For those of us who are process oriented and like to see how things are made, here is a great vintage video detailing the creation of an Eames Shell Chair. Just as a heads up, the video is a bit long and perhaps dry to some, but luckily they included great tunes to keep you enthralled…

Thanks to NotCot.org who spotted this video on ArchDaily.com

Last week I was thinking about a project I wanted to make with wool felt (yes, I spend a good amount of time thinking about textiles, don’t you?!) when James announced that Josh Jakus was the newest addition to our site. What a sign of inspiration! Josh is known for his felt pieces made from factory excess fibers and rubber designs made from recycled tires. When people use one of Josh’s products they naturally encounter the way it was conceived and developed. Amazing stuff. Enjoy the Q&A!

I’ve read that you have a background in both architecture and furniture design. What was the turning point that led you from architecture and furniture to soft goods?

I started doing furniture design in architecture school because they had a woodshop and I’ve always enjoyed manual work. As a design process I liked the simplicity and perfection of furniture as a counterpoint to architecture, which is so complicated and messy (sometimes in a good way). After I finished school I continued making furniture while I did freelance architectural work. My intent was to turn the furniture into a business that would go along side my architecture, but it proved to be very difficult to come up with commercially viable pieces. So I decided to experiment with Read the rest of this entry »

Not too long ago, in a land not too far away, the DP staff sat around and talked about the Eames Elephants.

We love them.

We love them so much we could spend (actually, have spent) hours watching this video by eamesdemetrios:

Hats off to Vitra for going into production with the elephants! Although we love the plywood originals, the new plastic version from Vitra will do just fine.

I was walking through the college dorm aisles in Tar-jay the other day when I realized what sort of trends I was suckered into so many years ago with regards to college bedding: 1.) I bought the jersey knit sheets. Although soft, they did pill very quickly and didn’t last more than a few months before looking shabby. 2.) I had the reversible comforter that about 23892783 other girls in my dorm also had in their rooms. This one item that was to be a major focal point in my room was the same main feature in so many other rooms. Blah. Plus, I had never cleaned a comforter before in my life which in turn led to a very dirty sleeping space for a long time.

So, I thought I would take the opportunity to try and prevent such catastrophic events for student going through the college dorm preparation process by passing on the three big college bedding lessons I learned:

1.) Don’t give in to the super cheap. Super cheap sheets will either be extremely scratchy or will fall apart quickly. You don’t need the most elaborate sheet sets while in college, but you do want something that you will not have to replace quickly or will keep you up at night with discomfort.

3.) Think duvet. Although most college students may not know the meaning of the word, they will appreciate the function. I have to admit to thinking a duvet was a pillowcase or a diving board or a special type of loo for many Read the rest of this entry »

It may not come as any surprise to learn that at Design Public we LOVE bedding. We treasure bedding pieces that make it a joy to go to bed at night as well as hard to want to leave in the morning…not to mention look sharp all along the way.

With the introduction of Sanford Burrows we knew right away that we found something amazing. Take a look at the embroidery, the Italian crafted textiles, and the attention to detail Jill Sanford Burrows puts into her work and you’ll see what we mean. Enjoy the Q&A!

I’d love to learn a little bit about your background…how did you get into working with linens and designing for the home? How did Sanford Burrows come together and get off the ground?

I had a long career as a graphic designer. Years ago, I was living and working in London and found myself wanting to design something more tangible—something that people would have an immediate, emotional reaction to that didn’t carry a marketing message— so I decided to take a few fashion design classes. But, my interest kept being drawn Read the rest of this entry »