Some favourite stories

We're starting on February's resort issue but I thought I'd start the year looking back today as it ended on such a high note. Here's a recap of some of the best images published in 2010.

Bamboo lighting

Holiday season is already upon us and candle holders are being trotted out as I write this. I don't think you can have enough candle holders but these are especially appealing.

Made from Bamboo and hand polished with butcher's block oil it can hold three 10 inch tapered candles. Made to order by a small artisan company that ships everywhere.

Designer update: Ronen Kadushin

Designer Ronen Kadushin is at it again with his open design concept chair and this time he's designed a few more using the same flat pack principle.

 Think magazine covered this designer last year in the first resort issue. Ronen told us why he allows others to modify his work and why all designers should follow suit in sharing their work.

Ethical wood

A friend sent me a link to this desk set made in Indonesia by designer Singgihh Kartono who is known for his clever use of wood. Made by hand from naturally harvested mahogany and sonokeling wood it has the kind of clean lines that binds decoration and function.

The designer used t-shaped joints for strength and visual appeal while the two different colours of wood offer a lesson in abstract. Reasonably priced either as a set or purchased separately.

Paper Decor

Giles Miller's corrugated cardboard pendant lamps are so beautiful, I'd probably spend a lot of time looking up at the warm light and the different textures that appear. The industrial designer has preferred to only work with cardboard for now giving his pieces a strong identity and a lot of attention.

Having collaborated with Stella McCartney's store in Paris, he continues to show a myriad of uses for his preferred material of choice. His latest collaboration with Bombay Sapphire will produce martini glasses for an event at the Victoria & Albert Museum.       

Think magazine follow's up with Ronen Kadushin

We featured Ronen's work in issue 003 in an article entitled Intrisic Incision where we first learnt about his Open Design  allowing  other designers to manipulate and interpret his own work.

Ronen believes that ideas should be shared and worked upon to encourage creative expression. He welcomes viewers to download the designs to reinterpret.

           

His latest Open Design is called the iPhone Killer, something I would have enjoyed using this morning at the gym. It's a prototype at the moment but it does look promising for times when you're in restaurant, library or just enjoying some quiet time. Cities that have banned mobile phone use in restaurants are London, New York, oh and my gym.

View the video to see Ronen talking about open design.

Chandelier with ease

I have always loved chandeliers but I really don't have the space for a chandelier. Not to mention cleaning a chandelier is a large-ish undertaking but I finally found one that could probably work in any setting regardless of space or decor.

The Glo-Chandelier comes in variety of colours and a number of ways to display it too. You can either hang it on a wall as it's shown in the above image or it can be hung like a light fixture, seen below. 

The company is called Duffy London based in the UK, They make a variety of products including wallpapers, floor lamps and mirrors. The chandeliers are made from sustainably sourced canvas and pine and they use low light low energy fluorescent bulbs. Looks like they'll deliver to anywhere.

Tiffany Threadgould

ReplayGround is the brainchild of Tiffany Threadgould's recycled designs. A graduate from Pratt Institute Tiffany wrote her thesis entitled ' Thrash Nouveau-reincarnating garbage into usable products' which set her on the path to seeing waste as an invitation to creating something extraordinary, functional and sustainable.

This pendant lamp is one of my favourites, it's made out of recycled venetian blinds(the smaller version) and metal. It comes apart and can be packed flat for shipping or moving homes. I don't know if this is the only colour it comes in, any questions or shopping should be directed to Replay's site.

Another clever use of rubbish is this room divider made of over 1000 film canisters. and elastic. Again this is not only functional and beautiful but it's also very practical as it can be rolled up when not in use or again if you're moving you it makes for easy shipping. I love this piece it's probably my favourite due to the photographic reference.


Collaborations I would like to see: Le Corbusier, Decorati