Cristian Reyes Creative Studio

Light ash, dark felt and polished steel come together in the young designer's modular furniture collection shown at Feria Habitat Valencia 2012

At this year’s Feria Habitat Valenica, Cristian Reyes Creative Studio presented a comprehensive range of household furnitures unified by light wood, dark felt, soft finishes and, of course, modularity. The uniquely calming combination of materials—along with clever design tweaks—encourages a sense of exploration in the user. The seemingly simple Alma lamp, for example, can actually be broken down into a desk lamp and coat rack. …

Chris Platt

Metamorphic rock and steel jewelry explores possibilities beyond precious

by Janine Stankus Chris Platt ‘s work is “edgy” in the most literal sense, pushing the boundary between jewelry and sculpture. With a collection of jagged, industrial pieces forged from metal and stone, Platt is trying to introduce new energy into the jewelry market. Platt’s conceptual accessories call to mind the chaos of collapsed structures or thorny brambles, a quality that emphasizes the organic, structural …

Union Sozialer Brushes

Cheeky, artisan-made grooming tools from Berlin's Institute for the Blind

The Institute for the Blind in Berlin workshop produces a line of grooming brushes demonstrative of both their rich heritage and sense of humor, using the same materials and techniques passed down for the last 120 years. Housed in the former Home for the Blind in Berlin, the factory was revamped in 1998 when German designers Vogt and Weizenegger took an interest in the workshop …