Thursday, December 23, 2010

shoe.care

It's not difficult to find a good pair of shoes but keeping them in that condition takes some work. This matching set of shoe accessories from Hermès provide a top-notch solution that will lengthen the life of your leather. The shoe tree is available for $225, shoe horn for $155, and the shoe brush for $125. Take advantage of the beautiful and modern black beechwood and stainless steel accessories set for a total of $505.






third.dimension

I've always been a huge fan of coffee table books (see Room With a View) but this book breaks the mold. Found on Uncrate, 3DD: A 3-D Celebration of Breasts is fairly well defined in its title. Available for $19.77 on Amazon, a review notes that the website only provides simply cardboard glasses. Bought for an extra $10 on the 3DD website, you can buy straight from the source and receive the same plastic aviators shown below.



Updated: 28 February 2010
Buy the 3D Glasses Necklace by Design Glut to complete the set. Designed by Liz Kinnmark and Kegan Fisher and found on MocoLoco, the jewelry piece is one part of their new collection.


Tuesday, December 21, 2010

boom.box

The boombox may be old school but Bang & Olufsen's rendition turns tradition into modern design. The Beosound 8 is created to play music using apple products as source. Coming from B&O, discussing sound quality would simply be redundant. The audio player runs about $1,000 and is available with different grill and backing colors. B&O also released an iPhone app that allows you to stream specified radio stations, set a (trendy) alarm, and other features that integrate well with the stereo. After installing the application, I realized you can experience all the features without needing a B&O product (minus the sound quality).





dumb.bells

Unlike most exercise equipment, the stainless steel Menu Magnetic Dumbbells should not be stowed when not in use. The two dumbbells look great  when intertwined but equally aesthetic when apart. Each piece weighs one kilo (about 2.2lbs.) and could double as a paper weight. I previously featured Menu's Steel Shoe Horn and the two have a very similar appearance, though completed unrelated purposes. Nonetheless, the dumbbells are available on panik-prefers for $180 and come in handy when time is too limited for the gym.






studded.burberry

Burberry is definitely not my favorite brand -- I tend to think they sell-out for quick profits -- but they manage to create some great designs. Below is the Burberry Studded Trench Coat available for $1,695. I originally saw the modified classic on the Burberry website but it reappeared in an article on the NYT featuring Matthew Brookes from Spiderman. Inventing the modern trench in 1914, Burberry coats have become the classic and this rendition adds a unique touch to the traditional piece.


200th.post

ˈmä-dərn has received over 5,000 hits since its start and this post marks the 200th contribution. Some days I submit ten new posts while there have been months without a single update. The rhythm is victim to a varying schedule and the difficulty in finding items that make a perfect fit. As with previous celebrations, the blog marks the landmark with more jewels.



For this holiday season, Cartier showcases a winter panther in a 30 second video on their Winter Tale website. Follow the panther to view accessories for him, her, and a special "Diamonds forever" section. I would be happy to feature a little of everything Cartier has to offer but their watches have always been my favorite. I featured the ever-popular Tank Francaise near the beginning of this blog but a much newer masterpiece also exemplifies the distinctive Cartier design and elegance. The Cartier Roadster S, found on Uncrate, stands as the newest addition to the Cartier collection and is available for a mere $3,500. Perhaps the rubber strap helps tapper the price tag but it gives Cartier enthusiasts a chance to stick with the brand and go casual.



Also new on the slate for Cartier is the Cartier flagship opening in Hong Kong. Located in the 29-story Prince's Building on Chater Road, the façade emits fluctuating light and rises 17 meters above the ground, "reflect[ing] the pulsating rhythm of the city — ascending by day to absorb the light of the sky, before gently falling back to earth at night to showcase the store windows."


b&o.laptop

ASUS and Bang & Olufsen collaborated to produce the ASUS NX90 Bang & Olufsen laptop with the best built-in speakers on the market. The screen measures 18.4" and comes with a Blu-ray player, as well as two touch pads that mimic turntables. Although prices have yet to be set, Luxuo is predicting somewhere from $1,799 to $2,499. Although laptops are made for portability, the size of this machine suggests it's best to leave it in one place except for special occasions. You can see additional photos and hardware specs on the Luxuo website.






bob.sled

While every other company is producing their annual ornament, Porsche Design recently released what's becoming their annual event: sleds. Last year they produced the Aluminum Sledge for about $440 but the Porsche Design Bobsleigh (found on Uncrate) for roughly $265 provides an alternative that leaves money for hot cocoa after the event. I can't imagine the hill will feel much different but you'll definitely find yourself uncommonly worried about nicks and scrapes.







Sunday, December 19, 2010

portable.fire

Perfect for any rental apartment or loft, especially during the holidays, is the Conmoto Travelmate Portable Fireplace that was found on Uncrate.com. Easier than starting a wood fire, cheaper than an installation unit, and modern enough to match your platform bed. The fireplace is one of many offered from Conmoto and features black powder-coated steel with glass partitions. Their newest piece is available for $3,200.




tough.cuffs

Baccarat is my favorite for crystal and glassware. Founded in 1764 under King Louis XV of France, Baccarat has been the go-to for the best of the best. This past quarter in US Relations in Iran, I learned that the former Shah of Iran imported Baccarat glassware for the 2,500 year celebration of the Persian empire (which reportedly cost $100 million), and I once featured Baccarat for their barware.


Below is Baccarat's Rock Cuff Links available in onyx, clear, ruby, and mist. With rhodium-plated .925 sterling silver backings, the cuff links run for $375 at Neiman Marcus. Baccarat has been creating jewelry since 1993 and they successfully pulled off cuff links without finding individuality in multiple colors, busy images, or complex layers. The design is simple but modern, the perfect detailing to a perfect outfit.


Sunday, December 5, 2010

modern.baby

Bloom Baby offers a full range of modern furniture for the youngest in the family. Each product comes in multiple combinations of colors to make sure they fit any interior but the prices aren't cheap. The attached pieces are available at allmodernbaby.com along with others to complete the set.




[caption id="attachment_2259" align="aligncenter" width="297" caption="Bloom Fresco High Chair in Midnight Black | Sale: $399"][/caption]



[caption id="attachment_2261" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Bloom Coco Plexistyle Baby Lounger | Sale: $380"][/caption]

pirelli.calendar

Pirelli ("Power is nothing without control") is known for tires but each year they release a new (sensual) calendar featuring top models and legendary photographers. Good luck buying one, they're only given as gifts to top Pirelli customers and VIP clients. There are currently three 2011 calendars on Ebay and one stands at $860 with 30 bids and five days to go. This year's calendar was shot by Karl Lagerfeld and features Julianne Moore and many others in a Greek and Roman mythology theme. Past models include Gisele, Cindy Crawford, Kate Moss, Sophia Loren, Julia Stiles, Hilary Swank, Heidi Klum, and many more. Not bad for a tire company.






Saturday, December 4, 2010

writing.modern

I need a new keyboard at work but instead of calling the tech department, where I assume "modern and advanced" would translate into the bubbly ergonomic, I started looking online to find a fun keyboard that pushes technology without making me feel like a gamer. The Logitech diNovo Edge, available for $179.99, happily fits the bill with the TouchDisk cursor pad, touch-sensitive media controls, PerfectStroke key system, and Bluetooth technology. The disk doubles as a mouse but can also scroll pages with a simple circular motion. The scissor-key mechanism is a hybrid of a notepad and desktop keyboard. Cut from a single semi-translucent, the keyboard features black Plexiglas set in a brushed aluminum frame for a perfect combination of technology and aesthetic. I'm not willing to spend nearly $200 on an intern accessory but full-time is on its way.


Sunday, November 28, 2010

flying.saucer

The Flying Saucer Bowl Set by Museum of Robots is a modern take on retro design. The piece looks too perfect when assembled to actually utilize as a bowl but the sculpture adds character to the kitchen and pays homage to the world of robots. Available for $300 on AllModern.com, the piece was designed by Richard and Vicki Küng. The pair own both Museum of Robots -- a modern housewares company -- and Küng Design, which specializes in design for the web.



Tuesday, November 9, 2010

three.dimensional

The holiday season is coming up and vacations/celebrations equal new big-budget films. With Hollywood doing better this year than last and 3D movies proving wildly successful, it was inevitable that designers would take advantage of the opportunity. Found from a WSJ video, you can now look great while watching a movie (when no one -- absolutely no single person -- is looking at you). Designers are coming out with their own high-end 3D glasses that range from Armani Exchange's $58 aviators (available in December) to Gucci's $225 (better?) aviators (also available in December). Oakley falls somewhere in-between with their $120 rendition of their popular Gascan sunglasses (which normally run $90 for non-polarized). Not featured are Calvin Klein's 3D sunglasses with styles distinctive for both women and men, and Oakley's special edition Tron sunglasses for the upcoming movie premiere on December 17th. Unfortunately, your ticket price will still include a premium for the cheap plastic glasses you don't take but maybe in the future the charge will be separate, thereby adding justification to the splurge.






fire.extinguisher

Owning beautiful means protecting beautiful things but fire is more threatening than it's surface. Pull out the fire extinguisher and it's bound to ruin your goods but the HalGuard Fire Extinguishers, according to Uncrate.com, "employ Halotron 1, an electrically non-conductive "clean" extinguishing agent that rapidly turns into a gas, so they're safe for parts and wiring, pose no risk of electric shock, and leave no nasty residue to clean up." Available in red and chrome for $125 - $170, the extinguishers can be delivered hand-wrapped for an additional $5.


xxi.century

The National Museum of the XXI Century Arts by Zaha Hadid is an arts attraction unto itself. Based in Rome, the museum is Italy’s first national public museum of comtemporary arts and features a vast openness walled by concrete and glass. Straight sharp edges and intriguing intersecting lines create anticipation for the art it's built to hold. From Zaha Hadid Architects:




Here we are weaving a dense texture of interior and exterior spaces. It’s an intriguing mixture of permanent, temporary and commercial galleries, irrigating a large urban field with linear display surfaces. It could be a library; there are so many buildings that are not standing next to, but are intertwined and superimposed over one another.



Found on Dezeen -- an online design magazine -- the website also features a mini-assembly of Hadid's previous works. Check it out online until your next visit to Roma.




Sunday, November 7, 2010

doll.house

A Doll's House for Clementine was designed by TDO Architecture and commissioned by Wallpaper*. The house was designed vertically to accommodate easy interaction at all levels and the home effectively creates a "mini modernist world." When closed, the doll house becomes a gently luminescent lamp which counteracts the space lost for an unusually large toy. While not available for sale, the doll house gives an interesting base concept for the design of future creations.






tweeze.me

The tweezers below were created by Dr Jesper Sørensen and Markus Spingler of S&T at the request of Wallpaper* Magazine. The snazzy tool features a "half-carat sapphire embedded in one end" and basically does what tweezers do -- tweeze -- no more, no less.


champagne.bubbly

The Porche Design Studio seems random in their creations but perfect in execution. I once featured their modern lighters but the Veuve Clicquot's Vertical Limit cannot be missed. Designed by Porche Design Studio and found on multiple blogs including Luxist, the cellars are born from a pairing of Veuve Clicquot and the design team. All 15 cellars go for $70,000 but each comes with vintage bottles of celebration.




th.house

The TH House exemplifies what I've always said: a house need not be warm and welcoming when a museum is so much more beautiful. In my opinion, this is a different kind of warm, and a different kind of welcoming. Found on Moco Loco, the TH House was created by Baqueratta and features beautiful straight lines and sharp edges that create the simple yet intriguingly complex structure. The outdoor/indoor feature could be a bit scary when home alone after dark but it provides a nice private sanctuary 24/7. If you take a look at the living room, they outfitted the home with Bang & Olufsen sound to complete the perfect picture (and audio).