Living Material: Twig Vessels by Benwu Studio

Designer Peng You of Benwu Studio launched a series of tabletop products and decorative objects made from twigs, branches and mixed media at Clerkenwell Design Week 2013.

BuzziHives by BuzziSpace

BuzziHives by Alain Gilles for Buzzispace

Belgian designer Alain Gilles has quite simply wrapped a protective sheet around two seats to create a space in which two people can conduct instant meeting sessions. Called the BuzziHives and designed for BuzziSpace, these welcoming cocoons can be used stand-alone or in groups to punctuate the layout of an office.

Unoco: pure, pink coconut water

New unpasteurised coconut water brand Unoco is made from raw coconuts that are processed using high pressure rather than heat treatment. The liquid is often light pink in colour because of the antioxidants that are present in it.

Homebuildlife subscribers can read our reports on the trend for pure produce here and the rise of pink drinks here. See how coconut water is taking over the prepared beverage market in our trend report from IFA 2013.

Snout & Paws: luxury fashion for dogs

New luxury British pet brand Snout & Paws was founded by Andrey Savin in October last year, after he became frustrated by the lack of fashion-led clothing available for his dog, Fanta - the small dachshund who now models all of the brand's collections.

Gorilla Perfumes: comic book scents

Based in Shoreditch, east London, Gorilla Perfumes is an independent perfumery founded by Lush founder Mark Constantine, which specialises in unique fragrances inspired by make-believe and comic-book adventures.

The stories that inspire each scent are released every season in Volumes that you can pick up in-store; current olfactory highlights include an orange blossom and neroli fragrance inspired by the honeyed scent of trips to Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt.

Bedeck A/W 2013: collection preview

Natalia from Bedeck autumn/winter 2013/14

British retailer Bedeck will launch six new designs for autumn/winter, including opulent jacquards, sumptuous velvets, cosy cottons and a new White Collection.

UK launch of Yummy Pets: the social network for pets

Pet social networking site Yummy Pets has launched in the UK. The French "social petwork" describes itself as "a community website to serve pet parents" and currently has 150,000 members.

Profiles look similar to those of social networking sites such as Facebook, and include information such as status updates, photos, and lists of friends and fans. Users can also access a number of practical pet services, such as classified ads. Yummy Pets chose the UK as the next place to launch because "One in ten pets in the UK already has a social media presence," co-founders Matthieu Glayrouse and Mathieu Chollon told Wired.

Ocean Collection by the Campanas

The Parisian branch of Carpenters Workshop Gallery is currently hosting the first exhibition of Brazilian design duo Humberto and Fernando Campana in a French gallery. For the occasion, the designers have created the Ocean Collection, an unexpected evolution of the Sushi series they released in 2002. 

At that time, they were looking for a way to create padded furniture without using the traditional techniques. As a result, the objects are made out of a combination of various materials, including bits of felt, plastic rugs and foam rubber. 

Acqua Alta by Giorgia Zanellato & Daniele Bortotto

Murano scent diffuser, Acqua Alta

Italian designers Giorgia Zanellato and Daniele Bortotto have drawn inspiration from the sights, smells and textures of Venice's high waters to create a collection of objects including textiles, flooring, diffusers and a table lamp.

Hanger by Cool Enough Studio

Launched at ICFF in New York earlier this month, this clever hanger by Finnish designers Cool Enough Studio can be used to store clothes, shoes or even jewellery.

Christopher’s by De Matos Ryan

Photography by Hufton+Crow

Architectural practice De Matos Ryan has created an dramatic new interior for Christopher's, which is housed in a Grade II-listed building in Covent Garden, London. The restaurant's main dining room is now framed with two-tone panelled grey walls and a silver gilded ceiling cornice.

Il Piatto Forte at Fornasetti: the special dish

Piero Fornasetti’s centenary celebrations continue in June with the exhibition Il Piatto Forte, which runs 13th June - 14th September at Spazio Fornasetti, Milan, and focuses on the Italian luxury brand's famous plates.

Margutta Table & Ripetta Chair by Fendi Casa

Luxury interiors brand Fendi Casa has added two new additions to its 2013 collection: the Margutta Table and the Ripetta Chair. Made from ebonized sycamore, the Margutta Table features steel inserts and a bronze finish, creating a subtle graphic table top reminiscent of the Fendi logo.

Eclipse rugs by Lara Bohinic

Solar rectangle rug by Lara Bohinc

Fashion designer Lara Bohinc has collaborated with contemporary rug company Christopher Farr on a series of four rug designs that extend Bohinc's signature bold lapping loop motif into interiors.

Louis Vuitton Cabinet d'Écriture, Paris

Located in Saint-Germain, Paris, Louis Vuitton's first stationery boutique Cabinet d'Écriture offers a selection of luxury writing instruments, coloured inks and rare paper.

London Design Festival 2013: a preview

Visualisation of The Endless Staircase, designed by DRMM Architects for LDF 2013

Returning for its eleventh year this autumn, the London Design Festival today announced a snapshot of projects to look out for from 14-22 September 2013. These include an optical illusion of a staircase, to be installed outside St Paul's Cathedral, a "living dining table" by Scholten & Baijings, the launch of a new design brand by HAY and Sebastian Wrong, and an innovative cork installation by FAT Architects.

Wooden lights by Channels

Finnieston Wall Lamp by Samuel Chan

British design studio Channels presented a new collection of wooden lamps in Milan. Designed by Samuel Chan, they combine contemporary design with classic wood craft. Each is turned from solid American white oak or American black walnut, creating soft rounded forms.

Venini's 2013 collection

Bauta by Gaetano Pesce for Venini

Luxury Italian glass brand Venini launched its new collection during Milan Design Week 2013, including a series of pendant lamps made from glass and leather, an opal orange-coloured table lamp, and a series of vases based on carnival masks.

Sofa collection by Barber Osgerby for Knoll

Edward Barber & Jay Osgerby have designed a sofa collection as well as a stool and occasional tables for Knoll. The pieces were launched during this year's Milan Design Week and were exhibited in London during Clerkenwell Design Week, which ends today.

Jardins, Jardin's 10th anniversary

Invert d'H20 by Alexandre Perrusson, Nicolas de Brignac and Frédéric Sérano

Ideas such as micro-gardens, green architecture or urban agriculture will be at the centre of this year's edition of Parisian outdoor exhibition Jardins, Jardin. Nature within the city is now a social demand but what place can we make for it? How can we invest facades, roofs and public spaces? These are some of the questions brands and designers will be invited to answer, to invent the green cities of tomorrow.

Festival des Métiers: Hermès craft processes on show

Imprimeur sur soie tools at Hermès Festival des Métiers

Running at London's Saatchi Gallery until Monday, the Festival des Métiers gives the general public to chance to watch master Hermès artisans at work as they make everything from printed silk scarves to luxury watches.

Assemble at Clerkenwell Design Week 2013

Design and architecture collective Assemble have created a landscape of 200 chairs for this year's Clerkenwell Design Week. The low cost chairs were designed, built and assembled by the studio, and are on display in Clerkenwell's St. James Church Garden.

Parlour Lighting at Clerkenwell Design Week 2013

Donna Bates of I Do Cartwheels Design Studio has designed a new series of pendant lamps called Parlour Lighting, which take influence from milk parlours and the cylinders used to collect milk.

Lee Broom for Christian Louboutin

Photography by Marcus Peel

British designer Lee Broom has designed the new Christian Louboutin store at Harrods. Opening this month, the store carries many design references to London landmarks, from an intricate fanned archway reminiscent of Covent Garden Opera House, to London Underground-inspired tiled walls.

Smilow at ICFF 2013

Smilow at ICFF 2013

ICFF wrapped up yesterday, ending a week full of interesting ideas and thoughts. In recent years, the furniture fair has seemed to be country trade exhibit heavy, but this year it showcased plenty of individual makers presenting a broad range of ideas. 

Handcrafted techniques: Live from the National Stationery Show 2013

Gartner at the National Stationery Show 2013

Traditional techniques create unique greetings and stationery designs that feel one of a kind at this year's National Stationery Show in New York. Natural materials like linen and twine are used to lend sincerity to contemporary wedding invitations while intricate laser-cut detailing creates filigree-inspired effects on marriage announcements.

Luxe Corp announces 2013 Club

Luxury strategy & management consulting company Luxe Corp has announced that its 2013 Club e-Luxe International Summit will be held on Wednesday 12th June at Le Meurice Hotel in Paris. Homebuildlife will be covering the event and this year a collection of different experts of luxury business analysts will uncover the web economy and how digital media is influencing and transforming value creation.

Rigadritto, Milan: stationery trends

Stationery store Rigadritto in Milan is a treasure trove of paper goods sourced from around the globe. Illustrations are inspired by children's books, while boxes of pencils and notebooks feature retro typography resembling school exercise books.

Alqo Wasi at Zoomark 2013

One of the stand-out exhibitors at Bologna pet tradefair Zoomark this month was Alqo Wasi, an artisan Peruvian brand that specialises in soft alpaca knitwear for dogs.

New Stable Atmospheres by Stefano Conticelli

Bottega Conticelli

Italian craftsman Stefano Conticelli showcased three new projects for his solo exhibition at the Triennale during Milan Design Week 2013, each one inspired by his love of horseriding.

Great Gatsby ballroom at Oxford Circus

London's bustling Oxford Circus underground station has been clad with Art Deco ceilings, walls and floors to advertise the cinema release of Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby. Installed by CBS Outdoor UK and Applied Media, the 360-degree advertisement mimics the lavish ballrooms that play host to Gatsby's spectacular parties in the film.

Windworks by Merel Karhof

Wind Knitting Factory at the Zaanse Schans by Merel Karhof

Dutch designer Merel Karhof converted three windmills in Zaanse Schans, Northwest Netherlands, into a wind-powered factory able to produce upholstered furniture from scratch.

Spring beds at RHS Garden Wisley

Spring beds are blossoming with every shade of pink at RHS Garden Wisley in Surrey this month. The miniature button-like flowers of the Pomponette Bellis daisies create a carpet of red, pink and white.

Turn Around Juicer by KiBiSi for Muuto

Danish design studio KiBiSi has created a solid wooden juicer for Muuto. Called Turn Around, the simple kitchen tool joins the studio's previous two products for the brand, a cooking set and a pair of wooden salad servers.

KiBiSi say of their design, “The Turn Around juicer tells a story of craftsmanship, materials and processes used for centuries. So why hide your juicer in the drawer when the shape allows it to stand on its own?”

Homebuildlife subscribers can see how students and graduates are returning to a similar lo-fi process here, and read our trend report on kitchen tools here.

Wedgwood rebranding & collection launch

Luxury brand Wedgwood is world-famous for its prestigious ceramics - but this month the company is relaunching itself as a fashion-led, global lifestyle brand.

The Pantone Universe Cup by Room Copenhagen

Room Copenhagen and Holscher Design have partnered with colour authority Pantone to produce a collection of cups. Available in nine different Pantone colours, the cups offer an elegant alternative to a glass.

70/70 table by TAF Architects for Muuto

Muuto has launched a new table by Swedish architects TAF that is set around two cast aluminum frames.

Purple reign at Basel World 2013

Adami & Martucci at Baselworld 2013

Jewel shades of purple at this year's haute horology fair Basel World illustrates how timepiece and jewellery designs are shifting away from monochromic traditions in favour of high-quality coloured gemstones. This regal colour, mixed with gold and diamonds, exudes elegance and luxury.

Homebuildlife subscribers can read our full report from Basel World 2013 here.

Hôtel Droog x Merci: a night to remember

In two weeks, from 4-15 June, Dutch design collective Droog will celebrate its 20th anniversary by taking over the Parisian concept store Merci and providing visitors with a taster of Hôtel Droog. The hotel's hospitality experience reverses the rules: whereas a hotel is usually mostly about sleeping, Hôtel Droog features several stores, a gallery, a dining room, a Fairy Tale garden, a beauty parlour, but only one bedroom, named The One and Only Bedroom.

With the original hotel based in Amsterdam, the event aims to prove that the experience can pop up anywhere and never be the same. A bedroom will be installed right in the middle of the Merci store, and three couples will be offered a chance to spend the night among Droog's famous products, checking in after hours and checking out the next morning before the doors open to the public.

WGSN-homebuildlife subscribers can read our report on pop-up hotels here.

MWV: Live from Luxepack New York 2013

MWV at Luxepack New York 2013

MeadWestvaco (MWV) showcased several of the key packaging trends to emerge from the 2013 Luxepack show, which ends today in New York.

Grey Goose launches Iconoclasts of Taste

Ento insect patés at Grey Goose: Iconoclasts of Taste

At Grey Goose's food futures event this week, guests tried out grasshopper paté, powdered olive and funeral biscuits, as the premium vodka brand launched its inaugural Iconoclasts of Taste program, which supports three leading thinkers in the field of food design and innovation.

Grey Goose's first Iconoclasts of Taste are food scientist Dr Rachel Edwards-Stuart, food experience designer Tasha Marks of Animal Vegetable Mineral, and Ento, a new brand that aims to introduce insect protein to the British food scene.

Bentley Home Collection preview

Charles sofa by Carlo Colombo for Bentley Home

Automotive brand Bentley has partnered with luxury interiors company Club House Italia to develop a range of furniture and homewares. The Bentley Home Collection will be aimed at residential, commercial and executive office interiors.

Emporium Nanak by MACh Architects

Brazilian practice MACh Architects has completed an organic chai-cafe and retail space in Belo Horizonte that is named after Guru Nanak Dev and based on three principles of Sikhism: health, happiness and holiness.

Clothing for computers: ghost screens by Ania Martchenko

Ania Martchenko has designed a series of fabric screens that allow the user to veil their computer screen when they've been looking at it too much.

Called i-o-o-i, the project carries the tagline, "no longer see what you see too much."

Ron Gilad at The Conran Shop

Israeli designer Ron Gilad's super-light geometric tables are now available at The Conran Shop. Called Grado°, the collection was designed for Molteni & C and launched at Milan Design Week 2012.

Superfront: universal customisation

Swedish design brand Superfront is offering the possibility to customise Ikea furniture pieces and turn them into one offs. The brand's handles, legs, tops and sides are adaptable onto most of Ikea's cabinets, wardrobes or kitchen units, enabling consumers to either completely renew or slightly tweak their furniture.

Plotting prints at Tinsmiths by Kate Farley

Visual artist Kate Farley's new collection of textiles for interiors is a celebration of home grown produce fresh from the allotment. Motifs are inspired by allotments and kitchen gardens, documenting growing plants and garden plans as visual rhythms.

Europ Marchini at Proposte 2013

Como-based brand Europ Marchini presented furnishing fabrics in new dimensions at Proposte last week. All over fringing and tassels form an African tribal direction, while two-coloured matelasse jacquards give the effect of finely appliquéd optical patterns.

Everyday Objects by Big-Game

Bank by Big-Game for Praxis

Swiss design studio Big-Game launched a number of new products during Milan Design Week, including desk organisers for Alessi, a rubber money box for Praxis, a coat hook for HAY, and furniture for Karimoku New Standard.

Handcrafted leather leads: Live from Zoomark, Bologna

British pet brand Houndcuffs have created a smart and stylish solution to the common problem of needing to quickly tie a dog to a railing, bench or lamppost. The brand's hand-crafted leather leads are all fitted with a patented tie-off hook beneath the hand-loop, which allows owners to easily secure their dog without getting themselves in a tangle.