furniture by Grace Bonney 2

ICFF 2013: 10 Great Tables to Start the Day

This weekend marked the beginning of an epic week in New York: Design Week. In addition to the numerous (and incredible) off-site shows happening around town, The Javits Center is playing host to the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF), The National Stationery Show (NSS) and Surtex (Surface Design). Among the rows and rows and rows of great new design, shop owners are mingling with bloggers, buyers, print and television media, student designers and, on Tuesday, the general public will have a chance to see what’s coming next in the world of design. Unlike previous years, this year’s show was full of great new design, fresh ideas and the general vibe that this generation of designers had hit their stride and found the right balance between soft and hard and new and old. Overall I saw a lot of: green, smokey glass, copper, brass & gold, geometrics and digital printing that embraced texture over pattern. I’m going to break down the trends into smaller posts so they’re easier to digest, but today I wanted to start with a handful of tables that I found myself want to call my own. That Iacoli & McAllister table (above) needs to find its way into my life somehow. All that shiny metal…be still my heart. xo, grace

*Stay tuned for coverage of all the design shows, including Brimfield, this week on D*S!

Image above: Table by Nervous System

Image above (and the copper table above): Side tables by Iacoli & McAllister“>Iacoli & McAllister

7 more ICFF table debuts continue after the jump…

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entertaining by Grace Bonney 25

Weekends with Friends: Bike Ride Adventure Part 2

Last week we posted the first steps for throwing your own weekend bike riding adventure with friends. We were dogged with rain for what felt like weeks, but the clouds finally lifted yesterday, leaving the perfect weather for a team bike ride. Between our visits to Peter Pan Donuts and delicious sandwiches at No. 7 Sub, Max, Amy and I had a blast cruising around Greenpoint on colorful bikes that our friends at Brooklyn Cruiser loaned us for the day. Our final stop was a team picnic at Transmitter Park, the newly built city park at the end of our office block. While Amy is always zipping around town on her bike, this was a great chance for Max and I to rediscover the fun of riding through the streets on bikes and pointing out things to see, photograph and try (Amy did a handstand in front of some of our favorite neighborhood graffiti). If you haven’t printed out our downloadable bike adventure invites, you can do so right here. You can also download our bike map if you want to recreate our own neighborhood adventure here in Brooklyn. No matter what, I hope our little bike photo essay will inspire everyone to get outside and enjoy the weekend. See you on Monday! xo, grace

This post is brought to you by Kate Spade Saturday! See why every day can feel like Saturday here.

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entertaining by Kristina Gill 22

in the kitchen with: jennifer chong’s fruit and nut bars

The weather has been looking up lately. Lots of days with nice sun, not too hot, have made me start to think about day trips I can take just to soak it all in. My husband always jokes with me that I’m like a Neapolitan mother because whenever we go anywhere I always pack lots of snacks away, as if we might risk dying of hunger on what could be as short as a one hour journey, immediately following breakfast, to a nearby place to go have lunch… Don’t laugh, you never know! This week’s recipe for no-bake fruit and nut bars by graphic designer and lifestyle blog writer, Jennifer Chong, will be perfect for my next outing. Lightweight, nutrient dense, and quick to make, I will be able to hide a few in my camera bag without a problem. If you make your own fruit and nut bars, let us know your tips or favorite combinations. -Kristina

About Jennifer: Jennifer Chong is a designer and photographer living in Long Beach, California. Originally from Georgia, Jennifer graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design with a bachelors degree in graphic design. In addition to design work, Jennifer is a passionate photographer. You can often find her out capturing delectable eats and documenting her journeys near and far.   In 2012, Jennifer was identified as one of the top people you should be following on Pinterest. She has also partnered with brands like Anthropologie, American Express and Target as a curator and consultant. In addition to her photography and design work, she writes a lifestyle blog focused on travel, food and design.   When she isn’t working, she can be found playing beach volleyball, continent-hopping (four so far!) or searching for some delightful treats to devour!

See Jennifer’s recipe after the jump!

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radio by Grace Bonney 16

After the Jump: We Answer Your Top 10 Questions

This week Amy and I decided to sit down and tackle the Top 10 Questions We’re Asked at Design*Sponge. While some of them could fill an entire show, we did our best to tackle questions like this in 30 minutes: How do we find the things we write about, How do we make money, How do we stay motivated, Advice for people starting a blog, What tools we use to stay motivated, How do we fight insecurity? We got to all of these and at least 10 more during our episode, so I hope you’ll enjoy the show! As always, we love your feedback and insight on how you would answer these questions, too. Thanks for listening! xo, grace and amy

(p.s. If you’re in NYC next week, Amy is going to be on a panel at the Museum of Art and Design – Commerce + Curation: Future. The panel is on Tuesday, May 21 at 7pm and is free!)

“Every adult wants to know how you have a job when you work on the internet.” [5:05]
-Amy Azzarito on After the Jump

“Start thinking of yourself as a producer of content and that content does not necessarily live where you live.” [10:30]
“I am incredibly motivated by feedback. Whether it’s good or bad, I really enjoy and need comments.” [8:45]
-Grace Bonney on After the Jump

LISTEN: You can download the podcast on iTunes here, or stream it here on Heritage Radio

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products by Grace Bonney 9

The Lora Collection from Eskayel

I always love seeing what Shannon from Eskayel is making. Not only if she an inspiring business woman (her contributions to our Biz Ladies lunches were always so thought-provoking), but her designs consistently push the wallpaper field further toward a modern, artistic style. Her latest collection is called The Lora Collection and includes a wide range of watercolor-style prints. I always love how soft and transparent her work feels- it reminds me seeing swimming pool liner patterns through rippling water. Click here to check out the new collection online and contact Eskayel about buying rolls. xo, grace

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artwork by Grace Bonney 3

Tools Folds Flight at Ampersand

Seeing the Portland Bazaar go from an idea in my head to a successful holiday event is still one of the proudest moments of my life. Getting to meet, support and then continue to follow the shops and makers at the show makes me so happy. One of the store/galleries I’ve been most excited to follow is Myles Haselhorst’s Ampersand Gallery. Myles has impeccable taste in books and art, and his gallery’s latest exhibition, TOOLS FOLDS FLIGHT looks fantastic. The show features found material from the gallery’s collection. The first part of the show is made of folded paper collages and the second is comprised of Tekni-Calls (decals) produced by Darling Technical Laboratories. I love the combination of typography and paper- both are so beautiful and definitely warrant a visit in person if you’re in the Portland, OR area (the show is up through May 26th). If you’re like me and can’t get to Oregon any time soon, click here to check out the show and more details online. Congrats to Myles on another great show! xo, grace

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