Urban Picnic

Londoner's were treated this weekend to impromptu picnic sites around the city.  Urban Picnic,  organized by the Vauxhall Collective, set out to reclaim the neglected spaces of the East-End and bring some whimsy to jaded city dwellers. 

For the event, furniture designer Gareth Neal crafted playful objects including ping-pong bats, picnic tables, stump stools, and log benches. All intricately embellished using traditional marquetry techniques. 

"The East London area was once home to hundreds of traditional furniture manufacturers, so it's the perfect location for the project. The objects within their locations refer to this lost industry and claim back pieces of land for relaxation, fun and play." Gareth Neal

Handsome Geometry

click for full size image

Crystalline textures for the traditionalist.

Literal
Decanter Lights from Lee Broom, vintage crystal decanters repurposed as ambient pendant lighting. The lifestyle shoot of the collection really showcases the whiskey-lit effect they have. Very nicely done, and very easily mimicked with the use of a bottle cutter and a lamp kit.

Organic
Materialized Vase by Erich Ginder, to a degree... "the first in a series of objects that are created by scanning and decimating heavily adorned forms with high resolution scanners, resulting in jewel like abstractions free of the designer's hand." Though fully digital in its design and manifestation, the form is unobjectionably natural, as if porcelain ice has slowly consumed an estate sale.

Conceptual
Cabinet by Elisa Strozyk, antique burl wood cabinet with the addition of her signature wooden textiles. A malleable surface that affords wood, as a historically sturdy material, an entirely original tactual experience.

Bottega Louie

Louis XIV for the XXI Century

Opening its doors to the patrons of downtown Los Angeles last summer, Bottega Louie is exemplary of palatial contemporary design.

Essentially a white box, this restaurant and gourmet market give a rather stark first impression. Upon closer inspection, the Carrera marble floors, the brass window casings, the ivory subway tiles stretching twenty feet to the handsome crown molding of tray ceilings, it becomes apparent that the foundation of the space is not a bland white box, but a thoughtful confectionary. The icing, furnishings and fixtures that are the perfect ratio of sleekness and grandeur. Warm oak and black leather upholstery ground the airy atmosphere and brass (quite cleverly) is used across the spectrum from humble hardware to regal millwork.

Three years in the making, the attention to detail in its interior is certainly inspiring. The true success of the space, however, lies not in the details exactly, but in exquisite editing skills of the designer.

Me.la.bo

Megan Bobogovich and her menagerie of porcelain oddities certainly evoke a little Mary Shelley. Utilizing slip cast components from tchotchkes, Ms. Bogovich reassembles the orphaned and unwanted creatures into curious new lives.

I was fortunate enough to receive a misfit squirrel as a gift a while back; methinks this may be my newest frankenstein. All those in favor, raise your hand!

Pocketful

A petite collection of the functionally inconspicuous.

Keychain pocketknife from the reputable Garrett Wade, barely larger than standard mill and much more attractive. All keys should be so refined. Tally ho! >>>

Hollowed authentic coinage by a modest Father & Sons workshop. Memory card holding capacity in domestic and foreign currencies for the aspiring corporate sleuth. >>>

Mauvian Approach: for slipping handwritten notes of romantic or illicit intent.

Embossed coin 8GB flash drive with laurel motif from a promotional products company. Sadly only available for bulk purchase. Very unfortunate, as this would be amazing engraved with a personal monogram. >>>

OCD

After spending the better part of the last two days redesigning our imprint, splitting hairs and fussing over minutia, we are fittingly left with a shiny new look and 250,000 Euro cents.

Stefan Sagmeister's contribution to Urban Play 2008, old news yes, but in my defense it was an Amsterdam happening. The pattern was designed with four shades, as such pennies had to be sorted into dark, less dark, less light, and light categories. In all the project took a week to execute.

It was swept up by police the next day.

Williams British Handmade

"Historically exceptional craftsmanship was the norm

now it is the exception."

Society, read homo-americus, has become far too comfortable with comfort. Its warm fleece embrace has blanketed most from head to crocs. No place is this more conspicuous than the airport. How frequently the jersey clad (be it billowy or shrink-wrapped) masses tote designer bags boggles the mind. Granted designer luggage is rarely more that cheap advertisement these days.

So when pondering my packing stratagem for my upcoming jaunt, and wishing I had better luggage, I remembered running across the incomparable Williams British Handmade. Luggage worthy of palm sweating anticipation. Beautifully dyed leather, hand saddle stitched, all the brass trimmings and a FORM ≥ FUNCTION philosophy. A philosophy near and dear to our Mauvian hearts.

WBH

Vatican Vectors

Virtual tour of the Sistine Chapel.

Amazingly detailed yes, but some atmospheric perspective would immensely help the nausea inducing navigation (compounded by the inextinguishable choir).

Passport No | Dramamine Yes

Sky Garden 23

Lovely pendant lamp from FLOS, chalky matte interior with floral plaster relief wrapped in a black candy shell.  Chanced upon at Lightology.

Cire Trudon

Bustes de Cire, candles inspired by 18th century masterpieces by the royal candlemakers. Each faithfully recreated in Cire Trudon's 367 year old vegetal wax recipe.

Too faithfully perhaps, royalties are incurred on every sale.

n.2 Matita

Rosata variegated Italian marble  VS  Rolled recycled newspaper pencils

Luke Jerram

clockwise

SARS | Smallpox | HIV | Swine Flu

Luke Jerram is an inventor, a researcher, an amateur scientist and a multidisciplinary artist. Continuing our theme of gentleman scientists, we present his beautifully articulate series "Glass Microbiology". The series was designed in consultation with a virologist and produced in collaboration with a team of specialized glassblowers. Transparent glass question the arbitrary coloring in the medical illustration of viruses and how these colors affect their emotional reception. More importantly, the sculptures bring these infectious diseases out of the shadows and into the physical world, allowing viewers to face the threats in an entirely new arena.

anonymous letter to the artist:

Dear Luke, 

I just saw a photo of your glass sculpture of HIV.

I can't stop looking at it. Knowing that millions of those guys are in me, and will be a part of me for the rest of my life. Your sculpture, even as a photo, has made HIV much more real for me than any photo or illustration I've ever seen. It's a very odd feeling seeing my enemy, and the eventual likely cause of my death, and finding it so beautiful.

Thank you.

Gentleman Scientist

{a financially independent scientist who pursues scientific study as a hobby}

Due to vast increases in government and private funding starting in the 20th century, gentleman scientists have become an increasingly rare breed. Without the apron strings that inherently come attached to moneys, these men and women have historically produced some of the most provocative and influential research. 

Though this image is perhaps a decade old (and a definite invasion of privacy), it still seems a fitting tribute to the Darwinian roots of modern-day pioneers.

Stephen Wolfram | Craig Venter | Julian Barbour | Aubrey de Grey | James Lovelock

Scientia Vincere Tenebras

Erdnase

Inspired by "The Expert at the Card Table" by S.W. Erdnase, often referred to simply as Erdnase or The Bible, one of the most influential books on card magic and manipulation. Written under a pseudonym, the true author has remained a mystery for over a century.

Each deck includes two custom jokers, a custom Ace of Spades, and two ad cards printed to look like pages from the book. Card backs are printed in the book's signature green and the box is embossed with a textured finish and gilded lettering to recreate the first edition's cover, albeit in miniature.

Deck and book available from DAN&DAVE.

Woofer

Pun obviously intended by industrial designer Sander Mulder. Speakers certainly deserving of a Yeah Yeah Yeahs, "Heads Will Roll" christening. Perhaps an accompanying leash power cord would be apropos.

Edison-esque

Nixieclock - Chronotronix V400

Franz Maurer - Aves Series

Nixie tubes, exposed hand-blown bulbs...

how is the compact fluorescent the easy switch exactly?

With the resurgence of Edison-esque aesthetics in lighting and electronics design the swap seems wholly unachievable. The efforts to improve the fluorescent alternative have not come far, at this point in time it can only be likened to substituting crème brûlée for a helping of non-dairy creamer.

I'm all for social responsibility and sustainability, but when will the greener bulb compare to the elegance of an incandescent?