blend

notice i keep coming back to Karim Rashid's designs? if there's anyone who thinks outside of the box all the time, it's Rashid. Blend is a vertical storage space from his first collection for Horm. it reminds me of Hawaiian breeze, Vancouver Jericho Beach's waves, and ripples on the surface of the pond in my grandfather's garden. i would be so mesmerized by the illusion that Blend creates if it were in my bedroom. available as a 1-door cabinet for $2599US, single wardrobe for $2699US and a double wardrobe for $4299US @ Generate.

albermarle

i love, love this table!! designed and hand made by William Earle for Blankblank. it's elegant but not overly feminine; it's organic but modern; it's grand but subtle. it's such a piece that would represent the style that i want for my future house. i can't wait to serve dinners on this table to entertain my friends. available in husk, nut, beach, bracken, bark & cane. $2,800 per pair of table legs; glass top is available separately.

pill blue-microdot

i think the first time i saw Vancouver designer Mario Sabljak's Pill Blue was about 2-3 years ago in a show. at that time, we were in a preparation stage to start our company Light Couture. the concept of lit furniture was something we wanted to do for Light Couture. we were so fascinated to see this beautiful design in front of our eyes; it was just like Sabljak realized part of our dream! we saw his work in this year's Vancouver Interior & Design Show. great to see that Sablijak's Flavour Furniture is doing so well. this design Pill Blue-Microdot is fun, vivid and unforgettable. the table is made of wood and laminate. the orange dots you see are l.e.d. lights. go and check out other Sabljak's designs.

tangram

fun!! designer Daniele Lago's 'Tangram' reminds me my childhood. i'd play tangram for hours and come up with so many shapes of different objects or animals. now this concept is adapted to create this shelf system. 7 pieces of shelves + a wide variety of colours and finishes = enless shelving possibilities. i bet you'll never get sick of your wall storage ever again. by the way, this 'cartoon' shown above caught my eyes; it's just too funny and cute. via 25togo.

scoop

inspired by a grain scoop, Turnstone's principal designer Kirt Martin created this cute little stool with a wire frame and molded plastic seat. Scoop has commercial grade quality; it's durable and can be cleaned easily. its soft plastic glide is for use on any floor. it's great for energetic working environment or a modern home. available @ Steelcase for $199US.

oak leaf

relax and connect with nature in a sleek modern way. designer Agnar Ferchland's oak leaf swiveling lounge chair and acorn ottoman are just too cute! they look comfortable, too. bases are made of satin-finished steel. you get to choose among 50 colours of upholstery in leather, wool, or wool-viscose blends. for some reasons, i think my 2 cats will take over if i bring the set home. i can just picture that one curling up on the ottoman and the other lying on her back on the chair.

nesting tables 101

talented Francis Lemieux is the principal designer of Frank Smith, a furniture line produced by British Columbia (Canadian) based Francis Lemieux & Co. this space-saving and elegant set consists of 4 tables and a cube which can be used as a seat, footrest, speaker stand or pedestal. this design is way more functional than most of the nesting table designs. once all tables are 'nested,' you can move the whole set easily. each table can be ordered individually. available in walnut, cherry, maple, mahogany, or white oak. you can also place special orders on cumtom wood and non-standard finishes through their custom shop.

yang

sick of ordinary looking sectionals? check this one out. desigher Francois Bauchet created this interesting sofa for Ligne Roset. when used alone, 'Yang' is a comfortable chaise that provides a generous amount of seating. it can be interlocked to form a sofa or a sectional. this system is good looking from every angle. i want 4 to form a sqare with lots of comfortable pillows so i can climb in and enjoy my little world within the sofa arms. the feet are made of matte chromed plated steel. a wide selection of fabric and colours are available.

skyway

this handy little side table may just become your best friend especially if you're a couch potato! designer William Earle handmade this piece for blankblank. with Skyway, you can eat your dinner in front of tv (who said tv dinner tray table has to be ugly?), you can use your laptop while comfortably sitting on your couch, and you can easily reach your coffee mug while reading your favorite book. couch potatoes can have good tast, too! $400US.

polar ice

a reader from the UK asked me where he could buy a transparent chair like the one we used for Lara's wedding show booth. that chair is actually Lara's mom's. you can find it here. i want to show you another option in the UK and a great table to go with it - John Lewis' Polar Round Table & Ice Chair. they're great for small dining space. if you think this whole set would be too cold and industrial looking for you, you can mix and match with pieces that made of other materials or add natural accessories like plants or colourful cushions. also check out their Ice Bar Chair & Lolly Folding Chair.

add the feel of light and space to a kitchen or dining room with this modern chrome plated pedestal Polar Round Table. its top is made from 10mm thick clear tempered glass. 195GBP.

continuous chrome frame ensures flexibility and great ergonomic comfort in this versatile Ice Chair with acrylic resin seat. 89GBP. also available in frosted green and frosted blue.

panelite

these translucent and lightwieght Panelite materials provide both light transmission and visual privacy. they are durable and surprisingly environmentally friendly. they maximize the use of post-consumer recycled material to manufacuture panelite and most of the structure and be recycled when reclaming is not an option. 'the company's trademark Honeycomb Construction gives an organic dimension to this space-age material.' they are capable of a full range of custom applications such as walls, ceilings, furniture, and exterior facades. shown here is the furniture example - IIT Study Carrel desk.

breeze

i saw Breeze on this wonderful blog "better living through design." fell in love with it. designer Kazuhiro Ymanaka created this humble, subtle piece for Pallucco. with my Asian and buddhism background, i might know a bit more about zen than a lot of people. and i see zen in this piece.
'a little wave moved by a light breeze. a little wave that implies the handle of a fold down door. the shape is pure - not a technical component in sight." the white cabinet has a blue inside panel behind the handle; all other versions have a white one. available @ the magazine.info for $3857.30US (78.75") & $5132.30US (94.5").

soft system

countless sofa formations and 10 colour selections. Tom Dixon, Habitat's creative director, can definitely catch your attention with this Soft System. made of multi-density foam over wood and high quality textile, this seating design is one of a kind that provides both comfort and style. you can customize your very own Soft System according to your colour scheme, budget and room size.

fromage

isn't this just so cute and delicious looking? for a cheese lover like me, i'm not sure if this is a good idea to own a side table like this.. i'll have craving for gourmet cheese all the time! this is from a Vancouver design shop small | medium | large. i haven't had a chance to see it in person; i'm not sure if you'll be able to put your drinks on the table without a glass top. hmm.. i guess i'll have to visit the store and find out for you.

t table

designed by Patricia Urquiola for Kartell, this table is highly functional and decorative. at a glance, you'd know why T Table was huge in Milan this year. the surface of the table is reminiscent of embroidery. one's enough to make a great conversation piece; imagine what effect the tables can bring when used in groupings. made in durable PMMA. available in 3 heights (11", 14", and 17") and 6 colors. you can find it @ Unica for $227US.

trace

this collection from Naughtone has table tops that trace the frame perimeter perfectly and are invisibly suspended flush with the surface. all that and the immaculate steelwork create this clean, complete, powerful, and vivid image. the collection includes low tables and dining tables that seat 4 and 6 people. various standard frame colours are available. besides choices in glass, the surface is also available in marble, slate and wood veneers. you can also request RAL colour frames and other special surfaces.

134

i would say yes to jw if he proposed to me with these diamond chairs. (don't get me wrong; i have the best ring in the world!) Aceray's 134 has an interesting mix of straight and curved lines. the seat is made of acrylic with a diamond detail and the frame is made of chromed steel. the chair comes with legs or a sled base; you can stack up to 4 chairs together with the sled version. available in solid white or black, and translucent blue, red or clear.

softseating

you probably remember the cool soft wall from my dv Urban Living Expo post. Stephanie Forsythe & Todd MacAllen from Molo Design used the same concept to create this fantastic new collection. the collection consists of low tables, stools, benches, and loungers. you can stack them together and create the right height for your own unique uses. available in white and brown.

casecase

Turkish designer Adnan Serbest created this shelving unit in the most simple and pure form. although it's large in scale (18' long), with its glass shelving and pencil-thin metal bars mounted on the wall, this bookcase can take minimalist style to a whole new level if you don't put any books on them. it can serve as a grand, sleek backdrop in a space. with stuff on it, it can still keep its airy and floating look.

espalier

you've probably figured out by now that i'm drawn to patterns that have potential to make people dizzy. for some reasons, they inspire me when i stare at them and daydream. designers Ragnar Hultgren & Jenny Oldsjo's Espalier is another great example. this partitioner is made in white & black plastic. the bonus of this design is that it's just like building blocks. you get to change the shape whenever you feel like to. it's a good balance of freedom and restriction.