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Chances are you’ve seen this very smart looking thermostat by now, and if I hadn’t been on vacation last week, this post would have been filled with an obscene amount of exclamation points. It’s a learning thermostat. Not just a programmable thermostat, as most of us currently have in our homes, but a learning one. In around a week, it’ll have created a personalized schedule based on your household’s habits and adjusted the temperature to save energy. Sounds good, doesn’t it? You can also program it away from home via the website/Wi-Fi. And, of course, it looks pretty freaking cool, which doesn’t hurt one bit. Watch the video below for more info, or visit the Nest website. Available for preorder/reserve, fyi.
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Ceiling fans are not exciting, let’s face it. When you need one, you look online, visit lighting shops, etc., all to have an ‘eh’ response to the semi-suitable ones. They aren’t something that makes your heart beat faster, so it’s more of a ‘which-one-will-blend-in’ decision and ‘which-one-is-within-our-budget’, of course. Being in the position of needing to replace two of our ceiling fans, I found myself asking those two questions this past weekend. Not surprisingly, my choices were whittled down to a few from the Modern Fan Company. The fans are simple enough with modern lines and prices are around the $300 to $400 mark (the previous ~$200 fans crapped out, so decision was made to spend a bit more). Just in case you find yourself in a similar situation, here’s a few that look decent:
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I love Joris Laarman’s Heatwave Radiator and I’m happy to discover there is a smaller version with an easier-to-swallow price tag.

Wall mounting ‘fireplace’ runs on bio-ethanol. Available online or also through distributors in the US.

• low fuel consumption (ca. 500 ml per hour)
• even flames, even when the fuel is low
• long burning (2.5 liter capacity)
• very low heating of the housing
• ideal safety thanks to a double-walled combustion chamber
• ignition even at a very low fuel level
• infinitely adjustable regulating flaps
• unlimited usage thanks to the special ceramic combustion chamber.

“The Vision is a rectangular shaped fireplace. It is a freestanding piece of furniture designed to accept the EcoSmart™ flue less burner. The EcoSmart™ Vision features a double opening with a “see-through” effect. The double sided design features a toughened glass back which can be placed near a wall, or on display as a room divider – offering ultimate flexibility to move the fire anywhere that suits your living environment and creates an impressive centerpiece. This product provides unprecedented flexibility and is designed to meet contemporary interior styling for apartments, houses, bars and restaurants.”

[posted by kris]

You might blow your entire furnishing budget on this, but it might just be worth it.

“All that effort trying to hide the traditional, bulky radiator is finally eliminated with Joris Laarman’s Heat Wave Radiator. Designed with both form and function in mind, the baroque-like twists and turns of this piece are full of hidden details just waiting to be discovered with a close inspection! The design is not however just a pretty face; the form itself has more surface area than the usual radiator, hence more radiated heat.”

For those of you eternally hot/cold folks that need extra ventilation control…

“In the permanent collection of the Pompidou in Paris, this fun and colorful fan is available in aluminum with either pink or turquoise PVC blades. Great for the office desk. Two speeds. Plugs into a conventional outlet.”

9.75″ x 9.75″ x 4 5/8″.

If you’ve been shopping for ceiling fans, you’re accustomed to the selection at your local lighting and hardware stores. So, perhaps you too exclaimed that there are, in fact, truly modern fans available (stylized or not). This one is particularly interesting with the transparent blade option and with the light above, rather than below, the blades.

16″ H x 55″ Dia Span

If you’re looking for an alternative to the terrible wicker patterned ceiling fans that come in most apartments, try the ball fan from y lighting.

I love the way minimal fireplaces look, but they often require a fancy architect. Here’s a solution that doesn’t require an architect, and as an added benefit, it’s being touted as an environmentally friendly open fireplace.

It’s Flue less, easily transportable, does not require any installation or utility connection for fuel supply. It’s fuelled by a renewable energy (Denatured Ethanol), it burns clean and is virtually maintenance free.

The best part about it is that the EcoSmart® Fires can be free standing, wall mounted, fully fitted into a range of personalised finishes, shapes and colors or inserted into a closed-off fireplace. The burner can also be inserted into joinery to create a streamlined bench top feature. Without the need for flue or pipe connections, EcoSmart® Fires offer remarkable design flexibility previously unavailable to the consumer.

This fireplace support is so simple and beautiful it takes my breath away.

With summer fast approaching (or already here, depending where you are), this particular fan is a perfect home accessory that looks good and does the important job of keeping rooms cooler.

“To ensure reliability and durability, the fan uses the highest quality components and finishes available. All body components are made from aluminium or steel. Each blade is individually balanced for perfect performance. The oscillation function can spread a fresh breeze through large spaces. 3 speeds cover the full spectrum from silent and gentle to a windy storm. Controlled from an aluminium remote control or through the rear cone of the motor.”

Free standing or wall mounted.

This just went to the top of my personal wishlist:

“Blomus’ indoor fireplace is a breakthrough in indoor ambience that mounts on any wall with no need for a chimney, gas line or professional installation. The fireplace installs in minutes by mounting to any wall in your home. Now, you can easily create a comforting atmosphere for your living room, bedroom, bathroom or dining room. Simply mount to the wall, fill the reservoir, light it up and enjoy.

The secret is that the flame is generated from Ethanol which is a safe, clean burning fuel that is completely organic and made from renewable resources like corn, potatoes, wheat and other vegetables. Furthermore, Ethanol is green since it is not a fossil-fuel and burning it does not increase the greenhouse effect like other fuels.”

Dimensions: 27.55″ W x 27.55″ H x 6.29″ D.

Correction: One of our chemistry-minded readers told us that the retailer’s statement that ethanol is a “green” resource is not correct. While it is a renewable resource, it does increase the greenhouse effect, because any combustion reaction involving a hydrocarbon creates carbon dioxide. So while ethanol does burn cleaner than traditional fuels, it is not 100% green.

Thanks Matt!

Lg is an electronics company out of Korea that is producing some aesthetic products lately. Some of them include the tv with the television in the door, some European-looking front load dishwasers, and this wall mounted ac unit.