It just doesn’t get any more Steampunk than this! Benches, armchairs, tables, beds, wood-burning stoves like something pulled from a Jules Verne story — even a baby carriage!

The mine furniture of Mati Karmin, one of Estonia’s leading sculptors, is more than a felicitious marriage of invention and industry that makes you go “Wow!” (and call your significant other to Drop Everything Right Now and come take a look.

The frame of the modular furniture-art pieces is a reclaimed deep-sea mine of AGSB-type, made in Russia in 1942 and used to fight submarines. It was still being manufactured in the 1950s, and a stockpile — nay, a whole field — of abandoned mines can be seen by visitors to historic Naissaar Island in the Gulf of Finland.

About the Artist

Mati Karmin was born in 1959, at the tail-end of the baby boom. For an Estonian, whose tiny country was pounded into abject poverty by occupying forces, that would mean growing up with a strong tradition of self-sufficiency and making over and making do — traits we can all applaud.

No doubt, too, there’d have been a pronounced shadow of the World War 2 experience hanging over his generation; the repurposing of Russian marine mines into intriguing art furniture seems a natural fit.

(I’m just “supposing” all this bit, mind you, based on the story fragments I gleaned from an elderly Estonian man (a post-war immigrant to Canada, now gone) while he was teaching me to weave the traditional baskets that had been used by rural families in his own country, in his youth… That’s another tale for another day.)

However, as the artist’s bio explains:

Northern coast of Estonia and especially the islands, wich during the years of occupation were an almost inaccessible border zone for the common including heaps of corroded mine shells, wich are basically spheres with holes, spireks and shackles. Karmin got inspired by these mines and started to collect them. The ambiguity of large scale corroded mine shells intrigued the artist. The shape of the mine is perfest and uniform, while still clearly bearing the stamp of its intial destructive function. Being marked by its belonging to the past, it is closely connected to the complicated recent history that Karmin has always been facinated with. [sic]

Did you get this bit?

“The shape of the mine is perfect and uniform, while still clearly bearing the stamp of its initial destructive function.”

To my mind, that’s exactly what makes these pieces so powerful, I think, and especially that baby carriage: rounded forms and domestic objects, intimate, familiar, in the case of the armchairs softly upholstered, comfortable in every sense of the word — but never too comfortable. Because there’s no getting away from the origin of these pieces as instruments of violent death.

Turning those old naval mines into art: A gesture of optimism in a post-WW2 / post-Cold-War world that, er, turns out not to be quite the peaceful Utopia of which the flower children dreamed? — or is it a disturbing reminder that our troubled human history has a habit of repeating itself, while we’re off busily preoccupied with the unfolding of our own lives? Your call!

If Mati Karmin’s art pieces / mine furniture (and the history that inspired their creation) are as fascinating to you as they are to me, visit Marinemine.com to see and learn more.

A couple nights ago, I had this dream about my mother’s cat trying to climb the livingroom drapes (again). So, over breakfast, I gently suggested to He Who Hogs The Power Tools that he should design and build a nice scratching post
tower thing for my mother. (Well, for her cat, obviously.)

He heard me out, sighed, and went back to flipping the glossy pages of Extreme Kitchen Makeover Magazine into his Raisin Bran.

Okay. Not interested right now. I get that.
Moving on…

Then today I came across Kitty Mansions‘s new video of the most staggeringly huge and elaborate kitty climbing tower EVER. They call this model of cat tower “Buckingham Palace” — for obvious reasons.

(Lots more where this came from, pussycats! KittyMansions.com.)

Too much?

Then take a peek at this Modular Cat Castle:
Ultra modern, sleek, even downright manly — with not a scrap of pastel-pink shag or dangle-spring birdy-toy in sight.

Also, this “cat playground” is huge, apparently. I’m not quite sure of the size when it all comes together, never having laid eyes on a Cat Castle in real life — who travels in those high circles? — but the carpeted beams that form the structure (and hold up the 11 faux-fur hammocks provided for kitty to snooze in) are 13.5 inches long. So, I’m figuring (a) it’s got to be better than five feet high and (b) some assembly is most certainly going to be required. On the plus side, it should be comparatively easy to transport, when disassembled, as it’s mostly all straight beams and fabric bits.

It’s by the same feline-friendly design firm as Stairway to Cat Heaven, which you may have seen before. Same idea, different configuration…

And just think about that convenient U-shape.

Couldn’t you slip the cat castle around a single bed, and pretend to your overnight guests that it’s just a hip designer headboard they aren’t cool enough to have heard about yet? Sure you could! (It’s not like the cat is going to rat you out, tee hee.)

Oh, and the bits of catnip in the corner?
Heh.
Just a coincidence.

If you’re a fan of craft artist Vincent Thomas Leman’s “abstract traditional” style — the heart of the practical yet whimsical Dust Furniture — you won’t want to miss the Etsy outlet for handcrafted “prototypes, web exclusives, extras and sometimes, mistakes…”

Right now, the online shop is showing four gracefully curved tables, three funky clocks, and this fascinating two-part cabinet called “Crook and Cranny”:

This cabinet is comprised of two sections, a taller bookcase portion with shelves for storage or display, and a smaller cabinet section with a door and one interior shelf. The pieces interact with each other in an interesting way, with the taller section resting on the shorter section. The two parts are permanently secured together.

For a look at the fun-loving furniture pieces in regular production, and a list of boutiques and galleries where they’re available, visit www.dustfurniture.com.

This innovative shelving, Zyklus by creosa interior, is all about the play of light in Klimt-inspired spirals. At least, that’s more or less what Architectural Digest said back in May when they raved on about this designer piece. Whatever the inspiration, it’s a crisp modern interpretation of the Art Nouveau aesthetic that takes furniture into the realm of sculpture… Nice!

Stark white or subtle colours for the lacquered metal spiral, with cross members of coordinating MDF or natural wood. The unit is approximately 58″ x 50″ (15″ deep) and holds up to 700 CDs, or 70 bottles, or whatever else you might fancy. So, one piece of furniture is both art and multi-purpose storage and display unit — how often can you say that?

If I were to tie 500 deflated balloons around a bright pink painted wooden stool, you just know it would look unbelievably lame.

At Unica Home, however, Natalie Kruch’s Balloona Stool Confetti is sheer brilliance — “making the ordinary both intriguing and beautiful.”

I first read about Natalie Kruch and her colourful creation last year sometime, just a little snippet in Canadian Interiors.

She was just about to graduate from the University of Alberta’s Departments of Art and Design, and the stool (which started out life as an occasional table) had been picked up by Umbra when it was exhibited at Toronto’s Interior Design Show! Now, that’s an appropriately uplifting story for such a funky-cheerful piece of furniture, isn’t it?

I’m not saying I want to own this bed.

Just, sheesh! look at that incredible thing! To call such a bed “furniture” seems a bit of an understatement, doesn’t it?

It may not be immediately obvious why it’s called a dragon bed, but in among all the intricate carvings of flower designs are a pattern of dragon scales much like those on the imperial throne of the Qing dynasty, as well as other carvings of dragons and phoenixes. Sprinkled in are the symbols for happiness and long life.

Some experts estimate that it would have taken 10 workers a total of at least 3 full years to complete the job of carving the dragon bed — it’s made of 4 tons of precious jade.

Yang Zhibin, a collector from the city of Banjin, China, is the lucky owner.

I’ve always sort of wondered about cradles and bassinets.

Adorable, yes, but you can’t really use a cradle for much, after the baby gets a couple months old and starts moving about.

What then? Pass it along, practically new, to someone else… Or find a place to store the extra bit of furniture until another baby comes along?

This is obviously the dilemma that the makers of the sustainable cardboard Eco Cradle had in mind:

Designed for the first few months in the home, the Eco Cradle is safe, light, easily assembled and disassembled and is made from over 60% recycled material.

The entire structure can be put together and taken apart again in a couple of minutes making it perfect for travelling and visiting the grandparents or family.

The Eco Cradle comes with European safety standard certificates. The structure is also protected by an eco-friendly non-toxic fire retardant.

Bonus, it should satisfy your inner puzzle-maker! Notice how the cradle comes apart to store flat? We may be seeing more of this sort of construction, to meet the needs of changing families, a green-leaning marketplace, and small living spaces. Find it (new!) at www.ecoutlet.co.uk.

Cabinet below and shelf unit above, Vincent Leman‘s “Stacked Cabinet No.4: The Acrobats” is one of the Dust Furniture series at Artful Home. Done up in Baltic birch plywood and painted in tasteful tones, it would work as brilliantly in a traditional decor as in an eclectic or modern setting.

The designer was really thinking when he came up with this furniture piece: it has adjustable feet, in case your floor is not entirely level. (Just imagine having a bit of a wobble on a curvy cabinet like this, and maybe a glass of wine or two inside you!) Bonus: you could count on the top of the shelf staying free of clutter!

And of course I am reminded of those funky jewellery boxes and mini-cabinets by Masterpiece Cabinets… and now I’m wondering, who else is playing off the straight-and-narrow with their cabinetwork these days? Have you seen more wonky wonders, in your travels?

If you can’t laugh in the bathroom, where can you?

Ideally, of course, we want to sprinkle the whimsy about the whole house, to put the stamp of personality on each and every room.

But if that’s a bold move you’re not quite ready to make, and especially if you’re in a temporary home and/or your tastes are in a state of evolution, the bathroom can be a comfy place to cut loose.

Even the most princess-like of dainty powder rooms can work better with a light-hearted touch…

Bathroom Cabinet Inside-Out, anyone?

Okay, if the look you’re going for is more of a Victorian bordello or Cleopatra’s bath, or a baroque bathroom fantasy, perhaps it’s not the right cabinet for your particular posh loo…

But check that simple yet witty graphic illustration of the contents of the storage space, the clean lines and uncluttered construction, that bold colour — yes, it’s a cabinet that’s got a lot going for it!

I’m suddenly thinking about the new mudroom that we’re aiming to add on here (contractors and weather permitting) this spring. By all means, go for the bathroom if the style suits, but just think how many other places could be jazzed up with this neat-o Authentics design — or a DIY variation, if you’re the crafty clever type. Summer cottage? Kids’ room? Laundry centre? Home office?

I’ve written elsewhere about Orange22, but it’s time to revisit the studio for Carbon22 — a limited-edition line of experimental furniture set to launch at Art Basel 2008.

Inspired by flight technology, Carbon22 includes a desk, stool, end table and cocktail table — all “blacker than black” and made entirely of carbon fiber.

This furniture has been tested in a wind tunnel.
Really.

See the unmistakeable influence of Dario Antonioni‘s life-long love affair with aerospace engineering — a field in which he’s been formally trained.
This is one fascinating designer /entrepreneur…

He calls himself a “maker of things” — a purposefully open-ended description, as Orange22 designs and fabricates both mass-market and limited-edition objects and furniture, brand-defining retail environments, residential interiors and design concepts licensed for mass production. In every case, Antonioni fuses technology, art and design, with the overarching intent to revolutionize the way we live.

Technorati Tags: furniture, design

Domingos Tótora is a Brazilian designer with a remarkable feeling for organic flow, for the line that simply feels right to the eye — sustainable, organic, renewable, like Life itself. His products were exhibited at Maison & Objet in Paris and currently in stores and galleries around the world. This showcase is at www.do-not-touch.com, a new venture of Zoe Melo.

TOUCH collaborates with emerging designers in creating handmade products, rather than mass-produced blending aesthetics, sustainability and social responsibility. What matters most is the lasting effect of the product and its process.

In short, Touch seeks to “do business differently” and reduce the environmental footprint of home decor and furniture products. Other designers shown at present include Estúdio Manus, La Feliz, and Mana.

4 Frugal Ways to Furnish a New Home

Buying your first house is a wonderful experience. Most of us immediately begin personalizing with paint and new furnishings. These personal touches are important, but they can bring stress when bought with credit.

When my wife and I bought our house, we had little money left over and a lot of space to fill. We agreed that it didn’t make sense to borrow money for furniture, paint, or decorations.

So we dedicated cash each month for furniture and my wife agreed that we could delay painting for a year.

How we stretched small amounts of cash for nice furniture

First, we kept a lot of our old stuff. We decided it made more sense to keep old dressers, shelves, and storage bins so we could focus our purchases on the places where we spend the most time: the dining room, living room, and office.

Second, we kept our eyes open for yardsales. We didn’t go out of our way to visit yardsales, but when we passed one we drove by slowly, looking for promising furniture. We scored a solid maple hutch, dining table, and matching wood chairs for $250. The hutch alone might have cost upwards of $2,500 if we had bought it new.

Third, we bought new stuff that was “good enough” for now. For a couple of months, we used a folding table and folding chairs for our dining room. I used a matching folding table in the office even longer.

We bought the tables and chairs (on sale) to buy us time—the time to find quality bargains that would serve us well for years. The temporary tables and chairs were not a waste. They will also be useful when we host parties for friends and family.

Fourth, we set up automated Craigslist searches. Craigslist is a powerful, free site for buying and selling almost anything locally. Quality furniture, even real antiques, are often sold for pennies on the dollar. You can even find expensive, almost new stuff if you live near an affluent neighborhood.

Craigslist turned up two local bargins. The first lady lived in a beautiful, beach-side log cabin she had built years ago with her husband. She sold us three solid maple pieces manufactured in America half a century ago.

We got a writing desk, large coffee table, and a night stand for $75! The second seller had an attractive computer desk with a solid maple top for $60. The desk fit perfectly into our office layout.

Four tips for Craigslist

1. Setup an automated search with your rss reader (bottom right corner of the search results page)
2. Search locally, you don’t want to be tempted by items you cannot reach (the top of the search results page)
3. Line up transportation before you find a bargain because most sellers won’t be willing to deliver
4. Don’t worry if someone beats you to an item, there will be more bargains

Aaron shares reliable, easily followed steps to build wealth at On Financial Success. Subscribe to his feed to follow along.

Technorati Tags: frugal, home decor, guest post