This piece in The Guardian yesterday started off with confessions of a design critic; and yes, it’s true, even the snobbiest among us may very well have an IKEA piece or two somewhere. If you choose wisely, you’ll find pieces…

How does the brain react to ambiguity? And are those reactions a good thing or a bad thing? Jamie Holmes takes a look at this and other concepts in Nonsense: The Power Of Not Knowing, an exceptionally relevant book these…

Here’s a bit of whimsical design for you – “Green Chicken” by Jaime Hayon. Seems fitting to ride out of 2016 on this, right? It’s his take on the rocking horse, but much more modern and playful – and with…

By now you’ve definitely noticed the proliferation of craft cocktail bars and that even casual spots have upped their game. But… where did this trend come from? Who are the people who saved us from an eternity of banal vodka…

“American Masters – Eero Saarinen: The Architect Who Saw the Future” very much looks worth checking out. The director of photography for the documentary is Saarinen’s own son, Eric, and takes us on a tour through Saarinen’s best-known works, with…

“Color Of the Year” designations are always fun. Sherwin-Williams has announced theirs for 2017, and here it is: Poised Taupe. Neutral but not bland, it should work well with black, white and wood tones and fit nicely into modern interiors….

Sure, everyone will recognize Frida Kahlo on the cover of Rad Women Worldwide: Artists and Athletes, Pirates and Punks, and Other Revolutionaries Who Shaped History, but this book spans about 25 centuries and 30+ countries of women who are rad….
RIP, Jens Risom. In memoriam, a lovely little video from Dwell about one of our favorite lounge chairs: Risom Lounge Chair from Topiary Productions, Inc. on Vimeo.

In or near Seattle? Here’s a retrospective worth checking out. Yves Saint Laurent: The Perfection of Style runs through January 8th, 2017, at the Seattle Art Museum. From the PDX Monthly review: Beyond the artfully arranged couture, the museum has…