What is Ideal?

Ideal is a carefully curated shop composed of unique, design-conscious gifts and accessories. The objects we choose are creative, authentic, and refined. They are inspired by the vision of talented artists and designers from around the world.

Our store was formed with our own ideal in mind: that shopping should always be a personal and thoughtful experience.

Enjoy our blog and please come visit our shop in beautiful, downtown Bellingham. If you can't make it in, we take orders over the phone - just call (360-752-5522) or e-mail info@anidealshop.com.


Sunday, May 30, 2010

Join us for ReMade this Friday, June 4

We are honored to once again host ReMade beginning this Friday, June 4 during Art Walk.

ReMade is an annual design challenge for the junior class of Western Washington University's Industrial Design program. Each year students produce innovative products from consumer or manufacturing waste with a trained eye on recyclability, life cycle analysis, and design for production. By doing this, students get a fresh understanding of the designer's impact on the environment and the economy.


This year, twelve students focused on ReMade products for the kitchen. In a very short three-week timeframe, students found materials, designed, and manufactured fifteen products each. This year's collection includes soap dispensers made from discarded spray paint cans, aluminum bowls created from propane tanks, salt and pepper shakers constructed from skateboard decks, and paper towel racks fabricated from construction rebar. All the products can be purchased at Ideal beginning Friday, June 4th as part of Bellingham's Downtown Art Walk.                   

Please join us on Friday from 6-9pm to meet the designers and see their creations first-hand! Here are just a few:

Skater Shakers (salt and pepper shakers from skateboard decks) by Ryan Maloney

Fuse Bowls (from plastic crates) by Dieter Amick


Bloom bag (from accordian blinds) by Thomas Kloucek

Herrgron napkin rings (from plastic bottles) by Cecilia Forsgren