bltd

Here’s a little update to my previous post about the custom bike.

If you have Georg Jensen taste on a Republic Bike budget, you can add cork grips and a Brooks leather saddle to any bike for about a $100.

(george jensen link via notcot)

I always find it interesting when mass retailers sell one of a kind pieces. In this case, CB2 is selling these little stools from 100% reclaimed sal wood retrieved from “older village buildings in India as newer construction moves in”.

“Sanded smooth with matte wax finish. Some cracking and darkening may occur over time. All ready to go, no assembly required.”

Holds up to 200 lbs distributed evenly.

[posted by kris]

If you’ve been eying a fixed gear bike, you can customize the components in a variety of available colors with this interactive flash interface.

Available colors:
White,
Matte Black,
Wasabe,
Pink,
Skyan,
Copper

[posted by kris]

This is a perfect little side table at a nice little price point.

“Mod-inspired fiberglass side table, constructed in a lightweight hourglass design and polished with clean, smooth edges. Top it with a lamp or plant, keep it plain and simple, or use it as decorative seating! The sturdy flat-top surface is ideal for just about anything! ”

12.5″w, 12.5″d, 16.5″h

I want this outdoor chair so bad I can’t see straight.

“Designed by Willy Guhl, 1968, the Loop Chair is made from an asbestos free cement bond (Eternit) and is well suited for both indoor and outdoor use.

The corresponding Loop Table fits neatly inside the chair’s frame for storage.”

Dimensions: 26″H x 21.5″W x 18″D

[posted by kris]

I saw this at this year’s ICFF and was instantly drawn to the idea of highlighting a few pair of special shoes. If I had any room in my house for a walk in closet I would definitely use the shrine shoe rack.

[posted by kris]

This mirror is about us unadorned as you can get. Simple mirror hangs on a walnut peg. Measures 24″ x 24″. I think this would look amazing over a single wash basin in the bath.

[posted by kris]

I’m currently in the planning stages of working on the landscape on my home, and since I’m in Southern California, I’m lucky enough to have nice weather almost year round, so one thing I’m striving for is a way to have indoor spaces which can easily transition to outdoor. I’m loving the Casa Blair Road house by Ong & Ong, which is simply stunning. The outdoor space feels like an extension of the home, and conversely, the transitional room feels like it’s outside.

[posted by kris]

One of my favorite things at ICFF this year was interesting paint treatments to simple wood furniture. It sort of evokes a feeling of Shaker simplicity with modern shapes. As far as I know this particular piece didn’t show at ICFF, but the variegated color scheme reminds me of some of the great pieces I saw earlier this year.

Designer: Ted Boerner

Standard Size:

W 13″ D 13″ H 18 1/2″

Standard Woods:

Outside: Lacquer finish

Inside: Walnut, White Oak

[posted by kris]

The owners of Bakoko Design and Development recently undertook remodeling their post-war Japanese apartment down to painstaking detail. Walls were removed to create more of an open living plan and little gems of usability are hidden throughout the apartment. My favorite is the shock of pink on the walls hidden in the work compartment. I also really like the small vanity seen here.

[posted by kris]

I’m a big fan of the juxtaposition between old and new, and as such I’ve been considering a ceiling medallion for my home. I was thinking I could go with an old medallion with a new lighting fixture as seen on the left, or go with an entirely modern medallion, as seen on the right.

What I really like about the photo on the left is that the light fixture is exactly the same size as the medallion so they really create a nice effect. This photo was taken from a house I used to live in–the medallion came with the house, and the lighting fixture was about $20 from Target (no longer available). You can find a nice selection of medallions online, such as at Lamps Plus or CeilingMedallions.com.

The modern medallion is available here for $69.

I’m not proud to admit it, but I’m a confirmed water-snob. I can tell the difference between spring, reverse osmosis (RO) , and tap water even by just smelling it. I can’t help it, but it’s hard for me to drink regular tap water, or even spring water for that matter. I get this talent/affliction from my mother, which means that even since I was a child, I’ve had two faucets at the kitchen sink: one for regular tap water, and one for Reverse Osmosis water. I’m currently working on remodeling my kitchen in Los Angeles (pictures to follow when it’s done, I promise) and I started to research my options for which faucet to get for my RO filter. There are usually some pretty good options available and it’s not too difficult to match an RO faucet with some of the more modern kitchen sink faucets out there. For instance, faucet 101 is a pretty good match for the Ikea Ringskar. But today while looking for a new RO filter faucet, I discovered something I’d never seen before: the 3 function faucet (faucet 208), which includes hot, cold and RO water all in one faucet. Something like this would really simplify the counter top area but still include the great function of fresh water right at the sink.

If you share my delicate palate, I really recommend that you get a home water filtration unit because it will save money and remove your need for bottled water. I completely recommend the nicest folks in the business, Pure Water Products — they’ve been doing this for over 20 years now.

I’m loving the grey colors and treatments of the Ames Alley Cottage by Boor Bridges Architects. Originally a dance studio, the new space still has an open plan but now has a new face lift.

[posted by kris]

Last night I was at a party in Hollywood and ofcourse, rather than socializing, I was making mental notes of the interior selections. I really liked the casual feel of the place. Probably the most interesting selection was the ‘wallpaper’ above the mantle. From afar, it looked like a flocked, mustard colored wallpaper, but upon closer inspection, the wall was actually cork, and appeared to be hand-stamped with a pattern in silver paint.

[posted by kris]

This home has a very Farnsworth House/Mies Van Der Rohe sort of feel to it, with the exterior walls all being glass and with a central core. One difference however, is that in the Farnsworth house, the bathrooms are in the central core, and this fabulous bathroom is out there for everyone to see.

[posted by kris]