Sex And The City - Set Design and Reactions

"Sex and the City: the Movie" is the other most talked about theme everywhere these days - in the press and on the Internet. The attitude and opinions are mixed and, naturally, they depend on that whether the author is a man or a woman:)
An opinion that is worth seeing:

As summer trends go, gray is definitely the new black. Or put another way,
older is the new hip.

"Sex and the City" gives the stars a chance to play their own age and this is a part of a beginning trend in cinema. Maturity of society? Market-wise change or babyboomers' strong influence? It does not matter - the result is positive. In the end, redefining what's sexy and sellable in Hollywood can make even young generation all over the world think more realistically.
What was most interesting to me - the set design, interiors and locations.

'Sex and the City' movie features grown-up apartment for Carrie'
"We felt like she needed to grow up a little," says Lydia Marks, set decorator. "She wasn't going to sit on the floor at her coffee table anymore."

You can learn more about the set design on chicagotribune.com

In the movie Sex And The City, the baby Lily is now four years old. Jeremy Conway designed the perfect pink bedroom for the character.

What I wanted to post was the impressive spacious new closet that Mr. Big created for Carrie, but I could not find any image. Can someone help me?


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Indoors and Outdoors - Clever Solutions

Sommer is here - here are some interesting suggestions for indoors and for the many hours spent outdoors:

A swinging bed piled with pillows and a plush mattress beckons at reading time. A lantern hung above lets learning last even past dark.

This Teak Solar Outdoor Showeris the ultimate in outdoor amenities. Set up this sleek outdoor shower anywhere for a warm, cascading spray of water in a contemporary design and attractive teak composition.Made of solid teak for years of enjoyment. The teak is harvested in an environmentally responsible manner. Stainless steel fittings and showerhead. Shower base is sturdy enough for freestanding use, but can also be mounted in place. Shower features a 6-1/2 gal. reservoir. Attaches to a standard garden hose. A Frontgate exclusive.

Light My Shed Solar Light

Light up your shed, greenhouse, boat house or garage with this easy to install solar charged light. No electrical wires to install, just secure the solar panel on the side of the bulding, and the light inside and let the sun do the rest. Light my Shed can be easily installed on all types of material; metal, wood or plastic. It is charged by a powerful Crystal solar panel and the light fixture holds two 8 Watt Fluorescent lamps. It stays bright up to 5 hours when fully charged.

Solar Rock Light

Keep pathways and entryways safely lit at dusk with the Solar Rock Light. No messy outlets, just set on the ground and let the sun do the rest! Designed to charge by day and automatically light by night, the Solar Rock Light is virtually unbreakable (fiberglass and resin composite) and the dual LED technology ensures the stone stays cool while lit. Solar cell charges built-in battery during the day and photo cell turns the stone on at dusk. Charges even in winter when solar rays are decreased. Battery capacity for up to 24 hours of illumination. Amber LED bulb has a 100,000 hour life span and never needs replacing. Solar powered by a discreet solar panel, you can light up your night with virtually no operating costs!

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Design Miami/ Basel 2008 - Controversial

"Design-art" is a commercial phenomenon, not a cultural one

writes Alice Rawsthorn in an article published last month in IHT. I will add - a sociological one, too. It is true that commercial interests are behind the strong drive, but they are also a result of the social developments. Design and designers are trying to find their role in a new type of society, and the society is trying to estimate thir influence, too. I think that the term "design-art" and the phenomenon of design auctions has a positive meaning, too - this is a way for the wide audience to value more design and the work of designers and to admit their important role. I agree that

"often uncomfortable chairs don't deserve to be aggrandized by the intellectual
trappings of art"

and that

"there are deeper, more complex areas of design than "design-art"; and that
all
of the hullabaloo about it distorts public perceptions of design, and
distracts
attention from its overriding mission of building a better world,
not
ditzier chairs."

And I like only some of the products of some of the Designers of the Future prize 2008, but I am also convinced that all that attention in the end will bring to the world some really good achievements.

A very true comment on Dezeen about the products of the Designers of the Future prize 2008:

"Cowbench is so disturbing. i think its good to use anatomy of an animal
(sea
lion-like or a headless dog) as a metaphor for design but this one
becomes too
literal to the point that it becomes weird. i would imagine that
it would feel
like sitting on a dead animal ? so bothering"

I like the experiments of Max Lamb. It appears that Brad
Pitt also like s his bronze poly chair’ (above)
A positive comment from Kenny Schachter in Frame of mind - the visual arts blog:

"the quality of the design on offer is better than it has ever been and the strong crowds are full of famous names."

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Design Miami/ Basel 2008 - the place to be now!

Everyone is talking now about it. And obviously there is a lot to see. If you cannot be there the above can be a small substitute.
Impressions from the press preview and the vernissage of the design fair Design Miami/ Basel.
via VernissageTV

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Elegant Perforations

Ingenious design combined with modern technologies can make even stone furniture look light and elegant, and bring elasticity and transparence to unexpected materials like leather.

It seems that the trend for using leather with special form of incisions

on a metal frame is growing. We saw SKiN -the new sofa designed by Jean Nouvel for Molteni & C was designed

last year, but available only from the beginning of this year, is joined now by Loom (right). Light, elegant and modern, the series of matteograssi.it

is great addition to any contemporary interior.

The thick leather of Loom is perforated and stretches over the stainless-steel spring frame giving the leather elasticity, breathability, and transparency, properties normally associated with fabric. Artisans sew the leather and finish it by hand, while the feet are made of plastic. Offered in low and high lounges, plus a footrest. A leather headrest cushion is also available.

The greatest effect of perforations is seen in the new Table HS03, design by FRANCO POLI for Matteo Grassi, shown at 05/2008 I SALONI WORLDWIDE - NEW YORK . The table is entirely realised with the precious White LASA marble. The 270X110 cm top folds inwards until it reaches the conical junction of the two polished bases, hollowed out in the center to maintain the conture of the delicate point where the pieces meet.

Although large and heavy, the table looks elegant and light.








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"Designers Bring Value"

Do you want to learn more about the way some of the most interesting and inspiring objects were created? Yves Behar speaks at about 'Creating objects that tell stories' - a valuable contribution to the "How we design" theme at TED 2008 .
"Designing from the inside out" is the path to create value, says Yve Behar.
One of his latest designs is an unconventional Y-shaped bottle for Y Water™, a new organic, low-calorie drink for children .
“We're using design to create a message that is the core of the brand." says the designer. The playfulness of Y Water is further conveyed with its capability to be reused as a toy or building blocks. Natural rubber connectors called “Y Knots” allow children to connect different packages into molecule-like formations. The reusability of the Y Water package as a creative medium for children prolongs the useful life of the package, making it a more sustainable concept.