"Foto" Table Lamp: These table lamps have elements that reference older-style photographic lights. They look like square Fresnels, complete with barn doors, and tripods. The lamps are made from die-cast aluminum and come in black and white and other colors. Thomas Bernstrand and Mattias Stahlbom of Sweden designed the lamps for Zero. I like both the technical and the retro feel of these. Very cool. You can see pictures of them in Wallpaper.
The Studley Tool Chest: The name is not a marketing ploy to appeal to male egos. Henry O. Studley (1838-1925) was a piano builder from Lowell, Massachussets who is most noted for creating the self-named tool chest. Here is a picture. For the organizing junkies among us this is a delight. The chest holds over 300 hand tools and each one has its own place. Some even fit in with a satisfying "click". It's built from mahogany and walnut; details include inlays with ebony, rosewood, , and mother-of-pearl. He most likely gathered much of the wood from scraps left over at the Poole Piano Company where he worked. The chest is made to hang on the wall. Closed, the chest measures 39" X 40"X 9". It opens to 40"X 40". It's the Swiss Army Knife of tool chests with sections that swing out to reveal 2 or sometimes 3 layers of tools. If you want a poster, the Taunton company has one for sale.
Tool Landscape: From traditional (above) to modern. The Tool Landscape is a curvy, delicious version of the pegboard. The two "pegboards" are made from waves of overlapping metal on a blue metallic background. This is all surrounded by a metal frame. The designer is Malin Lundmark from Sweden. The board is designed to be a "moving landscape" changing when you rearrange your tools. It's from Lundmark's collection, "As if...fantasy was reality" and plays with her, "view of inanimate objects as living things." This is a fun piece of functional art (it costs about $2200!). You can see a picture of it here.
Dinette Set: I want a '60's/'70's style linoleum topped table with aluminum legs and vinyl-covered seats. Why this appeals to "give me natural. sustainable, non-toxic materials" me is a mystery. I think it's the bright color of many of these sets. I also like the small scale--they usually seat a maximum of 4--and the openness of the design. There is plenty of legroom since the legs are at each corner of the table (no center support to stub your toe on) and the seats are comfortable. It's easy to settle in for coffee, conversation, and a Sunday paper. There's a nice set in Atomic Ranch: Midcentury Marvels No. 15, page 42.
Rainwater-catchment systems (Rainbarrels): Rainbarrels were used over 2000 years ago in Thailand, among other places. As climate change brings us unpredictable rain/drought patterns, and as water becomes a scarce resource, the rainbarrel is making a comeback. Today the rainbarrel is often part of a more complex system designed to catch, store, and use rainwater. Even the simplest models have spigots and other fixtures that make using the water easier. The New England model (see this site) is an example of simple design. It's made out of recycled plastic, has an aluminum screen to catch leaves and other debris, and brass fittings. A more complex system was installed in the Clipper House in San Francisco. It includes storage tanks, pumps, filters, and drainage systems. The system was designed and installed by Wonderwater. The general formula for rain catchment is that a 1000 square foot catchment area (such as a roof) will provide 600 gallons of water with every 1 inch of rain. Rainbarrels aren't the most aesthetically pleasing additions to a landscape (although I bet this will change as demand increases), but they are an easy way to save and use water that would otherwise be lost as runoff. And they speak to the "new" green ethic which is being driven less by ideology these days, and more by personal experiences with the effects of drought, high fuel prices, and daily ozone alerts.
The iPod: No list of nifty gadgets can ignore the iPod. Forget the technology. What is revolutionary about the iPod is its design. They are the tribbles of technology--plastic and metal boxes that are almost cuddly. There are many ways music can be downloaded, stored, and listened to, but the iPod is a hit, I think in large part, because of it's smooth surface, rounded corners, and the way it snuggles in the palm of your hand.
The Humble Egg Beater: In our family's cabin in Maine we have a sweet little spatula. It has a wooden handle that was once red. The head is stainless steel with 3 rectangular slits. It is small, maybe 3 to 3 1/2 inches. The turned handle fits perfectly in my hand and it slides under a fried egg and lifts it off the cast iron with smooth efficiency. We've tried to find another one like it, but so far no go. We love going to Maine for many reasons, and the spatula is one of the little pleasures we look forward to. The hand egg beater is like that spatula. I rediscovered this gadget a few years ago, also in Maine. The gear mechanism was patented around 1920; the beaters are usually stainless steel, and the body is a metal alloy. I use it for making scrambled eggs and other small mixing jobs because it's light, doesn't have to be plugged in, and it's easy to clean. But I also use it because the rhythmic click of the nylon gears moving the metal center, and the hypnotic sight of the beater spokes meshing perfectly are tactile, sensual pleasures.
Wooden Drying Rack: Another low-tech item that is a pleasure to use. The rack folds up into a rectangle and then expands to reveal a series of dowels to use for hanging wet clothes. I like the feel of the wood and the clever use of dowels and hinges. And it's nice to unplug from the electric dryer at least some of our laundry.
Chairs: Every design magazine has scads of chairs. The editors of Wallpaper (August 2007, No. 101) wrote: "...[S]ince Philippe Starck produced his three-legged 'Costes' chair..., every designer and his dog has wanted to create an iconic chair, and many have." One chair I came across (I don't remember where) is a contemporary version of a curule chair that references many of the elements of classical Roman and ancient Egyptian interior design. It's constructed with twisted brass arms, wrought iron legs and stiles, and a creamy white, lightly upholstered seat. The front legs and front of the armrests and the back legs and stiles create the classic curule form. There are lion's heads on the stiles and lion's feet at the base of the legs. The airy woven brass, white upholstery, and graceful curves are balanced with the weight and formality of the wrought iron, lion's heads and spiraling leaf motifs.
Organic Cotton Flannel Sheets: A heavy weight (6 ounces) flannel sheet set is wonderful. They get softer with wear. They are warm and cozy in winter and surprisingly cool in the summer. I have found that they are prone to shrinkage over time so air drying is best. The organic, un-dyed or low impact dyed sheets are more expensive but worth it to us as a way to be a bit gentler on the environment.
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