While I was at Dwell on Design 2013 , I stopped by the Galanter & Jones booth to see a fairly unassuming, curvy modern bench with some nice-looking metal legs. But then designer Aaron Jones asked me to sit down, something I don’t do at trade shows often because it’s hard to get up again, but this time I obliged. And all of a sudden, my backside was getting toasty! Someone had finally answered my prayers—a heated outdoor lounge! Called Helios, the smooth contemporary design is nice and ergonomic, great for lounging or for good conversation. When you plug it in—using about as much energy as a hair dryer—it gets all nice and warm, like that feeling when you first get into a hot tub but much less wet! The thing I love best about this is that it’s versatile—it can be used anywhere from those cold desert nights to chilly Fall evenings in the East. Plus, it’s made of stone so it’s cool to the touch when it’s warm outside

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Get Cozy with Heated Outdoor Furniture by Galanter & Jones

Joe Levy is a third year industrial design student from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. His SpoolStool is one of his first furniture projects, and it takes multifunction to a new level.

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SpoolStool Multifunctional Stool by Joe Levy

Cezign has launched a collection of furniture called ZIG , that is a collaboration between Cecilia Dupire and Costa Picadas. The modular line includes block cushions and various, similarly-shaped wood, glass, and Plexiglas pieces to make tables and shelves. The components allow you to make a sofa, chair, bed, or anything else you can possibly think of or need in terms of places to sit or lay down. The collection comes in a variety of colors and sizes to mix-and-match to your heart’s—or room’s—content.

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ZIG Modular Furniture by Cezign

Strung is a new stool design by Not Tom that lies at the place where craft and DIY meet design. Their first self-produced design, the stool consists of a simple flat-packed frame that the user can build and customize to his or her liking, adding the string you’d like in whatever pattern you wish. Just make sure it’s sturdy and pulled taut! Want one?

Link:
Customizable DIY String Stool by Not Tom

During June on Dog Milk we featured a tasty recipe and some great products for humans and dogs alike: Clockwise from top left: recycled glass dog bowl , a dog-shaped side table with storage , our review of the Black & Decker Steam Mop , super easy three-ingredient doggie ice cream recipes  (you’ll want to taste these yourself!) To get Dog Milk updates, subscribe to the Dog Milk RSS feed or follow Dog Milk on Twitter or Facebook .

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Dog Milk: Best of June 2013

Your outer environment reflects your inner state of being – while we may not be able to change the buildings, restaurants and roads throughout our towns and cities, we do have some say over the way we make our homes feel on the inside.

Waves of anxiety have washed over me when my apartment was awry with clothes all over the bedroom floor, dishes in the sink and knick knacks lying around. There is a sense of urgency to clean and to tidy up but with little time to do so, I would just give up and attempt to find solace somewhere outside the house.

Our busy days, whether it be long hours at the office or running around with the kids gives us only a short window of time for ourselves. We sometimes forget the importance of taking a few minutes from our hectic schedules to clear our minds and gain a little R & R in the meantime.

Creating our own sanctuary in our home where we can meditate, read or relax serves as a helpful reminder that taking time for ourselves should be a vital priority on our to-do list.

Here are some inspirational rooms to get you starting on creating your own “me-time” area in your home:

I love this idea especially if privacy is hard to come by in your home.  Drapery hanging from the ceiling can create a teepee like structure to enclose you. Then simply place some pillows at the base of it for comfort and a few candles around the perimeter for a perfect spot to meditate, write, read or reflect.

This modern nook also serves as an excellent hideaway for a slice of peace and serenity in your day.

It is always a nice touch to add a window to the outside world to your sacred space. It allows for the natural world to enter your space while protecting you from the elements. This space also incorporates an altar into its design.

An altar doesn’t have to be associated with any sort of religion or spiritual belief system. It can be a simple place for personal expression of what you want to focus on and where you can rest meaningful objects.

If you have room in your backyard, you can also add an outdoor-indoor haven.

If there ever was a symbol for relaxation and summer, I’m pretty sure it would be the hammock. Throw in Trinity Hammocks and you have yourself a genius idea that will make you wish summer was all year long. They created a triple hammock that turns the traditional hammock into a thing of the past

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Triple Hammock from Trinity Hammocks

Signs is a series of geometric mirrors, designed by Jérémy Murier & Daniel Martinez, made out of only two elements. The cylindrical ceramic bases are concave in the center which gives the mirror the illusion of floating above it by extending the angle of the mirror. The mirrors themselves are made out of polished mirror sheets of copper.

More here:
Signs by Jérémy Murier & Daniel Martinez

In 2011, American industrial designer Jeff Miller took over the role as head designer of the über popular modern office accessory company Poppin . The native New Yorker leads a team of people that are just as committed to creating the most clever and colorful office products as he, and with over two decades of skills, he’s the perfect man for the job. It’s clear he has a passion for the tools of the trade so it’s no surprise his Friday Five takes a look at five decades of writing utensils. Photo source 1. Parker Slinger Must have been about 1978 that I wore one of these around my neck…everywhere

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Friday Five with Jeff Miller of Poppin