my.commute

The award-winning IF-Mode Foldable Bicycle is a 32lb. bike perfect for urban travelers who use the subway or bring their bike into the office with them. With monoblade wheel mountings and a two speed transmission, the bike rolls like luggage and is available at Neiman Marcus for $2,200.

steel.doorbell

Without a modern doorbell to match the doors I featured earlier, your entryway will be a contrast of modernity and apathy but the following two brushed stainless steel designs are available at Design Within Reach. The tall skinny version (think SoCal palm tree) is $125 while the short wide version (NorCal palm tree) is $150. Additionally, you can orient the the plates in any direction, turning the tall into horizontal or moving around the button on the latter.

azita.sauces

Azita's Nine Spice Rub (ie. sauce for pre-cooked meat) was designed by Michael Freimuth and would make any BBQ look better, if not taste better too. Azita, a Persian-American chef, started her company in 2007 and creates a variety of hot sauces rubs with other limited edition designs also by Freimuth.

metrofarm.benches

The Metrofarm Benches are a bit of déjà vu as the successors to the Metrofarm DJ Desks but they are slightly more practical for those that don't DJ regularly in their homes. Although they would look nice anywhere, I see them fitting nicely at the tail end of a modern platform bed.

vintage.microphone

The Shure 55 Microphone is a vintage classic invoking some of the splendor from the Art Deco era of the 20's and 30's. Shure is still a major retailer in the audio industry with products ranging from headphones to wireless systems. Luckily, they sell a barely modified rendition of the Shure 55 Microphone under their Classic Collection and available on Amazon for $249.99.

luxury.plastic

There has been a rising popularity in luxury plastic flatwear, most of which comes available in all the shapes and designs of traditional silverware except available in dozens of colors and more appropriate for picnics. The Kikkerland Orleans Flatware sets are available through Paper Source and dishwasher safe. Showcasing a classic European pattern, each set of 12 is $16.50 but constantly in- and out-of-stock, so be quick.

suspension.light

The Tank by Alexander Taylor comes in various colors and features folded aluminum channels. Available in two sizes, the suspension light comes senza price tag but the website lists both email and phone number for contact.

guest.brush

I recently featured the Sonicare Flexcare Plus but figured a good guest toothbrush was in order. The Paul Smith Novelty Toothbrushes, available in five colors, are unlike any other Paul Smith product I've seen before. Known for colorful stripes, Paul Smith drops the pattern for these simple 6.5" toothbrushes that replace white bristles for black. With grocery store toothbrushes running upwards of $6, the $12 brush from Paul Smith isn't much more of a stretch.

bag.holder

The Bag Holder from Simple Human has a great form but functions just as effectively. For those times you forget to bring your unattractive $1 reusable bag to the grocery store, or for those that refuse to buy them, the bag holder gives you a place to store and easily retrieve them for next time.

steel.concrete

The Stainless Steel and Concrete Ring adds a rugged edge to mens jewelery. Available for $225.00 in a regular or off-set design, the ring in about 2.5mm thick. Escape Designs also has other unique but modern designs for rings including a sterling silver and concrete combination, stainless steel and rubber, and carbon fiber. Additionally, all designs come with a range of corresponding pendants, bracelets, and cuff links.

bugatti.blender

The 400 watt Bugatti Vela Blender makes it easy to leave your appliances out on the counter. The 1.5 liter blender is part of a small range of appliances available from the Buggatti Casa website and on sale for $249.99 from $299.99. It's only offered in red or chrome through the Buggatti website but you can find the black version at other retailer websites.

gray.wood

The background from Yanko Design: Form Beyond Function is a neat and simple image of vertically-placed black wood. Modern and minimalist yet lacking any distractions, the background is just that: a background. If you're looking for a minimalist screensaver to match your new background, check out the Fliqlo flipclock from 9031.

clothes.hangers

These modern hangers by Cecilia Lundgren are an actualized concept but yet to be available for purchase. Despite this, I really enjoy the design and you'll ever need to worry again about your hangers breaking.

lange.31

A. Lange & Söhne is currently my favorite watch brand, and only the second watch brand I have ever fell for. Although I've been wanting the previously posted Cartier Tank Francaise since the beginning of high school, A. Lange & Söhne is in a whole different league, making Rolex feel like Timex. The Lange 31, shown below, was an engineering feat when it was released in 2007.

I always thought it would be neat to have a manual wind wristwatch, but this one takes it to a whole new level. The 270 degree arc measures how many days of energy are left, but to accomplish storing 31 days worth of energy after a single wind in a small wristwatch is unheard of; indeed, Luxist even quotes another watch maker as saying there's no way it seems possible

So beyond the beautiful minimalist inspired design, the watch is manual and incredibly one of a kind. Made from platinum and finished with a black crocodile strap, I fell for the watch before I saw the price, which would of caused me to move on. With a price tag of  $300,000, I'm sure you can negotiate a smaller figure, but whatever you pay, you must remember the small home you could of bought. But don't think what you see is all you get - go to the A. Lange & Söhne website to see what the watch looks like on the inside, it's nothing less than it's own piece of artwork, or watch a video that explains the making and perfection of the Lange 31.

bandages

Designed by Scott Amron, these leather bandages make band-aids cool. At $15 for a pack of three, you’ll always feel guilty when you use one, but if you’re headed to NY Fashion Week or lunch with Anna Wintour, why not? The bandages are available on Amron’s website with a small assortment of other unique and experimental products.

brushing.teeth

The Sonicare Flexcare Plus is the 2.0 of the Sonicare Flexcare Brush. Instead of forcing you to choose between three brushing options, the Plus gives you five: gumcare, sensitive, massage, clean, and refresh mode. It sounds a bit like a spa, but for $149.98 on Amazon, you get two brush heads and a UV sanitizer. With two different brush head sizes, a three week battery life, and a timer for each mode to let you know when to move to a different section, your teeth will never need whitening again.

place.settings

Chilewich has a lot of great products, each stressing their own unique color and texture. Ranging from place mats and napkins to window shades and floor mats, each product is defined by its individual weave and color theme. Their website is fun to browse and they offer their products online  so no reason to not check them out.

found.functions

While browsing Dropular.net I came across the following image. Dropular is a media bookmarking service site that allows you to save photos and videos that you find throughout the internet. Although invite only, anyone can browse through the extensive archive, which is how I came across Nikki Graziano's Found Functions series. As evident in the image below, Nikki finds great pictures and finds the function to describe them.

washing.drying

The De Dietrich Washer doesn't only make your laundry room look high tech but it makes the job a little easier, pairing form with function. Put your clothes in the washer and select a white or colored load, letting the sensors determine the best wash, rinse, and spin program. De Dietrich is starting an online store soon, but until then, their products can be found at various online retailers and in stores.

rr.ghost

The Rolls-Royce Ghost, slated for release in 2010, is the latest Rolls-Royce vehicle and joins the Phantom, Phantom Drophead Coupe, and Phantom Coupe in the RR lineup. Designed to appeal through its lower price point ($255,000) and smaller frame, the Ghost is looking to compete with cheaper luxury cars such as the Bentley Continental Flying Spur and Maserati Quattroport.

Similar to other Rolls-Royce cars, the customization benefits seem endless, ranging from various technologies to enough colors choices to cause agitation. And naturally, the benefits (the seats, the speed, the umbrella holder in the door...) are legendary. If you're looking for something a little more sporty, the Bentley Continental might be more your choice, though the Ghost definitely has a modern edge over its predecessors with its smoother curves.

On a tangent, I noticed that Rolls-Royce made slight changes to their commercial for the Phantom Coupe, released in 2008 and featured in the third picture below. The original commercial (still found on YouTube) featured the great song "Shooting Star" by Air Traffic but the commercial on their website features a wordless sound-alike.

Lastly, and just for fun, the hood ornament on a Rolls-Royce is called the Spirit of Ecstasy and inspired by an affair between John Scott-Montagu, a pioneer in the car movement, and his secretary/model of the emblem, Eleanor Thornton. Pressured to marry elsewhere due to Thornton's low socioeconomic status, Scott-Montagu lost his mistress when she died while on a ship torpedoed by a German submarine.

glass.foosball

The Lux Minimalist Foosball Table is made of stainless steel, aluminum, and ESG unbreakable glass. All options are customizable (including frame, legs, handle and field) with over 12 options for the figures (the gold wouldn't be my top pick). For $19,319 and 4-6 weeks (+shipping and handling), the 5 or 6 times you play foosball each year will be in style.

salt.pepper

The ZACK Sicuro Electric Salt and Pepper Mills are 18/10 stainless steel motorized grinders. Instead of rubber, the mills use a metal button (and 4 AA batteries to operate) and are too sleek to store in the cabinet. Each mill is available for $84.83.

mister.dj

The DJ Desks by Metrofarm are custom made and available in different materials and finishes. Small and slim, they can add fun to any room whether or not you know enough to ever use them.

winter.skis

Just in time for winter, the Cufla and Suffel skis by Swiss company Zai are one of a kind. With Carbon Fiber Stone technology, the limited edition skis are the first to feature a stone core and boast the ability to make pros and amateurs alike "feel great". For $5,900, you can get 1 of 111 pairs at Gorsuch. Coming down the mountain with these would surely turn heads if the skis weren't covered in, well, snow.

laundry.bin

The VIPP 411 Laundry Basket is a stylish way to store the clothes not headed to the dry cleaners. For $599.99, you can get a laundry basket complete with steel and rubber construction, hidden wheels for mobility, a dual section washable inner bag, and a perforated lid/bottom for easy air circulation. If you like the basket enough, you can buy the complete set (pictured below) to outfit your bathroom from VIPP, a danish company founded in 1939.

voip.phone

In a prototype binge, the Tatung VOIP Phone by Nova Design is following the Energy Aware Clock. For those that use VOIP, the phone has a minimalist design matched by minimal features. With a standard keyboard and Bluetooth technology, the phone serves its purpose without complicating things. Like the clock, the phone is an actualized prototype, but no word on if or when it will hit stores.

energy.clock

The Energy Aware Clock was created by Swedish designers and premiered at the Design September design show in Brussels, Belgium this past September. The clock tracks energy usage throughout the day and allows households to view their energy output, pinpointing the times when usage is highest and hopefully reducing wastefulness. While not available for retail yet, hopefully the concept will reach stores because the idea and design make conservation cool and easy.

no.doors

The Tueco doorless shower allows you to control how long or wide you want your space. Featuring 8mm thick glass, the shower makes bathing like artwork and serves as a more modern alternative to the Kohler Bathroom.

the.hood

Stove top hoods are usually relatively modern by the nature of their business - clear cut lines and stainless steel are perfect for eating in hot steam (or smoke). The cooker hoods by Elica take it a bit further and make cooking that much more fun. The featured hoods - the Chrome, the Meridiana, and Space, respectively - are three great designs from Elica that can add to any kitchen.

shower.water

The Aquavolo Deutto by JACLO would make a good addition to a small bathroom or outdoor pool shower. Beautiful with an innovative design, its smaller size would be a good alternative to the larger collections by bigger brands such as the bathroom designed by Kohler. Available in brushed or polished stainless steel finish, the spout changes from rain to waterfall in one short motion.

weight.scale

The Withings Body Scale (by Withings, surprise) is a WiFi scale that tracks weight, fat, and BMI via information sent to their online website. The video demo shows the scale recognizing the individual user as they step on the scale and provides accuracy to 100 grams. For $159.00 you can buy the scale that looks great and keeps you looking better.

mirror.tv

Mirrors that double as TVs or mini information centers are great because you can get the aesthetics of a mirror with the practicality of convenient knowledge. Whether in the bathroom or dining room, the actual television is impossible to recognize when turned off and looks stunning as a mirror. The Hi_Mirror (below) by Gabriele and Oscar Buratti for Valli Arredobagno allows you to watch TV, listen to the radio, and use its weather station as you get ready in the morning. Available with a black or white frame, the multimedia mirror has an unlisted price  but would make a beautiful addition nonetheless.