Shhh... They're Made of Wood

These wooden framed sunglasses are either the most pretentious thing I've ever seen or the most awesome.  Judging by the retro TAB cola styling of the photo gallery on the Shwood site, it's probably the former.

Verdict: High-waisted jean short eyewear equivalent or cargo pant?

Waste Not Want Not

One day I would like to have a dining table and chairs made in the image of these Offcut Stools by Ben Edwards from Edwards Moore Architects.  I would really like that dining set to be in a funky warehouse with towering walls adorned with unique commissioned artworks ... but I guess I could live with just the dining set.

I can see myself beginning a little collection of offcut wood in a corner of the backyard, not unlike my little collection of discarded plastic paraphernalia that I hope to one day turn into something cool.

Verdict:  Cut it off or Count Me In?

Thank Heavens for Herringbone

I like this wallet and I like that it seems to be called a Trouser Wallet... I guess because it is made out of trousers or material that you might usually see in the shape of trouser.

Not much more to say about that.

Toaster Coaster

Coasters... perhaps another addition to the coat hook/bookend/wall clock list of redundant things?  I've owned a few sets in my time yet still have no qualms about putting my water glass straight onto a table.

But these ones are funny... not the least for the fun you could have with members of the ageing population... right up until the point that they smear devilled ham all over your funky cork coaster and ruin the fun for everyone.

Verdict: Coast or Toast?

Tetris Made Tangible

It's never too early to give a child the gift of obsessive tetris hallucinations - you know, those delusions circa 1991 when you just wanted one of the L-shaped pieces to slot into that air gap between two tall buildings in the city skyline?  No?  Just me?

Anyway, blocks are timeless... Tetris is somewhat timeless (not pre-nineties, but that doesn't count), and here they are... together at last.  Good Wood blocks, as seen on Notcot.

Verdict: Tetris or Mario?

Walk This Way

Look at the little people!  Look at them.  All exuberant and happy... as if on their way home from a fair... full of fairy floss and other stick food. 

If I had a trendy minimalist warehouse office space in Surry Hills, I would definitely want these little guys around to keep me company.  Walk This Way wall graphic via Supermarket... and all I have to say to that is 'Supermarket, where have you been all my life?'.

Verdict: Walk this way or talk this way?

Good Design, Flat Out

Desile Folding Chair thanks to Better Living Through Design... but being from a family of ample rumps, I suspect this one is for the slim-hipped and skinny jeaned alone.

Verdict: Flat or Flexed?

A Slice Of History

There are a lot of wall clocks doing the rounds of design stores these days.  With almost every home appliance offering an accurate digital representation of the time all day, every day, I've wondered whether wall clocks are another thing like bookends and coathooks that are nice and all, but functionally obsolete.  But this one captures my imagination... because a big antique grandfather clock is too much for most homes, but the essence is still kind of cool and quaint.  And this clock slice preserves that essence but eliminates the clunk... yes?

Verdict: mice run up the clock, or the mice run down?

Out With the New, In With the Old

I just want to take the opportunity to publicly worship George Nelson Bubble Lamps, having privately done so for quite some time.

Some years ago, our collective hearts skipped when we saw one of these in an overpriced retro furniture store in Annandale (not for sale, I might note) and the pursuit began.  Sure, I could get it for a reasonable price with free shipping to anywhere in the US... but getting it to 'us' was a labour of love... and exorbitant postage.  But once my love's heart has skipped, there is no unskipping it, and with thanks to a heavily pregnant and patient friend stationed helpfully in Boston, the lamp was shipped and took up residence pride-of-place in our entrance hallway and not a day goes by where I don't look up and think every cent was worth it... even though it does make me feel a bit like one of those twats you see on Grand Designs who spends way over their budget for some minor designy detail from an artisan based in some remote region of Scandinavia.

Why a US$269 lamp should be sold here for AUS$650+, I will never understand.

Little Boxes on the Hillside

They ARE made out of 'ticky tacky' and they DO look just the same, but they're created from recycled 'houses' (whatever that means) and in a more useful shape than traditional post-it notes (when it comes to flagging pages in books anyway).    Created by Japanese architects Jun Inokuma and Yuri Naruse, these would make a delightful addition to one's stationery cupboard ... and came my way via Swiss Miss... Core 77... Spoon & Tamago etc.

Verdict: Little boxes of goodness or little boxes of badness?