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Even though this was published seven years ago, it’s still got enough oomph as far as pictures of modern homes are concerned. It’s one of the books I purchased inside unseen, just to see more about the house on the cover.

“This is an illustrated study of the world’s most interesting and innovative contemporary houses. Organized into thematic sections, it features detailed appraisals of 30 contemporary houses by the world’s leading architects, …The book examines issues such as ecological concerns, changing patterns of living, building with sensitivity in ever-increasingly populated cities, and respecting the environment when building in isolated rural area.”

[posted by katie]

This is such a deal.

“The Worktable is a versatile storage table for more flexible living environments. The table is designed with everyday tasks in mind – eating, sewing, preparing food, drawing, crafts, computing, surfing the web, paying bills, changing babies, repotting plants, homework, and scrap-booking.
Discreet cable-routing slots in the sides and lower panels keep tangles of wires out of sight but close at hand. The worktable incorporates nearly 5 cubic feet of storage into a solid, flat-packed furniture piece.”

36 x 36 x 29.75” (915 x 915 x 755mm), assembly required

birch plywood, high-pressure laminate, polished aluminum
White and Black coming soon.

These pendants are not only lovely, but also created from sustainable materials.

“The Coral Pendant (2004) is the result of two influences: the repeating patterns of ice crystals David Trubridge saw in Antarctica and the similar patterns he saw in underwater coral…The Coral Pendant arrives unassembled to make shipping more efficient and to reduce the amount of packing materials. Instructions for simple assembly are included and no tools are required.”

Australian sustainable-plantation-grown hoop pine untreated plywood; dual-core electrical flex PVC cord; white painted metal ceiling plate; stainless steel rivets.

H 23.5″ Diameter 23.5″ Cord L 15′

Also pictured are the Koura ($2,200) and Kina ($2000) pendants.

Here’s a rather well done site showcasing a home that “will serve as a laboratory for the…ongoing research into sustainable design.” It’s worth a look to see some ideas on integrating sustainable design into a home- there’s an excellent section showing various building materials that are environmentally friendly as well as a plan of how air will circulate, cutting down on air conditioning costs, etc. You can also see a live web-cam chronicling the construction.

“The home’s seamless integration of environmental systems and green materials is expected to make it one of the first in California to garner Platiunum Certification from the USGBC LEED for Homes Program. With construction beginning this summer, Sycamore House is scheduled for completion in 2008.”

[posted by katie]

Incredibly tiny, this will do the job without taking up much space in your luggage.

“Flip to open this LCD alarm clock with a built-in LED flashlight. Includes a snooze function, calendar, stopwatch, and timer. Made of ABS with an aluminum case. One button-cell battery included.”

Size: Closed: 1h x 3w x .75″d

[posted by katie]

It sounds weird to say that glass garage doors are one of my favorite things, but they are. I especially like the idea of a garage door in the place of a large window, allowing for opening/closing at the push of a button, old-school style.

[posted by katie]

Wow.

“forbidden _fruit.mgx, by dan yeffet, is an order of magnitude more complex than any bowl we’ve seen. this forbidden fruit isn’t solid, but rather is made of all the things that make it forbidden, words like ‘soft’, ‘sweet’, ‘tender’, ‘smooth’, ‘juicy’ you get the picture.”

Bordeaux, Grass Green, Havana Brown, or Black.

This is a rather unique cup and saucer set- I like how the handle looks like part of a pair of scissors, and the fake shadow is interesting as well…

“what you see is not what you get. this cup and saucer set challenges our perception of what is right and false. the deceiving shadow forged on the saucer resonates the beauty and well-proportioned shape of the coffee cup.”

material : porcelain
size : 4.25 oz

This will arrive upon our doorstep any day now, as we were not able to resist purchasing a giant flip clock.

“Our Giant Wall Flip Clock will be the focal point of any room with its quiet flipping numbers and unique design reminiscent of years past. The clock measures a whopping 13″ x 5″ x 4″ and is wall mountable, or it can rest on any flat surface such as a desk, table, or mantle. The clock operates on one d-size battery, not included.”

[posted by katie]

The wood base with metal supports add a little bit of detailing, and the glass top will help make the room feel open and airy. All in all, a good choice for a dining table or desk surface.

“…with their unique sloped wood frames, metal supports and clear glass tops create a collection of tables that allow the view of the unique base design.”

Large Table, $995.00
w90″ x d40″ x h29

Small Table, $895.00
w72″ x d36″ x h29

Console, $495.00
w60″ x d18″ x h27

[posted by katie]

A follow up to Spoon, this book has over 1000 color illustrations of items considered notable in today’s product design world.

“AND FORK is a comprehensive global overview of new industrial design today.This generously illustrated volume presents 100 of the most exceptional product designers that have recently emerged on the international scene…A wide range of objects (including chairs, lighting, footwear,kitchen accessories and electronics) provide an up-to-date snapshot of the newest developments in the design world.The book will be an indispensable reference for students, designers, architects and the general public interested in learning about contemporary design in everyday life.”

[posted by katie]

This stackable wine rack holds six wine bottles, and conveniently can be added on as your collection grows.

The Echelon Wine Rack is a stackable aluminum wine rack. One set (shown top) hold six wine bottles and additional stacks can be added on.

[posted by katie]

This rug is on sale, so if you’re looking for something modern for under $500, you better snap it up soon.

“The weight of these rugs give them a plush feel and near-flawless appearance—you can hardly see the backing beneath the surface…All of these rugs are single-piece craftwork, made exclusively from 100% New Zealand wool…”

7×10.5

This would reduce all the bottle bulk that goes along with traveling with toiletries.

Set includes 7 empty travel sized bottles in a variety of sizes, all under 3oz. Packaged in a reusable transparent quart-size zip pouch.

[posted by katie]

Art is, to me, a necessary component of a home. I’ve been wanting to add some photography to the mix of art we currently have, and this book has definitely given me some ideas as to what artists we might further investigate (whether we can afford them is another matter). This rather large book offers brief descriptions and examples of each artist’s work, so that you are privy to recent developments and theories within photography.

“VITAMIN Ph is a global survey of new developments in the medium of photography, featuring 121 living artists who have made a contribution to the international art photography scene in the last five years. VITAMIN Ph presents a stunning collection of 500 images, the magnitude and diversity of which illustrates the integral developments in photography -the dispersal of the medium on the one hand and the reinvention of documentary representation on the other – that have recalibrated the medium in the age of globalization. The artists were nominated by 78 of the world’s top critics, curators and fellow artists…”

[posted by katie]