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.


Showing posts with label PlayShapes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label PlayShapes. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

New Treasures Arriving Weekly

This is an exciting time of the year for us! Every week from now until mid-November new shipments will arrive from far-flung places (Japan, Finland, Portugal, and Honduras to just name a few) as well as closer to home (Bainbridge Island, Seattle, and Mt. Vernon).


Many of these are pieces from wonderful new designers we found while in New York. Some are new creations from our current designers.


Last week saw the arrival of new objects from Neo Utility and Saikai. We love the iStand from IDEA International. This great little gadget suctions to the back of your iPhone and props it up so you can enjoy a video or browse the internet. 


iStand, $8.00

We also now have IDEA's fantastic Yuento Balloon Speaker in black and lime green.


Yuento Speaker, $45


Miller Goodman PlayShapes ($150) are also back in stock, so come and see this beautiful set of wooden blocks for yourself. 
MillerGoodman PlayShapes, $150

Over the past few weeks we've also received some lovely pieces in from Saikai. If you are a fan of Japanese design, this group represents some of the superstars, such as Mori Masahiro. We have all five colors of his iconic Soy Bottle back in stock, so consider adding this drip-free container for soy sauce to your table. At $22, it makes a really unique gift.

G Type Soy Bottle, $22



























Also, Toyo Sasaki HS "Hard Strong" stacking glasses. First produced in 1967, the reinforced lip on these glasses makes them extra durable and they remain the leading brand in Japanese food service. At $4.50 apiece, it's a great way to introduce a bit of Japanese design to your kitchen.
 
HS "Hard Strong" Glasses, $4.50 apiece





















Newly arrived and wonderful - these Pocket Vases in white, yellow, or green. They work beautifully for flowers, but serve as handy catch-alls as well for things like pencils and paintbrushes.

 
Pocket Vase, $24



Finally, these wooden tops. They are miniature sculptures - lovely!
 
Koma Wooden Tops, $6.50 apiece

























We also just received a beautiful assortment of glass jewelry from Julie and Jess at verre newyork. It is challenging to find glass jewelry that is elegant and understated and these two glassblowers seem to hit the mark every time. If you see a design you like but would prefer a different color, we can always order you exactly what you want. They have over one hundred colors in their palette.


Three Drop Necklace, $102


Piet Burst Necklace, $106




Piet Stud, $33




Ulala Hoop, $50




















































Finally, the latest addition to our selection from Museum of Modern Art - the Chalkboard Vase.


MoMA Chalkboard Vase, $4

















Draw your own vase, contraption, or creature to hold the flowers. Also works for love notes and to-do lists. The vase includes hardware for wall mounting, as well as a chalk-holder.




That's just a taste of what's new in the shop. We will update you again next week on the latest arrivals! You can also check our Facebook Page for more frequent updates. Until then, enjoy this drawing of the Yuento Balloon Speaker in use. Who wouldn't want to be this happy walking down the street?  





Friday, May 7, 2010

ShapeMaker and PlayShapes Blocks from Miller Goodman

We are always on the lookout for well-designed, creative playthings for kids. The very best designs are always just as fun for grownups as they are for kids. So when we learned about Miller Goodman's ShapeMaker blocks and PlayShapes, we signed up and have been eagerly awaiting their arrival. They are here!

Miller Goodman is a design agency based in the UK, directed by David Goodman and Zoe Miller. They produce children's books and games for the Tate Museum shop in London, but also under their own brand. Colorful, fun, and educational, the objects they design will spark your child's imagination.

ShapeMaker is a set of 25 colorful, hand printed blocks made from eco-friendly rubber wood. The blocks can be arranged in countless patterns to create animals, abstract shapes, landscapes, or whatever inspires you. A booklet with design suggestions is included to get you started. $75 per set.

The animation below gives you just a hint of the possibilities:




















PlayShapes is a set of 74 wooden shapes which can be used to build 3-D sculptures of all sorts. Create a menagerie of animals, an array of funny faces, or the buildings of your dreams. Comes with a cotton drawstring bag for storage, as well as a set of illustrations. $150 per set.


Stop by the shop and take a look!