Chocolate-pencils

Chocolate-pencils is a collaboration between Design Studio Nendo with patissier Tsujiguchi Hironobu, the mastermind behind popular dessert shops like Mont St. Claire and Le Chocolat de H.

The "chocolate pencils" come in a number of cocoa blends that vary in intensity, and chocophiles can use the special "pencil sharpener" that comes with the plate to grate chocolate onto their dessert. Better not eat this in front of very small children so as not to confuse them!

Book-lined staircase

Have you seen anything like this before? This amazing book-lined staircase is part of Veronika and Sebastian's rental apartment.London-based Levitate Architects came up with this ingenious solution to a book storage problem. The books are even sorted by colour! With a stairs like this, it will probably take me forever to reach the top! I would love to see a bookstore or library designed along this concept of storage-cum display. (Via Apartment Therapy)

Book artist Rachel Hazell

I am just fascinated by the labour-intensive work by book artist Rachel Hazell. Rachel designs, writes, illustrates, prints, binds and exhibits book-related work using age-old labour-intensive methods. The tiny booklets she created above are handpainted and handsewn - using a medieval long stitch. Perfect for tiny sketches on the beach or poems with few words. (via Oh Joy)

American Honey Flight

I saw these test tubes of honey here and can't get over the beautiful packaging of this product. The tubes just brings out the wonderful natural colours of honey and makes it so deliciously appealing. Each set comes with nine distinct regional honeys that comes with a detailed description of each flavour and its origin. Think this would make an excellent gift for a food lover or beautiful packaging addict like me!

Santa Maria Novella

Can I just say how much I love the products from Santa Maria Novella? I am so drawn to their scented oils and pot-pourri made from the flowers cultivated on the Florentine hills . Someone gave me the pot-pourri as a gift from Italy a few years ago and at that time, I had not even heard about the cult-status Santa Maria Novella had. I just knew that this was the scent I would love to fill my bedroom with and hunted furiously for the shop when I went to Florence for my honeymoon. The pharmacy is definitely worth visiting if you do go to Florence. The packaging is so old-pharmarcy-like too. I just adore it!

For more info about the shop and see pics, click here. To buy Santa Maria Novella from the US, click here.

The Cabbage Chair

Isn't this chair simply gorgeous?? Designed by Nendo for the XXIst Century Man exhibition curated by Issey Miyake, the cabbage chair is made out of the pleated paper that is produced in mass amounts during the process of making pleated fabric. This paper is usually abandoned as an unwanted by-product.

The cabbage chair is created by peeling away the layers of a roll of pleated paper one layer at a time. Resins are added during the original paper production process to add strength. Since the production process is so simple, the chair could be shipped as one compact roll for the user to cut open and peel back at home.

Mini Contest by Sparkle Thots

This is for all handmade jewellery lovers out there! Sparkle Thots is organising a mini contest to find out what you love about them. Anyone can take part, regardless of which country you are in or whether you have bought anything before. All you need to do is to tell them what you love about them, which item you really like in particular and you might get it for FREE!

Contest closes on 14th April and the winner would be randomly selected. For more information, click here.

"Sagging cloth" office space

Would you like to work in an office like this? This office in Tokyo is designed by Japanese designers Nendo. You skillfully move between the different work areas by stepping over the lowest points of the partitions. Careful here...don't trip!

The designers came up with this "sagging cloth" design as they wanted the spaces to be separate but also to maintain a sense of connection between them. For more images, click here.

Parasitic Chair

What a cool chair! Via Design Milk

Diem Chau

I found out about the work of Diem Chau via Emma's blog. Born in Vietnam, Chau and her family came to America as refugees in 1986. Chau combines common mediums in her story-telling work to create delicate vignettes of fleeting memory, gesture and form.

Featured here is her most recent work done by embroidery on porcelain plates and cups. I really wonder how she does it!

Fresh Locations

A reader told me about this wonderful site called Fresh Locations that has the most wonderful database of gorgeous locations for stills, film and TV. Here are some of my favorite images below. The Convent (above). This is a Georgian House with River Views in West London. The period interior with the beautiful weathered walls comes with the wooden original staircase. The Old Rectory - Oxon (above). Love the collaged walls in the bathroom here.

Eglinton. Love the high ceilings, light and simplicity of the deco in this Victorian House in South East London.

Thanks for letting me know about this site, Samantha!

Idealist

Have you heard about Idealist? It is a platform for designers and creators to publish their creativity and get feedback from the community. Such a wonderful way to capture and test the random ideas that come our way each day! Some of the innovative ideas can even act as a springboard for other inspirational ideas. Really hope to see some of these manufactured, marketed and sold! (via The Home Rejuvenation)Fancy this? Cool but impractical? Give your 2 cents worth here.

Placebo pills. Getting better each day?

Woo...I just looove this! Funky coloured disposables fashioned after antique silver cutlery.

INSPIRATION poster

For those in search of this magic word. Available at Design for Mankind's Etsy shop.

Break up hanky

Wonder if this will smear? Available here.

Brumbleberrylane

I just love these gorgeous stationary from Brumbleberrylane.

Chair Journaling Cards

Set of scalloped purse tags.

"Crown that Sticker"

James Merrell

Some gorgeous images I found from the portfolio of James Merrell from Judith Miller Inc.

Aged Decals

These decals may appeal to those (like me) who like the aged vintage look. From Harmonie Interieure in France. (via Designer's Block)

Salvaged thrones

I will take the yellow or turquoise throne please! Think this would look gorgeous in a clinical white bathroom. (pic taken by Debi Van Zyl in an architectural salvage yard in LA)

Better View

The Better View black-out shades by award-winning Helinski designer Elina Aalto are composed of small cutout holes that form a city-scape composition of Helinski, Tokyo, Stockholm or Paris. A wonderful way to turn day to night! (via momed)

Folding technique

Try this if you need to sort out that T shirt cabinet at home! (via Core77)

Pulp Bulletin Board

This clever Pulp Bulletin Board made from densely packed magazines even allows you to save on the need for push pins altogether! (via momeld)

Index Chopping Boards

Designed to avoid cross-contamination of various food types, these color-coded polypropylene index chopping boards help keep the cutting of raw meat, cooked foods, fish and vegetables separate. The horizontal filing unit with a non-slip rubber bottom is really neat too! (via Swissmiss)

Tutu Lampshade

I just love this! Available here.

Sparkle Thots

I would like to warmly welcome on board Sparkle Thots, another sponsor of Laissezfaire! You can find the link to their website on the leftmost column of this blog.

Sparkle Thots offers wearable, unique yet affordable designs for trendy women who want a bit of fun. My favourites from their curent collection include this, this and this. Do check them out!

(above) Citi Smoke. USD$13.75

Make an entrance

A welcoming hallway sets the tone for the whole house. Here are some inspiring decorating tips for entrance hallways I found from House to Home. Trying to save cost and not wallpaper the whole place? Try strategically selecting a few key areas in your home to add some drama. Here, the bold red really adds some visual excitement to an otherwise died serious stairway.Wallpaper by Brian Yates, chair (I would love to have) by SCP .
The gorgeous floral wallpaper by Designers Guild will make me feel like I am living in a magical dollhouse in the Lake District. Tip: Stick to 1 collection in your home (in this instance, the floral collection) and you can be sure that the rooms will complement each other.

I just love the look of this graphic hallway. The simple Ikea mirrors really enlarges and brightens up the space. Wallpaper by Jane Churchill, cool coat stand by Skandium

Recycled bathtub

Here is an idea what you could do with an old bathtub. (by Reddish Studio via Apartment Therapy)

Name a son, win a couch

The lovely Raymond & Karina of Pomelo Home emailed me today about a contest they are holding to get friends, family and readers to help name their son who will be arriving in 6 weeks! How fun is this? They are looking for precisely ONE English name, and ONE character for his Chinese name. If the name you propose is picked, you will get a brand spanking new, Blu Dot Couchoid Studio sofa. For more info, click here!

Old School Stuff

I came across a website with one of the coolest old school stationary, living and accessory selection ever. Do check it out!