Fine Print: DesignPOP by Lisa S. Roberts

Architect and collector Lisa S. Roberts new book DesignPOP (Rizzoli 2014) surveys the best furniture and accessories (so far) of the 21st century. In between the bold photographs of these iconic contemporary pieces, Roberts discusses new materials and processes, as well as how sustainability and social responsibility, influence designers’ paths. She points out that even the definition of designer is changing as disciplines merge. For example, products from companies like Apple and Dyson often exemplify considered cutting edge design.

As I flipped through the colorful pages of DesignPOP, I was struck by how many of the items I’ve come across in my life, and even own. While I covet high end design, I don’t have the funds for splurging on it. However, Roberts mixes the practically unattainable with practical everyday products

For example, she puts forth the Soft Urn designed by Hella Jongerius, which appears to be a traditional pottery vase, but is instead made of silicone. I discovered silicone urns a number of years ago (I think mine are by Menu though), and love them because if the kids knock them over, they won’t break.

I’ve bet you seen the Bobble, even if you don’t realize it. Bobble is an ergonomically-shaped, thin plastic water bottle with built in filter, designed by Karim Rashid. I have one for each of my kids to keep by their bedsides; I purchased them at Target. I’ve never changed the filters… should probably get on that.

Other designers highlighted include Frank Gehry, Zaha Hadid, Marc Newson, Marcel Wanders, Yves Behar, Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, Philippe Starck, Ross Lovegrove, and Jasper Morrison.

I sent Roberts a few questions to answer about her findings and favorites from DesignPop, answered below, complete with products featured in the book.

Were most of these products familiar to you before starting the research? Any new finds?
I knew many since I follow the industry very closely. But during my research I discovered the Flip Flop Vase by Diederick Schneemann, the Chubby Chair by Dirk Vander Kooij, the Lytro Light Field Camera by New Deal Design, and the Nest Thermostat by Tony Fadell.

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Flip Flop Vase by Diederick Schneemann
Made from recycled flip flops washed up on Kenyan beaches .

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Chubby Chair by Dirk Vander Kooij
Made from 3D printed recycled refrigerator plastic, with their waste made into clothes hangers.

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Nest Thermostat by Tony Fadell
$249 at Amazon
We purchased one of these, drawn in by both the design and “smart” functionality. Unfortunately we couldn’t get it to work with our HVAC system, but not for lack of trying. This 2.0 version may be easier to implement. They have a great help line.

Your picks all come out of the 21st century. What are some products designed before 2000 that may have been included if  you expanded the time frame?
There were a lot of game-changing designs before 2000. There’s the Vermelha Chair by Humberto and Fernando Campana, the Wiggle Chair by Frank Gehry, and the Bookworm by Ron Arad.

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Vermelha Chair by Humberto and Fernando Campana
$12,821 at Switch Modern
The upholstery is completely made of intertwined cotton ropes.

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Wiggle Chair by Frank Gehry
$1,140 at AllModern
Designed back in 1972 and made from cardboard.

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Bookworm by Ron Arad
$408 at Lumens
I’ve always been intrigued this piece in the MoMA catalog. It’s flexible and can be made into any shape.

Which brand new products would make the list if you did a follow up?
The Carbon Balloon Chair by Marcel Wanders. It’s made of carbon fiber and resin, weighs about one and a half pounds, and can hold up to 198 pounds. Also the Polygon Chair by Joris Laarman, which combines advanced technology with hand assembly. It’s comprised of mathematically designed CNC milled pieces that are assembled like a puzzle, by hand.

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Carbon Balloon Chair by Marcel Wanders
An ultra light carbon fiber chair inspired by balloons.

Do you own any of the products featured in the book?
I own many of the products in the book. Some are on display in my personal gallery and some I live with. I love the Collapsible Strainer by Boje Estermann because it takes up so little space in my drawer. The Peacock Chair by Dror Benshetrit sits in my foyer and is as attractive as it is comfortable. The Fred Humidifier by Matti Walker comes out whenever someone in the family has a cold. I also have two Midsummer Lights by Tord Boontje that hang over the conference table in my home office.

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Collapsible Strainer by Boje Estermann
$60 at Lumens
Last year I bought a collapsible silicone salad spinner at T.J.Maxx for our little condo in Florida. It is one of the best gadgets you can buy, because really, who has room for a salad spinner. Ditto for a full-size colander.

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Peacock Chair by Dror Benshetrit
Two-and-a-half years ago I interviewed Dror Benshetrit at his studio in NYC for Design Milk. He had one of these chairs there and I was instantly smitten. It’s felt and very visually satisfying. The full interview is here, and you can see some extra tidbits and photographs here.

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Midsummer Light by Tord Boontje
$98 at A+R

I bought two Midsummer Light shades, one in citron and one in violet, many years ago, thinking I might use them in the guest rooms on the Cape. I didn’t, but I still have them. I know one day I’ll find the right spot. They’re magical.

Which are your favorites?
The iPhone because I can’t live without it and the Bank in the Form of A Pig by Harry Allen because it always makes me smile. I love my Rainbow Chair by Patrick Norguet because it captures light in the most amazing way, casting a rainbow shadow on the floor. Also, of all the designs I own, it has increased the most in value since I purchased it!

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Bank in the Form of A Pig by Harry Allen
$200 at Nordstrom
This design, which is now done in shiny turquoise, pink, gold and other colors, was modeled on an actual suckling pig that had died of natural causes, cast it in resin. $10 of every pig bank sale goes to the Humane Society.

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Rainbow Chair by Patrick Norguet
$8,500 on eBay

Which design do you most covet?
Tide Chandelier by Stuart Haygarth, but it’s so big, I would have no place to put it.

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Tide Chandelier by Stuart Haygarth
£20,000 – 30,000  at Phillips
A valuable example of trash to treasure.

Design Pop Book By Lisa S Roberts 2014

Design Pop by Lisa S. Roberts (Rizzoli, 2014)
$26.27 at Amazon

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Scheming: Setting Up My Home Bar

I’ve been saying that I want to set up a home bar for my husband forever. Last month, I updated my post 50 Bar Carts, Serving Carts  & Trolleys for inspiration. (Of course, we can’t actually have a cart on wheels in our house or our son would be taking it for a ride all around the condo.)

Unsurprisingly, I haven’t had a chance to move forward on this. (So many gift guides to write, so little time.) But then I got a message from folks at Absolut, offering to send me the new Limited Edition Andy Warhol Absolut Vodka bottle, a lacquer tray, and an Amex gift card so I could style a festive holiday bar. As you can imagine, I told them to send it all right over! Motivation? Done.

The bottle, which is fun, colorful, and sure to be celebrated hostess gift to bring to holiday parties (though I’ll be keeping mine on my newly styled bar tray), is a new creation based on Andy Warhol’s depiction of Absolut’s iconic bottle that he painted back in 1986. This year, Absolut transformed that artwork into a three-dimensional bottle, using the tagline “Make the Holidays Pop” as the inspiration behind the collaborative campaign.

Since I don’t have an unused corner for a full-on bar, a bar tray is the perfect small space home bar solution. While I’m not sure the new tray is styled to perfection yet, I did pull together some must-have bar accoutrements—copper shaker, stainless steel strainer, wine glasses, martini glasses—plus the Absolut Warhol bottle, gin, and Twenty Boat Spiced Rum from Truro Vineyards on the Cape. To prettify, I added a stalk of bamboo, green button mums, mandarin oranges in a Jonathan Adler dish, and a silver dreidel, set beneath my new swimming pool photograph from Gallery. (Scroll down for all the shopping links.)

Create a bar in a cleared out section of a bookshelf, on a lacquered tray atop a console table, a tray table, an armoire, etc. If I did, you can too. Of course, I admit, sipping that Absolut Warhol helped get me in the mood.


StyleCarrot's Home Bar With Turquoise Lacquer Tray And Absolut Warhol

Bar tray styled & photographed by StyleCarrot

S T Y L I N G  M Y   B A R   T R A Y 

How To Style A Bar Tray For Your Home

S H O P P I N G
1 Splash by Joy Mckinney Framed Print, $370 at UGallery.

2 Aalto Vase by Iittala, $155 at Horne

3 Orb Copper Shaker, $24.95 at Crate & Barrel.

4 Twenty Boat Spiced Rum, $44.99 at Truro Vineyards.

5 Absolut Vodka Bottle by Andy Warhol.

6 Preston Martini Glass by Libbey, $18.85/four at Amazon.

7 Oak Mug Coasters by Sagaform, $24.95/six at Burke Decor.

8 Stainless Steel Cocktail Strainer, $9.95 at Sur La Table.

9 High Gloss Swoon Tray, $29.995 at CB2.

10 Copper Plum Tongs by Tom Dixon, $50 at A+R.  

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Get the Look: 20 Modern Doormats

In true New England fashion, the Boston is not quite sure whether it’s winter yet. There were a few really cold days, including a recent Sunday when my 12-year-old went to a Patriots game in the rain and snow. I don’t mind the chilliness (I’m a tights and boots girl for sure) as long as there’s sun. That day did incite me to unearth the ice scraper and transfer it to the car. Not looking forward to using it.

Since we live in an apartment, most of the slush (and there’s plenty of it), gets left in the lobby. But still, we have a good doormat outside our door, and a more decorative one inside. Come snowy times, additional rugs get spread across the foyer, so as not to completely destroy my Jill Rosenwald gray area rug.

I know this is all kind of mundane, but I live in Boston, in the city. That means messy weather and no mud room. Even if you have a house with a white picket fence in a tropical clime, you still need a doormat, right? I’ve rounded up some door mats today, mainly coir and natural coconut fiber doormats; mostly modern doormats, many colorful doormats, plus neutrals, some in adorable silhouettes.

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S H O P P I N G 

1 Roam Sweet Roam Mountain Range Doormat, $34.99 at ModCloth.

2 Chilewich Stripe Shag Floor Mat in Mineral $50 at Burke Décor.

3 Multicolor Leaves Coconut Fiber Doormat, $19.99 at Amazon.

4 Cape Cod Polypropylene Doormat, $69.99 at Hayneedle.

5 Hedgehog Doormat, $39.95 at Crate & Barrel

6 Multicolor Flip-Flop Doormat, $16. 99 at World Market

7 It’s Cold Doormat, $24.45 at Wayfair.

8 Haute Habitat Coir Bear Doormat, $34.99 at ModCloth.

9 Computer Keyboard Coir Doormat, $26.97 at Amazon

10 Harvest Striped Doormat, $24.95 at Pier1 Imports

11 Green Chevron Coconut Fiber Doormat, $39.99 at Hayneedle.

12 Nautical Anchor Floor Mat, $28.95 at West Elm.

13 Chilewich Bold Stripe Shag Outdoor Floor Mat, $50 at Horne.

14 Camouflage Deer Doormat, $17.99 at Wayfair.

15 Oval Knot Woven Coco Doormat, $16.99 at Amazon

16 Dahlias Handwoven Coconut Fiber Doormat, $32.30 at Wayfair.

17 MacKenzie-Childs Courtly Check Door Mat, $160 at Horchow.

18 Natural Chevron Coir Doormat, $29 at Pottery Barn.

19 Nautical Rope Doormat, $49 at L.L. Bean.

20 Herb Garden Doormat, $68 at Terrain. 

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Get the Look: Modern Watering Cans

A watering can is one of those things you don’t think of having (or have room for) when you live in the city. (Or maybe you do, if you’re all green thumb-y.) A while back, I fell in love with a sleek, stainless steel watering can at MoMA (no longer available), that I received as a holiday gift. The long, skinny spout, great for filling vases around the house, is als, not conducive to city-size cabinets, so it lives on the Cape.

I have been thinking of getting another one that’s more compact for Boston (love the copper X3 by Kontextur, though the Born In Sweden watering can is more practical and comes in excellent colors.) I actually don’t have an outdoor watering can on the Cape, which I think I should get if I have any hope of growing anything this summer, which I kinda do. (Shocking, I know.) Here are 20 colorful, modern watering cans, for indoors and out.

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S H O P P I N G

1. Kiwi Watering Can by Donato d’Urbino & Paolo lomazzi for Alessi

2. Pipe Dream Watering Can by Jerszy Seymour for Magis

3. Fleur Watering Can by Auerhahn

4. Aquastar Watering Can by Eva Solo

5. Spring Watering Can by Robert Bronwasser for Goods

6. Dumbo Watering Can by Rosenthal

7. Dual-Action Watering Can by Pascal Charmolu for Born In Sweden

8. Diva Watering Can by Eero Aarnio for Alessi

9. Camilla Watering Can by Koziol

10. Black Swan Watering Bucket by Streamline

11. Brushed Stainless Steel Watering Can by Blomus

12. Aqua Genie Watering Can

13. Outdoor Pour and Store Watering Can by OXO

14. Indoor Watering Can by Living Accents

15. Watering Can by Karim Rashid for Proper

16. Calla Lily Flower Watering Can by 2PO

17. Elise Watering Can by Koziol

18. Watering Can by Pascal Charmolu for Born In Sweden

19. x3 Watering Can by Paul Loebach for Kontextur

20. Gro Watering Can by Hallgeir Homstvedt for Established & Sons

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Shop for the garden at Hayneedle >

Get the Look: 34 Beds for Boys’ Rooms

Following up on Wednesday’s Montage: 27 Boy’s Bedrooms, I’ve chosen 34 mostly modern, but some classic, and some designer chic, toddler, twin, and double beds for kids. Almost all would look great straight through to adulthood. If you’re looking for a bunk style, you can refer back to Get the Look: 18 Bunk and Loft Beds from this past winter. If you’re putting together a little boy’s room, send me the finished result!

S H O P P I N G 

1 Blu Dot Nook Upholstered Bed, $1,299 at Modern Seed.

2 Dorma Bed, $995 at Giggle.

3 Classic Toddler Bed, $620 at Giggle.

4 Parsons Bed, $699 at Room & Board.

5 Nurseryworks Duet Bed, $2,050 at Tottini.

6 Kalon Studios IoLine Toddler Bed, $1,150 at Branch.

7 Scholar Bed, $699 at Crate & Barrel.

8 Barbara Barry Half Moon Bed, $6,795 at McGuire.

9 Cassia Rattan Full Bed, $995 at Serena & Lily.

10 Fillmore Upholstered Full Bed, $1,650 at Serena & Lily.

11 McGuire Antalya Rattan Bed, $5,895 at McGuire Furniture.

12 Spot on Square Hiya Toddler Bed, $549 at Design Public.

13 Legare Frog Bed, $279 at Amazon.

14 Cambridge Bed, $1,095 at Serena & Lily.

15 Nifty Junior Bed at Ubabub.

16 Oeuf Sparrow Bed, $890 at Oeuf.

17 DucDuc Alex Classic Youth Full Bed, $1,295 at DucDuc.

18 Pod Junior Bed, $249 at Unique Boutique.

19 Upscale Urban Bed, $1,159 at Circle Baby.

20 SUNDVIK Bed, $119.99 at IKEA.

21 Moda Bed with High Footboard, $849 at Room & Board.

22 MAMMUT bed, $159.99 at IKEA.

23 Parsons Full Bed, $799 at Room & Board.

24 Ella Upholstered Bed, $1,199 at Room & Board.

25 DucDuc Campaign Youth Full Bed, $2,695 at DucDuc.

26 Not Neutral BB2 Twin Bed, $960 at Lajaja Kids.

27 Tulip Leander Junior Bed, $998 at 2Modern.

28 Nurseryworks Uptown Bed, $1,500 at Bobby Berk Home.

29 Presidio Day Bed With Trundle, $2,250 at Serena & Lily.

30 TrueModern 11-Ply Bed, $999 at Design Public.

31 Milan Bed, $99 at Target.

32 Petra Toddler Bed, $299 at Argington.

33 P’kolino Café Toddler Bed, $299 at Clever Tomato.

34 Piper bed, $599 at Room & Board.

35 As You Wish Upholstered Full Bed, $1,099 at Land of Nod.

36 Classics Furniture Lynx Low Metal Double Bed, £90 at Wedo Beds.

37 Azure Jenny Lind Bed, $1,099 at Land of Nod.

38 Young America Mix & Match Sleigh Daybed, $1,149 at Posh Tots.

39 Cassidy Panel Bed, $267 at Linens-n-Things.

40 Nantucket Bed by Bradshaw Kirchofer, $1,760 at Layla Grace.

41 Architecture Full Bed, $899 at Room and Board.

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