bltd

If you hadn’t seen the title, would you have known what this was? This guy is probably one of the more elegant humidifiers out there, as it allows water to diffuse into the air through its thinly sliced hinoki (Japanese cypress) ‘mast’, thus accelerating moisture diffusion tenfold. Of course, if you need a beefier, electronic humidifier, do consider the Drop ($49), the Anton Ultrasonic Humidifier ($139), or the Takumi Chimney ($200).
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Just when you thought your smartphone had enough wizardry, it goes and upgrades your car’s capabilities. The Automatic Link uses your smartphone to ‘talk’ to your car’s onboard computer, learning your driving style and scoring you on gas efficiency. What else? It can detect crashes (and immediately report it to 911 and text your loved ones), help you understand what the ‘check engine’ light means, and will always remember where you parked. That, in itself, might be worth the cost alone for some of us.
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And so the intrigue continues over the pricing of the Acapulco Chair. Such mystery! That sounds a little like the title of a paragraph intended for a bilingual learning exercise, but nonetheless, just do a quick search and see the prices out there online. $400 – $500? No thank you, not when it’s $249 from this retailer. Craziness.
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New stuff may be arriving left and right for the spring season, but let’s not forget there’s always a need for appropriate coat racks by the front door. This one from Amenity Home has a smart storage slot for mail and papers that’ll be handy long past the cold, dark days of winter. Handcrafted from reclaimed wood, you have a choice between a 42″ or 54″ size, or, if needed, custom sizes are also available.

Available in Natural and Walnut.

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And you thought the soccer ball was just a soccer ball. Well, thanks to the company Uncharted Play it can be much, much more. The SOCCKET is soccer ball that harnesses and stores energy. Thanks to a pendulum-like mechanism inside the SOCCKET, a mere 30 minutes of play can generate a simple LED lamp for 3 hours. Innovative idea, isn’t it? An off-grid power source is obviously needed in many areas of the world, and by pledging $99 or more, you’ll help get more of these where they need to be- and you’ll receive your very own SOCCKET (with LED Lamp) to use. Spread the word.
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Still looking for a decent messenger bag? A bit picky, aren’t we now? That’s okay, because you should be when it comes to the bag you carry around most everyday. This flap front, messenger style bag is made of heavy cotton duck and natural HF leather for a utilitarian look, feel, and function. Two large compartments and two smaller pockets keep things partitioned on the inside with a snap front closure to keep your belongings secured. And, if you’d rather rock a different style bag with the same sort of look, MAKR has a ruck sack, tote, and satchel as well.

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At first glance, these Airvases by Torafu Architects seem too light and, well, airy, to pay much attention to, but then the ‘Bauhaus’ title piques one’s interest. Rather bold designs appear on these flexible and lightweight paper vases when seen from different angles, giving an interesting play of postitive/negative space. The set of three airvases arrive flat and ready for sculpting.
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Don’t say you don’t need a desktop organizer because you’ll just sound all put together and organized. These trays by Caroline Gomez offer two ways to give order to chaos: the plateau is a simple surface with two compartments for small accessories and the tablette tray offers rails to hold cards, photographs and notes.
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Faceted boulders! Low-res rocks! Talk about a great addition to a landscape, or as a sort of objet d”²art (air quotes) in an empty corner of a room. There’s not a lot of info, but really, what do you need to know other than they’re made from steel? Update: No longer available through original link (Etsy), but good news, now available directly from the designer/maker, Wyatt Studio.
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Have a nice weekend!

Hmm, here’s something interesting. For once, a product posted years ago (2008) has actually gone down in price, from $575 to $325. And yes, your eyes are correct, the Gomitolo clock has a soft ecru knit cotton cover: a sweater, if you will, for your time keeping device. The cover can be removed and washed as needed.
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Remember Zatista, one of our sponsors last month? If you didn’t get a chance to peruse the many original art pieces they have on offer, now’s your chance, because they’re offering 10% off of any purchase using the code ‘Art4BLTD‘. Be sure to try out their Art Explorer too- it suggests more art based on your selections.
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If you prefer a little lemon or lime in your water, then you need to sit up and pay attention. The Citrus Zinger has a citrus press built into its bottom side, making it easy to extract juice from fruits and infuse them directly into your water bottle. No extra implements- just the bottle- for your preferred level of lemony (or limey?) water.
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It’s about time that a modern version of the porch swing comes along, especially as winter is winding up and spring is on its way. This swing has a no-nonsense steel frame with cypress wood seats and two moveable backrests that allow multiple seating options (see SwingLab’s gallery for more pics). Pretty tempting if you’ve a porch that needs a novel seating solution, or, if you’re a bit more daring, hang it indoors for a different take on the chaise longue.
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These handy coat hooks have pins at the top to hold mail, photos, or notes. As a bonus, each hook also has super strong magnets so you can attach them to any metal surface (the fridge perhaps?) for catching miscellany.
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