A Designer Looks at Art, Architecture and Everything
I recently bought this Bill 60w Table Light for use in my office; my prior table light was a Tizio by Artemide.
Having the on/off switch on the handle is a nice detail as it allows you to easily turn the lamp on in darker conditions. The base is ridiculously heavy and has an ample diameter. No fears about the light going anywhere! $362
I like the Jane Lamp for a writing desk. The on/off button in Wenge is a nice touch and I prefer the cord in brown.
Independent Fabrication are designers and fabricators of custom handmade bike frames. Located in Somerville Massachusetts, they offer a variety of bike types, Road, Mountain, Touring and Cyclocross. Materials range from steel, titanium and carbon fiber. Take a look at their new 2008 bike catalog of custom bliss — love the dark theme and the image on the cover.
Ti Crown Jewel
IF is the only frame builder shotpeening their titanium frames. What does shotpeening do for your frame? The process imparts residual compressive stress which counteracts the tensile stresses created in the cutting and welding processes. The result: fatigue strength doubles.
Silver IF head tube badge. Also available in solid gold. $2000
Razor sharp transitions between paint colors.
IF can paint your bike any color you want, in any design you can think of. Check out their site to see custom paint jobs galore. Submit your own design or work with them on a collaboration.
The Somerville Castle
Thinking about getting a custom bike built for yourself? Inquire with your local bike shop to start the process. All I can say is working with Joe and crew at IF was a breeze! Read more: here’s a recent inteview with IF at bikeradar.com
Resolute lighting features clean lines and fastidious details. Their fixtures are designed and manufactured in Seattle. They have a showroom for designers and customers located downtown; stop in and get inspired for your next project.
One of my favorites (it’s hard to choose because there are so many great designs) is the “quietly elegant” Cloud 2 pendant.
Belgian ceramic artist Piet Stockmans creates fine porcelain objects in white and blue. The vast majority of his designs feature eggshell thin white porcelain with minimal accents of blue. He recently updated his website, Studio Pieter Stockmans, which includes extensive samples of the studio and art collections.
The image above features two beakers in white. Stockmans designed these cups for the German jeweler Niessing.
Stockmans makes a series called globules in which two sizes of beakers and a low bowl are sprinkled with blue dots.
Visit Dinosaur Designs for all sorts of objects created in resin. This is one of my favorite shops in The Strand Arcade, Sydney. Yes, the shop is quite tiny, but it’s filled wall to wall and floor to ceiling with amazing creations. Trust me, you’ll need several visits to take it all in. Their website now features an online store that has a sampling of their different lines.
