Table-less Dining Done Right

The picnic season is fast approaching and dining outdoors is getting a little bit easier thanks to designer Wolf Udo Wagner. Urbana, his light-weight dining set for urban eating al-fresco, is a wonderful alternative to wasteful paper plates or toting around your good china.

Each plate comes with a multi-use utensil which functions not only as fork, knife, and spoon, but also as an integrated handle which turns the plate into a tray. The plates can be turned facing one another and locked with a screw, holding the accompanying cups and utensils inside.

Urbana products are for sale at Simplicitas.com, a Swedish design site; however, when I clicked the “buy” button, I got an “under construction” error. It sounds as though the product will be officially available starting this May.

Via the David Report.

Stark Warehouse Sale

From the Dallas Shops Blog:

Tomorrow at 10 a.m. for the first time ever, Stark Carpet opens its 900,000 square foot warehouse to the public. Shoppers will save up to 75 percent on the style-savvy carpets, rugs, fabric, home furnishings and more inside.

Don't wait; the sale shuts down April 1st. Visit at 4240 Alpha Road. For more info including times, visit www.starksale.com or call 214-742-8252.

--Brittany Edwards

More Creative Recycling

These are repurposed barrels from the Stanker Collection by Motxo Design. They were designed by Francois Royer as a reaction to the culture of relentless consumption. All pieces are handcrafted and range in price from $400-$650.

I love the table second from the left. Those traditional legs look great in blue.

Via Alternative Consumer.

Boontje Oval Table

A tempered glass table by Tord Boontje for MoreSo.

The black top is etched with his intricate designs, the base is made of powder-coated steel.

$5557 at Highbrow Furniture.

Via Apropos Pig.

From Weapons and Airplanes to Furniture

Two interesting design finds:

Furniture and sculpture made from weapons by the Peace Art Project Cambodia.

Via Freshome.

Furniture, accessories, and sculpture made from retired aircraft by Moto Art.

Pre-Made Concrete Sinks

I like the idea of casting my own concrete sink, except for the part where I have to do it myself. Luckily, Crib Candy found two sites that will create and install a concrete sink for you.

Mark Concrete

Absolute Concrete

Nice Patio Set at Wal-Mart

Something I like at Wal-Mart? I was a little confused too. Not that there's anything wrong with it, but the mega-chain and I don't usually agree on the finer points of furniture design. That said, I'm very impressed with the patio furniture on the Wal-Mart site this season. It's nothing ground-breaking, but they've got simple, classic designs at a great price.

I'd have to see them in person to be sure about quality, but at a fraction of the cost of typical outdoor wood furnishings, I might be tempted to take a chance.

I've been online searching for inexpensive patio furniture because here in Dallas, Spring has officially sprung. I posted a few pieces I found yesterday over at Shak in Style.

If you're still shielding yourself from a single-digit wind-chill, don't be jealous. It'll be hot enough in DFW to fry an egg on the sidewalk in about 2 months. (Picture left, Delahey 6-piece wood dining set, $268)

Delahey 4-piece wood chat set, $298

Delahey 6-piece sectional, $498

Davinci 4-piece cushioned wicker chat set, $798

Art of Darkness: Jimmie Martin Furniture

Jimmie Martin has been creating one-of-a-kind furniture with a decadent, urban appeal for Londoners since 2004. The line of punky and playful hand-finished furnishings is finally making its way to the U.S. at the design showroom of Kara Mann, set to open this week in Chicago.

While the company's work is very pricey (thousands of dollars per piece), their site is worth a look just for the sake of inspiration. Most of their furniture features traditional lines paired with very non-traditional finishes. It's something to think about if you have heirloom furniture that you love but that doesn't fit with your style. If you are brave and not a little cavalier, a black painted finished or a screen-printed upholstery fabric can take the formality out of a stodgy, antique silhouette.

Of course, if there's any question about value, you might want to have piece appraised first. I'm fairly sure that this is the sort of thing The Antiques Roadshow's nightmares are made of.