I think the Bath Safeguard invention is very interesting. I tend to be a visual person by nature, and I for one would prefer for the Bath Safeguard to illuminate and tell me the temperature of my bath in lieu of me sticking my palm or foot into scalding waters.

The Bath Safeguard was designed by Kai Chen. Basically it is a neat little electronic bath plug that emits a color glow reflecting the current conditions of the water. When not in use, place it back on the magnetic induction recharger base.

The plug itself is made of waterproof silicon, has built in thermal sensors, LED lights, electronic induction charger and a color reference chart on the base that let’s you know what temperature the color emitted signifies.

So what do you guy think? I think it’s a pretty innovative and nifty invention.

(Source: Yanko Design)

The visionary management of Cayan chose Skidmore Owings & Merrill, the world-renowned and award-winning architectural group to be their partners in this remarkable project. They have created a truly unique building, an 80-story tower that spirals in a smooth curve by an astonishing 90º, to give every apartment a stunning view of the sea or marina.

If you have ever apartment or condo shopped you know that the price difference between real estate with a view versus locations without is HUGE!! Which is why I think that this design concept is so genius. I for one would love to have a different view from my windows.

Read more details about the Infinity Tower in Dubai Marina, click here.

Anyhow it got me thinking that enough was enough. I really need to do my part and purchase some re-usable bags for groceries and other everyday chores. Example - hauling my laundry to and from my parent’s house on the weekend.

Thus began my search for a stylish way to solve the problem of plastic shopping bags? Ding- Ding - Ding - Jackpot! Check out RuMe which was designed for busy men and women who want a lightweight and easy to use bag that can tote groceries in style.

Turns out the name RuMe stands for Reuse Me - clever little chaps, huh!

Better yet they offer adorable patterns that run the gamut from Hamptons Chic to Ultra-Modern Classics! I am really tired of the notion that people who care about the environment are dweebs, I would argue that hauling around passe’ plastic bags looks down right drab and ignorant.

Utility is where RuMe really shines, big enough to hold a five gallon container of water, but structured enough to hold just a few items and not crumple up in the back seat, these bags are tops!!

The design mimics an old-fashioned paper bag, and has squared sides and a bottom to easily fit anything. Plus, the handles are made to fit REAL people…with plenty of room to slide over bulky jackets or sweaters. Grocery or mall shopping; as a gym, sports, diaper or beach bag; for après ski, picnics or overnighters; for laundry, farmer’s markets, work or as ReUseable gift bags.

RuMe Bags are made from 180 denier polyester, with water-resistant coating; the innovative box stitch design offers a structured environment for loading goods, while maintaining a flexible space for over-sized, bulky items.

By incorporating RuMe Bags into our everyday lives, we can do our part in reducing the estimated:

• 17 billion gallons of oil used annually to produce plastic bags
• 100 billion plastic bags Americans throw away after a single use
• And save more than a million birds and 100,000 marine mammals and sea turtles that die every year from eating or getting entangled in plastic

Good grief, I’m all out of excuses. Time to put down my baby seal sandwich and do my part to save the planet. (I kid, I kid)

OH and they cost $28.50 - WORTH IT!

Gummi Lights - $125.00

These candy inspired beauties were designed by Kevin Champeny. In the daytime, these soft, rubbery lights will take the boredom out of any room. But at night, the tiny LED’s in their butts turn them into the coolest lights you could ever own! Battery powered, so there are no cords to worry about. Please note: Three lithium batteries are included. Batteries will last for approximately 20 hours in use.

Cupcake Seat - $900.00

What do you get when you take a giant cupcake, and add chocolate frosting made out of molded rubber? Easy…it’s the Jellio Cupcake Seat…guaranteed to generate instant laughter in any room. Use it as a seat, an ottoman or just an incredibly cool conversation piece. Adults love them for the fun they bring to any room, and kids love them because…well, because they’re giant cupcakes, silly.

Rubik’s Cube Table - $600.00

One of our favorites! The Rubik’s Cube table is inspired by the classic toy we all grew up with…and still have today! Makes a great end table, or put two together as a coffee table.

To shop for more quirky and original furniture at Jellio.com, click here.  

Let’s face it I have been to a few bars in my day, and let me tell you from experience that the way that the bar is decorated and the ambiance that they choose to emit plays a large role on the pricing of beverages and the behavior of patrons.

That said in my older years I now appreciate a nice dry Martini, accompanied with a plump olive and a clean napkin. I have come to appreciate an elegantly designed pub or intricately designed watering hole. For example, check out this uniquely fashioned Stockholm Bar Ceiling! 

The ceiling is jam packed with endless mirror bubbles, lending it both a modern yet magical elegance. Feels like huge goblets of dew magically collected and ready to splash me at any moment with there silver radiance!

The mirrors also serve a practical purpose for you inner voyeur, the reflected globes not only reflect light throughout the bar, but allows you to view every angle. This factor tends to appeal more to the men folk but could serve beneficial for either gender.

I guess the main purpose of the designers was to show an organic and playful combination of glass, mirror and light. The graphics, the exterior glass illustrations, and the urban forest wallpaper were made by specialists at Dizel & Sate.

Well she discovered this awesome brand called Black & Light Candles and sent me a couple:

Here they are in all their glory, gracing my lovely bed stand. First things first, I’m all about packaging. I don’t care who you are, you take the same quality item, wrap one lovingly in tissue paper and an artful box and take the other and wrap it in butcher paper, well I’m reaching for the pretty one. Call me fickle, packaging is a girls best friend!

Good packaging tells me this merchant cares about quality, customer satisfaction and style! That said, look at the classy packaging that Black & Light candles come in…

The candles arrived in these beautiful boxes, that are completely re-usable! Mine are currently housing my vast collection of costume jewelry. Plus they didn’t bombard it with sticky logos and banners that don’t peel off (I hate that..) and on the inside of the boxes is a quote from the lovely Anne Frank:

Makes you want to seize the day and all that huh?

Here’s why these candles rock:

• Once lit, the candle literally glowed! Hard to describe but awesome. The entire pillar emanated a lovely glow from tip to tail. Normally candles only emit a light from the top, near the flame, I don’t know how they constructed these candles but they GLOW! Super cool.
• Completely Scent FREE! Burns clean, pure and scentless! No headaches, no cheesy pineapples or fruit cornucopia scents drifting through your bathroom and hallways.
• They are beautiful, I can see them highlighting a variety of home decor settings. Plus, they have a wide selection of styles and patterns to choose from, so have at it.

Honestly, I can’t stop gushing about them! Don’t take my word for it, see for yourself…you’ll thank me, I know it!

To shop or browse the Black & Light Candle Company, Click here!

This glass heating panel from Thermoglance takes us away from traditional metal radiators that are clunky and let’s face it, does not necessarily add to the aesthetic of a room!

Thermoglance radiators can be controlled by a chronothermostat which detects the room temperature and adjusts the heat accordingly. The glass heating panel is so easy to install, the floor or wall-mounted heating panels simply need an electric power socket. Space-saving, stunning and silent, glass heating panels are the way of the future.

See how elegant and unassuming the glass heating panels are in real life situations:

I like it! Nothing wrong with traditional metal radiators, but the way I see it life is all about having options. 

To read more or shop for Thermoglance Glass Panel Heaters, click here. 

Ever wanted to crawl into your television set and witness what it must have been like to live in Bedrock a la’ the Flintstones? Well now you can get a glimpse with these awesome surrealistic soft rock pillows from Livingstones!

There is something both primitive and very modern about the design by Stephanie Marin, with Smarin Design. The opening image looks fun, yet incredibly dangerous. Ha, I guess that is the appeal! Instinctively our base instincts tell us that one would be mad to jump head long into a cluster of boulders. Yet somewhere deep in our guts, knowing that these are surrealistic rock pillows makes me want to drop what I am doing and join them!

In her own words, Stephanie describes her collection of indoor and outdoor stone furniture;

“The project revolves around our relationship to nature, to our need to find and bring elements Nature into our interior atmosphere. Useful and beautiful metaphor objects for a new habitat. The interior space becomes an imaginary landscape, an intimate territory of our invisible travel.”

Stephanie Marin - Smarin Design

She strikes me as a very creative and innovative lady. I would love to meet her, though we might have a communication barrier to overcome as I believe she speaks French. C’est la vie! Good design is universal…

Gaze upon a portion of her collection in the following images:

Care for a Boulder Nap?

Nothing like jumping from stone to stone…

Mmmm… I wish I was there!

To visit the official site and learn more about Stephanie Marin and her Livingstones Rock Collection at Smarin Design , click here.  

It is my humble opinion that tiles are under appreciated, and if one would only take the time out to do some research, one would find that tiles and wall decor in general can completely transform a room from blah! to breathtaking!

A prime example of what I mean are the gorgeous contemporary tiles from Monocibec. The Cult Tiles offer a pleasingly retro aspect, due to their striking patterns and coordinating color schemes, yet are obviously very clean and modern. Designed to accent modern interiors, the contemporary Cult Tiles have a palette of hues of tranquil greens, oranges, browns and black which complement and accentuate the abstract look. The repeating circular design (pictured) adds an air of clean oriental simplicity, whereas the tiles featuring the pattern of wavy lines encourage a feeling of relaxation and warmth. The textured lines of the tiles add a tactile and remarkable feature. The tiles are suitable for urban living, and with their focus on the minimalist, they are appropriate for those with an eye for decorating trends.

These tiles can be featured as wall decor or tiles for your floor. It is simple, but far from ordinary! Which is perfect.

To learn more about the Monocibec Cult Tiles, click here.

To shop for bargain Wall Decor, click here.

To shop for discount Tile & Flooring, click here.  

The waterfall was created by a group of men for a public display in the heart of Tokyo in 2006. The architecture was designed by Tadao Ando and the “waterfall” optical glass bar was designed by Tokujin Yoshioka and installation was performed by Olafur Eliasson. Together, this group of men created what appears to be a bar made from water. Using an optical glass block, the same material used in larger observatory telescopes, is crafted using unique techniques that creates the illusion of a “waterfall” while the light reflects off of the glass.

I think the design for this bar is tranquil, modern, unique and brilliant! Personally I have always had a pension for waterfalls and all things “water” like, for example all those miniature Zen fountains they sell nowadays or indoor or garden fountains as decor, I like all those. Keep in mind, I’m Asian so maybe I am genetically predisposed, but I find the sound of trickling water very soothing and relaxing.

Plus we have this ancient (ok maybe not ancient, but old) water fountain in the office that we gave to our bosses as a gift when we first started the business, and it is suppose to symbolize our success and future wealth! (again with the Asian superstitions..ha!) But it holds a place in my heart and I believe the ol’ gal has some magic in her because we are doing great. So my advice to you is, go and get yourself some form of flowing water decor, it can only bring you good luck and much success!

Happy Holidays!

Shop for your lucky water fountain, click here.

Designer of the Water Bar: Tokujin Yoshioka

Ps. This is what our fountain looks like….just FYI. In case you are superstitious and want to try your luck with the same model! I make no guarantees that it will be as lucky for you as it was for us!