My Friends 
Design Blogs
Detroit Blogs
Detroit Resources
Having a Laugh
Vacation Paradise
Sponsored Links
Alfredo Häberli’s Origo Dishes
I think that most of us don’t spend a lot of time thinking about who designs our dishes. When our current set begins to chip and break we simply go shopping for something we like, buy it, and never think about how it came to be. There’s nothing wrong with that. But sometimes, especially when we’re looking for something really unique, it’s nice to know something about the creative person who designed it.
I’m running a week-long series on Swiss product designer, Alfredo Häberli. He designs all sorts of things for all sorts of companies. Think of him as a type of free-lance artist. This is how many product designers work.
Häberli designed Origo, a set of dishware, in 2000 for Iittala. I have a few serving dishes in this pattern, but had no idea who the designer was until I read an article about him in MD. Häberli says, “Our eating habits are changing continuously – just like our day-to-day lives. The Origo idea was to create an easy, everyday tableware with a variety of applications. The stacking rings on the bottom of the plates, the facility for fixing cups and bowls to saucers and plates and the decorative elements are real discoveries. Details like these help determine the range of applications for everyday life.”
This gives you a small idea of the enormous amount of thinking that goes into the design of a simple set of dishes. If you’re like most of us, you probably thought he just did the decoration. Origo is beautiful, in my humble opinion. You can find these for sale in Detroit at Mezzanine, and online at FinnStyle.
The design process is amazing to me. Maybe I’m just a geek at heart. I appreciate things so much more when I know how hard someone worked to get it right. Do you?
Contest Continues…
Don’t miss out on this week’s contest. For details, follow this link. It’s your chance to win a beautiful, ceramic infuser and a highly coveted Design Hole tee-shirt. Send your answers, with your address to me via the contact link.
The winner will receive this lovely infuser complete with scented oil, and a Design Hole tee shirt.
May the force be with you.
Chair of the Day: Segesta
This week I’m focusing on the work of Swiss product designer Alfredo Häberli. His work is currently being honored with a special exhibit at the Museum for Gestaltung, in Zurich. I was reading an article about him in MD last weekend and had no idea he’s designed so many things I love. Häberli has designed for companies like Alias, Moroso, Camper and Iittala.
This chair, Segesta, was designed for Alias. It comes in many variations, including a desk chair, bar stool, with and without arms.
I like it. How about you? Yeah or Meh?
DIY Decorating
I read a short but sweet article at My Home Ideas today about how to decorate a room yourself. As is typical, it’s all too brief. But it does have a few nifty tips, and the pictures are nice. I thought I’d share my favorite section with you here.
-
Create a Focal Point
- “Every room needs an eye-catching feature, but for maximum style you don’t want it to be the TV. It’s easy if your living room has a fireplace, but if not, create an attention-grabbing alternative, such as a console table.
Add a display of framed photographs above it to make a focal point that you can position the sofas around, or if you don’t have the time to find and frame your photos, a selection of decorative plates will look just as striking.” [read the rest here.]
In my opinion, a focal point is not a necessity. But if you’re not experienced, and you’re decorating on your own, it’s a nice way to start out planning a room. As the photo shows, you can create a focal point anywhere. You don’t need a fireplace or a bed, or other obvious elements to create one. Moreover, if you have a fireplace, for example, it doesn’t have to be the focal point. A bay window could easily be the element you center thing around.
Do you have an interesting focal point in your home? Tell us all about it.
First Thursdays at The Bureau
One of my favorite home stores here in Detroit, The Bureau of Urban Living, is holding their monthly fund-raiser this Thursday. This First Thursday will benefit Co-Lab Creative.
Based in Detroit, Co-Lab Creative is an interdisciplinary group formed to initiate creative, educational projects that address social inequity ecological distress. The Bureau will be open late, until 9:00 PM. Visit their site for directions and further information.
Design Hole Contest
To those of us who live in Grosse Pointe, this house so clearly resembles a famous character from a classic movie that it’s known by the character’s name. It seems obvious. But is it? Can you guess which iconic figure I’m speaking of?
I thought this would make a fun little contest for the week. If you think you know the answer, send it to me via the contact link. The winner will receive a beautiful ceramic infuser designed by Sarah Cihat for Joya, as well as a Design Hole tee shirt.
The deadline for entries is Friday, October 3rd. Don’t forget to include your full name and address. I’ll choose the winner from a random drawing and announce it next Monday, October 6th.
The prize (with tee shirt, too).
By the way, this house was not designed with this character in mind. So what in the world was the architect thinking?
Chair of the Day: Zoe
It’s Friday! Time to settle back with a cold beer and a slice of great pizza from Fresh Farms Market (Hi Larry!). What better way to be a couch potato than in this chair? I need one now.
This is my final entry in my week’s homage to Spanish design trio, Lievore Altherr Molina. The Zoe Chair was designed for Verzelloni. That’s Italian. And it ties in perfectly with Pizza Night. In honor of the Spanish trio, I’ll top it with chorizo, baby squid and percebes (can’t really find those here, but a girl can dream).
Have a great weekend.
Friday Favorite: Lovebird Pillow
Here’s a design idea for Friday. Spruce up your bedscape with different toss pillows. Keep your color palette in mind, and put together an assortment of toss pillows that aren’t from the same collection. Not only will you have a pillow for every reclined occasion (use your imagination!), but your bed will reflect your personality instead of Wamsutta’s.
You could start with a pillow like this, from Danish design company, Ferm Living. Their Lovebirds pillow (28″ x 14″) is the latest addition to their new textile collection. You can find it at Lekker, where it sells for $110.
Oh, and thanks to Kim for finding this Favorite for me.
Chair of the Day: Havana
Today’s beauty from Spanish design trio, Lievore Altherr Molina, is a sophisticated sofa called Havana. This comes in a variety of styles, including a traditional, backed sofa, and this wonderful bench.
Havana is manufactured by the Italian firm of Tacchini.
Look back over the past week and check out all the chairs to date. Aren’t they cool?
Saul Steinberg Prints at Schumacher
Artist Saul Steinberg is perhaps most famous for his New Yorker covers - especially his View of the World cover from 1976. However, he was also a very successful fine artist, as well as a sometime designer of textiles. Schumacher discovered Steinberg’s work in Greeff’s archives. Greef is a company Schumacher now owns. The decision to re-introduce Steinberg’s work must have been a no-brainer, and here they are for us to enjoy. This new collection is comprised of fabrics and wallcovering using four of his original designs from the 1950’s.
- Aviary is a wallcovering. It comes in this colorful colorway, as well as black and white.
- New York is both a fabric and a wallcovering. One colorway only.
The Opera print, below, was discovered in the Schumacher archives as an original Greeff print (Schumacher now owns that company). I think they’re too fab. That means awesome.
- Opera is available as a fabric. It comes in two colorways.
- Views of Paris is available as a wallcovering. One colorway is available.
Schumacher fabrics are available through the trade. I don’t believe you can find them online. This means you’ll need to go through a professional to purchase this line. You can always contact me directly for a price quote.
Thomas Moser’s Pasadena Collection
What is your opinion of this new line of furniture from Thomas Moser? This venerable New England company has been manufacturing beautiful furnishings since 1972. There’s no doubt that the quality of their work is superb. And I wish I could afford some of their pieces. Truly. But…
I’m not liking this new collection. Their press release stated that the collection has a “distinct West Coast air of openness that draws on the organic architecture of California’s mid-Century style.” I’m rather mystified by that. Other than the use of wood to frame everything, I don’t see anything that really says “mid-century” to me. Nor does it remind me of California. Maybe it’s the wavy thing going on. But that reminds me more of Beaux Arts.
I like the dining room set, though the backless chair looks really uncomfortable. To be fair, looks can be deceiving. The living room things are “ugh.” Maybe if they’d used a nicer, mid-century fabric it would strike my fancy a bit more. Or, if it weren’t all one set, which is never a good idea anyway. Hmmm….
I’ve interviewed their designer, David Moser. He’s a great guy with a true love for what he does. So, I wish I could write a rave for this new collection. But truthfully, other than his Edo Collection, which is brilliant, I really like the more Shaker-like designs ( below) from their early years (which they still make).
Am I getting it wrong here? What are your thoughts?
Chair of the Day: Duna
The Duna Chair was designed in 2003 for Arper. The Spanish design team I’m highlighting this week, Lievore Altherr Molina, added this to Arper’s collection of this team’s brilliant work - Catifa and Leaf.
Duna comes in both a plastic and an upholstered version. Beautiful.