giant wood rocks by Vicente Guallart

Whoa- you all know my love for wood rocks (and here). Check out these gigantic ones by architect Vicente Guallart. Part of the new Keelung Maritime Plaza in Taipei, Taiwan. (via Monocle)

unexpected fall colors

Now that Halloween is over, seems like everyone is fast forwarding to Christmas already! However, the latest November 09 issue of Martha Stewart Living offers an unexpected color palette that can transition Thanksgiving into the Christmas holiday season. Love these two images, with the silvery muted pumpkins, (some made of fabrics!) and the purple/lavender hues mixed with naturals. Feels fresh and festive, but also warm and comforting. (photos by Don Freeman for MSL)

coin storage

I'm really liking this "coin storage" piece. Simple, minimal, but not too "design-y". The wood for the base adds a nice warm touch. Available here.

Zoetrope: All Story- Rex Ray edition

If you're a big Rex Ray fan (like I am) picked up the Fall 2009 issue of Zoetrope: All Story, which was guest designed by Rex Ray! In between all the short stories, are piece of his amazing art. Rex Ray has a background in the magazine world, and he uses magazines in his artwork, so he mentions in the irony of kind of going "full circle" designing this issue. Anyway- lots of pages of great eye candy and interesting stories as well. (after your done reading the issue, I'm thinking some of the pages could look great framed!...) More info here.

happy halloween!

Happy Howl-o-ween! from a very scary blue monster Pepé! (Actually, from a very annoyed Pepé who has a dad that dresses him up in silly costumes! hehe)

put your stamp on it

Great idea for DIY artwork, as seen in the Nov/Dec 09 Inside Out mag. Frame up some stamps! Love the look of the enlarged ones- (photo by Sam McAdam, styling by David Harrison via Inside Out)

pumpkin centerpiece- part 2- PoP Pumpkins!

As you know, I've been trying to figure out what to do with some pumpkins for this year's fall centerpiece. I ended up going all around the world and back again. Originally I wanted to do something with paint brush strokes... I envisioned some sort of color gradation- however- I realized that because the pumpkins have ridges, brush strokes weren't going to look that great... so... I moved on from that idea. Then I was going to do something all in grays tones (which I still love the idea of, but maybe next year...) Then I had this idea for fluorescent yellow. Not sure where that came from- but all the neon pop that's out there right now really grabbed me- So I thought, I'll just grab some neon paint and paint the pumpkins! Well- I ended up getting some neon poster paint and applied a coat to a small pumpkin. FAIL. The paint wasn't really sticking like I thought it would, and it wasn't very opaque. Basically it just looked gross. Like a big fat loogie on top. Bleah. So I figured maybe I needed to prime it- That's when the ever trusted "spray paint bandits" took over- I primed the area I wanted to paint, and then used a coat of fluorescent yellow spray paint after, and finally the color really popped. Then I found some tan "camouflage" spray paint, which is described as "ultra matte" (and in reality, it's ultra cool!), and did another one in the same way- I used some thin crepe paper drafting tape for the largest pumpkin, and just did a random pattern and sprayed the whole thing with white spray primer, then removed the tape- Voila! the 2009 pumpkin centerpiece! It's probably a bit more "pop" than what you'd expect traditionally for "fall"- but then, I guess I'm not exactly the most "traditional" guy, hehe- (BTW, The mushrooms were these marble ones I got a few years back from a trip to Yucca Valley. ) Are any of you also doing something "non traditional" for your Fall decor?

reflect mirror

these are some kind of awesome. I bet they'd be a fun DIY project too- however, they're also available here. (via Swissmiss)

Milton Glaser: To Inform & Delight

Finally had a chance to see the documentary Milton Glaser: To Inform & Delight that was on Sundance Channel. So Inspiring and wonderful. If you haven't seen it- please look out for it-

MILTON GLASER: TO INFORM AND DELIGHT: Movie Trailer - For more funny movies, click here

TGIF video break: The Spell

song stuck in my head for the day- "The Spell" by Alphabeat. Get up and dance 90's style!

TGIF- Vogue Australia Nov/Dec 2009

I love the feeling of coming home from a hard day and finding a new magazine with a gorgeous cover waiting in my mailbox. Makes me forget all the days woes. Such was the case the other night when I got the new Vogue Living (Australia). Just look at that cover! Soo soothing and makes me look forward to the weekend! Also in the Nov/Dec 2009 issue is a preview of Kelly Wearstler's new book, with some more shots of her new digs. They are so wacky and mishmash with 80's and unexpected colors. I'm strangely really obsessed with it all. (Speaking of which- have you seen the new Viceroy Miami that she just completed? check it out here and we'll discuss in a separate post.)

Have a great weekend and hope to see some of you at the sale I'll be at this weekend! (all images via Vogue Living Australia)

October 24 2009- Designer Tag Sale

Whatcha doing Saturday? Well, if you're in the mood for some fun decor shopping and you live in OC (and even if you don't!)- COME ON DOWN!! Two Vanessa-s (Vanessa De Vargas of Turquoise and Vanessa Kogevinas), along with Jolene Ballard and Amanda Malson from Domicile, are hosting a super fun Designer Tag Sale that's sure to have tons of goodies- and you know what? I'll be there too! My friend Gary from Refabclinic and I will be there with some fun happy vintage things and a bunch of other great interior designers- so come on down and say hi! Saturday, October 24, 2009 from 10am-2pm-
The address is here- 466 East 18th St., Costa Mesa, CA 92627
NOTE: there is a $10 entry fee-
check out the blog for scoop/details, other participants, and more info- hope to see you there!

j3 Zine #1

I don't really talk much about my day job here, however, I'm super excited about a personal project we just completed. I wanted to share with you a sneak peek! It's called the "J3 Z1: At your Leisure"- It's the first of (hopefully) what will become a limited edition series. A few more images here.
More details coming soon!...

mundane aesthetic: leftovers

cous-cous + izze peach soda

Off the Wall Mini Flower Pot

I'm thinking these could add quite the nice accent to a wall. I could see mixing them in with other photos or artwork. I love how small they are and all the colors! Designed by Thelermont Hupton, they're powdercoated metal. $22 each, available here.

Kate Spade Aoyama

Kate Spade recently opened a new store in Aoyama, Japan. They commissioned artist Rebecca Ward to do some amazing installations. She used rolls of fluorescent tape to create these incredible stripe patterns. The whole store looks so chic and fun. I always love how they mix in mid century antiques in their displays. How awesome is this shot of their bags and boxes all stacked up?! All the bright happy colors is putting a big smile on my face! (All Images via Kate Spade Facebook- and here. by the way, if you're on FB, friend me! or follow my twitter.)

Paper Magazine October 2009

I'm not sure what it is, but I'm completely drawn to this cover of the October 2009 Paper Magazine. Love the weird bright pops of color in the flowers, the neutral background, their new stencil logo, the offset white blocks with type inside, and Brandon Flower's styling (shot by Elizabeth Peyton)- it all just works together and feels so fresh! Read the article here.

Calvin Klein Luster Wash rugs

ooh... If I could afford these "Luster Wash" rugs from Calvin Klein Home, I think I'd stick them on the wall as art, than on the floor- so subtle and sophisticated...

TGIF video break #2: stina persson for Replay

oooh so pretty! (via Trust Your Style)

TGIF video break: justice/let love rule

made me laugh. clever concept- wait til about 1:30 in...

Justice / Lenny Kravitz "Let Love Rule" from Alanedit on Vimeo.

studiopatró

Simple but chic designs of tea towels and napkins from Studiopatró. I'm eye-ing the "slate" and "willow" colorways... Check out more here.

steven meisel Oct 2009 Vogue italia

I know I don't usually post too much about fashion on this blog, (I do follow it for my day job), but sometimes you just can't deny the fabulousness of a true fashion moment. Case in point- sooo loving the super stylin' glamor of this editorial piece from Steven Meisel in the October 09 Vogue Italia, featuring Daphne Guinness and Tyson Ballou. It's mysterious, moody, and oh so marvelous.(more images here via Beauty Confessional)

Emmo Home now at South Coast Plaza!

OC local store post!- I blogged about Emmo Home awhile back. Over the weekend- I was excited to find out they now have a temporary showroom in über fabulous South Coast Plaza! They still have their original location (just down the street)- but this new space will give them much better visibility and exposure to a wider audience. The other location will probably act as a showroom for more of their larger furniture pieces. There's lots of fun stuff in stock and it's just in time for the holiday gift shopping season (I'm especially loving all the Banana Family line by A di Alessi pieces, and also those great Anything Design scissors.) They're located on the second floor of the Crate & Barrel/Macy's Home wing- across the bridge- in the corner space that Simon Pierce previously resided in. Please support your local modern design shop! Definitely check it out next time you're there and say Hi! Tell them Happy Mundane sent ya!

Domo at 7-Eleven

whoa- kind of random- but hey- not complainin'! Domo is now at your local 7-Eleven! I stopped by the one near me and picked up a coffee cup and Slurpee- but there's also really fun straws and check out the hot dog packaging! (via eat me daily)
Read more here-
Check out the fun 3 part webisodes here.

mundane aesthetic: ziggy morning

happy munday.

NesCafé Dolce Gusto

Recently, I was contacted and given the opportunity to review and test out a free sample unit of the new NesCafé Dolce Gusto machine. With a normal latte costing about $3 nowadays, I've been curious about what one of these machines would be like to have at home, so I was excited to give it a whirl. The NesCafé Dolce Gusto is a single-serve coffee machine. I guess a similar one would be the Tassimo one. Basically, you put in a little capsule into the machine, turn a lever, and out comes instant cappuccino! So here's how it went down:
First, after opening it, in addition to the machine, I found that it also came with two glasses, one for taller drinks, like a Mocha, and one for smaller ones, like an cappuccino or regular coffee. The machine itself is a little larger than I expected- but it's not HUGE- about the same size as a normal coffee machine. For some reason though, I thought it would be smaller- but overall, I really liked the design. (It kind of reminds me of a little bird!) Anyway- I started with a Mocha (my favorite). You fill the back part with water, and turn the machine on. In less than a minute- the power light flashes from red to green, indicating that the water is hot and ready to go. The speed was pretty impressive. You then put in the capsule. For a Mocha- there are two capsules needed. One for the espresso part, and the other, I assume for the milk part- They were colored accordingly. There is a little chart/diagram on the box to indicate the suggested proportion of how much you put in, but you can control the proportion (ie. if you like a stronger drink, you can put more -or less- as you like.) This is all controlled by how long you leave the lever thing on. You just slide the lever/knob thing to the red circle (there are three positions for the lever. One is Red, for hot drinks, then in the middle is the off position, then there's a blue one for cold drinks)- and then the water goes, passes through the capsules, and the drink starts pouring out. After that- voila! instant Mocha- complete with frothy top! It was actually really easy and the taste was yummy and authentic- just like one from the coffee shop. There was a sample set of flavors that came with the box (see here for the list of flavors) and over the next couple days, I tried the other ones, all of which were pretty good. The only one that I didn't really care for was one called "Choco-chino." Personally, it tasted to me like one of those powdered hot chocolates. eh. Overall, it's really quite convenient. The boxes of capsules go for about $8.49, and you get 16 capsules in a box- however, depending on what kind of drink/flavor you get, that 16 can equal 16 cups or 8 cups (if you get a Mocha, it takes two capsules to make one, but a Cafe Americano only takes one capsule)- still, that comes out to be much cheaper than a normal cup from a coffee store chain. So all in all- really impressed with the speed, ease, and taste!

Now, here are my gripes. The first thing is the capsules. The size of the capsule made me think that maybe you could get two drinks out of each- but unfortunately that's not the case- (i tried, but when filling the second cup, it got too watery too quickly)- There just always seemed to be a lot leftover inside after one cup. Also, I noticed there wasn't a recycle symbol on it- so I asked the NesCafe contact about recyclability of the capsules. She explained it best-"I can appreciate your concerns about recycling the pods, we hear that a lot. Nescafe Dolce Gusto is a global brand. You might be reassured to know that the capsules are recoverable through packaging recovery schemes in Europe, called green dot organizations. These do not exist in the US, so in part one reason we can’t be recycled is the recycling capabilities / infrastructure specific to the US market. In general, Nestlé is committed to reducing the environmental impact of packaging, without jeopardizing the safety, quality or consumer acceptance of its products. The company strives to reduce weight and volume of materials; lead in the development and use of renewable resources; support the recovery of used packaging and decrease waste and use recycled materials, where appropriate." So, sadly, no- in the US they aren't.

The only other gripe would be that the flavor capsules are not as easily available at your local grocery store. They are however, available online and at Sur la Table, Macys, Bloomingdales, and Bed Bath and Beyond. Luckily, I'm a mall rat, so I guess that's not really a problem for me- but for someone who lives where those stores aren't local, then that could be a little inconvenient. Oh, I should also note that the machine itself retails for $149.99- (and there's currently a $30 rebate offered online.) I believe that makes it a little more expensive than some of its competitors. Anyway- I've had the machine now for a few weeks and have enjoyed using it- especially on the weekends. I think it'd make a great gift (or even a little gift for yourself)- I'm curious if any of you have one of these self serve coffee machines at home or have considered getting one? If you have one, do you like it? good experience with them? bad?

Hilton Hotels new logo

...And in random graphic design news... did anyone notice that Hilton changed their logo? I joined the Hilton rewards thing awhile back since I travel frequently- and saw the new logo. I remember back in the day, the old Hilton logo, (which I actually liked)- the big simple red "H". Then somewhere in the 90's? it changed to the blue logo with the swirly/curly thing- which was like... ok.. whatever. But now it's changed again- and oddly, it's very similar to the old one- but they turned it sideways? I guess I like it better than the curly/swirly version- and I like the clean sans serif font- but- why not just go back to the original then? Anyway- read more about it here at the Brand New blog.

What do you think? Do you like the new logo?

easle as tv stand

Interesting... Flipping through the October 2009 Metropolitan Home and came across this idea. Designer Vincente Wolf used an easle to place a flat screen in this Park Avenue home. Apparently this is one of his trademark design tricks. I'm not sure how I feel about it... but I think I kinda like it! In this example, I'm also drawn to the fact that the easle is also painted a nice glossy black. Check out the rest of the house tour here. Would any of you consider doing this?

TGIF video break: I'm not your toy

Whoa- suddenly its friday! sorry for the lack of posts this week- yikes- I've been buried with work and next thing you know, it's Friday! So here's a little electro-pop to kick the weekend off. I've been listening to a lot of La Roux lately and this recent video for her single "I'm not your toy" I find quite entertaining. I love all the weird juxtapositions in it- 70's wicker chair, inside English-esque greenhouse, set in a pool party, futuristic blips, minimal/modern tribal fashion, kooky characters and awkward dancing- oh and penguins. I guess it's not really a party without penguins...

More about La Roux, here. Also, if you're looking to get your dance on, their song Bulletproof always does the trick for me-

By the way- if you don't already, you can follow me on twitter (see sidebar) and I'm also on facebook- (let's be friends! and join my blog network there)

audiowood

ok seriously. stop the insanity. These turntables are tooooo much awesome-ness for me to take in this munday morning!Custom made by Joel Scilley. Genius. More pics and info here. (via MetHome)