This is one of this first designs, which he created a bit out of desperation. He quit his job and was working on his own. Should we call him a Maverick? Some night say, “You betcha!”

You can read Roberta Smith’s review of the show by following this link. I think she covers Ron’s work and attitude perfectly.

Have a nice weekend everyone!. I’ll be back in full force on Monday.

All of Gretchen’s patterns, like Bud,¬† are large in scale. I love this trend. Make it big!

Double Dot is intended to coordinate with Gretchen’s other designs. She makes a single dot, too.

Gretchen’s Spiral comes in eight colorways. Each design is shown on furniture, so you can determine the scale.

I like this one best. Flower, like all her prints, is hand-screened.

Her bags come in two sizes. Medium bags are $80. Large are $90.

You can buy Gretchen Langner’s designs printed on four different fabrics including cotton/linen and sailcloth. The fabrics sell for $89 per yard and there is a ten yard minimum. That’s a rather large minimum order, in my opinion. She needs to add a swatch option, too.

As I said, I love the large-scale prints I’m seeing. How about you? Do you like the big stuff?

Doesn’t look much different from something you’d find at the bike store down the street.¬† That basic shape has been improved over the years so that today, it’s light, strong, and durable.¬† Some designers don’t think that’s enough, and decide to “reinvent” it. Such is the case with Mark Newson’s Biomega MN1.¬† Voila:

Yes it looks groovy and “modern”. But here’s the problem. Mark’s re-imagining of the bicycle frame does nothing to improve upon that which we’ve become used to. It’s neither lighter, nor more efficient, nor easier to produce.¬† Hence the outrageous price: It costs $7,800.¬† (But you do get to pose around and tell people you’re riding a Mark Newson designed bike).

So what’s a designer to do?¬† One route is to leverage everything we’ve learned about making great bicycles,¬† – and execute it perfectly.¬† I can think of no better example than one of Vanilla Bicycles’ masterpieces.¬† Like this.

Here’s a detail that shows the craftmanship.

Beautiful, no?  Craftsmanship costs money, and Vanilla Bikes are quite expensive Рthough not nearly as expensive as the Biomega Mark Newson MN1.

Alright, so where does that leave a designer who wants to build something beautiful that most people can actually buy?

Here’s a great solution by Michael Young. Here’s his “City Speed” designed for Giant Bicycles. Lovely, modern, light, efficient, and affordable.

I particularly like its tail light – most bike tail lights are pretty cruddy looking pieces of plastic.

You really need to visit his site to see all that he’s designed. The guy’s a real talent.¬† The bicycle’s just an example of his work, but I think it illustrates a couple of things.¬† One, that you can take something utilitarian and make it beautiful – without making it look designed (like Newson), and that you can do it so that most people can actually afford to buy one.

Thumbs up to Michael Young from a cycling (and design) fan.

Last night Molteni held a party in honor of Patricia Urquiola. I finally got to meet my design hero. That’s me on the right with the goofy grin.

We had a nice chat about the challenge of raising children while working full time. I can now report that Patricia is not only a very talented designer, she’s also just plain nice.

I’ll be travelling home tomorrow and will start posting about the show on Thursday. I’m exhausted. But it was well worth the sore feet.

Here’s the start of the interview:

Creative director of the storied Italian furniture manufacturer Moroso, Patrizia Moroso was in San Francisco on Thursday morning at the Dzine showroom to chat with the press about the history of her company—founded by her parents outside Milan in the 1950s—and what we can expect in the future.

A disarming, unpretentious woman, Moroso chattering about this Parisian showroom or that trip to India or how this is her first ever visit to San Francisco. Dressed in a colorful top, loose pants and flat shoes, with short burgundy hair and chunky glasses, she looked like any Italian mother and seemed at greater ease than the bubble skirted, pastel tied and perilously high heeled in attendance. We spoke after things quieted down and I found her pleasant, personable, and happy to chat.

To read the rest of the interview, scoot over to the Dwell blog here.

His work for Iittala is splendid. Essence, his collection of glassware was designed in 2001 and includes wine and water glasses, pitchers and decanters. I like the long, simple lines of the wines. these would be perfect for any contemporary tablescape.

You can find them online over at FinnStyle.

I found the interview with his widow, Marianne Panton, to be especially interesting. I hope you’ll enjoy reading it, too. Scroll down from this link to find it.

The new hobs and ovens designed by Marc Newson in stainless steel, glass and in 7 chromatic enamel finishes, were inspired by the desire to create something absolutely new, a look never before seen in the market. Conceived as a true synthesis of the SMEG philosophy technology with style, Newson said he wanted to bring back curved elements, which remind me of sturdy appliance designs from the 1950′s.

After analyzing the present collection of domestic products, Newson decided to begin by designing hobs and ovens – best selling products Рin order to leave the strongest and most distinctive imprint on the international market.

Newson’s line for SMEG US will be available in the US in a couple of years.