This weekend I let myself indulge in a little rest and a lot of breakfast-related indulgence. I made some serious chocolate chip & banana pancakes and followed that up with coconut donuts the next day. I haven’t eaten a doughnut in a lot time (they’re not normally my splurge of choice) but that simple doughnut…
Myriam Dion is a student at the University of Quebec who creates stunning artwork with newspapers. Working with old copies of the Financial Times, The International Herald Tribune and Le Devoir, Myriam cuts intricate lace-like patterns into their pages to create a stunning new piece of art from the existing page layout. I love the…
’ iOS 7 was released for the iPhone last week and, if you haven’t updated already, it’s time get with the program! Apple’s latest software update is a thing of beauty—from its wonderfully simplified graphics to its intuitive interactions. One of my favorite things about the new OS, though, is how beautifully each of the…
When Grace introduced me to Five Leaves last summer, it immediately became one of my favorite restaurants in New York. Located on the corner of McCarren Park in Williamsburg, it boasts a charming interior and food that is, for lack of a more adequate term, absolutely out of control. I dare you to try their ricotta…
I’ve been really bad about getting out of the house to see galleries and shows this year. I could try to make a million excuses, but instead I’m planning on just breaking the cycle and walking around more to see what’s going on in some of the incredible spaces around town. One show I’m incredible…
I now live in an apartment that is basically one big long railroad of white walls. My previous apartment was quite small and the amount of wall space was pretty limited due to the layout of the space and placement of some really odd lighting fixtures my landlord bought. So now that I actually have…
Ever since I started making the graphics for our weekly City Guide posts, I’ve started seeing maps in an entirely new light. While I once associated them with frustrating family road trips and dull geography lessons in middle school, I’ve begun to look at them as little works of art—human productions that are beautiful ways…
I really love Lena Wolff‘s work. There’s something slightly dark about it, but still so beautiful and intricate and elegant. Her latest work was inspired by early American quilt patterns and it’s been an interesting (and gorgeous) direction to see her explore. Lena has a new show opening on June 26th at one of my…
Over the last few weeks, we’ve taken added a special twist to our usual line-up of “Sneak Peeks.” In addition to featuring behind-the-scenes looks at unique interiors, we’ve decided to showcase the inner workings of some of our favorite artists’ sketchbooks. So far, we’ve taken you through the hand-bound books of Anna Emilia and the…
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…
As we continue with this month’s special round-up of Sketchbook Sneak Peeks, it is with great pleasure that I share one of my new favorite artists: the illustrator and lifestyle designer Courtney Wotherspoon. I stumbled upon Courtney’s work by chance while browsing the work of alumni from my alma mater, the Brooklyn-based Pratt Institute. I fell…
If you’ve been a long-time reader of this site, you know that every Monday, we run a series of “Sneak Peeks“—inspiring photographic tours into some of our favorite homes. This month, however, as we celebrate a 31 days of all things color, we’ve been in an art frame of mind. We decided that, instead of…
When it comes to paintings, I tend to fall in love with two specifics styles: colorful abstracts and simple still lifes that focus on kitchen or food subjects. I have a small one of each in my home (A painted jar of pickles by Chelsea James next to my sink and an abstract landscape by…
In honor of family month, I thought it would be fun to look at all the different options that exist for custom portraits online. From watercolors and line drawings to oil paintings and pastels, there are dozens and dozens of artists on Etsy that offer beautiful custom portraits for anyone who feels like the traditional…
I’ve been so excited about this month’s theme (Family + Pets) because it gives me a chance to shamelessly indulge in my love of animals. Aside from photos on my fridge, I’ve never really kept portraits or photographs around my house. I have artwork on my walls, but I tend to keep photographs of friends…
Today Design*Sponge is almost entirely devoted to paper crafts. Coming up, we’ve got two interviews with artists who specialize in the classic paper techniques of marbling and paper cutting, as well as two paper-based DIY projects, a roundup of marbled design goods and an in-depth look at the history of marbling. To kick things off, I…
I’m always excited to hear what Stacy at Leif is working on. Earlier this winter, we chatted about business life over chowder, and I got a sneak peek at the artwork she was planning to add to the site. Just like the jewelry, home goods and ceramics she currently stocks, she’d rounded up some incredible prints…
Sometimes work is so beautiful, so detailed and so special that I’m stunned into silence. Looking at the work of Anne ten Donkelaar, I had one of those “so beautiful I can’t speak” reactions. Anne creates these breathtaking Flower Constructions, 3D collages made from a combination of delicate pressed flowers and cutout pictures of flowers….
I’ve been keeping an eye on Elisa Werbler’s work ever since I met her at the RISD alumni sale last year. I love the way she layers color in her work, and because this is the month of pink and red, I thought it would be the perfect time to highlight her new Birthstones collection….
There was a lot of diary talk here at D*S yesterday, so it only seemed right to start this morning with some beautiful artwork from Mario Kolaric’s Diary Fragments series. Mario had been working in notebooks, jotting down small ideas and concepts, for years, but decided in 2010 that he would display these smaller fragments…
