Glimpses from Zona Tortona Milan

As you may have heard, there's an ash cloud in the skies above Europe, stranding flights everywhere, and due to this cloud, I'm stuck in Milan during design week, with many others equally stuck including Hugh Jackman. Poor poor me, right?

When I'm not in the Radostar corner of the Rado exhibition, where my 36 hours of painting a wall is on display - I'm hitting up all the design booths I have time to see, sucking up inspiration like a sponge.

Sustainable materials are all the rage this year and new inventions, like the LED light, has brought on interesting ideas like this one from Wästberg & Södra. The lamp itself is made from pressed paper, since the LED doesn't get that hot. Once the LED bulb is done, you simply throw the entire lamp away. (Don't say poor lamp it's just a thing, it has no feelings!)

Nearby, Tom Dixon is showing off his work, and selling these lazer-etched lights. The small ones can hold tea lights, while the large ones are fit for bulbs.

Design by Droog is making something out of nothing by rescuing discarded items found everywhere, adding to them and making it something new. There's wallets with "money does not make me happy" printed in gold on them, there's mirrors with a rainbow colored hue added to it, there's boxes of matches with a classic cartoon bomb. There's bright blue flocked knick-knacks.

On a completely different spectrum of Dutch Design is Piet Boon, who invites you to a stylishly sophisticated version of home, where leather sofas feel like butter and velvet sparkles like jewels underneath latex chandeliers. I could get used to that.

Must dash now, so much to see, so little time - unless of course all airports stay closed and I'll have to stay here forever. I could get used to that too.