Here are some (five) awesome jewelry designers that I have been spotting in the last few months and thought you may enjoy … decide to trend … give to that special one … or simply admire.

• For British jewelry designer Alex Monroe nature has always been his greatest inspiration. Whether from travels in Pakistan, walks along the hedgerows of Suffolk or even the Tuscan hills. His designs are now the top-selling brand in many outlets, including Liberty of London.

Peacock Ring.

*exclusive* Black Chrysanthemum earrings - Yes I've got these for Christmas!

• Sculptural artist and designer Anthony Roussel creates beautiful intricate jewelry inspired by the epic sweep of England’s coastline and a passion for modern architecture. He applies delicate flowing lines and sweeping curves, meticulously layering sheets of wood into sinuous forms. Part of his inspiration is the repetitive linear patterns found within geological rock formations, which is echoed in his technique.

From flat elements into fluid structures.

Ram ring, one of my favorite ones given both my zodiac and Chinese signs.

• Mexican design company ik Joyeros founded by Iker Ortiz is conformed by a group of goldsmiths, jewelers and designers that build their pieces supported by the manufacturing industry and finished by hand. They seek to contrast the banal and not very durable products around us with fine pieces of high quality.
  

  IER-QS & IER-JS EARRINGS. Stainless steel with White Jade.

  

  CR-RD RING , CR-RD.1 RING. Corian square ring with rough diamond.

• Design studio Nervous System works at the intersection of science, art, and technology. They use computer simulation to generate designs and digital fabrications that become products. Drawing inspiration from natural phenomena, they write computer programs mimicking processes and patterns found in nature and use those programs to create unique and affordable art, jewelry, and housewares. All their pieces are designed and made in Massachusetts.

Radiolaria Bracelet. Silicone rubber cut into an organic network of distorting ellipses.

Large Orchid Necklace. Laser cut thirty-nine layers of plastic, sculpted into a fluid form inspired by the morphology of orchids.

• San Francisco based and good friend of mine Yaar Designs creates Iranian inspired jewelry supported by the intricate process of industrial design. Everything with a splash of asymmetry and a silky touch.

Asymmetrical earrings made out of sterling silver with a touch of pearl and silk thread.

Red Silk Ring. Handsaw oxidized sterling silver accented with red silk thread.

Chanel needs no introduction in the world of fashion, but many may not be aware of her interior design tastes. She was sharp and sophisticated and reflected her style in her villas and apartments in France. For that, she could not go unnoticed in the world of Interior Design.

This is why …

Her so well known taste for ivory and black - 31 Rue Cambon, Paris.

Her superstitions ... see crystal spheres on coffe table at 31 Rue Cambon.

Open space, mirrors and unique lounge chair - 31 Rue Cambon.

Diva/Muse on her chair. Black and Ivory the law of color.

Mademoiselle Chanel on the stairway connecting her fashion shop and her apartment.

Clean touches reflecting her fashion statements - Foyer at her Paris Ritz Suite.

Always forward thinking on all sorts of design - Paris Ritz Suite.

Time for a bath at the Ritz, then apply some No. 5 and conquer the world of design.

Richard Artschwager, bookends, 1990. New York Collection Walker Art Center. Not for sale reason why are not included in top five.

Hola from the darkness!

No, I have not forgotten about you. I was just finishing my graduate studies and was sucked right away into a few intense interior design projects.

So Christmas is here, once again, and you may wonder what on earth to give to that young adult of yours. Well, let me tell you, young adults and not so young adults are now becoming more aware of design and still have needs at home such as having a shelf to hold books. Believe it or not, many adults still hold to that bit of history called a nice book to read or a helpful cooking/wine book. Personally, I am in the market for a pair of bookends and have increasingly become aware of their need and beauty.

Here are my top five bookends for people who cannot spend a fortune, yet appreciate a touch of design at home. ~order is irrelevant~

Wood bottle bookend sold at Uncommon Goods for $100 set of two.

Brass Bookends by Austrian modernist Carl Auböck sold at the Cooper Hewitt Shop for $600 a pair.

Recycled Records Bookends sold at Uncommon Goods for $40 a set

Petoskey Stone Bookends sold at Miner's North Jewelers for $225 pair.

Judy Kensley McKie Helping Hands Bookends sold at Gallery NAGA in Boston.

The holiday has spread throughout the world: In Brasil’s Dia de Finados people visit cemeteries and churches. In Spain, there are festivals and parades, and, at the end of the day, people gather at cemeteries and pray for their dead loved ones. Similar observances occur elsewhere in Europe, Asia and Africa.

In San Francisco, Day of the Dead is celebrated on November 2nd in the Mission district which is famous for being the heart of the city and where the greatest concentration of Mexican families live. The traditions include building private altars at Garfield Square in order to honor the deceased. The altars include sugar skulls, marigolds, photographs and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed ones. Thereafter, a procession through the whole neighborhood takes off where people from all over the city join. Many of the participants and observers, paint their faces resembling skulls and dead, others dress up and carry candles as they walk behind the procession.

Here are some images of this year’s celebrations in San Francisco. I believe they resemble the work people put on the design of their faces in lieu of celebrating dead, and they prove that everyone has a designer within her/himself. Celebrations of life and dead bring that designer out in many magnificent ways. Enjoy.

Today, I am asking you a favor. Please take twenty minutes of your time to watch these two videos. I would like to pick the best one to share at my graduate final presentation and to send to people interested in learning and hopefully supporting iDo Colombia. Please let me know your thoughts and suggestions. If you don’t know what iDo Colombia is, please check my March 2011 post. You can also see the process on my June and July 2011 posts.

Thank you for your time and help,

~Isabel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHPayulijOk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sys_8zSgwa8

Two years ago, I was spending long days at the DAI wood shop working on a torchiere assignment for my Rapid Prototyping class. The goal of the assignment was not only to design but also to build a lamp using CNC (computer numerical control) technology. My goal was to become familiar with the ShopBot and to make the Epilog Laser Engraver my best friend. For a whole semester, this assignment became my life, then it came with me to the four different places I lived in, until finally landing at my current “stable” home. Through all the moves, my poor torchiere survived crashes and a few parties. Today, I hugged her and decided to give her a new look by cutting 15″ off her tall leg. I am not sure if I made the best decision, but at least now she has a new look to be around for another couple of years (hopefully without moving so much). After all, a $500 torchiere should last you at least half decade right?

Let me introduce you the process of designing and building my beautiful (no joke) Albero Lamp:

Research: Understanding how a torchiere works.

Finding inspiration in the Architectural and Fashion worlds.

Study Sketches: 3-4 out of 25.

Study Sketches: 7-8.

Study Sketches: 11-12.

Study Sketches: 15-16.

Study Sketches: 19-20.

Initial 1/4" scale study models.

First 1/2" scale study model. This day was a painful one.

Finding a double layer of inspiration at the Academy of Sciences.

First full-scale prototype out of cardboard.

Expressing my love for endangered species and the epilog laser. Match made in heaven.

Finishing the Albero Torchiere. Made out of FSC certified maple appleply, brown English oak and plexiglass.

Her original height was six feet and starting today she has become a four-foot and three-quarters babe.

Happy indian summer,

~Isabel

Hammocks can be beautifully used indoors as far as you pick the right color, silhouette and texture. Simply, make sure to balance the distribution of elements in your room somehow that your hammock becomes the main focal point. This will give a fun and laid-back look to any space as well as take you to a tropical inspired déjà vu.

Wilbert Das Indian House: Brazil.

Porter Hammock: Chainfall Filtered

Gary Chang tiny Hong-Kong apartment and the Hammock/Screen room

Bessudo House: Cartagena, Colombia

H & L Hammocks

The Selby Hammock

If it's too cold, then relax by the fireplace

Nu Hotel, NYC

Ratan Hanging Chair/Hammock by Tamara Magel

When I travel I like to really take note of the tiny details that make a place what it is. And in a country like France, they're everywhere you look. Even something as utilitarian as a door can be a beautiful thing, and it makes me so sad that this kind of attention to detail isn't considered important these days. These doors come mostly from Paris, but the beautiful door knockers (I think they are door knockers, I was too scared to touch!) are i … Read More

via The Voyage of V

The day goes by and we clean the house, play with the dogs, visit the neighbors and drink fresh milk. We dream of a bright future as we sneak through the fancy interiors of Rocas de Lourdes a house that belonged to the president’s cousin and was being taken care by a humble peasant and his wife. We have lunch with them, which consists of potato, yuca, green plantain, rice and beef, and after that we drink a tinto to prepare for the siesta.

After the siesta, we play more and attempt to make a camp fire outside of the house. As the evening drops, we take showers, put on our Christmas clothes and cover them with ruanas. We sit down by the fireplace, pray, play music and enjoy the warmth of the San Javier house.

This was a chunk of the Espinosas’ life spent at Finca San Javier in Tabio, Colombia. A house built by Don Juan Espinosa and Doña Isabel Granados de Espinosa. The design of the house was inspired by a dutch magazine that Don Juan had taken from work, and even though he wasn’t an architect, he was a clever guy that could teach himself English by just reading books, and of course could build a house for his family. The house stood for many decades and yesterday had to be demolished as the structure wasn’t sound anymore.

I want to share with you, the last images of the San Javier house built by my grandfather, where my mother was born and raised and where I got to spend the most beautiful holidays of my life. A house where many love stories began and flourished, where I bonded with my cousins. This is San Javier the beginning of a family that like many other families has seeing glorious times and not so good times, and that despite all the differences and changes, still keeps the memories which will always be food for the soul and light for the heart.

Enjoy …

Dining Room - Where we had great meals and conversations

One of the bedrooms

Back of the house - Showing it was time to rest

Left side of the house - Dipping into the soil

San Javier during its last days

The mountain - Tabio, Cundinamarca

Tabio's main square with church behind

And I am back into the tornado and the path towards setting my roots in SF. While I pack to move into a new place, apply for jobs, prepare for interviews, type my thesis and catch up with friends and family, I don’t want to leave you all unattended as I appreciate that you follow my blog. So as a little break for you and me, here I am sharing an inspiring video that explains how architect Gary Chang transformed his tiny Hong-Kong apartment into a marvelous example of great space usage and eco efficiency.

Enjoy,

Isabel