une, deux, trois, and here we go with quatre – the forth and final regional roundup of french designers. as always, it’s been a complete delight getting to know all 20 designers through their work and inspirations, and to look at paris with fresh eyes. today’s plat du jour is: boo louis of ekobo, carine tontini of extremorigin, fifi mandirac, aude de clermont tonnerre: fous de dinettes, gregoire scalabre and celine saby. a huge merci beaucoup to all the designers (and a special thanks to lily, marieke and boo for their insight into the paris design scene). CLICK HERE for the full feature, or just click “read more” below. stay tuned at 2pm for the paris design guide! -anne

[carte integral map by antoine + manuel...check out their full feature in part one!]

CLICK HERE for the full feature!

read more …

maison & objet, paris’s premier home and style show just finished up over the weekend, but here goes part 3 of our regional roundup: paris. check out food designer julie rothhahn, textile designer lily latif, the beautiful classifications of lyndie dourthe, more great patterns from atelier lzc and beautiful furniture with a modern twist by etc. creations. CLICK HERE for the full feature. thanks again to all the amazing designers who participated! stay tuned for part 4 coming soon… -anne

p.s. miss part one and two? catch them here and here.

[ile de la cite sketch by maral sassouni]

read more …

after picking up a copy tables éphémères at french touche a few years back, i was instantly smitten with the work of martine camillieri who for years has making the recycling of everyday objects into magically creative projects. the book made me want to throw a dinner party as soon as i got home using egg trays for snacks, add figurines to ice cubes and wrap empty wine bottles in common plastic sponges to jazz them up (trust me, it’s awesome and the beautiful styling and photography proves it). despite considering herself a non-designer, rather than a designer, i was ecstatic when martine agreed to be one of the featured designers in the regional roundup: paris. CLICK HERE for martine’s full feature (with lots more images beyond the plastic eiffel project above), along with the beautiful work of nathalie lete, atelier r.bernier, le petit atelier de paris and sophie toporkoff. in case you missed it, don’t forget to check out paris: part 1 right here. we’ll be back later in the week with the rest of the roundup!  -anne

for these designs and more, just click “read more” below…

read more …

seven years ago i fell in love with a paris as a student studying abroad. little did i know going into it that those three and a half months would inspire me to becoming a graphic designer. today we all know paris as the fashion capital of the world, but when it comes it design, i could only name a few designers off the top of my head. so today i’m so excited to share the latest in the regional roundup series: paris! today is just the start, with part one. throughout the roundup be sure to take the time to explore, as some of these designers have the most fantastically creative websites i’ve seen in awhile, not to mention great work. we’ll be back on friday with part two, and bringing it full circle next week. so without further ado, la cerise sur le gateau, 2,rouge, antoine + manuel, la maison de liouba, and bob design. CLICK HERE for today’s full roundup! [paris pattern by atelier lzc . . . stay tuned to their feature in part 3] -anne

read more …

if part one and part two of the austin regional roundup were not enough to prove to you that austin has a fun and vibrant design scene, perhaps hey cupcake!, an airstream tuned cupcake stand with rotating cupcake on the roof, is the proof you need. one thing is for sure – austin has a very “go local” flavor, with chain restaurants replaced with local favorites, and shops like parts & labor, devoted to showcasing local designers. there’s tons to explore this wonderful city (you can find the d*s city guide here), and today our exploration ends with part 3 of our look at austin. Click HERE to learn about final installment of all-star designers: illustrator victoria corbett, textile designer nancy mims {mod green pod}, illustrator shannon lowry, hotel san jose landscape designer mark word, interior designer adrienne breaux and card designer cindy bell morgan. stay tuned to find out where our next regional roundup takes us. . . [thanks, austin designers!] -anne

CLICK HERE for the full post and to view all of the designers!
read more …

you’ve got to love a city whose motto is “keep austin weird.” full of flavor (i’m talking amazing tex mex), color and character, austin is a city that seriously has it all. it also has one of the best vintage/design scenes full of incredible shops like uncommon objects and room service vintage - and these places keep popping up all over the roundup for austin inspiration (check out the d*s austin guide here for more great shopping). so without further ado, today’s talented roundup: joel mozersky (the designer behind the real world: austin house!), d’ette cole {etta industry}, melissa gable {one creative girl}, jennifer braham {brink design} and jaime jo fisher {jewelry}. in case you missed it don’t forget to check out the regional roundup: austin- part 1, and stay tuned next week for our third and final installment! [thanks, designers!] -anne

CLICK HERE for the full post or just click “read more” below.
read more …

yee-haw! it’s time for our next regional roundup! in our quest to feature smaller, yet thriving design scenes, our latest installment takes us to austin, texas. perhaps know best for their vibrant music scene and south by southwest festival (that has grown to include other forms of media beyond music), austin is full of creative folks. so to get this roundup started, we contacted d*s favorite, alyson fox to help get the ball rolling (and we really must thank all the designers for connecting us to this growing scene). today’s installment features illustrator alyson fox, textile designer melissa cotton {poppy cotton}, poster illustrator rob jones {animal rummy}, botanical/furniture designers – frisbie design, and the all-creative, leah duncan – so make sure you CLICK HERE to read after the jump. stay tuned next week for part 2! and in the meantime, you can check out all of the regional roundups here – australia, portland [me], and iceland! [thank you, designers!] -anne

[austin print above by jennifer hill, one of her many incredible patterns for places i have never been]

Alyson Fox

1. Where are you from? Where do you live now?
I’m an army brat so where I am from is always a tough question to answer. I was born in Texas, and am now back living and working in Austin, TX.

2. Describe your work.
My work is a combination of my fine art and a small design company that I started a little over a year ago. I wanted to start a small design company so I could combine a number of mediums that I am interested in into one on going and ever changing project. Sort of a working studio/design lab. Right now it’s limited edition silk screen posters, printed tees, totes and some jewelry. I am trying to be self-supporting so I have my energy in a few places other than my fine art. My art mostly consists of drawings on paper with pen, pencil, ink and watercolor. I am also making small sculptures for a upcoming show that I am really enjoying.

3. How is your work influenced by where you live?
My work is always inspired by things that I see, hear and read about, so living in Austin is great because there are always so many things going on. We also have an amazing community that loves to support local artists and designers, which is why I think there are so many diverse talented people living and working here.

4. Where do you go in Austin when you want to feel inspired?
For ongoing inspiration I go to the Blanton  Museum of Art (on campus), The AMOA, Women and Their Work gallery and the Art house. For real quick inspiration I go to thrift stores, hardware stores and Uncommon Objects on South Congress. A good meal is also always inspiring too and sometimes what I need to keep going.

5. How would you describe the Austin design scene?
The Austin Design Scene is smart, friendly, conscious, detailed, innovative, motivating…and always surprising. From Architects to Furniture makers and Artist to Designers there is such a high bar of talent and growing that is taking place here that is always exciting to see and hear about.

6. If you could go anywhere where would you go?
I would go to Greece. That was the first place of many that popped into my head of where I want to go sometime soon.

Click here for more of Alyson’s work.

Poppy Cotton

1. Where are you from? Where do you live now?
I am originally from Texas.  I was born and raised on the Gulf Coast and then college in Austin.  I spent most of my 20s in Brooklyn, NY.  Now I am back in Austin, where I plan to live forever.

2. Describe your work.
I hand make home accessories (pillows, wall hangings, lampshades) out of authentic vintage textiles with wonderfully quirky prints from the 1960s and 70s.  Most of my pieces are one of a kind, or one of a handful.

3. How is your work influenced by where you live?
My work has always been influenced by my upbringing in the 1970s.  Oddly enough, my childhood nursery looked like it might have been decorated with Poppy Cotton products.  I suppose it is a sub-conscious type of influence.  I started my business when I was living in Brooklyn and I certainly found myself being drawn to vintage botanicals and floral fabrics.  I think I was innately craving something fresh and nature inspired after spending stuffy winters on the fifth floor.  It was this same nature craving that made me want to move back to clean living Austin and continue my business here.  It’s literally a natural fit.

4. Where do you go in Austin when you want to feel inspired?
I always feel inspired by just stepping out into my backyard and enjoying the smells and sounds of the outdoors.  It’s not that my yard is particularly beautiful and well appointed.  It’s inspiring simply because it is mine.  It’s my first yard ever and something I have wanted since I was a little girl.  My brain works better and spills forth inspired ideas when I am squinting through sunshine.

5. How would you describe the Austin design scene?
Honestly, I don’t know much about the Austin design scene.  Pitiful, I know!  This does not reflect how I feel about Austin designers because I was almost completely uninvolved with the NY design scene as well.  I am not much of a networker or a consumer so that does not make many opportunities to find out what is going on with local design in the traditional sense.  I tend to just stick to myself and make the things that I personally like and reflect a certain feeling from the past.  I aim to stay true to my inner design voice, independent from too many outside forces, which tend to stifle me.

6. If you could go anywhere where would you go?
I recently finished reading the classic series “All Creatures Great and Small” by James Herriot and so I would love to go to Yorkshire.  I want to see the patchwork of rolling green farmland with the bracken and wild heather.  Many times throughout the books, James would have a few minutes between vet calls and so he would pull his car over, take a deep breath of the fresh air, and admire the naive beauty of the Yorkshire countryside.  These are the simple pleasures that float my boat and I want to experience that same scenery that gave him such peace throughout his long life.

Click here for more of Melissa’s work.

click here for the full post (and many more designers), or just click “read more” below.

read more …