BDDW: Now Plugged By The Cool, Famous

A ways back we mentioned one of our favorite new brands - BDDW - and highlighted their gorgeous handcarved tables and captain's mirrors.

As if they weren't ascending all the ladders easily enough on their own, REM's Michael Stipe and photographer Thomas Dozol gave them some handwritten applause as part of a photo shoot in their home.

Who needs an advertising budget at all when you get genuine, handwritten press from Michael Stipe and partner?

... And Speaking of Geniuses

When The Onion covers one of the greatest open secret retail marketing disasters still in operation, we have to post a link: Difficult To Tell If T.J. Maxx Hit Hard By Recession

"The Giant Pool of Money"

It's been forever, hasn't it? We took a posting break to let the major networks bombard you with CDO, derivative, and general housing disaster coverage, and after the fifth person asked us if we'd listened to Ira Glass' recent show on the debacle, thought we should post a link.

Share the despair through a few well-done vignettes here: http://www.thislife.org/Radio_Episode.aspx?episode=355

Avenue

p.s. We're speaking at a few conferences this Fall. Stay tuned for more info.

Cesar Rubio Photography

A broker friend just asked us who we like (locally) for architectural photography, and we agreed it's Cesar Rubio. If we only had one shot, and needed it to grab more than 50% of passers-by, we'd spend the bulk of the budget letting Cesar get it right. He's done the sexier jobs, from SOM SF to Dwell, but he's not so commercial to avoid shooting a Tiburon interior now and again. Portfolio: here. (And no, we've not employed him, but will.)

160 San Marcos Avenue

We absolutely love Craig Steely's work. He's always at least 5 years ahead of trends (glass tile in year 2000, anyone?), and can do modern with a warmth that few other local architects can muster. So we find ourselves wishing we could build his 3,700 SF single-family home design for 160 San Marcos Ave, which recently made its appearance on MLS; the lot and plans are yours for 850,000 underwritten land-loan smackers.

But Craig's site announces construction in 2005, and we're closing in on 2008. Community issues at design review? Indecisive seller? We hope it's not the former, for architecture's sake, but aren't betting on the latter...

Ahhh... Nostalgia Marketing

When the market gets tough, we love some nostalgia campaigns. Un-real-estate related, but relevant in theory, 45 Ipod Cases has a really cool new product: tape cases perfectly crafted for your Nano. And they're $45. Duh.

Our favorite Friday marketing and design find:
http://www.45ipodcases.com/nano/case27.php

Brass. It's the New Chrome.

(Guest Blogger -- Woo Woo!)

I, Guest Blogger, recently noticed a trend, and then heard Realtor whispers that were perhaps an initial validation of our observations. I wonder if modernist design is starting to go the way of modernist art. In the '70's, the hearty flamboyance and self-confidence of neo-expressionist art came as a very logical response to the mechanical precision and restraint of modernism. I think we're starting to see a similar transition now in the the world of design. Just in time too because when builders start opting for electric ranges because of their "sleek clean look", it makes us think consumers have pushed new-moderism just a tad too far. Don't get me wrong, I heart good, authentic modern design just as much as the next design-oriented individual but I also find a sense of comfort in the unabashed unpredictability of color and form that we see in places like Ian Schrager's reawakening: http://www.gramercyparkhotel.com/gramercy_park_hotel.html?gclid=CL_s-4Cr4YwCFRG3hgodlVsNzQ

Perhaps the abundance of muted colors everwhere has made us feel like we've cut off the circulation to our senses... this new look has the blood running back in again.