Furniture as a source of light

Created by japanese designer Shinobu Koizumi, 'Light in a drawer' integrates lighting into the drawers of a small cabinet in a very ingenious way - the plastic construction of which makes illumination visible around the sides of each box even when the drawer is shut, but one can vary the degree of illumination by the degree of opening the drawers! In the day one can guess about the double function of the cabinet by its knobs - the knob on each drawer is the screw cap of an electric light bulb. (source: designboom)
Multifunctional is not a new trend in furniture design, but to use a cupboard also as a source of lighting is rare - most often lighting is used to illuminate the cupboard itslef. To illuminate the whole room and to have the ability to control the degree of ilumnation by just opening drawers is a great idea!

Fall fashion - for yourself and for your home

As I have posted many times, fashion and interior design appear to be very much connected, especially in the last years. A fresh proof about that follows.

Couture & Casual: it’s the mix that counts! - this is the what - the autumn show in Frankfurt which opens tomorrow -  predicts to be the one of the most important trends:

"for the autumn/winter season, 2011/2012 – elegance meets cosiness, high-end meets casualness. Homes styled from top to bottom are a thing of the past. Today, it’s the blend that counts. The designer sofa is shown off to best effect next to a side table from the flea market. And why not combine cool materials, such as stainless steel, aluminium and leather, with knitted fabrics, wool or felt?"

The same trend appears in autumn fashion collections. too:

Akris - designer Albert Kriemler

(photos above from VOGUE)


And another trend - PURPLE again!

The September issue of American VOGUE Kate Moss wears a gorgeous purple Alexander McQueen dress. It is considered by many that it sets the tone for what to expect every Fall.

And one more

Purple Reigns in Interior Design for several years already and it obviously continues to be popular and loved by many designers, decorators and style-conscious home owners.  

"Purple Power - From aubergine to amethyst, this dynamic color can transform a space in surprising ways" writes ELLE Decor 

left - design by Jamie Drake











 below - dining room of decorator Amy Fine Collins

The image above illustrates also very well the trend about 'the mix that counts!" 
I like the freedom of mixing styles and materials, as long as it is done with knowledge and good taste and think that this trend will continue to be popular because it shows quite well the contemporary style of life and way of thinking. What do you think?

The Green Trend - which way do you like it more?

I like the idea of 'green' living, but not to the extent to take away joy and esthetics from our lives - like, for example, the Newsworthy wallpaper by Weitzner Limited. It evokes the feeling of poverty in the same way the rag-carpets do. Life can be simple and 'green' and beautiful, too - like this kitchen below:

image from 'Beautiful House and Garden'

Beautifully crafted cabinets are painted with vivacious bright color which finds a good balance in the dark wood backdrop obviously made from recycled wood - THAT is green design and simple useful recycling!

What do you think?

London Design Festival Preview - Tom Dixon

Void Light Mini

Launching at The Dock for London Design Festival, new lighting designs including Bulb, an energy efficient oversized light bulb with a quick start T5 dimmable bulb. The Void Light Mini is a development of Void, a series of pendant lights referencing the olympic games medals. The new Etch  Light(above) is digitally etched in brass and fitted with tiny efficient LED lights, the detailed pattern creates a mass of intricate shadows when lit.
Multiplex at The Dock hosted by Tom Dixon and sponsered by Derwent, is rapidly turning into an epicentre for design innovation. During London Design Festival 2011 visitors can expect indoor, outdoor, food and water-based installations, exhibitions and on-the-spot workshops and demonstrations.

London Design Festival 2011 Preview - Studio Lawrence

London Design Festival 2011 is coming soon and the first news about exhibitors and their new products already appear. From 20 - 25 September at The Annexe, The Brick Lane Gallery, Studio Lawrence will be unveiling four dynamic pieces from their furniture range at their exhibition ‘Landing In London’ - the UK premiere of modular sofa system To Gather and Wonky chairs alongside the new Raising Lantern design and GOOD DESIGN Award winning wall hanging Along These Lines. This will be the award winning Dutch design duo’s first solo LDF exhibition celebrating their move to this city. 

A table with 'knees'

Customization and multifunctionality are two of the key trends in interior design and our life in general for the last years. A very interesting way of aplying those trends has been found by Norwegian designer Caroline Olsson  - Bambi Table is an adjustable two-height table with legs that fold back underneath, the joints inspired by the movement of the knee joint. Thus you can have both - coffe table and dining table in one!
The table will debut at 100% Design as part of the 100% Norway stand from September 22 to 25, 2011.
source

Win a Free Piano…

This is a post by a guest blogger - Ryan Ban from Universal Music Group.
" I would like to sharewith you a contest we are hosting that I feel that you and your audience would really enjoy.  The contest is free and being held at www.crazyliszt.com – a website that honors one of history’s greatest musicians whose works contain much mainstream appeal that people don’t even realize (his works have been featured in many movies, cartoons, commercials, etc.).

The competition is easy: since Franz Liszt was known for his crazy, hedonistic lifestyle, people simply post a short “liszt” of their craziest vices and vote on their favorite “liszts”.  The “liszt” with the most votes wins a trendy, fashion-forward 44 key Baby Grand Piano from Schoenhut (valued at over $2000).

For this competition through crazyliszt.com, simply click on the link provided and list your 5 craziest vices.  After submitting yourself, browse through the ‘liszts’ and vote on your favorite.  The ‘liszt’ with the most votes wins this trendy, fashion-forward 44 key baby grand piano from Schoenhut (valued at over $2000)!!

Catch-bowl - Corner Shelf/Container!

Probably this is the only product of its kind - a 3/4 bowl which fits onto a convex corner ! But it has a suitable lid that makes the bowl container also a very comfortable corner shelf. And the 4th quarter snugly fits into a concave corner - clever!

"we created a joyful and lightsome shelf that allows the user to adjust its height and also use it as a bowl to enjoy putting things in it just like playing a ball toss game in an athletics festival.

On the lid and at the bottom of the bowl, the radial patterns made by the alternately inverted wood grain of the shiny sycamore sliced veneer seem like twinkling stars." explain the creators -TORAFU ARCHITECTS 

Birds and branches - decorating ideas

A little bird once told us that it's quite hard to find your keys at times. However, with the help of this purple feathered friend, which attaches to the wall with a convenient suction cup, you will no longer search for them! 


One Small Chirp Wall Hook

Pecking Order Salt and Pepper Shakers All spices are important to whisking up a good meal, but salt and pepper are at the top of the list. Keep these oft-used flavor-enhancers roosting close at hand with this clever salt and pepper shake.
You create a new look and change the style of a room in a matter of minutes with these fabulous
Coat Tree Wallsticker  
It comes with an additional "stem", so you can make your Coat Tree WallSticker higher by adding a piece of the extra stem.And make it more useful - upgrade your Coat Tree by placing hooks for coats, scarves etc. on the branches of the WallSticker!
by Ferm Living



















Clean up your entryway by affixing this adorable double hook to the wall near your front door. Its robin's egg blue metal is shaped like a bossy bird who strikes a pose just for you!
Posing Robin Wall Hook

Made by Originals

Design Hotels™ Made by Originals and Design Hotels™ Book Edition 2011 are the two large hardcover books that received a red dot Award: Communication Design. Awarded to only the most outstanding design concepts, the annual red dot Awards are an internationally renowned seal of quality, judged by design industry heavyweights.The books were designed in-house by the Design Hotels™ Creative Team. 

The first Design Hotels™ Made by Originals book is a collection of stories revealing the passion and inspirations that led the creators behind some of the world’s most expressive hotels.

The Design Hotels™ Book Edition 2011 is a great source of inspiration for travelers, designers and architects worldwide showcasing a curated portfolio of 200 hotels in 119 destinations around the globe.

If you are curious to have a look at some of the inspiring destinations, then visit www.MadeByOriginals.com -  the new content rich online magazine that Design Hotels™ also created  which gives an insight into the world of the ‘Originals':

Authenticity in the Italian small town of Santo Stefano by Daniele Kihlgren:

 

Low-key luxury in Sweden - HOTEL J
:

Stockholm's Nordic Light Hotel promises an exceptional visual experience:

 Are you inspired?

Kitchen design - practical and modern

Kitchens are probably the primary design solution for most homes - there we spend some of the most important time at home. We have to find the best functional layout and make empty movements as less as possible. Everything should be at an arm distance. I just saw this practical kitchen design by Viola Park: