Showing posts with label on the web. Show all posts
Showing posts with label on the web. Show all posts

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Moose online shop - 15% discount for Design Files readers!

Quirky brooches made from recycled lino by Melbourne-based BettyJo Designs. These unique brooches have also been picked up by UK fashion icon Paul Smith!


Moose is a Perth-based online shop showcasing unique products made by mostly Australian independent artists and crafters. Moose began in 2006 with 12 artists and 60 pieces of handmade work, and in three years has grown to more than 130 artists and 1600+ items!

Moose represents a really varied group of designers, including a few previous Design Files interviewees including Elke Kramer and Madeleine Beatty! They're passionate about introducing Australian craft and design to international markets, and have helped many local artists sell their work to customers as far as Canada, Israel, China, South Korea, Japan, Italy, the UK, the US and The North Pole (seriously!).

Moose are celebrating their 3rd birthday this week and have offered Design Files readers a 15% discount! Just use the discount code moosedesignfiles at checkout to receive your discount. This code will be valid until next Tuesday 14th July.

ps) Moose have also just started their own blog.


Wednesday, July 1, 2009

The Selby in Sydney


As if Todd Selby wasn't already well-connected enough in NYC without coming over here and hooking up with all our super-cool people in Sydney. Jeepers. At least he hasn't found out about Melbourne yet. Yep, Melbourne is still MINE. ha ha!

But seriously. Did you know The Selby has been taking photos of cool people's houses in Sydney? I had no idea. They're all amazing as usual.


Tina Kaliva's place on The Selby

Natalie Wood's place. Why so many Cats on The Selby?

ps) Oh and if you needed any more reason to be awestruck by Mr Selby's stellar rise to fame (well-deserved, of course!), he also took some amazing photos at the Salone Internazionale del Milan this year for the NY Times. Sigh.


Friday, June 26, 2009

Interview - Grace Bonney of Design*Sponge!

Grace Bonney - photo by Anna Wolf

Oh man. I am so excited about this one. Finally today I get to share an interview with a full-time blogger who needs no introduction - Grace Bonney!

I was, of course, planning to post this whilst I was in NY, after meeting the lovely lady myself. But you know how it is when you're on holiday... so much to do, so little time, such unreliable internet access. So instead I will wrap up my travel coverage with this fantastic insight into the inner workings of the Design*Sponge mastermind!

I have to say a huge thankyou to Grace for her time... because she's one busy lady! She's shared so much fantastic detail about her background and the day to day running Design*Sponge in this very candid interview... aren't we lucky!?

Tell me a little about your background - what path led you to what you’re doing now?

Looking back, my past managed to combine in a way that makes total sense, but living through it at the time I felt pretty all over the place. I always loved art and writing, so I majored in Journalism at NYU for two years. Then I decided to transfer to a smaller school in VA and changed my major to Fine Art, with a focus in Printmaking. After a year there I could feel that my future wasn't going to be with traditional fine art. I remember the day I discovered "Trading Spaces" on television - it opened my eyes to the idea of design, furniture design, and interior design. I didn't even really think about those as fields I could go into. So I focused my printmaking on drawing interiors and spent my free time making over friends' dorm rooms and designing (and building) my own furniture for our room.

When I graduated I decided to pursue music (because I was also a radio DJ in college) and quickly learned that wasn't for me. So after a summer spent following the bass player from Phish around (I worked on his solo album in 2003) I left the label and went to work in for a tiny PR agency that dealt with mid-century design firms. I loved working with the artists but hated PR, so I started the blog for fun. I never, ever expected it to take off. When it became a profitable site, I was able to leave my job and take freelance jobs with House & Garden, Domino and Craft Magazines. All of those have since closed so now D*S is my full-time job.


Shots from a gorgeous D*S sneak peek - this time it's the Jewels of New York. Swoon.

Design*Sponge is the ultimate craft / design blog. Your site is one of the most popular in this genre, and you have a loyal fanbase to whom you are a huge inspiration (me included!). What were your initial goals for Design*Sponge? Did you ever expect the site to grow in the way that it has?

Thanks! When I started blogging in 2004 there was only a handful of us talking about design, so I thought about it purely as a place to meet people who loved the same things I did. I've focused really hard on keeping that spirit over the years and it's helped me keep a level head about the site's growth. So I tend to avoid long-term goals and just go with my gut. I rarely plan content more than a month ahead of time so I like to keep the site an accurate reflection of what I'm loving at the moment - so it's definitely changed as my interests expand to include craft projects, cooking and gardening. Overall I hope it just remains a place where people can go to find interesting design-related content. I try not to lean too heavily on the blog - I definitely see a life for myself outside of the laptop so I'm always trying to find a way to learn new things and share them with other people, in whatever form that may take.

You generate a huge amount of content daily – it must be an incredible juggling act balancing the research / writing and emailing and follow ups! How do you structure your week to ensure everything gets done efficiently? Do you allocate certain tasks to certain times / days?

Each week is different, but it's a definitely full-time job. At least 6 days a week, from 7am to 8pm. I feel strongly about giving readers content that they haven't seen everywhere else, so I place a premium on original content. So, I had to branch out to bring in a few editors who could help with regular columns. I quite simply couldn't keep things going without Anne (Sneak Peeks and Regional Roundup columns), Lauren and Derek (DIY projects), Kate (DIY projects), Kristina (Recipes), and Sarah (Weeder's Digest gardening/floral column).

I basically pre-load half of the day's content the night before, and finish the rest in the morning. Then the rest of the day is devoted to email, research, filming videos out in the city, meeting with designers, and conducting interviews. These days the biz ladies series takes a fair chunk of time too- it's tough, but worth the effort, to find experts who are willing to share their time for free. I'm so grateful that many of them to- it's really great to be able to offer some support to independent designers.

Stunning Hellebores from the D*S Weeders Digest column

Which significant tasks do you outsource to help you manage the demands of running the site?

The editors I mentioned above handle 4 major weekly columns like the home tours, diy projects, floral projects and recipes and I handle any other content that appears. I'm not a fan of advertising networks so we now have a small in-house team that handles the advertising part of the site - I like to stay as far away from that part of things as I can. So without those people I'd be a mess. I'm still a mess, but they help me find a few hours a week to do non-work activities. I think this team we work with now is ideal and I'm not looking to grow anymore - I just wish there were more hours in the day for me to chip in some more. I'm always thinking of some other project or column I want to work on, but simply don't have the time or energy for.

...from the new-ish D*S recipe column

What does a typical day at work involve for you?

It changes every week, but here are some predictable tasks:

1. Email (all day, every day, giving advice, helping people find affordable design objects, giving interior design tips, reading submissions, etc.)

2. Research
(this takes place all week, on weekends, when I'm in bed - I always have a laptop or iPhone attached to me, looking things up or sending emails about new columns or people/places to feature.)


3. Coding/Writing (
i try to pre-load content so I can clear out my inbox as often as possible. but I normally hit my gmail file size quota once a month. it's a zoo with all those big image files)


4. Interviews/videos
(i usually email/phone/visit someone to interview them about a column or there work a few times a week- it's my favorite part of the job)


5. Biz Ladies (i'm running this column right now so i'm always emailing business advisers, accountants, store owners and artists to work with them on their columns. then i have to code and upload their work)

6. Biz Admin
(payroll, taxes, etc. running a small business means there's always paperwork to do)


7. Real Life
(i try to get in an hour or two of cheesy tv while i work- it makes me feel more normal. lately i'm trying to replace those hours with coffee and friends. it's much healthier. still no room for the gym. whoops)



D*S sneak peek - David Alhadeff of The Future Perfect. I love this one to death.

What is the best thing about your job?

Setting my own schedule. Hands down. I work all day every day, but I can start that day or end that day when I want- and at least no one's leaning over my shoulder telling me what to do. It's usually just my cats leaning over my shoulder crying for me to give them treats.

more from the D*S recipe column

And the worst?

Not knowing when to stop or say no. I'm getting better, but I need to balance my life a little. I think when we start a family in the coming years I'll be forced to slow down - that's my plan. Until then I plan to work as hard as I can for as long as I can. I really enjoy working so it's not a bad "worst" to have.

You do such a great job of promoting independent creative business, local designers and artists. I know it’s hard to choose favourites, but at the moment, which designers, artists and/or creative people are you inspired by?

Oh man, it's tough to pick someone. It changes weekly. I just left Bklyn Designs so I'd say some people there: Palo Samko, Horgan Becket and Dan Funderburgh.

Where do you find inspiration outside of the blogging community – ie books, fine art, your environment, travel, your family and friends?

Books, fine art and travel have, for good and bad, become part of my blogging life, so the only thing I keep separate tends to be my friends and family- so they mean everything to me. I try to meet up with friends who live in my area a few times a week- they provide a much needed dose of life-outside-the-laptop.

Design*Sponge's sneak peek of Lisa Congdon's kitchen

What are you looking forward to?

My honeymoon in Montana. We leave to go camping right after ICFF, the stationery show and surtex so it will be a much needed break from the madness that is design season in nyc.

NYC Questions

What and where was the last great meal you ate in your local area?

Hmm...I eat out a lot so that's a tough one. I never leave Little D Eatery without a smile on my face so I'd say the coca-cola ribs at Little D. Followed by apple caramel bread pudding. delicious. Worth the trip to Park Slope from anywhere else in the city.

You favourite shopping strip in NYC for a dose of design eye candy?

Oh man, my favorites aren't close to each other to be honest. Williamsburg would be an easy pick - but right now I prefer Red Hook. I like to visit Saipua, the vintage stores there, Erie Basin, Baked bakery and the artists studios that are sometimes open. Then you can get dinner at the Good Fork - perfect day.

But I really love ABC Home in the city - as well as Michele Varian. All my favorite small shops closed - like the Hable Construction shop - that was hands down my favorite shop in nyc.

*oh yes I was so disappointed to find out that Hable Construction had closed when I visited NYC! So sad :( - Lucy

Where would we find you on a typical Saturday morning?

Picking up wildflowers and fresh food at the Grand Army Plaza greenmarket in Brooklyn. If it's nice out I'll try to get in a good scooter ride with Aaron, but most of the time we end up working. That's why vacations are important to us - we spend so much of our weekend working that it's tough to get long stretches of relaxation.

NYC’s best kept secret?

I feel like nothing in ny is secret anymore. Blogs, daily newsletters and the internet in general means nothing is an insider secret - everyone blogs, twitters, or emails about a new place the second it opens (or the weeks before it opens). But in general I love to walk neighborhoods that aren't as packed - like Red Hook or State Street in Boerum Hill. In Manhattan? No idea- everything there feels packed so I try to stick to the outer boroughs.

Monday, June 8, 2009

Behind the scenes at Etsy!

Etsy offices entrance and reception area. Do you not just love it!?? That owl in the entrance way is HUGE - like 2 metres high or more? Also I love that cute handmade Etsy sign above the reception desk! Adam introduced this guy as the 'manceptionist'. ha! Most photos here by Glen Jackson Taylor of Core 77.

Oh YES that's right! Last week I was lucky enough to visit the offices of Etsy.com! Agghhhh! Deep breaths. Too exciting! (I'm so very appreciative to Glen from Core 77 for hooking this up for me! Also all photos here are by Glen - thanks again!!)

Etsy are based in Brooklyn, and utilise an fantastic old industrial space which used to be the offices and factory of a printing press company. It seriously seems like the most fun place to work. It feels like some kind of kooky, fun-filled student-union office set up, characterised by the stunning original timber panelling (from the print company offices), beautiful persian rugs in every room, lots of plant life (especially tiny succulents!) in every workspace, and of course - handmade cuteness everywhere!

Did you know Etsy has grown astronomically since first created in June 2005 by a guy called Rob Kalin (aged 28 at the time if you don't mind!)? Their merchant sales in the first year were around $166,000. Last year they were $87.5 MILLION! Can you believe this kind of revenue can be generated by handmade goods alone!? How awesome is that? However it is also super awesome to learn than Etsy are not some kind of massive corporate machine... behind the scenes Etsy's personality as a workplace is very much in keeping with its online presence - quirky, DIY-driven and heaps of fun!

Our guided tour was conducted by the lovely Adam Brown from the Marketing team. After seeing that each Etsy staff member has their own cute customised labcoat(!!), I demanded Adam wore his for our tour - he charmingly obliged! You can see him below with colleague Christina Batch-Lee looking super gorgeous in their matching coats! Thanks so much for the tour guys!

Marketing offices - Christina Batch-Lee and Adam Brown looking gorgeous in their etsy-lab coats!

Hallway, entrance way. Loving that wood panelling.

Top is the Engineers room. See the cute 'we heart engineers' sign?! These guys do the tricky tech stuff for the website. Here they are having a 'stand-up'. Apparently this is quite common in NYC? It is a stand-up meeting - good because it forces everyone to look away from their computer screen at each other, and quick and to-the-point (because everyone is standing up!). I was intrigued. Goes to show I know nothing about working in an office!

Etsy blog offices! Ooooh to be a full-time blogger! Don't you love the handmade sign on their door?

lunchroom / kitchen

Things that made us laugh in the entrance area.

Etsy Octopus. Every business should have one.

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

NYC on Flickr

Chrysler / Taxi - by Spring Globe on Flickr

Guggenheim / Stella - by Spring Globe on Flickr



Ok so I am mid-way through rounding up day 2 and just haven't had a chance to wade through all my images yet...!

So instead thought I would share a really nice little set of NYC shots I just discovered on Flickr by someone called Spring Globe. Love her(?) flitration of little details from this big city! Also it seems her shots are all super current - all posted in the last couple of weeks...

Promise more of my own shots tomorrow!

ps) Spring Globe also has really great Milan design pics... most definitely worth a little browse...

Dean and Deluca - by Spring Globe on Flickr

knitting grafitti and subway - by Spring Globe on Flickr

by Spring Globe on Flickr

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Style Rookie


Style Rookie - 13 yr old Tavi

OK so this is not entirely design related. But bare with me because you will truly love this. Promise.

Style Rookie is the fashion blog of US just-turned-13-year-old girl called Tavi. It is amazing. It is utterly hilarious. I am not usually into fashion blogs but Tavi is the most precociously fantastic writer.

Tavi seems to be slowly taking over the fashion world.. if she's not receiving freebies from well-known fashion brands, she's being invited to high-profile fashion launches/openings (she usually declines), and she's been interviewed by Interview Magazine and featured in Teen Vogue etc etc. (in her Teen Vogue Interview Tavi recommends - 'Dress however you please and embrace rude stares. It means that what you're wearing isn't boring!')

This girl is seriously going places. She totally knows her stuff... and, refreshingly, she doesn't buy into the fashion industry fluff factor. Instead, her writing is tongue in cheek, laugh-out-loud witty, and delightfully sardonic.

Anna Wintour better watch her back...

ps) Tavi's funniest post ever is here. Ahhhhhhhh sooo funnnyyyy. x


Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Notemaker / Moleskine design competition

Customised Moleskine diaries (this image from Oh Joy)

Hey a friend just tipped me off about a little design competiton for Australian designers and/or design students...

NoteMaker’s Annual Design Competition gives you the opportunity to design your own embossed cover for an original Moleskine Diary!

Australian online stationary store Notemaker is looking for budding designers to come up with a design based on the theme “Your Notebook Your Life”. Your design doesn't have to be a pretty illustration... there are so many possibilities! Imagine a diary covered in architectural sketches, complex mathematical equations or even beautiful poetry?!

The winning design will be produced and sold as a limited edition Moleskine release! (The winner will also receive an iPod Nano and a Notemaker gift voucher).

It's not everyday you get the opportunity to customize your own classic Moleskine.... and it's an especially great opportunity for design students to build your design folio!

Entries close 1 June 2009. More info here.

Ps) Actually Notemaker has some quite cute things for sale on their website... definitely worth a little browse. Look what I found -



Penguin boxed set of 6 pencils - AU$14.95 and Penguin cover notebook - AU$19.95 (Aggh both currently sold out I now realise... sorry!)

Monday, May 11, 2009

Newest sponsor - CoutureLab

Snow Stefani Evening Bag by Bea Valdes for CoutureLab

Maharlika evening bag by Bea Valdes for CoutureLab

Fleurs du Mal necklace by Bea Valdes for CoutureLab

Hey hey! :) Just a quick post today - I want to introduce my newest sponsor, CoutureLab! CoutureLab are a super-high end 'luxury lifestyle company' with a difference... all the products they showcase are hand-crafted by well-known designers and artisans from all over the world. No mass-produced items here - instead CoutureLab are focused on reviving the traditional meaning of 'couture', producing one-off and limited edition items for a very discerning market.

It's not cheap - but it sure is a stunning range of unique products, spanning fashion, homewares, jewellery, accessories and even childrens wear - for seriously well-dressed tots!

White Tulle Ruffle Dress from the Bonnie Young collection

Aside from their online shop, Couture Lab also have fantastic editorial content in the 'Magazine' section - check out this fabulous article about German-born fashion icon Ann Demeulemeester... and another one about incredible French up-and-coming haute couture fashion designer Alexis Mabille...

Red Highball Tumblers from the Artel Collection

Sunday, May 3, 2009

The Sartorialist hits Melbourne (and the SBS NEWS!)

The Sartorialist finds the coolest dudes in Sydney. That child is destined for stardom. Apparently Melbourne fashion was harder to capture... I'm not surprised given the subzero temperatures at the moment.

Did you just see the Scott Schuman (aka The Sartorialist) ON THE SBS NEWS tonight?

Jeepers creepers.

Also, I just learned he is having a meet-up party in Melbourne RIGHT NOW (ie Sunday night), at Cutler and Co (of course). But after reading all the comments from excited fashionistas on his website, I decided not to go because I am nowhere near fashionable enough to attend. And after seeing him on the news he seemed somehow a little less mysterious and exciting. Sad but true :(

*Note to self - do not go on the news, even if The Design Files one day becomes world famous!

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Core77 Milan coverage - the Appartamento Project




Photos from the Lago/Core77 Appartamento in Milan

Last year I told myself 2009 would be the year I would finally get to Milan for Design Week. But unfortunately, it was not to be :( (Thank God You're Here kind of got in the way....). Anyway, can't be feeling too sorry for myself because NYC is just around the corner...!

ANYWAY as you all know, the next best thing to being in Milan, is reading the fantastic daily coverage on the web. The absolute best, most up-to-the-minute coverage has to be at Core77, closely followed by Designboom. These sites were doing live event coverage well before Twitter came along (and frankly, I just can't get excited about a webpage with no pictures. Boring.)

Core77 are doing this awesome thing actually, in collaboration with Italian furniture manufacturer Lago. It's called the Appartamento project. Staff of Lago and Core77 are living together in a private apartment in Milan for the duration of the design week. The Core77 offices are on site, and all their Milan coverage will be produced and posted live from this location.



In addition to their usual extensive coverage, this year Core77 will also invite people to be interviewed in the space, reporting live daily from the Appartamento project. And actually, if you are in Milan, you can even visit the apartment yourself.

AWESOME.

Oh, and, of course, the apartment is ridiculously beautiful - filled with stunning designer furniture from Lago. Blah.

More photos here. and here.
Remind me what I'm doing in Melbourne, again?