Good Work: Silva/Bradshaw

I am in love with this jewelry from the design duo Silva/Bradshaw.

Artist/designers Matthew Bradshaw and Sergio Silva met while studying industrial design at Pratt.  They design some pretty gorgeous items and just last month they launched their jewelry line.  I love how their pieces are simple in form yet intricate and that the rings can also double as necklaces.  Either way, these are statement pieces.  I am also currently swooning over their Dyvel Table, which consists of two parallel glass surfaces held in tension by four wooden legs.  Spend some time on their site checking out their other amazing creations.

*via Co Design

Monday Morning Inspiration: Paper Cut Project

Drawing on their backgrounds as a fashion editor and a stylist, Georgia based artists Nikki Salk and Amy Flurry create these amazing three-dimensional sculptures as part of their company Paper Cut Project.

Launched in January 2010, their creations are “fueled by a love of fashion and an appreciation of grace and nuance of this humble material.” Paper Cut Project has created a collection of animal inspired paper masks as well as these dramatic paper wigs that crowned the mannequins at the Jeffrey stores in both NY and Atlanta and are they now working on an exclusive collection for Hermès.

See more of their extraordinary creations here.

*via T Magazine

Monday Morning Inspiration: Ride a Bike

Rob Forbes is one smart (and inspiring) cookie.  His name may not ring a bell but you may know a little company he founded called Design Within Reach, which made modern and mid-century furniture accessible (no one said affordable) all across America.  Once only available through furniture dealers or interior designers, DWR made it possible to buy a Saarinen tulip table or Cherner armchair without having to wait months for it to be be delivered.  This was considered ground breaking in the interior design industry.

Over the last two years, Forbes has spent time focusing on one of his other passions, urban design and mobility.  The result?  Public, a company that aims to create a world where our urban streets and sidewalks are reclaimed for walking and biking and our public spaces are developed for better human interaction and conversation.  How do we create this world you ask?  By introducing well designed bikes that are both comfortable and functional, making it easier for us to  get around, whether it is to drop a letter off at the post office or picking up groceries for dinner.  As expected from a man like Forbes, these bikes think through the details– upright handlebars, 35 MM tires wide enough to handle curbs and potholes but narrow enough for speed and a step-through frame design making it ideal for city riding when you frequently need to stop and put your feet on the ground and easier for those of us  in skirts and dresses!

Monday Morning Inspiration: Collections

I came across this amazing project, A Collection a Day, over the weekend and found myself consumed for the better part of an hour admiring the beauty and intricacies of such an endeavor.  Spanning exactly one year, from January 1st  to December 31st, 2010, artist Lisa Congdon photographs, draws or paints one of the collections that lives in her home or studio and posts them online.

*via Chance (more on this company later this week!)

Going to Be Good: Brand New Conference

Monday Morning Inspiration: Minds Eye Miniatures

*via Curbed

Would you believe me if you I told you that these are 1/12th-scale reproductions of old-school New York City storefronts?  Visual artist, Randy Hage has spent the last 25 years as a scale model maker for the television and film industry.   His current project has him documenting and replicating NYC storefronts that are disappearing due to gentrification and urban renewal.  See more of his incredible recreations here.

Yes Please: Ten Broeck Cottage

How gorgeous is this house?  We’ve been having a bit of a heatwave here in NYC that has left me dreaming about heading upstate to jump in cool crisp lakes, eat homemade blueberry pies and catch up on the stack of magazines that is continuing to grow on my coffee table.

The Ten Broeck Cottage by Messana O’Rorke Architects located in Hudson, New York, is the perfect juxtaposition of old and new; I love the reclaimed pine floor boards and richly oiled wood against the stainless steel and slate.  The farmhouse sits on eight acres, four of which are filled with Rome apple trees and the Taghkanic Creek runs alongside the property with “plunge spots.”  It’s pretty clear that this three bedroom house would be the perfect getaway with some of our dearest friends.  Lucky for us, you can rent the house here.

Hungry: Pick a Zip Code

*via Eater and very small array

I love these!