Hasta La Ideas

“If used safely, responsibly, and with utmost care—for yourself, your fellow man, and the environment—an axe will be your best friend,” particularly if the axe happens to be a beautiful object designed by Peter Buchanan-Smith. The Grammy award-winning graphic designer and author teamed with his old camp buddy, Graeme Cameron, an outdoorsman and environmental entrepreneur, to found Best Made Company, a New York City- and Toronto-based enterprise that is doing a brisk business in made-to-order axes. Even those averse to chopping will be seduced by the sturdy tools, which feature Tennessee hickory handles hand-painted in your choice of vibrant patterns—we favor the white, red, and black combo with the rather ominous name of “Hush Now.” The distinctive axes cleared the way for the company’s foray into lighting design for Roll & Hill, the bright new lighting company founded by designer Jason Miller. Debuting at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair, the Stacks Lamp (above) is inspired by the stacks of flagging tape—used by arborists and loggers to mark trees—strewn about the Best Made workshop. It consists of a stack of wood rings painted with bold patterns. Fancy a different configuration? Users can stack and re-stack the removable rings as they see fit. Yelling “Timmmmmmmmmmmber!” before a redesign is optional.

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