teejay's own - room divider

hooray! i've received photos from Lara (Greysquare Photographics)! now i get to show you the room divider that i designed for Light Couture. this 4-panel divider has high-gloss finish with etched glass inserts. cold cathod lights are installed on top and bottom of the glass inserts. when the glasses are lit, the pattern on them looks like it's floating. with the glossy finish, the lit pattern is reflected on the panels creating the 'mirage.' we can customize the colour of the panel and custom-design the etched center for you. Light Couture's private brand features modern furniture and decor items incorporating lighting elements. surely i'll be posting on the upcoming designs.thanks to Ryan for your great craftsmanship and problem-solving skills; you're truely a skillful furniture-making artist. thanks to Elton @ Studio306 for making the etching so much easier. and thanks to Lara for these beautiful photos. i know it's very difficult to shoot becuase the lit etching and reflective surface. but Lara managed it; i give her 2 thumbs up!

vase maker

Designfenzider's designer Ron Gilad rocks the flower arrangement world by this little creation. unlike other items that i show here in the blog, this is a 'half-functional' piece, but it leaves space for imagination and more user participation. it 'is designed and redesigned each time it is placed upon a vessel.' placing vase maker on top of any glass, cup, bowl and traditional vase, a beautiful vase is born (reborn). with vase maker, any stem of flowers can become a conversation piece.

wave

inspired by the flow of water over rocks, designer David Brunicardi created sleek and functional wave table. it is made of repeat laminations of a new eco-friendly plywood - Sande, harvested from Equador. flows from one layer to the next creating space for magazines or other accessories. made to order by hand. available @ Design Public for $2,200US.

d65

another wonderful innovative multi-functional design. Fabbian's Alessandra Baldereschi uses 24% lead crystal glasses as light diffusers for both pendant lights and wall lights in this collection. these glasses are supported by chrome-plated structure with 12v halogen light bulbs. this design makes the glass display beautiful and the lighting fixture more functional.

aloe bud lamp

designed by Jeremy Cole. this hand-crafted chandelier consists of porcelain leaves, polished-aluminum fittings, and a stainless-steel suspension system. it can 'bloom' in three sizes. pendant and wall-mounted versions are available. i'm always fascinated by these inspired-by-nature but made-of-modern-material pieces. i think these pieces provide just about right amount of warmth and coziness for modern living.

rings square hurricane

this Asian-inspired candle holder from CB2 can make your room beautiful day and night. the handcrafted steel screen with powdercoat finish and black veneer base make it decorative. lighting votive or pillar candles projects abstract patterns onto the surroundings. $29.95US.

sponge armchair

a great invention of designer Peter Traag. he pumped polyurethane foam into the oversized chair cover which is lined with a special type of polyester. as the foam cures, the wrinkles on the chair cover are then formed. the chair looks so comfortable. i like how Edra shot the chairs on these rocks. they are similar yet so different.

dahlia

how smart is this? Kai Linke's felt dahlia is innovative and chic. it's a cushion when folded, a new seating option when unfolded. multi-purposed furniture like this one is always great for modern living, especially compact apartment space. Kai Linke only works with textile; she does not introduce any other material in her designs. this determination makes her keep developing and searching for new techniques.

aquagate

inspired by Stonehenge in England, this fabulous shower is created by designer Matteo Thun for Villeroy & Boch. it has many functions that will provide you a luxurious shower/steam bath experience. the middle console has touch screens on both the inside and the outside so you can control the system when you're in/out of the shower. it features a MP3 player for you to listen to your favorite music while revitalizing. it also features aroma and light therapy, rain shower or a Scottish shower, and pup-up seating.

the middle console is available in teak, limestone, and champagne -metallic aluminum. you can choose to place the shower free-standing or against a wall. 2 sizes are available.

crochet table

designed by Marcel Wonders, this attention-grabber is made from crochet cotton and shaped with epoxy resin. this table could change people's perception of granny's crochet tablecloth. it is delicate but not as fragile as most people think. i saw it in a show about a year ago. and surprise! it could support my weight! (well, i wasn't sure if i was allowed to sit on the table, but i did anyway.) available @ Generate. $1,100US for small and $1,700US for large.

low frequency

always like that ultra-modern style but don't know where to start? let me suggest these lights designed by Rob Zinn. they are made of white plastic panes with bright colours on the reverse sides. sleek curves and wood finish make a beautiful decorative piece when not lit during daytime. it transforms and gives a vivid ultra-modern image when lit at night. this might be a good first investment towards an ultra-modern home for you. available in warm or cool colour pallette. $399US for large and $299US for small at Generate.

usame table

designed by Patricia Urquiola for Kartell, this table is another good example of mixing old and new. it has minimalist shape and elegant ginko-leaf decorations that recall art deco drawings. it mainly serves as a side table with magazine holder. it can also function as a nightstand or even a bed tray. available in transparent or coloured polycarbonate. $254US at Unica Home.

montauk sofa

i saw these "over-stuffed" Canadian sofas for the first in a design show. jw couldn't get me off the sofa because it was just too comfortable! i wish i could clearly describe how i felt at that moment. after lots of walking around and checking out show booths, it was just so wonderful discovering these sofas.

the first Montauk store was established in 1995 in Montreal. now they have showrooms in toronto, calgary, vancouver, new york, boston, chicago, and san francisco. you have to admit that it's great to find sofas that provide both style and comfort. Paul - from $2,300CDN to $4,100CDN. sectional $7,300CDNMcGill - from $2,300CDN to $4,200CDN. sectional $7,000CDN.
Loose Pillow Ottoman - $1,000 to $1,200CDN

outdoor wallpaper

looking for new ideas to decorate your garden? try Susan Bradley's outdoor wallpaper. this design is very versatile. you can use it as a garden trellis for your plants to climb upon it or you can hang it on your wall as a decorative art piece. the fixings keep this 'wallpaper' a distance from the wall to add depth and shadow to it. she offers many different finishes and colours such as brushed stainless steel, mirror polish steel, rusted steel, powder-coated steel, aluminium and translucencies. order as many or as little as you wish. spice up your curb appeal!

float

oh i want this set so badly. designers Todd MacAllen & Stephanie Forsythe from Vancouver's own Molo created this premium line of hand-made glassware. every piece is carefully handcrafted in Czech Republic. it is made from the finest German borosilicate glass (heat resistant) so it's appropriate for hot or cold use.float is not only beautiful but also greatly functional. "the unique suspended bowl shape insulates the hand from the liquid inside the glass, and also serves to elevate condensation away from a table's surface, making the use of a coaster unnecessary." this innovative design serves delicious, tasty drinks and makes a clean tabletop decoration as well. the line includes tea lanterns, tea cups, sugar + cream, liqueur glass, pilsner flute, red wine glass, martini glass and matcha bowl. available in transparent and fritted finishes.

random light

this famous pendant is made for Moooi by Enigmatic Design (now Defunct) partnership Monkey Boys. a glassfibre yarn is drained in resin and coiled around a giant balloon. the stylish material and finish fit well in modern space while the soft lightings round the edges off the industrial-styled pieces in your loft. 2 sizes and 2 colours available. 19.7" dia or $479.00US and 33.5" dia for $799.00 at Generate.

erin adams quilt

Ann Sacks' version of quilted glass is modern, unique and fun. inspired by the artist's love for quilts, these glass tiles have 60 different colours & finishes for you to choose from. you can design your own patterns by using different colours or arrangments. come to think of it, tiling is not so much different from quilting, really.

wowbow pet furniture

these stylish pet necessities from Wowbow will go with your modern homes. you indulge yourself once awhile; why not indulge your little loyal friends once awhile, too? the dog beds are made from 10mm thick acrylic; the faux suede cushions are filled with shredded "memory foam." the dining tables cradle two machine-washable stainless steel bowls. different heights available to suit your pet's needs. they offer many different colours for both bedframe and cushion. you can have fun mix-and-match-ing so the pet furniture match your home's colour scheme.
besides the smaller version of the beds shown above, cats also get this Loulie cat tower for your cat's resting and needed surveillance. the memory foam filled faux suede cushions are topped with 3' long sheepskin. your cat will feel like a prince/princess.

their ultra-modern version of scratching posts are designed to prevent claw snagging. you no longer need to worry about where to place the scratching post because this design makes a beautiful home decor item in any rooms.

romance 02 doppio

Contraforma's laser-cut, powder-
coated steel table is chic but strong. it's "an unmistakably modern table with a neo- romantic twist," according to Ona. i like how the interior colour peeks through the cut-outs. colour options are white w/ pink interior, graphite black w/ pink interior, or graphite black w/ white interior. $430US. other sizes and shapes available.

teejay's own - room divider

i'm so very excited!! my photographer Lara has taken photos of the room divider that i designed for Light Couture. maybe i'll be able to show you some of the shots next week!

we built the prototype and used it to decorate our wedding reception. got pretty good feedbacks from the guests. still in the process of naming it... i'm never good at coming up with names. maybe some of you can give me ideas after you see the photos.

reader's input

reader "toobluelude" saw this and thought it was interesting. these are "bedroom lights designed to look like fantasy airships." you can check out the original photo here.

i think it's great that things can be so wonderful when you add a little imagination and creativity. this fantasy airship lamp can encourage people to see things from a different point of view. so many great designs are inspired by things that we take for granted. some people may find a lamp looking like a fantasy airship while others may find a fantasy airship looking like a lamp shade. with a little imagination, 2 has become 1 interesting creation. creativity rocks!!

thanks, "toobluelude," for being a loyal reader. i thank you more for your input.

time kitchens

although i'd been dreaming of building a white and airy kitchen, this clean-lined kitchen from Poliform's Varenna line really got my attention, and made me reconsider kitchens with more colour contrast. they offer finishes from oak to painted glass to lacquer with available work surfaces of marble, laminate, or stainless steel.