I’ve been following Chicago-based artist Xenia Taler since the early days of Design*Sponge. I first wrote about her back in 2005 and then at the 2006 Gift Fair and then again in 2007 when she launched her first website. It felt like a yearly traditional to celebrate her new work, so I’m excited that after…
It’s been a time to “freshen up” in my household over the past few weeks. From cleaning out closets and cupboards, to painting walls and picking new linens, I’m all about creating a fresh space for the changing seasons. This time around, I’m inspired by clean, all white looks. White walls. White linens. White wardrobe….
Maybe it’s the control freak in me, but I love being able to customize and tweak all aspects of the things I own. Whether it’s painting the legs of an Ikea couch or redoing the hardware on an old dresser, making a few changes to create a slightly more custom version of a standard object…
This month is all about GREEN so I’ve been loving the chance to bookmark all of my favorite gardening accessories. I may not have a yard to cultivate larger scale things, but I’ve been elbow-deep in potting soil this season getting my kitchen garden and about a dozen pots of begonias and ferns ready for…
Yesterday we enjoyed a seriously incredible spring day that hit 68 degrees. Amy and I had a meeting outside, in the park, with our shoes off. It doesn’t get much better than that. In light of the amazing spring weather- and our April “green” theme- I decided to dedicate some posts to great planters of…
I can’t seem to shake my blue/indigo obsession. I don’t know if it somehow reminds me of water and beaches and warmer weather- but I keep bookmarking, pinning and scooping up indigo-colored things like they’re going out of style. So I was especially happy to see that the new Heath Ceramics 2013 summer collection is…
Three cheers for the people, pets and the planet! There are SO many wonderful environmentally-friendly products out there these days for every aspect of your lifestyle. From kids, to electronics, to pets, eco is in and I am pleased. Here are just a few of the items that I would love to pick up for…
I always get excited to see an email from Portland’s MakeLike in my inbox. They’ve already nailed an awesome collection of nature-inspired wallpapers (Succulents, Cacti, Trees and Mushrooms), so now they’re moving on to something a bit more geometric. ’100 Things’ is a new hand-illustrated product line that is part of their Shapes Collection and…
It’s hard for me to think of spring without thinking of honeybees and all the spring flowers they make possible. We have a beekeeper on our team (Amy), so Max and I have been learning more about them over the past few years. We’ve got a few bee-themed posts coming up today, so I thought…
Since we’re focusing on nature and the outdoors this month, it only seemed right to start off the week with a little ode to spring birds. A few weeks ago I started to notice the sound of birds chirping (over the noise of bus wheels screeching and my neighbors yelling at each other from across…
Last weekend I hit up the incredible plant sale that Saipua had to support their new flower farm upstate. In addition to checking out some crazy beautiful plants and awesome cacti, I brought a few begonias and ferns home with me. I’m hopeful that my track record with these particular plants will mean they thrive…
It’s about time cats got their own product column on Design*Sponge. I love Stephanie and her beloved Mr. Harvey, but every week I got a little sadder seeing a dog take top billing. So today we’re going to talk about the best way to show your love for cats: by wearing them, decorating with them…
Over the past few months I have developed a full-fledged obsession with indigo. I’ve been collecting Japanese indigo fabric samples for months in the hopes of making my own quilt, but I’ve also been pinning away with reckless abandon every time I see a great indigo design. When Amy and I realized our obsessions were…
Ever since the George Bellows retrospective at the Metropolitan Museum of Art last fall, I’ve been in an Ashcan state of mind. Known for their romantic depictions of turn-of-the-century everyday life on the East coast, the Ashcan school artists put a solidly American twist on what was typically the realm of Impressionism. George Bellows is…
Yesterday I went a little rabbit crazy, and today I’m continuing our egg obsession with a roundup of all things egg inspired. From tiny egg candles and egg plates to egg-shaped pet beds and paperclip holders, I tried to find eggy designs that would suit a wide range of styles and budgets. While I’ve got…
Normally Animal Love columns are Amy’s domain, but this week she kindly let me take this chance to celebrate my love of all things fuzzy bunny. From ceramic candlesticks and bunny-pattern bags to temporary tattoos, cell phone covers and platters, this roundup has over 45 great options to keep you well-stocked in rabbit designs. And…
With the Spring Equinox happening this past week, I can’t help but get swept up in all of the color that is blooming around me. This time of year is notorious for a sudden burst of color from the muted tones of winter. The Hindu culture participates in a literal “burst” of color with their…
One of the things I love most about events in the office is getting to meet talented members of the creative community face-to-face. Each time we host a craft class, Biz Ladies lunch or welcome art & design students, we get the chance to meet incredibly talented people and up-and-coming artists. At last week’s Egg…
Over the past few months, I’ve developed what could be considered a major obsession with all things Japan. For some reason I was always distracted by artwork from other countries, but this year it hit me in a big way: I want to travel to Japan and see both the cities and countryside. I’ve been…
Ever since I read Susan Orlean’s 2009 essay about raising backyard chickens in The New Yorker, I’ve been completely and totally obsessed with the idea. Although I consider myself a city guy through and through, there’s something irresistibly romantic about the bucolic act of owning one’s own chicken coop. As the modern world’s gastronomic climate changes…
