Here’s a couple of interesting ideas for anyone bored with traditional birdhouses. Pictured left is the Shovel Birdhouse - uniquely designed to provide an easy meal by loosening the dirt and stirring up worms when a bird lands or otherwise shakes the house. Also new is the Ceramic Geodesic Bird-dome, made with the iconic shape popularized by Buckminster Fuller and perfect for smaller birds such as wrens, swallows, finches or warblers (and yes, has an easy-access door for cleaning when necessary!)

Great as a gift for yourself or a friend, we’ve got a range of new toys and accessories great for any occasion. First up is Francois Dallegret’s amazing fractal pattern generator, the Atomix (pictured above, left) followed by the newest creation from David Weeks, the Cubebot - made from sustainably-grown hardwood with elastic band muscles that will withstand generations of play. Another fun collection of wooden sculptures/ totems/ hiding spots are Karl Zahn’s Animal Boxes, available in 6 different shapes and seen below in Llama, Walrus and Rhino.

Even the most fun and versatile tables can look bare without the requisite compelling accompaniment. For that we have Jason Miller’s amazing tableware sets - the Seconds Dessert Plates and Chain Plates seen above - as well as the striking Distortion Candlestick (pictured below, right) from Paul Loebach. For a modern take on a traditional adornment, Josh Owen’s Menorah is made from solid cast iron giving you a keepsake that is sure to last for generations.

Lighten any room with these two new side tables from Paul Loebach - the Gradient Table (pictured right) offers four soft, ascending shades of blue with a quirky but still very appealing construction. For slightly more function with your form, the Nesting Tables/Step Stools (pictured left) were inspired by the simple versatility of American Shaker furniture and each open at the top with safety-hinged lids for inconspicuous storage.

Back from a productive break and we have a whole slew of great new products from a range of established designers ready for you in the new year. We’ll be showcasing them all in the following days so stay tuned! But in the meantime, our first two items are both incredible re-designs that are sure to alter your perception of time.

First up, the Off-Axis Watch by Eric Janssen (pictured above) sits at a 30 degree angle, making it much easier to read at a glance. For your walls, the Bias Clock from Rich, Brilliant, Willing (seen below) serves as a fun conversation starter. It features a minimalist, numberless design plus a tilted and raised construction that can be placed in any direction, allowing you to “choose its bias.”

Our newest addition is the ultra-durable and uber-sleek line of modern planters from Planterworx: lightweight aluminum and powder-coated steel made right here in the USA. They’ve even taken the helpful step of offering 4 different planter bundles - pre-designed packs each containing a few separate planters that are scientifically proven to match any modern decor. See the full collection right here! (Pictured above the Ranch Trough Planter, and Element 16” and 19" inch planters in Corten steel and powder coated finish)

If you aren’t into the whole burial thing consider sitting on your loved ones mantle in this stylish Ghost Urn… who says death needs to be boring! Here’s to hoping I last long enough for this to go into production!

Here in the middle of the holiday frenzy, it’s important to stop and remember exactly what this time of year really means for you and your closest friends and family: cheap, funny, somewhat useful but mostly just ridiculous gift ideas! Seen over at Brookstone, they are calling the Pillow Remote Control a “fun way to watch TV, and a real conversation starter.” Well, so much for romance I guess, skip the movie and get right to the pillow talk!

Just another amazing watch concept seen over at gadgetking and designed by Yiran Qian, the “Eye of the Storm” wristwatch is faceless and completely black until you push the side button, illuminating two colored lights which indicate the time. Love it!

We first saw Shiner’s unique line of furniture and lighting back in January’s NYIGF, so it’s exciting to finally offer their unorthodox brand of decor made from completely recycled, reclaimed and otherwise environmentally responsible materials. Their striking array of cardboard and styrofoam lighting casts a warm glow that serves as a sure-fire conversation starter. They also offer pressed plywood and hardwood seating available in multiple finishes - truly something for every corner of the room. See their full collection on Pure Modern right here!

You might recognize one of our most recent additions, the “Tie Tea” Teacup from le mouton noir & co is the charming solution that allows you to tie off your tea string like a cleat on a boat dock. And it’s available here!



Also new is their clever wine stopper, the “Date with Wine.” It lets you record the date you last opened a bottle of wine to best decide whether that wine is still drinkable. See it here!

Everyone surely has a bundle of old holiday lights laying around collecting dust. We use them once a year, spend hours untangling, testing bulbs, and give up when they no longer work.  Instead of wasting space, go green this holiday and recycle.  Here are 2 companies with a great recycling program.  You can also check your local community for other recycling alternatives.

In the giving mood? Christmas Light Source donates the recycle program’s proceeds to Marine Toys For Tots Foundation.
The additional 50% match on donations from the program is absolutely brilliant!!  Read [HERE] for additional details on how the program works.

Holiday LEDs also offers a nice recylcing program. Trade in your old lights for 25% off.  Click [HERE] for details

Here’s a cool new idea from Suck UK, the customizable ”Paper Watch”. They’ve skipped the hard work of creating new watch designs and given you a blank slate that can be decorated using anything - stickers, crayons, paint, stencils, you name it. Personalize it for a friend as a gift or as a truly unique modern party invite. It’s not for everybody though, in fact I prefer the examples they provide much more than anything I could create..

Living in a small space is always challenging when you attempt to incorporate holiday decor and the like into your home. Here’s a clever idea to make a vintage collectable aluminum tree shine while minding your space.

Retro 4’ Evergleam Aluminum Tree [large selection on eBay]+ Stainless Steel Blomus Planter [available at puremodern.com]

Go simple, go small, and give it some height with a stainless planter.  To make your tree shine during the day, consider placing your aluminum tree next to a window with plenty of sun. For nighttime, a color changing LED base light will do the trick. To top off your holiday season, refer to previous post “Mini Yule Log” and enjoy your holiday!

Just because you’re obligated to buy a gift for someone, doesn’t mean you have to get them something boring. We’ve got cool, stylish gift ideas for everyone on your list that won’t break the bank. Here’s a few selections from our Under $50 category of gifts over at Modern Gift Store.



First up, for the young entrepreneur or business professional, how else to put your their best foot forward than a super-sleek business card case designed by a legend like Frank Lloyd Wright or Harry Allen. Pictured above is Wright’s Robie House Card Case alongside the Blueprint Business Card Case by Acme Studios. We even offer the matching keychains as well!



The best gifts are oftentimes something that is both fun and functional. We feature something unique for every room of the house, and that’s no better evidenced than with our modern line of kitchen accessories, such as the Salad Servers (pictured above) from Black+Blum or Ferm Living’s charming set of Thermo Mugs.

For a casual contemporary accessory, we offer an elegant line of homewares that are sure to blend into any modern setting. Seen below, the Lightstone Candle Holder and Curve Candle Holder Set from Nuance, and the Floral Bird Cutout Bowl by Torre and Tagus.