I’ll let you in on a secret. I have a serious online book binge spending problem. My throw pillow and shoe impulse buys don’t hold a candle to a gorgeous hardcover book about architecture, landscape architecture or interiors. To try and find some balance, I hoard my spare change and then take it to one of those Coinstar machines so that I can get Amazon gift certificates. Here’s what me and my coffee table are currently literally saving our pennies for.

Designers at Home: Personal Reflections on Stylish Living by Ronda Rice Carman. We love designers. We love peeking into their homes. And most of all, we love the author Ronda and her blog, All the Best.

Kengo Kuma: Complete Works by Kenneth Frampton. This monograph is full of breathtaking ethereal designs by the Japanese architect, and organized by materials – water and glass, wood, grass and bamboo and stone, earth and ceramics. If you have a loved one graduating from architecture school this spring, this is a perfect gift, trust me!

Conde Nast Traveler Photographs: 25th Anniversary Collection. This beautiful compilation of photos from the pages of Conde Nast Traveler will have you thinking “I want to go to there!” every time you turn the page. Plus, on a shallower note, the taxicab yellow cover with its and graphic punch of type makes it a great design accessory that will draw the eye no matter where you stash it.

Speaking shallowly of eye-catching covers, this one caught my eye. Living Modern: California Design 1930-1965, edited by Wendy Kaplan, celebrates the unique way California architects interpreted mid-century modern style during the height of the movement. The book accompanied last year’s exhibition at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA).

The 50 Best Plants on the Planet: The Most Nutritient-Dense Fruits and Vegetables, in 150 Delicious Recipes by Cathy Thomas. OK, so not technically a design book, this book can help you plan out your spring garden for some yard-to-table treats, and is perfect for foodies, budding chefs and green thumbs alike.

Which design books do you have your eye on this spring? Let us know in the Comments section!

The butt of a Portlandia joke: Yup, after the whole bird flu thing and  their proliferation on everything from coffee mugs to living walls, birds have been dissed lately, but you know what? We still love them and think they are cool. In fact, we’ve had one on our logo since the beginning of Design Public.

If you do do, we say go for it and put birds on whatever things you want. Whether it’s a Charley Harper cardinal on your house or a folk art Eames bird on your shelf, birds that are done right will never go out of style. Here’s a few different bird styles:

Hippie Bird: The white dove, long a symbol of peace became a symbol of Woodstock where it became a free bird. By the way, you can scoop up a poster on Etsy.

Mid-century modern: This little bird was inspired by an original piece of Adirondack folk art that Charles and Ray Eames picked up an honored with a space in their home for many years. They used it in some of their great photo styling, and when their fans inquired about where they could get one, reproductions were created based on 3D models of the original. They are manufactured by Vitra.

Finnish: Over the last 40 years,artist Oiva Toikka has designed over 400 beautiful and unique mouth blown glass birds for iitalia; each one is a work of art. The only problem I have with them is that I cannot seem to choose one; I have several favorites and the first place slot changes daily. Shop a wide selection of them here.

Chinoiserie: This proud peacock adds Asian-inspired flair to the bedroom.

Post-Modern: Kontexture’s take on the rubber ducky gives a nostalgic familiar form an edge.

So peeps, how are you feeling about birds these days? Would you let a heron print in the house but kick out a tote bag with a robin on it? Let us know in the Comments section.

I am so excited for Museum of Design Atlanta’s upcoming Eero Saarinen exhibit – it starts this Sunday April 14th and will run through June 30, 2013. For those of you who won’t be in Atlanta during that time, I thought we could do a post on Saarinen here to let you enjoy his work too. Here’s a quick peek at a fe of his greatest hits:

The Miller House, Columbus, Indiana 1957: Now owned and maintained by The Indianapolis Museum of Art, the Miller House is open for tours. If you visit, be sure to pay attention the landscape by Daniel Urban Kiley; it’s one of the most spectacular modern gardens in the U.S. and the interior fun provided by Alexander Girard. Tickets sell out fast, so be sure to plan ahead if you’re planning a trip to the modern-architecture rich Columbus! You can buy them here.

photos via The Indianapolis Museum of Art

The TWA Terminal at JFK 1962: The last time I was in this building, it was leaky and there was a bird flying around, but this architecture was all about the Jet Age, back when flying was glamorous and exciting:

photo by Ezra Stoller

John Deere Headquarters, Moline, Illinois 1964: After catching the eye of John Deere’s president, William Hewitt with his designs, Saarinen designed the striking headquarters for the company. The project is a wonderful example of modern architecture living in harmony with its surroundings:

photo via johndeere.com

The Gateway Arch in St. Louis 1965: One of the most iconic structures (at 630 feet high, it’s also the tallest monument) in the U.S. is also by Saarinen. Again, he teamed up with Dan Kiley to complete the landscape. Isn’t this picture crazy? It gives me vertico just thinking about it, and it also makes me miss my erector set!

Saarinen’s furniture designs continue to be some of the most popular examples of mid-century modern style today.

He designed the Womb Chair (1964) at the behest of his good pal Florence Knoll, who wanted a chair she could curl up in. If one wants to stretch out in it, the matching ottoman is a great addition.

Of course, his tulip table, a.k.a. Knoll Saarinen Table (1956), is one of the most iconic pieces of furniture from the mid-century modern period. Saarinen was not fond of legs and wanted a cleaner look when it came to kitchen and dining areas. “The undercarriage of chairs and tables in a typical interior makes an ugly, confusing, unrestful world,” he said. “I wanted to clear up the slum of legs. I wanted to make the chair all one thing again.”

For a typical kitchen table with four legs plus four chairs, Saarinen decreased “the slum of legs” from 20 legs to 5 pedestals. Not too shabby!

For those of you in Atlanta during the next few months, be sure to check out MODA’s Eero Saarinen exhibit!

I know this has been a pretty wacky week for weather across the U.S. this week, but for some of us it will be warming up and it’s time to start planning some weekend activities to celebrate spring. Why not check out your local botanical gardens? If it’s too cold, check out the conservatory instead.

During the nicer weather a week and a half ago, I hit the Atlanta Botanical Gardens, and the tulips, crocuses and pansies were in full glorious bloom. So were camelias and Japanese anemones and a few more plant names I forgot to scribble down. It was a great way to get excited about spring gardening in the upcoming weeks.

Do a quick search for botanical gardens in your city and make plans. Also, check out how much a membership costs. If you plan on going two to three times per year, you usually save money, and many gardens that are open to the public have reciprocal memberships.

You should also start planning for Garden Tours. Many of these take place in the spring and tickets are available now. botanical gardens, garden clubs, museums and other organizations put together great peeks into some of the greatest gardens around. These are usually fundraisers and could be your only chance to see these spectacular gardens. Get online and start figuring out the best times to go. Often early birds or members can snag discounted tickets as well.

Finally, while you’re on your spring weekend field trips, take notes! Make plans for your next field trip to be to the nursery, so you can begin gardening season off with new inspiration.

photos by Becky Harris

Sometimes I forget how much I love getting a package from Design Public. Yesterday I received my Thomas Paul Zebra Canvas Pillow in Java and I could not be more thrilled. I scored it through our outlet, and the only sacrifice I had to make was that the box had been opened. Big whoop.

By the way, I just had that door installed last week and it still needs to be painted and I need to get some hardware that is not bottom of the barrel, so don’t judge! At least there is no longer a breeze coming straight through the old hollow bungalow door from the ’40s that it replaced.

Anyway, There are lots of great scores to be had in the Design Public Outlet. Right now we’re having a blowout. These items are samples and returns. They are “as-is” and all sales are final, but the most common condition granting the big discounts  is “Opened Box.” Again, big whoop. In return for these stipulations, items are marked 40-80% down right now for our big blowout. You can find just about anything from bedding to barstools, lighting to area rugs. I’m eyeing this phone by Jaspar Morrison:

and this DwellStudio Home Gates Rug:

So if you like them too and want the score, you’d better hurry up and make your order before I do!

By the way, if you are jealous of my zebra pillow, you can still order it through Design Public by clicking on the picture below: