The next time you visit Paris, you have got to check out this pretty shop near the Pompidou Centre called Le Petite Atelier de Paris. Opened in 2005 by 2 designers, this boutique shop has a workshop inside where a series of beautiful items for daily use are conceived and handmade. I just love the raw, pastry-like, quality of the products. How imperfectly perfect!
Love these abstract hand embroidery by Takashi Iwasaki. So free and imaginative!
Also love this drawing (below) entitled "An Ideal Street". Speaking as an urban planner (I worked as one for a period of time), yes, this is an ideal street! I wish there were more streets like this in cities round the world!
Aren't these the most gorgeous things? Created by Michelle Brand, this fabric was produced by cutting, sanding and assembling the base of plastic bottles into the tapestry. (via sub-studio)
This housing block in Izola on the Slovenian coast was designed by Ofis Arhitekti. It was a winning entry for a national design competition calling for the design of two apartment buildings. While the units (ranging from studios to three-bedrooms) may be small, the unique trapezoidal-shaped balconies provide ample external space. Each balcony is also beautifully wrapped with colourful canvas awnings that provide both privacy and ventilation.
A visually pleasing building that is also responsive to Slovenia's Mediterranean climate. Really hope to see more of such projects, especially in tropical places like Singapore. (via the coolhunter)
If you are obsessed with pink and wrapping paper, this is the project for you! It took 203m of paper and 5 people a cool 6 hours to wrap everything in this flat belonging to a messy friend. An immediate solution to clutter. Sure looks like an art gallery doesn't it? Click here to watch a video of how it was done!
Aren't you tired of business cards that all look the same? Check out these creative cards that say more than just your name and designation. More creative inspirations at this flickr pool.
I came across this website with the most amazing photography taken by Scott Stulberg. Some of his pictures really tug at the heart. You got to check out his website to see what I mean.
The chair is made by layering 15 bags of rags. It arrives ready made but the user has the option to recycle their own discarded clothers to be included in the design. Wonderful use for your old clothes! Available at greenergrassdesign
I found out about appleseed today. This Etsy store sells packets of old paper which includes wallpaper, sheet music, pages of text, poems, greeting cards, trading & playing cards, matchbox covers, children's illustrations and text, maps,used stamps, postcards, atlas pages,old patterns,recipes... Mostly vintage. Good for inspiration and making pretty much anything with paper. (via poppytalk)
I saw these really clever mailboxes in the July/August 2007 edition of Dwell magazine. Created by Mark Naden of Pure Design, the barcode is actually perforated so you can take a peek inside to see if you've got mail! Available here, but it looks like they're sold out right now.
Also known as 'The Junkyard of Art', DeletedImages brings an artistic perspective to unsharp, moved, blurry and unfocused pictures that would have been deleted otherwise.
I just submitted a blurry shot taken by a friend on my wedding day to them. Really like it a lot as it pretty much summarises what I felt, saw and remember of that day.
Some of my favourites below.
I came across this great blog called the Ikea Hacker. It basically welcomes people to submit their own hacked creations from Ikea. Here you can find inspiration for de-IKEAfying IKEA stuff and turn your mass-produced pieces into something personal and unique.
Some wonderful ideas to share with everyone.
(above) ding3000 pimps up the world's no. 1 Billy shelving unit into a playful interim storage place for unsorted books, magazines and newspapers.
(above) An ikea poang table turned into a kid artist friendly furniture with just a bucket of studio finishes chalkboard paint. via.
(above) An ikea pillow case turned into a gorgeous skirt by Melissa of fehrtrade.
(above) "Designer" hack by AnAtomicFactory of an ikea stefan chair.
I learnt about this great store in Amsterdam, Het grote Avontuur (The Big Adventure), via Bloesem. Most of the unique products they carry are handmade by small businesses all over the world. Here are some cool products plucked from their online store.
(above) Butterfly paper cuttings for the wall decal lovers. 
(above) Sadle cover to cover your bike like they do in India. Brilliant! Makes me want to get a bike to use the sadle cover.Check out these stunningly clean and simple lantern-like designs by husband-and-wife team Jeremy Pyles and Mary Welch of Niche Modern! The organic designs take their inspiration from forms and materials that exist in nature. Available in several gorgeous colours ranging from warm ambers to saturated reds and blues, these lighting designs have become one of America's hottest and most sought-after by homes and commercial establishments.
(above) Stamen Modern Pendant Light, inspired by the natural forms of the flower. 
(above) Binary Modern Pendant Light, an extension of the Solitaire light with a second bulb to represent the element of balance. 
Aurora Modern Pendant Light. Aurora is a word for the phenomenon seen in the northern and southern skies when charged particles perform a dance of light as they enter the earth's magnetic field.
I can't get enough of birds, blossoms and cages although I see them everywhere! From fashion to graphic arts and home decor, Chinoiserie is definitely experiencing a full blown revival right now. For those who did not manage to get a hold of the feature on Modern Chinoiserie in Domino back in May, here are some images and sources for you to look into. 
(above) Bird and Flower Notebook (Shanghai Tang)
(above) Decorative thermos (Asianideas)
(above) Gorgeous wallpaper by the legendary Florence Broadhurt. (Click here for more information)
(Above) "Desi 19" stools (click here for stores)
Applying traditional Japanese parquetry techniques, the Tone collection from Leif.designpark juxtaposes different textures and colours found in various types of wood that absorbs different nutrients from the ground. The result is breathtakingly beeauutiful! (via sub-studio)
I just found out about this flickr group that has the most amazing pool of fresh new spaces. Here, you can find a wide array of beautifully done up interiors and ideas to suit your style. What I like about the pictures posted in this group is the "lived-in" quality and uniqueness of each space that reflects the character of the occupants. Best of all, they don't look like you need a million bucks to achieve the look. Just good taste. Do check it out and be inspired!
