00

I love this bed. It looks like it's floating in the air, like a cloud. Or a bird. Or a plane!

It's from the Pianca Collection, and it's quite new. I also love this bedroom with the cool wall and wall art.

Apologies for the lack of posts lately -- we have been caught up in a frenzy!

Check it out here (there are more pictures, too!)

http://milanofurniture.com.au/shop_proddetails.asp?prodID=118

Jeeves Coat Rack!

2010-08-12T21:40:00.002-04:00

A famous person once said "One can never have enough coat racks" -- I agree. If I had space in the "foyer," this would be my rack of choice. Speaking of which, isn't "rack" a cool word? Like "rack of lamb" or "nice racks"! The possibilities are endless.

The cool thing about this "rack" is that you can check out your hair before you leave. Nice! Too bad it's kind of expensive.

Check it out here:

http://www.atworkdesign.com/products/313/jeeves-coat-rack

Eco-radio!

2010-08-10T19:57:00.003-04:00

I love this "Safe Radio" by Lexon and/or Elium Studio. You crank this baby for two minutes and it gives you half an hour of listening -- and it can be used as an MP3 amplifier (hello, IPod friend!) The Safe Radio is made out of maize bio-plastic and bamboo covering gives a nice matte finish. Yay for eco-friendly radios. (It also recharges on the AC). I want one!!

http://www.lexon-design.com/la-81-safe-radio-bamboo.html#

Made in South Africa!

2010-08-08T20:35:00.006-04:00

This is one of the most exciting things I've seen lately -- a Swedish (Tor Palm and Mattias Rask) and South African collaboration. Neat-o!

Essentially, the two Swedish design students went to South Africa to find good wood workers, thereby creating more jobs in the country, and also of course designing some really cool stuff. I really like the playfulness and color of this project. It's also great to create more jobs where they are really needed. If I had the time and wherewithal, I would totally love to take classes at the South African Furntech - which offers skill development training in "furniture manufacturing, looking to improve the quality of the south african wood and furniture industry, offering accredited training programmes as well as support / incubation for small and micro enterprises."

I've only picked out two pieces -- one is called "Sideboard" and the other is "Floor lamp" - Enjoy!

Something else I want

2010-08-07T14:39:00.006-04:00

By far, one of my most favorite stores in the world is Wonk furniture in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. I own some Wonk furniture, but lately I have been eyeing this baby. I think the name "Rubix" conjures up past memories and fondness for the world-famous rubix cubes. Indeed, while I was never personally adept at using the rubix, us children from the 1980s certainly will appreciate its nostalgic effects on our mortal souls.

The Horizontal Rubix can be made using any color you like (check the website for color swatches) and can even be made using bamboo! Who couldn't love a store called Wonk?!

http://www.wonknyc.com/furniture/horizontalrubix/?img1=1&cat=cabinet

Hella! Please marry me!!

2010-08-06T16:30:00.004-04:00

Ladies and gentlemen,

Hella Jongerius had done it again! She has designed another piece of true art. In fact, when I first laid eyes on this beautiful image, I fell in love. That is the effect Hella has on people! She can inspire an IRS accountant to write poetry! She can stir a passion even in the most jaded of souls!

Thank you, Hella, for being a genius! The Bob Garden chair is simply gorgeous!

http://www.jongeriuslab.com/site/html/work/bob_garden_club_chair/01/

Key plank!

2010-08-04T00:11:00.002-04:00

I really like this cool little "Key Plank" available at this cool Canadian store called "Up to You." Our lovely intern tells us that recently she went, but got there too late as the store closes at 6pm!! WTH? Who closes at 6pm? Anyway, we apologize for the not-so-great picture, but this was the only one available.

Check it out here:

http://uptoyoutoronto.com/ -- do a search for "Key Plank" in the search box.

Canadian bags made from recycled stuff!

2010-08-03T23:46:00.005-04:00

Recently while in Toronto, the CLI intern met this cool lady that had a cool bag. Luckily, the lady with the bag was kind enough to tell our intern where her bag was from. Thus, the subject of this post is "Mari Cla Ro" or "Mariclaro" - a Canadian company that makes bags out of 99% recycled material. The materials they use range from used tires to seat belts to leather (I think). Their bags are super duper! We're kind of annoyed at our intern for not buying at least one bag, but not to worry! Etsy sells these bags! You are in luck!

Check them out here:

http://mariclaro.de/ca/bags.html

Cheese Loving in Toronto

2010-08-03T23:34:00.003-04:00

Dear CLI readers!

The name of this blog is, of course, Cheese Lovers International, and so we apologize for not posting too much about said love. In the hopes of nullifying you, we hope you might like this picture taken recently on a trip to Toronto, Canada!

Love,

Cheese Lovers International
Editorial Board

Bedside table that looks like a birdcage (or something)

2010-08-03T20:32:00.005-04:00

This little bedside table really reminds me of a birdhouse or something. It's super cute and perfect as a little storage area. I also love that it hangs from the wall. The "Studio 1" is soo popular that it's sold out online! It only costs 79 euro, which is not a bad price at all! Oh, and check out the way you can hang a book on top of it! Genius!!

http://www.ferm-living.com/studio-1/

Gas money!

2010-07-29T23:56:00.002-04:00

For some reason, I can't provide a direct link to this product on Kikkerland's website, but check them out anyway because they have very clever and fun stuff! The "Gas Can Money Bank" reminds you how much you spend on gas! So maybe this will make you ride your bike more! Bikes are fun!

From the website: "Designed by Brenden Feucht, student, Philadelphia University Industrial Design Department with Prof. Josh Owen and Jason Lempieri. Kikkerland Design sponsored a start to finish design challenge where one student’s work would be produced. The goal of the project was to use a preexisting object from the past, bring it up to date, and tell a story. Brenden’s Gas Can Money Bank is no doubt timely. We all need to save a little money, and perhaps watch where we spend it.“

http://www.kikkerland.com/

Bed bugs!!

2010-07-29T10:38:00.002-04:00

I wish I had this Bed Bug! Doesn't it look super comfy? Poliform (by Paola Navone's) has this amazing bed, designed in 2010, and gives the illusion of sleeping on a giant pillow, or a cloud in the sky! I just don't know how much it costs, but I bet it's not cheap.

Check it out here:

http://www.poliform.it/#POLIFORM/PREVIEW-MILAN-2010/BED-BUG_1_25129_25127_1_UNDEFINED

(Note: I don't actually want beg buds, per se, but just this particular one).

A cool dish rack thing!

2010-07-27T17:52:00.003-04:00

Check out this cool, stylish and minimalist dish rack! Jochem Faudet did a great deed in designing something no one wants to see (a disk rack) and made it quite easy to disguise once the rack is not needed. The only thing I would suggest is finding some use of the box once it's stacked. Maybe it could be made into a cool art work type thing that can be hung on the wall?

Anyway, check it out here among other cool products by New Simplicity. They are very cool.

http://www.newsimplicity.info/index.php?/jochem-faudet/

I wish I was in England...

2010-07-24T18:53:00.005-04:00

So I could check out this really cute company called Present & Correct. They have really cool vintage stuff for your home office or to hang around your house. I particularly like this cool vintage calendar. Too bad it's sold already. but they have other cool things. I might try and get one of their posters! Very nice!

http://www.presentandcorrect.com/item.php?item_id=777&page=11&category_id=7

P.S. The pictures of this cool calendar are better on the Present & Correct website...

Key holder!

2010-07-22T13:39:00.003-04:00

We are on a roll today with cute little gadgets and small things for the home, including this cute little key holder. When you put a key in, the key holder smiles! Lovely! We all need a little cheering up these days, or something!

http://83design.jp/works/index-eng.html

Umbrella holder!!

2010-07-22T12:04:00.007-04:00

EDITOR'S PICK!

Here is a really, really cool umbrella stand by DUENDE, which is ironically for us, also a Japanese company. Called "Mukou" the umbrella holder is designed to fit flush along your wall and has a metal mesh contraption in the back for ventilation purposes. Mukou costs ¥9‚500, which is about $110. Very nice!!

http://www.duende.jp/index02.html#

Recycling in style

2010-07-22T11:44:00.004-04:00

The CLI intern has always been nagging us about recycling more, so we decided to research some cool recycling containers and found these from, of course, a really cool Japanese company. The stacking ability is nice, too, since we have such limited space. Not sure if these are available in other parts other than Japan, but check it out this cool Quay product here:
http://dot-tokyo.jp/products/detail.php?product_id=342

Japan - the land of trashcans/magazine holders!

2010-07-22T10:52:00.004-04:00

I think the AMP design unit (made up of three cool Japanese people) are clever in that they see how many things are laying around our houses with only purpose. Such as a little trash can. They are pretty functional in that you put waste inside, and then...that's about it! That is all they do! Hold trash! So AMP designed this clever "Oku" trash can that can be used to house your magazines or papers! I kind of like it, but not sure about it completely to profess love.

Maybe if you like recycling magazines and papers, you might like this. For example, if you have a magazine that you kind of want to read, or you kind of are not sure whether to throw away, then this is the product for you. We at CLI, other than reading our share of design publications, also read other interesting periodicals. Some are: Physics Today, Microbiology in Popular Culture, The 200 IQ Plus Journal, How to Relax and Enjoy Life, etc.

http://www.du-amp.com/works-oku1.html

A fun shelf thing!

2010-07-21T17:20:00.006-04:00

This cool German dude named Christian Kim invented this cool bookshelf system, called "DreiX Balanced Shelf." I quite like it. It's fun to have moveable furniture. Hopefully it will be on sale soon! Check it out here:
http://www.christiankim.eu/