wanted to throw in a few extra hidden art pieces that were of note: a great everyday mug, cups on a slant, a fancied up egg cup, some gorgeous nubby pillows and some fun coasters decorated with photos of vintage plates. click here for the full shabang from hidden art. [again, intl shipping charge applies]

the hidden art online shop has too many great design finds to pass up. keep in mind the prices don’t include intl shipping, so if anything catches your eye be sure to consider the fees. i’ve ordered a number of things from europe and have been glad i did every time. you can often find unique pieces and if they make you happy, a shipping fee is sometimes a small price to pay. back to hidden art- i was realy impressed with their lighting collection- a series of wall, hanging and table lamps that express that trademark unique, almost handmade feel that comes with a lot of hidden art designs. i was smitten with the lamps above and below but you can browse (and shop) the entire collection right here. enjoy!

i’m listening to kexp this morning and going through this great big packet of milan designers that kristina at 3lc sent me (thanks, kristina!). it’s packed full of great up and coming designers that showcased with hidden art uk this year, so i wanted to talk about a few of these. first up is this is macro, a british design studio run by patrick bek and oliver fowles- their latest collections focus on two major themes: accordion style folding pieces that start flat and expand to create seating or lighting. the second theme is water-jet cut polyethelene foam used in a wide arrange of seating options. i love the fold out pieces because i think they’re such a fun way to reimagine traditionally solid objects like chairs and lamps. comfort may be an issue, but the fold out stool certainly looks lovely. if folding pieces aren’t for you, try this is macro’s water-jet cut pieces- they have a nice tetris feel to them with clean cut edges and an almost block-like quality to them. you can click here for more info. [thanks 3lc!]

[stay tuned today for the winners of the brooklyn designs contest and coverage of the pratt id student show]

during my interview with mav at port2port she mentioned the work of british designer, lisa stickley. based in london, lisa creates beautiful textiles for tablecloths, napkins, cushions, place mats, tea towels, wash bags, shoe bags, aprons and chair covers used in her 8 signature collections. a little bit vintage and a little bit modern, lisa’s work is that perfect blend of old and new that makes you want to clean house and redecorate with that worn in, slightly bohemian look. teatime images like teapots and plates appear frequently in lisa’s work to add to the feminine but modern look that runs throughout the collection. i’m a big fan of her tea towels and tablecloths- there’s a pattern for everyone in there and thankfully, lisa ships to the us! you can contact lisa and check out her full collection right here. enjoy! [thanks to mav for the tip and thanks to lisa for the lovely photos- great work, lisa!]

the last time i talked to the ladies of loyal loot collective they were part of the canadian cabin post i did on up and coming designers from our friendly neighbor to the north. since then i’ve heard about their latest work on poppytalk and heard it mentioned by a number of the student designers i spoke with last night at pratt, so i thought i should put up some of their new pieces (my review of the pratt design meet up will go up tomorrow).

loyal loot collective is made up of four very talented designers: carmen douville, doha chebib, dara humniski and anna thomas. founded in 2003, loyal loot tries to stay true to the nature of materials they use and create objects that will be cherished for ages to come, rather than used as disposable design. of their latest work, i was quite drawn to their bonnie and clyde nesting tables, pillow chair (reminds me of an updated la chaise) and cork table. their newest pieces really represent the new level of sophistication in their work- each piece is clean, streamlined and modern- i can’t wait to see what comes next. click here for more info on loyal loot collective.