james ransom
new and noteworthy
spice bloc k Diane Ruengsorn, M.P.S. Design Management ’05 $48 As founder and director of Domestic Aesthetic, Diane Ruengsorn collaborates with a team of three designers to produce locally sourced and locally manufactured products that foster economic development and environmental awareness. This aspect of their design philosophy is as important to them as the organic curves in their spice block, which evolved from a lesson in resourcefulness. When they found out that a nearby Brooklyn factory regularly threw out hundreds of pounds of wood, they used their waste mahogany to create a beautiful way to serve up salt and spices. Hand-sanded grooves highlight the natural grain of the wood. The spice block is made of mahogany with a food-safe beeswax and walnut oil finish. Available at the MoMA Design Store and other stores across the United States and Canada.
sach i cr ed en z a Akemi Tanaka, M.I.D. Industrial Design ’07 $4,400 c-ze n pst pillow Takafumi Eura, M.I.D. Industrial Design ’95 $45 online, $55 retail Eura is the design director, CEO, and co-founder of C-Zen, Inc., a Santa Monica, Calif. company that designs and produces innovative, Zen-inspired relaxation products. Their target market is modern people who seek the utmost in comfort with stylish design. Eura’s previous experience includes design positions with Mazda, Fila, and K-Swiss. In his current entrepreneurial undertaking, he has designed C-Zen’s first product offering, the C-Zen PST Pillow, a luxury spa and travel accessory. PST represents Palm Shape Technology™; the pillow’s ergonomic design is inspired by the type of unique, comforting support offered by the palm of the hand. C-Zen’s PST Pillow provides the user with soothing relaxation anytime and anywhere, removing tension from the head, neck, and shoulders. Its newly developed, gently responsive foam is feather light for portability. The memory foam compresses easily to fit into flight and weekend bags. It’s perfect for vacation, travel, or simply resting. Included is a silky satin protective drawstring pouch. The pillow is also environmentally friendly, featuring biodegradable foam, and has a worldwide patent pending. The C-Zen PST Pillow is available at c-zen.com, zoshow.com, and at select stores in California.
With a design aesthetic rooted in simplicity and utility, Akemi Tanaka balances function with refined minimal form. Her Sachi Credenza was designed to lighten the visual weight such furniture usually occupies, so it feels lighter and smaller than its size (44"x24"x15.75"). The cut out can accommodate a vase, sculpture, or other decorative item by giving the object a special place for display. Sachi’s white shell opens to reveal a dark walnut inner body with adjustable shelves and touch latch closures. With its beveled edge carried through the back, the credenza can double as a room divider, its clean design complimented by its naturally beautiful walnut grain. The Brooklyn-based designer’s work has been featured in the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Philadelphia Inquirer and in the books Ultra Materials: How Materials Innovation is Changing the World (Thomas & Hudson, 2007); Absoluut Architectuur (Belgium, 2006); and Big Ideas for Small Spaces (Sunset Publishing, 2006). Tanaka appeared on HGTV’s show Small Space, Big Style and her work has been featured on Oprah and HGTV’s What’s With That House. Available at burkedecor.com. 35