Posts Tagged ‘Design + Creativity’
Scandinavian Design: Marimekko Spring 2010
I’ve been meaning to have a weekly feature on Scandinavian design for quite some time now, but I’m still lacking a fresh and fun name for it. Any thoughts?
While we wait for creative genius to strike however, here are three of my favorite fabrics from the Spring 2010 Marimekko collection. Although the Finnish company certainly stands by their classic prints, like Unikko, I always love the new stuff that they come up with.
Greening Your Kitchen: Cocoon
Bringing fresh herbs into your kitchen not only means you’ll have a delectable choice of seasonings, but it also allows you to bring some greenery inside. In fact, I’ve got overflowing pots of thyme, basil and rosemary surrounding my cooking space. But they could probably use a sleek organization system like this one.
Swedish designer Måns Salomonsen has created this ingenious design, called Cocoon, that puts a focus on healthy eating, placing your fruits and herbs all in the same place. Check out more pictures of the design here.
Of course until this beautiful design becomes available, you can still make your own herb garden, and all it entails is a nice looking pot, a few herb plants and some planting soil. Here are some easy to follow directions on re-nest.
Tio Gruppen Stockholm
Tio Gruppen is a name synonymous with Swedish design. The design collective, founded in 1970 by ten young textile artists and designers, has produced more than 600 printed fabrics and wallpapers. With a classic Scnadinavian aesthetic, Tio Gruppen designs incorporate simple and natural designs in a style that manages to be both contemporary and classic.
The Tio Gruppen store, located in Södermalm in Stockholm, is a design lover’s paradise, the walls covered with colorful prints in the form of bags, napkins, aprons and textiles by the yard. Always a favorite stop of mine when in the Swedish captial… very much worth a visit! And if you can’t make a quick Scandinavian jaunt, take a peek at the website.
Full gallery after the jump.
New Josef Frank Textile Designs from Svenskt Tenn
Svenskt Tenn might be one of the most influential design stores in Sweden, a well-known lifestyle company and boutique that’s been around since 1924. Founded by designer Josef Frank, his prints have been synonymous with the shop, and even though he died in 1967, his design legacy lives on. The store just recently released two new Frank prints, called Aramal and Ceylong, produced in the 40s but that have up until now never been in production; Svensk Tenn actually owns about 160 different Frank textile prints that are archived and released at random. The new prints are available on 100% linen textiles sold by the yard.
Makes me wish I was able to take a stroll down Strandvägen and take a look.
Full print images after the jump.
Organic Jewelry Designs: Ceca Georgieva
Amazing work by Bulgarian artist Ceca Georgieva. Using living materials, she creates pieces that are a beautiful combination of funky and natural. More can be found on her blog.
Swedish Design: New ABSOLUT Campaign Goes Logo-less
It’s hard to miss an ABSOLUT ad — the Swedish vodka company has been known for its ingenious creativity surrounding the classic bottle, designed back in 1979. But in the new era of educated consumers and people wanting less, ABSOLUT is taking a new route: brandless branding. A limited edition series of bottles will be released that simply feature a removable sticker at the bottom of every bottle to indentify alcohol content and volume.
But the branding isn’t only about reaching a consumer that wants something a bit more genuine and with less flair; the “no label” campaign is also a launching pad for talking about prejudice issues.
From ABSOLUT:
There are too many labels associated with the LGBT-community and with this initiative we want to find a way around them. We have launched a naked bottle with no label and no logo, to manifest the idea that no matter what’s on the outside, it’s the inside that really matters.
Creative branding that engages the consumer for a social cause makes for an aesthetically pleasing and intriguing campaign.
[Via:PSFK]
Design is Important
Seen in the window of Portland Design Within Reach. I would even go so far to add that “sustainable design is important because environmental chaos is hard.” Just take the recent ecotopia proposal in Gothenburg as an example.
Organic Designs From Danish Ferm LIVING
Danish based design group Ferm LIVING just released their spring 09 catalog and there are some intriguing organic designs.
Printed on 100% organic cotton, these tea towels scream nature. And bicycles. Both things that I love.
Environmental Art: Alistair Heseltine
Came across the work of Alistair Heseltine the other day at work. Based in British Columbia the sculptor works with natural elements to create his interesting, and at times magical, works of art.
Using nature as art is nothing new, but what I really like about his sculptures and designs are the distinct lines created from natural sources, like the tree above. He makes formations that teeter on the ledge between natural and man-made, making us think both about the art and the elements used to create it.
You can see more of Alistair’s work at his website.
Nature is Back
Design aficionados will know that the Stockholm Furniture Fair took place last weekend. And although I would have loved to be there for it, reality decided otherwise; trips across the continent and Atlantic for a weekend aren’t what one would call realistic.
Fortunately there are enough Swedish design blogs that covered the fair to keep my eyes in awe for awhile. Husmusen happens to be one of my favorites, and the blog’s very own Frida Berglund snapped the photo above. Nature is clearly making it’s way back into design.
The designers of the items above aren’t mentioned, but take them for a little inspiration for your own project to bring nature back into your personal space.
[Photo: Frida Berglund, Husmusen]
