Only two days after I featured her stationary company, Angela Liguori gives me more great news: She now has her own blog! In edizioni, Angela will feature news and updates "about our collaborative work, projects and events for Carta, Inc. and Edizioni Almenodue, between the Boston area, Rome and Italy."

That brings the number of Boston-area design blogs to eight. Angela, welcome to the blogosphere, and best of luck!

I've grown more and more interested as of late in locally designed and made crafts. I don't like the word "crafts", it makes me think of things that are a lot lower quality than what I'm talking about. Well, that's what those that create them call it, so that's what it is.

Magpie, in Davis Square, is "a gift store that carries hip handmade crafts, goods by indie designers and works by local artists," like this "Boys are awful" journal (we really are awful, aren't we?).

Magpie
416 Highland Ave (Davis Sq)
Somerville, MA 02144
617-623-3330
info@magpie-store.com

If you didn't have a reason to visit Portland, ME this summer, here's one: A friend tipped me off that The Portland Museum of Art has a new exhibit: Frank Lloyd Wright and the House Beautiful. The exhibit features approximately 100 objects, including furniture, metalwork, textiles, drawings, and accessories from the collections of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation and other public and private collections.

"The exhibition explores how Wright sought to develop a modern interior reflective of a uniquely American spirit of democracy and individual freedom, illustrates his development in integrating the space with furnishings and architectural elements, and shows his experiments with bringing these ideas to the homes of average Americans."

Frank Lloyd Wright and the House Beautiful is running now through October 8, 2007.

A while back, I blogged about Kirei, an innovative, new green material. I recently noticed that 2Modern carries Iannone Design, a company that uses Kirei in it's furniture.

I got a chance to meet Michael Iannone back in May at the ICFF (he's all the way to the left in the photo above). I've always found it amazing how the most unassuming people are the most creative.

His furniture is modern and, obviously, eco-friendly. I love how on certain items, he's cut away the laminate to show the kirei boarding underneath.

Another email that I feel you may be able to answer for me:

Hi

Great Blog. I wonder if you know anyone in Boston who designs, makes, and
then sells his/her own t-shirts. I am not familiar with the fashion scene
here in Boston but perhaps you know or can point me in the right direction.

Thanks,
Oscar

Oscar, thanks for the compliment. I don't know any T-shirt designers off hand. Can anyone help Oscar out?

Angela Liguori, owner of Carta, Inc., is a Italian-born and Brookline-based designer of custom stationary products, from invitations and announcements, to hand-bound books, to Edizioni Almenodue, her limited edition publishing collaboration with graphic designer Silvana Amato. Her work is highly detailed, showing a combination of contemporary design and old-world craftsmanship.

Angela Liguori
Carta, Inc.
9 Resevoir Road
Brookline, MA 02467
617-232-2787
mail@angelaliguori.com

NorthPoint is billing itself as "the ultimate urban oasis", and for good reason. A new condo development in East Cambridge, steps away from Lechmere station and within walking distance of the Museum of Science and the Charles River beyond, will offer various unit layouts and configurations in multiple buildings, all situated around a 10-acre park.

The initial development is of two buildings. Sierra features 99 two story 1-BR+ loft-style condos. Each unit will feature double-height rooms with 14' windows - talk about plenty of natural light! A couple that I'm friends with are buying one of the units, and from their description, the place is going to be to-die-for.

Tango, the other building, consists of 12 stories with 230 studio, one- and two-bedroom condos. Depending one what size unit you get and what floor it's on, you have the option of a private entrance and patio, or a private rooftop terrace.

NorthPoint is still in the construction phase, and I believe there are still units available. Units in Tango start in the mid-$300K's.

What do you think of when someone mentions Newbury St? Salons? Restaurants? For me, I think clothes. Lots of clothes. Expensive clothes.

I have no problem paying for good quality clothing; I've been known to do so from time to time. But why not spend the money for good quality clothing that is also environmentally conscious?

Enter Envi.

Envi is a new store featuring "fashion conscious clothing for an eco-conscious lifestyle". They offer a full range of women's casual clothing from a variety of designers, including Amelia Pastiche, Perfectly Imperfect, and Deborah Lindquist. And the prices are not outrageous, considering the street their on.

As happy as I am to see a store dedicated to eco-friendly women's clothes, I have to ask: What about us men?

Envi
164 Newbury Street
Boston, MA 02116

Philip Guarino is opening a new store. The owner of Arclinea has signed a deal to open Rimadesio's first stand-alone showroom in the US.

Rimadesio is one of the world's premier manufacturers of contemporary sliding door, door, and closet systems. “We are very excited to bring Rimadesio to Boston,” says Rimadesio export manager Andrea Romano. “Our products have been embraced around the world, and we feel certain that Boston, which is becoming one of the leading centers for contemporary design in the United States, will be a great fit for the Rimadesio lifestyle.”

Rimadesio Boston is located adjacent to Arclinea. According to Philip Guarino, “A visit to the interconnected Arclinea Boston and Rimadesio Boston showrooms will demonstrate the tremendous benefits of innovative and spectacular contemporary design.”

Rimadesio Boston
10 St. James Ave
Boston, MA 02116

Another question came in that I would like to pass on to my lovely audience:

Do you know of a "hot" technical illustrator who can create hand drawn interior and exterior sketches similar to the ones used architecture studios use to pitch a project? This is for a retail store design. It could be a free-lancer or associated with a studio.

Thanks

Jack

Do you have any recommendations for Jack?

Architects, Designers, Illustrators: David Oliver has given you a gift.

The Cambridge-based designer, and one-half of From Concentrate, has developed the Drawing Pod. "The patent pending Drawing Pod is much more than a drafting tube. It opens lengthwise for easy access, and introduces a new level of fit, finish and functionality for carrying and presenting rolled documents."

Hinged end caps open so you can slide your documents and drawing in, as you would with a normal drafting tube. When it's time to get them out, though, the Drawing Pod opens lengthwise for easy access, and no crumpled or pinched papers.

The Drawing Pod comes in 36" and 18" lengths; both have a 3" inside diameter.

The Drawing Pod won a 2006 Good Design Award for Personal Equipment by the Chicago Athenaeum – Museum of Architecture and Design, and the Best New Product Award at NAMTA 2006, where it was first introduced. David was also at the ApartmentTherapy NY Design Meetup in May.

From Concentrate is currently ramping up production on the Drawing Pod, but you can get pre-order information on their sales page.

In a recent essay, Metropolis Magazine's Philip Nobel took aim at the new Institute of Contemporary Art and its architects, Diller Scofidio + Renfro.

In the essay, he highlights design and execution problems of the building, and criticizes the fact that many starchitects seem to get a free pass on mediocre buildings by architecture critics.

I have yet to visit the new ICA (blasphemy, I know), and I have several years to get to the point of expertise that Philip Nobel has, but I am quite impressed by the building.

Nobel writes "The museum sits on the edge of the water, and reaches toward it with a deep cantilever, but to the land it shows only its back—and not a particularly well-groomed one at that." I think the view from behind, of a plain, near-windowless white box, strikes as true modernism. That modernist box will be the centerpiece of the multi-use area once Fan Pier is developed.

I don't think that a substandard product should get praise just because it was designed by a "star" architect. But, Boston is not very friendly to modern design, so any progress towards modernism needs to be heralded.

Also, be sure to check Greg Cookland's write up of the Metropolis article.

Medford-based custom rug maker Linda Garriot was recently featured in HGTV Magazine. In it, she discussed the transition of rug making from hobby to full time career, and how HGTV shows like "Designers' Challenge", "Divine Design" and "Get Color!" helped inspire the change.

You can read the article in the Media section of her website. Congratulations, Linda!

Mary Carol Durr emailed me to tell me about her company, York Street Accessories. Based out of Utica, NY (about 240 miles NW of NYC), YSA makes custom handmade pocketbooks, pillows and cosmetic bags.

The colors and patterns available make the pocketbooks suitable for all occasions, from casual to the most formal. Aside from her own lines, Mary Carol also offers you the chance to create your own bag, giving you choices of style, fabric, handles and hardware.

The pillows are made from a similar, wide range of fabrics. I'm sure you'll find at least one pattern that would fit your decor.

Prices are quite reasonable as well. Pocketbooks are priced from $22 to $52; pillows are around the same range as well. Cosmetic bag pricing starts at $12.

This Thursday marks the summer solstice, the first day of summer. The South End Business Alliance is celebrating by throwing the South End Summer Solstice Celebration, where a number of shops an restaurants will be open extended hours and offer discounts on merchandise, and live music performances at the Boston Center for the Arts on Tremont St.

Turtle will be in the spirit with their Boston Tee Party. "While you sip refreshing iced tea/fruit blends and munch crumpets, take 20% off all t-shirts in the store, including C. Lin, Elm and hot new labels Taylor Made and Lucky Fish. Designers Cheng Lin and Taylor Neaman will be on hand Thursday evening." There will also be a raffle of a Cheng Essential Tee ($40 value) in your choice of size and color.

I know. I've been a bad blogger. In trying to save for going back to school, I am now working 3 jobs. Unfortunately, that means that the usual time I have to blog about all the great things I find, I am now either handling customers for my software gig, being the (hopefully!) greatest customer salesman at Crate & Barrel, or parking a lot of cars that I may never be able to buy myself as a valet.

I've got a LOT of things to blog about, so please give me a little time to get it all out. I hope you all are having a great summer so far - even though summer doesn't actually start until this Thursday!