My Japanese not being what it used to be (ahem), I don't know much more about these gorgeous faux bois accessories than that they're available from Japanese design store Cibone. Whatever else there is to know about them, I reckon they're definitely worth an eyeballing.
Something about packing all those letters into tight spaces conveys the sense of how densely populated and so very large these metropolitan areas are.
Beorkrem descided to design the typographical maps after a fruitless search for a Chicago neighborhood poster that would look good on her wall. "The project became quite cumbersome with 91 Chicago neighbourhoods in all," she said. Of all the cities that she has mapped, her hometown has the highest number of neighbourhoods. 
Shippo cloisonné is a technique whereby fine silver strips are applied to copper, and then enamel is poured into the spaces, then repeatedly fired and polished. The pic below shows the process at work in the Japanese enamelling studio that produces the Shippo Plates for Tokyo-based company Cibone.
Via Frozen Fountain
For the past 15 years, Bleu Nature has specialized in using materials like driftwood, flotsam and jetsam, and petrified wood. They've chosen these materials as they are not only sustainable, but won’t deplete any existing resources.
John Robshaw creates original, handcrafted textiles from around the world, employing traditional printing, dying and weaving techniques, reinterpreting them for modern sensibilities. I picked out a couple of images from the vast and varied collection of printed, woven and handpainted textiles to share:
Interestingly, artist Alexandra Ross has previously styled dйcor for DECO, and photographer David is often called upon to shoot houses and travel features for us. In private, this talented pair turns a trained eye on making fine art, in this case, using low-tech mobile phone and laptop camera technology.
Visit Resolution Gallery in Parkwood, Johannesburg. In Camera is on show until 28 February 2009.
Nothing sounds more like getting down to work than the clackety clack racket a typewriter makes. Give your office a sound and colour pop with this genuine 1950s refurbished typewriter from Three Potato Four.
On another level completely, this modular Daily System integrates high-tech devices seamlessly into your daily life. For instance, the Weekly Meal Planner organizes weekly plans for meals and groceries, while a digital frame slideshows up to 1,300 photos on a 6" screen. Talk about getting organized!
Going down a notch or two, I think a caveat should accompany this Wildlife Tape Dispenser from Urban Outfitters: your boss isn't likely to take you terribly seriously with this taking pride of place, so try injecting a spot of Bauhaus gravity with the Bourne desk lamp below, from Habitat.
Work hard, everyone!
An industrial design graduate, Liam has been producing furniture since 1996 and has exhibited his work locally and in New York, London and Scandinavia. The designs featured here – including the Arc lamp you see above - are all made in sunny South Africa.
The Lowveld Stool
