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D’E-Light Lamp by Philippe Starck

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In addition to being an awesome ’90s house band, D’E-Light is a new task lamp from the Italian lighting manufacturer Flos that houses a USB socket above the light diffuser to charge and display an iPod, iPad, or iPhone. By combining a charger with a high-efficiency, polished aluminum lamp, designer Philippe Starck helps clean up the desktop and bedside surface areas that are getting a bit crowded these days with electronics. Retailing for $396 USD, D’E-Light will be available next month in limited quantities in the United States through the company’s New York City showroom at 152 Greene Street.

Brinca Dada Blocks

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These irregular, sculptural blocks from New York-based Brinca Dada are hand-carved from teak hardwood. According to Brinca Dada founder and CEO Doug Rollins, the blocks aren’t meant to be used in just one way but are “a puzzle with infinite solutions.” What I like, is that this means the set will still work even if you lose a piece or two (which happens constantly with small kids). Better yet, it’s not something that kids (or parents) will get bored with easily. Ideal for aspiring architects and artists of all ages, the sets are available at the Brinca Dada site for $59.00 USD.  


Victorinox Tomo

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Victorinox, the makers of the original Swiss Army knife, have given this classic pocket companion a modern makeover with the Tomo series. Featuring a sleek rectangular shape and a fresh color line, Tomo is a unisex accessory that can slip into a pocket or be tucked into a pocketbook alike. The new design of this classic pocket knife doesn’t compromise its function — the familiar grouping of blade, nail file with cleaner, and scissors are all there. Tomo, which means “companion” or “friend” in Japanese (is it too Scarface to call your knife “friend”?), was designed by Kazuma Yamaguchi, whose work appears in design shops under the label ABITAX. Tomo comes in a beautiful carrying pouch made of 100% recycled and reusable pulp. While a nice touch, perhaps the white leather pouch option (available for $13.00 USD) is a more durable option for those days when you find yourself in a bit of trouble and need to try out some sweet MacGyver moves. Available for $24.00 USD.

S’well Bottle

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Let’s face it, even if they try to be eco-friendly, plastic water bottles stink. They are convenient, recyclable, and lightweight, but the energy and materials that it takes to manufacture, ship, and then recycle them back into bottles or other objects could certainly be better spent. That’s why I’m always intrigued when a company claims to have come up with a better bottle. The S’well Bottle is a hybrid water bottle/thermos for wine, tea, or anything you want to keep hot or cold.

These insulated stainless steel bottles are non-leaching, toxin-free, and are “virtually unbreakable” according to the manufacturer. They come in a rainbow of colors, fit into your car’s cup holder, and have a mouth big enough to put ice cubes through (something your standard water bottle can not do). They come in a 15 ounce/500 ml size ($35 USD) and a 25 ounce/750 ml size ($45 USD) that can carry a full bottle of wine.

If you want a good reason to give S’well a swig, you should also know that the company donates 10% of their net sales to WaterAid to support programs that improve access to safe water, hygiene, and sanitation in the world’s poorest communities. In addition to that 10% donation, for every SeaShell Pink S’well bottle sold in the month of October, 10% of sales will be donated to the Breast Cancer Foundation in support of Breast Health Awareness Month. Now I will drink to that.

Aroha Silhouettes Jewelry

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The THC Molecular Addictions necklace. Photo by Kelly Jill.

We all have addictions, some are just more socially acceptable (and legal) than others. A few I will admit to in public include watching reruns of The Office, my weekly pint of Ciao Bella Dark Chocolate Sorbet, and checking my email as if my life depended on it. Hey, I’m a mom, I’m not exactly snorting coke off of pool boys in the Hamptons anymore (that never really happened).

Molecular Addictions Nicotine Necklace

The Molecular Addictions Collection of jewelry from Aroha Silhouettes transforms the molecular symbols for a few common addictions — caffeine, nicotine, and THC (the active ingredient in cannabis) into a line of lightweight stainless steel necklaces. The symbol for MDMA, aka ecstasy, is forthcoming in mid-October. I’m not endorsing any of these vices, but rather the beautiful way they have been interpreted into jewelry design (in fact I think people who drink caffeine are completely morally bankrupt). New Zealand-born designer Tania Hennessy (now based in Vancouver) started Aroha Silhouettes in 2008 when she launched the Phantasmal collection of 3D jewelry designs made from a box of vinyl records that she rescued from the trash. The material choice is fitting as the Phantasmal pieces have a retro 1980s vibe. According to Hennessy, “My style is heavily influenced by my career in science and I love to use clean geometrical shapes and a dark alternative edge.” All of the pieces are hand-assembled by the designer in Vancouver.

Phantasmal Hardcover Vinyl Record Necklace

The Christchurch Earthquake brooch, a silhouette of the actual seismograph of the 6.3 earthquake that devastated her hometown last winter, is cut from semi-gloss stainless steel. 100 percent of the proceeds from the brooch went to the New Zealand Red Cross to help with disaster relief. While currently out of stock on the Aroha site, you can still purchase the brooch at New Zealand’s Flock.

Christchurch Earthquake Brooch

The best part of the Molecular Addictions line is that although the symbols represent a vice, you can choose to share the info with a select group of like-minded folks and keep the rest guessing. Just remember that like everything in life, it is best to do things in moderation, including buying pieces of lovely jewelry.

Pico Jewelry Collections

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Photo: Evan Schwartz photography

Montclair, New Jersey-based industrial designer Andrea Panico has designed tabletop pieces for furniture retailer west elm, served as director of product design for the world-renowed (and single-monikered) designer Clodagh, and worked at the international design firm STUDIOS Architecture. Her work with jewerly began during her graduate studies in Industrial Design at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, and her Pico collection of jewelry is now produced in Indonesia by a team of skilled artisans the designer met while working with a furniture manufacturer in Bali (all wood used in the collection is scrap wood from nearby factories). Panico’s Little Architecture line, with almost 70 skus, translates the work of architects Santiago Calatrava, Luis Barragan, Tadao Ando, and others, into small scale jewelry structures including earrings, pendants, bracelets, and necklaces. Her accompanying Frank Lloyd Wright collection successfully brings a modern edge to Wright’s Prairie School style.

Constructed primarily from silver, Indonesian teak, and ebony, the line is sophisticated and modern without crossing over into avant-garde and uncomfortable (I strongly prefer it to most of Frank Gehry’s pieces available from Tiffanys). While perfect for fans of architecture, the collection simply has good lines, quality materials, and the stamp of a designer who has looked at product design from many angles. As Panico writes on her site, “industrial designers are like architects of small things.” If you could wear one piece of architecture, what would it be?

Photo: Jennifer Liseo

Photo: Evan Schwartz Photography

Photo: Evan Schwartz Photography

Ando Ring.