I’m heading out to Michigan today for a week-long visit at Herman Miller. I’m based in Los Angeles so it’s always good to visit the place where it all happens. I’ll be staying at Marigold Lodge so expect a full report on that historic lake house. I’ll also be visiting the archives and spending time with the makers of some of our favorite pieces. Lots of good stories!
Where we’ve been this week…
1. Creonomy I have no idea what Creonomy means (no entry found on the online dictionary). But it’s a very cool graphics/design/interesting and quirky stuff blog by Corrado Alesso and Nicolo Borghi. Creonomy is the name of their company. It’s a “small startup creating easy-to-use web-based collaboration software for the creative community. We love the work of web, graphic and logo designers and we want to develop software to make their life easier.” No idea what they actually do but I love their work! Where to start: The interview with publisher Charlotte and Peter Fiells, who we also interviewed today.
2. Matt: Unlucky in Cards A blog from the guy who was the founding developer of WordPress, the blogging software that runs millions of sites around the world – including this one. Where to start: A great link to plants in your home office.
3. Clouds 365 Project You’ve got to love this. Clouds. Lots and lots of clouds. Cloud 365 is the work of multimedia artist Kelly DeLay. He shoots clouds each day and posts them to this site. He did it for a year and now he’s doing it for another year. And all I can say is it is the perfect place to take a break from your work. Writer’s block? Check it out. It’s just lovely. Where to start: Today.
4. I Love Typography One man’s obsession becomes yours with this blog. Japan-based John Boardley shares his passion for type…yep, type. Check it out and you’ll get it. Where to start: The origins of abc.
5. GOOD What is GOOD? One of those slightly annoying media phenomenons that is hard to pin down. It describes itself as an “integrated media platform for people who want to live well and do good. We are a company and community for the people, businesses, and NGOs moving the world forward. GOOD’s mission is to provide content, experiences, and utilities to serve this community.” Sounds good, no? They’ve got a website and a magazine. Where to start: An excellent piece by Alissa Walker on women in industrial design.
“It is no secret that we love our iPads here at Unplggd. It is also no surprise that we have a great fondness for trying to find the perfect case for our aforementioned Apple device. While we think we might have stumbled upon just the right one, a case that looks great, protects, but does not scream “iPad case,” we figured we should not let all that searching go to waste, and have decided to share some of the great cases we have found.
M-Edge Flip Jacket: Constructed from durable canvas and with an elastic strap that holes the jacket tightly closed for easy portability and reduction of conspicuousness, this case does not scream “iPad inside” and is available in a variety of colors.
Archival iPad Musette: Cycling enthusiasts will recognize this clever little bag made of stout, closely woven waxed cotton and military-grade cotton webbing. We love the solid brass hardware that is used throughout and that these babies are handsewn in Oregon.
Moleskine Inspired DIY: Make your own iPad case for about $19 using these easy to follow instructions.
SGP Vintage Edition Leather Case: This gorgeous case has vintage full grain leather as the exterior and microfiber on the interior, giving it a very luxurious feel.
DODOCase: Our personal favorite on this list and the one that our iPad is currently wearing. We love the design of this case, and the feel of it in our hands. We also love the artfully carved bamboo that the iPad rests in and that this case is handmade using bookbinding techniques in San Francsisco.
For more great iPad cases check out this roundup.
By Joelle Alcaidinho.”
This story appears in partnership with Unplggd, a site for people who embrace technology and design in their home.
A lot of you loved last week’s post by Brian Greene about pencils (incidentally, so did Boing Boing). And some of that is due in part to the post’s whimsical-cool illustrations by artist Jordan Awan. In addition to being a contributor here at Lifework, Jordan’s also the Art Director at The New Yorker and the founder (along with wife Morgan Elliott) of Springtime Studio Illustration. Here’s the music that makes up the Brooklynite’s (probably very long) workday.
What do you listen to while you work? I usually listen to rock and roll or just enjoy silence, which is sometimes easier for me to work to. The mix below is decently representative of what I like to listen and work to. Otherwise, I listen to opera; I also like to work to Philip Glass Ensemble.
How do you listen? My old record player finally gave up the ghost, so these days I listen to iTunes on the computer, or I use an iPod.
Do you have any favorite music websites/providers? I haven’t really explored those too much yet. Last FM seems quite good; the little time I have spent on it, I’ve been impressed with what they recommend based on the channel you create. Pandora is fine, too.
Does music influence your work? I’m more overtly influenced by literature or visual art, so it’s interesting to think about music influencing me. Actually, for a long time I was stealing titles for paintings from Simon and Garfunkel song lyrics. So, that’s something.
I think John Cage’s funny and beautiful “Suite for Toy Piano” is really inspiring, and is maybe a close relative of what I aspire to do. I admire how Mozart could write something that is simultaneously silly and elegant, for instance his exuberant Overture to The Marriage of Figaro. Artists like Bob Dylan, Patti Smith, or Lou Reed, each of whom invented a new version of a musical vernacular, are very creatively motivating.
Where do you find music recommendations? My wife has had an influence on my musical taste, which probably happened naturally as our records and libraries got mixed together and her music would be on when I’m in the apartment. She got me interested in Hank Williams, Robert Johnson, Buddy Holly, Gillian Welch…blues and all its offspring, I guess. Music that is very American. Other than that, sometimes a friend will give me a good recommendation.
What song or artist best represents the work you create? Maybe Elvis? Might as well as be the king. A friend once told me that a Beat Happening song called “Indian Summer” sounded the way my drawings looked.
JORDAN’S PLAYLIST
Child’s Christmas in Wales, John Cale
Redondo Beach, Patti Smith
Spanish Harlem Incident, Bob Dylan
Cannibal Resource, Dirty Projectors
Waterfall, The Stone Roses
My Girls, Animal Collective
This Must Be the Place, Talking Heads
Sweet Jane, The Velvet Underground
Elvis Presley Blues, Gillian Welch
In the New Year, The Walkmen
From Stardust to Sentience, High Places
Images: Jordan Awan
“If you’re like us and you own a 15″ MacBook Pro, you’ve likely wished for “just one more USB port” at one time or another. Designers Yi Fan Lin and Hong Yih Chu might have a solution for this problem with their iF Concept Design Award 2010 design which extends usable ports with a smart stackable design, the peripheral equivalent of The Human Centipede. Of course if you’re not willing to wait for this concept to make it (if ever) to the market, there’s always these 10 great looking USB hubs that are ready to grace your desktop without marring or cluttering your setup, while allowing for additional connections.
[via Yanko Design]
By Gregory Han.”
This story appears in partnership with Unplggd, a site for people who embrace technology and design in their home.
1. Butter Cream Cup with Feet, $35 Brighten up your workspace with a handcrafted ceramic planter filled with easy-to-care-for succulents (just keep in a warm sunny spot and water sparingly). Get it: Greenware Design
2. Great Big Bottle of Air Plant, $29.50 This shapely vessel filled with three air plants (no dirt needed!) is the perfect distraction from any pending deadline. Get it: TortoiseLovesDonkey at Etsy
3. Hanging AirPlant Pod™, $30 Almost creepy; totally cool. These ceramic pods made from sand-colored clay were designed specifically for displaying air plants (not included). Get it: Mudpuppy at Etsy
4. Recycled Glass Terrarium, $79 Can’t get enough of effortlessly easy air plants? (I clearly can’t.) Display them on your desk in a recycled glass pear-shaped terrarium, which arrives with sand and four plants. Get it: VivaTerra
5. Spout Collective – Hens and Chicks, $95 This tiny trio of satin-matte glazed stoneware by Paige Russell helps you show off simple succulents (not included). Get it: Supermarket
Mark Frauenfelder is a writer and illustrator who lives in Los Angeles. He is the man behind Boing Boing, a hugely successful blog that focuses on tech, culture and science. The blog attracts millions of visitors each month with content that jumps from stories on geodesic domes to infographics. He takes time out of his busy day to give us a quick tour of his work space.
How long have you worked from home? And where is home? I’ve been working from home since 1995. I live in Los Angeles and I’m the founder of Boing Boing (a blog with 12 million page views a month) and the editor-in-chief of MAKE, a technology project magazine. I’m also an illustrator and a book author.
Describe your style? How would you define your aesthetic? I prefer a spare, clean style, but I am constantly fighting against clutter. I have an old steel desk, painted gray, which I really like.
How do you keep your office organized? I’m thinking here of the physical space but also your computer. Are there any particular programs you find really useful? My lifesaver is the combination of having a Fujitsu ScanSnap S1500M sheet-fed scanner and the Evernote application. I scan every piece of paper that comes my way — bills, press releases, receipts, user manuals, tax papers, contracts, business cards — basically anything that’s flat and fits into the hopper. The digitized files are stored in Evernote’s cloud so I can access them anywhere — on my iPad, my iPhone, any computer. Evernote OCRs the documents so I can search for anything by keyword. These two things have gone a long way in uncluttering my life!
When you were setting up your home office what did you keep in mind? I like a bright workplace, so I chose to work next to a window.
Is there any piece of home office furniture you covet? I’ve always wanted an Aeron chair, and I’m getting close to treating myself to one. But even more, I’d like an Eames lounger with matching ottoman to take naps.
What is a desk accessory you can’t do without? My 19-inch Mac display. It’s connected to my MacBook pro.
What would you change about your own workspace? I’d love to figure out a way to hide all the ugly cables all over the place.
What do you most love about your space? I don’t have to commute to work. It would kill me to have to drive on the LA freeways every day.
What inspires you? When I go to Maker Faire, a DIY festival that attracts 80,000 people, and I see all the incredible creations people have made in the basements and garages. I also like visiting artists’ websites every day.
As editor of Boing Boing so many interesting things come across your desk. What’s the strangest work environment you’ve come across? This capsule office by Selgas Cano (photographer by Iwan Baan) is strange and attractive!
Where we’ve been this week…
1. Brain Pickings A blog about ideas – fascinating new ones and old ones worth revisiting. It’s the work of Maria Popova, who refers to herself as “a cultural curator and curious mind at large.” Where to Start: The post on book shelves.
2. Minimal Mac Sorry PC users, but here is just another reason to join the Mac family – a beautifully designed and well-written blog devoted to all things … Mac. Where to start: A great piece on recycling technology.
3. Been Seen Boutique Homes OK! So, this has very little to do with home offices but everything to do with working – or rather not working. Check out this site devoted to cool vacation rentals. I’m afraid I’ve already spent way too long wading trough gorgeous houses and dreaming about a holiday. Where to start: Villa K in Marrakech anyone?
4. Lego Design By Me Did you know you could design your won Lego creations? You download free software, design and Lego boxes it up for you. Where to start: Click on Places in the gallery section. I like Swedish simple house.
5. Space Invading A new and very beautiful design and architecture blog from the people at Archinect. Where to start: I need this sofa for my office.
“Messy wires are a definite pet peeve for most people. They look unorganized and can make managing your computer and electronics a hassle. We’ve put together some innovative solutions that will help sort out the mess. The best ones will keep the mess at bay for a long time, even though it might take an effort to convert your place.
1. Fork and Cream Sauce It’s one of the funniest and innovative cable management systems that we’ve seen. It will most definitely help you stay clear of any kind of cable mess.
2. Leaf Tie This is a really cool way to tie together your cables. We usually use binder clips or zip ties, but these Leaf Ties are fun to have around. Both of these ideas are by Lufdesign.
3. IKEA Signum It doesn’t look the greatest, but it sure gets the job done. It can be placed at the end of a table and neatly tuck away your cables.
4. X Marks The Spot We think that X Marks The Spot sounds a lot better than the ACD Variable Cable Organizer, but whatever you call it, this typographically-inspired mount will sort out some of your cable management woes.
5. The Coat Hanger Cable Management System This is more of a hack, but it shows how you can just hack your cables into being more organized.
Originally posted on Unplggd by Range.”
This story appears in partnership with Unplggd, a site for people who embrace technology and design in their home.
1. City Sunday Magazine Rack, £135 This wall-mounted, coated-steel wire rack takes its inspiration from real and utopian city structures. Get it: funktionalley.com
2. Blow Up – Bamboo Collection Magazine Holder, $100 Strong, hand-tied sticks of bamboo wood create the nest-like framework of this artistic design. Get it: Alessi
3. Magazine Collector, $53 Organize your favorite publications in a retro-cool collector. Get it: Pure Modern
4. Inmodern Rekindle Magazine Rack, $60 Two pieces of eco-friendly wood slide into place in seconds to form an easy, chic piece. Get it: 2Modern
5. The Magazine Rack, $162 This practical, four-pocket rack from Kartell is a classic of Italian design. Get it: Velocity Art and Design
Images linked to their sources within the numbered text