This concept was recently brought to new life with the collaboration between Italian architect and designer Gaetano Pesce and the uber-luxe Italian fashion house Bottega Veneta during their SS23 collection showcase at this year’s Milan Fashion Week. Pesce and his team hand-crafted a whopping 400 technicolor chairs specifically for the event.

The chairs’ aesthetics are as unique as Faberge eggs, each one a rainbow-colored dream of swirling colors. While some of the seats evoke stoic marble and mountains of multicolored candy, others are decorated with hand-drawn designs depicting Bottega Veneta accessories — all one-of-a-kind objet d’art meant not only to be admired, but to be an integral part of the fashion show.

Entitled “Come Stai?,” the collection served as actual seating for the show’s attendees, themselves an active contrast to the swirling shades of the floor beneath. And like fashion itself, the chairs serve a multi-layered purpose. Meant to highlight the underlying theme of diversity in fashion, Pesce’s colorful handmade chairs make a powerful statement on mass production, and how devastating carbon-copy furniture reproductions can be to a piece’s individuality.

As Pesce explained during an on-set conversation, “We are all originals, and this is one of the themes to my design.” He also emphasized the importance of flow and change in design as opposed to the stagnation that can result from commercial reproduction, adding, “as a designer, I make originals, not standardized series.”

“Form, function, and thought are necessary for design and art,” Pesce said before unveiling the first of the 400 “Come Stai?” chairs. The collection will go on to find new life in an exhibition at Design Miami 2022, and the individual chairs will eventually be made available for purchase.

The post Gaetano Pesce Handcrafts 400 Colorful Chairs for Bottega Veneta Fashion Show first appeared on Dornob.

At the center of the collection is an incredible 6.5-foot-tall handwoven tapestry called “Zemlia,” which is made of wool. The tapestry evokes the black earth of Ukraine and the potential for life contained within it. Long woven strands stretch out from the base almost like umbilical cords, symbolically connecting Ukrainians now located in far-flung locations to their homeland. No matter where in the world they might be, nothing can sever this bond. The technique used to create the tapestry is an ancient Ukrainian craft called “lizhnykarstvo,” once passed down from mother to daughter in the Carpathian Mountains and now close to extinction.

Just as striking and primeval are the animal-shaped benches Yakusha calls “Volyky” and the stools she calls “Duzhyi.” The black and white benches take their name from the Ukrainian word for freedom, and are hand-sculpted and kneaded using a sustainable material called “ztista” that Yakusha developed herself. The designer’s physical participation in the creation of these pieces can literally be seen in the form of her own fingerprints pressed into the surface of each one. The technique is derived from a traditional wall finish in old Ukrainian homes.

“Duzhyi” means “sturdy” in Ukrainian, and the name is fitting for the very solid-feeling sculpted forms of the stools. While the benches bear a more obvious resemblance to sheep, the stools are animalistic yet abstracted. Yakusha doesn’t necessarily start with sketches when sculpting — she likes to allow the forms to come to her unbidden, springing forth from her imagination as she works.

Yakusha established FAINA in response to the Revolution of Dignity in Ukraine, which took place over five days in 2014. Through her creations, the designer aims to give a new voice to millennia-old traditions and crafts that are in danger of disappearing. Yakusha hopes her deeply meaningful designs will inspire other artists and contribute to a global perception of Ukraine not just as its own country with a distinct character and heritage from its neighboring invader, but as a living, evolving culture with much to contribute to society at large.

“A tragedy like September 11th is happening every week in Ukraine,” Yakusha tells Design Miami. “Russians destroy physically, destroy culturally, try to appropriate history, and suppress identity. The whole creative industry is having a particularly hard time with this because our strength is our sensitivity, and right now this sensibility is overwhelming… But we, Ukrainians, have huge power inside, and all our creativity will result in a beautiful outpouring for a brighter future for sure. To resist, we must be fearless in how we act, speak, and create. Fear leads to darkness.”

The post Stepping on Ukrainian Soil: Furniture Collection Honors Traditions in Danger of Extinction first appeared on Dornob.

These pieces were dreamed up by Slovenian-born designer and Bohinc Studio founder Lara Bohinc. The armchairs and poufs are not “naked,” she insists; they’re modestly upholstered in fine, soft wool fabric. She was inspired to create them after working as a jewelry designer in the fashion industry for many years, where curvy bodies are not typically welcome. She wanted to craft pieces that not only feel like sinking into the body of a woman you love, but encourage acceptance of real bodies, flaws and all.

“The female form has always been a source of inspiration in art, photography, and design, but often with an unrealistic eye or as a response to society’s perception of how the female body ‘should’ look,” says Bohinc. “I wanted the Peaches collection to be a pure and unabashed celebration of femininity and the female form, celebrating every curvy, voluptuous, and fleshy detail.”

“Although my previous work has always had a feminine touch, my pieces have often featured more geometric qualities. The Peaches collection is my most curvaceous to date, reminiscent of all the gorgeous shapes of a woman’s body and with no straight lines or sharp angles in sight.”

The Derriére armchair might just be the boldest of the three pieces in the collection. The inspiration pointed out by the name is front and center, immediately recognizable, in both the back and seat. The “arms” of the chair are really more like softly folded legs. The matching Peachy pouf is a mass of breast-like forms upon which to rest your weary feet.

The Big Girl armchair, the largest piece in the collection, is just slightly more abstracted. Swelling, sensual shapes come together to offer a low-slung seat that cradles the body with six bulbous supporting elements. Wood and steel are used to create the frames of each piece, while foam fills them out. Each one is handmade in a North London upholstery workshop and can be purchased from Bohinc Studio’s online shop, with prices ranging from just over £7,000 to £14,000 (about $8,300 to $16,600). Every purchase is individually numbered and comes with a certificate of authenticity.

If you find Bohinc Studio’s pointedly mammalian Peaches collection a little lurid, or maybe even offensive, the company offered a clarification in an interview with The New York Times. “I’m lucky I’m not a man. I would have to be very, very careful [about inviting people to sink into the provocative seating]. But because I’m a woman, I can celebrate my own body. It’s the difference between objectifying something and celebrating something.”

The post Bohinc Studio’s Peaches Collection Celebrates the Soft, Curvy Female Form first appeared on Dornob.

Every piece by BOMMA is handcrafted to preserve the company’s long history of superior craftsmanship. “Every manager says they are proud of their team, and all glassmaking is fascinating to watch,” says BOMMA owner Martin Wichterle. “But seeing our craftsmen handle oversized pieces of cut glass with extreme precision is an otherworldly experience. You never get used to it.”

BOMMA invited artists, designers, and architects to take their five modular shapes and transform them into spectacular grouped creations, and now they’re sharing the results.

Dechem Studio crafted a multi-pendant centerpiece using the Dark & Bright Star collection. Within smoked and frosted white glass vessels, a light source shines in the shape of a crystal star. The designers alternated the colors as two interlocking spirals spilling down the center of a white spiral staircase.

Dechem Studio also came up with two arrangements for the Pyrite collection, which is itself inspired by the famous “fool’s gold” stone. The golden version of the Pyrite light is in the shape of a perfect cube, and the silver version takes inspiration from salt crystals. The designers envisioned one installation as a series of swags reminiscent of a layered necklace, while another tightly groups the lights together in the shape of a larger shard.

The Soap Mini collection features glass blown into teardrop shapes without the use of a mold to mimic the appearance of soap bubbles glistening in shades of silver, gold, and blue. Designer Oto Svoboda put that iridescent quality to work, turning 1,070 frosted droplets together to form a sort of crystal canopy.

The Lens collection plays with the way lenses refract and reflect light, in this case pairing two lenses into a single object to multiply the illumination of the bulb within. Since these pieces are hand-painted, they can be made into any desired color. Studio deFORM took 16 Lens lights in amber glass and suspended them from a living room ceiling to create a dual-purpose chandelier and sculpture.

The Metamorphosis collection draws its inspiration from the scales of snakeskin and gothic arches. Produced as a collaboration with designer Rony Plesl, it comes in shades of amber, frosted white, and pearlescent gray.

BOMMA also collaborated with Studio deFORM and CMC architects to produce the Stellar Dust customized collection, which pairs 727 mouth-blown crystal droplets with 2,476 additional glass components to create an installation for the ceiling of J&T bank’s entrance hall in Prague.

What would you create if you had access to these gorgeous customizable lighting elements?

The post BOMMA Invites Designers to Turn Its Blown Glass Lighting into Beautiful Constellations first appeared on Dornob.

After his formal education was cut short at age 13 so he could support his family, Paboy began work in his uncle’s tailor shop, quickly developing a “keen eye for choosing fabrics and color combinations.” But in 2013, after surviving 22 years under the brutal dictatorship of Yahya Jammeh, he fled his country for the pursuit of freedom and fortune elsewhere. Over the course of two brutal and dangerous years, he journeyed across the desert and Mediterranean Sea, where he finally landed in Italy.

He was immediately placed in a migrant camp, where conditions were so overcrowded and deplorable that it was closed two years later. Paboy was then transferred to a camp in Naples, where his life began to turn around.

Getting a job making tiles and vases at a prestigious majolica factory, the African artist found lodgings with a freelance British journalist, who provided him with a room of his own. However, by the end of 2019, Paboy lost his job when the slow wheels of bureaucracy prevented his Italian asylum papers from being renewed on time.

A few months later, the COVID pandemic kept the world and Paboy at home, where he discovered a sewing machine and some leftover fabric in his host’s apartment. With inspiration from the textile pattern and permission from the journalist, he dusted off his tailoring skills. “My mind went straight to how lovely it would look as a cushion,” he said in an interview with House and Garden.

He posted the resulting throw pillow on a new Instagram account in the middle of 2020, and his work was an immediate hit. Calling his brand “In Casa by Paboy,” the 28-year-old designer has since built a cushion empire that ships out 80 to 100 pillows a month, selling for €100 apiece. His distinctive style and story have also caught the attention of major publications like the Financial Times and Vogue, as well as collaborators and stores interested in stocking his creations.

His design inspiration comes in part from Naples, which he says now feels like home. “The city is very colorful — all the buildings, the paintings. When I was working in the factory, the ladies all made tiles with different, vibrant colors and I was inspired by those combinations, too,” Paboy explains.

Success has come quickly, but it has not always gone smoothly. “Honestly, I haven’t always felt like I wanted to be a business owner,” he said in another interview with Courier. “I was very good at football — that’s what I dreamed of. Being a business owner is something I didn’t have any experience of… Being an immigrant and setting up a business is not easy; it’s quite hard.”

One payoff though, is being able to fully care for his family back home. The artisan happily explains that “Everything I do is for my family, for my sisters; I’m now in a position where I can support them from here.”

Paboy hopes to expand his offerings in the near future, adding: “I don’t want to rely on only cushions. I want to make more homewares — tablecloths, bedsheets, duvet covers.”

Unfortunately, scalability remains an issue for his company. Even after hiring two other African asylum-seekers to help him, demand far outstrips their resources. And because Paboy wants to keep everything handmade for the foreseeable future, he’s currently in talks with immigrant associations in Naples to enlist more help and simultaneously help his fellow refugees into better lives of their own.

The post Paboy Bojang’s Pillows Pay Tribute to Immigrant Ingenuity first appeared on Dornob.

Of course, it’s not always easy to find the perfect combo of eco-conscious attire and trendy style. Lucky for us all, there are many in the industry who have made a commitment to a greener, more fashion-forward future. That’s where the Sak comes in.

Brands like The Sak have proven themselves quite willing to implement more eco-friendly methods. A B Corp Certified company that’s high on both style and quality craftsmanship, this super stylish brand has also made a commitment to switch to only 100-percent sustainable materials by 2024, further cementing their aim to create a positive impact on both the global economy and the planet.

It only takes one look at the brand’s spring bag collection to see that there are no unattractive burlap sacks here (though burlap is both biodegradable and a sustainable natural product, it’s also not the most attractive fabric out there). Instead, these super cute spring offerings from The Sak are both stylish and sustainably sourced: a winning combo in the fashion world and a refreshing find to earth-conscious shoppers everywhere.

Below are some of the brand’s sassiest satchels that are sure to make a splash in closets everywhere this spring and summer:

Rylan Satchel ($149.00)

This super trendy bag is both sustainable and easy on the eyes, with plenty of space to store everything you might need on the go.

Sustainability Report Card: PETA approved, vegan certified, and handmade, with a lining and exterior made from recycled plastic bottles spun into yarn.

McClaren Recycled Tote ($169.00)

The perfect bag for those warm spring days. With plenty of room to spare, on-the-go fashionistas will never leave home without those sunny day essentials.

Sustainability Report Card: Hand crocheted exterior, upcycled cotton batik lining, PETA approved, and vegan certified, with a lining and exterior made from recycled plastic bottles spun into yarn.

Anise Hobo ($169.00)

Guaranteed to be a new spring staple, this hobo is anything but drab. And with six color options, there’s a style suited to every kind of warm weather wardrobe.

Sustainability Report Card: Hand crocheted exterior, PETA approved, and vegan certified, with a lining and exterior made from recycled plastic bottles spun into yarn.

Vita Wristlet ($49.00)

Sometimes a little goes a long way, and this is certainly true of this trendy minimalist wristlet. Even better, this mini-cutie is practically customizable, with plenty of available color options. It also comes in both hand crocheted and natural leather styles, too.

Sustainability Report Card: Hand crocheted exterior, long lasting, PETA approved, and vegan certified, with a lining and exterior made from recycled plastic bottles spun into yarn.

Fast fashion is slowly but surely starting to take a back seat to more sustainable finds — and with its hip new spring collection, brands like The Sak are leading the way in both style and sustainability with accessories that would make Mother Earth proud.

The post The Sak’s Spring Collection is Sustainably Stylish first appeared on Dornob.

The editorial-style presentation of the collection speaks to Arjé’s background as a cult-favorite luxury fashion brand. Much like a fashion spread in Vogue, the ultra-realistic setting conveys an aspirational ideal as well as a gorgeous backdrop for the rugs and a selection of artisanal furniture and decor. While it’s fair to say that the fictional home is itself a bit of a scene-stealer, there’s no way to ignore the two striking rugs at the center of the collaboration. Designed by Arjé founders Bessie Afnaim Corral and Oliver Corral and produced by Nordic Knots, the rugs aim to merge “old-world richness with contemporary minimalism.” The collection is part of their new venture, Arjé HOME.

Anchoring the serene living room, “Family” is a plush wool rug with a three-dimensional geometric pattern on the surface. From afar, it almost looks like it was cut from stone, but anyone stepping on it would delight in its softness. The designers envision it as a calming aerial landscape in antique ivory, with a soft cut-pile that creates a high-low illusion of puzzle work.

The second rug in the series, “Face,” is inspired by the idea that home isn’t defined by a physical place, but rather the concept of home we find and carry within ourselves: “one that comes from a deeper source, as warm as the light from the sun itself.” Its rich goldenrod tone offers just the right pop of color that can make an otherwise-neutral room sing. Handmade of shaggy wool, “Face” is available in a variety of sizes starting at $1,095, just like “Family.”

“Our parallel creative worlds, with all the combined elements of our diverse backgrounds — Mediterranean, Turkish, Spanish, Scandinavian — fused into a collection of hand knotted wool rugs that grounds us and explores that sense of place in finding home,” says Arjé, adding that “We were inspired by the warmth and movement of light, and the play of touch and texture. The abstract perspective of Cubism influenced form, and we looked to ancient, organic motifs to complete our unique symbolism – representing the Arjé eye and the knot of Nordic Knots.”

The 3D rendering by Préaud represents Bessie Afnaim Corral and Oliver Corral’s dream home. They worked with the architect to bring every detail to life, exemplifying their vision of understated luxury representing a blend of global environments and emotion. “We visualized our rugs into their own not-quite-of-this-world setting,” say the Corrals. “Just as the rugs are simultaneously cozy, strong, and refined, the Arjé x Nordic Knots HOME crosses all realms of season, location, and aesthetic. It is the warmth of an olive grove in the south of Spain, and the coolness of the Swedish archipelago. It is in this space that we saw our collection come to life, taking us into the next chapter of Arjé HOME’s continuous journey.”

The furniture and other details seen throughout this fantasy home are available on Arjé’s website, including those show-stopping Noah sofas, the Enzo shearling chair, and the Zig-Zag vessels.

The post Surreal Home Shows Off Arjé x Nordic Knots’ Luxe Rug Collection first appeared on Dornob.

Witzling’s very first cabin, erected on a friend’s property, cost just $800 to build. With an experimental approach to building and no fear of taking risks, Witzling came up with ever more ornate designs. One 80-square-foot cabin made of salvaged lumber features an undulating cedar shake roof. Elsewhere, a tiny camper built into the back of a pickup truck boasts complex angles, skylights, and a lofted bed inside. A 200-square-foot diamond-shaped cabin on the couple’s land, with its pointed roof stretching toward the sky, might be one of the coolest things you’ll ever see in the woods. But nothing tops the Castle Cabin, a series of connected two-story structures measuring a total of 900 square feet.

The crown jewel of Cabinland took 18 months to build, with Witzling, Underwood, and some friends and family members doing most of the work themselves. Triangular dormers, one of Witzling’s signature elements, poke out of each mossy roof, while the walls are covered in cedar shingles. Short walkways connect each volume to the next, and a private courtyard is tucked away in the center. As you’d imagine, the complex geometries of the rooflines create some seriously gorgeous interior ceilings.

Prior to building the Castle Cabin, Witzling and Underwood occupied a series of other cabins on the property, sleeping in one and using another as a freestanding closet and dressing room. Now, the Castle functions as their private home. Details include doors made of red alder, railing made from salvaged red cedar that was once the subfloor of a collapsed shanty on the property, and all the stunning wood grain you could ever ask for on every interior surface. The couple shared their design and building process on YouTube, and it’s a fun watch.

“We’re so happy to finally be sharing our newest creation with you!” The duo writes on the Cabinland Instagram. “The Castle Cabin is our forever home and has been a sanctuary to us. It took us 18 months to construct from start to finish and there are so many people who helped along the way that we can’t possibly list them all here… thank you for your patience everyone as we waited for just the right time to unveil our work to you. We’ve already started working on more projects here in the rainforest as well as Cabinland 2.0 in the desert of the Southwest and we look forward to sharing everything with you.”

If you’re in love with these fairytale creations, there are lots more photos and videos to be found on Instagram, many of which prominently feature Underwood (model and former Playboy Playmate of the Year). You’re also going to want to check out their dreamy handmade wood-fired hot tub.

The post Handmade “Castle Cabin” Brings Fairytale Vibes to the Pacific Northwest first appeared on Dornob.

Measuring 1,477 square feet, the three-bedroom home built in 2003 is a few miles from Goose Rocks Beach in one of Maine’s most picturesque regions. Travel through the forest on a dirt road and you’ll find it tucked into a grassy clearing. It’s immediately apparent that the home’s creator, sculptor Daphne Pulsifer, is an artist. The poured concrete dome is attached to a tiny addition resembling a quaint English cottage complete with a cedar shingle roof. It’s also powered by a solar photovoltaic electrical system and a gas water heater, with well water on site, making it completely off grid.

Inside, the home is warm and charming. Pulsifer and her partner Daniel scavenged the woods for logs and branches to use as beams and columns with loads of rustic personality. Earth-tone tile floors, white plaster walls, and arched windows complement the rural setting and the sculptural, organic nature of the house. Soaring ceilings make it feel bright and airy inside, and an antique wood stove offers both heat and a cooking surface. Down the hallway, the bedrooms have boldly painted walls in contrast to all the neutral natural materials, and upstairs is a study with views of the surrounding treetops.

“I think of this home as my largest sculpture, and from the beginning we designed it with the satisfaction of knowing we were fulfilling our dream,” Pulsifer told Dwell. “This type of construction process was very new to Kennebunkport at the time, but with Daniel’s determination and my design, we navigated the permitting process and quickly began work on the site.”

The couple and their children started the house as a DIY owner-builder project, and when it was time to add the electrical and plumbing work, they consulted the Monolithic Dome Institute in Italy, Texas. If you love the look of the property, but you’re not quite ready to move to Maine, the Monolithic Dome Institute might be a great resource for building your own super-insulated, steel-reinforced concrete structure in the location of your choice. People have built domes with their help all over the United States, measuring from eight feet to 340 feet in diameter.

As for the so-called “Road to Misery,” it’ll undoubtedly find new owners very soon. With a fenced-in pasture and such a large acreage, you could build a whole compound of artsy handmade homes in whatever styles you could possibly dream up.

The post This Charming Handmade Dome Home in Maine Can Now Be Yours first appeared on Dornob.

Etsy has made it easy to show your support for the AAPI community today (and every day). By shopping their page specifically created to highlight AAPI-run stores, you can learn more about individual shop owners, hear their stories, and find wonderful items that reflect the creativity, culture, and heritage of their diverse community. This list is just a sneak preview of all you can find on this creatively curated new page.

1. Pyarful

These greeting cards and gifts embrace and reflect South Asian traditions to the fullest! Visit this shop for cute cards designed to reflect South Asian experiences through lovely design elements and catchy, playful sayings. Creator Krisa Tailor-Aurora was inspired by her own heritage and wanted to create products that celebrated her South Asian American identity. As she told Etsy, “I hope through my work I can teach my daughter to embrace her roots, her identity, and the little things that make her who she is.”

Our Faves:

Paneer or Far You’re Always in My Heart Greeting Card

Rakhi hand-woven bracelets

Masala Chai Candle

2. Aerangis

Who loves candles? (Answer: we all do). What sets these candles apart is their beautiful, handcrafted jars made by local artisans. Alicia Tsai, a first-generation Taiwanese immigrant, strives to honor her country’s culture and history through distinctive scents and uniquely crafted candle jars. She says, “As for the candles themselves, each scent is inspired by a memory and tells its own story…[including] scents that incorporate Taiwanese culture and tell the stories of my hometown.”

Our Faves:

No. 51 Secret Garden

Discovery Journey Gift Set

No. 01 The Beginning

Naoshi

Looking for something fun, creative, and unique? How about checking out Naoshi, a wonderful shop where the artwork is mostly made with “sunae,” or shiny colored sand. Looking to make the world a brighter place with her art, Naoko Kikuchi says she was inspired by manga and Japanese comedy shows and that, through sunae, she is “inspired to live life brightly each day.” Now who can argue with that?

Our Faves:

We Love 8×8 Art Print

Rainbow Planet Necklace

DIY Sunae Art Kit Sunrise Boy

Other Stores to Check Out

AllAboutAmi – Crochet patterns for those creatives among us

InsCeramics — Handmade tea sets made just for you

TomoandEdie — Vintage Japanese hair accessories

These are just some of the examples of the quirky, cute, and thoughtfully crafted items to be inspired by on Etsy’s page of AAPI-owned stores. With so much to choose from, you can support the AAPI community now and always by learning about these amazing artists and designers and their unique items that celebrate the beauty, culture, and heritage of the Asian American/Pacific Islander Community.

The post Celebrate Asian American Heritage by Supporting These AAPI-Owned Etsy Stores first appeared on Dornob.

In Bali, Jakarta-born artist Agnes Hansella has crafted what might be three of the largest macrame works of art ever made. Her trio of woven rope installations, hanging from the ceiling of an open-air structure in the coastal town of Jimbaran, each span more than 37 feet wide and dangle almost two stories from the apex of the roof. Hansella took inspiration from the local environment for these coverings, designing each one to represent the wildlife and geographical features found nearby, like coral, birds, and ocean waves.

Respectively named “Mountain,” “Ocean,” and “Sunset,” these monumental macrame installations were woven alongside a team of artists at Locca Beach House Bali. Using 16-millimeter manila rope, which was cut with a hacksaw, the team spent 12 days on handmade bamboo scaffolding, working with Hansella’s vision but adding their own creative contributions along the way. Indeed, the longer you look at each piece, the more fun little details you can find, like the outlines of mountains and wings.

“This enormous piece is fun and challenging for me to work with,” Hansella says. “With macrame, sometimes we can’t plan the whole thing in one go. The ropes have their own nature and we are the one to follow. The design kept evolving every time a knot was made. Thankfully, I made it in time to finish all three just before the coronavirus outbreak in Indonesia. It was an up and down ride because my son was sick during the beginning of project. We were also worried about the spread, but every day we just kept on knotting and doing the best we could.”

“I was never good with drawing pictures, so the finished design is mostly something I came up with on location. I change them a lot based on my instinct and situation. With macrame techniques, the ropes have their own will and character so as the artist I follow them and see what can and can not work,” Hansella recently told Colossal.

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Hansella is a self-taught artist who only just learned how to weave macrame in 2017. Since then, she’s developed a unique style ranging from neutral but complex to strikingly colorful. Some of her previous pieces have included floor-to-ceiling curtains installed in commercial spaces, adorable macrame houses for kids, wall hangings with integrated plant holders, romantic wedding ceremony backdrops, and more.

Each one is impressively intricate, and it’s cool to see how working with smaller rope for these more conventionally-scaled pieces translated into working with much thicker rope for the multi-story installations. To see more, give Hansella a follow on Instagram @macrame_id.

The post Three Massive Macrame Wall Hangings Transform a Seaside Building in Bali first appeared on Dornob.

Regina Valkenborgh fastened that beer can to a telescope at the University of Hertfordshire’s Bayfordbury Observatory back when she was an MFA student, and for the better part of a decade, it was forgotten. Then, in September 2020, principal technical officer David Campbell just happened to spot it and had it developed. The resulting image is thought to be the longest-exposure photograph ever taken. On the left side, you can make out the dome of the observatory’s oldest telescope.

“It was a stroke of luck that the picture was left untouched, to be saved by David after all these years,” says Valkenborgh in a statement by the university. “I had tried this technique a couple of times at the Observatory before, but the photographs were often ruined by moisture and the photographic paper curled up. I hadn’t intended to capture an exposure for this length of time and to my surprise, it had survived. It could be one of, if not the, longest exposures in existence.”

Valkenborgh’s beer can is an example of a handmade pinhole camera, a simple camera that uses a tiny aperture instead of a lens within a light-proof enclosure. They use the principle of “camera obscura,” with light from the scene projected upside-down onto the opposite side of the container. It’s one of the earliest types of cameras ever made, with early descriptions found in Chinese Mozi writings from about 500 BCE.

Early on, it was used to safely watch solar eclipses and as a drawing aid, projecting imagery onto paper so it could be traced. Pinhole cameras have nearly infinite depth of field, allowing everything to appear in focus without producing lens distortion. Because they usually involve long exposures, there’s often motion blur around moving objects. This particular type of pinhole photography, used to capture the movement of the sun over a long period of time, is called solargraphy.

A beer can may seem like a strange stand-in for a camera, but it’s hardly the weirdest ever used. People have previously turned turtle shells, human skulls, loaves of bread, pumpkins, and dumpsters into pinhole cameras. One modern master of pinhole photography, Justin Quinnell, is even known to have taken photographs inside his own mouth. And if you love the idea of using a can as a novelty camera and have a mind to stick them all over the place to capture strange and wondrous images like Valkenbourgh’s, you can buy a five-pack of “Solarcans” from B&H Photo and Video supply.

Want to build your own? You can download cool antique-looking kits of parts to print and assemble, like the Videre by Kelly Angood, or follow this simple tutorial from Instructables. Ready-made pinhole cameras include the ONDU III, available for about $160 USD.

The post The World’s Longest-Exposure Photograph Was Taken with a Beer Can first appeared on Dornob.

The Spirit of Blue

Pantone’s tranquil color of the year feels even more appropriate in the aftermath of the U.S. election. Navy deepens up the tone for a winter vibe, and it pairs beautifully with so many other colors, including 2020’s other trending shades. Plus, it’s always perfect for Hanukkah. Bring it into the mix in the form of ribbons, stockings, table linens, and other accents (image via Love Property).

Recycled and Found Materials

In the spirit of keeping things budget-friendly, you should always try to incorporate recycled and found materials into your decor. Go outdoors and look for appropriate natural accents like evergreen boughs, pine cones, sprigs of holly, or beautifully shaped branches you can arrange in a vase accented with ribbon, incorporate into a wreath, or lay on the mantel (image via Fresh Exchange).

Gleaming Metallics

A soft tone falling somewhere between silver and gold, platinum is definitively this year’s metallic shade of choice, but anything shiny will serve to boost the glam factor of your holiday decor. Rose gold is another hot shade that perfectly complements the greenery of Christmas trees, other metallics, neutrals, and navy. For the greatest impact, use metallics sparingly as a way to highlight certain vignettes and areas of the home (image: CB2’s rose gold ball garland, $24.95).

Handmade Touches

Who cares if they aren’t perfect? Handmade holiday ornaments and decorations, no matter how amateurishly-crafted, are sweet and charming, and they offer a great way to add a personal touch. Display your kids’ creations with pride, try your hand at one of House Beautiful’s many tutorials, or pick your favorite artisan-crafted objects at Etsy (image via presswest).

Farmhouse Style

The biggest interior design trend of the year lends itself beautifully to Christmas decor. That means lots of neutrals, classic looks, and rustic textures. As you might expect, Magnolia by Chip and Joanna Gaines has plenty of on-trend items to choose from, including Christmas tree skirts, ornaments, garlands, candles, faux potted trees, soft blankets, signs, and more. Target also has its own line of winter farmhouse holiday decor, and it’s adorable (image by Rennai Hoefer).

Baking Fever

Everybody’s been baking their way through the stress of the coronavirus. This winter, take it up a notch by developing (or flexing) your gingerbread skills. Creating edible architecture can be a challenge, but the results are well worth the effort. If you don’t consider yourself particularly crafty, you can always find gingerbread kits that are easy to assemble and make for great centerpieces for the dining table. Alternatively, you can try experimenting with structures outside the archetypal gingerbread house, like barns, vehicles, and bird houses. Country Living has a range of tutorials for all skill levels (image via My Name is Yeh).

Changing Up Your Ornaments

Just how crazy you want to go with holiday decorations is a matter of personal taste, but it’s fun to switch things up by shopping from your own collection of decorative items. Choosing ornaments and other objects that fit a particular theme or color scheme can present a well-curated effect that gives you a different look from last year without buying anything new (image via West Elm).

The post 7 Tips for Getting the Jump on the Perfect Christmas Decor first appeared on Dornob.

Appropriately named “Bamboo Bamboo,” the pavilion is made of the same materials by which it’s surrounded. Architecture firm LLLab has succeeded in creating a sensory experience that elicits a sense of anticipation — a sort of pre-performance meditation as guests make their way to the outdoor theater.

The pavilion offers a place to retreat from the sun and frequent rains, stretching out a full 140 meters (459 feet) along the river. Lanterns set at various intervals create a soft, warm glow after dark, and in some areas, cutouts in the roof allow living bamboo to grow unencumbered. Amazingly, this canopy was hand-woven by local craftspeople using a technique that eliminates the need for any glue or nails. The result is remarkably nest-like, with support pillars hidden behind the woven surfaces.

The further visitors travel into the pavilion, the larger the lanterns become, until you’re eventually able to walk right inside them. In the daylight, they appear solid, but at night, they diffuse the light, creating patterns and shadows that add to the drama of the setting.

The firm explains that “currently, the night show entertains guests in two areas, one at either end of the island site. The entry and pagoda where guests arrive, and the main stage, perched at the bank of the Li river at the other end. Between these two points, little interaction takes place. It is here in this middle ground that two new assemblies of architecture are introduced. The first, woven bamboo lantern structures, scattered where guests circulate, whose purpose is to guide and intrigue. Then the other, a stretch of woven canopy amongst clusters of bamboo, providing an area to walk sheltered from regular rainfall. In these, the architecture relies on bamboo not only for its composition but also for its constant referral to parts that constitute the place.”

“In acknowledgment of the theatrical spirit of the Impression Sanjie Liu, moments of performance make its way into many parts of the design: the hand weaving and bamboo playing off the tension of one another. The topography of the canopy ceiling dancing between columns of bamboo as if unsupported. Even the way guests are intended to move from lantern to lantern, in a narrative of interaction. Together these subtle hints encourage a particular frame of mind, readying the guest for the main feature.”

“Impression Sanjie Liu” makes the landscape its backdrop. In fact, this site is considered the world’s largest natural theater, using the waters of the Li River as its stage and the mist-shrouded hills and sky as set dressings. Rain, moonlight, and all the reflections seen in the water play a role in the performance, while the audience stands on viewing terraces. Sound equipment is hidden among the bamboo groves, so it feels like the performance is occurring spontaneously, naturally amplified.

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It’s the latter characterization that interests Yuko Nishikawa, a Japanese designer and contemporary ceramicist based in Brooklyn. Her new lighting collection, “You See a Sheep,” is just as much a sculptural installation as it is a series of hanging lamps with organic shapes. If it feels a little disorienting to be surrounded by these strange objects, all the better.

The bulbs are housed within hand-built ceramic shells and suspended by thin metal wire so they appear to float in midair. Holes cut into the paper-like surfaces emit “a mysterious yet warm glow,” and the effect changes depending on how you arrange them, which ones you pair together, and how many you install.

“The title You See a Sheep is inspired by two stories. The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, where The Prince finds his favorite sheep in a drawing of a box, and Model T Frankenstein by Hideo Furukawa, which opens with the line “You see a goat,” suggesting that it is in our perception that the goat exists. I mix paper fiber in a wet clay body to achieve strong lightweight shells, using a coiling technique to emphasize the uneven surface and the irregular enclosed forms. Then, once the clay firms up, I cut out the holes. Next, I apply color clay to the surface, and then finally fire them in an electric kiln.”

“This chandelier that you see with 24 ceramic shells was made for the group exhibition ‘In Good Company,’ held in Fernando Mastrangelo Studio | FM/S in New York in September 2018. I saw this exhibition as a celebration of art and design and an opportunity to build a supportive community of the designers and the users. So I designed this chandelier with some shells hanging low to the ground, others floating high, altogether creating a conical volume. It becomes an environment where people can walk through and physically engage with the installation.”

Each one is handmade without a mold, and although the artist roughly reproduces individual designs, they’re all slightly different. They’re especially striking in large installations, but notable alone as well. Each one is also available for purchase. Hoh-Tel, for instance, is a pendant lamp consisting of three “You See a Sheep” ceramic shells — the Hoh-Tel, Key-Low, and Wun-Wun designs — installed with a single canopy. Cables hold the shells aloft while their electrical wires flow a little more loosely, becoming a part of the overall composition.

Nishikawa specializes in “fantastical installations, whimsical lighting, and collectible objet d’art,” all of which perfectly describe this collection. She was raised in a beach town in Tokyo, which clearly influenced her sense of aesthetics. She currently works out of a studio full of furniture handcrafted by her friends and herself in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

The post Yuko Nishikawa’s Organic Floating Lamps Made of Handcrafted Ceramic Shells first appeared on Dornob.

Jewelry by LinguaNigra

Designer Alicia Goodwin creates gorgeous organic-inspired sculptural gold and silver jewelry, selling her unusual pieces at her Chicago-based shop LinguaNigra. “Some of my stuff is really smooth, but for most of my line I use reticulation and acid etching techniques — I want that older kind of feeling, and I like for the work to show,” she says in her Etsy Featured Shop interview.

Ceramic and Textiles by MadeByRheal

Oakland, California-based shop owner Rheal has cultivated a dreamy vibe with her artsy woven blankets, hand-cast concrete plant pots, decorative resin jewelry vessels, and modern marbled glass coasters. Every unique item is handmade to order.

Vegan Cork Goods by MindTheCork

Cork production is unique because cork bark can be harvested from live trees, which continue to grow and produce more bark afterward, making it extra sustainable. Mind the Cork, based in London, crafts this material into all sorts of stylish vegan objects, from gilded planters to versatile zip pouches. “Imprinted with the traits of the tree that produced it, cork leather is not only durable, versatile, and simple to maintain, but incredibly beautiful and ecologically sound,” says designer Jenny Espirito Santo.

Embroidery by CreateTheCulture

Erykah Badu, Beyonce, Prince, and other pop culture icons get the embroidery treatment with modern thread-based works of art by CreateTheCulture. Brooklyn-based artist Krystle Collins embroiders her line drawings onto shirts, pillow cases, tote bags, hats, and embroidery hoops for display.

Leather Goods by KingsleyLeather

Kingsley Thompson of Cheltingham, England crafts leather goods like wallets, bow ties, cuff links, wallets, and belts. His shop, Kingsley Leather, is a great source for refined gifts for the people in your life with more masculine sensibilities. “I design my pieces to be simple, clean, and timeless,” Kingsley says. “Everything is built to last.”

Gardening Kits by HortikiPlants

If you’re a novice gardener or just like the convenience of kits, HortikiPlants has you covered with items like the Organic “Leafy Greens” container gardening kit, which contains organic seed sachets, biodegradable pots and water catchment trays, bamboo plant markers, organic potting soil, and a glass mister bottle. Owner Victoria LeBeaux is based in Washington, D.C. and gets rave reviews for both her products and her expertise.

Illustrations by PairABirds

Artist Tabitha Brown creates vibrant, beautiful portraits by pairing digital hand drawing with vintage images for a collaged effect. In addition to the prints available in her shop, PairABirds, she also offers custom portraits. “My inspiration comes from nature, midcentury modern style, and 60s and 70s photos,” she says. “I also spend a ton of time at the library checking out art books and magazines.”

Furniture by ArcherHomeDesigns

Ntebo Archer of ArcherHomeDesigns in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, builds beautiful wooden furniture and home accessories. “The wood we use features one-of-a-kind character unique grain patterns and highlights nature’s distictive fingerprint,” she says. “This produces a finished product that is uniquely yours.”

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