>> dwell on design 2011

I just got back from this year's Dwell on Design exhibition in downtown Los Angeles, which was a pretty good showing! The guy up there in the Sleeper get-up is spray painting the rhythm of random people's heart beats and then auctioning off the artwork for charity. Here are few pics of items and designs that caught my eye.

A+R's genius Hot-Pot BBQ by Black + Blum and great wireless portable speakers also at the A+R booth.

Rewired and re-purposed shoe lamps (?) and Heath's house number plates, which are to die for.

Minimalist loose-leaf tea strainer and ceramic speakers by Joey Roth.

Molo Design's lighting booth was pretty dreamy and loved this pendant cage lamp.

Public Bikes out in full-force!

LOVED these cast honey bears by Lesley Anton. So cute!

Nice lookin' hammocks. Nice lamp?

Charley Harper + Todd Oldham, so great.

>> sheryl crow has a tepee

Scans of her Hollywood Hills home from the March issue of Architectural Digest. Landscape design by Johnny Appleseed, tepee by Earthworks.

>> three wreaths

Setaria and Purple Majesty wreath ($64); Golden Cedar and Birch wreath ($68); Mahogany wreath ($40), all from Terrain, all all-natural.

>> anzfer farms

I have a new design crush on the The San Francisco studio Anzfer Farms, especially because of these Lock and Key chairs made from reclaimed plywood.

>> vertical planter

I'm particularly fond of this vertical garden ($178) because it doesn't read too contemporary as a lot of them do. This wool pocket planter is framed with rustic wood and 100% recycled fiber. How cool would it be full of herbs just outside your kitchen or even in your kitchen? This one is 24" high by 22" wide, but there are other sizes available here.

>> two things

RGB's new color "Punch" ($14) and a Filson shot shell bag ($34).

>> simple summer goodness

Fair trade fire sticks ($4.50) handmade in Guatemala from the stumps of Ocote trees; recycled enamel bbq ($195) akin to a traditional west African cooker; recycled glass storm lantern ($11).

>> claire nereim

I'm loving this L.A.-based artist Claire Nereim and her etsy shop a whole lot! Especially these two 19" x 25" forever calendars that list month numbers next to the corresponding blooming flower, such a cool idea! Left: California flowering trees ($50); right: native California wildflowers ($50)—although I feel like I've been seeing a lots of 3's this 5.

>> merkled pot rack

How cool is The Merkled Pot Rack ($325)!? It's made from salvaged steel loom ends collected from a weaving company ten blocks from the Merkled's Portland studio. Apparently the powder coated Merkled Pot Rack can hold the lightest whisk to the heaviest cast iron skillet. It comes in the standard L-shape for corner installations or a U shape for over an island and in white, orange or the above ice blue.

>> tom dixon offcut stool

I've been design crushing on Tom Dixon since his copper pendant lamps hit the scene four or five years ago and it's not waning, at all. His new offcut stools ($235) are constructed from furniture waste generated during the manufacturing process. The legs are usually discarded irregular pieces of wood called "waney edges". Plus, no glue or screws are used, it's all held together using wooden pegs. Totally utilitarian. Love it.

>> lisa bengtsson baronessa trays

Gorgeous ($65). Perfect for use as a table topper or serving tray. Measures 18" diameter and made from sustainable wood.

>> venice beach

Linus Roadster Classic ($389); vintage Hang Ten decal ($35); Keep it Neil tee ($60); vintage Zippees skateboard ($125); classic Freestyle Shark watch ($55); vintage ceramic potter ($50); Almond unisex hoodie ($47); Peace needlepoint pillow ($165); Quick Humps surf wax ($2 each); Hemp Vans ($42-$52); The Best of The Rip Chords ($10 on iTunes); cross hatch bowl ($30).

>> gibson

I finally got into the Gibson showroom on Beverly Blvd. today, which is curated by high-end interior designer Gary Gibson as a little side project to his residential and commercial design business. What a gem! I couldn't believe it's been around for five years or so and I had never been in. Seriously, I could have easily spent hours in there looking at all the relics, furniture, antiques and art from all over the world. My camera battery was nearly dead on arrival, but I still managed to snap a good amount of photos. 7350 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles.

>> the great outdoors

If I had a cabin, I think I'd need all these things. Mason jar fly trap ($24); 48 star American flag ($32); Quill pens ($28-$32); Metal and Rope pendant lamp ($628); Ikat pillow; ($400+); Painted stone duck ($228); Twig birdhouse ($18); Ethel's gardening gloves ($18); Vintage deer antlers on wooden plaque ($125); Cedar smudge sticks ($7 for three).

>> stanley + sons

I'm love-love-loving the Brooklyn-based artisan apron and bag maker Stanley & Sons, which re-launched in 2008 by the grandson of founder Stanley Grodzki. The company designs aprons and bags by hand from materials ranging from rare denim fabrics, sail cloth, blankets and even U.S. military tent canvas. Dope! Prices vary, contact them for availability. If you're in L.A., an assortment of bags supposedly just landed at Mohawk General store in Echo Park.

>> what's inside: Alexandra Becket + Greg Steinberg

Yesterday afternoon I sipped iced tea with textile artist Alexandra Becket in her fabulous newly remodeled house in West Hollywood. She and her fiancé Greg spent the better part of last year working on stripping walls, razing the garage, demo-ing the tiled roof and putting in a new kitchen, bathrooms, landscape—and of course scouring estate sales and flea markets for those perfect accents. He loves Tiki Modern and she loves Mid Century, two styles that happily marry in an L.A. home. While hanging out with Alexandra, I felt like I was hanging with Los Angeles history because she is the granddaughter of Welton Becket, the architect who designed The Capitol Records building, LAX, The Beverly Hilton, The Cinerama Dome...is there a major architectural landmark in L.A. that he didn't design? It was really cool to hear her stories. Thanks Alexandra!

Above photo is a shot of her studio office located in their garage. Becket has sold textile designs to Trina Turk and Anthropologie to name just a few clients. She also has had her artwork displayed at DWR.

Alexandra and Greg landscaped with mostly drought-friendly plants.




The fireplace was painted white when Greg moved into the home in the 1990s, they stripped it and found beautiful 1920s tiling by Ernest Batchelder!

Tiki, the cat, prefers Danish Modern.


A LIFE magazine from 1956 sits in their living room. The cover story is a Palm Springs home that Welton Becket designed for a mechanical engineer. What you're looking at is a rotating sun deck apparatus for even tanning. Ah, the 1950s! Check the dog in the middle!

>> molly mutt dog duvets

Every time, without fail, when laundry is on the floor, Harrison gets right on top of it and takes a nap. With that said, I think I just found her dream bed! It's a great concept by Molly Mutt where you stuff old clothes or towels you don't want anymore into a mesh stuff sack ($10-$15) and then cover that with a cute little dog duvet ($20-$45). In the end it's a LOT cheaper than most dog beds and if you have a dog like ours that is often kept awake by non-existing raccoons at night, this may be just the thing.

>> custom bikes by republic

This is SO COOL! You can customize a bike online in the same fashion that you can a pair of Chucks. Republic Bike offers online customization of fixed/single gear Aristotle bikes. Most combinations I tried added up to $399 + shipping, which is a helluva deal for a custom bike. Check it out!

>> watch the birdie

I'm enamored with Bill Samios' Watch the Birdie birdhouse ($400). It's hand silk-screened birch plywood and references the effect the military can have on the natural environment, specifically birds. I'm not going to lie, I just think it looks really really cool.