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No matter how hard we all try to minimize bits and pieces of paper and cards and invites, they show up unbidden in our bags and on our countertops. What to do? Don’t buy a normal (boring) cork board to keep yourself organized, buy this tackboard with stripes! That’s right, it’s a tackboard, made of thin strips of industrial mill-made paper, all of which are stacked tightly together for the express purpose of holding your miscellany all in one place.
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This might seem like just a simple grey clock, but it has a clever rolling mechanism that allows it to display 24 different time zones. The hands work independently from the body, so you can roll the clock to whatever time zone you wish, and then roll it back to the local time. Only the side shows each time zone, leaving the face free of any extra graphics.
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This colorful table and stool by UM Project would be a great choice for occasional tables. Whether you choose to go monochrome or mix colors, the duo-tone finish would add interest and warmth to a room. It’d be smart to use the sturdy stools as side tables for daily use and then as extra seating when you have a few more guests than chairs.

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Fun bookends? Yes, please. WAKA WAKA’s Shin Okuda turns ordinary plywood into these colorful bookends. They’re sold in sets of two, in mismatched colors, mind you, so tell your books to stand up straight for their semi-crazy and exciting new friends. You DIYers might feel an itch to replicate these with your own shapes and colors, and, if so, go for it, as you’ll only need some plywood, glue, paint, and some sort of metal bookend to sandwich between the wood (right?).
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Don’t be dissuaded by the size, the Craig Carrying Case is not necessarily a clutch purse, though it could be if you so choose. Japanese stationary brand Delfonics brings us this option for storing a small laptop and a magazine. One large zipper pocket buttons down over an open pocket on the front, in a size that’s handy enough to carry on its own or stash in a larger bag. It would be sort of perfect for travel, don’t you think? One place for the essentials: iPad, passport, eye mask, etc.
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If you choose any of the Fleche rugs for your home, you are allowed to be socially boring*. The rugs are Samare Studio’s update to the Pays d’en Haut Legacy collection, and utilize traditional felting techniques to create the imagery of flames and bolts of lightning (as evoked by the Quebec native ‘fléchée’ motif). Four different palettes are available.

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Any piece of furniture that incorporates cork into its design has my attention, and this table by Patrick Norguet for Kristalia is no exception. A removable table top/lid means it is also a storage piece, and that’ll no doubt be useful wherever it ends up. You have a few options: white or black rotational polypropylene, with or without a genuine cork coating; white, black, or cork lid, all in either round or square.
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If you can’t beat the heat at least try to enjoy it a little. This one inch thick 100% recycled plastic swing is paired with a 100% recycled PET rope to make sure you get a bit of breeze by using your own pair of legs. You may even have a little fun while you’re at it. Bit of info to note: the swing contains about 46 reclaimed milk jugs.
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Witchcraft!! That’s really the only explanation for a pot on the stove that can charge your phone… unless you believe in thermoelectricity, and then it explains almost everything. Here’s a short version: fire + water = power. Here’s the longer version: the PowerPot harnesses excess heat while cooking with its encapsulated thermoelectric modules, sends electricity through the flame-resistant composite charging cable and connectors, and then you can plug in your phone to charge it. Maybe you use it at home, maybe you use it on a camping trip. Either way it’s a smart option for charging your devices.
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Yes, the SOND Watch by VOID is rather large, but it’s also reassuringly old school. The watch itself secures the nylon band, making it easy to change and adjust. It’s not for everyone, I know, but it is a fun option for a wristwatch, especially considering there’s eight colors of each component (the watch case, the watchband and the silicone fitting loops) so you have the possibility to create over 500 unique color combinations.
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We’ve featured this little guy before, but after several years, he needs his info updated. This stool appears to be inflated plastic, but is, in fact, made from welded steel sheets that are industrially inflated. This manufacturing process (called FiDU ‘Freielnnen Druck Umformung’ = ‘free inner pressure deformation’) was developed by Oskar Zieta and allows for lightweight forms to hold a fair amount of weight with minimal material. No two are alike.

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If you’re into graphic design, you might appreciate a scarf with the Definition of Graphic Design as authored by MATTER’s design director Rick Griffith. It’s made from soft cotton, so it’s light enough for summer nights (or sun protection) or for layering during cooler months. Available from Matterial, $20. There’s also Annotated Definition Pillowcases with the same definition, fyi.
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On that note, enjoy your weekend!

If you’re interested in color theory, have I got the tea towels for you. Raw Color has created a series of tea towels that explore concepts from graphic design in woven form. From 10% to 100% intensity, each box of color appears to be printed on as a sort of large scale screen key (those little boxes on the sides of printed fabrics), yet each is expressed by altering the fabric weave. It’s the concept of print and traditional weaving combined. There’s also the Index Collection Blankets, which are even more impressive because of the larger scale; they’re available from Raw Color’s website for €375.
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A tape dispenser is rarely described as anything other than just plain (snore) useful, but black + blum have certainly put their brains to use in creating one that is decidedly better than above average- and that translates into pretty damn good. Yep, you read it right, that’s a ‘damn’ in front of a ‘good’ and I’m talking about a tape dispenser.

Gravity removes the need for a separate spindle and the cast iron is heavy enough to use with one hand. So, it’s minimal, durable, and functional? Check, check, and check. And high five to you, black + blum, for creating an excellent alternative to the cheap and unattractive plastic versions found on too many desktops. If I shared an office with anyone other than my dog, I’d be hinting pretty hard that I’d want this for the next gift exchange.

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