We've been super busy preparing for the Modern Economy multi-designer sample sale coming up in less than two weeks in Portland, Oregon. If you live there or happening to be visiting, please come to the sale. (Prices will be marked down up to 75% off retail!) Here are the details:

Modern Economy Sample Sale
10:30am to 3pm
Saturday, July 19, 2008
The Cleaners at the Ace Hotel
403 SW 10th and Stark
Portland, OR

Also, here's an update on some of the new designers and stores that will be participating this sale.

Danish-designed patterns and designs for your wall from Ferm Living.

Clothpony's hip, adorable girl's clothing.

Olio United, a local Portland shop, will be bringing a variety of clothes and home accessories.

Gorgeous cards and notebooks from Nantaka Joy.

Tina Frey's home accesories and jewelry made of resin.

Well-designed, eco goods from Josh Jakus.

Nature-inspired notebooks from Jill Bliss.

Unique pottery for plants from Portland store, Life + Limb.

Emma Gardner's luxurious wool throws.

Plant and sea life-inspired wall art from Jefdesigns.

it’s our third week focusing on australia and our latest regional roundup focuses on brisbane, australia’s third most populous city. today’s line up stars tiel seivl-keevers {tsk-tsk}, mel robson, jason grant {inkahoots}, tiffany shafran, and alex tebb. we’ll be back tomorrow with our final australian roundup so be sure to check back, but in the meantime, click here to check out today’s designers (there are many more below the fold). [thanks again to all the fabulous designers! all the roundups can be found here.] -anne

[aussie porcelain above by mel robson. check out her feature below]

Tsk-tsk

1. Where are you from? Where do you live now?
I’m from Australia. I have lived in many different cities here, but I’m currently living in Brisbane, Queensland.

2. Describe your work
Most of my work is illustrative. I create original artworks or limited edition prints for children and grown ups. I’m exploring a range of themes including matryoshka dolls, birds, flora and fauna.
My works are mostly small in scale so I can finish them!

3. How is your work influenced by where you live?
I live in a warmer climate so the outdoor lifestyle does influence my work. I pay attention to the wildlife around me, particularly the birds and I enjoy the colours of where I live. Brisbane is a very light and sunny place.  I’m very close to the ocean and some of Australia’s best beaches, but it is the trees and hills that I feel closest to. I often pick up leaves and pods on walks and take them home to study.

4. Where do you go in Australia when you want to feel inspired?
Melbourne. It is home away from home for me. I lived there on several occasions and it is so full of life. Art, craft, design, good food. But locally I enjoy being in a park near the river, or going to a few suburbs here that have hidden shopping treasures. Also the gallery of modern art has a continual range of exhibitions and displays catered for all ages. It is such an amazing space.

5. How would you describe the Australian design scene?
I think here we are influenced so much by so many different cultures and countries. We then somehow take bits of pieces from that, combine them with our surroundings and it becomes quite unique to anything else. There are so many good Australian designers who have emerged over the last 10 years and I really get a sense that a lot more quality design is about to bloom..

6. If you could go anywhere where would you go?
Today, somewhere a little warmer like Fiji! But I really am keen to go to Japan. The history, design and food really interests me.

Check out more of Tiel’s work here and her blog here.

Mel Robson

1. Where are you from? Where do you live now?
I grew up in a little town called Murwillumbah (which means place of many possums!!), but I now live in Brisbane (right in the middle of the east coast of Australia) and have been based here on and off for the last 15 years or so.

2. Describe your work
I make objects from porcelain. I design and hand make ranges of functional and decorative objects for the home, as well as limited edition and one-off exhibition works. I use a lot of text and imagery on my pieces which I draw from a whole array of sources - old letters, wallpaper, photographs, maps, recipes, sewing patterns, excerpts from old books and magazines etc. I take lots of old things and work them in to new ones.

3. How is your work influenced by where you live?
I’m probably influenced more by the built environment rather than the natural environment - the architecture, the buildings and houses. Brisbane has grown a lot in the last decade and is a real mish mash of old and new. This doesn’t always work so well but there are little pockets where the old and the new sit comfortably, even beautifully, together.  I like this. Its something I try to achieve in my own work – weaving together the past and the present, integrating them.

4. Where do you go in Australia when you want to feel inspired?
I find that I get most of my best ideas while I’m walking. I like to go hiking, so our national parks are pretty inspiring for me. There is nothing like wandering along deserted trails for clearing the mind and making space for new ideas. At the moment though I walk mostly around my local area, which is an old area of Brisbane filled with charming houses and shops full of character (and characters)!

5. How would you describe the Australian design scene?
I think Australian designers have a good sense of humour and often approach design with a sense of playfulness and wit. We are good at sarcasm and laughing at ourselves and I think this is often reflected in the work of our artists, craftspeople and designers.

6. If you could go anywhere where would you go?
Hmmmmm…..where wouldn’t I go?! I’d like to spend more time in Europe, particularly the Scandinavian countries.

More of Mel’s work here, and her website (under construction) here.

Inkahoots

1. Where are you from? Where do you live now?
I was born in New Zealand and now live in sunny Brisbane, Australia.

2. Describe your work
I’m part of design group Inkahoots that includes Robyn McDonald, Ben Mangan, Joel Booy and Kate Booy. Rather than privilege market agendas of commodification, the studio promotes visual communication as an important tool of cultural critique and transformation. The work is visually adventurous with a strong typographic focus, and aims to be daring and searching, not for the sake of newness, but to give expression to a changing society.

3. How is your work influenced by where you live?
For a long time Brisbane was a politically oppressive and culturally conservative place you needed to escape. So it bred a resilient underground oppositional culture that continues to influence the city. The rainforests, bush, and beaches around Brisbane are incredible. And the scale and pace of the city makes it both a great place for work and play, and for playful work.

4. Where do you go in Australia when you want to feel inspired?
I’m not so comfortable with the idea of chasing inspiration.

5. How would you describe the Australian design scene?
If it were a super hero it would be one of those characters with random control over their super-human powers.

6. If you could go anywhere where would you go?
Satori.

Click here for more by Inkahoots.

WINKS - weekend links. Here we list what has come in during the week, things we've found and things we think you'll want to see. If you'd like to see your blog or website featured email us and if we think it fits with our readers we'll link you. So what's in this week?

• Cliff Spencer is a furniture maker. His website says so. He specialises in highest quality modern and traditional cabinetry, custom furniture, green materials, finishing & refinishing. But Cliff isn't a furniture maker. He's an artist. Wood comes alive under his hands. As the website says, "When the morning sun hits the swirling grain of the wood in one of our pieces in just the right way, you’ll see a different angle, a shape, a curve you hadn’t noticed before. It’s old world craftsmanship in modern times, using only the finest joinery, built to last for generations." Live simply with beautiful artisan pieces.




• Kim and I have been waiting for some time to introduce you to Manvi Drona-Hidalgo and her blog Mochatini. Emails back and forth and now she feels she's ready ;) "With Mochatini, I hope to share with you things that inspire me, that I am passionate about, some upcoming artists, timeless classics with modern twists, my attempts at design and other musings." Manvi is a busy woman. She also blogs for 2Modern’s Design Talk and Vogue India. Click on over and say hi! Oh and check out all the eye candy.

Belgian furniture designer Casimir Meubelen has launched a new website and is exhibiting his first new furniture pieces after four years of design silence. Casimir uses the symbolism of the well known I form of a building-construction as the inspiration for "The Poutrel". Find out details of the exhibition in Antwerp and discover more of his design here.

Up To You is the über stylish creation of brother and sister team Bill and Dimitra Doufekas. This Toronto design destination showcases funky objects and gifts housed in a shop that replicates your trendy friend's apartment. So many of their internationally sourced pieces can't be sourced anywhere else in Canada. Kim is always lamenting the lack of great design shopping in Ottawa. Maybe a short trip to Toronto will cure your blues Kim. They have an online shop as well.

What do you think this is? It's crusted with Swarovski crystals. Perhaps jewellery? A hair clip? A pendant? A brooch? No it's jewellery for your home.


Yes, a crystal encrusted mural you can apply to a wall a column, a head board. Anywhere. The Saturday Décor designs and produces a unique line of home décor products — including window and wall décor, jewellery, lighting, and pendants. Duco Phangsoa emailed to introduce this concept. It's unlike anything I've ever seen. OTT definitely but just right for your own personal palace!

I wish emails had smells. This one had me wishing for an internet version of scratch and sniff. "Diptyque, the effortlessly chic brand from France, has the solution for your fireplace woes. French for “wood fire,� Diptyque’s Feu de Bois candle is the perfect substitution for a crackling fireplace. The earthy-but-refined candle is infused with a complex scent that is evocative of fir trees, firewood and autumn woodlands." Website is coming soon but there is a store locator. I'm so intrigued I'm off to Ollie and LLoyd in Brisbane to savour the scent.

Another new blog. This time from Byron Bay in Australia. (God's own country.) Paisley Peacock and Paneer combines decor (paisley and the peacock bit) and blogger Mamta Pinnell's other passion, Indian vegetarian cuisine (paneer - it's a soft cheese). Interior design and home-wares (with lots of paisleys), beautiful Byron Bay, India and vegetarian cooking! Sounds like candy for the eye and the spice for the taste buds.