Design

One of our favorite, most recently discovered blogs is mer mag , a darling and lovely look into the life of a creative artist and mom. Full of home projects she does with her kids, examples of her own great illustration work and lots of great home and decor inspiration, we really love the simplicity and authenticity of this blog. We asked the blog's owner a few questions to get some insight in all the creative and inspiring things she does: You describe yourself as an illustrator, painter and designer, and I see that you keep yourself quite busy outside of mer mag, with Tuesday Morning. Could talk a little bit about what you do? By day I'm a mom/crafter/creator/what have you. By nap time/bed time/down time I'm a professional illustrator specializing in children's and young adult fiction (but also enjoy working in other markets such as fashion, editorial and advertising). You've found a lot of success in doing children's book cover art, how did you first get into...

Sfgirlbybay is one of those blogs that has made an undeniable impact on not only the design blogging world, but the design world in general. Filled to the brim with inspiring photos and ideas, this is your first stop when you are looking for modern bohemian and San Francisco style inspiration. Describing herself as a “San Francisco based blogger, hopeful photographer, design junkie and bonafide flea market queen” Victoria Smith is most well-known in her role as the editor and writer of the hugely popular sfgirlbybay blog, which began in 2006. The blog offers interior design tips, shopping finds; interviews, home tours, design/art event coverage, product reviews, shopping ideas, art and design resources, and lots of stories relating to creating a lovely home. Our favorite feature without doubt is Smith’s “Sunday in the City” where she just shares a few photographs she’s snapped while on a walk through San Francisco. The photographs are of a number of subjects, but always a simple and f...

In the recent past we’ve shown you blogs that showcase the fabulous and blogs that help you turn your home into the decorated space of your dreams. Today’s blogger focuses on the simple joys in life and how even the most mundane of everyday objects can brighten your interior and your day. Jonathan Lo’s blog Happy Mundane is unique for another reason: being run by a guy in this cyber world dominated by female design bloggers. There’s no gender distinction here, though, just great design advice and ideas. With a background in art direction and editing , Lo really has an eye for design and is able to find beauty and excitement in all sorts of objects. According to the site: “Happy Mundane is a place to celebrate the ordinary and the extraordinary, happy colors, good design of any kind, and to take a moment to appreciate some things that get overlooked in the everyday.” We especially love Happy Mundane’s tag line: “There's beauty in your dishsoap.” The site itself is a simple Blogger...

If you love 1960’s style design and are a big fan of color, then you’ll definitely want to check out today’s designer influence: Verner Panton. Considered by many to be one of Denmark's most important interior and furniture designers of the 20th-century, Panton’s use of shape and color not only summed up an entire generation of design, it continues to wow design enthusiasts today. You probably are familiar with Panton’s work in terms of bright colors and distinctive chairs. His most famous furniture works were the Cone Chair (1958), the Peacock Chair, The Panton Chair of 1960 and the S Chair, but you may also recognize his other popular pieces like the Bachelor Chair, Trumpet Chair, Heart Cone Chair, Relaxer Chair, and his confusing Phantom Chair/Table. As mentioned, Panton was also a huge proponent of color, often times blending hues in dizzying palettes. While his furniture was available in an array of bright and bold colors, it was in his experimental interior environments that ...