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Accessories by Revolution Design House

Published by designy things

I met the folks behind Revolution Design House during last May’s ICFF exhibition in New York City. The brand was part of the Design Milk “Milk Stand” of curated vendors selling items on the show floor. I liked the modern style and quirky take on handcrafted pieces including salt cellars, candles, plant holders, and other pieces, all made in Portland, Oregon. Here are a few of my favorite pieces from the collection. For more info, visit. http://revolutiondesignhouse.com/shop/.

The wood for the Douglas Fir Boxcar planter is sourced from local reclaimed beams and off-cuts unused by the lumber industry. The Boxcar planter set comes in a clear finish and can be nested together with other planters along a window sill or as a centerpiece on a table or desk. Designed by Joe Gibson, the planter includes a stainless-steel insert to plant within (succulent plants are recommended but not included).

The Campfire Candle, designed by Joe Gibson, is hand-cast of fragrance-free wax. It measures 3.25” x 5.5”.

Revolution makes a range of SaltBox gift sets that are sold with Jacobsen Salt Co. salt, harvested from the Oregon Coast. Made of solid walnut, the saltcellar comes in a XL size that holds up to a cup of salt.

All images courtesy Revolution Design House.

Dream of Songs Jewelry by Minna Kao

Published by designy things

Dream of Songs is a Brooklyn-based jewelry brand that produces ethereal, modern, 3D-printed jewelry pieces in Brooklyn and Long Island City, New York. Minna Kao, the 41-year-old founder and creator of Dream of Songs, has been a fan of designing jewelry since she was a little girl, when she sold a collection of plastic bracelets to her elementary school classmates in her hometown of Houston.

Minna Kao is the Brooklyn-based founder and creator of Dream of Songs.

After graduating from the University of Texas, Kao went to Paris for a six month apprenticeship under designers Diane Pernet and Alan Faye. After some more time studying in New York City and soaking up the Japanese sensibility of Wabi Sabi in Tokyo, Kao opened MinnaK, a bridal and evening wear company in 2006. In 2013, she fell in love with 3D design and launched Dream of Songs two years later.

A side view of the Cutout Hand Bracelet in Rhodium Plated.

Cut Out Hand Bracelet, front view. To create the piece, a CAD model is printed in wax, and then liquid plaster is poured in around it. Once the plaster sets, the wax is melted out in a furnace, and then the plaster remains as the mold. Molten brass is poured into this mold, and once it hardens, the plaster is broken away, and the brass is hand polished. “At Shapeways, they do a two step plating process,” says Kao. “The first layer of plating is palladium which provides strength and durability. Then finally the rhodium plating is added.”

We recently asked Minna a few questions about herself and her design process.

DT: Are you still designing bridal pieces or are you a full-time jewelry designer now?

MK: I’m not designing bridal pieces anymore, I’m a full-time jewelry designer now.

DT: Do you work with a partner or alone?

MK: I work alone.

DT: Can you tell us a little bit about the inspiration behind your two collections, Celestial and Bowie?

MK: For Bowie, I began designing the collection shortly after he died. He was, and still is a game changer, and moved millions of people. His music and spirit lives on, and so I designed this collection to thank him for inspiring me.

For the Celestial collection, the shapes and spirals in the jewelry pieces were inspired from meditation. There are many ways and tools to assist in meditation, including singing bowls and cymbals. I inherited 2 pairs of Tingsha, which are Tibetan chimes. They accompany chants and meditations to bring the mind to center. The sounds vibrate so strongly and clearly; the sound envelopes you and then slowly fades away. That feeling reminded me of the circles of life and the constant eternal returning of all things.

Packaging for the Sky Necklace and Atlas earrings in the Celestial Collection.

Part of the Celestial Collection, the 16”-long Luna Necklace is made brass/oxidized Sterling Silver.

DT: How long does it take you to make a typically sized piece?

MK: If I am starting from scratch, about five weeks. I send my designs to the printing service and request it to be made in silver or brass. Once I receive my prototype (that takes about three weeks), I would then send it to a traditional casting service to have them make a silicone mold, and cast the pieces the traditional way. Once that silicone mold is made, it takes about one week to re-make the piece. I find this the most efficient way time-wise and cost.

The Ziggy Ring in the David Bowie-inspired Bowie Collection, shown here in recycled Sterling Silver.

The Lazarus Bangle in the Bowie Collection, shown here in recycled Sterling Silver.

DT: How do you 3D print in metal? What does the raw material look like?

MK: Since I use semi-precious metals, the liquid of it is poured into the plaster mold to make the piece. The mold is 3D-printed and the “lost wax” technique is used. Technically, the metal isn’t printed but poured onto the 3D-printed wax mold. However, if I use steel, then it is 3D-printed using a different technique. I have one piece, which is the Zeroes pendant that uses stainless steel.

The Zeroes Necklace is a 3D-printed stainless steel pendant with a 33” black leather cord and neon pink thread.

DT: Do you take custom orders?

MK: Yes, I take custom orders based on my designs. If someone needs a different size, metal, or any slight changes, I’m happy to make the changes.

DT: Any advice for jewelry designers looking to experiment with 3D printing?

MK: I recommend 3D printing, especially when making prototypes. I have a 3D printer at home, and though it’s not the top of the market printer, it helps me to be able to print the piece in plastic and to gauge whether or not I want it in that size, or silhouette. I only bought a 3D printer a couple of months ago, so before I would use Shapeways to make my prototypes. It’s great to send them the CAD file and they send back your prototype in plastic. It saves you money because you are making the prototype in plastic instead of metal. From there, you can decide if you want to proceed with metal.

For more info on Dream of Songs, click here.

All images courtesy Dream of Songs.

Book Signing at Brooklyn Designs!

Published by designy things

On Friday May 6th at 7:30 I will be signing copies of my new book on erotic product design, Objects of Desire, at Brooklyn Designs at the Brooklyn Expo Center in Greenpoint! We are excited to support Brooklyn design and the designers featured in our book who are based in the borough, including HEFF, Wonderpuss Octopus, and Dame Products. Brooklyn Designs is part of NYCxDESIGN, a world-class design festival which takes place May 3-17 throughout New York City.

The three-day event kicks off on Friday at 10:00 am with “Kickstarter Office Hours” to present your ideas to the Director of Design and Technology Outreach at Kickstarter, and wraps up Sunday at 5:00 pm with a Maker’s Lab to teach designers how to promote themselves. In between are installations, pop-ups, seminars, and other fun events.

I will be participating in the Opening Night Party from 7-9 pm, hosted by The Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, Metropolis, and Benjamin Moore, and sponsored by Broadway Stages. There will be food, drinks, music, and a cornhole tournament featuring one-of-a-kind boards from American Design Club. Look for me in the American Design Club Pop-Up Shop at 7:30. Hope to see you there.

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Wingtip Wallet

Published by designy things

The pocket square, while functionally unnecessary, remains a critical accessory for the well-dressed man or woman. The Wingtip Wallet, a bi-fold wallet designed to be your pocket square, recently hit its funding goal of $11,000 on Kickstarter. Inspired by early traditional wallets, the Wingtip features six pockets for I.D. or cards, a long pocket for cash, and is made of 100% premium “vegan” (synthetic) leather in a matte black finish. A clever way to carry your wallet while still looking stylish.

All images courtesy of Wingtip Wallets.

Kickstarter Things: RE.BIN Recycling Bin

Published by designy things

Paper bags are so versatile. They can either be the arts and crafts project or the thing you put under the arts and crafts project. They can be reused several times before ripping, are easily recycled, and when folded up properly don’t take up that much space. Unless you go shopping every week, which people tend to do. Then they start accumulating in an unmanageable pile, (which is particularly troublesome in small apartments) and you just want to switch to plastic (but you really don’t).

So isn’t it brilliant when someone develops a new way to use up those paper bags while also recycling other garbage as well? Currently raising funds on Kickstarter, RE.BIN is a paper grocery bag shaped bin designed to hold your paper bag as a liner so that you can easily carry out the trash when it’s full. Made in the U.S.A. of 100% recycled plastic, RE.BIN is designed specifically to help save space in smaller, urban apartments. Recycling garbage in recycled bags supported by a bin made of recycled garbage – kind of the ideal sustainable product.

Images courtesy of RE.BIN.

Iittala X Issey Miyake

Published by designy things

A few weeks ago I attended a preview for the new Iittala X Issey Miyake Collection at the MoMA Design Store in New York City. The collection, which combines the Finnish craftsmanship of Iittala with the iconic style of fashion designer Issey Miyake, includes high quality ceramic plates, platters, cups, and a tealight candleholder; a glass vase; and textiles including a pleated totebag, a “table flower” in two sizes, napkins, place mats, and cushion covers. A color palette of white, pink, green, gray unites the modern, yet soft pieces. The MoMA Design Store will be exclusively sell the collection through May 2016.