CasaSugar

Roundup: Designer Ornaments

CasaSugar — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:00:22 -0800

It's no wonder that these three Mouthblown Glass Bell Ornaments ($30-45) are drop-dead gorgeous: they were designed this year for the MoMa by none other than world-renowned industrial designer Eva Zeisel - who turned 103 years old last week! I'm absolutely in love with them. I almost feel guilty for owning drugstore variety ornaments. I think there should be a balance though; a few basic ball ornaments mixed with handmade and designer ones sounds like a ideal balance to me. To give your tree that luxury art element, I've rounded up a few more designer ornaments for you.

Happy 103rd Birthday Eva Zeisel!

CasaSugar — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:39:30 -0800

World-renowned Hungarian industrial designer Eva Zeisel turns 103 today! Though she is best known for her work with ceramics, Eva, a featured Designer Spotlight here on Casa, has designed everything from acrylic candelabras to wooden and glass coffee tables, and is considered by many to be the matriarch of industrial design.

In fact, New York magazine named Zeisel in its list of nine living Design Revolutionaries back in '07. Better yet, her work is in the permanent collections of museums like the Met, the V&A, and the MoMA, and she received the National Design Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum in New York in 2005. Honored with the award at 99 years old, she could have brought closure to her successful career, but she impressively continues to design new works of art today. And while the curves and sensuous shapes of her recent designs are certainly sought after, her earlier pieces remain relevant and stylish, a mark of a truly influential designer. Take a look at some of Eva's work below.

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Designer Spotlight: Eva Zeisel

CasaSugar — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 07:16:14 -0800

You may recognize the name Eva Zeisel from the Crave Worthy coffee table we recently featured, but her name is synonymous with much more than a place to rest your drinks. Eva Zeisel is a world renowned Hungarian industrial designer known for her work with ceramics. She was born in Budapest on November 13, 1906, and is still designing to this day at 101 years of age. In 1935, Zeisel was named the artistic director of the China and Glass Industry of Russia. A year later, in 1936, while living in Moscow, she was falsely accused of plotting against Stalin, arrested and imprisoned for 16 months, 12 of which were in solitary confinement. Even then, she said, “I kept designing in my mind to stay normal. Not to be crazy. It was a way to survive.” Her design career really took off when she moved to the US in 1938. She designed for companies like General Mills, Rosenthal China, and Castelton China, and she also taught one of the first courses in industrial design at New York's Pratt Institute. In 2005, she received the National Design Award for Lifetime Achievement by the National Design Museum, Smithsonian, and her designs are shown in museums and sold in stores all over the world. In the last 15 years, Zeisel has taken her organic approach to ceramics, from the potter's wheel to the tabletop, with a collection of undulating wooden, glass-top tables, and other sensuous collectibles, which are available at Eva Zeisel Originals, an internet-based retail store founded by her grandson, Adam Zeisel. Her Classic Century Dinnerware collection ($60-$253) is also available at Crate & Barrel, and many ceramics and other housewares at Unica Home.

To see photos of Eva and her work, read more

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New York Mag Honors Design Revolutionaries

CasaSugar — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 10:13:57 -0700

The cover story of this week's New York Magazine is Design Revolutionaries, a thoughtful conversation with nine of New York's greatest living designers and a list of 25 other design innovators. The story pays tribute to those who changed the way we look at mundane, everyday sights-from subway maps and perfume bottles to mechanical dry cleaning racks and sofa fabrics. Not only obvious choices like the woman/brand/homemaker legend Martha Stewart and homeware visionary Eva Zeisel were included but also historian saviors of cast-iron architecture and big oil logomeisters. It's nice to see these innovators given credit where credit is due, and I appreciate that NY Mag acknowledged that they left hundreds of design luminaries out, due to space limits. Click your way over to NY Mag to read the story, and don't forget to enjoy these images below.

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Crave Worthy: Eva Zeisel Coffee Table

CasaSugar — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 14:36:09 -0700

Award-winning designer Eva Zeisel has created this Eva Zeisel Coffee Table ($1,350) for Design Within Reach. Zeisel, who was born in 1906, is world renowned for her ceramics, and when she was in her early 90s, she started designing tables. This particular table is very true to her taste for whimsical lines and curved feminine forms, as opposed to many straight-lined designs endorsed by the MoMA. "I didn't accept the purism of modern design," she says. "In my definition, if it gave beauty to the eye, it was beauty." Not only would the piece be the focal point of any living room, the ashy color of the table would suit many rooms well. I love how the piece manages to look feminine and flirty in spite of having flat sides; it's sort of a cross between Bauhaus and Rococo styles. If only I had a grand to spare...

Crave Worthy: Worlds Away Bennito Side Table

CasaSugar — Wed, 28 May 2008 14:00:09 -0700

What could be more glamorous than a combination of hand-applied gold leaf, a mirror top, and feminine curves on an Art Deco side table? Nothing seems to come to mind. The Worlds Away Bennito Side Table ($1180) is an Eva Zeisel-meets-Grace-Kelly furnishing for the modern woman. Use it as console table in your foyer to stash your fab clutch, luxe cell phone and your favorite lip product, or simply set it next to a crave worthy sofa. And, don't be surprised if guests think you're actually the Princess of Monaco . . .

Steal of the Day: Pottery Barn Cassandra Chandelier

CasaSugar — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 13:00:24 -0700

The Pottery Barn Cassandra Chandelier ($299, reduced from $399) is a trompe l'oeil of sorts. Its frosted glass hurricanes give the romantic appeal of pillar candles, without the hazard of burning your house down. I'm loving its antique-inspired wrought-iron scrollwork, which reminds me of the balconies of New Orleans Creole townhouses. And, its minimalist, silhouette shape would do well in both modern and traditional homes, and I think Eva Zeisel would appreciate its restrained curves.

Celebrate International Women's Day With CasaSugar

CasaSugar — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 05:00:59 -0800

Today is International Women's Day. Annually on this day, thousands of events are held throughout the world to inspire women and celebrate their achievements. Definitely look in your local paper to see if there are any events in your community celebrating this day, and for now, take a look at some of my favorite posts celebrating creative women here on CasaSugar.

Designer Natalie Chanin creates beautiful and innovative repurposed designs for your home.
Architect Zaha Hadid was the first woman to win the Pritzker Prize in its 26-year history.
Artist Yvette Molina paints dreamy flora on aluminum.
Photographer Tria Giovan has established a successful career shooting for a number of coveted shelter magazines.
Designer Sheila Bridges makes inspiring interiors for livable and lovely homes.
Architect Julia Morgan was the first woman allowed in Paris's Ecole des Beaux-Arts.
Artist Cal Lane brings an unexpected feminine twist to traditionally male-dominated objects.
Designer Eva Zeisel has not only lived an incredible and dramatic life, she's also making beautiful designs well into her 90s.

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Best of 2007: Designer Spotlights

CasaSugar — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 05:12:31 -0800

This year, we introduced you to oodles of designers, including interior designers, furniture designers, ceramics designers, and industrial designers. Some were new to you, some not, and others you'd heard of but didn't know much about. In all cases, I was happy to learn more about their lives and experiences by researching them.

Here are my favorite Designer Spotlights from this year:

Karim Rashid has tried his hand and succeeded at designing products, interiors, fashion, furniture, lighting, and art.
Terence Conran is a one-man bastion of British design.
Angela Adams personifies retro-cool from hand-tufted rugs to geometric tableware.
Allegra Hicks' textiles, homewares, and interior design ooze Boho sophistication.
Eva Zeisel is 101 and still kickin' butt with her homeware and furniture designs.

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Lulu's Hideaway: Spoiled Sweet or Spoiled Rotten?

PetSugar — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 11:00:37 -0800

Need something to put next to your Eva Zeisel Coffee Table and Egg Chair? Try Lulu's Hideaway, the perfect cat cave for your cosmopolitan kitty. The goal of the Pet Project is to create minimalist furniture with a comfortable feel that best blends into the modern home and is never hidden away in a corner. The one seen here in white is not as pricey as the $700 chrome version – this acrylic one is a practical steal at only $500. Lulu, whoever she may be, is not included.

Michael Aram - $39.00	Jonathan Adler Pop Bird Ornament - $28.00
Kimberly Wolcott - $48.00	Jay Strongwater - $125.00
Jonathan Adler Dove Ornament - $24.00	Kimberly Wolcott Amazing Love Christmas Ornament - $45.00
Michael Aram Golden Pear Ornament - $39.00	Arthur Court Christmas Ornament, 2.5" Peace Symbol - $20.00
Jonathan Adler Pop Giraffe Ornament - $28.00	Michael Aram - bellflower ornament by michael aram - $29.00
Michael Aram Pine Cone Ornament - $39.00