eBay Find of the Day: Thomas Paul Pillow

eBay isn't all garage-sale scavengers selling off their dusty weekend finds: Sometimes, auction vendors are actual retailers -- both respected antiques dealers seeking to broaden their clientele and modern home-goods merchants clearing out space in their showrooms and warehouses or firesaling discontinued and slightly damaged goods.

Such is the case with Seattle's Velocity Art and Design, which currently has more than four dozen first- and seconds-quality items up for auction on eBay, including goods from Thomas Paul, Vitra, Chilewich, Jonathan Adler, and others. The items may not be perfect (though in many cases they are), but they are a great deal.

The discontinued Thomas Paul Istanbul silk pillow in aqua pictured above, for instance, originally retailed for $74. It has a barely noticeable, quarter-inch mark on the cover -- hence the bargain-basement price.

Current bid: $1. (Hurry -- the auction ends Tuesday.)

P.S. For more of my current eBay picks, scroll down to the eBay widget at the bottom of the page.

eBay Find of the Day: Thomas Paul Plates

One of the things I like about eBay -- and that not everyone realizes -- is that you can find a lot more than just used and vintage items there.

In fact, there are thousands of eBay sellers unloading brand-new, name-brand products, often at a fraction of the original retail prices. (Many live near outlet stores and make a living selling their finds on eBay; others seem to have some sort of inside track on company overstock.)

Take this melamine Matryoshka platter and matching dessert plates from designer Thomas Paul's popular Folk collection. With "Buy It Now," the platter is $15 and the plate set is $24.

(Psst -- the seller also has a bunch of Jonathan Adler stuff.)

Cool Stuff: Thomas Paul Lighting

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the brand-new Thomas Paul lighting collection at 2Modern -- why did it take him so long?

Have a look:

Goldfinch Orange Pendant Lamp, $231

Goldfinch Red Pendant Lamp, $363

Marie Aqua Table Lamp, $306

Marie Brown Table Lamp, $306

Kelly Table Lamp, $284

Kelly II Floor Lamp, $570

See the entire Thomas Paul collection here.

Mark Your Calendar: Modern Economy Sample Sale

If you're in the Bay Area, don't miss the Modern Economy Sample Sale this Saturday, July 28, at San Francisco's Fort Mason Center. (Modern Economy organizes regular West Coast events where indie designers and shops sell samples, post-season items, and overstock at up to 70 percent off retail prices.)

A sampling of the incredible designers who'll be hawking their wares at this Saturday's sale:

Balanced Design

Deadly Squire

Dwell

Emma Gardner

Henry Road

Inhabit

Perch Ceramics

Plush Living

Rae Dunn Ceramics

Relish at Home

Thomas Paul

Tikoli

Variegated

I am so there. (Thanks to Anh-Minh for the heads' up!)

Trendspotting: Mah-velous Melamine

Melamine tableware has been around forever (it was standard issue in military mess halls during World War II). But lately these lowly, lightweight plastic plates have taken on a decidedly glamorous look.

There are plenty of fun, kitschy designs out there, too, of course -- Pop Ink has some great ones, for instance. But these newer patterns are luxe enough to use for more formal occasions as well as for casual dining on the patio. (I recently trotted out my Working Class Studio Ironworks Plates -- below, $6 each -- for a dinner party and got nothing but compliments on them.)

So in honor of the official start of summer, here's a collection of melamine plates that will glam up your next picnic or barbecue -- and look just as great on a candlelit dinner table:

Jackie Shapiro French Bull Ring ($45 for four), Crush ($39 for four), and Mosaic Dinner Plates ($45 for four), available from Plum Party.

Bongenre's Winchester Mandala ($40 for four), Louis ($45 for four), Tangier Sun ($40 for four), Coral ($45 for four), and Wilde's Lacunuae ($45 for four) 12-Inch Plates.

Pop Ink Wallpaper Plates ($40 for four), available from Velocity Art and Design.

Fish Pond Buffet Plates ($24 for four), from Anthropologie.

Jonathan Adler Origami Salad Plate ($10), Peacock Salad Plate ($10), and Origami Dinner Plate ($14).

Thomas Paul Coral ($29 for four) and Folk ($36 for four) Dinner Plate Sets, available from Velocity Art and Design.

Thomas Paul Gothic Dinner Plates ($36 for four) and Gothic Tray ($18), available from Elsewares.

Metallic Spiral Salad Plates ($15 for six), Metallic Dinnerware Collection ($15 to 18), Fusion Dinner Plates ($24 for four), and Red/Gold Dinner Plates ($12 for three), from Target.

eBay Find of the Day: Thomas Paul Plates

This 20-piece Thomas Paul Kimono Melamine Dinnerware Set is perfect for summer barbecues or casual everyday dining.

The plates would also make colorful decorations grouped together and hung on a wall, and the trays would add a shot of summery color when set atop a dresser to hold jewelry or loose change, or placed on a coffee- or side table and topped with a trio of bud vases.

Originally priced at $120, the discontinued set is $35 with eBay's Buy It Now option.

Cool Stuff: Pimp My Cubicle

Because there's absolutely no reason that your design fixation, love of color, and all-around excellent taste should be confined to your home, these great new offerings (and old favorites) from See Jane Work are a convenient excuse to bring some of that fabulous style to your workspace, too.

Go ahead -- call it "Cubicle Chic."

Top left: Sanibel Pencil Cups, $10 each; top right: Kate Spade Pencil Set: $8 for six; bottom: Thomas Paul Pencil Cups, $6 each.

Left and center: PepperPot File Folders, $7 for six; right: Caspari Print File Folders, $12 for six.

Left: Letter Trays, $28 each; center: Pocket Strip Wall Organizer, $25; right: Magazine Files, $24 each.

Left: Thomas Paul Notebook Trio, $18.50; right: Mirage Journals, $9 each.

Left: Chrome Stapler, $25; center: Silver Tape Dispenser, $25; right: Silver Calculator, $28.

Left: Superdeluxe Monogram Paperweights, $65 each; right: Acme Studios Card Case, $29, and Rollerball Pen, $63.

Left: Angela Adams Organizer, $23; center: Decorative Things Desk Tray, $40; right: PepperPot Mouse Pads, $7 each.

Now, get back to work!