Colored Glass is Having a Moment at Salone del Mobile

Spectra collection by Kukka Studio

Just two days into Salone del Mobile 2016, and colored glass is already proving to be a major trend at Milan's annual orgy of furniture and home design. Some of the design world's superstars are making their marks with the material, as is a fellow Israeli who's won my heart with her luminescent tables.

Culture Lab Design Pop-Up Pairs Renowned International Designers with Detroit Artisans

Recyled Hanging Tire Planters designed by Kelly Behun and made by Cass Community Social Servies. Photo by Marvin Shaouni. / Ceramic Disks designed by David Stark and fabricated by Victoria Ashley Shaheen. Photo by Susan Montagna.

You know by now that I normally keep local coverage to my dual hometowns of Boston and Tel Aviv, but when a city with as blighted a reputation as Detroit is doing something amazing design-wise, it deserves some recognition! Enter a soon-to-be-released line of products by Culture Lab Detroit, an organization fostering conversation and collaboration between Detroit and the international design community.

Named Culture Lab Design, the product line has a "green space" theme that includes planters, vases, lighting and even a set of gardening overalls produced by internationally renowned designers in collaboration with Detroit artists, businesses and manufacturers.

The design teams participating in the project are David Stark with Victoria Ashley Shaheen, Kelly Behun with Cass Community Social Services, Estudio Campana with Todd Erikson, Sebastian Errazuriz with Samuel Arambula at TechShop, and Paola Navone with Andrew Ward at Line Studio and makers at Detroit Denim and Detroit Sewn.

Urban Cabin by Fábio Galeazzo

all photos © Fábio Galeazzo [via Archilovers]

Yesterday's storm sent me in search of cozy chalets to warm up your snow day, a little inspiration for those of you sipping hot cocoa in your pajamas. But what I found instead — this colorful "Urban Cabin" in São Paulo, Brazil — was just so much more appealing. Sometimes, a little escapism is all you need midwinter.