Urban Tribe by Fiona Kruger

British designer Fiona Kruger was a highlight at this year's Salone Satellite - the showcase for emerging design talent that takes place during Salone del Mobile each year. Kruger graduated from ECAL's Design and the Luxury Industry Master's program in 2011, and showed her colourful collection, Urban Tribes, at Satellite.

Superstripe by Patternity

Website and creative organisation Patternity recently hosted an exhibition celebrating the power of stripes, monochrome and optical pattern. Blog-like curation was used to group examples of stripes sourced from editorial, nature, fashion, sculpture and the everyday.

Austerity by Lanzavecchia + Wai: edible furniture for times of crisis

How can furniture react to times of crisis? Through a series of four conceptual objects, designers Lanzavecchia + Wai propose using sugar and chocolate to create food reserves that at the same time provide the finishing surfaces for furniture.

Wonderland narratives at the VM & Display Show 2013

Spur Creative at VM & Display Show 2013

Surreal and theatrical scenes were combined with on-going environmental awareness at this year's VM & Display Show in London.

I Woof Treat Maker by Holstein Housewares

Made by Holstein Housewares, the I Woof Treat Maker allows pet parents to make organic, healthy treats in just seven minutes, and includes a book of 15 different recipes and a glass jar to preserve treats.

Homebuildlife subscribers can read our report on the rise of home cooking for pets here.

Mineral Design at Le Lieu du Design

Porcelain fabric by Christelle Familiari

Curated by Le Lieu du Design, new exhibition Mineral Design explores a range of industrial, decorative, useful and playful objects made out of glass and ceramic. Designers involved include Ron Arad, David Lynch, Martin Szekely and Ingo Maurer, as well as younger talents such as students from renowned Swiss design school ECAL. 

Cath Kidston: the home of modern vintage

British homewares brand Cath Kidston hosted a pop-up yesterday in London to showcase the 30 new prints that it will add to its collection for autumn/winter 2013. Key items were presented within a minimalistic wooden structure that followed the layout of a house, lending an unusually minimal feel to the brand's famous floral prints.

Lucie Koldova for Lasvit

Spin light by Lucie Koldova for Lasvit

Czech designer Lucie Koldova has created two collections of pendant lamps for Lasvit.

The Spin light is inspired by the rotational form of children's spinning toys, suspending the movement in the air. Made in clear and tinted transparent glass, the colour of the piece seems to be coming from the top in a soft graded layer.

Chic commuting with Chic Cycle

Chic Cycle is a new bicycle that pushes customisation to the limit: consumers can choose the colour of the frame, seat, wheels, tyres, handles and even chain.

Live from High Point Market: Homebuildlife macro trends in action

Next Nature spring/summer 2014 macro trend by Homebuildlife at High Point Market

The High Point Market show is going on full force this week. Buzz-worthy events include the introduction of beauty personality Aerin Lauder's debut furniture, fabric and lighting collection, and John Robshaw's foray into furniture. Both are well known names in the lifestyle arena, completing their vision with branded individual style focus.

Homebuildlife has partnered with High Point Market and is presenting its three spring/summer 2014 trends,  Neo Geo, N.D.A. and Next Nature, at the fair, visualised using a curated selection of fair products shown in tableau form.

Patch by Jacco Bregonje & Missoni Home

Dutch designer Jacco Bregonje has collaborated with Missoni Home on Patch, a series of Artifort chairs dressed in iconic Missoni chevrons. Clothed in one-piece knit covers produced by knitting machine producer Stoll, each chair features whimsical elbow patches at its edges.

The Capsule by Tom Dixon for adidas

Industrial designer Tom Dixon launched a collection of garments, luggage and accessories designed for adidas during Milan Design Week.

Called The Capsule, the collection features backpacks that convert into garment bags, and overalls that switch into jackets and trousers, and was showcased at Most in front of the museum's reconstructed 19th century steam trains.

Eco-conscious products: Live from Bangkok International Gift & Houseware Fair

The Eco & Innovation pavilion at BIG+BIH, April 2013

The co-located trade shows of Bangkok International Gift Fair and Bangkok International Houseware Fair draw buyers from around the world, all eager to discover the lifestyle products on display, aimed at export markets.

While the official theme of this season's shows is ASEAN Life & Style, the main theme to emerge from the show floor is a strong green emphasis in both product and production.

Happy Office Happy Home by Studiopepe for Spotti

Photo by Andrea Ferrari

During Milan Design Week 2013, Spotti collaborated with Swiss company USM Modular Furniture on a special display called Happy Office Happy Home.

Curated by Studiopepe, the specially created environments demonstrated how well-designed environments can facilitate productivity and enjoyment of work.

Primitive architecture by Sou Fujimoto

Geometric Forest by Sou Fujimoto

Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto has designed his first residential project in Europe, as part of the Solo Houses programme. 

At the head of his own agency since 2000, the architect's work has always explored the origins of architecture, such as caves and nests, and this new villa is no exception. The heart of the structure, made out of stone and glass, is enveloped in a cubic lattice of interconnecting wooden logs, thus combining basic constructed forms with highly elaborate execution. The result is "a closed and protected place, which is also totally open".

Make More of Your Garden by Ikea

Ikea has launched a new campaign for its outdoor furniture range. Created with ad agency Mother, the advert sees a couple declaring war on garden gnomes after they upturn one of the brand's garden chairs.

Bethan Gray x Lapicida: Stone patterns

Herringbone table by Bethan Gray for Lapicida

Welsh designer Bethan Gray has collaborated with British natural stone company Lapicida to create a collection of stone and marble tables. Her inspiration came from the spectacular black and white stone motifs seen on historical European buildings such as Italian cathedrals and Spanish mesquitas.

Botanical walls at Isetan Shinjuku store, Tokyo

Japanese artist Makoto Azuma has decorated Shinjuku's Isetan department store with foliage installations to mark its grand reopening.

Sahiko pillows by Non-Perishable Goods

Portland-based company Non-Perishable Goods has created a limited run of cushions made from vintage hand stitched Japanese sahiko.

New online shop for Merci

Parisian concept store Merci moves online this week with the launch of its new website. Merci-Merci.com is not only an e-shop but is also filled with rich editorial content including designer portraits and interviews.

The store's fine selection of fashion accessories, stationary, household linens, lighting and furniture is now available worldwide, thanks to the brand's decision to deliver anywhere in the world. Information on the upcoming exhibitions regularly organised in Merci's renowned Haut-Marais space are also available on the site.

Parrish Collection by Konstantin Grcic and Emeco

Konstantin Grcic and Emeco have released the Parrish Collection; a set of recycled aluminum chairs designed for the Parrish Art Museum in Water Mill, New York.

Salad_Ink tableware by Chiara Andreatti

Chiara Andreatti presented a collection of porcelain tableware stamped with vegetable prints at Milan exhibition Juice last week. Andreatti prints each plate using hand-carved pear wood moulds, and Delft blue silhouettes, and clean white porcelain.

New collection by Magis

Folly by Ron Arad

Italian design company Magis launched its new collection in Milan last week. It includes the brand's first ever padded range of products, designed by Konstantin Grcic, as well as a sculptural bench by Ron Arad, who continues to blur the boundaries between art and design in his work.

New additions to the Hemingway Design Collection at Surface View

Vintage Red Zigzag by Hemingway Design

The new additions to the Hemingway Design Collection at Surface View feature geometric patterns with brights pops of colour, monochrome polka dots, tonal grids and abstract room sets, perfect for blinds, wall murals, ceramic tiles and canvas. 

Sculptural chandeliers for James Bond exhibition

London-based lighting designer Sharon Marston was commissioned to create two large chandeliers for the touring exhibition Designing 007: Fifty Years of James Bond Style, starting in Shanghai from March 28 - June 30.

Pop up card by stationery shop Rigadritto

Fresh from Milan: a pop-up hothouse card from creative stationery shop Rigadritto in the city's Brera district.

Milan Design Week 2013: Around Books

Raw Edges: Booken. Lema, 2012. Photo Ferruccio Zanvettor

The Poldi Pezzoli Museum, Foscarini and Inventario have partnered up once again for Milan Design Week 2013. Located in Via Manzoni, the museum has opened its doors to design with an exhibition titled Intorno al libro - tra Arte e Design (Around books – between art and design).

Pig Bench by Misha Kahn

Rhode Island School of Design graduate Misha Kahn exhibited a bench representing a cut log but made of synthetic materials at Venture Lambrate last week. Expanding foam is embedded with plastic conduit, gold plastic gems, climbing rope, tinsel and other man-made flotsam and jetsam.

Live from Milan: Opium lights

Showing as part of Oriental Design Week at Sarpi Bridge, these Opium Lights blow smoke softly out into the room, accompanied by calming sound design by Enrico Ascoli.

Alessi train set at the Triennale

Alessi's installation at the Triennale this week includes a miniature train set, which trundles around its track carrying the Italian design company's branding and miniature versions of its products.

Face-O-Mat by Tobias Gutmann

Tobias Gutmann at Spazio Rossana Orlandi

In the area of experience design, Tobias Gutmann's Face-O-Mat is a welcome addition to the Milan Furniture Fair.

Placed squarely in the middle of Rossana Orlandi's beehive of a space, Gutmann has set up an analogue portrait machine with a photo booth principle. He sits inside the booth with a pen, paint, paper, and change (each portrait costs 5 euros), and the wall in front of him is covered with reference images.

Karimoku New Standard at Rossana Orlandi

Japanese brand Karimoku New Standard's show at Rossanna Orlandi presents an overview of products designed for the company over the last four years.

Colour and surface: ColoRing by Schemata Architects

Schemata Architects is displaying its new project, ColoRing, at Rossana Orlandi this week. The collection of tables use a traditional wood polishing technique called Udukuri, adapted to generate vibrantly painted wood grain finishes.

RO chair by Jaime Hayon x Fritz Hansen

Spanish designer Jaime Hayon has designed a new easy chair for Republic of Fritz Hansen, unveiled this week in Milan. His brief was to create a seat to encourage reflection and comfort, where one can find room for one's inner space and take a break from the bustle of everyday life. Its name, Ro, means tranquility in Danish, capturing the Nordic approach to design in just two letters. 

Moroso at Salone del Mobile 2013

Moroso's stand at Salone del Mobile is a must-visit: the brand has launched a number of new products including chairs designed by Patricia Urquiola and Werner Aisslinger as well as a sofa collection by Atelier Oi. This video is a walk around the stand showing some of these highlights.

Salone del Mobile runs until Sunday 14 April and subscribers will be able to see our uncut gallery with more than 1,100 images fresh from the fair later this week.

Zigzagging installation by Missoni

Missoni is presenting an installation called Zigzagging this Milan Design Week. The brand's entire showroom is illuminated with its famous zig zag patterning, immersing viewers with moving colour and light.

Key styling trend in Milan: The workshop

Carl Hansen & Son at Milan's Triennale Design Museum

This year's edition of Milan is seeing a lot of exhibitors showcasing the production stages of their designs. Pieces of furniture are styled as a work-in-progress to show how ideas came about, what materials were used, how they were assembled and the amount of work that was needed to take a chair or a table through to the retail stage. 

Food experience at The Revolving Room by Patricia Urquiola

To celebrate the opening of Patricia Urquiola's Kvadrat textile installation at Moroso's Brera store this week, Danish food designers I'm A Kombo served up snacks in fabric shells, and drinks inspired by wool.

Live from Milan: Droog & the Rijksmuseum

Avant-garde Dutch designers Droog have developed a range of tableware based on the 125,000 digitised images that the Rijksmuseum has posted online in its digital museum collection, Rijksstudio.

Lumiblade Experience by Philips at Euroluce

Lighting giant Philips is exhibiting its OLED technology at Euroluce this week. Hundreds of 1.8 millimetre-thick Lumiblade OLEDs have been used to build an installation on the ceiling called Living Sculpture (designed by Christopher Bauder/WhiteVoid) as well as an interactive wall.

Fun in Milan: Ping pong at Designjunction

British design company All Lovely Stüff has animated the Edit exhibition by Designjunction at La Pelota with a bright green ping pong table that visitors can play on when passing on the stand. The brand makes a point of developing objects that make people smile, in an affordable way.

Karman presents its new collection at Euroluce

Italian lighting company Karman presented its latest collection at Euroluce. The brand has once again teamed up with designer Matteo Ugolini who was responsible for creating most of the new pieces, including a rocking horse shaped lamp and a fake taxidermy wall light.

To balance this playful approach, most of the products are finished in white or other neutral colours such as grey and black. Another highlight is the perforated metal shade seen in a variety of shapes.

Kristine Five Melvær at Salone Satellite

Obelix by Kristine Five Melvær

Norwegian designer Kristine Five Melvær is showing four new products at Salone Satellite this week, including a series of lacquered stoneware vases shaped and coloured like fruits, vegetables and flower bulbs.

Pattern and colour: Bertjan Pot for Golran

Diamond

New kilim collection Triangles, designed by Bertjan Pot for Golran and on show at Juice this week, introduces a fresh new look to Oriental carpets and traditional kilim techniques.

Milan day 2: Ercol at Design Junction and Rossana Orlandi at Museo Bagatti Valsecchi

Leading the charge for British design in Milan is Edit by Design Junction, which has brought classic brands such as Ercol - who collaborated with Timorous Beasties on the sofa above - to La Pelota, via Palermo.

Also unmissable is Milan's biggest design name, Rossana Orlandi, who has curated an exhibition at Museo Bagatti Valsecchi that sets contemporary furniture against the splendour of the ancient palazzo.

Live from Milan: Frottage by Setsu & Shinobu Ito

Showcased in Milan today, Frottage: Natural Story is a show that is inspired by unspoilt nature. Curated by Setsu and Shinobu Ito, Frottage combines techniques to create a sense of touch and smell from natural environments.

MTX Broderie Architecturale: haute couture wall hangings

Acanthe

Parisian haute couture embroidery specialist Atelier Montex presents MTX Broderie Architecturale at Fuorisalone this week. Artistic director Annie Trussart and creative director Pierre-Alain Cornaz use their experience within the fashion industry to reinvent intricate embroidery and beading techniques into stunning large scale installations, wall-art and room dividers for interior spaces.

Colour blocking in Milan

Fab at Most, Milan 2013

On the first day of Milan's 2013 edition, a colour trend has already emerged, as seen in three different Fuori exhibitions. Several installations are styled in colour blocks, from bright neon greens, blues or reds, to classic neutrals. Products of the same colourway are organised together in a tone on tone decor, to emphasise the visual impact and attract the viewer's eye. 

Hyundai at Superstudio Più

Hyundai has occupied the Art Point Room, a 1,000 square metre space at Superstudio Più, one of Zona Tortona's main locations during Milan Design Week, to showcase Fluidic - Sculpture in Motion, a lighting installation inspired by the company's design philosophy.

Key concept: Twin'Z by Ross Lovegrove for Renault

Ross Lovegrove has collaborated with Renault on a concept car that is inspired by nature and organic growth forms. Unveiled today at the Triennale, the all-electric Twin'Z features neon yellow wheels and rippling back lighting.

Milan Design Week for children: kidsroomZOOM!

Dedicated to design and art for children, kidsroomZOOM! by unduetrestella is one of the key kids' lifestyle exhibitions taking place during Milan Salone this week. Furniture, home furnishings, toys, art and food will all interact with each other at the show.

LUC Series by Rossin

LUC chair by Rossin

The LUC series by Italian brand Rossin has won two Red Dot design awards and will be showcased at Salone del Mobile this week.

3D printed food models by Freedom of Creation

Janne Kytannen, co-founder of design studio Freedom of Creation, has visualised a series of 3D printed meals, including pasta, to show how the technology could be applied to home cooking in the future.

Time to Design: new talent award 2013 by Normann Copenhagen

An initiative that started six years ago, the annual Time to Design - new talent award by Normann Copenhagen opened for submissions yesterday. The competition encourages designers from all countries, with a prize including three months residency at The Danish Art Workshops, 50.000 DKK to cover material costs, individual career coaching by OeO and a two week exhibition in the Normann Copenhagen flagship store.

Deadline for entry is June 14th 2013 and the winner will be announced by the end of August at a special press event.

Café Pinson, Paris

Translated as Café Finch, the newly opened Café Pinson is Marais' latest hotspot. Interior designer Dorothée Meilichzon has reflected the organic philosophy of the company with relaxed but stylish surroundings.

The Regent Street Windows Project: 2013 preview

Karen Millen by Mamou-Mani

For the fourth edition of The Regent Street Windows Project, RIBA has paired six architecture practices with six high street retailers to create unique shop front installations. Esprit will incorporate a giant beach wave in its interiors, a Magic Garden will take over the Karen Millen window display and Jack Spade will recreate the architecture of New York's Greene Street.

Natural Collection by Nanimarquina in Milan 2013

Nomad in deep red by Nanimarquina

Spanish brand Nanimarquina has released an all natural new rug collection. It has been produced with a selection of four natural fibres, silk, jute, nettle and afghan wool, using four traditional hand techniques.

A Delicious Life: New Food Entrepreneurs

Gestalten's new foodie book, A Delicious Life, profiles a new generation of cooks, bakers, brewers, bartenders and farmers, who are each on a mission to bring fresh, locally sourced food and drink back to our tables.