New York whirlwind

As I write this I'm close to comatose on my bed at The Hudson hotel in NYC. Yep, it's been a bananas couple of days running around Manhattan checking out everything that's going on during New York Design week and the International Contemporary Furniture Fair, and it's not over yet. Below is a snap of all the catalogs, postcards and mags I've collected so far that caught my eye - and yes, before you ask, I've already edited it down to the stuff I really, really like. Luckily it all fits in the Tom Dixon bag that I snagged, which seems to have gotten the vote of the coolest ICFF bag around (hot on the heels of the gold metallic bag Tom Dixon doled out last year). And keep your eyes peeled, I'll be posting lots of my NYC design faves over the next while...

Feeling a beat

Okay, now I know these have been out for a while, but I was struck by how simple this shot was, and yet how gorgeous that gaggle of Beat lamps look. The Beat line of fixtures is designed by Tom Dixon and inspired by trad indian cooking pots and water carriers. In fact, Dixon tapped skilled craftsmen in Mordabad, Northern India, to create the series out of hand beaten brass (hence the glow-y gold interiors) that are then finished in matte black. And if that isn't enough, the light fixtures are mirrored by an equally stunning set of ovescale vases in an unpolished satin brass. Yum. BTW, that great shot is courtesy of photographer Tom Mannion and stylist Faye Toogood - a creative power couple if ever there was one - from the latest Dixon catalogue. Oh, and if you fancy getting your sticky mitts on all the Beat bits and pieces, check in at Klaus by Nienkamper for more info.

Guest blog / Julia Black: Mr. Dixon's emeralds

Julia Black: One of Arren's faves, Mr. Tom Dixon, has gone and done it again. He's wowed the design industry with a new pair of sculptural light fixtures to add to his Pressed Glass Family. Bead and Top, the soon-to-hit-the-marketplace duo, have been creating quite a buzz (word is, they'll be available late July through ABC Home) and, consistent to Mr. Dixon’s industrial style, they reveal the honest imperfections of a manufacturing process originally conceived to make car headlights and glass electrical insulators. The two distinct shapes have a gorgeous heft and smashing green cast to them, and strike me as jewelry for your ceiling. I can totally see them hanging in spectacular clusters and, with that green hue, they make me feel very Dorothy in the Emerald City.

To read more posts from Julia click here, and click here to check out her cool blog.

Jack is back

Just got an e-mail from designer Tom Dixon's office this morning, detailing all of the lovely stuff they'll be showing at Milan Design Week in April, and was excited to see Jack making a comeback. The Jack, described as a sitting, stacking, lighting thing, first debuted in 1997. Back then I wanted one - and considered eating cereal for a month or two to save up - and now I think I really fancy one all over again! You can now get your hands on them in either black or white (my money's on the black). Another big deal will be Dixon's collaboration with Philips on Flat Lamp, a collection of OLED lightbulbs. Exciting, since OLED is expected to be the next gen technology that will replace low energy, incandescent and conventional LED bulbs over the next few years. In Canada, check out Klaus by Nienkamper for the full Tom Dixon line.