San Francisco company, modern-twist brings art to the table by collaborating with local artists and designers to produce these table mats. Like all clever ideas it seems obvious once someone has thought of it; using silicone to manufacture place mats. That means they are heat proof up to 250 Celsius, they are thin, flexible, easily lifted, non-porous and waterproof. Parents and kids will be pleased to hear they don't slide,
No matter how discerning we like to think we are we all have our guilty secrets – little lapses in taste we don't want to share but won't let go. Do you hanker after a big faux leather recliner or do you – deep in some hidden corner of your soul – think a toilet roll cover is actually quite a good idea? We'd love to hear your guilty design pleasures so come
Despite being named after an uncomfortable bed that was popular in the 1980s, The Futon Company sells a range of well-designed, attractive and good value furniture. The furniture is cleverly made to fit into small spaces; many items are streamlined, can be folded away or are dual purpose. The Oak lean-to desk above, priced £179, complete with shelves takes up less space than many others and the console table below,
Here's a taste of the distinctive work of award winning illustrator and frustrated skateboarder Stuart Kolakovic. Midlands born Stuart, a graduate of the Illustration course at Kingston University, is inspired and influenced by his Eastern European heritage. He has been commissioned by an impressive array of clients including Marks and Spencer, Ted Baker, Barclays, Sony and The Guardian and has taken part in exhibitions and underground ‘zines’, printing his own silkscreened posters and mini comics. You can
These limited edition cushions have been handmade for Avocado Sweet by the very talented Caroline Louden. Each one is unique and has been made using a gorgeous vintage silk square combined Scottish tweeds or cashmere in complementary tones. The contrast in textures is very appealing and they are perfect for adding a dash of quality and individuality to any interior. The cushions are £70 each and are available exclusively from Avocado Sweet.
Hazard a guess which country these interiors are from? Japan would probably be your last choice because its not the minimalist interior you expect and probably love. These photos are from an exhibition at the Geffrye Museum in London which aims to dispel the myth of the neat, minimalist interior by recreating everyday homes from Japan. At Home in Japan – Beyond the Minimal House runs until 29 August 2011. It
Beyond the plastic horseshoe… Available exclusively from Cox and Cox these badges are designed to be a wedding party icebreaker. They feature phrases such as 'my shoes are killing me' and 'I love the groom' which are funnier the truer they are, especially if the latter isn't worn by the bride. They are available in black, white and pink and cost £10.50 for 12. Glasgow based designers Showpony have come up with
This great mixtape design is by Minneapolis letterpress printers Studio on Fire who seem to approach their work with a degree of wit not always in evidence when it comes to weddings. Hello Lucky, run by sisters Eunice and Sabrina Moyle, is well established in the wedding invite field with bases in London and San Francisco. Clients include Anthropologie, Kate's Paperie and Liberty of London. These simple designs are part of a range of
Here are some examples of the hugely appealing, unfussy work of London based illustrator Sally Pring. A graduate of Edinburgh College of Art, Sally has taken on many editorial and advertising commissions for clients such as Time Out, Scottish Arts Council, Nokia and The Guardian. You can buy Sally’s work from her website with signed silk screen prints starting at £120 unframed and £190 framed and digital prints starting at
Brad Pitt has phoned about them, Pete Townsend owns them and their first exhibition was an instant sell out. These brilliant felt wool dogs are the creation of Domenica More Gordon, an East Lothian artist who trained at Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design in London and used to be the american west coast editor for British Elle Decoration. It all started when Domenica and a group of friends