Amazing residence in Kelowna, a city on Okanagan Lake in the Okanagan Valley, in the southern interior of British Columbia, Canada.  Images by David Tyrell.

via   Letmebeinspired

Idostand iPhone case doubles as a stand, developed by industrial designer Allan Ospina. “The Idostand has two rotating arms that allow for the optimal positioning of your iPhone. There are no additional parts, and the case/stand has a hinged system that allow the arms to snap into place whenever they’re not in use. “   Via

Siemens corporation has designed the hybrid trucks using overhead highway wires to power them.

“Trucks would be outfitted with pantographs, and they’d be able to use them to connect to overhead power wires automatically. Once the connection is made, an electric motor in the truck seamlessly takes over from the truck’s diesel engine, and the two power sources can switch back and forth if the truck needs to switch lanes for some reason.”     Via

Located in beautiful Denver, Colorado, the modern shield house was designed by the Boulder-based architectural firm at Studio H:T.

“This urban infill project juxtaposes a tall, slender curved circulation space against a rectangular living space. The tall curved metal wall was a result of bulk plane restrictions and the need to provide privacy from the public decks of the adjacent three story triplex. This element becomes the focus of the residence both visually and experientially. It acts as sun catcher that brings light down through the house from morning until early afternoon. At night it becomes a glowing, welcoming sail for visitors.”

via  Inthralld

Made out of stainless steel with sturdy wooden handles, it is a spatula, a fork and a set of tongs: “flip, grab and stab.”

“It takes a certain kind of person to handle a BBQ; the heat, the meat, the dangerous (but delicious) explosions of sizzling juices. It’s not for the faint hearted, or the vegetarian. Such a serious culinary challenge demands the ultimate in utensils; and when it comes to great grill gear it doesn’t get much better than the Stake 3-in-1 BBQ Tool. “    Via  1   2

Dreamed up by BBDO New York, Guinness QR code on a beer glass is only visible when filled with Guinness. “If you fill it up with water or pale beer, it’s impossible to scan the code. But fill it with the Irish murky brew and its blackness gives the right background to make the code visible“    Via  1   2

Upside Down House designed by Polish architects Irek Glowacki and Marek Rozanski. “Visitors can wander through the fully furnished home, technically walking on the ceiling and making sure not to bump their heads on the furniture that hangs from above. Everything from the beds to the toilet to the car in the garage is upside down!”

via  Mymodernmet

James Hopkins made these crazy skull bookshleve formed with everyday items.

‘vanitas’ can be defined as a type of symbolic art, often including symbols like skulls, rotten fruit, hourglasses, and other items related to the brevity of life and the certainty of death.

via 

Tech enthusiast Mike Schropp built a cool bio computer that doubles as a planter.

“I started wanting to use the heat from a computer as a way to warm the soil and help with germination/growth. I’m about as far from a botanist as it comes, I did some reading online and became pretty interested in the effects of soil temperature on germination/growth. I read different studies and papers from various universities. It was not too long into that process that I became hooked on the idea of using computer heat as a way to control the soil temperature of some sort of living plant life.”

There is something very comforting about having a fireplace in your living room – even if you can’t have a real log fire burning in it! A fireplace provides a real focal point for the room and the mantelpiece is the ideal place to arrange family photos, pretty ornaments and other personal trinkets that add warmth and character to the room.

If you are thinking about having a new fireplace surround built, then you’ll be pleased to know that the options in terms of style and materials are endless. Fireplace surrounds can be made from cast iron, stone, wood, or even marble if you fancy having something really special made for your home.

When you’re thinking about the type of fireplace surrounds that might work well in your living room, the first thing to do is consider the overall design of your house, then choose something that will complement the decor. Wooden surrounds are pretty versatile and will look great with most styles, from rustic country cottage decor to something a bit more contemporary.  Cast iron fireplace surrounds will often work best in slightly older, period homes, like a Victorian conversion for example.

The second thing to consider is your budget as naturally some materials will be more expensive than others. The cheapest fireplace surrounds are obviously those made from wood, so if you’ve splashed out on other areas of the house and don’t have a huge amount of cash left over to spend on the fireplace then wood is a good option. The other great thing about wood is that it naturally comes in a whole range of different shades, so you’re bound to find something that will suit the tone of the room.

For an investment that will add a little elegance to the main room in the house, marble is the perfect option. It’s timeless and classic and will look magnificent around a large open fire. Marble fire surrounds really make a statement and if you’re the kind of family that prefers to gather around the fire rather than the TV, a marble fireplace will be a wonderful focal point.