It is certainly possible that if you are over the age of 16, you don't regularly peruse the
Fred Flare site; I do. One thing I love about FF is the "
Next Big Thing" contest they run every year, giving a handful of promising young designers a chance to sell their stuff on the site and hopefully get lots of good exposure. While the bulk of the stock is brightly colored accessories (basically adult toys—although not "adult" toys) like
Snoopy toothbrush sets and
Rubik's cube alarm clocks, there are a few less-silly housewares in the mix that could find a good home in a not-too-stiff setting.
Coco Rodriguez's "C Chair" looks like Pacman and is probably sized for someone smaller than me (it's 2 feet high), but it's still creative and cool and could look great in a kid's room, provided there's a way to make sure you don't roll all the way over backwards. $125, fredflare.com
San Francisco artist Mati Rose McDonough is no stranger to the design blog world, but FF is probably bringing her to a new audience. Her "
Enormous Tiny Prints" are $30 and come on heavy, archival 8.5" x 11" paper. This one's called "Speaking 1,000 Languages," and there are two other (equally cute, animal-centric) designs available.
Jessee Maloney of Art School Dropout makes these cast-plastic and wood
owl plaques by hand; they're 5" x 7" and go for $20; available in 7 color schemes.
This one really won me over: a
hand-blown cupcake stand. Of course, I wouldn't use Amanda Goss's design for actual cupcakes—more like trinkets, jewelry, or maybe even a prized concert ticket stub. $60
Decoylab's
"Trompe L'Oeil" cuckoo clock is just $25 and totally adorable.
Which one would you vote for to win the contest? Leave you answer in the comments or go over to
Fred Flare to cast a real vote.
Check out the work of these other awesome emerging designers right here on Shine:
Nightwood (repurposed wood furniture and handmade textiles)
Counter Evolution (recycled bowling-alley wood surfaces)
Michelle Antonisse (science-inspired ceramics)
Blue Citrus Art (nostalgia-inducing photography)
Drink and Dream (rock and roll window shades)
