dwr

Fog linen and ice cream scoops. DWR's new Tools for Living store, the modern furnishings store's take on what they are calling smart solutions for travel, work and home. (Stephen Osman, Los Angeles Times)

October 11, 2008
After a long emphasis on designer furniture, Design Within Reach has launched Tools for Living, a 1,500-square-foot store adjacent to the Santa Monica DWR with about 900 accessories for the home and office. Tools for Living will focus on "finding contemporary designs that are easy to use and have an honesty of materials, made by undiscovered names from around the world," says buyer Kari Woldum, right, with co-worker Sally Yang. The sleek shop opened last week with standout items that include unembellished linen towels for kitchen and bath by the Japanese firm Fog, and modern ice cream scoops, bottom right. Wool poufs from Holland look as if they must have been made with baseball bat-sized knitting needles. The Tools for Living concept has already sparked an online parody by Rob Price and Kathy Park of the New York firm Thwart Design, www.thwartdesign.com. "Tools for Dying plays on the idea of extending the reach of design even further -- 6 feet under," says Price, who created the popular Web page (including a satirical take on George Nelson's midcentury clocks, left) as a sequel to his 2005 send-up, Design Without Reach. Says Tools for Living's Woldum: "They didn't really research what we would be carrying in the store, but imitation is flattering, and we loved the spoof." 332 Santa Monica Blvd.; (310) 458-0543; www.dwr.com.

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David A. Keeps