May 27th, 2010
With summer upon us people will be taking advantage of the friendly climate to spend more time outdoors: hosting parties, dinners, and other social events. This means you will want to have plenty of light for your back yard or patio, lest people be standing around in the dark. At the same time, you won’t want to rack up a huge electric bill in the process.
We came across an eco-friendly and stylish solution. These cool looking Vazon Magnum translucent planters by Rotoluxe are made for indoor or outdoor use and use low watt CFL/LED lighting to give off an ambient glow. You can use them to hold your outdoor plants and place them throughout your back yard. They serve as great night lights and accent pieces.
The planters can be powered via standard wall plug or by rechargeable battery (LED lights lasting 8-10 hours). There’s also an assortment of modifications available for your planter, including speakers, outdoor draining system or fabric. Best of all, they are made of 100% recycled plastics and the low wattage will keep your energy costs to a minimum.
Find more information about the Vazon Magnum planter at www.rotoluxe.com
Vazon Magnum Translucent Planter
May 21st, 2010
Lewis and Kladder
INSTUDIO is a San Francisco based interior design studio started by artists and designers Samuel Fleming Lewis and Stephen Kladder. They take their natural inclination toward fine art and apply it to the practical planning of interior design for homes and small businesses. Their design style attempts to blur the boundaries between art, design, work and home to create harmonious living and working spaces.
With their small business, Lewis and Kladder assess the business’s needs and tailor their design to the individual business’s identity. With their residential design they take a very personal approach and attempt to come up with an overall design concept for a home that relies on the individuals lifestyle.
Here are some photos of an 8 person office that Lewis and Kladder designed that depicts their vision of blurring residential and business design.
You can learn more about INSTUDIO at instudio-sf.com
Office Break Area Design
Read the rest of this entry »
May 14th, 2010
Lightfair International (LFI) – taking place in Las Vegas, NV from May 12-14 — is the world’s largest annual architectural and commercial lighting trade show and conference. LFI brings the top international and domestic Architectural, Design, Engineering and Lighting professionals together with exhibitors from around the world. More than 475 of the world’s leading manufacturers will be displaying their products.
At this year’s Lightfair, much of the attention is being directed towards the newest products in LED technology. LEDs, or light-emitting diodes, were in the past primarily used just as indicator lights, but are now being increasingly used for lighting thanks to the improvement of high power and high efficiency LEDs and the many advantages that they present over traditional incandescent light sources. Some of the advantages of LEDs include lower energy consumption, smaller size, longer lifetime and greater durability.
One innovative new product being exhibited this year is Creative Systems Lighting’s (CSL) Eco-Downlight LED IC/Airtight Adjustable lamp, which is the only IC version available in the industry. This ultra-efficient 3” LED recessed downlight is adjustable up to 45° and features 360° rotation with locking hardware. It is Energy Star Commercial and Residential compliant and is considered a true low-power replacement for the less efficient 50W MR16 lamps.
You can find more information about the light fair at www.lightfair.com
For more information on Creative Systems Lighting visit www.CSLLigthing.com
Here are some pictures of the CSL booth and the adjustable lamp. Click any of the pictures for a larger version:
CSL Lighting Booth
Read the rest of this entry »
May 6th, 2010
Do bathrooms have a gender? Should they? Depending on the inhabitants of a home and their design aesthetic, any room can have a gender leaning. We’re not taking sides because we feel good design should be bigger than just one thing. However, we have seen some products that clearly seem to think of themselves as having a decidedly more masculine appeal, in an absolutely gorgeous, take-no-prisoners way. If you feel like playing the gender card, there are many wonderful ways to say, ‘welcome to the men’s room,’ all are welcome.
Cesto from Corbett Lighting
Cesto from Corbett Lighting
If you want to add something entirely unexpected to a room, take a look at the elegant hand-crafted iron Cesto light from Corbett Lighting. It’s a completely updated and unique take on a basket-weave design – both solid-looking yet seemingly light as a feather. The oval open-weave lets all the available light shine through. Contemporary without being precious, this collection suits many different decors. Available as a one-light mini pendant or wall sconce up to a 10-light pendant, the Cesto is shown here in Napoli Bronze with a Champagne Shade. Also available in Modern Silver. For more information visit corbettlighting.com
Read the rest of this entry »
May 4th, 2010
When acclaimed French lingerie designer Chantal Thomass moved her artistry from the boudoir to the bathroom, the results were decidedly “Ooh la la.” Infusing her penchant for sensual textures, feminine details and lush materials into stunning designs for the bath, Thomass seamlessly transitioned from brassiere to basin. The new line, Poemes, brought to life by THG®, is the result of a brilliant collaboration of décor and couture, a union Thomass sees as a logical transition. “Since I create intimate women’s clothes, and the bathroom is all about intimacy,” Thomass explains, “the merger made sense.” Much like her fashion ideology – which emphasizes the beauty and sensuality of the female form, and the seductive details that epitomize glamorous lingerie – Thomass’ design perspective gives similar attention to the wants and needs of women. “As a woman, the bathroom is an important space where you see yourself from every angle, apply your makeup and prepare yourself for the day,” Thomass notes. “With all of these activities taking place in the bathroom, you need to feel comfortable about yourself; hence the importance of having a beautiful bathroom.” And what woman wouldn’t love to surround herself in an environment as refined and alluring as Thomass’ bathroom oasis – delicate, chic, “a place of total seduction.” Mais, oui.
Read the full Chantal Thomass interview
Chantal Thomass Detail
Read the rest of this entry »
