Derek Chen is a furniture designer, with experience as an engineer and management consultant, who founded Council as a way to add an American spin on contemporary design. Working with a host of international designers, Council manufactures a massive collection of American design while making sustainable choices whenever possible during the manufacturing process. San Francisco-based Chen continues to design for and head the company, always using his keen engineer’s eye to put out a blend of designs with a handcrafted feel and a modern aesthetic. Let’s see what keeps this multifaceted designer inspired in this week’s Friday Five .

Read more from the original source:
Friday Five with Derek Chen of Council

Brand new housewares company JDWilks Fineware has debuted its first collection: A peppy line of contemporary-meets-vintage placemats. Each set (there are three) are made out of cork and board from sustainable forests ad printed with eco-friendly inks. Dad’s Cooking is a tongue-in-cheek design suggesting some may opt for altogether different eating implements. In addition to the simple knife and fork, there are three other pairings: wrench and ax, trowel and spade, and hammer and hacksaw, all silhouetted in black on a green and black plaid background. Barcelona Tiles draws on the beautiful tile designs of its namesake city that were created during the late 19th and early 20th centuries

Excerpt from:
Placemats by JDWilks Fineware

Manhattan-based Interior designer and lifestyle expert Shawn Henderson has created interiors in Paris, London, New York and Los Angeles. His style is original, modern and inspired by the way people live today. Defined by exquisite details and clean, sophisticated lines that draw on the best of the past and present, Shawn’s richly textured, uniquely personal homes look luxurious and feel relaxed.

Read more:
Friday Five with Shawn Henderson

The new Dallas chair designed by Vicente Soto for Capdell is surprisingly minimalist, uniting warm wood with sturdy metal. The birch wood comes from sustainable forests. Recently presented in Milan, this chair is stackable and also comes in a stool version. © 2010 Design Milk | Posted by Jaime in Home Furnishings | Permalink | No comments | Tweet This | Share on Facebook

Read more:
Dallas Chair from Capdell

Founded in 2008 by Shlomit Levy, Avital Levy and Ifat Zvirin, Mesila studio specializes in sustainable design and creates one-of-a-kind home products that all contain between 30 recycled content. I just love the clothespin lamp. http://www.mesila29.com
Read this article:
Mesila

Produced by Gallery FUMI and Studio Toogood, Corn Craft was a site-specific installation designed to highlight the properties of one simple, agrarian material: corn. By using traditional materials, methods and craftsmanship, sustainable design can created. Nic Webb’s hand-carved wooden utensils were the perfect tools for an earthy feast, complemented by mouth-blown glass with a tiny barley motif by Max Lamb and Gemma Holt. Nacho Carbonell used corn as the base material for furniture, and The Modern Pantry served up corn-based recipes served by waiters attired for the setting.

View post:
Corn Craft: Wooden Utensils by Nic Webb