This weekend, a brief conversation with my uncle about Japan reminded me how many beautiful, paired down, Japanese household accessories and hardware I have recently stumbled. These pieces hold true to the minimal aesthetic associated with Japanese art and design, but do so with a beautiful softness that steps away from familiar straight lights of a Sohji Screen and other iconic Japanese items that many Americans are familiar with.
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| Copper Scissors from Tajika Haruo Ironworks |
Tableware from jurgenlehlshop
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Tableware from Jurgenlehlshop
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| Everyday Scissors from Tajika Haruo ironworks |
These pieces demonstrate a trueness to form, material, and function on a human scale. The larger design community has been embracing these themes heavily lately, with a sober attitude towards the embellished. Japanese designers show that this is an inherent component of their culture rather than an immediate reaction to economic turmoil through a finessed approach to everyday household items. Regardless of the big picture, these are really lovely pieces that may provide a visual reprieve in your day-to-day activities. These pieces can be found at
Futagami,
Mjolk (can ship products from Futagami), and J
urgen lehl, and images are from the sites as noted in the captions.
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| Simple Towel Bar from Futagami |
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| Brackets by Futagami |
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| Pendant Lamps by Futagami |
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| Bottle Openers by Futagami |
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bowl and strainer by Sori Yanagi |
I love the bowl and strainer set, in particular, probably because its produce related and in my mind they are already filled with farmers market cherry tomatoes. Yes, friends, I have found a way to weave my creepy love of fresh produce into this design blog.
