milan 2011: designers and artists

Just when we think it’s presidents and economists who shape our world, we return to Milan for the Salone and remember it’s really the designers and artists.

Designers who solve problems through ingenious design and artists who add beauty—who provoke thought through compelling imagery, music, prose—while making our world more awesome.

We’re constantly thrilled and amazed by their ability to imagine a lamp that’s not just a casing for electric light, a bookcase that not just shelves— but one that’s breathtaking, sexy.

And while we’re extremely grateful to be working with creative and talented designers and artists, we remember the engineers who make their ideas a reality and just how equally important it is to laugh… to take fifteen minutes and four euros to enjoy a toy a designer created for us to play with.

We can choose to think of a swing as rope and a piece of wood or an old tire… or our castle fortress as a simple cardboard box… it’s all in allowing ourselves to imagine possibilities, and to enjoy them.

milan 2011: we <3 la città

We love that the city of Milan is the Saloni—creative objects, exhibits, and displays are everywhere. We’re jumping in with jet-lag so enjoy these highlights from last year’s show.

wheels up: milan salone 2011

We’re on our way to Milan for the annual Salone. We’ll send daily updates so stay tuned.

In the meantime, take a second look at the trends we spotted last year…
acrylic
bicycles
buttons
camouflage
cloth planters
felt
things that float
gingham
lace
letters
colored lighting cords
multi-color
needlepoint
neutrals with bold color
paper mache
poster art
repurposing
string
wall clocks
wood
split logs

how did we get here: the tie-1-on sectional

What’s the story behind the tie-1-on sectional?

We started here, last year, in Milan…

got comfy thinking about it here…

then talked about it over a few of these…so we added a few of these…hence, the name.

going dutch, part I

Every April we visit Milan for the annual Salone Fair and we come home with a year’s worth of inspiration. From via Montenapoleone to the da Vinci Museum, bicycles made a big impression since they carpeted the urban landscape.

Throughout our ten day visit—thanks to Eyjafjallajökull—we took hundreds of photos of all the bikes we saw wherever we went, and we made note of the details from the front to the rear tires and from the handlebars to the pedals. But it started with….

the milan/city rentals… and rentals in zona tortona… from the tires…and wheel covers… charming handlebars, bells… and baskets… comfortable…and well-worn seats… wheel covers… to keep skirts from getting caught in the spokes… to stowage… over the rear tire.

We loved all of it. So what did we do when we got home? Find out tomorrow, right here.