A writer looking for a quiet place to write and reflect bought a one-room studio and hired Fischer Architecture to overhaul it. Located steps away from the Pacific Ocean in Stinson Beach, this compact home is now an open space, light-filled writer’s retreat that maximizes indoor-outdoor living. A set of tall folding glass doors at the entrance flood the inside with natural light while extending the usable space outside to a patio.
Inside, a neutral color palette presents a calm, distraction-free environment ready for working. A space-saving Murphy bed folds out for sleeping then hides away in the wall leaving plenty of floor space for other activities.
A built-in bench lives below windows making it the perfect spot to relax or read a book.
Stone floors throughout set the subdued tone of the space, while light, whitewashed oak cabinets add warmth. A quartzite counter and backsplash add texture to the minimalist kitchen and complement the floors.
The dining table rests upon stainless steel legs and wheels allowing the owner to move it anytime.
A simple wooden desk with white desktop sits in front of a rectangular window providing views for inspiration.
A row of skylights runs the width of the house filtering light into the kitchen and bathroom.
A door to the side garden provides access directly to the shower for rinsing off after time at the beach.
The Design Milk team knows a thing or two about finding the perfect holiday gift (have you seen our collection of hand-selected holiday gift guides?). Read on for part two of our team’s top holiday gift recommendations, and if you haven’t seen part one, give that a read when you’re done! You can always find all our staff picks and more in the Design Milk Shop here!
“Cloth napkins aren’t usually something that rates highly on wish lists typically, but as an admittedly eager and occasionally haphazard eater, I found myself amusingly enthused upgrading from an older set of very durable, yet rough fabric napkins recently to something more pleasantly tactile and contemporary – a complementary set of Graph and Prism design napkins. Not only does the subtle dotted line geometric patterns appeal aesthetically – hinting both of quilt-like craft and modernist wireframe forms – but the organic cotton is supple, absorbent, and textured and hasn’t failed me yet when I need to wipe my face clean between bites. These would make a great gift for anyone who loves to eat, as much as they appreciate good design.”
Vy – Lifestyle Editor | Kronos Double Wall Coffee Cup by KINTO
Vy – Lifestyle Editor | Kronos Double Wall Coffee Cup by KINTO
“No one needs another coffee mug for the holidays, but these coffee cups are truly the exception. The double wall design keeps you from burning your hands and the simple silhouette looks beautiful sitting on an open shelf. If you have a coffee-loving friend, I would definitely gift them a bag of fresh beans – they will be SO excited.”
“This Candlehand Victory/Peace candle by 54 Celsius is a very cute and stylish accessory – makes it difficult to choose whether to light it or leave it! It would make a fun and unique gift for a new homeowner.”
$40
Kate – Director of Merchandising | B10 Blender + Hydration Station by Beast Health
Kate – Director of Merchandising | B10 Blender + Hydration Station by Beast Health
“I LOVE this blender! My morning protein shakes come out perfectly smooth and the clean-up is so easy – and it looks fabulous sitting on your counter! I used to hide my blender away every day and now I don’t need to! It is functional with an amazing design aesthetic. The hydration system keeps me drinking my water goal thanks to the amazing infusions I can now add to my water! Let’s just say this also makes a mean frozen marg … so the gift is suitable for anyone in your life who wants to up their counter game with an amazing blender!”
“I love how cute these small cups are. The color is great for my little espresso collection. I would absolutely gift these to any espresso drinker. I will be purchasing the mini plates and the larger cups for my coffee mornings. Nothing like a functional yet aesthetically pleasing coffee bar! Also, these are the perfect size for my daughter to join in the morning routine. I put chocolate milk in hers. It’s an adorable grown-up tea party.”
$18
Stephanie – Director of Finance | Notabag Tote/Backpack by Notabag
Stephanie – Director of Finance | Notabag Tote/Backpack by Notabag
“The Notabag was ultra-functional, comfortable, and stylish for our summer vacation. I’m obsessed with all the different colors. At such a reasonable price point, these make exceptional gifts (I sent one to my sister), and an easy grab for yourself to coordinate with your closet. Mine also washed up fantastically.”
Lucy – Director of Marketing | Desk Mat by Orbitkey
Lucy – Director of Marketing | Desk Mat by Orbitkey
“Our Tech Editor Gregory recommended I try this Orbitkey Desk Mat and it’s a great addition to my workspace. I got the medium size (27×14.5 inch) that can easily accommodate a laptop or keyboard for desktop and a mouse. The magnetic cable holder is a bonus to keep my cables handy. It’s made from vegan leather so it’s durable and easy to clean. I also love the document hideaway under the top layer to store the multitude of loose papers and notes I seem to accumulate throughout the day.”
Kelly – Senior Editor | Small Bottle Grinder Set by MENU
Kelly – Senior Editor | Small Bottle Grinder Set by MENU
“I’ve had a crush on this grinder set forever, so I was happy to get my hands on them and see how well-made the pieces are. The twisting motion to grind is super smooth and the cook in your life will love having quality fresh ground salt and pepper on hand for their culinary masterpieces. With a great color selection available it’s easy to choose a set that they’ll love.”
Matthew – Social Media Manager | Lincanabur Black Mountain Clay Stoneware Pipe by Miwak Junior
Matthew – Social Media Manager | Lincanabur Black Mountain Clay Stoneware Pipe by Miwak Junior
“There are A LOT of smoking doo-dads out there, but the best pieces are usually the simplest. Case in point: the Miwak Junior Stoneware Pipe. This design has remained largely unchanged since the company was founded in 2014 and for good reason. It fits in the hand like a perfectly rounded river rock and has a large hollow chamber for a smooth and even drag. And unlike a lot of the other high design options out there, it doesn’t draw attention to itself when not in use. This piece comes in a number of stoneware clay options, but the Lincanabur Black Mountain Clay rendition is easily the most low key and will hide the gunk and stains that mar glass and other light-colored pipes.”
Gabbie – Merchant + Brand Manager | Home Cycle Candle by Anecdote Candles
Gabbie – Merchant + Brand Manager | Home Cycle Candle by Anecdote Candles
“The Home Cycle candle by Anecdote has the most refreshing/clean smelling scent. It smells exactly as described – like bergamot, rosemary, and amber. I bought it for myself but would happily buy it as a gift for someone, too!”
$26
>>> For more staff picks, visit the Design Milk Shop, here! <<<
The oeuvre of auteur Wesley Wales Anderson – aka Wes Anderson – is immediately distinguishable at even a quick glance. The filmmaker’s impeccable, precise eye for composition, illuminated by a seemingly timeless palette of pastels paints his body of work with a uniquely nostalgic aura swimming with whimsy and wonder. Keyboard maker Angry Miao surprisingly has dipped into this unmistakable tonal range to tinge a trio of mechanical keyboards with “a sense of idiosyncraticness and exquisiteness” with their anachronistically named, Cyberboard R3 series.
Anderson’s latest film, The French Dispatch, has reignited interest and discussion of the director’s body of work, and the Cyberboard R3 arrives as an unexpected homage to his previous cinematic efforts including The Grand Budapest Hotel and Isle of Dogs, alongside the lesser known short film, Come Together. Each keyboard is tinted as a visual homage, electro-coated for durability and saturation, with a sharply angled keyboard housing.
The entire layout sits atop a gasket mount to produce a slightly more cushioned feel with every keystroke. Perhaps more curiously – and in the retro-spirit of Anderson films – each keyboard also sports a fairly large and low resolution LED matrix display.
Aquatic Green: Tranquil yet refreshing, like the cabin in Come Together. Budapest Pink: Classy but not showy, like the hotel’s exterior wall. Cloud White: Calm and timeless; similar to Professor Watanabe’s lab in Isle of Dogs.
Keyboards can be used wired or wirelessly via Bluetooth, switching from one to another automatically.
Available in Budapest Pink, Aquatic Green, Cloud White, and a non-Anderson style Basalt Black, Angry Miao’s Cyberboard R3 series is available as both a DIY base kit or as a bundle with keys and switches included (currently sold out). We hope to see additional keyboard setups inspired by favorite filmmakers and TV series like this colorful homage…Squid Game, anyone?
Tom chats with Design Milk about her studio Tomma Bloom, the inspiration behind her work, and what she plans on taking on next:
Can you tell us a little bit about your background? Who is Tom and how did Tomma Bloom come about?
I’m a textile designer in passion and practice. I’m 31 (but celebrate 19 every year), I grew up in Israel and currently live in Boston, MA with my wife and gorgeous dog-daughter, Kai. I graduated from Shenkar College of Design with a bachelor’s degree in Textile Design (Cum Laude) and from Tel-Aviv University with a Master of Art in Interdisciplinary Arts.
As a kid, I was the odd girl out, never felt like I quite fit anywhere. Luckily, I have a strong mom that has always made sure that I stay true to myself, to who I am and to what I believe in, so evidently it became the core to my values. Pursuing a creative profession was my calling, so I am doing it with open heart and open mind.
My grandma’s studio was my favorite place on earth. She was a textile artist, so I was familiar with textile as an artistic medium from an early age. When I applied to design school, I felt like I knew what I was getting into but had no idea how this choice would be so meaningful. It turns out that my whole essence was wired to textiles. Textile as a practice, a method and a visual language works perfectly with my repetitive-anxious-OCD mind. Framing my practice within a pattern or a structure is the basis of how I think and act.
Since an early age my dream was to live in NYC and have a space where I could practice my art. My wife and I moved to the New York three years ago to pursue new adventures and professional development. I founded Tomma Bloom around then, and my work focuses on surface design for interior. Textile design is the basis of my creative practice and a guideline to my work, but I believe that there is so much more to it than designing fabrics. It can be used both as a visual language and as an object in creating tactile and playful spaces. Through ever-evolving material research, I work to redefine the tools of my trade – pattern and structure, along with form and color – into tangible, three-dimensional experiences, inspired and driven by an exploration of material culture and the interactions between object and folklore.
What is so inspiring to you about Sonia Delaunay and Rene Lalique’s work?
My approach to design thinking and my creative practice are deeply influenced by the late 19th, early 20th centuries Art History. I believe that this era is one of the most meaningful in the development of our material culture, one that allowed us to move forward by questioning our culture, perception, and medium.
Sonia Delaunay and Rene Lalique are two examples of artists that created groundbreaking work that allowed us to be forward thinkers. I find Sonia Delaunay approach to form and color fascinating. Using abstraction to depict forms was not a new approach at her time, but the rhythm and motion she created using color were unique to her. As for Rene Lalique, I admire his utmost use of details, building his work through repetition of forms, translating his style through various mediums.
Saying that, the thing that inspires me the most about their work is their dedication and uncompromising approach towards their practice, and the fact that they were able to keep their unique voice while transitioning from one medium to another.
Who is your ideal customer?
Interior designers, architects and people who are visionary, forward thinkers who are not afraid to step out of the box and utilize bold designs into their spaces.
What were some of the challenges in creating your designs and how did you overcome them?
Being a designer is an ever-evolving practice that requires being madly in love with what you do to keep doing it. A lot of effort and even struggle goes into developing an artwork, and just because you have the talent doesn’t mean that things come easy. I believe that raw talent is not enough. It should be nurtured and must go hand by hand with persistence and hard work. The challenge is to constantly balance this trio, which feels like feeding a hungry beast, especially when you’re a one woman show. I love every minute of it, but sometimes I wish I had someone on my shoulder that would say “everything is going to be ok.”
The “Sonia and Rene” collection was the first time I experimented with 3D structures. I was curious about the three-dimensional possibilities hidden in my practice and took a leap of faith into the world of 3D structure. Frankly, when I started, I knew absolutely nothing about it. As someone who used to work with soft materials like yarn and fabrics, working with 3D printing, molds and casting was a steep learning curve. I still have so much to learn and am grateful for Itai Miller, who is an amazing industrial designer and who I have been working with to bring this collection to life. I used to think that I can make it on my own, but I know now that the people around you are those who make the difference. I’m lucky enough to say that I have a great support group of colleagues (shout out to FDC) and friends that keep my sanity intact.
How can you see your work being utilized by designers or manufacturers?
I believe that when you join forces great things happen, so I would love to work with professionals from the A&D community to develop work for interior design – home and commercial spaces. Upholstery, rugs, wall covers and tiles. Anything that can transform a space. My dream is to have a commission space designed from top to bottom –floor to ceiling Tomma Bloom.
Now that you’ve won WantedDesign Launch Pad, what do you plan on doing next?
Being awarded the Best of Launch Pad is a great honor and I am forever grateful to the panel of judges that believed in my practice and most importantly – in me. Along with a pat on the back comes the hunger to push harder and do better. I’m constantly developing new ideas and currently working on my next collection of fabrics.
The “Sonia and Rene” collection is only the tip of iceberg when it comes to experimenting with 3D and textile design. I will present my new collection at the May 2022 Launch Pad, so stay tuned!
Learn more about the designer at tommabloom. Meet Tom and see her prototype at WantedDesign Manhattan this Nov 14-15 at the Javits Center. Register to attend HERE.
Rendering by Itai Miller
Photography by Roni Cnanni
Upholstery by Avivit Porat
Back in 2020, we featured a massive dining table Tom Dixon made from solid brass. Now, the British designer is rounding out the Mass collection with four new pieces: an updated dining table, console table, bookshelf, and coat stand. Tom Dixon makes the Mass 2.0 pieces in the U.K. out of super polished solid brass in the shape of planks, the most often used unit in furniture construction. The results are everyday household archetypes transformed into captivating sculptures with lustrous, golden hued finishes.
Mass 2.0 Console Table
Mass 2.0 Console Table
Mass 2.0 Dining Table 2M
Mass 2.0 Dining Table 2M
Mass 2.0 Bookshelf
Mass 2.0 Bookshelf
Mass 2.0 Coat Stand
Mass 2.0 Coat Stand
Spring Brass Pendants by Tom Dixon
The Mass 2.0 collection will set you back U.S. $37,000 for the dining table, $29,000 for the console table, $32,000 for the bookshelf, and $13,000 for the coat stand. If that’s out of your budget (it is for most people!) but you still want the polished brass look, check out Tom Dixon’s Spring Brass Pendants. They come in Small, Medium, and Large and can be hung solo or in a grouping. The diagonal bands of brass-finished stainless steel come together to make a bold, sculptural statement on their own. They’re even adjustable so you can change the silhouette for a new look!
Spring Brass Pendants
Spring Brass Pendants
A ceiling light made from multiple bands of high-performance stainless steel in a brass finish. Pliant ribbons of stainless steel have been arranged like a whisk around our custom-made dimmable Tom Dixon LED disc. The semi-transparent shape thus created can be adjusted to a variety of silhouettes.
