Mon Oct 01 2012
What’s your bed type? You know — are you a modern platform kind of person? Or love a tufted headboard? Have you always dreamed of having a bed with a canopy but have stopped yourself for some reason? We came across the absolute most fun round-up post on Buzzfeed the — Conti..
Sun Sep 30 2012
It’s hard to say what it is about certain pins that just catch our attention more than most. Something colorful and patterned always does it. Something rich and earthy, too. Something that blows our mind or isn’t quite what it seems and something dark and dramatic always work..
Fri Sep 28 2012
Bold Rush from The Bold Italic on Vimeo. Just too cute to not post. “The Bold Italic is going on a West Coast tour Sept 28-Oct 7. Before we leave, we asked our ambassador, The Bold Burrito, to stop by her favorite spots in SF and pick up some souvenirs — Continue reading…
Fri Sep 28 2012
Gorgeous! We’ve been big fans of the shape and look of Shine Labs‘ Taj Pendant Lamp, Holm Pendant Lamp and Paavo Pendant Lamp for awhile now…and now they come in crisp, sleek white! Perfect for the space that needs a dash of freshness and innocence, don’t just think abou..
Fri May 24, 2013
Dallas-based graphic designer Ryan M. Russell is the latest artist to enter the minimalist poster milieu, a visual trend that has given pared-down, graphic expression to everything from television shows and films to Super Heroes and branches of philosophy. Russell, though,…
Thu May 23, 2013
Making its North American debut at ICFF 2013 was Lukki, a reissued furniture series by Artek that was introduced in Milan earlier this spring. The four tubular steel and birch plywood pieces that comprise the Lukki line—3 chairs and a…
Thu May 23, 2013
Not the most famous of George Nelson’s clock designs, but a great beauty is this sculptural Pretzel Clock designed by George Nelson & Associates for Howard Miller Clock Company. Crafted from birch, enameled steel and aluminum, this is a vintage piece, dating…
Wed May 22, 2013
Here’s an idea that’s sure to resonate with anyone who’s ever been in the company of mobile phone addicts: a simple phone pouch that blocks cell signals. Slip a smart phone into Blokket, an invention of the team at The Way…
Wed May 22, 2013
If the 2013 ICFF handed out an award for the most photogenic (and most photographed) piece of furniture, it would surely have gone to Carlo Aiello’s jaw-dropping Parabola Chair. Already the winner of the 2013 ICFF Studio Award prior to arriving in…
Wed May 22, 2013
Irish textile designer Orla Kiely has been expanding her range of home products, all of which are distinguished by her signature retro-inspired graphic patterns. Her collection of gardening tools bares the Striped Petal pattern in a garden-friendly green/brown color combination. A…
Tue May 21, 2013
It’s safe to say concrete is having a moment, and that we may have arrived at the most impressive of all of our concrete discoveries: a T-shaped concrete lamp made by German designer and blogger Sibylle. Exquisitely imperfect, like something…
Tue May 21, 2013
When Andy Warhol decided to create exact replicas of Brillo scouring pad boxes, of all things, back in 1964, it’s safe to say he wasn’t envisioning anyone sitting on them. But somehow, we think Warhol would have appreciated Fab’s booth…
Tue May 21, 2013
In preparation for their move to a new location next year, the Whitney Museum of American Art asked the Dutch design studio Experimental Jetset to give them a brand new visual identity. The purely typographic, linear logo was unveiled today,…
Tue May 21, 2013
We continue our ICFF coverage with more snapshots of the bold, the colorful, and the quirky design on display through today in New York City. We’ll be covering some of these pieces and designers in more detail as the days…
Mon May 20, 2013
A fly swatter exceptional enough to be passed down as an heirloom? That’s what Danish design studio Essey had in mind, apparently, when they created Fly Fly, a fly-shaped swatter that, in addition to being a visual pun, is also hand crafted…
Mon May 20, 2013
If it’s possible for the outside of a museum to upstage the show within it, Werner Aisslinger has no one but himself to blame. The German product designer, whose show Home of the Future is currently on view at the Haus…
Sun May 19, 2013
We’re in New York City for the next couple of days, taking in the sights and sounds at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF). Follow 2Modern on Instagram for real-time updates on what we see, what makes our jaws drop, and what we’d…
Sat May 18, 2013
New Zealand designer David Trubridge has cornered the market on intricately constructed, dazzlingly beautiful pendant lights comprised of interlocking bamboo modules. His latest creation, Manuka, debuts this weekend during New York Design Week. Named after the flower of a New Zealand…
Sat May 18, 2013
Soap package design built around the concept of washing away sins. Pretty clever stuff from Greek design student Vassia Kalozoumi. Sins consists of seven different soaps and bath foams, each one representing one of the Biblically-based Seven Deadly Sins. Kalozoumi took inspiration from…
Fri May 17, 2013
Gardeners unaccustomed to pushing around a wheelbarrow may want to reconsider doing so once they lay eyes on this ridiculously pretty Sawati Wheelbarrow from Anthropologie. Hand-painted with a paisley-and-flower motif, it’s clearly not built for carting around anything more hefty…
Thu May 16, 2013
Montreal-based Studio Sasseville claims to be dedicated to “the design of rare objects; objects that are kept, bequeathed and become family heirlooms: tableware, decorative objects, timepieces, jewelry and furniture.” And, apparently, dumbbells. Their solid marble dumbbell, perhaps the only piece…
Thu May 16, 2013
Australian architectural firm Tribe designed this sublime suburban loft-like house for a young New South Wales family. “Internally, the spaces are a playful study in volume and light,” Tribe Studio explains. To be sure, but it was the brick work that…
Thu May 16, 2013
Proving that concrete is not just a building material anymore is Studio22, a Chinese product design studio founded by Sean Yu and Yi-ting Cheng, that specializes in items made from cement and metal. This elegant and stylish pen, crafted from…
Thu May 16, 2013
Are you a design-loving team player who prefers working in your pajamas? Is a rapidly growing company that appreciates both dedication and work/life balance your cup of tea? Well, you’re in luck! 2Modern is looking for a dynamic Production Artist!…
Wed May 15, 2013
Cooks with a soft spot for caustic humor and the text-based illustrations of Scottish artist David Shrigley are in luck. Artware Editions has released a linen kitchen towel bearing a screen print of a Shrigley aphorism that’s bound to elicit a…
Wed May 15, 2013
Whether or not Charles Eames would have approved is anyone’s guess, but artist Phillip Estlund has found a way to put a signature spin on a vintage Eames fiberglass chair. Estlund, who’s best known for his collages, came by the…
Wed May 15, 2013
“I enjoy simple daily tasks. The taste or smell of food, the warmth of home…an inkling of life or movement of the heart.” Japanese artist Fumi Koike’s eloquence is not, it seems, limited to the painted page. Koike, a gifted…
Wed May 15, 2013
Hinoki, we learn, is a species of cypress found in central Japan that gives off a desirable cedar-like aroma. Which is why it was used in the making of this closet hook, a device designed to hang amongst clothes to…
Tue May 14, 2013
“I have always loved geometry, lines, curves, pattern and abstract designs. Architecture seems like a great way to express them.” Well, we agree, but something tells us that mere love of architecture won’t necessarily secure a series of images this…
Tue May 14, 2013
We couldn’t pass up sharing this very clever self-promotional campaign by the Canadian ad agency Rethink. Eager to tout their own creative prowess, the firm came up with the concept of creating a range of table wines bearing labels showing…
Save 15% on Richard Schultz Classics!
Tue May 14, 2013
In the mood for elegant outdoor furniture that just happens to be in a handful of museum collections? Well, you’re in luck. Our Richard Schultz for Knoll outdoor furniture sale includes the always blooming Knoll Petal Coffee Table table and the…
Mon May 13, 2013
2Modern spent a couple of days at the Frieze Art Fair this past weekend, and, yes, it looked good! On a sunny, breezy Manhattan day, we hopped a ferry to Randall’s Island, and within minutes were under a massive white…
Mon May 13, 2013
Kakkoii means cool or awesome in Japanese, we’re told, and if so, we’ll concede that a wireless speaker with a big sound that happens to be shaped like a megaphone is indeed a pretty cool (and maybe even awesome) idea. London-based…
Mon May 13, 2013
These adorably imperfect dolls are patterned after drawings made by first, second and third grade children in Sri Lanka, part of a social design initiative called Me and My Doll, spearheaded by German designer Alexa Alexa Lixfeld. The dolls are hand…
Sun May 12, 2013
We’re perusing The Frieze Art Fair today and tomorrow, eager to bring you the good, the bad, and the most memorable contemporary art this side of the Atlantic. We’re hopping a ferry over to Randall’s Island Park to take in…
Sun May 12, 2013
Hand metal stamping is an arduous process, and we admire anyone who has the patience to do it, let alone with such winsome flair as Jessica Numbers. Numbers sources vintage silver flatware, and hand stamps them with her own designs.…
Sat May 11, 2013
There’s a great deal to admire about this renovation of a compact single-family home in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, not the least of which is the impressive visual clarity (both literal and aesthetic) provided by the layout, the furnishings and multiple light…
Sat May 11, 2013
A series of pop-up cards that bloom to reveal brief messages for all occasions, Bloom Lines is the brainchild of Los Angeles-based Artecnica. Designed by Tahmineh Javanbakht and Clara von Zweigbergk to be versatile enough for use as card, gift…
Fri May 10, 2013
The weekend (and onset of summer) has put us in the mind for simple pleasures, like packing a light lunch and dining in the park. And these very modern bento boxes (shown here in both meal and appetizer sizes) from…
Mother’s Day Pinterest Board is Up!
Fri May 10, 2013
We’ve been putting together a sweet and loving Mother’s Day Pinterest board with things (both grand and modest) that express what comes to mind when we think of our mothers, or mothers, in general. There are flowers and books and…
Fri May 10, 2013
Just why Eero Aarnio decided to make his electronic kitchen timer for Alessi in the shape of a duck is anyone’s guess, but who are we to question the inventor of the fun and forever Ball and Bubble chairs (and…
Thu May 09, 2013
It’s hard not to be awed and sobered by a work of beauty created from discarded materials—it’s both a reminder of our wastefulness and our failure to assess value accurately. And it’s impossible not to be wowed by the recent…
Thu May 09, 2013
Any hotel with a “do not disturb” sign this original deserves a mention. Es Marès Hotel & Spa, a boutique hotel on the Spanish island of Formentera, which takes its name from the local Marès sandstone used in its construction, is a bright and…
Thu May 09, 2013
This cute cactus-shaped toothpick container is by Danish company Essey, which espouses something called Symbolic Functionalism, or the concept of using metaphors to suggest an object’s function. “It is about giving objects a soul, an identity and letting them communicate this to…