Modern designophiles! If you haven’t gotten yours already, pick up the March 2010 issue of Dwell. Gracing the master bedroom of the “My House” featured home, is a Mina Javid for Blik custom headboard. We think it looks pretty terrific in the Venice, CA home of Eric Grunbaum, an Oregon-raised creative director for an LA ad agency. Besides being our neighbor, transplanted from the Pacific Northwest (like Blik’s Jerinne Neils), Eric selected esteemed architect Barbara Bestor to design his home. Well, it just so happens that Blik co-founder Scott Flora knows Barbara from his UCLA Architecture days. Bestor commissioned the “big red wall project”, a Blik custom installation outside of her office in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles. It’s a small, small world.

Upcoming Blik artist, Saelee Oh opened her solo-show, “Infinite Roots” at Jonathan LeVine Gallery NYC this past weekend. The narrative for this collection is that all things are connected and that no one is ever, truly alone. The artist has said: “The roots of a plant are what secure it to an interconnected underground where all life is nourished, as the buds and leaves bloom above. The show title, Infinite Roots, alludes to the deep reaches of our intrinsic inner desires. The tone of the work in this series is bittersweet with hints of nostalgia. The pieces appear delicate and frail but the stories they tell are about timeless strength.”

Saelee’s work primarily consist of drawings, paintings and cut paper; however, she often experiments with different mediums. Her designs for Blik are true to her signature style of feminine, delicate strength and fairy tale-like stories. Saelee is an exciting talent who, like her art, is brimming with the depths of life and is blossoming creatively and professionally. Visit Saelee’s site for more information on her current show and works. The Saelee Oh for Blik line will drop within the next few weeks, so be sure to check back with us or sign up for our newsletter. ☞

We got to go to Greece this summer! Ok, no, not really. But our graphics did. One of our neighbors, clothing company, 291Venice, asked us to make some graphics for a special event hosted by one of their distributors in Mykonos, Greece. The graphics vamped up windows and walls to bring a bit of California sunshine to the Mediterranean. Coveted by celebrities and jet-setters everywhere, 291 is a collection of tees, hoodies, and bottoms created by 3 long-time friends. The aesthetic is inspired by the 1970’s beach culture of its namesake (Venice, 90291) and the global sophistication of today’s traveler. In other words, they’re perfect for kickin’ it in Greece. Sigh.

MySpace, Australia, is partnering with us to run its very first Arts & Culture contest. Inspired by the shared artwork they see on their website everyday, MySpace/Au thought it’d be awesome to deck out their offices with wall graphics designed by members. So, this is your chance to customize blik and play interior designer. Submit your designs along with how they should be laid out on the wall. The winning concepts will be made into wall graphics by yours truly then installed at MySpace/Au headquarters for all to enjoy…if you work at MySpace, Australia, that is But of course you’ll get a set for yourself as well.

We all can’t wait to see what you come up with! Hurry, contest ends May 16th.

DNA 11, the inventors and creators of custom portraits made from customers’ DNA, has opened its first pop-up gallery called the DNA 11 House. The gallery marks the first location on the West Coast where authentic DNA 11 art is on display and available for purchase. Located at 218 6th Street in Hermosa Beach, California, the house is open to the public by appointment only now through April 1, 2009. We’ve known co-founders Adrian Salamunovic and Nazim Ahmed for years and manufactured the window graphics for this awesome house. But more importantly, we’re psyched for these guys - their stuff is amazing so you should definitely make an appointment to check it out.

Hotel Andaz is an innovative, new hotel by Hyatt Hotels set to open January 8th, 2009 on Sunset Boulevard in the heart of Hollywood, California. The hotel offers a blend of personal preferences with attentive and uncomplicated service. Sounds good to us! To add to the ambiance, Louey Rubino Design Group asked us to collaborate with them to create 260 custom rooms at the hotel. blik Anise by Ilan Dei makes an appearance as does Threadless Living in Harmony, along with original graphics designed by Louey Rubino.

This is just one blik custom project “on the boards.” Stay tuned for more updates and photos as this and other projects come together.

On October 12, the much anticipated Designer Toy Lounge opened at Selfridges & Co in London. Located next to Christmas Shop on the ground floor, the Lounge is tailor-made for fans of all things vinyl and according to Clutter Magazine, features “six key brands” - Momiji, Kid Robot, Uglydolls, Mimobots, STRANGEco, and blik. In total, there are over 300 groovy vinyl products to choose from, all neatly displayed in a modern, museum-like space. See if you can spot blik Invader on the wall.

Dutch designers and friends of blik, Jan Habraken and Alissa Melka-Teichroew, just wrapped up an exhibition at Peel Gallery in Houston, Texas. The art - which included the brand new silhouettes they designed for us - was displayed in house-shaped units: “The use of bare wood is a little wink to the crates where the expensive art pieces normally are transported in and normally are never seen by the public,” says Habraken. Such a fresh approach from the duo who always has an inspired point-of-view on everyday objects. One of the things we love about them. Congratulations, guys!

To read more about the show and the designers, visit Dezeen Design Magazine.

We are fortunate enough to have a fan in Candice Olson, interior designer extraordinaire and host of HGTV’s Divine Design. She recently used our blik Paisley in “Audrey’s Office” to help transform a shabby attic into a gorgeous home office. We’ve been flooded with calls ever since from folks eager to know what colors she used, so here you go: gold, silver and light gray. Obviously, these are not standard colors offered for Paisley, but in case you didn’t know, you can custom color most of our wall decals. We have 33 colors from which to pick and choose so you can create your perfect package.

All photos courtesy of pointclickhome.com