Dulles to San Francisco.

My iPhone now has the capability to receive photographs via text message. This is the first photo I have received via text. The photo of this Virgin America plane, scheduled to travel to the West Coast, has very little relevance to design. Seeing it, however, makes me happy on a very personal level.

Keys.

I love the Key pendants and chains from Tiffany & Co. The magical collection of Key pendants are filled with intrigue, allure and symbolism. There is an exciting array of chains of varying lengths and materials to complement the many different key styles.

Game Bird Plates.

From William Yeoward is a collection of six game bird plates. Perfect for an Autumn table setting, the sepia-toned china chargers and dessert plates depict the partridge, pheasant, grouse, snipe, wild duck, and woodcock. I would love to see these chargers set with crisp, boldly colored table linens. A placement of persimmon colored napkins would work nicely. William Yeoward, who is a purveyor to the Prince of Wales, manufactures china in the traditional manner, using the unique skills of English Bone China craftsmen. William Yeoward products are synonymous with hallmarks of quality, style integrity, originality and individuality.

Wooden Keystroke.

A stylish computer keyboard? Why not! Here is Hitoshi Ichihashi's walnut Wood Keyboard. I love discovering something typical and expected in such an unexpected form! For more information click here.

Ottoman. Digital Printing.

Digital printing is a new way of making it possible to upholster with your favorite photos. You may choose from an archive of different images or submit your own to create an ottoman - or a chair or sofa. One such example is the Histography Flapper Ottoman from Haute House.

Autumn.

"An Autumn Pastoral" by François Boucher. 1749

TO:CA Clock

Designed by Kouji Iwasaki in 2002, the TO:CA clock has a thin layer of maple veneer which allows the LED to shine through. The TO:CA clock won top prize at the Asahikawa International Design Fair in 2002. It is available here.

Happy Birthday William.

Design is my passion. However, my family and friends are most dear to me. Therefore, it is important that I pause today from the world of design and wish Bill a very happy birthday. The pictures shown here are of Delano, South Beach, (above), and Bacara Resort, Santa Barbara, (below). Both are two of my favorite places. The significance of these destinations are well known to the birthday boy.

Bowls.

Sublime. Simple. Sophisticated. I am fond of these two bowl designs from Calvin Klein Home. The Wheat Bowls, (pictured above), are organic shaped ceramic pieces with matte exterior and high-gloss colored interior. They are offered in wheat and sage and are made in Portugal. The Nara Bowls, (pictured below), are opaque glassware inspired by sleek Japanese forms. They feature eye-catching channels of contrasting glass and are offered in white and black. The collection is made in Poland.

Modernism with Tradition.

I am fond of two very unique coffee tables from Bourgeois Bohème Atelier in Los Angeles. The Mine Cart Coffee Table, (pictured above), and the 18th Century Spanish Attic Door Coffee Table, (pictured below). With Paris as their home base, the Atelier is frequently able to explore some of the most interesting places in France to uncover the oddities their customers have come to expect. Their exclusive line of furniture and lighting crafted in their Los Angeles workshop, features French inspired collections for the residential, commercial and hospitality markets. Drawing from the modernist and classical style of singular antiques, Bourgeois Bohème Atelier produces new furnishings of innovative character and cultivated, timeless appeal, blending European sensibility of modernism with tradition.

Happy Day.

The happiest of times.

Sperm Plates.

Artist Nina Levett brings quite the unexpected twist to the Sperm Plates she designed, (shown above). According to Nina, "the fertility theme is a general one, and regards each individual. Every one of us is derived from a little victorious sperm! The sperm patterns can be funny, but they can also be in orderly or chaotic. Each plate seems to be made for a certain personality."

"The fertility and sperm series was originally meant to tell a very sad story. I wanted to show the growth of a baby, and then tell the story of how the relationship with the father of the children deteriorated, forcing the woman to leave with two babies in great exasperation. It is also the story of how the father of the children invented an untrue story, and then went to court and tried to get custody. He has terrorized her every since she left him. Life has never been the same for her since. The words don’t come when I try to tell that story, so I struggle with it, and out of that, came this concept of the fertility plates."

Happy Labor Day!

Smyth.

Ever since my first stay at 60 Thompson in SoHo, I have always had a fondness for Thompson Hotels. Open since February in a new 15-story building at the intersection where West Broadway crosses Chambers and Hudson streets, the 100-room Smyth is part of the ultrahip Thompson group of hotels. The hotel captures the rich history and artistic past of Tribeca with rooms that have sharp lines and rich, dark colors with Sferra linens and robes as well as Kiehl's bathroom products. The wraparound floor-to-ceiling windows, especially on the higher floors, provide clear views all the way up West Broadway to the Empire State Building. The lobby, bar and lounge have a gentleman's club aesthetic. A forthcoming restaurant, Jour et Nuit by Frederick Lesort, is planned. Prices at Smyth start at $295.00/night.

Fretwork.

The Fretwork Lounge Chair is brand new from the Barbara Barry for McGuire Furniture collection. Completely customizable in terms of fabric and finish, this show stopping piece has a multi-faceted shape and detailed rattan frame. Warmth of upholstery and elegance of scale balance the stylish, graphic qualities of the rectilinear rattan frame. Stunning in sophistication but playful in form, this piece has its own memorable personality. I especially like the optional Silver Leaf finish which is available at an additional cost. The showroom price on the chair starts at $4,500.00