Image: Sara Mellone

Constructed from  extremely thin sheets of folded aluminium, the simple shape of this furniture set from Sara Mellone is strong and uncluttered.  Consisting of a bench and a stool, the pieces do not require any connections and there are no off-cuts.

In keeping with the three-legged furniture theme, is Trialog, a wooden chair designed by Philipp von Hase to be sat on backwards as the chair's backrest also serves as an armrest.  The designer is of the opinion that sitting in this manner gives a more upright and proactive posture and can improve body language.  In addition to the reverse sitting, a person can also choose to sit sideways or conventionally.

Image: Fitbit

The makers of the Fitbit Flex have updated their popular model.  The company's newest wearable activity tracker is called the Fitbit Force and while it has most of the features of the earlier model, it also adds a couple of key features like an improved blue OLED screen, an altimeter, a clock and a stopwatch.  Fitbit have also added the ability to sync the unit with your phone automatically via Bluetooth.  Good things all round.

I'm really into clutch bags at the moment (as impractical as they sometimes turn out to be), so these ‘wearable wood’ clutches by Tel Aviv-based textile design and development duo Tesler + Medelovitch really caught my eye.

Inspired by the properties and appearance of wood (being simultaneously delicate and flexible and strong and durable), the designers researched the potential of integrating these opposing elements to form a new product.  The result is this line of architectural wood skin purses constructed completely from wood.  The clutches are hand-made with a magnetic clasp and a soft underbelly for a comfortable grip.  All of the wood used is hand-selected, individually and meticulously crafted to a high quality standard.

Design studio Junction Fifteen have created the Olly Stool, an updated take on the traditional tripod stool with three tubular legs supporting a European Oak or American Walnut top. Three holes have been drilled into the seat of the stool for easy lifting and positioning.

We love the space-saving packaging of this line of infant soaps and shampoos designed by Hungarian  firm Fontos.  Called 4 Your Baby, the bottles which feature simple, uncluttered fonts and a minimalist aesthetic, make it easier to keep everything neat and tidy. The brightly coloured bottles are designed to interlock with the top of one bottle fitting snugly into the recess in another bottle like LEGOs.

These pretty layered lights that look a like dividing cells have been designed by Lucie Koldova for manufacturer Brokis.  Called Capsula, each pendant light is made up of of two oval capsules: an outer shell of clear glass and an internal capsule of coloured glass which when they overlap, merge into a single form.  The structure is fixed together by a tubular light source connected with small wooden side bases.

We really like this playful collection by Minju Kim for H&M which went on sale in select H&M stores around the globe and via Opening Ceremony in the US on October 17.   The voluminous pieces in bright, cartoonish colours represent Kim's winning H&M Design Award collection.  Entitled My Dear Friend, the clothes were inspired by the Royal Academy of Fine Arts graduate's observation of the people around her.

We were pleased to be asked to take the photos to accompany this article in The Royal Gazette about Gregory Nelmes, his interior design business and home furnishings store.  Only a few of our images were used, so we thought we'd feature more of what's currently in store here.  We're also looking forward to featuring his new hush-hush project in the near future, so keep an eye on this space.

Similar to the previous post, is this line of modular office furniture designed by Björn Meier and Till Grosch for manufacturer Ophelis who feel that the move towards a decentralised office space has created a demand for furniture like this: an integrated system which is extremely flexible and can be configured and re-configured in various ways but still allows interactivity as well as a degree of privacy.  following this mandate, the designers have created a system that makes it possible to connect people and areas and to make use of these connections in a variety of ways.

The challenge was to design a piece of furniture that can create a transitional zone while staying true to the design mandate.  A bench-like structure was used as the base into which other items such as lamps and side tables can be integrated.  The furniture populates the area between the workstations creating the concept of "islands" within an office.

Personal space in seating seems to be the trend at the moment.  Reminiscent of the high-backed Float sofa Karim Rashid designed for Sancal which we wrote about here, is the seating Helsinki-based designer Mikko Laakkonen has created for manufacturer Inno.  Called the Aura lounge chair and sofa, the back of the chair is slightly lower than its sides and allows the person sitting in it a better view of his surroundings while cocooning him in comfort. 

Designer Matteo Ugolini has created Cell, a collection of lamps for manufacturer Karman.  With its sparse, cage-like exterior, the lights are reminiscent of the lanterns which lit up the night sky over China thousands of years ago. 

I am a little embarrassed to admit how excited I became when I saw the Halloween collection from H&M.  Featuring beautifully designed interpretations of traditional costumes, it features the most gorgeous ghostly lace dress embellished with gold skeletons, a Marie-Antonette style princess dress complete with platinum wig topped by a ship at full mast and fantastically detailed pirate boots and hats - all at reasonable prices.  And the best part of it all: proceeds from the sale of the costumes go to UNICEF to help support the All for Children project.

Designer Pawel Grobelny presented these tables called Sur Le Fil during Paris Design Week.  Based on simple geometric forms, the tables consist of a steel structure topped with a solid wood top made of walnut.  Three grooves have been machined into the underside of the top which allows it to be inserted into the steel base, allowing it to be repositioned easily and thereby adding to the versatility of the piece.

Dame Vivienne Westwood has teamed up with English accessories brand Cambridge Satchel Company to design and produce an exclusive range of limited-edition satchels inspired by Westwood's infamous AW 1981 Pirate collection.  The bags are produced in soft, printed leather and are available in three colours: yellow, white and brown exclusively from Vivienne Westwood boutiques and Cambridge Satchel Company stores.

Architect David Adjaye has designed his first collection of furniture for Knoll to commemorate the company's 75th anniversary.  Called the Washington Collection, it transforms Adjaye's architectural and sculptural vision into accessible objects for the home and office.  

The side chairs called the Washington Skeleton and the Washington Skin, are suitable for indoor and outdoor use.  Following the same basic shape, the Washington Skin is a colourful solid, while its counterpoint the Washington Skeleton exposes the structure of the chair by reducing it to a fine geometric lattice.  The Skin is made from injection-molded, glass-reinforced nylon.  The shell and legs are cast in three parts and are connected using mortise and tenon joinery and stainless steel fasteners.  The unique prop-leg design is reinforced internally with a cast aluminium brace that is over-molded with nylon.  The Skeleton is made from aluminium with outdoor powder coat paint or copper plating which will patina over time.  The seat and legs are constructed of die-cast aluminium.

The Washington Collection which also includes a club chair, an ottoman, a side table and a coffee table, along with Adjaye's architectural projects, is currently on display at Knoll's New York home design shop until the end of October.

Mister Zimi mixes modern Australian design with Balinese influences and textiles from around the world.   Their collections feature bright and bold patterns and relaxed, easy shapes.

Reminiscent of a cairn, the Pebble side table from Portugal-based furniture brand Ginger & Jagger is a beautiful blend of Brazilian and chestnut woods and hammered brass, copper or nickel.

Born from necessity in a studio on England's Cornish coast, is this line of wetsuits by neon.  Designed with simplicity and function in mind, the wetsuits can be custom-designed and made to order via their website. 

Uno is an adorable side table-cum-bookshelf created by Field & Rage, a Russian studio.  With its streamlined, Scandinavian-inspired design, the height and size of the table make it suitable for use in a bed- or living-room.  The table is handcrafted in natural oak wood.

This spin on the rubber flip flop is based on over 5,000 years of Indian tradition inspired by the ancient wooden methiyedi sandal worn by the likes of Mahatma Gandhi.  Gurus are functional and stylish and have been designed to retain the uniqueness and history of the original sandal. Made from sustainably sourced rubber trees, the natural latex is hand-harvested in a process that can continue for decades without harming the tree.  Using natural instead of synthetic rubber in this manner makes Gurus more eco-friendly than other rubber sandals and  a tree is planted for every pair of sandals sold.

Canadian retailer Aldo has collaborated with recent i*a favourite Ostwald Helgason on this line of shoes and bags which debuted during last month's New York Fashion Week.

Matteo Ugolini has designed a collection of ceramic pendant lamps for lighting manufacturer KARMAN.   The Sahara lamp comes in a choice of two finishes: glossy white and deep emerald green.

Image: Olivia Fern

Hand-forged brass cuff and ring from photographer and designer Olivia Fern's Aya Impression line of jewellery. 

Located in one of the most stunning retail locations on the island (and with the most adorable sales staff on four legs) is Davidrose, one of the more traditional jewellers featured this week.  Husband and wife team David and Rose met in Toronto and opened their retail space in the historic town of St Georges late last year.  Basing their work on the philospophy behind the metaphysical energetic properties of precious metals and gemstones, each unique, handcrafted piece is intended to be therapeutically beneficial to the wearer.  Davidrose specialises in engagement and bridal jewellery and commissioned pieces.

Clean, modern lines are the hallmark of Janice Derrick's jewellery.  Born in Trinidad, Derrick migrated to England at the age of sixteen, subsequently graduating with BA(hons) in Silversmithing, Jewellery and Allied Crafts from the prestigious Sir John Cass faculty at London Guildhall University.  Derrick has now returned to Trinidad to continue developing her jewellery and while she cites architecture as a major factor in her inspiration, a fact which is corroborated by the simple, clean lines and graphic imagery found in her pieces, many forms from nature are also evident particularly in the pieces she has designed since her return to the Caribbean.

All of the pieces are designed and handmade in her studio from different colours and carats of gold, sterling and oxidised silver and often several combinations of these metals can be found within the same design.  Derrick has exhibited her work in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, the United States, Trinidad and Japan and her jewellery has been featured in several major publications including British Vogue.

Trinidadian jewellery designer Crystal Antoine has created Cocoa Vintage, a jewellery line with island-inspired motifs including steel-pan, coral and cocoa.   The cocoa pod necklaces featured after the jump  have cords which are wrapped in dyed silk with brass and gold plated elements.  All pieces are handmade in Trinidad and Tobago.  

Alexandra Mosher's Bermudian Vurds collection plays the ultimate inside joke by cleverly turning local colloquialisms and symbols into jewellery.