It’s tough keeping a track on futuristic iterations of computers, so backtracking into the forgotten era sometimes spring up surprises. This retro-steampunk gem is a customized work of art which uses lots of wood and a good measure of brass to get in the right effects. As the designers put it “These custom-made keyboards, framed monitors and computers are completely functional, but with a 19th century/ steampunk aesthetic.”

Designer: Old Time Computer

Remember the scene in FRIENDS when Monica finishes vacuuming the room and then removes a small handy vacuum to clean up the big one? The Dustpan Vacuum continues the saga….

Shaped as a dustpan to efficiently gather in all the grime; the vacuum system nestled inside the handle, then sucks up the dirt. Accompanied with its special brush, it gets the job done faster. I’m no Monica, but my desk could sure use this!

Designer: IlGu Cha

I don’t often think of young 30 something bachelor pads as having much more decor in their apartment or house beyond a futon, pool table, and Cubs flag (Sorry Sox fans).  But then I came across my friend Daran Puffer’s chic bachelor pad that somehow remains friendly to both genders without looking bland or effeminate, and certainly evades the afore mentioned stereotype or the other “ideal bachelor pad”…dark paneled wood, leather seating, and an ashtray full of cigars.  The developer’s Wicker Park home featured in Chicago Home + Garden not only has eye catching interiors, but also has a breathtaking outdoor deck that is an astounding 1,550 square feet. (the same size as the condo itself!)  Hey, it wouldn’t be a true bachelor pad without a grill, now would it?  I am very impressed with Daran’s subtle yet chic color palette and his uninhibited use of unusual pieces, like the bright orange dining  room drapes…so impressed with his style that I have purchased several pieces from him  and his shop, Den, to furnish my own home! It doesn’t take a pool table that doubles as a dining room table (remember this idea from “The Breakup”?) to create a bachelor pad for a cool guy and his buddies.  Let’s just hope this warm weather in Chicago sticks around to put such an amazing outdoor space to good use!

As an orange fanatic, this room belongs in my “Orange Fantasy” post!

This color palette in the bedroom reminds me of the interiors in the restaurant Otom I featured in a previous post.

(Interiors at Otom}

Can I join? I spy a grill…

Last weekend I saw She’s Out of My League- which was a pretty hilarious rom-com, I must say!

How could you forget the infamous scene where Kirk meets Molly’s dog and family for the first time? (oy, oy oy- poor Kirk)

While the whole crowd was roaring in laughter at this encounter, I was busy gazing at the paint color and wallpaper in Molly’s apartment.  (oh, the visual distractions that come with being an interior designer!)

I couldn’t get enough of her large scale floral wallpaper that was used as an accent wall and I also fell in love with the taupey-gray paint color on the surrounding walls.

Her paint color got me thinking about some of my current projects, in which I’ve been specifying this color a lot lately (as a paint color and in upholstery/pillow fabrics)

This color is quite amazing in that it doesn’t go completely warm/brown, but it also doesn’t go completely gray, which can come across as cold and uninviting.  It really is the perfect happy medium and can be used in any type of space- more contemporary or more traditional.  It all depends on what you pair it with!

Right now I’m working on a residential office/guest room project that will primarily be used by a male.  We wanted to stay pretty masculine and modern with the fabrics in this room and decided to incorporate charcoal, white, icy blue, and that good ole taupey gray in his color scheme.

As luck would have it, Duralee had the perfect fabric to tie my whole color scheme together.  I’m using this Cobalt Sapphire fabric on large pillows on a charcoal sofa.

{Duralee- Cobalt- Sapphire}

Today my mission was to pick out the perfect taupey-gray upholstery fabric for the coordinating side chair.  I returned with about twenty fabrics (but immediately eliminated half of them).  Just like most neutrals, taupey-gray fabrics can be difficult to select since they can have all sorts of undertones  (and can look either more pink, gray, brown, or green) so it’s really important that you select the best match for the space.

{My taupey-gray fabric options- this is only the half of them!}

After much deliberation, the winner of my taupey gray challenge was Pindler and Pindler’s Marlow-Greystone!  (one of their new fabrics)  It really was the best match to the taupey-gray in the Duralee fabric.

Artist Rodrigo Piwonka went and did one of those things — those things that epitomize simple, wholesome, good design so much that they make you never want to hear the word “bamboo” again. Yes, Rodrigo took a bagel sandwich and put it in an old CD spindle case, thus giving the case a new life as a reusable bagel sandwich container. And while the next post you read will probably involve solar power, wind energy, or something you can fit on the head of a pin, we thought we’d take a moment to share this great, simple, example of Superuse. Righteous.

+ Rodrigo Piwonka

+ Superuse

Via Wunderkammer

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This delightful Drops pouf is a chair made of an inner tube covered with recycled upholstery material. It was inspired by the process behind making tassels (bunching together lots of strips of leftover fabric) and introduces elements of color and fun into the user’s everyday life. The designer, Camilla Hounsell Halvorsen is a Masters student in Design at Oslo National Academy of the Arts and specializes in using recycled materials in furniture design and interior architecture to create unique pieces.

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Smart meters — utility meters that provide detailed, real-time information on energy use — promise an easy way to bring down residential power consumption. They help consumers sniff out energy hogs and, by conveying data wirelessly, eliminate the need for armies of meter readers. But, great hopes — and $3 billion in stimulus money — aside, the meters have gotten off to a rocky start.

Read the rest of Smart Meters Hit Bumps in the Road

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Frito-Lay has been working for a year now on developing and testing a biodegradable bag that will completely break down in an ordinary compost pile. The corn-based polymer chip bags are set to hit store shelves soon and can be expected to biodegrade in a backyard compost pile within 14 weeks. Right now, Frito-Lay is only rolling out the new bags under their Sun Chip brand, so don’t try throwing your Doritos bag into your compost bin — you’ll only have to fish it out later.

Read the rest of First 100% Compostable Chip Bags to Hit Shelves Soon

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Spring is in the air! Why not deliver a little piece of it to your favorite person via a Postcarden pop-up card? These adorable and clever greeting cards transform into mini gardens right on your table, desk or window sill bringing the outdoors in and putting a big smile on the recipient’s face. Check out the cool time-lapse video of a Postcarden card in action here!

READ MORE AT INHABITOTS >

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Just in time for the alfresco entertaining season, outdoor kitchen appliance maker Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet has introduced the new Artisan Fire Pizza Oven – the latest essential for your summertime soirees. This high-end outdoor pizza oven is the first countertop pizza over to offer an open front and two independently controlled burners, for the outdoor gourmet. “Innovation is one of the hallmarks of Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet,” says Pantelis “Pete” Georgiadis, president of Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet.

“We built the Artisan Fire Pizza Oven to deliver a better, more unique cooking and entertaining experience. There is a certain romance built into this oven. Your family and friends will be all over you to watch the flames at the back and the cheese bubble as you are baking your pizza.”

Blending the time-honored tradition of a brick-lined, wood-fired pizza oven and wrapped in a contemporary package of gas-fired stainless steel, this new outdoor dining essential tops over 800 degrees to deliver your gourmet pizza, calzones or artisanal bread in no time. And making a big impression at your next backyard barbecue doesn’t take up much space at all – this compact design measures just 30 inches wide, 30 inches deep and under 20 inches tall. And in true tradition, this oven is built to last, made by hand of heavy-gauge stainless steel that can withstand any weather. The Artisan Fire Pizza Oven retails for $6,495.

To order yours and for more information, visit Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet.