vintage

Osborne and Little's patterns are always elegant and stunning. here is some vintage fabulousness for you. acclaimed as part of the design revolution of the '60s, 8 of their most successful and dazzling designs are reintroduced in new and contemporary colourings. they return as the Vintage collection. the examples shown here are: Wilde Carnation - rows of stylised carnations in metallic and lacquer (left); and Minaret - an all-over striped pattern in the form of a tower(right). just like fashion, home decoration goes in a full circle as well.

mekong

designer Gala Wright created these fabulous occasional tables for Viable. constructed from 2-way mirror glass, the table surfaces are fully reflective. when the light is on, the sperical light fixture submerged in the table becomes visible with multiple internal reflections. these tables have the ultra-modern concept but somewhat subtle appearances. don't worry if your home decorating styles are not ultra-modern, they will definitely fit in your spaces.

corallo

the brother design team Fernando & Humberto Campana's Corallo armachir for Edra is a beautiful combination of handicraft and design. this expoxy-painted steel wire armchair meets all industrial designers' goals - it's artistic and functional. taking a look of it, everyone would question its comfort level. i actually had a chance to sit on it and was i surprised! although i'm not sure if i sat on it long enough to make a fair judgement, i felt really comfortable on it and defintely enjoyed it.

bin bin

how cute and creative is this? designer John Brauer created Bin Bin for Essey. this is a wastebasket with an identity of its own. it looks exactly like the contents - crushed paper. the shape is just about right. it makes a statement in a room but the lines are simple enough so it wouldn't make the room look messy. Brauer designed them in black, red, white, and brown. available in white and black @ Scandinavian Design for 469KR.

objects for walls

designer Erika Hanson felt thtat room surfaces should have a living presence. she began experimenting with shapes that might make people want to touch. the result is these Objects for Walls. they offer 'a contemporary alternative to the plain walls typical of modern interior environments. blurring traditional categories of sculpture, architecture and furiture, these objects change the way we perceive the boundaries of a room.' with these 3-in-1 Objects for Walls, you can have a wall that no longer just to divide spaces but 'interact' with your life by being a sculpural-like art and lighting for ambience.

balance

now that i've mentioned Designers Guild, i want to talk about them a bit more. they're the leading British Interiors specialists. since Tricia Guild founded the company in 1970, they've been famous for their contibution of colour and pattern to interior design. their collection include fabrics, wallcoverings, upholstery and home accessories. shown here is the 3-seater, armchair and ottoman of Balance from their furniture collection. Balance has sleek lines, modern and simple styles, and high-quality upholstry. the most exciting part of buying furniture from Designers Guild is you get to choose from the huge selection of their fabric colours and patterns.

LG steam washing machines

this is what a collaboration of top-of-the-line technology and cutting-edge interior style looks like. LG and Designers Guild teamed up to create these limited edition Steam Direct washing machine. Tricia Guild, the founder of Designers Guild, says that consumers are demanding more unique design outside of the traditional fabric and wallcoverings. so these appliances get an makeover. these eye-catching machines come in 4 prints to match Dersigners Guild's fabric: Sevilla (above), Cloisonne (below right), Imperial Flower (below middle), and Ribailagua (below left).

technology-wise, it's a world first using a Dual Spray system to spray hot steam and water on fabric continuously to improve washing performance. and of course the efficiency is expected. besides the eco-friendly features like less water and engergy usage, best of all, the Refresh feature eliminates the need for ironing.

Imperial Flower, Sevilla and Ribailagua will be available @ Harrods and John Lewis from June 2006 and Cloisonne from October 2006 for approximately 1300 – 1500GBP.

philipp plein garden

here's an extravagant brand for you. German designer Philipp Plein's all about luxurious goods. besides the fashion collection, he has a full-line home collection as well. now the summer's almost over, i've selected these outdoor pieces to show you: bench Daytona, chair Lucky Star (above), and swinging Summer Bed (below). all made in stainless steel. his pieces definitely look like they belong in movie stars' and Italian fashion designers' homes. i'll show you more of the indoor ones later on; you'll understand what i mean.

blik

blik is wall graphics for the commitment phobic. i know people who need and want changes for their spaces all the time. i also know people who tried to spice up their walls but hated the results after many hours stenciling. i think i've found a solution for them. blik is a collection of oversized, geometric decals that allow users to create personalized wallscapes. all the decals are self-adhesive, easy to apply, and removable. you can change your minds anytime. the collection is priced from $32US to $56US.

nido

desiger Jarvier Mariscal created this cute nest/cave for Magis MeToo collection. inside of the cave, the floor has grass pattern and graffiti on the underside of the roof. made of rotational-moulded polyethylene, it's suitable for both indoor and outdoor uses. i can just see how much fun kids can have in this bright-coloured buggy nest/cave. even i want one! fine, i know it won't fit me... available @ modernkid for $1695CDN.

blottoman

another fun creation from designer Karim Rashid. created for Nienkamper, these ottomans are lightweight, soft, and comfortable. although their bulging appearances give out this 'cute' impressions, they can still fit in any serious and mature setting. i have to tell you that this design caught my eyes mainly because i thought they look like sponge cakes (especially the beige-brown ones). available in monochromatic or 2-tone colour scheme of contrasting fabric, leather or vinyl. prices range from $515CDN to $1740CDN @ Nienkamper.

tango

summer's almost over, but i think it's still appropriate to show you this chair. with its hand-woven natural fibers in a circle pattern and optional ultra suede cushion, it looks so much like an opened coconut!! it's fun but not tacky. the chrome legs makes the chair stays in the modern category. it's a good mix of the natural and modern elements. i found it here.

fushion

although i know every piece form Ikea by heart as a designer, there's rarely anything that i want to write about. but this new dining table & chair set designed by Sandra Kragnert attracted my attention. the backs of the chairs are shaped to the corners of the table. this does provide a smart solution in terms of space saving. the design of the set is simple and lively. i have to admit that it is great when nice designs and concepts are affordable to the general public. $449CDN @ Ikea.

shelflife

it was a huge success in 2005 when Viable's designer Charles Trevelyan created the first 'Shelflife' - a shelving unit or room divider with removable chair and side table (shown below). this year, Trevelyan came up with the desk version of Shelflife (shown above). the angular shelves of this collection prevent books from toppling. stylish and functional, these are ideal pieces for small space living. both made of LDF and are available in white, grey, and eggshell blue.

scratchcard

do you read magazines or newspaper when eating breakfast? now you get to try something new. how about some scratch & reveal fun? i found this post on this awesome blog "Cool Hunting," and i have to share this with you. London-based textile designer Linda Florence came up with this cool concept making the already hot wallpaper trend even more fun. the silver substance on scratching & win tickets is applied to her beautifully designed floral patterns. unlike those lottery scratch cards, it's a 'win' everytime you work on your wallpaper.

sinko

if you care about every little decorating details in your home like i do, this product will make you happy. designed by Olof Hansson, this sinkplug is beautiful and functional. the whole thing is made of stainless steel - it weighs almost a kilogram! also the dome-shaped surface forms a complete seal; you can be sure that it'll stay put in your sink. it fits almost all sink and bathtub drains with a diametre up to 82mm. available for 419KR @ Scandinavian Design.

*according to reader Lara, Sinko has a second use because of its stainless steel. after cutting smelly things like onions and garlic, you remove all odor by 'washing' your hands with it. thanks for the great tip, Lara!*

dform

founded by James Dieter, dform expores the manipulation of flat sheet materials into dynamic 3-d forms. all of their lighting and wall covering products are made of interlocking die-cut wood venner or plastic with layered surfaces of pattern and shadow. the examples shown here are basket saucer (top) and spade drum (drum). besides the wonderful designs, they've also done many incredible special projects for commercial and residential spaces. after checking out their special project portfolio, i really want to check out those restaurants with their lights.

4-petal

many of you probably have already seen this wonderful and functional recycled design. i still decided to show it to you here just because it's a great concept. designed by Josh Levy, this environment-friendly piece is made of cardboards. it can be used horizontally or vertically. when used horizontally, the table can store up to 12 wine bottles. $493.75US (add $19.99US for pre-applied ReviveX brand stain and water protection).

vase of phases

these interesting vases highlight the beauty of experience and reflect designer Dror Benshetrit's ruminations on the ideas of purity, damage, and transformation. the shadows on the vase creates a big impact on its visual presentation. this wonderful design is a part of the permanent collection of the "Staatliches Museum fur Angewatne Kunst" Munich, Germany and the "Eretz Israel Museum" Tel Aviv, Israel. available in 3 sizes and in black & white. prices range from $125US to $325US.

wishbone

what a master piece. this is the famous CH 24 chair designed as far back as 1949 and is the first of Wegner's chairs for Carl Hansen & Son. it's known as the "Wishbone" chair because of its Y-shaped back. the streamline form and and the semicircular top rail makes the chair inviting and unforgettable. available in Vancouver's Inform Interiors and $798CDN @ Toronto's Kiosk. (photos by Soren Larsen)

inhabit

looking for things that will add vibrant colours and graphics to your space? check out Inhabit. each collection includes bedding, pillows, stretched wall art and slats. the examples shown here are: (L to R) sprout in chocolate, weee, and quattro in sulphur. 3 sizes are available for these pillows 18"x18" ($60US), 13x24 (66), and 19x19x 3 (88). also, if you're into designs and good at it, maybe you'll be interested in their "the great pillow design competition." trust in yourself and give it a try. maybe you're just one step away from becoming a textile designer - you never know.

antibodi

famous designer Patricia Urquiola can always come up with extraordinary ideas. created for Moroso, this is not your chaise/lounge chair. what makes this playful piece different from others is the reversible cover which consists of padded triangular petal cells. the cover is made of felt and wool on the feminine petal side and wool and leather on the musculine geodesic side. the reversible cover successfully deliver the idea of the 2 different and striking moods.

kyoto

check out Zue's glassware collection. the patterns remind me of calligraphy and Asian paintings. i like their elegance and simplicity. the example shown here is Kyoto cylinder vase. if i owned one, i'm not sure if i'd actually put any flowers in it. i'll probably just display them as art pieces. this is made of high-quality handblown glass and hand-numbered edition of 250. available in black, glod, and bronze. 11" x 3 3/4". $135US.

creepers.mgx

these creepers don't give me creeps at all. i think they are elegant and playful. designed by Lionel Theodore Dean for Materialise.mgx, this lighting/room divding system is a combination of art and technology. clipping an array of them on floor-to-ceiling cables creates floating clouds of light that divide interior spaces. the designer "imagined this design slowly spreading across the room sending out 'feelers' for the next attachment." Creepers are white until the selected l.e.d. lights are on then the entire system takes on the hue of the colour of the lights. available @ Generate for $399US.

teejay's week off

it was my Lunar Calendar birthday (also the Chinese Valentine's Day). happy Valentine's Day to all my Chinese friends. i'm taking a break so no new posts for the week.

my family always celebrates Lunar Calendar birthdays. j/w and i spent some quite time together during the day. had a great buffet dinner with my family at the casino. my sister made this super delicious and beautiful angel food cake. a couple of my girlfriends took me out for dessert/snack. i had a great time and felt really pampered with all the skin care gifts.

i get to spend my actual birthday with friends; really looking forwards to that!