From stylish locally made cat furniture to collages made from dried flowers and sustainable cork glasses frames, these are the top VISI picks of the week series – week 361.

1. Sustainable Cat Furniture by Georgette Black

Durban-based interior and furniture design brand Georgette Black is also behind the Georgette Black Pets brand and its Scratch Bowl design. “After rigorous trials at our home testing laboratory with our own feline furniture specialists (Geoffrey and Panda), we’re confident that not only does the Scratch Bowl meet their high standards but is also a stylish addition to any contemporary home,” explain the brand owners. “And because we believe in solving problems through effective design, we’ve made the Scratch Bowl to be robust and long-lasting, while making use of sustainable and recycled components.” The Scratch Bowl is made from CNC-routered birch plywood and felt that’s made from 100% recycled PET plastic bottles.

Image credit: Michelle Reynolds, courtesy of Georgette Black Pets

2. CoralBloom Studio’s Hemp Tote Bag

Family-run brand CoralBloom Studio’s Hemp Tote Bags feature watercolour works by botanical artist Ann C. Jooste and daughters Michelle, a botanist, and Megan, a conservation ecologist, with support from dad Nico. Each bag is hand made from hemp greige and feature a large pocket digitally printed with eco-friendly water-based inks. The unlined bags have neatly overlocked seams for a secure and durable finish.

Images courtesy of CoralBloom

3. Ballo Cork Glasses

These stylish Barn Owl / Cork / Blue Light Blocker UV420 glasses by local ethical brand Ballo, are light-weight, durable, flexible and sustainable – and they float on water! These unisex carbon neutral frames are made from cork, recycled poly-cotton canvas and bio-resin.

Images courtesy of Ballo

4. Ocean Sole Ambassador: Romario Valentine

Nine-year-old Durban-based environmentalist Romario Valentine spends his free time cleaning beaches. With over 134 clean-ups under his belt, Romario has become the youngest Ocean Sole ambassador, a Kenyan project that recycles flip-flops washed up onto the coast into bright works of art depicting marine life. The turtle below is made from 30 flip-flops that washed up on shore.

Images courtesy of Delsha Moodley

5. Floral Collage Dry Flower Art

Polish mixed-media botanical artist Anastesz, aka @floralcollage on Instagram, uses foliage, pressed flowers and other natural materials found on outdoor excursions to create her delicate nature-inspired artworks.

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Image credit: @floralcollage on Instagram 

Browse more like VISI picks of the week series – week 361 on picks of the week 149.

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Cape Town-based brand You & Lou stocks a range of stylish, comfy beds and baskets for four-legged friends.

Finding a pet bed that works with your decor aesthetic isn’t always easy. You and Lou stocks beautiful dog baskets, hand-woven in Senegal. “Our aim is to create products for dogs that are allowed to be both beautiful and functional,” explains the brand on its website.

As well as baskets, and indoor/outdoor beds, they also stock cat hideaway baskets and woven dog collars.

For more information and to shop online, visit youandlou.co.za or follow You & Lou on Instagram.

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From a stylish new restaurant in New York City to a locally made pet furniture range and intricate paper artworks, these are the top VISI picks of the week series – week 285.

1. Junzi Restaurant in New York City

Junzi, a fast-casual Chinese restaurant in NYC, has just opened its new space on the ground floor of a historic building in the Big Apple. Led by architect Xuhui Zhang, the design of the space was inspired by the Broadway theatre district, with different sections of the restaurant divided into “stages”, from the first stage dining area to the final stage service counters.

Image credit: Andres Orozco via junzi.kitchen

2. Zim & Zou’s Paper Artworks

French artists Zim & Zou, namely Lucie Thomas and Thibault Zimmermann, create colourful paper artworks in intense detail. A recently completed project saw the duo interpret scenes from two Nobel Prize in Literature winners, namely One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez and Kristin Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undset.

Images via designboom.com

3. BIRBA Pet Range

Local design brand Birba has extended its collection of furniture to include two options for cats. Made from 100% Oak with sisal rope, the idea is that both designs can easily blend in with your home’s decor.

Images via birba.co.za

4. Freedom of Movement X Siya Kolisi Limited-edition “Vellie”

Springbok captain Siya Kolisi has teamed up with local hand-crafted leather goods brand Freedom of Movement on a new interpretation of the “vellie”. Made from leather in Field Green, each pair sold will contribute towards the creation of a sports field for the Mbekweni Youth Centre. The shoes retail between R1 495 and R1 695 per pair.

Images courtesy of freedomofmovement.co.za

5. Acne Studios Store in Chengdu, China

Swedish design label Acne Studios has opened a striking shop in Chengdu, China. The minimalist store, inspired by both the brand’s headquarters in Stockholm and the lively vibe of the city itself, features a striking pink facade.

Images via hypebae.com

Browse more like VISI picks of the week series – week 285 on picks of the week 255.

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The California-based cat furniture company Tuft + Paw has launched the Milo: the “ultimate playground for cats”, according to Dezeen.

For the design-conscious pet owner, it can be a challenge to find stylish pet furniture. Not only does this jungle gym offer indoor tigers the chance to play, discover and maintain their physical prowess, but its simple, Ikea-like flat-pack design and white and grey colour scheme means it is a piece of furniture you’ll be happy to have on show in your home.

It features two covered treehouses, two perches, and two scratching posts – a slide and the other a fireman-poll-like one both upholstered in a durable carpet fibre. Its curved side panels (designed especially to avoid sharp edges) are made of natural birch plywood with a white UV coating and slot together to build the frame, some of which is wrapped in rope for extra claw sharpening opportunities. Steps between the frame are ideal for cats to perch or jump on.

Arguably its best feature is the “crystal hammock”: a translucent, fish-bowl-style basin for perching or napping. Great for multi-cat households (the best kind, in our opinion), it is “suitable for cats of all shapes and sizes”, according to the site.

Tuft + Paw’s mission is to provide beautiful, well-made furniture for housecats, and it sources beautiful products from around the world, including beds, houses and (gasp!) hammocks, scratching posts and climbing gyms, and stylish litter box furniture and accessories.

Here at VISI HQ, we’re fairly partial to pets. Check out our list of design-savvy feline furniture from around the globe, here. 

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The idea for this collection of cardboard cat furniture came about when two Taipei-based architects adopted two orphaned kittens.

The kittens, named Chacha and Lily, struggled to adapt to their new surroundings. A friend of the couple suggested they give the cats a cardboard box to play with, and after noticing an almost instant positive change, the idea for the Room Collection was born.

A Cat Thing provides a happy hiding spot for your cats, without sacrificing your home to bits of old cardboard boxes lying around. With a love of practical and minimalist design, the designers have created four modular components, namely a room, living room, balcony and ramp, that you can construct into the ultimate cat house.

“No matter how you decide to assemble them, the resulted structure will keep the same sense of design and harmony,” says the duo.

Each non-toxic, eco-friendly module, made with origami principles in mind, can exist separately from each other.

For more information, visit acatthing.com.

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Top architects in Los Angeles have crafted thoughtful, stylish, creative, one-of-a-kind cat shelters for a furry good cause.

The non-profit organisation Fixnation, which offers a free, full-time spay/neuter clinic in LA for homeless stray and feral cats, is taking creative measures to raise money for humane colony management programmes in LA where over a million cats live on the streets, making it one of the US’s largest populations of homeless felines.

LA architects were tasked with designing, building and donating functional, one-of-a-kind outdoor dwellings for cats. The shelters were presented at the Architects for Animals “Giving Shelter” exhibit, and were auctioned off to benefit the charity’s mission.

Watch how “Flora-gato”, a collaborative biomorphic trellis, was painstakingly created below and browse the gallery to view all of the designs.

(h/t) designboom.com

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Swedish furniture giant IKEA has just launched LURVIG, a new range of products specially designed for pets in the brand’s signature minimalist style.

The range, which was created by Spanish designer Inma Bermudéz, includes a selection of 62 products, from comfy beds and travel baskets to mini versions of iconic IKEA furniture designs, like the Klippan sofa, designed to fit in with your home’s decor scheme.

LURVIG was created with support from vet Barbara Schäfer to ensure that pet behaviours and habits were taken into consideration during the design process.

For example, Inma created a shallow bowl for dogs to encourage them to eat slowly. “Cats are generally good at regulating how much food they eat, however a number of dog breeds still retain the desire to overeat,” says Inma on Dezeen. “That’s how the slow feed bowl became part of the Lurvig range. By using a design that breaks up a bowl’s internal surface area, it prevents the dog from being able to inhale their food in one or two gulps.”

See more pet furniture designs from around the world here, including 14 Of The Best Pet Furniture Buys on Etsy and Stylish Furniture For Cats.

(h/t) dezeen.com / boredpanda.com

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1. Pettal cardboard cat furniture

SPECS: Forget the drab, beige cardboard pyramid from the pet store. This chic, contemporary cardboard playhouse and scratching post is made in Russia.

2. Design Dua bed

SPECS: A US-made basket woven from elephant grass and natural dyes. Available in three sizes with a foam cushion included.

3. The Cat Ball shark cat bed

SPECS: Made in the US from cotton, foam, “really scary shark eyeballs” and “really scary shark teeth”, the now-famous Cat Ball was designed to celebrate Shark Week. This basic hexagonal cat cave is available in different fabrics and characters, including a Vorpal Rabbit Easter Bunny.

4. The Cat Ball watermelon cat canoe

SPECS: From the same makers as the shark cat bed, here’s another cosy fabric and foam bed for the furries. We love the watermelon, but the style does come in other fabric options.

5. Cozy and Dozy cat shelf

SPECS: We know that cats love high places, so this ergonomically curved, wall-mounted cat shelf is the perfect nook for kitties. Made in Warsaw, Poland, the shelves are available in maple, walnut and wenge wood options with a range of fabrics.

6. EONeyeofnature cat chubby

SPECS: A reinforced solid pine hexagonal kitty refuge made in the States that can be stained in a variety of colours and wall mounted.

7. Catissa Cat Trees modular cat house

SPECS: To quote the Estonian makers: “Catissa preserves the living area for people, while giving an excellent top-down overview for cats […] a refuge for cats that [are] tired [of] children, dogs and other annoying beings.” The pine housing can be untreated or stained in other colours and comes with sheepskin bedding.

8. Catissa Cat Trees geobed

SPECS: A modern, Scandi-style birch plywood bed with sheepskin pillow suitable for cats and small dogs and available in natural, white and black.

9. AgnesFelt cat cave

SPECS: We featured one of Agne’s cute felt cat beds with cat ears on our list of stylish cat furniture, but we like this simple dome-shaped one too. Made in Lithuania of wool, it’s available in a variety of sizes, making it suitable for large breed or multiple cats, or dogs.

10. Like Kittysville cat wall shelf

SPECS: A wall-mounted plywood cat shelf that’s covered in a removable, washable slipcover made of three vintage fabrics that are available in different colour combos. The bed’s surface tilts slightly towards the wall, so your domestic leopard can nap without fear of slipping off.

11. Lord Paw Pets designer cat bed

SPECS: Another favourite from our list of designer feline furniture, the sculptural globe is available in white, black, gold and rose gold with a luxurious faux fur pillow inside.

12. The Studio Pines Cat Pod

SPECS: Described as an icosahedron (a polyhedron with 20 faces), this beautiful faceted wooden cat cave is made from “beetle kill” pine in Colorado – a smart, sustainable way to use “imperfect” pine. Beetle kill pine is the result of a blue stain fungus. While the fungi is burnt away during the kiln drying process, the blue pine lumber is streaked with a natural blue-grey stain.

13. SavePlace hammock

SPECS: Made to order in Lithuania, this comfortable dog or cat hammock turn chairs into a safe little napping nook for cats and small dogs. Available in different colours and fabric options.

Missed our selection of favourite feline furniture pieces? You’ll find it here.

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A favourite topic at the VISI HQ, this is by no means our first foray into furry-focused designs.

We’ve featured architectural landmarks from around the world by Dutch design studio Poopy Cat, cardboard playhouses scaled for tiny furry Pharaohs, presidents and princes; Nendo’s modular range of modern cubed beds in muted tones; and CATable 2.0, the stackable wooden blocks from Chinese studio LYCS Architecture, to mention a few.

Unsurprisingly, this is a popular niche around the world too. And we’re pleased to report we’ve spotted a trend that sees design-conscious pet owners disappointed with the standard offering and opting instead to design and create modern, chic pieces that not only seamlessly fit into a contemporary home, but actually become focal points. We approve! Here, we present you with some of the globe’s best feline furniture. In alphabetical order…

• Britain – Bark and Miao PadPod

A contemporary, luxury cat bed, the PadPod has a sleek, shiny outershell and padded interior walls that are available in striking colourways to coordinate with your interiors. It’s slightly elevated – a feline preference, according to its designers.

• Columbia – Lord Paw Cat Throne

A handcrafted sculptural globe available in white, black, gold and rose gold that rests on neat little wooden legs with a luxurious faux fur pillow inside.

• France – Meyou Paris Cat Cube

Meyou – “Classy furniture for discerning cats” – is described as an accessory line that is based on cats’ personalities: refined and elegant. The cube has a coated handwoven cocoon available in muted monochromes or vibrant colours, which acts as a scratching accessory and a catnap spot. Style conscious cat lovers, feast your eyes on this designer range.

• France – Chimère

Trust the Parisians to have more than one sophisticated design offering. From the design studio Bloom Room, Chimère, which means a dream or fancy in French, offers museum-worthy contemporary pet furniture. The range includes a rocking birdcage, a Wes Anderson-esque fishbowl and a cat and dog sofa upholstered in the fabric of designer textile manufacturer Kvadrat.

• Germany – Jerry’s Cat Cave

Suitable for large breeds or two cats, this sleek plastic cave is sturdy and easy to clean with a spongy, snuggly mattress. A percentage of each purchase goes to charity.

• Lithuania – Agnes Felt Cat Bed

A cosy, cute felt cave that’s handmade-to-order in wool in a range of colours by Etsy-shop owner Agne to five-star rave reviews.

• Netherlands – Curver Cosy Pet Home

Don’t be fooled by the textured knit look – it’s actually a 3D plastic shell from the knit range by Curver, a packaging design company known for its design and innovation heritage. It has two sleeping levels (inside or on top) or it can be flipped to offer a fully textured, functional surface.

• South Africa – Benji + Moon Cat Cocoons

We’ve praised Benji + Moon’s homegrown pet products before. Produced by local crafters helping to uplift communities, we love their collaboration with felt artist Ronel Jordaan on the 100% Merino wool Cat Cocoon. All natural, cool in summer and cosy in winter, they’re made by hand using only eco-dyes and eco-friendly processes.

• Ukraine – Ohhio Knit Basket Bed

From the Ohhio design studio known for their chunky-knit blankets, these cosy beds are knitted from soft Merino wool and are available in a variety of sizes and colours, with a percentage of each purchase going to charity.

• USA –The Hepper Pod

This modern pet furniture company, named for the founder’s feline prototype tester, is in the business of “thoughtful, timeless and functional pet products”. The unique Hepper Pod offers a fully covered, cosy cave with a removable inner liner, or a “top down” snoozing option. It also promises “no cat paw prints” favouring solid colours and subtle textured prints that won’t clash with your decor.

• USA – The Missy Cave

Pup + Kit was borne when its founder was seeking stylish, functional pet beds to complement a modern home. Handmade-to-order with wood veneered plywood and custom finishes, this modern geometric den is designed to be used as a side table, making it a functional and stylish piece of feline furniture.

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Dutch design studio Poopy Cat have come up with a clever idea that will make your pet very happy.

Seven architectural landmarks from around the world have been recreated into cardboard playhouses for cats, dogs, bunnies, guinea pigs and other small pets.

From the Sphinx, the Eiffel Tower, the White House, the Kremlin and the Taj Mahal to South Asian pagodas and Mayan temples, these playhouses aim to provide a safe spot for your furry friend to chill out and relax.

Each landmark, which is made using thick recycled cardboard, includes a playful element that your pet can interact with too. “The Eiffel Tower for example has an elevator hanging from a rope on the inside,” explains founder and CEO Thomas Vles. “You can add a cat – or small dog snack – in the top and your pet needs to shake things up in order to get the reward.”

Find out more (and support) this project on Kickstarter or visit poopycat.com for more information. Browse all seven designs in the gallery above.

(h/t) designboom.com

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