Much love for Japan

This morning an 8.9 magnitude earthquake shook Japan and caused mass amounts of destruction, unleasing a series of tsunamis that would cause even more devastation upon a country I have sadly never visited, but greatly respect.  Our hearts go out to the people of Japan.  This is my "thank you" to just a few of the brilliant designers who were a product of such a beautiful nation.

Isamu Noguchi's iconic coffee table.  He was my first favorite artist ever, not for his furniture, of which I was then unfamiliar, but for his sculptures.  The Noguchi Museum in Queens, New York is not to be missed.

Tonerico's Memento Light, won JID Award Bienniel for interior products.

Bulb Lanterns, by Kyouei Design, who also created the Liquid Lamp and Balloon Lamp...

B&B Italia isn't just for Italian designers!  Natuko Fukasawa's Grande Papilio, so good, and now there is a Piccola Papilio too.

The Linpod sofa and Hug Lounge, two pieces from the Japan-based design studio, Leif.designpark.  Takashi Ueno, Mamoru Naito and Keizaburo Honda hold monozukuri (the art of traditional craftsmanship) in high esteem and design pieces that value the warm relationship between the product and the end user.

I came across "Lost in Sofa" today, and it is easily going to be among my favorite pieces, in the "tufted" section and anywhere else really.  It is absolutely brilliant.  Yay for Daisuke Motogi Architecture!

I'm sure there will be a call for help and humanitarian efforts in the days to come following these catestrophic events.  Any donations help. 

www.redcross.org   and   www.internationalmedicalcorps.org  are  good places to start.