I spent a little time this week over at the ICFF, and hands down, these were some of the best designs I saw. Designed by Cordula Kehrer for NYC-based Areaware, the rattan and reclaimed plastic bins are manufactured by the talented Aeta people of the Phillippines. If I have this right, the whole project is sponsored by the NGO Preda, who engage in fair trade practices. The designs embody the ultimate challenge of re-purposing existing but discarded products. The plastic bins are paired with some hand process, in this case the weaving of sustainably harvested rattan, then re-imagined into something far more wonderful than either thing on its own.

My postman was holding out on me. He only pulled these beauties out after I begged him to show me any of the other odd stamp denominations he was hiding in his secret drawer. Everything old, really is new again.

How much better is the experience of using a rubberband when it is brilliant orange rather than putty tan? I’ll choose the orange one every time.

Ace Hotel Room 1021 from Dana Tanamachi on Vimeo.

Dana Tanamachi is a graphic designer and “custom chalk letterer” who is brimming with both talent and skill. Watching the creative process in fast forward is addictive. And seeing her here, creating a custom wall for a room in the Ace Hotel in NYC is so feeding my habit. First came across her on designspiration. Another addiction.

A number of years ago we decided we really needed a classic picnic table. I found none that met the standards of durability and craftsmanship that I was after, and I didn’t want to buy something, only to have it fall apart after a year or two, or even three. So we decided we would just build one ourselves. Fine. No big deal. However, given that I like design details and silly things like measurements and angles to be worked out ahead of time (makes the execution so much more enjoyable — this truth can be applied to almost any design project), I felt it necessary to make up a plan to work from. And since I often enjoy the process of design more than the finished product itself, I decided the best approach would be to make an accurate scale model, and then drawings. Can’t find the drawings, but here is the model. The table itself, after 10 or so years, is still remarkably sturdy. So proud.