harry.winston

Happy first year to the start of a new decade. This blog had been waiting two weeks for an update, but blogging is my school time activity, not vacation hobby. Good news: I couldn't help but find new things while on break and a long queue is ready for the new decade. Starting twenty10 comes Harry Winston, the man and company behind the most extravagant jewelry and designs, and the kind of love that money can buy. Call it the anti-recession, call it effete, but Winston's latest collection pays homage to the home of the ball drop. With obvious inspiration from the Chrysler building, the Skyscraper Ring has a fantastic art deco design. The Traffic Ring, a masculine men's ring, features three baguette diamonds, usually a complaint but appropriately placed in the platinum ring. The Reflection Brooch mimics a skyline over water, featuring 57 baguette and square cut diamonds. The sparkling Guggenheim Ring tops out with 161 round brilliant diamonds and enough brilliance to rival the sun.

[caption id="attachment_1571" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="Skyscraper"]

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[caption id="attachment_1572" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="Traffic"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1573" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="Reflection"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1574" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="Guggenheim"][/caption]

flying.bmw

Some people have been recommending I put a private jet on my blog, and I was tempted to post the relatively new Gulfstream 650, the largest Gulfstream and "most technologically advanced business aircraft in the sky," but the interior of these jets have seen little change in decades. Instead, I came across a collaboration between BMW and Embraer to create first-class interiors. In fact, the WSJ wrote an article on the soaring popularity of customizing your own jet.  Sadly, the collaboration is limited to Embraer, but it could provide a starting point if you get your Gulfstream personally customized elsewhere, or you can simply go with Embraer's Phenom 300 for $6.65 million+ (shown below).

charcoal.deodorizer

The Bamboo Charcoal Deodorizer, designed by Kiyoshi Nishio and offered through the MoMA for $25, is a compact air freshener for the fridge, closet, car, or wherever you need odor absorption. A lot classier than baking soda, the deodorizer is made of ultra-fine bamboo charcoal and clay mineral powder and can be re-used for up to one year by exposing it to sunlight once a month for six hours to release the absorbed contents.

spaghetti.architecture

This modern spaghetti package is a concept designed by Alex Creamer for a class at the University of Central Lancashire in the UK. Featured on TheDieline.com, a website dedicated to great package designs, the NYC Spaghetti is modeled after the Chrysler Building in NY, though the concept can be applied to design. Says creator Alex Creamer:

I created this spaghetti packaging for a university project last year. The brief was to package one of 5 difficult items i.e. eggs, a rose, custard powder, spaghetti or marbles. I chose spaghetti. The spaghetti sits on a 3d model of the chrysler building that was modelled on CAD by my friend Ben Thorpe. And then modelled out of high density foam at uni. Creating a spaghetti model of the Chrysler building!

tape.measure

Made of brushed stainless steel and measuring up to 10 feet, this disc shaped tape measurer is offered through the MoMA for $28 and displays both imperial and metric measurements.

bubble.calendar

The Bubble Calendar is nearly four feet high and available in four languages. With 2010 coming around the corner, it's a better option than those 75%-off  calendars in mall kiosks that look the same every year. Available in a vertical or horizontal layout with Helvetica Neue font, the calendar is only $20.10 plus shipping and handling.

outdoor.bench

The Plateau 3SR, designed by David Scott for Suite NY, is an eco-friendly outdoor bench that allows you to incorporate natural elements into your outdoor furniture. From gray rocks to shallow plants, the bench is versatile and can accommodate different varying designs for the changing seasons. Like all things on Suite NY, price is available upon request.

transmit.panel

The Transmit Panel, designed by Marc Krusin for Suite NY, is a series of room dividing and screen hanging glass elements. The strips of gray glass are tempered and hung to the ceiling via two steel wires, perfect for creating pseudo rooms in large lofts or adding some unique character. There are multiple dimensions available but you must send Suite NY an email for pricing details.

refillable.lighter

This Philippe Starck refillable lighter was created in 1998, but unlike the juicer featured earlier today, finding an original will be a little more difficult. The clean lines and right angles of the lighter contrast with other modern designs that are too flashy, bright, and curvy to be classy.

sonoro.elements

The Sonoro Elements W is an internet/FM radio and alarm clock that can stream radio stations around the world back to home, or connect it to your computer or phone to hear from your current playlist. With a crisp OLED display (see the OLED Sony TV posted earlier), the radio can be connected through WiFi or LAN, or you can buy an auxiliary iPod docking station, unless you decide to buy a similar version that has one already built in. Additionally, the Elements is available in black or white with a few different color options for the highlighting ring around the navigation. If you're in the Bay Area, you can get it at the SF MOMA, or buy it online for $500 at Saks Fifth Avenue.

squid.juicer

This fruit juicer by Philippe Starck for Alessi was created in 1990 and came from inspiration after a dinner of squid. Philippe Starck has created many great designs that have been featured on various websites that show up on this blog, but this is the first time I featured one of his products. After 19 years, the Juicy Salif Citrus-Squeezer is still available at Alessi for $90 in their online store.

bird.table

The Eva Solo Bird Table Mini is a slightly smaller version of the original, award-winning design from Eva Solo. The inverted glass cylinder is 2.5 liters and is meant for small birds, but you never need to worry about crows or other large creatures stealing the food. Available for $197.00 at Vivachi Style, the bird feeder can add a unique touch to the yard.

shoe.horn

The Steel Shoe Horn from Menu has a sleek and elegant design that's fit to help with the pricier of shoes. Designed by Charles Wilson and available for €50.42 (about $75), it comes with a magnetic steel mount for those times you're in a rush and don't want to scavenge.

ice.cooler

I never really realized I needed an ice cooler, but in the spirit of consumption, why not? Created by Tools Design, the Ice Cube Cooler is available at Dansk Design for €74.69 (about $111) and designed for the "making, keeping, and service of ice cubes," keeping ice cubes as ice for a couple of hours. The top half flips to create an ice tray for the freezer - once frozen, knock the cubes out into the double-walled metallic bowl and use the tray as a lid, grabbing the ice via the tongs in the middle. Although the ice wont melt in the tray, liquor fresh from the shelf will be lukewarm, causing the ice to melt and  water down your drink. When trying to cool a drink versus keeping it cooled down, I'd suggest  Whiskey Stones as an alternative.

world.clock

Following the Telephone 3, the World Timer was also designed by Jacob Jensen and beautifully displays the time in five major cities. Available for €582.64 (about $878) on Dansk Design, the clock is about 14" x 20" and would adds class to any office space.

inside.out

At first I thought these were simple lamps, but I started to read the designer's website and realized he based the deigns off of a "vice-versa" concept; that is, if you look closely, you can see that it's a lampshade within a bulb. Created by Russian designer Yar Rassadin, the pendants are fun and come in various colors.

corded.phone

Telephone 3 by Jacob Jensen is a modern design that seems to have taken a step back in time, if that makes any sense. The design reminds me of something that would come out of Bang & Olufsen, but the phones from B&O are overly modern, whereas their other products are a better match to this corded phone. The phone comes with the basics: display, memory keys, redial, and mute. Lightly pushing on the top lifts the phone into your hand and it can sit on a desk or be mounted to the wall.

white.jacket

The Men's Gravitation Triclimate Jacket from North Face makes for versatile and stylish outerwear. For $399.000 you get a three-in-one "dynamic package" to match all weather conditions - wear just the inner, outer, or both jackets, depending on the climate. The jacket is available in three colors but there's something about white jackets that makes them more appealing. With various pockets for myriad tools and items, the jacket is convenient and practical.

tube.amp

This tube amp found on Grass Roots Modern was designed by Koichi Futatsumata of CASE-REAL for Elekit. Although only a prototype, the amp could make it to production and priced relatively cheap, according to Grass Roots Modern. Beyond the design, Elekit sells other high end audio equipment so you can be sure the quality will match the aesthetics.

oversized.bed

This oversized bed from Metrofarm looks relatively simple but I haven't ever seen a similar design. The thick sides, extra long length, and raised edges provide a sense of security and comfort, perfect for a good night's sleep - throw in a nice down comforter and you could spend all day in it. This is the third product featured from Metrofarm (see DJ Desks and Benches), more than any other designer, yet their collection of products is incredibly small, showing that quality replaces quantity.

phone.evolution

Kyle Bean designed this hybrid of cellphone evolution meets Russian Doll. While a neat concept, Bean got one thing wrong: he ended the evolution with an iPhone instead of a Blackberry. It's alright, there's a reason Blackberry outsells Apple. Anyway, check out his website to see other projects and a video of this project in action.

ceramic.cone

For those that don't like ice cream cones (like myself), the Sugar Cone Collection by Virginia Sin is a perfect substitute. The porcelain cones feature a matte white glaze and a 2.75" height, the perfect (non-indulgent, no guilt) size. Best of all, each cone is one-of-a-kind because it is slip casted and handmade by Virginia Sin herself, intentionally allowing small warping, irregularities, and slight asymmetry. The cones are available for $18 on her website, Passionately Curious.

senz.umbrella

The SENZ storm umbrella is a device that improves on a design that's centuries old. Since the wind seems to always be blowing into your face, no matter what direction you turn, SENZ provides an angled handle and a modern aerodynamic design that makes heavy winds and diagonal rain inferior (see the wind tunnel tests).  Although practical, you want modern design to look good without drawing unwanted attention, but given the relatively unchanging tradition of the umbrella, this one will definitely stack the stares. The umbrella is available in three sizes and five colors, the largest running for $65.00 on the Totes-Isotoner website.

range.rover

So far I've featured a Bentley and Rolls-Royce, but both are way beyond any measure of practicality. The Range Rover, on the other hand, is less than $100,000 and doesn't ooze attention. Maybe I have synesthesia, but ever since Miami Vice with Jamie Foxx and Colin Farrell, I see all Range Rovers in white (or how much better they'd look if they were white). For some reason, Land Rover released awful pictures of the 2010 Range Rover so I had to pull pictures of its cheaper brother, the Range Rover Sport. The Range Rover starts at $80,000 (as opposed to $60,000 for the Range Rover Sport) and is a beautiful yet heavy duty vehicle for everything from driving around Beverly Hills to serious off-road adventures. Although the exterior differences between the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport are minimal, the luxury premium of getting the Range Rover is enough that I didn't want to add interior photos of the Sport, but check out the interior of both on the Land Rover website. Complete with headrests that fold to cradle your head and televisions in the seats. With a luxurious interior and enough room to fit everyone, the Range Rover is a great choice.