First it was their signature toaster engineered to make the perfect golden hued slices of toast, followed by a kettle, then a rechargeable lantern, before lastly revealing an ambient wireless speaker – Japanese technology brand BALMUDA does seem to like to keep us guessing about what is next in joining their selectively curated roster. Their fifth design arriving stateside may pique the interest of the coffee-obsessed, a premium coffee maker confidently announcing its arrival as the BALMUDA The Brew.

BALMUDA says it required six years of design and development before finalizing on this combination of machined modern and coffee brewing technology. All that time results in a drip machine tuned to dole out precise increments of water over freshly ground coffee, closer in execution to a barista-prepared pour-over than a typical drip coffee machine. The Japanese designed coffee maker offers the coffee-obsessed three modes of brewing, accessible from a simple layout of controls situated on the top of the machine, producing regular, strong, and iced beverages with precise temperature control.

We also appreciate the small ASMR details, specifically BALMUDA The Brew’s pleasant chime accompanying the start and finish of every carafe serving, alongside the inclusion of a pleasantly chill metronome/countdown sound that plays while The Brew drips water over grounds.

BALMUDA The Brew automatically calculates the steeping time and pouring volume, dripping hot water at precise intervals in 0.2㎖ increments, using standard cone filters.

Want to know what you can make with Balmuda’s new coffee maker? They’ve listed a menu of coffee-based recipes online to tempt the coffee-curious.

The brewer not only pours water with the dripper, but finishes each carafe serving off with a separate dose of finishing water through a second spout in order to regulate the condensed components and temperature of the coffee.

The BALMUDA The Brew’s industrial-modern style’s handsome combination of matte black and stainless steel carafe stays aligned alongside the Tokyo-based brand’s other kitchen, lighting, and audio devices. For those with limited space, the coffee brewer’s compact footprint requiring only a smidge over five inches in space is a welcome physical attribute and reflective of its Japanese roots, where kitchens are much smaller.

The BALMUDA The Brew is available here for $699.

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Gregory Han is the Managing Editor of Design Milk. A Los Angeles native with a profound love and curiosity for design, hiking, tide pools, and road trips, a selection of his adventures and musings can be found at gregoryhan.com.

Noting the amount of effort required to craft this haunting light source, to call the Vestige for Ross Gardam a mere source of illumination seems to do the spectral optical device disservice. The idea behind its design: to stir up a sense of wonderment. With over three decades of expertise turning glass into objects of awe, renowned glass artist Peter Kovacsy seems the ideal talent to bring such imagination to life.

Unveiled at the TRANSCENDENCE exhibition as part of Milan Design Week 2023, the exquisite Vestige’s brutalist-inspired sculptural silhouette revels in the radiant inherent properties of opaque glass, communicating both a delicate aura contrasted by the lamp’s stout stance. The design is also a reference to the remote southern area of the Western Australian environment, a moody landscape muse where moonlight exists as an ethereal glowing presence.

Each piece is handmade from cast glass and formed to sit upon a raw aluminum base. Paired with a machined conical dimmer that adds to its solid weighty presence, the limited edition series of five light sculptures are also polished and waxed by Kovacsy himself.

Ross Gardam with Vestige in Milan

This collaboration connects Kovacsy’s glass-working expertise guided by Gardam’s focus upon the geometric and surreal, and will be limited to a mere edition of five available exclusively online at rossgardam.com.au until sold-out for $36,337.

Gregory Han is the Managing Editor of Design Milk. A Los Angeles native with a profound love and curiosity for design, hiking, tide pools, and road trips, a selection of his adventures and musings can be found at gregoryhan.com.

Will Zhang’s curiosity for design and incredible interiors was established at an early age, eventually leading him to his current position as Director of Design and Product Innovation at Emtek. There he establishes industrial design as a key part of the brand, maximizing the aesthetic and design value of products while continuously searching for new inspiration and ideas.

But he didn’t arrive at this point on his own. Will credits his best friend, spouse, and fellow industrial designer – Carolina – with being a constant source of support and guidance since they first met in college. He said, “Her influence on my designs is immeasurable, and I look up to her with the utmost respect and admiration. I aspire to emulate her in every way.”

A noteworthy design moment that stands out to Will occurred when he was beginning his studies in Industrial Design. A close friend took him to visit an exhibit by Ant Farm, a multidisciplinary collective involved with alternative architecture, performance, and video. “The experience left a lasting impression on me and he even gifted me a book about the group afterwards,” he said. “The concept of underground architecture and design captivated me, and their work still resonates with me to this day.”

During his time at Emtek, Will’s designs have received several awards, including the Interior Design BOY Award 2014, Best of KBIS Award 2020, Architectural Record Best of 2021, Good Design Award 2022, and AN Media Best of Product Award 2022.

“Breaking away from work can often be a challenge for me, but I have recently established a routine that involves taking my dogs skateboarding at 6pm daily,” he shared. “This activity brings us so much joy and has been instrumental in helping me disconnect from work and bring closure to my workday.”

This week, Will Zhang joins us for Friday Five!

Photo: Joel Mott

1. Surfing

I grew up skateboarding, from when I was 7 or 8 years old. My cousins had an influential part in that industry and culture, founding a few surf and skateboard companies in Venice, California, and are still a big influence to this day.

I didn’t get to start exploring surfing until just recently when I turned 40, thanks to Lasik eye surgery. It’s opened up a whole world of wonder, creativity, and excitement for me as a designer. The tendency within those worlds to “go against the grain” is really intoxicating. Whether concrete or water – not only to create stimulation but also new lifestyles and counterculture. There’s an element about surfing that’s core to the human spirit, it’s no wonder it’s rooted in indigenous cultures and documented all across different parts of the world.

I also really admire those that shaped surfboards, innovated in their garages and workshops – people like Bob Simmons who revolutionized surfboard design. Although his ideas didn’t catch on until way after his death, it’s a reminder to search for inspiration from those that came before us before trying to reinvent the wheel.

Photo: Emtek

2. Chaos

I’m most creative when my studio looks like a tornado swept through it! I don’t cherish any of the sketches or artwork I produce during my design process – the majority end up in the trash completely undocumented. Is it just how I work – or maybe the product of my childhood lack of structure? Regardless, it works for me and I feel uninhibited when I ideate this way. I can create freely, knowing the only important sketches are the non-physical thoughts running through my head. I spend a lot of time just staring off, thinking about, and envisioning a particular design. I might not look productive or very busy, but I swear, the wheels are turning!

Furthermore, I think mixing elements to create something new and funky are my favorite sorts of designs, and one of the things that inspired the Select line from Emtek. Like the Mah Jong Sofa from Roche Bobois – such a genius way to weave in whimsical and colorful details while still keeping things chic. Life is too short to not play with styles and textures!

Photo: Emtek

3. The New Addition to Our Family, Copper

We found Copper running around the parking lot at the Emtek corporate office. The first time I saw her foxy face and bushy tail I fell in love, and knew immediately that I wanted to rescue this dog. However, she was extremely afraid of humans and it took two weeks to actually capture her. Once we got her home, I spent three full days building her trust by enticing her with treats nonstop until she caved. The moment she learned to trust me sealed our bond and we’re totally inseparable now!

We’re still learning about each other day-by-day, but it taught me that as cheesy or cliche as it sounds, that as long as there is love, there is hope. I’m really looking forward to our future full of adventure and great memories together!

1870s Russell & Erwin Brass Dog Door Knobs, via Ebay

4. Design History

A theme found in my work is that I’m always looking backward to look forward. Maybe I got that from my mother who was a history professor? I admit that I have this weird obsession with door hardware and I’m also a dog nut. But apparently I’m not even close to the first in this niche! Antique dog door knobs have been around since around 1890. The industrial revolution modernized the world, and to be honest, not much has changed with door knobs since then. It’s amazing to see that, much like today, designers were embellishing products with motifs of our favorite furry friends. It really makes me wonder about the designer and the realization that our motivations are really not that different today than they were back then. I’m always seeking a connection with the past and I spend a good deal of time looking at design history through outlets like antique shopping, thrifting, even collecting old catalogs and design magazines.

Photo: Amy Biller Switzer

5. Nature

I’m constantly in awe of the natural world and I always say that if I wasn’t a designer, I would have been a marine biologist. In fact, nature and coral specifically, helped to inspire the Galapagos Collection of door hardware that we launched in 2022. Organic textures and materials are something I’m trying to weave into my work more and more as well. I’m also fascinated by how other designers interpret their affinity towards nature, in other nature-inspired products, like the mid-century Aurora clock.

Work by Will Zhang:

Spoke Knob The Spoke Knob deconstructs the concept of traditional door hardware by stripping away excess material, leaving a single spoke to bridge the body of the knob with its base. This inaugural design by Will Zhang, celebrates a decade of Industrial Design at Emtek by re-envisioning what a modern door knob can be.

Emtek Select Collection The Emtek Select program offers a new level of customization for hundreds of unique combinations, made just for you and your home. Mix finishes, textures, and styles with ease across Levers, Knobs, Cabinet Pulls, Cabinet Knobs, and Appliance Pulls. New Select Lever and Knob options, like Black Marble and Terrazzo, will be available through Emtek later this year.

Ace Knob The newest addition to the Emtek Studio Brass Collection, the Ace Door Knob. Visually impactful but accessible. The design mimics the profile of a T-cabinet knob, but with interior or exterior door application and scale.

Stradella (Schaub Cabinet Collection) Stradella offers a variety of Made-in-Italy, sandcast, bronze edge pull designs. Inspired by the Striation texture of the Italian Alps, Stradella provides a rustic modern cabinet edge pull profile in a classic bronze material that will develop a sophisticated patina with age and use.

Kelly Beall is senior editor at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based graphic designer and writer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, and enjoys sharing her finds with others. When undistracted by great art and design, she can be found making a mess in the kitchen, consuming as much information as possible, or on the couch with her three pets. Find her @designcrush on social.

The Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year award, the leading annual celebration of the art of food photography and film, once again captivated audiences with its 2023 edition. This prestigious competition welcomes professional and non-professional photographers of all ages, providing a platform for them to showcase their talents and share their unique perspectives on food. The winners were recently announced during a ceremony held at BAFTA London on May 16th, introduced by renowned chef Nadiya Hussain.

The 2023 Overall Winner went to UK-based Jon Enoch for his mesmerizing photograph, The Candy Man. The image of Pappu Jaiswal, a cotton candy seller from the bustling streets of western Mumbai, was part of a compelling series highlighting the city’s street food vendors and their distinctive methods of attracting customers.

As someone who built a successful food business by displaying and serving food in “over-the-top” ways, it’s no surprise why I, too, am drawn to the vertical screen of toxically colored cotton candy depicted in this magnificent picture.

Enoch explains that: “Ever since I first saw the candy floss sellers I was drawn to the shapes, colors, and juxtaposition of the candy and the urban environment.”

Hanging Up Persimmons © Zhonghua Yang, China 1st Place Pink Lady© Moments of Joy

Now in its second decade, the Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year awards absolutely set the standard for most innovative work in food photography. The competition showcases the profound influence of food across the world, documenting major global events such as war, famine, the end of lockdowns, and the revitalization of the hospitality industry. Through the awards, we witness how food transcends boundaries and plays a significant role in every aspect of our lives.

Bonnet Delights © Hein van Tonder, United Arab Emirates 1st Places On the Phone

The Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year award prides itself on having an esteemed panel of judges who carefully assess each entry. This year, the judging panel included Fiona Shields, the head of photography at the Guardian, and Rein Skullerud, representing the United Nations World Food Program. Their expertise and discerning eyes ensured that the winning entries truly represented excellence in food photography.

Selling Fish © Md Mahabub Hossain Khan, Bangladesh 1st Place Unearthed® Food For Sale

With its 2023 edition, the competition once again highlighted the remarkable artistry and the universal impact of food in our lives. Among the impressive array of submissions, several remarkable entries stood out. These exceptional works, chosen as finalists, will be exhibited at The Royal Photographic Society in Bristol. For those unable to attend the exhibition in person, an online gallery featuring all the captivating images from this year’s competition is available for viewing.

Ramadan Meals Among the Ruins in Idlib, Syria © Mouneb Taim, Netherlands 1st Place Politics of Food

The Eye © Adrian Chitty, United States 1st Places Errazuriz Wine Photographer of the Year – Produce

TJ Girard is a sought-after food designer and creative consultant, celebrated for staging theatrical, interactive food + beverage experiences. She now resides in California where her creativity is solar powered! TJ writes the Design Milk column called Taste.

While NYCxDesign 2023 is exploding with design talent this month, an emerging name that stood out to us is Madeline Isakson, who made her New York debut at WantedDesign’s Launch Pad. With a passion for exploring materials and the multitude of objects that can be created from what’s left behind, Isakson transforms found materials into pieces that explore consumer culture. Out of 68 participants, she was selected as one of six finalists to feature their work in Launch Pad’s Emerging Designer Showcase.

At Launch Pad, she shared two new pieces from her ongoing EPS [Expanded Polystyrene] Series: a chair and a floor lamp. “The goal of this series is to rethink the possibilities of what we formerly considered ‘trash’ and create a new domestic aesthetic that sees beauty and humor in the mundane,” she explained.

Utilizing found styrofoam and aluminum, Isakson creates what she describes as “monolithic detritus.” To make the sculptural yet functional pieces work, she spends time collecting discarded styrofoam packaging, then puzzles each object together following an intuitive process. Within the negative space that’s been created, it’s cast in aluminum, making what was once negative and empty the opposite – useful and significant. Isakson adds various other elements, such as a seat cushion or LED light, to add further purpose.

“We are all aware of the problems created by our culture of consumerism,” Isakson notes. “The goal of this series is to rethink the possibilities of what we formerly considered ‘trash’ and create a new domestic aesthetic that sees beauty and humor in the mundane.”

Throughout Isakson’s work lies an exploration of value and consumerism. Styrofoam is an extremely fitting material – it’s one of the world’s largest pollutants that makes up more than 30% of landfill volume worldwide. Her hope is that through her work, viewers and users rethink the lifecycle of the things we consume without thought on a daily basis.

Madeline Isakson

To learn more about Madeline Isakson, visit madelineisakson.com.

Kelly Beall is senior editor at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based graphic designer and writer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, and enjoys sharing her finds with others. When undistracted by great art and design, she can be found making a mess in the kitchen, consuming as much information as possible, or on the couch with her three pets. Find her @designcrush on social.

Naviva, A Four Seasons Resort, is a luxury tented resort located in Punta Mita, Mexico, designed by Luxury Frontiers. Set amidst a verdant jungle, the adults-only property consists of 15 high-end tents spread over 48 acres of private peninsula. The resort’s architectural aesthetic is grounded in the principles of biophilic design, an approach that seamlessly blends human constructs with the natural environment.

Each element of the resort, from the form of the buildings to the interior design and guest experiences, is influenced by a natural phenomenon, creating a unique resort concept that is deeply rooted in nature. The 15 luxury tents are designed to harmonize with the surrounding jungle, offering guests panoramic views of Riviera Nayarit’s unique flora and fauna.

The resort’s manager, Ronny Fernández, adds: “We welcome guests to Naviva as if they are friends joining us at our own home, while giving them the space and flexibility for their own self-discovery and adventure. The joy of my role is being able to personally guide guests through these experiences and help them connect more deeply with the wonders around them.”

The resort collaborated with Mexican artists and manufacturers throughout the design and construction process to create spaces that resonate with the culture of Mexico. Custom furniture from Taracea and Baufaktory, artwork from Emma Boomkamp, reclaimed wooden games from Rasttro, and textiles from Anora Casa are some of the highlights.

For more information or to book a stay, visit fourseasons.com.

Leo Lei translates his passion for minimalism into his daily-updated blog Leibal. In addition, you can find uniquely designed minimalist objects and furniture at the Leibal Store.

California-based studio Gustave Carlson Design was hired to renovate a local Eichler house in need of updating. Built in 1971 in the Palo Alto hills, the prized single family residence was a custom commission by architect John S. Lynd, a close friend of Joseph Eichler. Currently owned by a design-forward family with a large art collection, the house received a respectful renovation that honored the history while adapting it for modern times. The update includes the integration of energy efficiency and sustainability, all while staying true to the original, iconic design.

“An ‘Eichler’ captures the word optimism in built form,” says Carlson. “These airy, light-filled, and human scale structures convey the promise of the post-World War ll era, as well as Joseph Eichler’s philosophy on domestic life, and the ability of modern design to enhance our quality of life.”

The exterior is clad in vertical Shou Sugi Ban Accoya barn wood, which gives it a textured, matte black finish. Flanked by two flat-roofed wings, the center part of the house features a statement-making gabled roof with white panels underneath for contrast. Triangular transom windows fill the entryway with natural light.

A custom, Dutch door welcomes guests to the home in a sage green color.

Once inside, Eichler’s signature post-and-beam construction becomes visible. Carlson removed partitions to open up the interior spaces to feel larger and to make space for their art collection.

The atrium is now closed in with a glass roof making the space feel expansive and bright with the natural light filtering through. Cedar siding covers the walls giving the atrium an outdoor feel despite it now having a glass roof.

The overall design favors wood, cork, and natural stone for materials, while blues, corals, and yellows fill the color palette.

The kitchen cabinets are finished with Farrow & Ball’s Hague Blue No. 30, which partners well with the warm wood details, like the black walnut topped central island.

Both of the children’s bedrooms include a sleeping area and workspace, with colorful wallpaper and furnishings to finish out the designs.

In the guest bedroom, a custom designed ledge offers space to rotate art as desired.

In one of the children’s bathrooms, pale green is used on the cabinets with black accents adding a sophisticated look, all under a new light well.

Another display ledge can be found behind the bed in the primary bedroom to welcome art. A wall of retractable glass doors offers the bedroom’s seating area direct access to the outdoors.

Each family member has their own storage cubby in the custom mudroom.

Project team:
-Gustave Carlson Design (Architecture, interior, and custom cabinetry)
-Atelier Davis (Interior design and decoration)
-Ground cover Landscaping
-Flegel’s Construction

Photography by David Duncan Livingston, courtesy of v2com.

Caroline Williamson is Editor-in-Chief of Design Milk. She has a BFA in photography from SCAD and can usually be found searching for vintage wares, doing New York Times crossword puzzles in pen, or reworking playlists on Spotify.

Of the eight lighting designs revealed by renowned Italian lighting manufacturer Flos for Milan Design Week 2023 at Euroluce, two share a similar approach to illumination in both form and function: Philippe Malouin’s playful, adjustable table lamp draws inspiration from a classic French toy, while Ronan Bouroullec’s trio of lamps emphasize the designer’s ongoing affinity for utilizing ceramics to draw connections between manufactured forms and a material associated with the organically handcrafted.

Bilboquet is an adjustable table lamp brought to life by London-based designer Philippe Malouin, his first effort for the brand. The design is rather simple, but effective in its execution. You may remember playing with a bilboquet as a child. Composed of a perforated wooden ball tied with a string to the middle of a stick that was pointed at one end and equipped with a concave plate at the other, the challenge was to toss the ball upwards to attempt to catch it into the saucer or precisely reseat it into the stick.

Each of the main components of the Bilboquet table lamp can be disassembled if in need of repair, replacement, or disposal of separate parts, including a retrofit bulb.

Malouin’s design retains the playful nature of its eponymous inspiration. Built around two-colored cylinders connected by a magnetic sphere, the articulating form allows the bulb-tipped cylinder to rotate and direct the light where needed. This adjustable design means the Bilboquet can function as table lamp, task light, or aimed toward a wall for indirect mood illumination.

The Bilboquet will become available autumn 2023 from Flos in options of sage, tomato, and linen.

“Simple in appearance but full of personality, Bilboquet is an adjustable table lamp that allows you to direct light in a playful yet precise manner.” – Philippe Malouin

Three sections are combined into a ceramic body and diffuser, featuring a lead-free crystalline lacquered finish that highlights the handcrafted ceramic surface.

In similar, but distinctly in its own fashion, the Céramique collection for Flos designed by Ronan Bouroullec also is a spotlight of sort, minus the adjustable functionality of the aforementioned Bilboquet – meaning, each of the three designs share the same base, stem, and a cap with ceramic body and diffuser, but each version’s cap is set to a specific non-adjustable angle: downward, forward, and upward. This illuminating trilogy is described to unite “the three members of the family, making them the protagonists of a single story.”

“I love ceramics, flames licking the earth and enamel flowing over to envelop the form,” says Bouroullec. “Ceramics are about desire, sensuality. I think that my work is increasingly moving in this direction; producing objects that are functional, certainly, but looking for a kind of elegance, of pleasure.”

Ronan Bouroullec Photo: Marion Berrin

Céramique will be available from Flos in Moss Green, Navy Blue, and Rust Red, and includes a replaceable LED bulb.

Gregory Han is the Managing Editor of Design Milk. A Los Angeles native with a profound love and curiosity for design, hiking, tide pools, and road trips, a selection of his adventures and musings can be found at gregoryhan.com.

MASS was brought into the design world to provide a flexible, timeless outdoor seating solution that encourages interaction and communication. Designed by Todd Bracher and GANDIABLASCO, the upholstered modular furniture system embodies GANDIABLASCO’s Mediterranean lifestyle roots.

“My designs are based on the idea of irreducible complexity: a good design needs all its individual components in the right place to be able to work,” said Bracher. “The rest is noise. MASS tries to address a real need from authenticity and to put furniture design at the service of the user experience, and that need is to foster interaction and interconnection in a scalable and flexible way.”

Scalable and easy to reconfigure, the lightweight elements of the MASS collection were designed to increase interconnection through shared inhabited spaces. Using only five modular components – two symmetrical seat modules and backrests and one backrest of a different length – various uses can be created for multiple situations, from a large outdoor living room to compositions devised in the moment. As Bracher said, MASS welcomes spontaneity with open arms.

Two irregular pentagons and three rectangular backrests are responsible for the collection’s modular versatility. A powder-coated aluminum structure provides strength and rigidity while also acting as the connection point between different modules. Both the seats, featuring iroko wood legs, and the backrests are very comfortable thanks to a base of Gravidry® filtering polyurethane foam and an additional layer of surface wadding. These upholstered elements are removable, but also quick drying because of the draining capacity of the foam. Choose from three colors: Warm Majestic, Warm Domino, and Warm Strange Loves.

To learn more about the MASS modular outdoor seating collection, visit gandiablasco.com.

Kelly Beall is senior editor at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based graphic designer and writer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, and enjoys sharing her finds with others. When undistracted by great art and design, she can be found making a mess in the kitchen, consuming as much information as possible, or on the couch with her three pets. Find her @designcrush on social.