I was delighted to come across a feature of Andrew Miller’s work on Designer Daily.
Andrew has taken on the challenge of painting white one commonly-known object every day for 100 days in a project he calls Brand Spirit. The images of branded objects now in white reveal how we come to understand branding, logos and the functionality of these deeply invested items.
Take a look:
Images courtesy of Andrew Miller.
I’m so excited about the new reader-submitted white sightings arriving to White Cabana!
To help kick things off, today I’m taking you inside Life is Sweet, one of my favourite shops in my neighbourhood known as The Beaches in Toronto. (I know, I know, I keep taking you to cupcakeries… but they’re irresistible!)
Life is Sweet shored up on The Beach (as it is also called) in 2007, just when I came, too. Located at the eastern end of Queen Street East where it’s quieter and devoid of the heavy coast town signage that suggests that the surf’s up on Lake Ontario, I instantly fell in love with this little shop and her sweet owner. I really need to get her name (she has wavy brown hair, brown eyes and has a pretty smile- and her photo is up on the wall)- and these days her mom is working at the shop, too.
Life is Sweet is a quaint little shop that makes you want to go in, this pic from BlogTO
Life is Sweet has been there for me over the years. I’ve now been in The Beach for nearly five years and I have served many a mini cupcake along the way. I recently picked up some minis for a friend’s visit- they’re just a perfect two-bite size so you can try a few flavours without feeling like a glutton going for two regular-sized ones (although that’s perfectly okay at my place).
My favourite flavour on the menu is the lemon cupcake- it even has lemon custard in the centre (mini ones too!). I’m also a huge fan of the white chocolate, toffee, coconut, and I know some peeps who really like the Earl Grey- spiced cake with orange icing.
Inside the shop you’ll find lots of pretty white things- perfect for that ‘oh-you’re-so-thoughtful’Â gift. I love everything and yet I always buy here for others; I’ve given a gorgeous locally-made apron covered in artichokes and a fun set of dinner napkins for a certain white design blogger…
Here’s what caught my eye yesterday as I wandered in for a sweet treat:
Why not add some bling to that cake plate? So fun and festive!
I really like this dish- great for sauces, nuts, after-dinner mints, you name it
I’m in love with these soy candles from a local candle gal, Amy,
who I met a few years ago at a arts & crafts fair. Amy’s Place candles are on Facebook here
My cupcake haul from yesterday- at no cost since I had no change
and the owner couldn’t break a $20! Â And then I realized when
I got home that the owner snuck in an extra cupcake for me. Aw <3
What’s up with all the urban interest on everything from posters to bedding?
Today’s set of sheets and duvet cover are made in India with a 250 thread count detailing a graphic architectural take on cityscape speckled with embroidered blocks of colour (not too much colour, mind you).
These are new to CB2, Crate & Barrel’s little sister retailer that I have yet to drop into. I keep hearing fabtastic things about this shop and I’m excited to check out the furniture, home décor and yes- the bedding!
Skyline bed linens, $49.95-189.95, at CB2
What do you think of these printed napkins served up at the Sharp Magazine for Men party last week?
Would you take social etiquette advice from a napkin?
Happy Spring everyone!
By now, surely spring has sprung across the cooler North American provinces and States. How well do you know your spring bloomers?
Snowdrops
Daffodils
Crocus
Hyacinth
What a delight it is this spring to see my friends welcome babies into their lives- and mine too in the role of tante Johanne!
I’m so excited to meet these wee ones soon: baby Vivienne and my friend Christine will be visiting Toronto next week, and baby Julian and mom Kanwaljeet will be up for a visit in the coming months- he was born just last week. Congratulations to the happy families!
And while we’re on the spring chick topic, surely you heard that Diane von Furstenberg-Â legendary fashion designer known for her iconic print wrap dresses- has done a collaborative collection for little girls with babyGap and Gap Kids?
Here’s our pick for sweet Vivienne and Julian (unfortunately no baby boy goods by DVF but still adorable from babyGap):
DVF <3 babyGap eyelet wrap dress, $73
Onesie for Stripes Day, $14.95 at babyGap
Since Jordana’s travels have been “crossing” the USA this week, I thought it would be fun to showcase her trajectory via the ever-fun typographic city neighbourhood maps known as Ork Posters by artist Jenny Beorkrem.
Jenny’s story about how she started to make these is so cool: back in 2007 she was looking for a good typographic map of Chicago- another one of Jordana’s favourite cities- and couldn’t find one. Read Jenny’s interesting need-turned-business success story here.
Toronto’s Telegramme Prints & Custom Framing– a lovely print shop with locations in Leslieville and on Ossington) offers the prints for $25 a pop, which is so perfect for a just-because gift to a friend.
Jordana’s travels to the USA this week probably started in Toronto:
And I think she then headed straight to Boston:
Jordana ended her trip in lovely and second-hometown to her, NYC!Â
All images courtesy of Ork Posters
I’m really loving this illustrative guide to making brochures.
As someone who is constantly thinking critically about user experiences, this is a really neat poster that illustrates the simple concept that there really is a best form for every function.
Brochure formats via Designer Daily
Are you making a brochure? Here’s a handy link that will take you to free brochure templates you can download and use in your next project. Thanks for finding it, Designer Daily!
Today I’m in absolute awe of the beautiful paper cut art by Elaine Penwell.
The more I look at these beautiful designs, the more I discover this artist’s impressive skill and huge depth of creativity.
I think you’ll like it, too.
Paper cut art work is truly a matter of precision, planning and a very sharp edge.
All cut art work by Elaine Penwell
There’s so much more amazing stuff to see on Elaine’s website; check it out!
This week I’m back with more concept work, this time it’s from designer Niklas Hessman.
Behold: fancy Pringles chips in beautiful packaging!
This is what Niklas has to say about his concept:
“Myself and others feel that there is a lack of a premium Pringles product line. Therefore I decided to design one.
There is also a need for this to compete with other brands and their eco-products like oven baked and farm chips. Also those others with the special flavours. [The outcome] is a product that will stand out from the other Pringles but still have the well-known tube.
Simple and clean packaging design that will work in the Scandinavian market for sure. We also like the idea of branding the product with a little poem instead of photoshop effects.”
Pringles- premium inside and out. Concept design by the talented Niklas Hessman
Since not everyone likes all things in full colour, designer Anton Repponen came up with a new set of iPhone icons for the B&W discerning folks to use. Unfortunately, these only exist in the realm of design and fiction.
Here are more images of what you would get if this was actually downloadable:
All images courtesy of Anton Repponen
My collection of gorgeous white vessels has grown in the last couple of months thanks to the generosity of some of my dear friends.
fruit basket, Anthropologie (Thanks Johanne!)
Bjorn Wiinblad for Rosenthal dish (Thanks Troy!)
C. Wonder ring bowl (gift to myself)
sugar canister (Thanks Indigo & Canadian Design Blogger Meetup!)
Sophie Conran large mixing bowl (Thanks Mom & Dad!)
Photos by Jordana.
Aren’t this amazing energy saver light bulbs lovely all on its own?
Every angle delivers a new twist of light.
Designed by Hulger, the bulb is inspired by a bird’s show feather and boasts an 8,000 hour lifetime emitting a warm white light.
The Plumen bulb is available at MoMA, $30
Has spring sprung yet? (Here neither.)
In the meantime, how about a sculptural tree to add some forever-winter branches to your home? Does that sound too blah? Would you rather see flowers and birds? (Will I ever stop asking questions?)
The Gondor tree (25″ x 22″), made in India and available at CB2, $80 on sale.
See? I have a bird too:
Candle stick bird, available at CB2, $9.95
..are perfect for fun white rubber boots!
Initially designed for sailing use (see that no-slip gum rubber sole?)Â Tretorn Skerry‘s rain boot is, as the website concurs, also perfect for urban escapades.
The Skerry boot has a slip-proof gum rubber, is made PVC-free with a matte finish. The lining is micro fleece and has a removable Eco OrthoLite insole.
Genius and chic.
Tretorn Skerry rubber boots, $36Â on sale
This week I’m sporting a new accessory: a beautiful white hexagonal Kaweco Sport pen given to me by Jordana- White Cabana‘s heart and soul.
Thank you so much Jordana! I love it!
(Isn’t it beautiful!?)
Kaweco is a German company that celebrated 100 years crafting beautiful and functional writing tools meant to be tucked in a pocket and resist leakage.
What first started as a fountain pen company, you can imagine that quite a bit of innovation went into preventing those fountain tips from dripping ink into trousers and petticoats. The Kaweco Sport no-leak fountain pen was introduced in 1913 and marketed to athletes, officers, and ladies, offering the most secure closure for every situation imaginable.
Kaweco continued to offer pens designed for specific markets such as the launch of a ladies’ pen in 1925 and a mechanical pencil in 1934. As the years went on, the Kaweco collection expanded and became something of a best-seller during the 1950s through to the 1970s, as business offices made it their tool of choice and offered it as a special promotional gift to business partners. With increased popularity, special editions of the Sport model appeared in 1965 and additional details like a leather pouch, Kaweco “clock” in a wooden case and a Stoffels handkerchief sweetened the instrument.
You may know that the pen was marketed as a pendant at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games- how stylish indeed!
Despite years of success and style, Kaweco pens went into relative dormancy from the 1980s -1994 until distributor H&M Gutberlet GMBHÂ revived the product line and relaunched it full-force.
The beautiful Kaweco Sport pen model that I received from Jordana was released in 1999 and is a ball point in classic white with gold plated trim. Its simple elegance and compact length really do make it a perfect pen to take on the road- it fits nicely in the tiniest of clutches and looks stylish when it comes out to sign your name on the dotted line.
Even my white cat Groseille likes it:
Groseille takes a sniff (above). He likes!
Bad Kitty! Bad bad bad Kitty!
We stumbled on the La Cienega Art Walk happening this week in Los Angeles and thought we’d share with you some of the discoveries found there, courtesy of NotCot’s feature blog post.
All images courtesy of NotCot (and there’s more where this came from).
Happy New Year!
Are you poking around your home and office clearing out accumulations of stuff to start the new year a few pounds lighter?
We are. And we’re coveting these cool modular shelves by Belgian-Dane Julien De Smedt of JDS Architects for Muuto. Perfect (or painfully obsessive) for the indecisive designer who likes to redesign.
Stacked shelving system designed by JDS Architects for Muuto, available at Design Within Reach
Julien De Smedt explains, “Our projects are humanly designed, politically engaged, financially viable, and structurally realistic.” When asked how he sees the “new Nordic” celebrated by the Danish company Muuto, De Smedt says it is “like an embrace of a southern culture with a northern rigueur.”
In three sizes and held together with strong steel clips, the shelves are the best design storage investment we’ve seen all year. Ha.
Might I recommend watching this neat video I’m now renaming, How Do I Shelve Thee? Let Me Count The Ways-?
[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/27183069 w=400&h=225]
Happy birthday Johanne!
via Greige
I hope your birthday is full of sparkle (and bubbly too, of course)!
Jordana
I really like these dog bookends- they reminded me of my friend Sofia who is a lover of all creatures but has an especially sweet soft spot for dachshunds.
Dachshund book ends, $50 at Urban Barn
Fantastic alternative digi-press BlogTO recently featured archival treasures of our city’s establishments.
Much more can be found at the City of Toronto’s Flickr website.
Here are a few of my favourite shots:
Special thanks to Eric for the story tip.
Wouldn’t you love to skip out of work to spend some quiet time in a beautiful hammam spa in, oh- Istanbul?
The Hammam at the Ciragan Palace Kempinski hotel in Istanbul
You can!
Stay at the beautiful Ciragan Palace Kempinski and enjoy being treated like royalty. Room rates are from about four hundred Euros to EUR 5,200 for the three bedroom corner palace suite.
The Health Club at the Ciragan Palace Kempinski hotel in Istanbul
I just wanted to take a moment to thank Johanne who has filled in for me for the last few days here on the blog.
Tough times are easier to manage when friends and family are there to offer a hand. Johanne – you did just that. Thank you.
A short lesson on how to make an entrance:
Emanuel Ungaro velvet boyfriend blazer, $380 on sale at Outnet
We’re still into animals this week, and really- what’s not to love about our sweet elephant?
Charles and Ray Eames were apparently really into elephants, having documented circuses and their adventures in India, both of which prominently feature the impressive animal. The Eames designed two prototypes made of molded plywood that was too complicated to produce for sale and so were displayed at the MoMA from 1945-6.
We hear that today, only one of the original elephants remains and is privately held by the Eames family. The copycat toy elephant we’re featuring below is made of white polypropylene and is created by the Vitra Design Museum and made in Germany. A perfect toy for the stylish toddler.
Eames Elephant, $290 at Design Within Reach
Ceramic Pug, $38 at Urban Barn
We’re huge fans of patient, obedient dogs, like this Pug (above) and the sweet Golden Retriever at the ready (below):
Good girls!
Ceramic Golden Retriever, $24 at Urban Barn
Have you heard of the CHIP house?
Neither had I until I found it in this feature on Dwell.
What you need to know about the CHIP house:
1. Your instincts are correct: at first glance, it appears to be a giant quilted Chanel handbag:
2. Upon looking inside, we discover innovations in storage and maximizing its bizarre shape:
3. The project is one of the highlights from this year’s Solar Decathlon, an annual program by the US Department of Energy to challenge collegiate teams to “design, build and operate solar-powered houses that are cost-effective, energy efficient and attractive.”
4. The CHIP home arrived to the Washington, DC, event with the help of a team of more than 100 SCI-Arc and Caltech students who designed and built it to promote a new kind of sustainability.
5. CHIP is an acronym for Compact, Hyper-Insulated Prototype.
6. The home is a 750 square foot wonder of tucked-in furniture made of foam for easy wall-lining storage
7. There’s also this great video about the concept and the build.
All images courtesy of Dwell online magazine.
Okay, so I just can’t resist featuring a few Halloween things event though we’re 12 days away from the big scary night.
(I’m telling myself that you’ll need today’s cookie cutters ahead of time in order to arrive on the scene armed with themed treats.)
Behold- Halloween-shaped cookie cutters ($2.50 – $3.95Â at Crate & Barrel), a fun spatula ($9.95), and a really tempting recipe for lemon and rosemary shortbread cookies (to bake with your new cutters!).
And, for the record, I haven’t tried this recipe (yet) but my default amazing go-to recipe for rosemary shortbread is here (I’m thinking that I may just add a few spoonfuls of lemon zest to my tried & true):
These days I’m really into earthy materials and the ceramic chain necklaces by Israeli-born Daniel Zelig are elegant and surely have a lovely weight to them.
Zelig is a bright young graduate of the industrial design program at Israel’s Holen Institute of Technology. Her current accessories collection brings together her two passions: ceramic and jewelry.Â
“Design represents to me the need to think, and is a way of seeing and observing. It is my way to touch people and excite them.” -Daniel Zelig
All images courtesy of Daniel Zelig.
I came across a few fun things for fall over at our fave paper peeps, Paper Source. Is it too early to think about Halloween? Maybe it is.
Well, in that case, how about this fun glow-in-the-dark glitter? It’s probably the coolest thing I’ve seen in crafts in a while, but, then again, I’m not often searching for crafty how-tos (I remember getting very excited when I found out about pinking scissors). It comes as little surprise that the ghostly glitter is made by the creative genius that is Martha and her design team.Â
Glow-in-the-dark glitter, $15.95 at Paper Source
Â
I would use the glow-in-the-dark glitter on my face and body for party play (well now!) but I suppose it’s really meant for paper crafts and other projects.
Since it’s a grainy, powdery texture, you’ll need glue or stamp ink to affix it to your creations. I think it would be a lovely coating to a birch tree branch display indoors or out, or glued to pinecone tips for a table centrepiece this fall. Of course, it would easily light up any old tired mask or costume for a Halloween surprise.
Any thoughts as to how you would use it?
This weekend I had the pleasure of being introduced to Diana, a royalty of sorts.
Born in the ’60s with a bargain price tag of about $1, the plastic Diana seemed like a bad idea out of Hong Kong’s Great Wall Plastics Factory. Perhaps she was ahead of her time: Diana’s charm lies in her unpredictably gritty and raw renditions of what glosses over the viewfinder. Diana’s film tells stories are sometimes blurry, colours saturated and dark shadows sometimes creep from the edges of the frame.
Well, well. Guess who rose to fame in her posthumous days as a cult fave now fully back in production?
Today Diana is still a steal with a starting price tag of a mere $59 for the Elderweiss model and comes in every colour, finish, and lens play you can think of- and then some. Might we recommend checking out what all the fancy Diana-toting peeps are doing with theirs? Those who have one are quite excited about it.
I really liked her in white at Toronto’s Lomography store. Here are a few pics of me and various Dianas taken on a non-Diana cam (but that may very well change-!).
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Images courtesy of yours truly.
We noticed that white ash is making quite a splash this fall in the new designer collection lineups.
The white ash tree, also known as the American Ash, grows widely from south eastern Canada, throughout the eastern United States all the way down to Florida. You’ve probably seen it growing in parks in Ontario or Quebec and didn’t realize that not only is this tree thriving, but its strength properties make it an ideal choice for everyday items such as baseball bats, flooring, tool handles and furniture.
The White Ash tree (in B&W), also known as American Ash. Read more here
White ash bark
Today’s feature furniture pieces are good ol’ classics that never looked softer: we’re coveting the Eames lounge chair and ottoman in white ash, as well as the timeless Noguchi table:
Eames Louge chair and ottoman in white ash wood and pearl leather, $5,729 at Design Within Reach
Noguchi table in white ash, $1,489 at Design Within Reach
Special thanks to White Cabana reader Eric for the story idea.
I’m back!
Okay, so I know you haven’t really missed me since Jordana’s been doing a fine job keeping up with the White Wednesday content for me while I took a momentary leave. Well, I just adore this blog and I really couldn’t stay away any longer- so here I am and so happy to be in white again.
This week I’d like to share with you these fantastic silhouettes blown up as novel posters from over at NovelPoster:
Can you identify the classic novels based on their illustrated outlines? (answers below)
The elegant posters are a nice an’ easy $30 a pop and would spice up any space, but probably best in that cozy spot for curling up with a good ol’ classic.
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Answers:
Novel posters featured, clockwise from top right: Nineteen Eighty-Four, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Ragtime, and The Great Gatsby.
Exactly one year ago today I welcomed Johanne as White Cabana’s first contributor. She has brought interesting products and witty commentary to the pages of this blog ever since. She’s been my blogging coach since day one (here and at Fashion in Motion) and I am absolutely grateful and thankful to call her a friend too.
I wish I could have written a song in her honor today but she’s the musician out of this bunch so it’s best to leave the singing (and ukulele playing) up to her.
ukulele, Amazon
Happy one year Johanne!
by Johanne
I’m quite smitten with today’s house ring by Melbourne, Australia-based designer Michael Ong of Michael Ong Design Office (MODO).
I love that the house ring is internally 3-D and if you are a miniature person, you can now live on someone’s finger. It’s kind of like living in a motor home, right?
Images courtesy of Michael Ong Design Office (MODO).
by Johanne
I know that like me, you’ve been wondering what to do with all that butcher paper you’ve got lying around.
Well, don’t I have a project for you: a lovely spring paper flower wreath!
Project by Alisa Burke where you’ll find the easiest step-by-step how-to photos and instructions for making the wreath.
And maybe it’s just me but gosh, we could use these lovely paper rosettes in so many ways: corsages for guests at your next brunch, decorations on each plate for dinner or strewn across the table, sitting pretty on a paper napkin ring, or as an accent on a bottle of bubbly offered as a gift. And etc. and etc.!
Happy paper flower day!
by Johanne
With Easter just over one week away, we thought it was high time we featured a few themed items.
Here’s what’s making us think in pastels this month at Crate & Barrel:
Earthenware egg platter, $24.95
Porcelain egg crate, $6.95
Bunny and carrot cookie cutter set, $3.95
Stencil set: chick, bunny, butterfly, $5.95
by Johanne
There’s something very cool about Nervous System‘s jewelry collection, “Hyphae.”
The design house does various household, jewelry, art and oh, you know, they like to grow rhizome-like 3D networks of nylon and enable them to interweave into beautiful jewelry that mimics human and plant circulatory systems. That’s all.
(!!!)
Nylon being what it is, the Hyphae jewelry pieces are incredibly light and flexible, so these puppies will be comfortable despite looking structurally solid. Of course we’re fascinated by the branching networks that are easily identifiable in the Hyphae collection’s cuffs, necklaces, rings and earrings.
Nature is so beautiful, isn’t it?
Rhizome cuff grown from 4 root points intertwined into a unified network, $75
Vessel earrings, $32
Mini Hyphae cuff, $55
Hyphae ring, small size, $28
River bangle, $70
Check out Nervous System’s site to watch the video as to how the Hyphae collection is made.
Images courtesy of Nervous System.
by Johanne
But of course we adore Lacoste– the brand is always so fresh and so clean.
This April we’re excited to see new pieces designed in collaboration with French fashion designer Catherine Malandrino.
Malandrino brings a sexy chicness to the heritage and timelessly cool vibe that is all things Lacoste. Described as a fusion of “masculine sportif with a feminine perspective,” we think this capsule collection will spring off the shelves in no time.
Today, a sneak peek:
The collection will be available at Holt Renfrew across Canada and at Lacoste stores.
by Johanne
This Wednesday we’d like to acquaint you with What I Saw Today, a fascinating peek into what designer and illustrator Richard Haines sees every day on the streets of New York City.
You will surely recognize Richard’s hand: he is an illustrator currently working with clients J.Crew and In Style magazine, among others.
Here we’ll feature but a handful of his black & white sketches from his recent sightings at New York Fashion Week. We highly recommend skipping over to Richard’s site and checking out more of his B&W and colourful sketches.
Below, we’ve ‘named’ each illustration with the name of the blog post and any text that accompanies it as it appears on Richard’s blog.
I sketch her.
and life goes on.
Observations @ Patrik Ervell: Thick Sole Boat Shoes, Jumpsuits…
Malcom McLaren, Arena Looks.
Visited Kelly Armendariz @ Splatterpool Artspace The Other Day…
Check out all the cool stuff they have going on here:
All images courtesy of What I Saw Today by Richard Haines.
Thank you to my friend David for introducing me to Richard’s beautiful world.
by Johanne
What’s not to love of these cagey wedges designed by young Brazilian designer Andreia Chaves?
Belonging in Chaves’ Invisible Shoe collection, these are the Naked Shoe, presumably because much of your foot will play peek-a-boo in these puppies. We think they’re ab fab and we love the product images.
The shoes are handmade in Italy and lined with leather to be comfortable despite their structural laser-cut outer shell.
Chaves also created the beautiful mirrored Invisible Shoe:
Images courtesy of Andreia Chaves.
by Johanne
This past weekend I had the pleasure of visiting my friend and White Cabana creator, Jordana, in London, Ont.
It’s easy to see why Jordana has made London her home over the past few years- there is an abundance of white here!
Jordana was very encouraging as I practiced seeing white everywhere.
Here are some of my favourite white moments from my white weekend with Jordana:
Branches of raw cotton at London’s charming Market
Jordana checking out beautiful water at the Market
White detailing on the packaging of Dry Soda water
A white portable ethanol fireplace, $758
Gorgeous white leather office chair, $302 on sale
Caffé latté art at Coffee Culture
Pouffy bridal dress in store window for London’s princesses
More bridal dresses with white poufs!
Even the cars are painted white and topped with fresh snow in London!
White and classic black made-by-Jordana art
at Jordana’s lovely home
Delicious sushi with white rice and creamy white napkin
Going for a (wh)nite on the town!
Jordana knows white: white t-shirt, plate, table, etc.
at the local diner for brunch
Me, I see white but I’m not fully white – yet!-. Wearing bright pink
but I did order a white wrap with sour cream for brunch!
A white snowman and snowcat greeted me home
in Toronto upon my return
Thank you so much Jordana for a fantastic weekend! I love being on this white adventure with you!
xoxo
Johanne
by Johanne
It’s no secret that we love Urban Barn.
We’ve featured the Canadian company countless times here on White Cabana, probably because we think the products are fun and trendy and we’ve got experience with them ourselves as long-time customers.
Today we’re featuring these lovely Fornasetti paperweights currently available at UB. We all know that Jordana has a bit of a thing for Fornasetti– the Milanese artist has been featured here before to much swooning and acclaim.
For those of us who are on a budget and can’t afford (yet) a Fornasetti print, plate, sculpture, etc., these paperweights at Urban Barn feature iconic Fornasetti images and are a great entry-point into the style and beauty that defines the designer’s career. At $3 each for the small paperweights “Tea” and “Eye,” and $15 for the larger “Visage” piece, there’s no reason to skip these for yourself or as a gift for someone special.
Images courtesy of Urban Barn.
by Johanne
Roche Bobois is synonymous with luxurious home furnishings to the point of ridiculously amazing.
These days, collaborations between designers and thinkers are happening across industries and it’s no surprise to find French fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier’s signature on a selection of Roche Bobois furniture and home accessories.
Today we’re featuring highlights from the collaborative offerings, which we’d describe as envisioned for a French rock-and-roll goth sailor tycoon.
Bouroullec brothers Ronan and Erwan feature show in Bordeaux, France, until March 27, 2011
Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec are France’s hottest young designers right now.
With commissions to design for Alessi and Vitra, the brothers have made quite a name for themselves over the years. Their fun and -dare we say ‘organic’- take on furniture is light-hearted and modern.
album is the Bouroullec brothers’ first exhibition in France as a duo and is currently on show in Bordeaux at the Arc en rêve d’architecture until March 27, 2011. The exposition is a glimpse into the creative process leading up to today and inspiring what the future may bring from these two.
“Arranged thematically in six exhibition areas, album presents around 800 framed pieces – from documents and inspirational drawings to archive photographs – referencing everything from industrial product design to architecture.
“A key aim was to present the documents on one level, regardless of their content or the work they may relate to, and as such each visual is framed in exactly the same way regardless of whether the subject is a sketch for an item of furniture or a photograph of a finished building. The whole effect is both a unified and multi-faceted look at all the projects and approaches that coexist at any one time in their studio.”
You may not instantly remember the Bouroullec brothers’ work and to help jog your memory, we thought you’d probably remember seeing this 2008 Vegetal Chair that the duo designed for Vitra (which received much acclaim and press since its inception):
by Johanne
What could be more fresh at this time of year then a bouquet of daisies?
Daisy flower kit, $16.95 at Paper Source
These lovelies are made of paper by you!
The daisy kit includes all the materials and instructions to make four large flowers and four smaller ones, daisies are pre-cut but yours to assemble using paper, floral tape and wire.
The daisy kit contents
Give them out one at a time or enjoy them as a bouquet.
by Johanne
Since I’ve already shared with you how much fun you can have with a hearty hole punch, how about a heart-shaped font to use and print on your paper?
Lovedrops is a font made of hearts and it is available for free for personal use (like Valentines, love letters, or everyday correspondence- why not?):
Here is where you’ll find the Lovedrops font for download.
Thanks to How About Orange for featuring this font- we <3 it!
Image courtesy of FontSpace.
by Johanne
This hole punch sends our hearts a-flutter:
The Heart Hole Punch, $18 at Urban Outfitters
What’s even better is that:
1) its punched-out holes fit standard binders world-wide
2) it comes in red (!) a colour we love here at White Cabana, and
3) the punched-out hearts make adorable confetti:
You’ll always have confetti on hand with a heart hole punch!
Images courtesy of Urban Outfitters.
by Johanne
I love a fondue and I love it even more when I enjoy one with guests.
Gala fondue set, $39.95 at Crate & Barrel
Personal-sized fondue set for two, $18 at Cooking.com
Trudeau Tulip fondue set, $26 at Cooking.com
Pfaltzgraff fondue set, $32 at Cooking.com
And in case you’re inspired (like we are) here’s a quick link to a traditional 3-cheese fondue recipe.
Images courtesy of Cooking.com and Crate & Barrel.
