If It's Hip, It's Here

Damn, I'd Be Happy With The Guesthouse! Tahoe's Osprey Estate For $34 Million

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 08:00:00 +0000

above: the 7,100 sq. foot main home built in 1995

above: The 1000 sq. foot guest house added in 2006

You may have seen the guesthouse featured in the October 2009 issue of Architectural Digest or on some architecture blogs. But what most people have not seen is the luxury estate that goes with it.

The private location of the lot and terrain for the estate was what initially attracted the original owner, Jerome Lemelson, an inventor best known for patenting barcode technology. He and his wife Dorothy built the main home in 1995 and sadly Mr. Lemelson passed away soon after, in 1997. Dorothy added the guesthouse and conference room in 2006.

Eric Thiele was the architect for the main home, architect Roderick Ashley designed the guesthouse, and Murase Associates were responsible for the landscape architecture.

The property, located on 536 Lakeshore in Lake Tahoe's Incline Village, on the lake's north shore, is available for purchase and is offered exclusively by Chase International for $34 million.

The following text is from Chase international's listing for the home:

The Osprey Estate's design genius is due in no small part to the owners -- a renowned inventor and his wife, an accomplished interior designer -- who collaborated with the architects in the creation of this lakeside masterpiece.

“Osprey, the Incline Village estate, is a hidden jewel in one of the nation’s most desirable places to live,” notes Shari Chase, president and CEO of Chase International. “Situated on two parcels that encompass eight acres, the estate is the epitome of understated elegance. With magnificent landscaping and a wide sandy beach, Osprey is the essence of privacy and serenity.”

The private beach:

Fine art connoisseurs, the owners sought to create museum-like interiors that showcase the family’s notable contemporary art collection. This artistic acumen resonates throughout the property where striking outdoor sculptures enhance a natural canvas resplendent with Lake Tahoe’s cobalt blue water and lush garden areas featuring pathways and inviting junctures for contemplation.

This creative vision is reflected throughout the estate that includes a main residence, guesthouse and conference center. The owners worked closely with architects Eric Thiele and Rod Ashley influencing the estate’s construction and contemporary design. Additionally, well-known Portland landscape architect Bob Murase (who passed away recently) clearly understood how to enhance and compliment the property’s natural topography.

The terrain gently slopes down to the water, leveling off at midpoint where the estate’s three separate structures all overlook Lake Tahoe. Flanking the main residence, two seasonal creeks offer a peaceful natural cadence as rushing water cascades over huge granite boulders.

The Main Home:

The 7,100-square-foot main residence offers countless expansive windows and skylights that offer an abundance of natural light and stellar views of Lake Tahoe.

Livingroom:

Master bedroom:

Bathing the rooms in the delicate pink of a Lake Tahoe sunrise or the vibrant hues of sunset alpenglow on the Sierra, natural light is a featured performer in each and every structure on the Osprey property.

Diningroom:

Reminiscent of a Frank Lloyd Wright residence with its exterior natural limestone and clean geometric lines, the home exudes an air of timeless elegance. The functional floor plan includes eight bedrooms, seven full baths and three half baths.

One of the eight bedrooms:

The home is enhanced with classic contemporary touches such as white sycamore hardwood flooring, European and Indiana limestone throughout the kitchen and bathrooms, and custom Lord Adams VSoske rugs.

Kitchen:

Master Bath:

Indoor pool and jacuzzi:

A spacious entertaining deck and an infinity-like indoor pool are both oriented toward the south to capture glorious Sierra vistas. Additionally, there is a radiant-heated outdoor stone patio located off the second floor living area. The main residence is surrounded by gardens and stately cedars that shield it from blustery winter weather and also provide shade and privacy during summer months.

Osprey is tucked back from the water, surrounded by mature trees, gardens and lovely pathways that meander across the two creeks and down to the lake, explains Kerry Donovan, Chase International broker and listing agent.

The Guesthouse & Conference Room:

One of the many pathways on the leads to the 1,000 square-foot guesthouse.

This building is a study in rich mahogany and polished stone aggregate. Echoing the estates main residence, the guesthouse features walls of windows, which take in views of Lake Tahoe and the distinctive sculpture garden.

Almost symmetrical to the guesthouse, the conference center is reached by a meditative mahogany plank, aspen-lined walkway.

This route takes one past the estates sculpture garden and a sculpture fountain. This executive meeting space features a boardroom, kitchen and full bath, which are complimented by the estates signature lake views and abundant natural light.

Talented architect Rod Ashley is responsible for the design of both the guesthouse and the conference center.

"This estate captures ones inner spirit! It is not very often you feel that a property has it all – and, Osprey has it all." Shari Chase adds.

For more information or to arrange a private viewing of the property, contact Shari Chase, 866. 233.7111 or Kerry Donovan 866.831.8999, kdonovan@chaseinternational.com.

photos by erik jarvis, courtesy of WSJ and Mary E. Nichols, courtesy of Architectural Digest

Art That Moves You. Literally. New York Taxis to Display Art.

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 08:00:00 +0000

In January 2010, 480 New York City taxicabs will be doing more than just shuttling people around. They'll be displaying three different artists' works in lieu of their usual rooftop advertising.

Show Media, the company that places the advertising signs atop of cabs (often referred to as taxi decks) and the Art Production Fund, a non-profit organization that represents art around the city (and also makes those wonderful artist beach towels) have collaborated to replace 480 New York taxicabs' rooftop signage with works of fine art by contemporary artists Shirin Neshat, Alex Katz and Yoko Ono.

above images are simulations of the proposed art. Comprised photo illustrations by Show Media and the Art Production Fund, courtesy of the NY Times

The project, called "Art Adds" will place each of the three artists' works atop 160 cabs a piece throughout the city.

Alex Katz:

Artist Alex Katz will combine two of his graphic figurative portraits for which he is best known (a forward facing female and a backward facing male) and place them together a top a black background- not unlike his Pas De Deux series of paintings and prints. This will be repeated on both sides of the deck:

Alex Katz, Pas De Deux, 1983:

Alex Katz at work:

above image courtesy of Smithsonian, Pas De Deux, courtesy of the artist

Shirin Neshat:

Shirin Neshat, a multimedia Iranian born artist, will decorate the two sides differently. One will feature her photo of illustrated hands clasped in a handshake, the artist’s symbol of unity and solidarity:

The other, shows her photo of an eye, on which the poem titled “I Feel Sorry for the Garden,” by Forough Farokhzad, a celebrated female Iranian poet is written:

The filmmaker, photographer and artist has often integrated written poetry into her photography and films.

Yoko Ono:

Yoko Ono is employing the theme “War Is Over,” a slogan she and John Lennon used when they took their message of peace around the world in 1969-70. It will appear in english on one side and sign language on the other, like Yoko and John's original posters and artwork shown below.

Perhaps this will open the eyes of busy New Yorkers to art, perhaps not. But it certainly is an effort worth noting. You can read more about the project here.

Other New York Taxi Cab related posts:

•It's Official. Everyone HATES the re-designed NYC TAXI logo.

• NYC Taxi Logo Redesign Submissions

•Hope Flowers In New York: Garden In Transit

Exploring Feelings About Fur With Dolls And Fashion

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 08:00:00 +0000

The french site, Pure Trend explored people's attitudes about wearing fur in an article accompanied by wonderful photomontages. The artwork features Blythe dolls in actual clothing by fashion designers such as Stella McCartney, Giles Deacon, Marc Jacobs and more.

The article expresses typical answers, reasons, excuses and attitudes toward wearing fur by defining various stances and positions on the controversial issue... from all out fur lovers to fanatical animal activists.

To best share this with you, I have first placed images from the article (cropped) below. Followed by a translation of the article (it's in French, I did my best). I then found the original runway shots of the couture clothes, most of which are from the designers' ready-to-wear Fall/Winter 2009 collections and placed them side by side with the Blythe dolls for you.

Please click on the photos below to enlarge.

Below is the French to English translation of the article by Jean Cauvin, so please excuse some things that sound wonky. I tried my best to edit and clarify without screwing up the content, so please bear with me:

In the quarrel between pro-fur and anti-fur, how to choose your side? Between respect for animals and sustainable development, it's not always easy to take the arguments seriously and they are often contradictory.

Puretrend exemplifies various attitudes without exclusion. We should be able to coexist in the sphere of "socially acceptable" as we adopt one or other of the typical attitudes and behavoir. They justify a range of feelings; from consistent harmony to as far as the barbaric cruelty of a terrorist.

1. "I do not care what happens to the animals. I am for the fur, even wild animals, domestic or protected."

The global concerns, protection of wildlife or domestic animals does not matter to you. "If man dominates nature, it is proof that he is called to a role as King of predators. Protected animals? Nonsense!" This is not going to prevent you from wearing monkey. You claim to be "vintage", recalling the time in which it was allowed to trade in skins of chimpanzees or panther. You do not care that the jacket you wear is the result of hunting poachers who may have left one or more infants of protected species die in their natural environment without their mother, who was shot to make her skin a shine on your shoulders.

Similarly, you spat upon the provisions in force in the European Community since December 31, 2008 concerning the prohibition of all trade in skins of cats and dogs. Besides, when you visit a friend who has a beautiful Angora cat, you can not help thinking that his skin would make you a nice scarf.

Your model?
Cruella of "101 Dalmatians". Your supply of skins comes from China, a country known to be less choosy about the treatment of the animals, poaching, slaughter.

2. "I question the consequences of the protection of certain species of marine animals."

You've heard the hunters and fishermen of Newfoundland, Canada, telling us that the schools of cod are devastated because of the hunting of seals. You fear that the public is overly sensitive to this and doesn't realize that, via the communications of animal activists since the 70's about the massacre of baby seals, we've threatened the ecological balance at the global level. You would not want to threaten Inuit communities and make them abandon of their traditional lifestyle.

You're afraid that schools of cod are devastated by a population of seals that would have tripled and that the presence of a parasite in the feces can also contaminate the fish that you could ingest. You are against the hunting of baby seals (the non-autonomous pups under 12 days old in the white fur) but you are not reluctant to wear something in gray fur seals, because you have your arguments.

3. "I'm for the ethical fur"

All the wildlife you are wearing is the fur of farm animals (mink, other mustelids, foxes, raccoons) whose traceability is guaranteed and identifiable via the label "Origin Assured". You feel you are a responsible consumer of fur.

For you, the quality of treatment of farm animals is an imperative, maintaining populations of farmers in different regions undergoing desertification affects you as much as the fate of wildlife. You make sure the euthanasia of these animals for breeding is done with the least possible suffering. You are convinced that the rearing conditions did not affect the evolution of the species, you ensure that the feeding of animals for fur comes from recycled sources and that their manure is transformed into fertilizer.

You love the feel of fur and rejoice in new techniques of furriers and furriers to make skin lighter.

You marvel at the creations of fashion designers (Jean Paul Gaultier, Christian Dior, Givenchy, Anne Valerie Hash, Vauthier Alexandre, Julien Fournié ...) to some of the creators of ready-to-wear (Rick Owens, Sonia Rykiel, Michael Kors, Antonio Berardi, Alexis Mabille, Quentin Véron, T. Paris Requiem by Paul & Joe ...) fur trimmed, embedded, degraded, shaved, mixed textiles of all backgrounds and techniques. This revival started by Frédéric Castet, senior director of fur at Christian Dior in 1968 found a second wind from the 80s, thanks to new techniques developed in the Design Center Saga Furs in Denmark. The lightness, warmth and softness of the clothes seem incomparable to you.

4. "I wear that fur is recycled."

You do like fur, but don't want to wear animals that are killed to expressly make a piece of your clothing. You love the idea of recycling, which can adapt to the fur. The old beaver coat of your mom's could well become a jacket, a hat, mittens, a bag at the forefront of the trend, and combine in a perfect fur, recycling and sustainable development. You feel that the mark of Harricana Quebec, working in this sector for over 20 years, should have more followers.

5. "I wear the fur of animals slaughtered for food purposes."

You wouldn't think of wearing a jacket hood lined with raccoon. You prefer the fleecy skin (or sheepskin). You know that colt and ox leather skin is hairy , and the "Mongolian goat" is, mostly, lamb. You therefore agree to wear these since the skins come from recycling the remains of animals used in food.

This is also why, you avoid the deer leather and fur but agree that rabbit fur comes from a smart recovery of this which would increase the volume of waste. You do not see any difference between the use of fur and that of feather duvets, Waterfowl or edible birds in the lining of your jacket or Pyrenex Moncler. You also made the war on smuggling skins of cats or dogs that you could make for fur leporidae edible. You find, however, Isabel Marant has done well to offer a leopard print on the rabbit for this winter.

6. "I do not wear animal skin with hair or that is wild."

For you, luxury does not rhyme with fur. You love the repertoire of Chanel... you refuse fur, but you tolerate feathers and smooth leathers. You replace obvious fur with sophisticated tweeds, embroideries, laces, elegant finishes.

At Lanvin, you can accept the hats and dresses with feathers. You enjoy the nippled ostrich leather, since you've tasted the delicate meat. At Hermès, you love calfskin leather, because you refuse to aviator jackets in fleece. Paradoxical, but you justify the lambskin, stripped of its hair, because you do not want to offend the anti-fur and leather activists and having a smooth appearance helps.

You can also have a weakness for the lizard-style leather (leather mammalian pressed to replicate the look of these reptiles), but not the skins of actual lizards or pythons.

7. "I am boycotting all leather, feathers, stingray, crocodile. My shoes are plastic. Besides, I'm vegetarian."

You absolutely never want to eat any animal. Having to kill a living being to satisfy a need for food or fashion is something you can not tolerate. You only eat fruits, vegetables, legumes, cereals, pasta and, maybe, dairy.

You also banished from your wardrobe and your home all leather, even for shoes. You do not accept shagreen (stingray leather or dogfish, used in cabinetmaking, Gainers, and leather goods), nor any leather. You know that when it comes to leather "plant" it is still an animal skin and the "plant" refers only to the method of tanning.

The sofa in your living room is in fabric or imitation leather, the lining of your quilt is a synthetic fiber, and your jacket is fleece, because you do not approve of the down of goose, duck or other birds that are slaughtered.

The only animal fiber that you will wear is wool. Nothing in its appearance reminds you of its origin and no animal has been euthanized to make the sweater or fabric of your coat. You look forward to the "shoes of Plants" by Stella McCartney, promised for next year. Even if you wear fur, you prefer the synthetic hair wig or what look like 'wigs' in the work of of Jean-Charles de Castelbajac or Maison Martin Margiela. Strictly speaking, faux fur with strong colors can be appropriate for the plush reminiscence of childhood it evokes.

8. "I hate fur, even artificial. I prefer recycled fleece."

Even if it is synthetic fur, the idea of promoting the fur of any animal is something you dislike. Your position is radical: no fur, that's all! Fleece is not the most luxurious or the most aesthetic materials, but you prefer it to anything else to keep warm. Moreover, since it is synthetic fur, it can be recycled when it is damaged.

You applaud the creativity of Moloko brand that has given to this issue its letters of nobility. You have environmental concerns about petroleum in textiles and you are about to join the activists who will liberate mink on farms without realizing the negative consequences of these actions on biodiversity ...

The introduction of invasive species in a region where they are not present , like mink in the Dordogne this fall, could be fatal to certain species of local wildlife or protected animals." You also minimize the stress of "liberation" that can cause the death of a significant proportion of these animals.

It's simple, you prefer only the natural death of these animals, because you love them too much to ever accept that man continues to shoot them. --- Jean Paul Cauvin for Pure Trend

What the dolls are wearing:

above: Jersey swimsuits by Vilsbol de Arce, Fendi boots, Sonia Rykiel headbands/hats, Fox coat by Requiem for T.Paris

above: Julien Fournié finn raccoon coat for Royal Saga furs. Leather pants and boots by Yves Saint Laurent .

above: Moncler Gamme Rouge jacket, leather pants by Stella Mc Cartney, leather gloves by Lanvin

above: Rabbit fur leopard printed jacket, pants and tee, all by Isabel Marant

above: Fur coat, leather pants and boots, all by Stella McCartney

above: Michael Kors dyed Fox coat and leather thigh high boots by Louis Vuitton

above: Wool cape by Marc Jacobs, wool pants and leather boots by Balmain

above: Blouse, skirt and boots by Giles Deacon

above: Andy Warhol dress with synthetic hair by Jean Charles de Castelbajac

above: Sonia Rykiel pale pin fur coat

dolls shown are Blythe Dolls. all images courtesy of puretrend and fashion images courtesy of New York magazine.

A White Winter As Seen By Artists Martin And Muñoz

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 08:56:00 +0000

In honor of a White Christmas, which I am not experiencing today in Southern California, I'm sharing with you the collaborative artworks of artists Walter Martin and Paloma Muñoz from their Traveler Series. Snowglobes and C-prints of snowglobes whose narratives at first appear charming, and then upon closer inspection are quite a bit twisted.

above: "Travelers, 2000-2006", Snow Globes Mixed Media 9 x 6 x 6 inches each

above: Walter Martin and Paloma Muñoz, Travelers, 2001-2007
Installation view at PPOW Gallery, New York, 2003.

Photographic prints:

See more here. And Merry Christmas!

This is my second post on the wickedly wonderful work of Martin and Muñoz, be sure to see more of their snowdomes in my last post on here.

Merry Christmas And Joy To The World.

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 08:00:00 +0000

above: New York Central Park tunnel. Photographer unknown.

Santa's On His Way! Find Him With The NORAD Santa Tracker.

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 17:49:00 +0000

above: Santa as he cruised over Perth, Australia a few hours ago

If you have children, they are undoubtedly anxiously awaiting the arrival of Jolly Ol' Saint Nick this evening. Chances are, they are not snuggled in their beds with visions of Sugar Plums dancing in their heads. Heck, they don't even know what Sugar plums are.

It's more likely that they are using every excuse in the book to stay up late (I'm thirsty, I have to pee, I wanna see Santa....) and try to catch a glimpse of the bearded gift courier, you can assure them that He's on his way with the NORAD Santa Tracker.

Regale them with wonderful updates and info, like how many gifts have been delivered, how many snacks Santa has consumed so far in real time and his latest stop.

In case the kids wanna know exactly how Norad tracks Santa, here's the official answer:

How NORAD tracks Santa:
NORAD uses four high-tech systems to track Santa – radar, satellites, Santa Cams and fighter jets.

Tracking Santa starts with the NORAD radar system called the North Warning System. This powerful radar system consists of 47 installations strung across the northern border of North America. On Christmas Eve, NORAD monitors the radar systems continuously for indications that Santa Claus has left the North Pole.

The moment that radar indicates Santa has lifted off, we use our second detection system. Satellites positioned in geo-synchronous orbit at 22,300 miles from the Earth’s surface are equipped with infrared sensors, which enable them to detect heat. Amazingly, Rudolph's bright red nose gives off an infrared signature, which allow our satellites to detect Rudolph and Santa.
US and Canada flags

The third tracking system is the Santa Cam network. We began using it in 1998, which is the year we put our Santa Tracking program on the internet. Santa Cams are ultra-cool, high-tech, high-speed digital cameras that are pre-positioned at many locations around the world. NORAD only uses these cameras once a year on Christmas Eve. The cameras capture images and videos of Santa and his reindeer as they make their journey around the world.

The fourth system is made up of fighter jets. Canadian NORAD fighter pilots flying the CF-18 intercept and welcome Santa to North America. In the United States, American NORAD fighter pilots in either the F-15 or the F-16 get the thrill of flying alongside Santa and his famous reindeer: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen and, of course, Rudolph.

And a video to share with the kiddles:

You can see him via satellite, or map or terrain... zoom in on some Santa Cams, use Google earth to follow him and more.

On youtube you can track Santa's whereabouts on the NORAD channel in different languages.

Kids can even check in and see what's happening in Santa's Village:

Although, not much to see now, since the bulk of the elves hard work has been done.

You can even see how many snacks Santa has consumed so far in real time!

Santa Snacks

Santa takes breaks during his Christmas Eve trip around the world – especially for snacks left by children. Do you put a snack out for Santa? Kids all over the world do. Some even leave carrots for Santa's reindeer. (Carrots are their favorite food.)

Check to see how many cookies Santa eats during his journey. No wonder he’s jolly and round! Leaving cookies for Santa is a tradition for many families. Imagine eating that many cookies in one night (burp)!

How many cookies has Santa eaten so far at the time of this post?: 41143
Now see how many here!

HOT UPDATES from the North Pole:
Mrs. Claus has informed NORAD that Santa’s “Naughty or Nice” list includes a record 1.9 billion children under the age of 15 this year. This list grows continually, as children are born at the rate of approximately 340,000 per day. Check the world’s current population at http://www.census.gov/ipc/www/popclockworld.html

Weather forecasters have predicted that the temperature at the North Pole on December 25 will be about -15 F (-26C). Brrrrrrr! Check current North Pole weather at http://www.weather.com/weather/local/99705?from=monthAvgGraph_topnav_undeclared

NORAD has received confirmation that the special navigation panel aboard Santa’s sleigh is functioning as planned. The elf staff provided no further comment or details.

North Pole officials confirmed that the Santa Cams NORAD uses on Christmas Eve are in fact able to detect and photograph objects as large as 100 lollipops long and 55 lollipops wide.

Elf Soen Firr, chief Santa suit engineer, confirmed that Santa’s red suit has been weatherproofed and tested to ensure Santa will stay warm and dry in any type of weather. No further details of the suit’s material or capabilities were released.

Today, NORTH Pole staff have advised NORAD that it is the final day to send Santa an email because Santa and the elves will begin loading the sleigh later today. This is such a huge task that they will not have time to check emails!

NORAD has confirmed that Santa and his fully-loaded, reindeer-powered sleigh took off from the North Pole and soared into the arctic sky at 6:00 a.m. EST (5:00 a.m. CST, 4:00 a.m. MST, 3:00 a.m. PST). NORAD radar is tracking Rudolph’s bright red nose, and satellite imagery is providing minute-by-minute coverage of Santa’s location.

Christmastime For The Jews. (Yes, I'll Be Eating Chinese)

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 08:00:00 +0000

The Homies Are A Happening.

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 22:08:00 +0000

A not so subtle attempt as soliciting some support and blog love from my readers.

Apartment Therapy has announced "The Homies", a contest to determine which Home Design, Home Tech, Green Home, Kids at Home and Home Cooking blogs are worthy of some kudos.

I didn't know anything about it until a kind reader nominated IIHIH in the category of Home Design. I realize my blog spans more than that, but the majority of the posts are focused on products and home related design.

I know it may seem like a burden to put in a good word for If It's Hip, It's Here on their site, but it would mean a lot to me. If you enjoy the blog, a vote in the Home Design category would be greatly greatly GREATLY appreciated!

In their words:
Shelter Bloggers Rule!

There are awards for all sorts of blogs, but no one ever pays enough attention to the shelter blogs, so we started The Homies. It's our way of surveying the blogosphere each year for the best new home design blogs and sharing what we find. It's not so much a competition as a celebration of the richness and awesomeness of shelter bloggers around the world. Join us, share your favorites and check out the ones you don't know.

There are five categories and none of our blogs or past winners are eligible. The prizes? $50 to the winner of each category and lots of traffic as we publish the five winners in a big congratulatory post across our network on January 6th. We want to elevate good home blogs, see who you love and gain awareness for the home niche.

• Add your favorite home blogs from December 22-29

• Vote on the top nominees from December 30-January 6

• Winners announced! January 7

There's less than a week left! Please vote. If not for If It's Hip, It's Here, then honor any good blogs you love. Bloggers work for you!

Thanks, for even considering it.
laura

http://homies.apartmenttherapy.com/2009/

Hermes, Gucci, Louis Vuitton & More Designers Create Christmas Trees For Charity

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 08:00:00 +0000

above: Louis Vuitton 2009 Christmas Tree

The 14th annual “Les Sapins de Noel des Createurs” (Designer Christmas Trees) Charity Auction by the Carla Bruni-Sarkozy Foundation was held on December 8, 2009 in Paris, France.

24 Christmas trees designed by some of the top couturiers, architects and designers- all in the name of a good cause. The opening night of the fourteenth exhibition of the Designers’ Christmas Trees took place in the museum of the City of Architecture and Patrimony in Paris, where more than 1000 guests and some of the artists themselves, including Mireille Darc, Jean-Paul Gaultier and Nathalie Rykiel, came to admire the works of art, which were all auctioned off- with all profits going to the Carla-Bruni Sarkozy foundation for Sol en Si, hospitalized children affected with AIDS.

above: Carla Bruni-Sorkozy, model and France's First Lady

Trees by designers such as Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Ora Ito, Jean Paul Gaultier, Stella McCartney, Thierry Mugler, Marité & François Girbaud, Sonia Rykiel, India Mahdavi, Christian Ghion, Isabel Marant, Jakob+Macfarlane, Louis-Marie de Castelbajac, DSquared, Olivia Puttman, Mireille Darc, Paco Rabanne and architect Christian Beicher were among the 24 and I have pics of all of their trees for you.

Christian Biecher Christmas Tree:

Christian Ghion Christmas tree:

DSquared Christmas Tree:

detail:

Gucci Christmas Tree:

detail:

Hermes Christmas Tree:

detail:

India Mahdavi Christmas Tree:

Isabel Marant:

Jakob+Macfarlane Christmas Tree:

Jean-Paul Gaultier Christmas Tree:

Louis-Marie de Castelbajac Christmas Tree:

Louis Vuitton Christmas Tree:

detail:

Marité & François Girbaud Christmas Tree:

detail:

Mireille Darc Christmas Tree:

detail:

Olivia Puttnam Christmas Tree:

detail:

Ora Ito Christmas Tree:

detail:

Paco Rabanne christmas Tree:

Sonia Rykiel Christmas Tree:

close-up:

Stella McCartney Christmas Tree:

detail:

Thierry Mugler Christmas Tree:

detail:

all images courtesy of Getty, ©DR, Lidia Bardina and Wire images

All proceeds from the annual auction go to Paris' Sol en Si charity, dedicated to helping children affected by AIDS.

A Mountain of Gold, Literally. Ginza Tanaka Creates Solid Gold Mt. Fuji

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 20:00:00 +0000

Made of 3 kg (6.6 lbs) of gold, the 6 cm (2.3 inch) high reproduction of Japan's sacred dormant volcano was made by jewelers Tanaka Kikinzoku of Ginza Tanaka and put on display on Tuesday, the day before it goes on sale in Tokyo.

And despite the steep price tag, which comes as Japan's economy tries to stave off another slide into recession, the upmarket jeweler believes there will be buyers.

"We tried to make something that can be enjoyed as an art work as well as a valuable asset with this golden Mount Fuji. It is also a subject that has a special meaning to Japanese people," Naoto Mizuki, general manager of the Ginza-based company told Reuters.

Mount Fuji (above) at 3,776 meters (12,388 ft) is Japan's highest mountain. It is believed to be sacred and is seen as a symbol of good luck, especially for the New Year period.

Mizuki said he believed the gold mountain would also hold a special appeal for investors looking to put their money into safe-haven commodities after plunges on the stock market and in real estate.

"The price of gold is rising dramatically, and the economic crisis forces capital to move from paper assets, which are losing their charm, to material assets," Mizuki said.

Gold prices hit a record high of $1,226.10 per ounce earlier this month.

Mizuki said the design costs of the replica were kept down to about 15 percent of total costs -- a marginal amount compared to the usual 50 percent designers' fees -- to increase the product's investment appeal.

Tanaka Kikinzoku has two Mount Fuji's in stock and more will be made as orders are received.

above: Ayako Kikuchi, a public relations officer of precious metals and jewelry shop Ginza Tanaka shows off the company's gold handiwork of Mount Fuji during its press preview in a Tokyo hotel on December 15, 2009.

Ginza Tanaka will sell the 22-centimetre wide and 6-centimetre-high 3-kilogram gold Mount Fuji model from December 16 this year with the price of 11.73 million yen ($132 000 USD) with the gold price currently at 3,400 yen per gram. AFP PHOTO / TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA

images via Ginza Tanaka and Akihabara news
info via Reuters and brought to my attention via Bornrich

Pure Gold Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Ginza Tanaka jewelers make many wild things in all gold from bathing suits to pagodas. And last month launched a sold gold Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in in celebration of the release of the “Snow White Diamond Collection” in Blu-ray this month.

The pure gold “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” figurines took for 15 artisans, around 1.6 kg. pure gold and 6 months to sculpt this precious piece which already ranks as first of its kind in the World. Worth 30 million yen, it is not for sale, but is to be displayed in Ginza Tanaka headquarters and has been scheduled to travel to Nagoya, Sendai and Fukuoka branches of Tanaka until December 25 of this year.

The Most Smokin' Range Hood Ventilators, The Elica Collection.

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 08:00:00 +0000

above: Legend ceiling mounted range hood

The Elica collection of ceiling and wall mountable range hoods from Italy are so beautiful and innovative that even if you're not in the market for one, they are worth sharing.

They go beyond their technological function of sucking smoke out of your kitchen and become pretty pendant lights and even sculptural elements for any modern kitchen. With a large selection of styles, materials and colors, the Elica Collection is a breath of fresh air, literally and figuratively.

The entire Elica collection is shown below, with models listed in alphabetical order:

Helix:

Isolabella:

Karma:

Legend:

Menhir:

Ola:

Ola (wall mount):

Ola (suspended):

Om and Mini Om:

Mini Om (color):

Om Special Edition:

Oxygene:

Solaris:

Space:

Star:

Twin:

Victoria:

Vogue:

Vogue (Black leather and steel):

Vogue (all steel):

Wave:

Goldstream:

Blackstream:

Whitestream:

Product Design: Elica Team,
coordinator Fabrizio Crisà
Via Dante 288
60044 Fabriano AN Italy
T +39 0732 6101
F +39 0732 610249
info@elica.com
www.elica.com
www.elicacollection.com

If you never saw the Mirabilia Range Hoods from Falmac...

see them here.

Judging Art By Its Cover. The Book Sculptures Of Mike Stilkey.

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 08:00:00 +0000

above: Dog Playing Dead, 2008, ink, colored pencil and acrylic on books, 26 x 10.5 x 6 inches

Los Angeles based artist Mike Stilkey's wall mountable book sculptures are stacked books whose spines and covers are painted with acrylics and colored pencil to form one image. His elongated forms of humans and animals with thin features are both simultaneously ghoulish and beautiful. And his style is clearly reminiscent of late German expressionism.

Take a look at his wonderful book sculptures:

The following images are from his show solo "Words Fail Me" at David B. Smith Gallery in Denver, last September. Images courtesy of Daily du Jour:

You can purchase some of the above book sculptures at the following galleries:

BLK/MRKT Editions
David B. Smith Gallery
Gilman Contemporary

The artist at work:

Artist's Bio:
b. 1975 in Los Angeles, CA

Los Angeles native Mike Stilkey has always been attracted to painting and drawing not only on vintage paper, record covers and book pages, but on the books themselves. Using a mix of ink, colored pencil, paint and lacquer, Stilkey depicts a melancholic and at times a whimsical cast of characters inhabiting ambiguous spaces and narratives of fantasy and fairy tales. A lingering sense of loss and longing hints at emotional depth and draws the viewer into their introspective thrall with a mixture of capricious poetry, wit, and mystery. His work is reminiscent of Weimar-era German expressionism and his style has been described by some as capturing features of artists ranging from Edward Gorey to Egon Schiele.

His more recent work has been shown at Kinsey/DesForges Gallery in Culver City, CA, David B. Smith Gallery in Denver, CO, Gilman Contemporary Gallery, Ketchum, ID, and Rice University Gallery, Houston, TX.

Visit the artist's site here.

Fecal face has a great interview and visit to the artist's studio with tons more pics. Check it out here.

Dialing For Dollars. Russian Bejewelled Luxury Mobile Phone Goes On Sale.

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 19:30:00 +0000

Seems we can't get enough of luxury mobile phones and Russia's Isse is yet another player in that arena. And right now their newest model, The Monaco, is reduced in price by over $1000 each. And PS. each comes in an exotic wood music box.

ISSE was established in 2005 and unites the efforts of specialists from Europe and Russia in design, jewelery art, marketing and high tech. As a result they offer exclusive limited edition jewel encrusted mobile phones.

The newest addition to their line is the Monaco.
With the efforts of the best specialists from Milan, Moscow and New York, four original models of the Monaco were created.

The front panel of the phone is entirely done of gold and silver. The design of the metal is done by applying the technique of “heated enamel”.

A real 1.5 carat diamond, natural ruby, garnet and topaz are embedded in the phone. The display is protected from bruising by a specially created sapphire glass. A multi-step hand grinding, engraving, polishing of the corpus and different ways to apply the platinum, gold, silver and color-stable enamel, stress the individuality of each model. In total 60 technological steps are needed for the creation of such a phone.

For each ISSE “Monaco” phone, adhering to the age-old Italian traditions, a bejewelled hand-made case is created. Each is made from different pieces of rare woods. Inside there is an original Swiss musical mechanism.

When the case is finished it is being locked by an individual key and the music dies away until its owner chooses to replay it.

“Monaco it’s our third collection of exclusive phones,” – says the ISSE’s general director Vladislav Mukhin, -“for its creation we were inspired by the atmosphere of the European paradise – princedom Monaco.

Each model has preserved the emotion and beauty of Monaco: its azure coast, fashionable villas, snow-white yachts, burring in verdure gardens and the excitement and profusion of Monte Carlo. And even the midday sun shines as if it was diademed (sic) in a golden crown, surrounded by diamonds and rubies.”

The Monaco Exclusive (blue or gold):

The front panel is entirely done of white gold
Heated black enamel
130 diamonds of a 1,5 Ct weight (VS1 quality), topaz.
Sapphire glass
The corpus is covered by a resistant turquoise enamel
Colors: blue and gold

Price  was :$ 3,900 now on sale for: $ 2,100

Monaco Sun (red, white, black or gold):

The front panel is entirely done of white gold
Heated black enamel
45 diamonds of a 0,5 Ct weight (VS1 quality), topaz.
Sapphire glass
The corpus is covered by a resistant turquoise enamel
Colors: White, red, black and gold

Price:  was $ 3,500 now on sale for $ 1,990

Monaco Goldkin (gold or red):

The front panel is entirely done of white gold
Heated black enamel
45 diamonds of a 0,5 Ct weight (VS1 quality), topaz.
Sapphire glass
The corpus is covered by a resistant turquoise enamel
Colors: red and gold

Price : was $ 3,400, now on sale for $ 1,900

Other models:

Each bejewelled hand-made Monaco comes with:
▪ ISSE mobile phone
▪ Charging facilities
▪ Extra accumulator
▪ Soft cover
▪ Hands-free
▪ Instruction
▪ Guarantee stub
▪ Owner certificate
▪ Certificate on precious stones and metals
▪ Certificate of the Ministry of communication of Russian Federation

You may order the phone or get additional information contacting by:
+7 (495) 585-9655

learn more here.

1st Dibs Does Windows. A Look At New York Holiday Store Window Displays.

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 08:00:00 +0000

The collective online antique and upscale furniture and decor site 1st Dibs, has begun a lovely tradition of sharing images from some of New York stores' holiday windows. So, now I can share them with you.

Enjoy! (click on the images to enlarge)

Bergdorf Goodman:

Barney's New York:

Bloomingdale's:

Saks Fifth Avenue:

Linda Horn:

Ralph Lauren:

Tiffany & Co:

With Packaging Like This, I Don't Care What It Smells Like - Shigenobu Twilight

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 18:43:00 +0000

Shigenobu Twilight by Anicka Yi & Maggie Peng

This is the first handcrafted scent by NY artist Anicka Yi and architect Maggie Peng. The fragrance is inspired by the Fusako Shigenobu, former leader of the Japanese Red Army, who was believed to be in exile in Lebanon for many years after orchestrating some of the group's most political statements.

Yi and Peng have chosen cedar wood as a central theme of this fragrance's narrative, as cedar is highly regarded in Lebanon as a national emblem. The scent uses three different kinds of cedar wood as its base note, along with violet leaf and nutty heart notes, and top notes of yuzu, shiso leaf, and black pepper. The packaging for this hand-distilled fragrance is made of raw cedar wood, each bottle uniquely (and painstakingly) hand-cut by the creators in architectural geometry, encasing a 10ml glass bottle of liquid within.

all info courtesy of oogabooga

Shigenobu pics by Noah Sheldon.

$160.00 a bottle, with refills for $80.00
buy it here.

Talkative Tote Bags From Jessica Kagan Cushman

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 08:00:00 +0000

The daughter of renowned furniture designer Vladimir Kagan, Jessica Kagan Cushman, was initially introduced into the fashion jewelry realm with her popular engraved fossilized mammoth ivory and resin word bangles. Now she's expanded her line of whimsical and wearable creations to include clever tote bags that have just as much to say.

Her cotton canvas totes (Statement Totes) and coated canvas totes with patent trim (JKC Logo bags) play off of popular cultural phrases, text phrases, and take not so subtle knocks at expensive designer handbags in their phrases and /or design. Ironically, though, these aren't cheap.

The cotton canvas tote bags come in two sizes, the smaller is $45.00, the larger $70.00:

My other bag is Prada:

My other bag is Fendi:

My other bag is Hermes:

My other bag is Louis Vuitton:

Does this bag make me look fat?:

This bag makes me look rich and skinny:

The coated canvas bags with patent trim (JKC logo totes) are much pricier starting at $130.00 and up to $325.00:

WTF (what the fuck):

OMG (Oh My God):

LOL (laugh out loud):

Morsus Mihi (Bite me):

Chocolate or death:

Keep calm and carry on:

Never, never, never give up.:

She also has a series of clutch purses in real snakeskin (hot pink, red, black, gold, silver or python) that feature reproduction scrimshaw drawings that strongly resemble Fornasetti images or with plaques whose options include: Wasp, "Bitch", "Bite Me" and "If you can read this you're too close"

There's plenty more to see at her site.

>shop for her totes as well as her bangles and clutches here.

Steven Klein Brings Out Madonna's Best For 2010 Dolce & Gabbana Ad Campaign

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 21:55:00 +0000

above: Madonna with Stefano Gabbana and Domenico Dolce

We've seen the buffed bicepped cougar shilling for everything from Pepsi to Louis Vuitton.

But to see The Material Girl in the latest Dolce & Gabbana ads shot by well known fashion and editorial photographer Steven Klein is to see her in her most appropriate element yet. The newest campaign has the Italian singer exuding Sicilian sensuality, not unlike Italian film legends Sophia Loren, Monica Vitti and Gina Lollobrigida, to advertise their Spring/Summer 2010 collection.

She doesn't look overly styled or even overly sinewy, but instead very sexy and surprisingly beautiful as she does dishes in a kitchen that looks straight out of a small Italian village.

Exclusive in this week's Italian edition of Vanity Fair is the worldwide preview of the Dolce & Gabbanna new spring/summer 2010 campaign:

The following text is from Dolce & Gabanna's blog:
Madonna's private life is seldom out of the papers but this new Dolce & Gabbana campaign is unlike anything you have seen before. Exit the paparazzo, these shots by Steven Klein reveal much more than a grainy stolen picture, they showcase an intimate, real aspect to the ultimate icon's life.

In keeping with Dolce & Gabbana's Spring/Summer 2010 collection's emphasis on Mediterranean heritage and classic Italian sensuality, the mood isn't unlike a film from the days of Italian Neorealism. Madonna herself recalls the strong, raw sensuality of the iconic actress Anna Magnani - showcasing when soft sensuality meets bold authenticity.

As Dolce & Gabbana's spring/summer 2010 collection returned to its Italian roots, evoking its strong heritage and revisiting iconic pieces such as the corset (the designer's finale was composed solely of corsets) it seemed only fitting that Madonna, who embodies both the strong sensuality of the brand and who shares an Italian heritage with the designers should be the one to showcase the Sicilian inspired collection.

above: the finale of the runway show was comprised of only corsets

In the stills below, from Italian films of the past, you can see the strong resemblance in mood and styling:

above: Italian film beauties Sofia Loren, Gina Lollabrigida and Anna Magnani

above: Monica Vitti is said to be Madonna's favorite actress

In the Vanity Fair Italy feature, Stefano Gabbana discusses the campaign and why Madonna was the perfect match: "She loved the collection," he says, "...she is passionate and impressively knowledgeable about Italian cinema," (Monica Vitti is her favourite actress and we see the resemblance)."

Photographer Steven Klein has worked with Madonna many, many times for editorial shoots, ad campaigns and personal projects. He even has a series of short films that feature her. Be sure to see those and more at his site here.

all Madonna images courtesy of Dolce & Gabbana and Vanity Fair.

The Virgin Mary In Everything From Tech To Fashion.

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 08:00:00 +0000

The Virgin Mary as you've never seen her before.
In honor of Christmas, here's a round up of products inspired by the Mother of all Mothers.... Mary. Some modern and yes, blasphemous, Virgin Mary inspired designs and products. This post is not meant to offend, but to inform.

Of course, the Virgin Mary has been around in art for centuries and yes, there are many serious products that feature the Virgin Mary (aka Madonna, Mother Mary or Maria) as everything from clocks to night lights. But those you can find at your nearby church or online religious supply stores like catholic shopper.

But for this post, I'm featuring contemporary versions of the saintly icon in everything from usb storage drives to urinals. Now, there are thousands of contemporary artists who've used the religious icon in their pieces and I can't show you all of them, so I've chosen a few of the more unusual ones to share with you.

Virgin Mary tech:
The Maria USB data storage stick reads "Oh Mary keep my data safe" on her halo and her heart 'beats" as it's working.

Designed by Luis Eslava, it supports the following system software: Windows 98, 2000, XP, Vista, Mac OSX and makes a great stocking stuffer! Buy it here

Thanks to a reader who chose to remain anonymous, I have this wonderful last minute addition to the list. A Virgin Mary vibrator for your own personal theophany. Made of silicone, she's available in several colors including a glow-in-the-dark-version (Is that in case you can't find yourself?):

buy this and see more hilarious religious erotica here.

Virgin Mary modern art:
French artist Soasig Chamalliard's "Apparitions" series took Virgin Mary statuettes and decorated them with pop culture and artistic decor:

See all of his Madonna statuettes here.

Scott Campbell's cut up money caused controversy by both defacing US currency as well as using religious icons:

See much more of his work here.

Jason Clay Lewis' DCon Mary made of decoupaged rat poison boxes:

Part of his "Drop Dead Gorgeous" show, you can see more here.

Virgin Mary Housewares

Salt or pepper grinder:

buy it here.

Holy Toast:

buy it here

Throw Pillow:
As part of their Church series, DFCasa has created this Virgin Mary Throw pillow:

buy it here.

Virgin Mary blanket:

buy it here.

Virgin Mary fashion:
If you never saw Jean Paul Gaultier's stunning 2007 Haute Couture collection inspired by the Virgin Mary, you've missed out on some of the most beautiful gowns and headpieces ever:

See the collection here.

Another designer inspired by the Virgencita is Chilean fashion designer Ricardo Oyarzún's controversial collection of very sexy Virgin Mary inspired couture:

Bearing some seriously sacrilegious cleavage, his fashion show in Chile earlier this year caused much controversy.

see the collection and read about the controversy here.

Virgin Mary Keds:
yes, there are tons of artists who sell their Virgin Mary t-shirts, hats, stickers and more on sites like Zazzle and Cafe Press. But these Keds really caught my eye:

buy them here

Virgin Mary/penis soap:
One of the many fun and unusual products By Donkey is this soap which appears as Mary on one side and the male member on the other:

see more fun Donkey products here.

Can't show a soap without showing a candle. Soy Virgin Mary candle:

buy it here.

Other unorthodox sightings include this Playboy Cover from December 2008:

And giving the vibrator a run for its money as the most blasphemous, are the Virgin Mary urinals in China, which basically encourage men to piss on religion:

See more of the unusual urinals from China's largest public bathroom here.

So, as you can clearly see, from haute couture to erotica, housewares to tech, the Virgin Mother continues to make appearances (pun intended).

Brand Logos As Alphabet Poster, Can You Name Them All?

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:42:00 +0000

How well do you know your brand logos?

Orlando artist and graphic designer Jason Dean of The Best Part has created an fun alphabet poster that is bound to appeal to those who work in advertising, marketing or branding. Or simply to those consumers who know their brands.

The 26 letter alphabet is comprised of letters taken from famous brand logos. Some just partial, some the entire logo. Foil stamped and embossed, the posters use no ink.

I got the following ones immediately, but not sure of the rest. Can you help me out?

A (abc), C (Coca Cola), D (Disney), E (Enron), G (General Electric), H (Honda), J (Johnson and Johnson), K (Kellogg's), L (Lilly), M (McDonalds), O (Target's bullseye), Q (Quicktime), S (Superman), T (Texaco), U (United), V (Volkswagon), X (Xerox), Y (Yahoo), Z (Zenith)

Do you know the following? Leave a comment with the answer if you do.
B?
F?
I?
N?
P?
R?

Printed in two different colorways, you have the choice of silver foil on black paper or gold foil on cream, both stocks are 100 lb. French Pop-Tone and are individually stamped, signed and numbered.

Limited to 500 prints of each color.
$50.00 each.

Buy them here.

DFC Turns Old Art Form Into Modern Chaquira Doll Heads

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 08:00:00 +0000

above left: Lady Peyote, 7.5" tall above right: Lil' Allsort,7.5" tall, $8o5.00 each

A traditional Mexican art, Huichol is the craft of coating wood carved masks, animals, birds, serpents, and forms with wax, onto which tiny crystal beads (chaquira) and colored strings (estambre) are laid or woven with great precision.

DFC, the mexico city based design duo of Tony Moxham and Mauricio Paniagua, has created and is selling individual sculptures using this technique on doll's heads. The result are wonderfully creepy pieces of modern art they call Chaquira sculptures.

Each Chaquira is painstakingly crafted by using the huichol technique on beeswax coated plastic doll heads (some still with hair). measuring an average of 6" tall, they'd be amazing as a collection. You can commission a custom one as well.

Pris, $690.00:

Prince Mushi I, 7.5" tall, $747.50:

Prince Mushi II, 7.5" tall, $747.50:

Kikin, 6" tall, $690.00:

Starchild Chaquira sculpture, $747.50:

Starlet Chaquira Sculpture, 6" tall, $747.50

Good Luck Baby Chaquira Sculpture, 13" long, $2,990.00:

To purchase one of the above Chaquira sculptures or to order a custom one, contact them here.

To see examples of traditional huichol artworks, go here.

DFC makes many fabulous pieces, see more here.

For Rockers To Vulcans, Hand Gesture USB Storage Drives

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 08:00:00 +0000

above: usb storage Hand Gestures by Imm Living

above: Hand gesture candles by Atelier WM

Some of my readers may recall my post on the fun hand gesture candles by Atelier WM. Which, although hard to find, they do make nice gifts, but pricey ones at approximately $80.00 each. But if you're into hand gestures, and don't want to spend a lot on a holiday gift, the latest USB data storage hands by Imm Living may be just the thing.

They make great stocking stuffers that people will really use, and they are fairly affordable ranging from 27$ to $37 each.

Designed by Imm Living of Toronto, the gestures mimic those of popular culture from Peace signs to Vulcan salutes. Each is made of PVC, is a different color and has a 2 gig capacity.

Here's the full line of all seven:

Rocker Love:

East Side:

West Side:

Peace Sign:

Change:

Word Up:

Vulcan Salute:

Sirtified seems to sell four of them (West side, East side, Rocker Love and Change) and Composition sells the Vulcan Salute one. Audio Cubes carries the Peace Sign and I can only find the Word Up one here at AC Gears.

Imm Living.

Read about Atelier WM hand candles and where to find them here.

Inflatable Goes Formal: Blofield, Branex, Nappak, Recycoool & More

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Once known as "blow-up chairs" the vinyl, tacky, need-an-extra-chair-in-a-pinch, has taken on a more stylish look and feel. Tastefully designed inflatable PVC products are becoming more acceptable as indoor and outdoor furniture these days with the introduction of Blofield, the reintroduction of Quasar Khanh's line, funky options from Recycoool and more. Take a look.

Blofield Air Design created three sizes of an inflatable polyvinyl chloride Chesterfield; a three seater sofa, a two seater loveseat and an armchair. Designed by Jeroen van de Kant, they are made of strong PVC with a nylon bottom and come with a 230 V electric pump and repair kit.

The two seater is available in three colors: stone white, midnight grey and earth green.

The single seater armchair is available in two colors only; stone white and midnight grey.

The three seater is still in production and not yet available.
Located in the Netherlands, they do ship worldwide.
Shop Blofield here.

Branex Design has a re-issued collection of 40 micron thick Crystal Clear transparent PVC furnishings originally designed in 1966 by Vietnamese designer Quasar Khanh. The line has 5 pieces: the Chesterfield, The Chester, The Satellite Chair, the Relax Lounge and The Pouf.

The Chester and the Pouf (shown below) are available in transparent orange as well as clear.

The Chesterfield sofa, The Relax lounge and the Satellite chair, shown below, are only available in Natural (clear):

The collection is available for purchase here.
And here.
And here.
The Nappak

Nappak of Germany redefines the "power nap" with a modern portable inflatable shelter.

The designers:

learn more here.

Recycoool
Not made of PVC, but instead of old tires, Israeli designer Nir Ohayonset's line of furniture is green, unique, and modern. The recycoool items are all originally designed hand made products, made out of recycled rubber inner tubes pumped with air into a metal construction:

Recycoool

In the UK, the inflatable Lounge Air Seat goes by several different names and is available at several places, including Amazon UK.

Available in orange, light grey or dark grey, it comes in a wearable backpack, complete with pump and can be used indoors or out. The cylindrical roll can be used as support or an ottoman.

Buy it here.

The Nappak is an inflatable piece of shelter for sleeping within.

The inflatable 5 in 1 Sofa bed, manufactured by Guangzhou Wshunlyda Inflatables Products, is mass distributed to the trade so it's sold under several names. It's not as stylish, but it's a more affordable alternative:

The 5-in-1 inflatable sofa/bed.

 In addition to being a comfortable sofa,  the air lounge inflatable sofa/bed can easily become a comfortable bed or recliner  Just flip open the bed from  Underneath the sofa, and you've got a nice place to sleep  As a bed, the air lounge can comfortably hold two adults   Features:  Durable and comfortable  Inflates in a minutes  Can be a sofa, lounger, or bed   Size: 78 x 60 x8"   Includes:  Air lounge inflatable sofa/bed  Air pump  Repair kit

It comes in many different colors depending upon the distributor.

Looking for some fun, super cheap blow up furniture? Not as durable, but very fun, is Bubble Furniture. Mainly for children, they have inflatable chairs, sofas, backpacks, even clocks and more:

Shop Bubble furniture here.

Pantone Inspired Christmas Posters & Cards. Christmas By Colour.

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Last year Raw Design Studio of Greater Manchester created a very fun project that utilized consumer opinion, content and creativity to bring Christmas By Colour to life.

A collaborative project that explored the colours (or colors, as we spell it in the U.S.) that people personally associate with Christmas --other than the traditional red, green and white. The project resulted in Christmas By Colour, Pantone®-inspired Christmas Colours which they turned into a poster and sold to benefit a charity. This year they've created another poster as well as greeting cards.

To create Christmas By Colour, Raw reached out to the online community and asked people to submit their best "Christmas" colors and assign a related name to each.

Thousands of people from around the world embraced the project and relished the opportunity to suggest their own colour and its personal meaning. Raw then handpicked the best to go on their nice list and be featured on their popular Pantone-inspired A1 poster, wrapping paper and cards whose proceeds were donated to C.A.L.M - a charity aimed at helping young men deal with depression.

Submitted were several very clever (and some not so clever) names and colors. Here are the selection for the "Nice List" and in turn, are the ones printed on this years' poster:

Click to enlarge

The resulting products:

"Hue, hue, hue…" A set of twelve Christmas cards based on colours submitted to their Christmas by Colour project. The cards are split into two packs with six in each pack, printed 4-colour litho on Trucard and measure 165mm x 117mm. They are blank inside and white envelopes are included.

The set includes the following designs:

Pack one:

Quality Street (Guy Moorhouse)
Sprouts (John Dowling)
Yellow snow (Nick Greenwood)
Mulled wine (Tash Willcocks)
End of the Sellotape (Pete Clarke)
Park Lane & Mayfair (Jez Burrows)

Pack two:

Bank balance (Tom Heaton)
Granny's whiskers (Jordan Nelson)
After Eights (Shane Phillips)
Bucks Fizz (Gil Cocker)
Pigs in blankets (Sean Rees)
Walking in the Air (Kelly Mackenzie)

buy them here

"So this is Christmas..." Limited edition poster and a free sheet of wrapping paper:

Printed on 135gsm Naturalis Absolute white thanks to those fantastic people at GFSmith. Limited edition of 500 includes a free A2 sheet of CBC wrapping paper! The chosen colors were also turned into stickers for the poster tubes:

buy the poster here

Raw Design Studio
The Engine House
Islington Mill Studios
James Street
Salford, Greater Manchester
M3 5HW

Passionate about Pantone? Then, boy do I have posts for you:

Pantone Dinnerware and More.

It's A Pantone Party! More Pantone Products

The Pantone Party Continues With More New Products

Pantone Continues Their Colorful Collaborations

Pantone A Plenty... AGAIN! Now For The Kitchen

More Pantone Products! Folding Chairs, Storage Boxes ...

Three Pantone Bikes - Color Me 364C With Envy

San Francisco As Seen By Artists Greg Gandy And Jeremy Mann

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Principle Gallery in Virginia, recently showed a painting exhibit named 'City Views' featuring the work of San Francisco-based artists, Jeremy Mann and Greg Gandy.

I have long been a fan of Greg Gandy's and am now a new fan of Jeremy Mann's as well. Having grown up in the SF Bay Area, I feel these contemporary artists captured the essence of the unique urban experience and ambiance that is San Francisco.

Greg Gandy:
In Greg Gandy's photo realistic paintings, the golden light of sunrise and sunset (the "magic" hour) is a major element, as it bounces off the sloped hills and city buildings silhouetting, or back-lighting, city buildings, cars and people. Bridges and freeways peek out through sunny glares and midday fog. Even the omnipresent city traffic on the one-way streets is executed in such a manner that it simultaneously summons both attraction and familiarity. Shadows are long and inviting as opposed to being ominous. The city is crowded and active but feels serene and unrushed. His works fill the viewer with a calm glimpse of busy urban life and can be gazed upon for hours on end.

Leaving Broadway:

Morning Commute:

Crossing Market:

Pine and Webster:

Sunrise Over The Bay:

Sunset On Pine:

Sunset Over The Golden Gate:

Sunset Over Twin Peaks:

Afternoon Shoppers:

Sunset On California II:

Clouds Over North Beach:

Morning In Knob Hill:

View From Portrero Hill:

See more Greg Gandy paintings and inquire about the sizes, prices and availability here.

Jeremy Mann:
In Jeremy Mann's work, which is more loosely executed than Gandy's with visible brush strokes and a more frenetic painting style, the seductive allure of the city's rolling fog and rainy wet streets is undeniable. His nighttime scenes, with blurring headlights and streetlights reflecting on the wet pavement, perfectly combine a loneliness with longing. In several of his other works, he captures the 'midday haze'; a mix of activity, atmosphere and the look and feel of heat rising from pavement or mist as it hangs above the asphalt. Bathed in blues, greys and yellows, he immortalizes both the emotion and beauty of the 'City by The Bay'.

The Fog & the City In Silver:

Midday Haze In Blue:

Midday Haze In Yellow:

Pale Morning Haze:

San Francisco Downtown Sunset:

Sutter Street And Rain In Blue:

Evening Lights On Market Street:

Evening In Blues:

Evening In Greys:

Evening Fog In Blue & Green:

Lower Fillmore In the Evening:

See more of Jeremy Mann's work and inquire about the sizes, prices and availability here.

If you have a fondness for San Francisco, or just enjoy urban paintings, these two young artists have managed to capture the essence of a populated city with a calming gestalt. They both work in oils and sizes of the works are as small as 12" x 12" and as large as 51" x 48" .

These two artists were also featured last year in a show of Cityscapes at Studio Gallery in San Francisco which still has some smaller pieces of both their work available.

• Principle Gallery
• Greg Gandy's own site
• Jeremy Mann's own site

Creature Comforts. Cute Cozy Hot Water Bottle Covers By Janice Yan-Yan Wu

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Artist and designer Janice Yan-Yan Wu of Montreal has turned recycled fleece and vintage fabrics into fun and functional hot water bottle covers she calls Hotties.

The line of products has one of those annoying names that requires lots of punctuation and only serves to confuse people, [from:to:from], but the products are adorable. An earth-friendly way to keep warm, ward off muscle pain and cramps or just cuddle with a cozy creature.

Each hottie is made from a mix of first hand fleece fabric and recycled cotton and vintage prints collected from her community in Montreal. Each comes with the rubber hot water bottle insert and can be easily, filled, cleaned and stored. The covers can be removed and stuffed and used as pillows if you prefer.

The unusual photos shown above were shot by photographer Michael Abril.

She sells them on Etsy as well as at the following Montreal stores:

Arterie Boutique
176 Bernard Ouest
Montreal, QC H2T 2K2
(514) 273-3933

Galerie Zone Orange
410 Saint Pierre
H2Y 2M2
Montréal, QC
Tel) 514-510-5809

Other hot water bottle covers worth checking out are:

•Disaster Designs Hot Water Bottle Covers

•Heal's luxury fur hot water bottles

•Beautifully woven hot water bottle covers are designed and produced by textile designer Angharad Mclaren, in Shetland.