Inspiration – Process – Design we love
We are excited to announce the opening of our Studio+Store! Starting this week, we’ll be open every Friday from 12-6pm. We’re also excited for our Preview Party this Thurdsay, March 1st, 6-8pm! Food by Marianne Sundquist and drinks by Longman & Eagle. If you are a Chicago follower and would like to come, please rsvp to info@unisonhome.com. We’ll be offering 15% off in-store purchases for the month of March. Please come by!
Photo Credit: Brian Guido + Julia Stotz
No, not Punk’d, but Punkt. as in Dot (auf Deutsch). A new venture by one of my all-time favorite designers, Jasper Morrison. It’s a Swiss-based consumer goods company, started by a “group of eclectic and international professionals with a passion for design and simplicity” with the amazing Mr. Morrison as art director.
I love their vision: “To make life simpler” by making products that are “built to do a job, and do that job well”. It’s not a lot to ask, but when you think about, yes, some of our consumer goods today make our lives more complex with so many functions that what once seemed simple suddenly got complicated (ahem, iPhone). Their first product, the Punkt. phone vows to change all that – with a design pedestal to stand on as well. 
Punkt. also produces a beautiful clock in the same white, red and black as the phone that I’m also very keen on. Especially the version that benefits Japan (shown below). It does not surprise me considering Mr. Morrison is indeed very close to Japan and it’s culture, evident in his own work and collaboration with Naoto Fukusawa for Super Normal.
Judging by their phone and clock, I cannot wait to see what’s next from Punkt.
I am head over heals for Serbian furniture designer, Ana Kraš. Her work is young but embodies an old soul that one would expect to find in an old country like Serbia. Her presentation is beautiful and relaxed – self-shot photographs of her side tables, lamps, and clothing racks within busy but breathable, well-lived in spaces. Here are some of her recent creations:
The noodle side table is made with a steel wire frame and a loose circular top that can be used as a tray. Turn the base upside down to get a different look!
Bonbon lamps are made with colorful strings knitted by hand over a metal wire frame. They can sit or hang.
The Hive Lamp uses the Bonbon shade, which hangs on an oak frame. The height can be easily adjusted by pulling the cord through the base. It can also easily break down into just a few pieces.
In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, we wanted to share some photos from our friend and photographer, Francois Robert. His 2008 series called Stop the Violence, includes 18 still lives made with real pieces of bone intricately arranged into poignant symbols of death, war, violence, and corruption. Here are just a few we find especially powerful as we remember Martin Luther King’s nonviolent activism for equal rights and racial equality.
It may be obvious that we are huge fans of Scandinavian design at Unison, but who can blame us? Swedish designer, Pia Wallén, is someone we find very inspirational. For the last 20+ years, Pia Wallén has been designing felt accessories that embody timeless traits of simplicity, functionality, and longevity. Her famous wool slippers for children and adults are absolutely charming. They come in a beautiful selection of saturated primaries with beaded rubber soles. We love them, because, while honoring the tradition of Scandinavian craft, they appeal to the modern person, by using bright colors and quality wool.
Here is my little one, Inez, wearing felt red baby booties. They offer solid support and traction for her newest hobby, walking!
November 13, 1906 – December 30, 2011
Eva Zeisel, one of the greatest industrial designers and design teachers, died just before the new year. Her persistent philosophy on following natural forms and human relationships never failed her through a prolific career designing successful products, from ceramics to tableware to furniture. She also practiced and spread the word that designing product is not just about production techniques or social need, it was about the search for beauty and enjoying the design process – which is something we all can appreciate.
Robert and I had the chance to meet Mrs. Zeisel after she spoke at the Modernism Show in Chicago a few years back. We were in awe of her vitality and her interest in making things and exploring design. Talking with her we were amazed at her humility and candidness. When posing for a photograph together, she insisted that a white shopping bag be moved out of the picture. She was obviously always thinking ahead – an aesthetic person in every way! We will miss her presence as a testament to hard work, sharing of knowledge, and the endless search for beauty.
Photograph by Talisman Brolin
There are so many creatives in Chicago that we love, one of whom is Alex Fuller of The Post Family. A talented graphic designer and artist who designed these beautiful Geometry Prints for our new Kids collection. Teaming up with Spudnik Press, Alex and team printed 100 of each color way.
They come signed and ready to hang in white or wooden frames for $125, buy them here. Thanks Alex!
We were honored when Chef Marianne Sundquist chose our table linens for her seasonal starlight field & vine dinner series at In Fine Spirits this summer. The moment we laid eyes on her gorgeous food creations atop our Porter stripes, we knew that she was the one to food style our holiday shoot.
Once we secured our location at Studio 24, we met Marianne at our office. She had great ideas right off the bat. What foods would perfectly represent Christmas and Hanukkah? How simple! Sugar Cookies and Potato Latkes!
We dressed up our Stitch Mistletoe Holiday Euro Runner with Marianne’s Holiday Sugar Cookies:
Julia powdered the cookies in our Stitch Mistletoe Apron:
HOLIDAY SUGAR COOKIES
(yield: 20 cookies)
1 3/4 c. (230 grams) all purpose flour
1/8 t. salt
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 c. (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 c. (150 grams) granulated white sugar
1 large egg
1 t. pure vanilla extract
Royal icing:
1 large egg white
1 t. fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 c. (165 grams) confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted
1.) in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt & baking powder.
2.) in another bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3.) add the eggs and vanilla extract to the butter mixture.
4.) add the flour mixture and beat until you have a smooth dough.
5.) separate the dough into two pieces and wrap each in plastic wrap.
6.) refrigerate for one hour.
7.) preheat oven to 350 degrees (f.)
8.) line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a silpat.
9.) on a lightly floured surface, roll out one piece of dough to ¼” thickness.
10.) keep turning the dough, adding flour as needed to make sure the dough doesn’t stick.
11.) cut out cookies and transfer to prepared baking sheet.
12.) repeat with the other piece of dough.
13.) place baking sheets in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to chill the cutout dough.
14.) bake for about ten minutes or until edges are just beginning to turn a golden brown.
15.) remove from the oven and let cool on baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to cooling rack.
cool completely before frosting.
16.) for the royal icing: beat the egg whites with lemon juice. add the sifted powdered sugar until smooth.
keep the icing in an airtight container to prevent it from drying out when not in use.
17.) brush on the royal icing and sprinkle with your favorite holiday sprinkles and sugars!
Our new Stitch Electric Blue Euro Runners looked stunning with Marianne’s Potato Latkes and four flutes of champagne.
Brian did a great job shredding the potatoes in our Stitch Electric Blue Apron:
POTATO LATKES
4 large russet potatoes
1 yellow onion
1 egg
2 T. salt
2 T. a.p. flour
freshly ground black pepper to taste
vegetable oil
1.) grate potatoes & onions into a large bowl. drain off excess liquid.
2.) stir in egg, flour, salt and pepper.
3.) lightly coat a heavy bottomed skillet with oil over medium high heat.
4.) drop ¼ c. mounds into the skillet, lightly pressing down with the back of a spoon to form the pancake.
cook until golden brown before flipping to brown the other side.
5.) remove from pan and hold in a warm oven while finishing the rest of the batter.
6.) serve with sour cream, chives and apple sauce on the side. enjoy!
Thanks Marianne! We can’t wait to work with you again!
Check out Marianne’s new line of preserves, Mess Hall & Co, recently launched at the December Dose Market here in Chicago.
