When I was a student at SCAD, I haunted a beloved local shop for new delights from one of my favorite textile designers, Lotta Anderson of Lotta Jansdotter. It began with an obsession for her sticky notes and continued with collecting every tea towel and sewing kit I could get my enthusiastic hands on. I…
It’s hard to know where to start a post that involves someone you’ve admired for longer than you can really remember. I was first introduced to Carrie Brownstein’s music at an all-girl’s summer camp in West Virginia, and I’m pretty sure that mixtape is still kicking around my parent’s house back in Virginia. Being able…
*Poster design by DKNG Studios IFC’s Portlandia has been a favorite of mine since the moment it first aired. It combines two of my favorite people (Carrie Brownstein and Fred Armisen) with one of my favorite cities (Portland, Oregon) to create a hilarious sketch comedy series that lovingly pokes fun at some of the groups,…
New York City is one of my favorite places to be in the winter. The holiday lights line streets in all five boroughs, the glow inside restaurants looks inviting and each shop is lit up like a little gem waiting to be discovered. So many of you have mentioned that you’re heading to the New…
For the past few weeks, I’ve had the opportunity to talk with a number of designing duos about their creative work lives: filmmakers Mark and Angela Walley, super-creative photographer and styling duo William and Susan Brinson and Jesse James and Kostas Anagnopoulos of Aesthetic Movement. We’re wrapping up our series with Eight Hour Day, a design…
I first fell in love with Liane Tyrrel’s work at the sight of her gorgeous handmade pillows and collection of vintage wares in her beloved Etsy shop, enhabiten. Her textile experiments and daily inspirations are documented in her personal blog, an Internet haunt of mine. My fangirldom was officially launched into orbit after seeing her home featured…
There are certain artists and designers that I am drawn to for their quiet elegance, and Michele Michael is high on that list. She first won me over with her New York prop shop, Elephant Props, and her sophisticated approach to styling — clean with handmade, imperfect touches punctuated by painterly washes of color. Her…
Over the last few weeks, in honor of 3M’s contest, which looks at the humor that frequently arises when couples attempt to communicate their creative vision to each other, we’ve been examining the working relationships of some favorite Design*Sponge creative couples such as filmmakers Mark and Angela Walley and super-creative photographer and styling duo William…
A couple of weeks ago, we started a new feature getting a little closer look at some of the creative couples we meet on Design*Sponge and learning a little bit about what it’s like to work creatively with your partner. 3M is exploring the humor that can easily arise when couples attempt DIY projects. They…
All Photos by Ania Wawrzkowicz Soojin Kang is a designer hybrid of pure genius, equal parts textile and furniture with a dash of fashion. Soojin explores different emotional and sociocultural relationships, particularly addressing the concept of disposable fashion within her “dressed furniture series.” She elevates the concepts of repurposing and reusing to an elegant medium,…
Today I’m thrilled to offer a special twist on our traditional Tuesday city guides. For years, I’ve wanted to offer a second (and third and fourth) take on a city from the perspective of one of its local talents. The book sidelined us with work for a bit, but we’re finally back on schedule and…
Portrait by Kelsey Foster The first time I saw one of graphic designer Dana Tanamachi’s massive lettered chalk walls, I almost spontaneously combusted with joy. Her 19th-century artistic-printing approach completely stirs my soul. Anyone who has ever tried to write with chalk knows it is no small feat, and yet she makes me strive to achieve…
We get to meet lots of creative couples at Design*Sponge, and I’m always curious about what it’s like to work creatively with your partner. One of my favorite brands, 3M, (seriously, those command hooks are life changing) is exploring the humor that often arises when couples try to work on DIY projects together, to the…
Ashley Lloyd is not your average milliner, not by a long shot. Drawing inspiration from reliquary collections she discovered while studying in Italy, she couples delicate materials like flowers and feathers with macabre elements such as insects and animal skulls. Her avant-garde headpieces are quite spectacular, and her workspace is a fantastic extension of her…
I had the pleasure of knowing our two talented interviewees back when we attended SCAD! Domestic Construction is a multidisciplinary design studio focused on redefining the ordinary. Trish and Maureen are the faces behind the brand, and they truly live and breathe their craft. They continue to develop new applications and methods of working with…
There is no concealing Design*Sponge’s adoration for Nightwood. Co-founders and designers Nadia and Myriah combine their talents (Myriah’s woodworking and Nadia’s textile work) to reincarnate furniture. Their aesthetic marries a rustic mix of clean lines with organic and salvaged materials, yielding Nightwood’s singular style. Ever since I saw these women makeover Amy’s bedroom, I have…
When I first discovered Sibella Court a few years ago, it felt like falling in love for the first time. As a self-professed bower bird, my little magpie kindred spirit swooned over her sneak peek featured last year, and I would list Etcetera as my holy grail of styling books. Have you read her newest…
Photo Credit: Wyatt Troll Adam Silverman is a clay-throwin’ madcap potter with serious creative street cred. He transitioned from architecture to co-founding fashion labels X-Girl and X-Large and currently is thriving at Heath Ceramics. At Heath, Adam helped forge their LA store and currently operates out of a studio within the store where he develops…
Good morning! Before we dive into our regular posts today, I wanted to share a link to the interview I did with Debbie Millman two weeks ago for her fantastic podcast, Design Matters. I cherish (and deeply miss) my time spent as a radio DJ in college, so to get back in the booth with…
We have been waiting for Heidi Swanson’s latest book for so long. Heidi Swanson’s Super Natural Every Day cookbook was finally released on April 5, and soared immediately into the top 100 books on Amazon! Just between me and you, it is one of the most beautiful cookbooks I own (and I have LOTS). Heidi…
