Organic Light Emitting Diode, or Organic LED (or OLED), is the new LED. Sony got all this hoopla when they came out with their OLED television (pictured below). When the television was announced, there were claims that the TV reinvented black, defining new levels of contrast. The television has the same pixel density as a 40" 1080P LCD and is only 3 mm thick thin - since they need no backlight, OLEDs can be much thinner than regular LEDs. The television is 11" and runs at $2,500. Damn.
I actually had a dream last night that I bought a Mont Blanc pen. I do have one of their scents, but no pen. When I woke up, I realized that I had forgot to put Mont Blanc on my blog. Anyway, the Starwalker collection is one of my favorites (shown below), but all their pens are beautiful. Check them out, but you can only buy their products in stores.
Finally, something I own! I first saw this MoMA Perpetual Calendar while babysitting. The magnetic silver sphere is attached to a string and the circular frame, also magnetic, keeps the sphere at the the month while the black sphere rests on the day. No, it's not automatic, but it can hang on the wall or sit on a shelf. When I went to Seattle, I saw the calendar at a furniture shop and had to buy it. For $40, it ends up being cheaper than buying a $15 calendar every year. Plus there's a mini version for on a desktop and different color schemes.
Baccarat has been around for nearly 250 years. Their crystal drinkware is the best but a bit pricey. A single tumbler will set you back about $100 but if you're spending heavy on the liquor, skimping on the barware will degrade the experience.
So normally I'm not a fan of Swarovski. If there's ever been a brand that has dilluted their image... I'm not sure what happened first - seeing them in stores like Ross or when Avon put the crystals on their cheap perfume - but either way, they have lost their appeal. Anyway, I am a fan of these lights that sport Swarovski. The light passes through the crystals (8 colors to choose from) and creates a dynamic display. There's also different designs such as wall fixtures and recessed lighting displays that also use the same concept. This is their pendant.
Creature by Andrew Zuckerman is a pretty awesome book with great photography. Retail is $60 and can be found at Barnes & Noble but it's not hard to find it on sale or use a coupon. Makes a great coffee table book and has been featured in many magazines such as Vanity Fair.
I found these business cards on Flickr and like them for their unique but minimalist qualities. They would make a great contact card with their simple but bold impression. Additionally, replication seems encouraged with reproduction details provided on their Flickr website.
Bang & Olufsen's BeoSound 9000 is incredible; so incredible that the audio player has it's own permanent installation at the MOMA in NY. The versatile media can hang vertical or horizontal on the wall, as well as connect to a stand. When each CD is done playing, they return to their original position (presumably facing upright). The switch between two CDs is lightening quick but possibly too fast. It can go from the top CD to the bottom in less than a second -- which is cool --but a bit ridiculous when watched at the B&O store in Palo Alto. Additionally, the BeoSound 9000 has FM radio and the option to stream online radio.
According to Wikipedia, Cartier is currently the no. 1 seller of luxury jewelery in the world, and the no. 2 seller of luxury watches (after Rolex). The Tank Francaise was created by Louis Cartier in 1917 and inspired by the new Renault tanks which Cartier saw on the Western Front.
New York has always been my go-to for amazing real estate but the Hollywood Hills would admittedly make an awesome place to live. The Beuth House was designed by Zoltan E. Pali, founder of SPF Architects, and features 9,200 sq/ft., a pool, screen room, and fully stocked bar. Most impressive is the 180 degree view that overlooks downtown LA. Beautiful on the inside and out, the home could fit families both small and large.
The KOR ONE Hydration Vessel is unique and popping up everywhere. I actually bought this water bottle hydration vessel a while ago but it broke at the behest of my roommate. The vessel is fairly strong but using a hinge creates a point of weakness unexperienced by Nalgene and other brands; additionally, the vessel arrives seemingly larger in dimension than it appears on screen. Nonetheless, it's an eye catcher that serves it's dual purpose of hydration + design and receives a warm recommendation.
LEGO will always be a classic but they're constantly releasing new and exciting collections to expand their collection. Too often their releases can hardly be called LEGOs (or building blocks, for that matter) but their new architecture line uses traditional blocks to create famous buildings such as the Guggenheim Museum and Frank Lloyd Wright's Falling Water. The collection also features the Empire State Building and Seattle Space Needle with promises of more to come.
A couple of years ago I read an article on high-end closets costing upwards of $100k. Ever since I saw Poliform's closet showcase in the article, I have been in love with the company and their collections. Like all modern furniture (save IKEA), good design comes at heavy costs. When I was in DC last summer, I went to one of their (very) small showrooms. Although size prevented me from seeing the collections in their full grandeur, the available furniture stayed true to form from catalogue to form. The attached pictures are from their online catalogue and exemplify the efficiency of modern design in small spaces.
I have no qualms with the traditional grand piano but an update to a classic always warrants attention. The Audi Design Team collaborated with piano maker Bosendorfer to design a $140,000 grand piano to debut on July 16th at the Audi Forum in Germany. The piano has aesthetics that make it a masterful centerpiece but the beauty will presumably cost acoustics. Since most pianos sit vacant for 99.9% of their lives, I think the modern design is a fair trade-off.
