What American-made products are you tired of seeing? We based our business around what we did want to see just as much as what we didn’t. We chose to offer a hand-turned bowl that will be used every day versus an axe, which may not be built for everyday function. For us, it’s not a gimmick or a trend; it’s a movement to support and advance American craft. Coffee Mug and Espresso Mug by Len Carella, $48 and $28.

Smaller is Smarter features this awesome, space-saving, 426-square-foot loft in San Diego, California. Photo by: Misha Gravenor

The Flute Lamp, designed in 2007.

A living roof is among the project's many green features.

One of the bedrooms. Photo by Sally Schoolmaster.

Though Detroit is often associated with urban decay, it too has seen its share of development in the past five years. This image was taken in 2007.

A street corner on Kent Street in Brooklyn, New York, 2007.

The view down Spring street to City Hall in Downtown Los Angeles, 2007. All images by Google Maps Street View.

2007: Olafur Eliasson and Kjetil Thorsen Resembling a top or a space-age slide projector, the Scandinavian duo’s design was ringed with a ramp lined in twisting white suppots, which looked outwards towards the park, and inwards to a sloping pavilion with custom upholstery and inflatable furniture. Photograph © 2007 John Offenbach

2007 revenues for Wal-Mart: $379 billion 2007 GDP for Sweden: $384.1 billion

What is the average run size of the products you sell? It varies; we may work with All Roads Design for a one-off handwoven piece. Jacob Bromwell has been operating since 1819 and, while it still makes things by hand, it clearly has the production process dialed in to supply large orders. Charred Bookends by Moran Woodworked, $275.

What’s your best seller? Our Nesting trivet set ($150) that can also be used as a fruit bowl. The response seems to come from the dual function, the story of collaborating with Arrowhead, and the beauty of the design.

The eight-story structure provides laundry facilities, medical services, psychological services, temporary shelter beds, educational programs (including a library), and gathering spaces. Photo by Chris Mueller.

The Flex Stool, designed in 2007 and manufactured by Pirwi.

Womens store 5th Avenue christmas 2007

2007, Studio Cerri & Associati / Pierluigi Cerri e Alessandro Colombo.

Landen public seating for Vitra Edition, 2007.

Fruity bowls, 2007, manufactured by Wentworth Pewter.

What everyday item would you like to see made domestically? We’d be really excited to see utilitarian objects that are often overlooked by the design community: soap dispensers, brooms, pens, and even the humble trash can. Muji does this well, and we’d like to see the American approach. Blackline Step Stool by Blackcreek Mercantile & Trading Co., $350.

What do you wish was easier to make and source in the USA? Extremes exist in the production of home goods. There are either very small-scale artisans or established mass producers; our challenge is finding and supporting those who wish to operate somewhere in the middle. Mountain Bowl by Felt and Fat, $70.

From balconies finished in concrete, residents can spy Portland's Pearl District. Photo by Chris Mueller.

Investing in the look and feel of the space was important to the organizations involved with the project. Here, a wealth of materials in the interior. Photo by Chris Mueller.

A Cesar Vallejo, 2007, by Barcelona sculptor Jaume Piensa.

Nadav Kander: Chongqing XI, Chongqing Municipality (2007)

Passami Il Sale utensils for Serafino Zani, 2007.

The Tulip Lamp, with a base of metal rods, was designed in 2007.

The 11,000-square-foot Commons Club on the second-floor, overlooked by an original glass-walled mezzanine, represents the communal heart of the hotel. For the lounge area, Rockwell Group Europe managing and creative director Diego Gronda included loveseats by Fritz Hansen, lighting from FontanaArte, and tables from Minotti.

Designed by Holst Architecture, Bud Clark Commons provides housing and services for Portland, Oregon's most vulnerable homeless population. Photo by Chris Mueller.

The common area. Photo by Chris Mueller.

Aarnio turned 75 in 2007, but the commissions continue to flood in.

A dynamic hybrid of a bar, laid-back study, and restaurant, it provides numerous services and flexible spaces to unwind for breakfast, lunch ,and dinner. Rockwell Group Europe carefully evaluated the flow from one room to the next to create a unique and flexible spatial experience. As guests move through the library, the space opens up into the two-story atrium bar. Tremendous effort went into restoring the club’s historic double-height plaster ceiling, which is accentuated by exposed filament pendant lights by Arteriors. As guests make their way through the bar, they come upon The Kitch (pictured).

DesignBuildBLUFF’s 2007 team put the finishing touches on their latest project.

Koetter|Kim & Associates, UNIVERSITY COMMONS: WISHCAMPER CENTER AND OSHER MAP LIBRARY

The Rocket stool, Aarnio’s 2007 design for venerable Finnish producer Artek.

Among Sofield's work is this private residence in Colorado, completed in 2007. Photo by Don Freeman.