This chair designed by Jessica Nebel rocks! The Rocking Cube represents more than an ordinary rocking chair. The seat area originates from the formal gesture of pushing the material through the body of the object. The wooden veneer at the inner side of the chair creates warmth and coziness. Foam is used to create softness at the appropriate places. This chair doesn’t only look great but is comfortable as well!
German designer Jessica Nebel is a postgraduate student at the Royal College of Art. She has already worked for various design companies and has won several awards. Visit Jessica’s website for more information and to see her other designs.
This is better that the basic wine cooler! With the Nice Ice cooler you can build you own bottle chiller. Fill the mold with water, freeze for 24 hours, then remove to create a gorgeous wine cooler made of ice. For a stunning effect, you can throw in some fruit, food colouring and more before freezing. Or you can place a candle inside after frozen to create a dazzling light display.
Filled with for example red berries or Christmas ornaments, this would look great on your Christmas table. Just use your imagination! Available from Dutch by Design for €24,50 / $29,50. They ship world-wide!
This folding table, designed by Dror, is perfect for people living in small houses. Through a simple unfolding motion a beautiful clean surface table is transformed into a functional workspace within seconds.
New York based Studio Dror, is an extension of designer Dror Benshetrit’s work. Educated at the Eindhoven Design Academy, Dror developed a unique style of design that is evident in each project he adopts. He thrives on the origin of movement, while focusing on innovation with new uses of materials, technology and shapes. Studio Dror’s mission is to articulate the complex meanings of objects in the simplest of ways. Check out Dror’s website for more information and to see his other designs.
Floyd Paxton is the designer of this clever lamp. Zoom can be transformed from a small compact table lamp to a spectacular chandelier. The mechanism works like an accordion, ranging between 20 and 130 cm. The result of this is not only various design possibilities, but also a wide variety of lighting effects. If the shape of the pendant lamp is changed, then the light changes too.
The larger version, Zoom XL, is an impressive chandelier for bigger spaces such as reception halls and stair cases. You can adjust the diameter yourself, anything between 40 and 260 cm is possible. Zoom is available from Ambiente Direct. For more information you can visit the website of serien.lighting, the manufacturer of this gorgeous lamp.
Designer Susan Bijl is the winner of this year’s Deshima Award. This award is meant to recognize extraordinary achievement of Dutch companies with regard to the Japanese market.
The Dutch designer, who was also present at 100% DESIGN Tokyo, is well known for her New Shopping Bag. This reusable bag, made from heavy duty kite-grade nylon, gives a solution to the enviromental unfriendly plastic bags. This way we can shop with a clear consciense and still be fashionable, as the bag comes in various vibrant colour combinations. Go to the colour matrix on Susan’s website and choose your favourite colour combo.
The New Shopping bag is already very hot in Japan. Recently featured in Nylon and Real Simple magazine, I wonder if the US will be the next country that will fall for Bijl’s colourful designs?
After graduating from the Design Academy, Dutch designer Karin van Lieshout started up her Eindhoven based design studio in 2001. Karin’s design philosophy is that as much focus should be on the meaning of things and their cultural and emotional value as on the technological process. Inspired by handcraft, combined with new materials her goal is to develop products with a visual elegance.
The gorgeous chair Sea-urchin (right photo) and lamp Dandelion natural (left photo) were created together with Rachel van Outvorst. Don’t you just love that chair? I do, but I have a thing for ‘bubble chairs’ (see my previous post about the Kata chair by Enzo Berti).
This handmade hammock was also designed in cooperation with Rachel van Outvost. Karin about her designs: “With a lot of patience we were rewarded with beautiful new structures”. Visit Karin’s website for more information and to see her full collection.
First row, from left to right:
• Polli Gold Succulent pendant necklace (€30/$37, at Polli)
• O-Living Zwiebel vase (€25/$36, at Relish)
• Thomas Paul Pavillion silk pillow (€30/$42, at Greenergrassdesign)
• Mirror that tells you how beautiful you are (€49/$60, at POAA)
• Susan Bijl shopping bag (€18/$22, at Susan Bijl)
Second row, from left to right:
• Marcel Wanders birdhouse (€50/$60, at POAA)
• Izola shower curtain (€39/$48, at POAA)
• Tord Boontje candle shade (€39/$48, at POAA)
• Vlaemsch Roedeer (€45/$55, at POAA)
• Simone Walsh leaf pendant on green silk (€32/$46 at Etsy)
Third row, from left to right:
• Bird on Cherry Blossom pillow (€14/$20, at Etsy)
• Polli Gold Streams earrings (€27/$33, at Polli)
• Tord Boontje teacup (€ 19/$23, at POAA)
• Moleskine city note books (€12/$17 at Flight 001)
• Opalescent teacups (€26/$36 at Rare Device)
Fourth row, from left to right:
• Anne Black porcelain earrings (€33/$46, at Greenergrassdesign)
• Ineke Hans bowl with spoon (€15/$18, at Vivid)
• Studio Job tea towel (€15/$18, at Vivid)
• Kathryn Riechert Posey bracelet with text (€26/$36 at SCAD)
• Laptop cover protector (€28/$40 at Relish)
Fifth row, from left to right:
• Charles Kaiser glasses made from recycled glass (€50/$60, at Charles Kaiser)
• Feinedinge cup & saucer with quote (€32/$45, at Peek Keep)
• Leah Nobilette Ceramic textured vase (€32/$45, at Relish)
• Normann cognac glasses (€36/$44, at Scandinavian Design Centre)
• Simone Walsh forget me not earrings (€26/$36 atEtsy)
Almost every blog has it’s own gift guide and of course The Style Files can not stay behind. Today I will post some Gift Ideas for Friends (€ 0 – 50). If you would like to spend more on gifts, check out the Gift Ideas for GOOD Friends (€ 50 – 100) which will be posted later this week. And if you would like to splurge on your friends and family, then wait for the Gift Ideas for VERY GOOD Friends (€ 100 – 250).
All gift suggestions can be bought online and in most cases world-wide shipping is available. Prices will be given in euros as well as in US dollars. I have tried to find an original and diverse selection of gifts. I hope these ideas will help you to select a unique present for your loved ones. Enjoy them and let it be the start of a wonderful holiday season!
Have you found the perfect gift? Please share it with us!
July Throw, designed by Marcel Wanders, is part of the moooi collection. It is a saviour of old couches and a possibility to create new and warm visual quality in your house within the range of small budgets. Throw is the “no-go” in the design industry and an exciting pleasure therefore to present anyhow. The throw can also be used as a tablecloth. Combined with red and/or black plates, I think this would make a great and original tablecloth for a Christmas dinner table! Available from online design store POAA.
