Author: designy things

Valentine’s Day Gift Idea: Pieces of Time Flower Objet d’Art

Published by

If you are looking for a different way to give flowers this Valentine’s Day, consider gifting your loved one the MoMA Design Store’s Pieces of Time Flower Objet d’Art. Designed by Soojeong Shin and Jiseon Park from Korean Studio Style Jieum, these sculptures feature fresh flowers that have been encased in domes of hand-blown glass and filled with preservation fluid. When viewed through sunlight, the object seems to contain a calm forest of plants that feels like a real landscape. Each Pieces of Time Objet d’Art is handmade by specialists in floral design, and its design will vary slightly. The handcrafted glass may contain small bubbles that are a natural part of the creation process. They can be displayed individually or as a group. To care for your objet d’art, store indoors in a cool place and do not open its silicone plug. Each measures 2.8”w x 5.1”h. $80 each at the MoMA Design Store. Images courtesy MoMA Design Store.

Designy Things Holiday Gift Guide

Published by

Here are some designy gift ideas for your holiday season, from a snowflake you can cuddle to pencils you can plant in the garden. Jellycat Holiday Soft Toys Jellycat arguably makes some of the most adorable plushies in the world, combining the softest materials with a small smiling face that brings personality to all types of everyday objects and animals. Designed in London, this snowflake ($30.00), Christmas Tree ($40.00), or potted Poinsettia ($48.00) can adorn a mantle or work as a festive table centerpiece. Available through the MoMA Design Store. Embroidered Holiday Ornaments Designed in London and handmade in India by a team of master embroiderers, these ethically sourced fabric holiday ornaments are made through the traditional technique of “zardosi” (sewing with gold), historically used to decorate the most luxurious of courtly finery. Ornaments in the collection include Claude Monet, Alma Woodsey Thomas, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Frida Kahlo, and Vincent van Gogh. $16.95- $18.95. Available through the MoMA Design Store. Taste Collection by Paola Navone The Glass House design store offers an exclusive design collaboration …

Ukraine Twist Candle

Published by

For every Ukraine Twist candle sold, the Celsius54 Candle Co. is donating $25.00 to Sunflower of Peace, a Boston-based charity directly helping victims of the war.  Sunflower of Peace is a nonprofit organization with a mission to mobilize support and aid for Ukrainian orphans, internally displaced persons, and those most affected by the current situation by providing medical assistance and other necessities. Due to the current crisis, Sunflower of Peace started a new fundraiser to provide medical and humanitarian aid that will be used by the paramedics and doctors in the areas that are most affected by the violence in Ukraine. They are acquiring and distributing first-aid backpacks, medicine, medical instruments, and other items that are saving hundreds of lives. Celsius54’s twist candle for Ukraine combines the country’s flag colors of blue and gold in a sleek modern design. Made in the Netherlands, the candle costs $40. Available at: https://54celsius.com/.

Toff & Zürpel Beeswax Wraps

Published by

Toff & Zürpel, a Dresden-based brand that designs natural, and reusable beeswax wraps, is now available in North America through AMEICO. An alternative to wasteful one-use products such as cling wrap and aluminum foil, Toff & Zürpel beeswax cloths bring a colorful touch to covering salads, cheeses, cut fruit, veggies and more. Toff & Zürpel beeswax cloths are made of bio-cotton, regional organic beeswax, traditional pine resin, and fair trade organic coconut oil. The wraps are water repellant and are available through AMEICO in four sizes and three color schemes. The wraps come with a natural beeswax soap bar which can be used to clean the wraps after use and as a general kitchen or hand soap. A starter kit including four different sized wraps sells for $40.00 and the soap sells for $13.00. All images courtesy of AMEICO.

Valentine’s Day Gift Guide

Published by

While you can’t go wrong with roses and chocolates, why not earn some extra points this year with a Valentine’s Day gift that is both unexpected and well designed? Here are a few new designythings for all the ones you love. Single this year? Then, in the immortal words of Tom and Donna from Parks & Rec, Treat yo’ self! Happy Valentine’s Day! The Heart Bowl by Lukas Urbanec Handmade in Prague using traditional Czech methods, this lovely 6” x 3” porcelain bowl gives you its heart. When filled with coffee or tea, soups, or snacks, the bowl transforms its contents into a heart shape. The bowl is paired with the Apiniste Limoges Serving Platter (shown below). Available in white or pink through The Glass House Design Store. $45.00 Wordbits Wordbits are lightweight yet strong alphabet magnets to surprise your Valentine with a personal love note on a fridge or any magnetic surface. Available in a premium matte finish and a custom typeface four colors (blush, mustard, slate, and white). Comes with 60 characters measuring …

Patented: 1000 Design Patents by Thomas Rinaldi

Published by

Product design junkies will be in awe of Patented, a thick tome featuring 1000 design patent documents from the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The one-of-a-kind field guide includes patents from well-known names such as Louis Comfort Tiffany and Buckminster Fuller, to more surprising entries from celebrities such as Francis Ford Coppola (packaging for beverages – wine perhaps?) and Prince (guitar, obviously.) Author and architectural designer Thomas Rinaldi offers readers and future patent makers more than a century of product and industrial design that’s been organized chronologically from 1900 to 2020. The uniform aesthetic of the patent drawings means all 1,000 designs are illustrated in the same style — from bottle openers to bicycles. If you don’t have a shelf big enough for Patented, don’t worry. You can just go and design a patent for one. $35.95 U.S. Order from your local independent bookstore or at Phaidon All images courtesy of Phaidon.