In less than a month, I will be traveling across Japan. I cannot wait! While shopping is not the purpose of the trip, I will visit a few design shops. One of the stores that is high on my list is Fog Linen Work. I discovered this superb raw linen collection last fall.

Even though you can buy the collections at selected retailers across the United States and Canada, it is not the same as shopping at the designer’s shop. I cannot wait to see up close the kitchen linens designed by Yumiko Sekine.

A Must-Have Magazine

I read on La Tartine Gourmande about the latest magazine that Fog Linen Work produced. It features creators around the world that introduce their life with fog linen. The concept is awesome. You can check out a digest to get an idea of the bilingual magazine (japanese and english).

As far as I know, each creator took the set of pictures. You will get a glimpse of the creative universe of Maria Alexandra Vettese, Ryan and Alissa of Horne, Julie Baine of Pod, clay artist Rae Dunn, photographer Marisa Shimamoto, photographer Jennifer Causey, photographer Jenny Hallengren, Sally Yang of DWR, textile designer and illustrator Lena Corwin, stylist Elodie Rambaud, designer Lotta Jansdotter, and food photography and stylist Beatrice Peltre.

MORE:
+ Around the Fog magazine – march 2010 issue 945 yen
+ Fog Linen Work
+ other photos: La Tartine Gourmande

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With my trip to Japan planned for next month, I am inspired by what is made in Japan. Hidetoshi Takahashi has built a strong reputation for his exquisite wood work. His studio located in Asahikawa, Japan. Luckily for you, you will not need to go to Japan to get your hands on many of the tableware he produced. They are available from a NYC online retailer, Merchant4.

Hidetoshi Takahashi worked with Japanese tableware designers, mainly Rina Ono and Masanori Oji to create exquisite cups, plates, trays and bowls. As you can see from the pictures, the collection at Merchant4 fits the western eating habits while maintaining the Asian flair.

Hidetoshi Takahashi uses Castor Aralia wood and applies a food-safe polyurethane coating inside. For now, Merchant4 carries Cara and Kami. They shared on their blog that new items are coming soon. I am looking forward for the ice cream cups and goblets.

SOURCING:
+ Hidetoshi Takahashi’s Cara cup and bowl $44 to $52 USD at Merchant4
+ Hidetoshi Takahashi’s Kami cups $30 to $42 USD at Merchant4
+ photo: Breakfast set by Masanori Oji (Oji & Design)
+ photo: Kami collection by Oji & Design
+ photo: Cara collection by Rina Ono
+ other photos: Hidetoshi Takahashi

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Holly of Decor8 introduced these gorgeous lamps this morning. I love them. They are the creations of a British girl called Jo who now lives in Canberra, Australia.

Jo chronicles her work on a blog. Her company is named The Owls are Hunting. She specializes in handmade, vintage inspired lamps and lampshades. They ship worldwide on request, if you are interested.

+ The Owls are Hunting’s online shop $80-$120

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I love sitting next to a fireplace. If you are looking for something spectacular, check out the modern fireplace and stove from Conmoto, a German fireplace maker. Their fireplaces often look like piece of furniture.

Carsten Gollnick designed a vertical fireplace with a companion wood storage unit. The combustion chamber of Gate is suspended to float in the matt, anthracite-coated steel plate. I think it looks edgy in a subtle way.

What about a 360 degrees swiveling stove for wood to create an atmosphere! The Turn fireplace locks in position at set increments. Prefect for people who lives in loft or with a open space dining and living space, you can enjoy the fire from several angles. This design by Schweiger & Viererbl won the 2009 Good Design Award in the Household products category.

If you are interested to buy those, I saw that Unica Home carries some of fireplaces and fireplace accessories by Conmoto but I did not see these two models on their online catalogue.

+ Conmoto Gate Fireplace
+ Conmoto Turn Fireplace

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I love cleverly made 2 in 1 design products. I could not pass this one. Måns Salomonsen designed a brilliant one with Cocoon. Made of clay, it is a herb planter that cools down the shell the fruit bowl as the water evaporates. Did I mention that it is beautiful!

Sadly, the Web site of this Swedish designer lacks information on the product. There is no way to know if this is only a prototype, or if there is a way to buy it. Many design bloggers introduced Cocoon last week but no one mentioned if or where we can buy it.

I wish to thank publicly my friend Corinne who tipped me about this awesome space saver kitchen accessories.

+ Måns Salomonsen – photography by Martin Gustavsson

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If you are looking for a Wow factor at a party, this is it! This is a brilliant idea from the French designer Stephanie Marin. It is available in three formats. You can display a bush or gather a few to form a tiny forest. Made with beech, the taller party dish is strong enough to hold an apple.

SOURCING:
+ Smarin Mangier – Arbre à manger 75,00 € for the small party dish
+ images: Stephanie Marin

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It is a great start for Fellina Sok-Cham. Winner of a student design contest, her Espresso set is a best seller at the MoMA store. This set is ingenious. The bamboo serving tray doubles as the support for the inset bamboo saucers. The spoon nests in the cup. The kit includes 6 porcelain cups and the spoons.

+ Espresso Set by Fellina Sok-Cham $48 USD, members $43.20

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The husband and wife team Anna & Andrew Hellman relies on an international group of designers and artisans to make thoughtfully designed objects for the table. Their latest creation is the cutest bread basket I came across so far. It is made of felt and it ships flat.

With the holes, I do not think this bread basket is suitable for long storage. My guess is that it is designed more to carry the bread but it is so cute. I feel it looks like a present.

The assembled version stays upright. It even hold its shape when the front is opened to access what is inside. A bread basket will hold four bagels or a round country bread. It will become available this Spring in soft white, spring green, deep brown and quiet grey. They planned to reveal later an Autumn color collection. The Avva Felt Breadbasket was designed by Josh Jakus of Berkeley, California and it is produced for Teroforma by Buffalo Felt from Buffalo, New York.

+ Avva Felt Breadbasket by Teroforma

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For his baskets, the Finnish designer Mika Tolvanen imagined simple lines. The shape is obtained by covering a soft shelf with polymer felt made from PET bottles. The baskets feel cozy and inviting. They are big enough to store or carry inside your home your favorite magazines, toys or even a small batch of firewood. The Restore baskets for Muuto were launched late fall 2009. It comes in five colors: purple, light grey, dark grey, green, blue.

SOURCING:
+ Restore Baskets for Muuto $145 USD
+ Muuto

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As we visited the Interior Design Show in Toronto last weekend, one trend that is still going strong is the tree barks and branches. My husband and I were happy since our banister design is inspired by branches.

The Swedish design Jakob Solgren put it at a new level with his stylish teapot. I love it. At €1,500 a piece, “Wood You Like a Cup of Tea” seems more like a piece of art than an object you will use on a daily basis. He only produced five. The green ceramic leaf reminds me of the delicious Tea Aura’s matcha green tea cookies.

+ via Coolhunting

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This table feels so right for an early morning post. The concept is fun for brainstorming – something we often do my husband and I – or to occupy the kids that come for a visit. Di Wu designed the table with eight slide boards. A duster to clean the chalkboard hides under one board. Simply slide one board and start writing.

One small detail: that coffee has been sitting there too long to please me.

+ Via Yanko design

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Margriet Foolen has freshen up the tagine like no one did before. The Slowcooker she designed for Royal VKB is a mix between the traditional Moroccan tagine and the Dutch stewing pot. It rustic and modern at the same time.

It is made of two interlocking bowls that can be turned upside down at will. You put the food in the bowl that fits the best the amount of food you need. I feel it is a cookware that fits the lifestyle of singles or couples. Use the white lid if you cook for one. If you cook for 2 or 3 persons, put the food in the big terracotta bowl instead. Then, use 2 or 3 slowcookers when you cook for a larger group.

Margriet imagined a design that simplifies our life. The top and bottom silicone rings protect your table from the heat of the hot cooker. The coolest feature is that you can cook the dish and eat it from the same pot. The glazed white lid can act as a plate for one. It’s perfect if you do not like to do the dishes or if you live in a small place.

Lastly, the slowcooker also promotes healthy eating habits. Before cooking, immerse the big terracotta bowl to capture the moisture. Doing so reduces, when it not eliminates, the need to add oil or fat to your dish. I would still add a little bit of oil for taste.

The slowcooker is in nomination for the Wallpaper* Design Awards 2010 in the Best Domestic Design category. It also won a red dot Award (product design 2008). Here are more Royal VKB products that I like.

MORE:
+ Slowcooker for Royal VKB designed by Margriet Foolen $64 USD at A+R Store
+ photo: Wallpaper

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