Whether handsomely storing record collections or melding classic design with the durability of something suited for an office, the picks below represent furniture that goes beyond simply being furniture—in both substance and style. Fire Table Dutch designers Ward Huting and Gerard de Hoop simulate the physical and social warmth of...

As the holidays get closer and closer, online orders may no longer be an option—not to mention that the best way to support your local workers in our increasingly flagging is to shop local. Luckily there are plenty of options included in the 2008 Cool Hunting Gift Guide that...

New York based t-shirt designer Brendan Donnelly is giving away two shirts from his collection to lucky CH readers. Donnelly started designing T-Shirts after dropping out of art school, seeing it as the easiest way to show and promote his art work. His most recent collections No Cats Allowed...

We were recently reminded of Graham & Brown, purveyors of fine wallcoverings, when the Times mentioned their new line designed by Barbara Hulanicki, of Biba fame. The pattern shown here Viva ($60 for a double roll) draws from Hulanicki's Art Nouveau influences. Graham & Brown also carries a variety...

Just in time for the new year Cool Hunting is giving away six of the ingenious Bubble Calendars designed by our friend Stephen Turbek. Prepare to add a satisfying pop to every one of your days in 2009. The calendars are available in Japanese, German and English and we...

We've been fans of Brooklyn-based conceptual fashion designer Rebecca Turbow for years. Known for her space-age, mod-influenced designs and her signature look (she dressed in a palette of exclusively turquoise and white for over six years), Turbow recently transitioned into a new colorway of sleek grey and silver. Her...

With its intricate laser-cut pattern, the Lowercase Scarf is a stylish way to express a love of typography. Made from 100% microfiber suede by Hong Kong-based design firm Little Factory, the scarves are available in both black and off-white. The lowercase scarf features neat rows of random letters with...

Unless you're into the "dad in drag" look, we recommend the Rubicon Rucksack, the most masculine diaper bag we've come across. A rugged buffalo leather bag, it comes with two interchangeable linings that transform it from diaper bag (complete with bottle pockets) to padded laptop bag. The over-the-shoulder rucksack...

By Michael Talbott Every self-respecting cinephile has most certainly seen the haunting 1962 "La Jetée," Chris Marker's new-wave meets sci-fi classic of post-apocalyptic Paris time travel, but few outside film students and obsessive arthouse attendees have had opportunity to catch any of his roughly 40 documentaries. Self-described as the...

"Spaced Out: Radical Environments of the Psychedelic Sixties" explores the crash pads, hippie communes, infinity machines and other far-out dwellings of the time period. Author Alastair Gordon, whose other works have dealt primarily with the clean modernism of airports and mid-century Hamptons homes, turned his attention to the design,...

Inspired by the iconic government-issue spectacles worn by Pulp front man Jarvis Cocker, the Jarvs Specs Necklace is both an on-trend accessory and a fitting tribute to the Brit-pop star. London-based jewelry designers Tatty Devine created the Jarvs Specs necklace as one of a series of eyeglass-themed baubles including...

MoMA Design Store recently launched Destination Japan, an exclusive product collection of housewares, accessories and design objects usually available only Japan. Available for a limited time, it features a range of items—from those created by well-known Japanese designers to pop accessories and well-designed everyday items. The mascot for the...

"Love=Love," the amazing series of puzzle collages by Kent Rogowski we featured in January will be exhibited at the Jen Bekman gallery in New York City from 7 May to 14 June 2008. The show will display a selection of the original collages as well as six large scale...

Found My Animal is a line of handmade "accessories for adopted animals and their people" with a mission to raise public awareness about the urgent need for animal adoption. Proceeds from the sale of each leash go to the Louis Animal Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing services...

Greenpoint-based jewelry designers Fetty of Brooklyn recently released a new collection inscribing multivalent words written in Braille with diamonds or Austrian crystals. Interior lettering reminds the wearer of the message Available at Barneys stores nationwide, the high-end collection Fetty Signature includes rings, necklaces, earrings ID bracelets and bangles set...

Recently opened on Manhattan's Lower East Side, the Mastihashop is the Greek company's first U.S. boutique. The shop specializes in all manner of products made with Mastiha, an all natural antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial resin which can only be harvested from the sap of evergreen bushes found exclusively in...

Combining creative writing, photography, fashion and art Dossier, an independent arts and culture journal based in Brooklyn, is set to launch 15 May 2008. Founded by childhood friends and collaborators Editorial Director Katherine Krause and photographer Skye Parrott (who acts as a Creative Director), Dossier is their effort to...

The Banana Splits Beanie from London design team You Must Create is a 100% cotton hat with two eyeholes in the brim to perfectly execute your springtime Dumb Donald look. The hat is available in both camel and a darker mushroom color for £35. Update: Thanks to Brian, a...

Australian designer Craig Arnold combined his passion for cameras and recycling to create Re:vision, a line of bracelets made by reshaping and polishing discarded cameras parts. The stylish hand-finished cuffs are available in eight models with themed names, like the Aperture cuff, Focal length cuff, Wide Focus cuff and...

Incredibly rich and delicious, Fine and Raw Fine and Raw are made using artisan low heat techniques to preserve raw vitality. Made from sustainably-produced shade grown raw cacao harvested from the Ecuadorian rainforest, the chocolates contain no sugar, dairy or additives and have a creamy soft consistency on par...

Artist Jason Polan's work involves a playful examination of the nature of the artist/collector relationship. His skillful drawings are often packaged in a way that involves a thoughtful interaction with the buyer . Hand Project, for example, offers three takes on the artist's hand. He created 200 unique photocopies...

Since Pattern Body Washes appeared in my bathroom, each shower is a new aromatic experience. The all-natural body washes are made from the finest essential oils and plant extracts without parabens, artificial colors or dyes and are available in four scents, Cucumber, Citrus, Eucalyptus and (my favorite) Black Pepper....

A blog documenting the mundanely beautiful side of retail history since its launch in 2006, Labelscar takes its name from the mark left when a business closes and removes their sign exposing the virgin facade below, the equivalent of an architectural watch tan. Organized by state and with images...

Alexandra Cassaniti's collection of silk-screened bags are just the thing to ease the transition into spring and raise your spirits during the rainy season. Even if there's no trip to the beach in the near future, carrying the constantly increasing load of everyday essentials for urban living around in...

Invented in Germany in the 1920s these toy Plug-In Figures building kits hinge (literally) on the flexible "jummi" rubber connectors patented by Georg Kellner. A former airplane builder, who started a successful model plane company, Kellner created simple kits with interchangeable parts that could be combined to make posable...

A look at the creative energy in modern China, China Design Now chronicles the recent cultural rebirth brought on by a combination of global influences and the rediscovery of China's pre-Socialist traditions. Opening 15 March 2008 at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, the exhibit explores three cities...

Nat Russell's "Always Late In 2008 But Just In Time For 2009" is the perfect solution for those of us who still haven't gotten around to getting a 2008 calendar. The calendar begins on 16 March 2008 and ends on 15 March of 2009, making you right on time...

Created by Japanese art director and copywriter Masashi Kawamura, this Rainbow In Your Hand flip book is a mesmerizing little toy. The 36-page book has an image of the color spectrum against a black background on each page, creating the illusion of an arced rainbow hovering above the pages...

What better way to express woe over loss of the mix tape art form that with a 100% silk handmade tie? Playing on prepster versions with whales or turtles, the Cassette Tie from Los Angeles-based label House of Cassette makes for perennial mourning. The skinny black tie features a...

Each a unique piece of wearable art, designer (and CH contributor) Phuong-Cac Nguyen makes SISU key fobs from vintage trinkets combined with new metalware. She creates the one-of-a-kind baubles in her adopted home, São Paulo, Brazil, from trinkets scavenged from flea markets during her travels. Mixing ornate gewgaws, playful...

Chicago-based graphic gesigner and iIllustrator Frank Chimero's ongoing series of illustrations that playfully examine the shapes of the American states is a fun experiment in reimagining invented shapes. Inspired by a remark about how California looks like a snuffed out cigarette, Chimero decided to create illustrations assigning inanimate objects...

To celebrate their centennial UPS collaborated with French designer Karine Arabian to create Youps, a bag symbolizing "Woman UPS." Designed to hold gadgets as well as other necessities, the bag features two large outside pockets, a dual-compartment laptop pocket, a pocket for an MP3 player, a phone, a passport...

Just in time for Valentine's Day, Cool Hunting favorites Rise and Fall created a romantic heart-shaped pillow that wouldn't be complete without their hint of macabre. The Brooklyn-based design collective designed this black and white floral print with skulls cleverly hidden into the pattern (click on image for detailed...

DKNY Active Shoes and Semi Precious Weapons frontman/Fetty of Brooklyn jewelry designer Justin Tranter have joined forces to create a limited-edition sneaker. Evoking garage glam spirit of the band and Fetty, the shoes have an upper made of Ballistic Nylon, originally intended for military use and elastic laces with...

A recently-launched brand of high-fashion, vegan footwear based in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, Cri de Coeur was founded by longtime vegan and Parson School of Design graduate Gina Ferraraccio. Borrowing a name from a French expression which means "to cry from the heart," the (mostly) made-in-Portugal line is Ferraraccio's response to...

"Squares, Checks and Grids," the newest title in the Communicating with Pattern series from Rotovision, is an homage to the most linear of shapes. Serving as a sourcebook for designers, the book features 850 inspirational images of squares, checks and grids in a variety of contexts. Dozens of examples...

Futurecraft Studio is the home of apparel and accessories combining traditional craftsmanship and technological advances in weaving from some of the creative forces behind SVSV. A family business, Futurecraft was founded by Jenna Rivers, a Fashion Institute of Technology grad who specializes in the convergence between fine tailoring, traditional...

If Earth Pledge's latest FutureFashion event, a gala production that helped kick off NY's fall shows last week, is any indication, the fashion world seems to finally be keeping pace with the eco-minded cause. Sponsored by Lexus, this year 28 of the biggest names in fashion worked with Earth...

For their premiere show, the new Bongoût Gallery in Berlin presents a show of '80s movie posters from Ghana opening tonight, Wednesday, 6 February 2008. Painted in oil on potato sacks, the paintings feature fantastic renderings of popular films which were shown in public screenings in homes, schools, social...

Brevity's Rainbow, a group show opening this Friday, 8 February, at Cinders Gallery in Brooklyn is an attempt to return a sense of intimacy to the spectacle of the art show. Curated by Maxwell Williams of Tokion, the show features over 70 artists interpreting "Lilliputian and the temporal, the...

With nostalgic grade-school appeal, this cheeky Pencil Scarf from U.K.-based label Lazy Oaf is both in step with persistent surrealist trends in more haute fashion circles (like Marc Jacob's infamous deconstructed shoes last season) and with decidedly more lowbrow circles, like the Bacon Scarf. Sure to elicit smiles on...

A great solution to the age-old problem of where to put the tea bag or strainer after steeping tea, the Drop Stop Tea Strainer is the a clever all-in-one solution. Though there's a certain charm to vintage "I will hold the tea bag" dishes the Drop Stop is an...

The newest collection from CH favorites Star Electric Eighty Eight (SEEE), called "I Love Magic Shows and Other Ways To Fight Evil" features designs inspired by the concept of self-made magic and revolutionary spirit. Harlem-based designer Jennifer Garcia researched the occult elements from a variety of sources including European...

Kent Rogowski's Love=Love series combines pieces from over 40 store-bought puzzles to create dramatically surreal collages of skies and flowers. Apparently, though puzzle pieces typically only fit into one unique spot, thanks to cost-cutting manufacturers, they can be interchanged with other puzzles of the same brand. Click image for...

The second season of The Countdown, Refinery29's video series featuring profiles on important names in fashion, premiered yesterday 22 January 2008 in collaboration with MySpace Fashion. The series visits five influential independent designers in their studios as they prepare for New York Fashion Week 2008. The first episode's subject is...

A craft book for children of the "craft revolution," "Making Stuff Kids" from Black Dog Publishing celebrates crafting as a great way to improve skills such as imagination, dexterity and problem-solving, as well as the increased opportunity for family time that arises when children and parents step away from...

Inspired by the San Francisco lifestyle, FluffyCo is an apparel and home decor line featuring original designs printed on high-quality, California-made clothing with environmentally friendly water-based inks. In addition to t-shirts, hoodies and skirts, FluffyCo also features a line of accessories made from Naugahyde and lined with felt, including...

Made from a real clover painted with copper and then dipped in 24 karat gold, the Four-Leaf Clover Necklace by Little Yellow Girl is the latest item of jewelry we've found that elevates something common to finery. I love the idea of wearing actual plant-life encased in gold around...

Velvet Idole is a Parisian line of digital accessories specializing in hand-crafted cases your laptop, iPod or PSP. Made from fine calf leather with foam padding and a cotton interior lining, the cases are both high-quality and functional. The laptop model closes snugly with a zipper surrounding the case...

With precious few shopping days left before Christmas, holiday panic is almost palpable. We've highlighted several selections from our 2007 Gift Guide that are still available for delivery by 24 December 2007. Giftable For those with an insatiable curiosity, plug the EyeClops Bionic Eye into your TV to see...