Air apparent.

That super chill engineer from Dyson (of really cool vacuum fame) with the great accent has come up with the next big thing in household fans.  This amazing combination of sleek design and functionality is inspiring, and if you're a clean freak like myself, you'll note the clean up is far easier than with a traditional blade fan.  I can't wait for this thing to come out in stores!  Here's the video.

The future of design.

The architect extraordinaire pictured above happens to be my little cousin, but I'm not biased or anything. Luca Franceschina stands next to his latest incarnation of a Starbucks cafe, following in his Father's footsteps as a former in-house architect for the Starbucks brand. Please note the well thought out entry and exit and also the space "out back" for outdoor seating. When asked by Luca what my favorite part about the structure was I replied "the great circulation", and upon further explanation this compliment was deemed satisfactory. When asked if he was perhaps better than many adult designers, I replied with a resounding "YES!".

In all seriousness, this child is inspiring to watch, and I wasn't kidding when I said he was a better designer than many adults working today. His diligence and passion are what every designer young or old should have in abundance. Our lives would be more beautiful because of it.

For my Dad.

This post goes out to my Dad who is a lifetime Mercedes owner. Growing up, the Mercedes held this kind of elegant quiet power. In short, it was the 'nice car', and this fantastic reproduction poster by artist Ludwig Hohlwein made in 1926 pays homage to a classic. Century Guild in Chicago sells this poster for $900.

rescue dog of the day.

This little hound mix is Mayer, so named for John Mayer who recently made a bet with TMZ that if they could find his mugshot photo, he would donate $25,000 to the charity of their choice. Well, they picked Ace of Hearts dog rescue, which is an organization near and dear to my heart. I was a volunteer and foster Mom for them for nearly four years in Los Angeles before I moved to Chicago, and I have never seen a better run animal rescue.

But back to our rescue of the day, Mayer, he is a beautiful hound puppy (4 months?) that is ready for a fantastic family with lots of energy to keep up with his puppy antics, and later, his need for nasal stimulation. If you are interested, contact Ace of Hearts for more information.

The future looks chilly.

This ice maker from Fusion Brands is insane, and I mean that as a compliment of course. Dual functionality really tickles my fancy, and this products works overtime. While the IceOrb's obvious purpose is to make ice cubes in a fun shape without water sloshing around your freezer, it also doubles as a cooler for cold dips or bottles of wine. If you're a Chicago resident or native, you may be thinking what I'm thinking...RAVINIA! If you're not from Chicago, you may be familiar with "picnics", and this would be an excellent companion on such a thing.

You can find the IceOrb at Amazon.com for $15.95

Lights, camera....just the lights actually.

A great lighting fixture, in my opinion, is like a piece of artwork. It not only fills a wall, it can add a big dose of personality and style and can be easily switched out to another room or another home if you so desire. Today I am posting several fixtures that I think are fantastic. I am currently, perhaps semi-permanently, into industrial modern fixtures. There's a quiet artistry about the style that belies its low-brow roots, and whether or not industrial modern is your thing, most of these fixtures would be at home in a variety of settings.


Take the Pelham Moon Light above from Circa Lighting, one of my favorite spots. It's such a simple and recognizable geometry and the hand rubbed antique brass finish gives it a sense of solidity and timelessness. This could definitely work in a loft or in a Hamptons estate.

This Large Danish Teardrop Lamp was an interesting find at a new resource-Rewire in Los Angeles. The antique lighting dealer has some spectacular designs in inventory, but I was particularly drawn to this oversized pendant. There is something about a teardrop shape that is both sexy and playful, and I dig both of those vibes.




Ralph Pucci is a favorite designer of mine and, in particular, I love the lighting line designed by Patrick Naggar. Although it doesn't quit have the same artistic beauty, the Modern Floor Lamp from West Elm is a cheap fix until I can get my hands on the real deal, and despite the uninspired name, it has a nice presence and the angular horseshoe base makes a bigger statement than your typical circular base.
Copper is one of my new favorite materials to use in everything from lighting to coffee tables. This cleaned up take on the classic industrial flood light is the Copper Blow Light by Tom Dixon. The best part about it? It's designed to take a compact fluorescent lamp, so it's a sustainable as well as stylish design choice. I'd like to see these fixtures illuminating an art filled corner and resting on a white epoxy floor.

haute milk.

i have a very close relationship with milk. growing up it was around at every meal and to this day i go through a gallon a week by myself. i actually order the stuff at starbucks, occasionally, and i always have the same conversation:

me: a small milk, please.

them: you mean a tall milk?

me: oh yes, i'm sorry, a tall milk. (inner monologue-you know what i mean you irritating "barista")

them: do you want it steamed?

me: no, cold.

them: just cold milk?

me: ("are you slow?" eyes and a nod)

my older brother tyler, who always has the most interesting articles on his blog- you, me and my api- introduced me to some cool new packaging for milk. the "got milk?" ads have helped my people's cause, but now we've got something that could really get people excited- david hung's design for milk packaging. this packaging is so fantastic, i would like to keep the thing after i've gorged myself on the good stuff. what do you think? will this change the future of milk?