In a world where almost anything and seemingly everything can be controlled with a smart phone, there are things we probably didn’t consider. Here is a new one: a light bulb. Launched as a project on the funding platform KickStarter, LIFX is a Wi-Fi-enabled energy-efficient LED bulb that homeowners can control with a smart phone. It’s […]Read Post ›
Do people still read sitting in a big ‘ole leather chair with an ottoman? Probably not. They use a tablet in all kinds of unimaginable places. Fortunately, the Magneto from Italian lighting powerhouse Foscarini looks stylish even when it’s just sitting there doing nothing at all. Resembling an electric torch or a microphone, the table and reading […]Read Post ›
What you’re looking at might be the only socket you see in a house 10 or 15 years from now. Designed and manufactured by FastMac, U-Socket is an AC receptacle with two built-in USB ports that can power iPhones, gaming devices, digital cameras, Kindles or iPads. The socket has a built-in smart sensor that automatically detects required wattage […]Read Post ›
If you’ve spent time looking for stylish full-sized appliances recently you know the world is your oyster. With such brands as GE Monogram, Sub-Zero, Kenmore PRO, Thermador, Viking, Gaggenau, and Liebherr, the possibilities are seemingly endless. Until recently, however, the same couldn’t be said for compact appliances such as 17-inch-wide dishwashers and 24-inch-wide ranges. Today manufacturers have […]Read Post ›
Resolute is a lighting brand you may not know but one you should. These guys make some decent stuff, with materials such as glass, paper, and decorative resin. A modern interpretation of a classic design, the company’s Otto G9 family features hand-blown opal white glass and satin clear or bronze anodized aluminum hardware. You may order them […]Read Post ›
Rich Brilliant Willing is what you’d expect from a New York City-based product design studio and manufacturer: brash but talented. I mean, the name says it all for goodness sake (though it’s actually a play on the partners’ names–Theo Richardson, Charles Brill, and Alexander Williams). “America’s premier contemporary lighting and furniture design manufacturer,” its website says audaciously. […]Read Post ›
Last year I brought you an entire week of cool tile introductions and brands you should know, and it proved popular with our readers (we’re preparing Tile Week 2012, which is coming up in April). I’ve decided to expand the idea to other products in the home; this week it’s all about lighting. First up, Bec Brittain. […]Read Post ›
Last year, we wrote about a ceiling fan made by a company with perhaps the most unfortunate name. The fan is Isis, and the company is Big Ass Fans. There’s no need to wonder what kind of fans the company makes, which is perhaps why the company’s products never really impressed me for residential situations. They were often cumbersome and […]Read Post ›
In life, there are things that aren’t conventionally beautiful but manage to strike a chord with us. Good examples would be pugs, the Toyota FJ Cruiser, Camper shoes, Steve Buscemi. They walk to their own beat and do not conform to typical standards of good design. I applied this question of beauty when I saw […]Read Post ›
If you’re not familiar with the Australian architecture scene, then you probably don’t know Bligh Voller Nield. You’re unlikely to know Andrew Maynard. And odds are you never heard of Glenn Murcutt, winner of the 2002 Pritzker Prize (perhaps the most prestigious in architecture) and 2009 AIA Gold Medal. The point is that Australia is a hot-bed […]Read Post ›
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