Drunter and Drüber's Bent Wood, Leather and Felt lined Bags for Vonetti.

Trier-based four-piece Drunter and Drüber designed these fabulous bent wood and leather bags with felt lining for Vonetti.



Refreshing design incorporates unusual materials for the bags which are available in three different sized styles; the Maya, the Ina and the Lola.




For purchasing information contact Vonetti:
E-Mail: info@vonetti.com



Drunter & Drüber // Trier
c/o Galerie Feuergefühl // Spielesplatz 13 // D - 54293 Trier
Tel: 0651 / 9664888

Product Pick of the Week: The Barcelona Bird Pavilion by Monique Engelund.

Designer Monique Engelund designed this stunning birdhouse and feeder for menu, inspired by the famous 1929 Barcelona Pavilion, designed by the legendary German architect Mies van der Rohe.


above: Meis van der Rohe's 1929 Barcelona Pavilion.

In keeping with van der Rohe’s spirit, it exudes geometric simplicity and is made of an extraordinary material: robust and durable acacia wood from sustainable European forests.



The feeding table is beneath the roof, where the bird food can be placed on two spikes, while the bird bath sits out in the open:



A stylish outdoor element for your garden that will make all the other birds chirp with envy.

Price approx $175 USD.

The Barcelona Bird Pavilion can be purchased here
Or here
Or here
Or here

Beautifully Crafted Wood Eyeglass Frames from a Carpenter and a Designer in Italy.

Italian carpenter Doriano Mattellone and designer Matteo Ragni have a love of wood and its properties, so together they began W-eye with Antonio Stella, which sells wooden eyeglass frames suitable for optical or sunglass lens.



Each lovingly crafted pair is constructed of seven sheets of wood interlaid with two sheets of aluminium to make them both structurally sound and flexible.




A digitally controlled cutting machine is used to create the contours and then each pair is sanded by hand. The frames are then branded and varnished and upon request, can be custom etched and numbered by a sophisticated laser system.





All W-eye models are available in nine types of wood. European wood species include Maple, Ash, Cherry and Walnut. African wood species include Wengè, Mahogany, Ebony, Zebra wood and Sapelli wood. Their most recent collection includes colorful wood stains.




Photo Credits: Still life by Luca Corvatta, portraits by Enrico Suà Ummarino.

Every pair of glasses can be full, or made from one type of wood, bifacial (two types of wood, inner and outer) or multicolour (mix of types of wood, inner/outer). The wood used comes from certified forests managed according to environmental sustainability criteria.

New for 2011:
Their newest collection, just released last month and not yet on their website, includes colored stained woods for a more vibrant and playful look:







Go here for the location of their shops or contact them via e-mail.

A special thanks to Elmanco for bringing these to my attention

The Ravenscroft Desk by Leonhard Pfeifer

above: The Ravenscroft Desk at the Museum of Modern Art, Estonia

Characterized by functionality, essential form and purity of materials, the Ravenscroft desk was designed to look striking from any angle so it could sit in the middle of a room instead of pushed up against a wall.





Conceived by London furniture designer Leonhard Pfeifer, the desk has a wide worktop that finishes in angled nooks, creating handy filing compartments for paperwork, while the raised rear surface is ideal for auxiliary monitors. Pfeifer included a low shelf for power transformers and external hard drives, integrating technology into the form.




Ravenscroft is produced in Europe by furniture brand Woodman in Oak with contrasting Walnut partitions. The desk launched at the Maison & Objet fair in Paris last week (9-13 September 2011).

www.leonhardpfeifer.com
www.woodman.ee
www.maison-objet.com



Be sure to see more of Leonhard's beautifully crafted furniture designs

California Shaped Desks and Coffee Tables By J. Rusten Studio

The California Series of desks and coffee tables by Jared Rusten of J. Rusten Studio are functional and fun handcrafted wood tables whose tops are shaped like the state of California.


above: prototype on the left, finished table on the right

The wooden top is made of salvaged Claro walnut (native to CA) and the base is salvaged white oak, treated with a vinegar & steel solution to produce the charcoal/ebony staining.







The prices are as follows:
Large Desk $2,950
Medium Desk $2,350
Medium Coffee table $2,250
Small Coffee table $1,650

you can purchase the pieces online here or you can mail a check to him at:

J. Rusten Furniture Studio
P.O. Box 40755
San Francisco, CA 94140

Jared Rusten creates modern, solid-wood furniture, sculpture, and artwork under the appellation: J. Rusten Furniture Studio.


above photo by Neil Barrett for Taylor Stitch

The studio was founded in 2003 with a mandate to advance the craft of woodworking, explore new and challenging solid-wood furniture designs, and construct beautiful, compelling, singular, and enduring objects.

The studio/workshop is located at 2815 23rd St. in San Francisco’s Mission District

See more of his fine wood furniture here.

Limited Edition Bent Wood Bracelets & Cuffs By Gustav Reyes

One of the standouts at this year's Smithsonian Craft Show (which ran from April 14-17) was the contemporary jewelry of Gustav Reyes. On the Craft Show website, they only show his rings, but it's his limited edition series of coiled, twisted and knotted wooden bracelets that really appeal to me.

The modern and elegant bracelets and cuffs by the Chicago based woodworker are formed by hand using a cold bend process and finished with natural bee's wax. The Cherry, Walnut, Maple and Rockelm woods can be rejuvenated by simply applying more natural bee's wax. Several of the styles are available in multiple wood options.

Walnut:




Cherry:



Rockelm:


Maple:




above photography by Lauren Bost

Prices range from $120 to $320. Available from Artful Home.

"My training and personal development have led me to believe that humans surpass biological processes by creating. The desire to create is the vehicle by which we, as humans, extend our minds and souls beyond the limits of our physical selves."-- Gustav Reyes

As a young man, Reyes attended the Art Institute of Chicago, where his understanding of art was greatly broadened. He also studied at the Chicago Bauhaus Academy, where he developed an understanding of the finer aspects of woodworking. His formal training and years of dedication to his craft have allowed him to find the point where nature breathes through the form.