Hate to see a messy table? You just might like this one. AZE Design‘s “MESSY” project brings back the idea of really spending time at the table as a social event. For many of us, meals are taken on the go, alone or in the car – the Messy tablecloth wants to remind us that a meal is an opportunity to spend time together. For breakfast or for dinner, MESSY is a reminder that meals are best shared, even if that means things get a bit messy in the process.

Finally, a spill I don't have to worry about

Messy breaky, yum

AZE Design is a polish design studio established in 2006 by Anna Kotowicz and Artur Puszkarewicz, with a focus on combining traditional handicraft techniques – hello, embroidery! – with contemporary materials and processes. Kotowicz and Puszkarewicz practice what they call MINDMADE design, which aims to transform everyday situations into usable art. In this case, I’d say they’ve succeeded beautifully!

Our current plan, now that we actually live upstairs and thus travel up our staircase multiple times each day, is to grab some sticky house numbers and turn our regular stairs into fun numbered stairs. Because not only do the numbers make the stairs a bit more interesting, as someone mentioned back when I posted about numbered stairs, they also give kids a chance to count along. That was the plan. But now I’m not so sure because I just came across this:

Probably more work than it's worth, but still...

You can see my conundrum! Or not – is it too much? Would you ever consider it?

Got a ton of cardboard boxes stacking up in your basement and nothing to do with them? If there’s no Craigslist around where you are – people will snap up free moving boxes in two seconds flat – and you’d rather do something other than simply recycle them, I have just the project for you. From Inspiration & Realization, a tutorial that will show you in a few easy steps how to create an upcycled cardboard vase (link). Are you going to use your upcycled cardboard vase when the in-laws are coming over? Maybe, maybe not. But it’s definitely a cute project, maybe for kids or a kitschy pad or an eclectic girl who likes her springtime flowers.

I am so loving these amazing dinosaur planters from Plaid Pigeon… they’re made of repurposed dinosaur toys, hand painted and sealed (complete with drainage holes), and the succulents inside are hardy enough to survive life with everyone from the green thumb set to the black thumb set.

If these came to live at my house...

both the cats and my darling daughter...

would go absolutely out of their minds!

When can I move in?

Want to give your backyard birdies some upscale digs? Try these sweet birdhouses from Anthropologie. Modeled after iconic homes in Philadelphia, each birdhouse designed by Austin + Mergold is meant to inspire ruminations on the ways in which we share our space with urban birds and how their habitats are strikingly similar to our own. As you might imagine, they’re not exactly inexpensive as birdhouses go and they may not bring you as much enjoyment as this modern birdhouse, but they certainly do look sharp!

If there’s one person out there designing furniture using all of my favorite things, it’s British textile designer Zoe Murphy. Her repurposed mid-century modern furniture pieces and printed vintage textiles are just a treat for the eye! She applies prints she draws of her home town and gorgeous patterns, along with happy colors, in unexpected ways. At least I find her furniture designs unexpected!

Zoe Murphy is my new favorite person

Get a load of those colors...

She even makes art, suqeeee!

Did I mention she makes art for walls, too? Murphy keeps a blog if you want to see what she’s up to these days!

Looking for seating that’s trend-friendly and different and modern and also inspired by food? Then how could you not dig sushi furniture from Sushi Style by Mimi Tin? These definitely don’t fall into the category of ‘cheap and funky gear that’s all but disposable.’ Tin uses silk thread to weave the designs on her entire line of sushi furniture, from the multi-purpose ottomans that can be used as a chair or, when you remove the “seaweed wrap,” as cushions to child-sized sushi beanbags and other fun things.

Mimi Tin, of Sushi Style

The Cali ottoman

The Carrot ottoman

And poufs!

As you probably guessed, this particular sushi furniture isn’t cheap, but I was actually surprised to see that it doesn’t cost more. An ottoman and cushion set – sushi wrapped in seaweed, I mean – will run you $625. And if that feels a bit steep in the context of your current circumstances, you can always sate your appetite for sushi furniture with one of Mimi Tin’s adorable sushi poufs!

Candy dots… candy buttons… whatever you call the classic candy, it’s pretty cute. If you didn’t happen to see it, I featured a candy dots wedding cake over at Manolo for the Brides last week, and it got me to thinking how much I’d love candy buttons fabric. And then THAT thought made me wonder if anyone out there has been inspired by candy dots. Turns out there aren’t many – makes me think candy buttons furniture would fall into the DIY realm – but I did find a few interesting things to get the DIY part of your mind racing!

A candy buttons bench for Lollies Candy Company by Jellio

You can buy an indoor Button Bench - with rubber buttons - at Jellio's website!

The bummer is that the indoor and outdoor benches were the only candy dots inspired furniture I could find. BUT I did find some fun accessories for one’s person that are perfect for anyone who still finds herself jonesing for these sugary nibbles.

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