for the past two years d*s has been hosting the ugliest pillow contest to celebrate all things out-of-date, torn to pieces and horribly tacky. we don’t normally do a lot of trash-talking or product-dissing here, but once a year i like to switch it up and see what sort of scary accessories lurk in people’s homes.

if you’re unfamiliar with the contest, here’s the rundown: every year we host a contest along with pillows and throws to see who has the ugliest pillow in america. for one week we accept entries and then narrow it down to a final 10. once the top 10 are decided (or should i say bottom ten?) we open up the voting to you, the readers, to decide who is the owner of america’s ugliest pillow. once our top three winners are chosen they receive brand new thomas paul pillows of their choice, courtesy of pillows and throws, to replace their award-winning ugly pillows.

you can browse some of the past years’ entries right here and here, but if you’re ready to join the contest, here are the rules:

1. all pillows must be photographed (voters are always interested in good photos so please take time to set up a nice shot) and emailed to designsponge [at] gmail [dot] com by TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4TH AT 10PM, EST.
2. all photos must be attached in JPEG form. please do not send flickr links, website links, or zipped folders. please send all of your images in one email.
3. please write “ugliest pillow contest” in the subject line of your email
4. due to shipping costs, we can only accept entries from the united states this year

1st place will receive 2 thomas paul pillows of their choice to replace their ugly pillow, and 2nd and 3rd place will both receive a new thomas paul pillow of their choice to replace their ugly pillows. thanks to pamela stanmire at pillows and throws for donating the award-pillows and thank you to thomas paul for the lovely designs.

[pillows shown above are the newest collection of thomas paul pillows at pillows and throws]

today we’re continuing with our three-part city guide to shopping in hawaii. last week we visited the islands of oahu and maui, and today shaunna from pacific weddings magazine is bringing us the best spots to shop in kauai. click here for the full shopping guide and stay tuned next week for the final installment of shopping in hawaii: the big island. thanks, shaunna!

looking for more city guides? we have 37 more guides to great cities in the US and abroad right here.

read more …

i’m always looking for a great, compact desk, but this one really takes the cake. talk about perfect for small studios, dorm rooms and converted closet desks. they’re certainly not for everyone (especially those who need more writing and storage room), but if you live in a tiny apartment and need something small for short-term work this wallflower wall office by jonas and jonas seems perfect. via notcot.

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 …

today’s things i’m loving is dedicated to the city i’m currently visting: LA! last week ac and i hopped on a plane to los angeles and are currently treating ourselves to a few days at the viceroy hotel in santa monica. it’s our 5 year anniversary so we thought we’d celebrate and kick back before winter hits and we can’t remember what sunlight looks like anymore. i’ll be posting like normal this week (just from a different zip code) so i’ll see you in an hour with a new post.

[image above, clockwise from top left: vintage dancing legs calipers $150, epice dotted scarf $106, 1890s agate locket $220, jonathan adler lion $125, mustache pencils by atypyk, sarah cihat dish $34-$59, miniature concrete planter $98 (one of my first posts in 2004!), kim seybert glass $55, antique demijohn bottle $125, letter opener by atypyk, john pomp "stone" vase $400, dandelion servers $155]

i know it’s been something of a budget-bonanza here lately but my new under $100 column (which is separate from the 4 weekly columns i’ve guest blogged at domino recently) just launched and i wanted to share the roundup of 20 great tabletop pieces. there’s a nice range of style and function so i hope you’ll enjoy it. click here for the full roundup and click here to view past under $100 columns.

[ps: i'm thrilled to welcome heather taylor from taylor de cordoba to the d*s guest blog today. click here to check out her posts and stay tuned for a sneak peek of her gorgeous home on thursday!]

i’m a huge fan of dan funderburgh’s work so i was thrilled to see these beautiful new letterpress prints he designed. you can pick up both prints at i am still alive for $30 and $100. and while you’re there, check out mike perry’s fantastic print, too.

ps: click here to check out heather’s awesome interior tour of the marmivon house in LA on the d*s guest blog (pictures below) this morning, it is seriously, seriously awesome.