Cool Hunting

The Architect's Bird Feeder
Designed by architect Doug Patt (he's also one half of bi-coastal firm Rootphi), the Architect's Birdfeeder is made of eight interlocking polycarbonate (think bulletproof glass) pieces. Like Rootphi's Flat Pack housing, the structural elements ship flat and require no tools or fasteners for assembly. The upshot is product that's fun to put together, easy to refill and clean and eco-friendly. It also looks like a...

Nature Wallpaper
Swedish designer Camilla Diedrich aims to add uniquely natural elements into her mass-produced products. Her goal for Nature Wallpaper was to inject an intrinsic luminance using a single color. Or as she succinctly explains, "I have been searching for light without light." Her efforts resulted in repeating patterns of vaguely organic forms, which are cast in vibrant hues and resemble some sort of luminous...

Alessi Spring/Summer 2008
Alessi's upcoming Spring/Summer 2008 product line builds on their reputation for smartly-designed kitchenware. This season, the Italian company employed the talents of a handful of celebrated designers to create some interesting twists on standard fare. One example is the sleekly egg-shaped “Pop-Up” bottle cap opener, which is work of Milanese designer Giovanni Alessi Anghini. The pressure-operated mechanism removes the bottle cap in one downward...

Skate Study House
Paris-born skateboarder-turned-entrepreneur Pierre-André Senizergues, whose company developed skate shoes like Etnies, teamed up with interior designer Gil Le Bon de LaPointe, a fellow skater, to create the Skate Study House, an exhibit that pays homage to both the skateboard and modern design. A play on Los Angeles' famed Case Study Houses project that tasked architects and designers with building and furnishing model homes, SSH...

Dog Food Scoop 'n Lid
by Passa Chattra Bamboo pet company developed the dog food "Scoop 'n Lid" with its all-in-one design that both seals cans of food and helps serve the food. This handy device keeps open cans of dog food sealed in the refrigerator, along with a built in spatula to scoop wet food out of the can. Not having to use household spoons in the dog...

Thirst Wine Merchants
Specializing in hard-to-find wines from small vintners out of California, Germany, Italy and mainly France, Thirst Wine Merchants is a carefully curated wine shop. Located in the historic Fort Greene neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY, they also carry a small collection of elusive whiskeys, bitters and other hard liquors. With a welcoming environment, there's none of the attitude, snobbery or intimidation at Thirst that unfortunately...