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September 3, 2015

Designer Wyatt Little Adds Wit and Whimsy to His Planters

Earlier today, we brought you the ten best plants for apartment dwellers. But now you need somewhere to put your greenery, and we love the idea of incorporating dry humor and edgy design into the items we select to decorate our homes. Wyatt Little, a Texas-based product designer, takes an unorthodox approach to design, using uncomfortable and unfortunate life experiences and translating them into physical products everybody can relate to. His planters range from shoes hanging on power lines to Slinkies, but they maintain an artistic beauty that would work well with any piece of greenery.
See more of these fun planters

September 2, 2015

Giant LEGO Blocks Let You Build Anything from a Coffee Table to an Entire Room

We've seen our fair share of adult LEGO projects, including architecturally themed sets of blocks, a full scale model of New York City, and even an entire bedroom made of 20,000 of the colorful modules. But none of these endeavors have quite the versatility of EverBlock, giant LEGOs that can be used to build tables, chairs, walls, and even full rooms and structures. As the company explains, "Anything you've constructed can be taken apart and re-assembled again, and the pieces can be re-used to build other objects, making EverBlock a unique green building method."
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September 1, 2015

Fresh Futon From KARUP Is Fashionable, Functional and a Perfect Fit for Guests

Everybody wants to visit NYC, and as most New Yorkers know from firsthand experience, whether you like it or not, the couch often ends up being a crash pad for friends and family. That's why we love KARUP's Fresh Futon; not only does it provide a comfy place to relax after the daily grind, but it's also the perfect bed for out-of-town guests. Plus, unlike the futons you slept on in college, this one's actually stylish.
more on this fantastic design here

August 31, 2015

Stay Warm with this Cool Brooklyn Map Wool Blanket

When you live in a place that's as exciting and culturally diverse as Brooklyn, neighborhood pride comes with the territory. This cool throw from UncommonGoods features a graphic vintage map of the beloved borough, and is the perfect accessory for giving your hood props, while also adding some cool new threads to your home decor.
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August 30, 2015

Sensual HALO Lamp Waits for a Gentle Human Touch to Turn On

HALO is an object that appeals to our most basic instincts. It has no visible controls such as a dimmer or a switch. Designed by Icelandic designer Kjartan Oskarsson, this sculptural, minimal lamp requires a gentle human touch to brighten up. Simply tug on one of the strings to light up a room.
Learn more about the brilliant HALO Lamp

August 28, 2015

Decorate Your Home With Paintings of Hipster Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama

Show your support for the Democratic party, or the presidents of Republican past, by outfitting your walls with these inked canvas prints from artist Amit Shimoni. In what he calls "Hipstory," Shimoni takes iconic political figures and gives them a complete makeover that dresses them in the clothing and hairstyles of today's trendiest millennial. In addition to a purple ombre-haired Hillary and tatted up Barack, others like JFK, George Washington and the Dalai Lama sport everything from nose rings to hoodies and gold chains–the typical hallmarks of the Bedford Avenue crowd.
See more of your favorite politicians hipsterized here

August 27, 2015

SUNplace: A Solar-Powered Mobile BBQ Concept for Cooking Al Fresco

Want to throw a Labor Day barbecue, but don't have any outdoor space? This mobile grill can be transported to the beach or park for the perfect al-fresco dinner party. SUNplace is a contemporary BBQ powered by the most basic, clean, and accessible source of free energy we have -- the sun. Conceptualized by the creative duo Francesca Lanzavecchia and Hunn Waithe, together making up the design firm Lanzavecchia-Wai, the table highlights both technical cooking and the social aspect that comes with it.
Learn more about this sun-powered grill

August 25, 2015

Used Plastic Containers Get New Lives as Colorful Stools with ‘Tachtit’

Have you ever considered turning your plastic packaging waste into something practical for day-to-day use? A group of designers at Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design followed the waste cycle of several plastic containers at a local market and discovered that after being used just once, the vast majority went straight to the landfill. Disheartened by the wastefulness they saw, Avner Balachsan, Maya Shtrigler, Noa Rich and Yohay Alush invented "Tachtit," (which is Hebrew for "bottom," but conveniently also sounds a lot like "attached it") a series of metal legs that give large containers a second lease on life.
Learn more about these recycled stools

August 21, 2015

Clément Brazille Reinvents the Iconic Bertoia Chair with Comfortable Knitted Upholstery

Sometime ago we showed you a high-tech redesign of the iconic Eames sofa made from lightweight carbon fiber. This time we've got another classic redesigned; Harry Bertoia's beloved Wire Chair reinterpreted with a new, knitted skin. Customized with corduroy, linen, cashmere wool and cotton strips, French designer Clément Brazille's vision adds texture to the iconic seat.
Learn more about this knitted redesign

August 20, 2015

The Phone-brella Makes Texting and Walking on Rainy Days a Cinch

Wasn't it just miserable getting to work this morning? Trying to walk, balance the umbrella, and text all at the same time? Thankfully, there are some people out there who understand this painful situation, like the folks over at Korean-based company kt. The wireless telecommunications giant developed the phone-brella, which, according to designboom, has "an ergonomic C-shaped handgrip that’s placed around the user’s wrist. The bottom half of the C pins acts as a counter-weight, balancing the object and helping the shoulder prop it up," leaving both hands free to text away.
Find out more and watch a video about phone-brella

August 18, 2015

Become One With Nature Safely From Your Cocoon Tree

French designer Berni du Payrat has created the perfect product for those who want to be one with nature, but not exposed to the elements. Like a combination of the Kodama Zomes we recently featured and these suspended tents, the Cocoon Tree is a durable pod that's held in suspension by ropes tied to trees. It's made of aluminum and covered with waterproof tarpaulin that can stand up to all sorts of weather in any season. The 130-pound Cocoon Tree comfortably fits two people and comes with a mattress for total relaxation. According to the product website, you will be sure to "reconnect with sensations forgotten since the modern world consumes us today."
More on the Cocoon Tree here

August 17, 2015

Quirky Taxi Poster Illustrates the Designs of NYC’s Iconic Cabs

Although in daily life you're more likely to curse cabs than celebrate them, this cool print by illustrator James Gulliver Hancock highlights the charms of the city's yellow icon. Featuring the cab designs of today and yesteryear, this wonderful print is a work of art and a pretty accurate representation of just how nutty NYC traffic can get.
Where to buy one here

August 16, 2015

Bring the Elements of NYC Into Your Home (Sans the Grime) With These Printed Pillows

No need to reach for your hand sanitizer after handling these NYC artifacts. Ronda J. Smith's "In the Seam" pillows are meant to spruce up lackluster spaces while celebrating all that makes New York New York. Pigeons, rats and all. Works of art in their own right, each image featured has been shot by Rhonda herself (she's also a photographer specializing in food and still life), then printed on cotton sateen, hand stuffed, and sewn onto cotton-twill fabric in Brooklyn.
Where to get them here

August 13, 2015

This Chair Helps Break Smartphone Addiction by Blocking All Cellular and Wireless Service

As much as most of us hate to admit it, we're completely addicted to our smartphones. We eat dinner with a fork in one hand, iPhone in the other. We walk down busy streets like zombies. We even found a way to project a touch screen onto our bare arms. But there's still hope for curing these nasty habits, and a good first step might come in the form of a chair. First spotted by designboom, the Offline Chair by Polish product and furniture designer Agata Nowak looks fairly simple at first glance, but it's actually a brilliant piece of technology. An exterior "offline pocket" blocks all Wi-Fi and mobile signals to the device inside, leaving the phone owner free to sit sans scrolling and typing.
Find out more about the Offline Chair

August 11, 2015

Playful Suspension Bridge Shelf Is Perfect for Showcasing Your Beloved Objects

Add an extra dimension to any room by adorning your wall with one of these wonderful Suspension Bridge shelves. This whimsical design has been inspired by the world's greatest bridges, and can fit everything from succulents to candles to framed photographs or other decorative objects.
More on where to get one here

August 10, 2015

New York Times Custom Birthday Book Features Every Front Page Since Your Birth

We've found the ultimate gift for the dedicated Times reader in your life—or a fun indulgence for a day you feel like treating yourself with something cool. The New York Times Custom Birthday Book is a beautifully bound hardback that culls every front page printed since the year of your birth, embossed with your name and birthdate for a super fascinating snapshot of world history over the course of your life.
Find out more here

August 7, 2015

Luscious Grassland Carpets Bring Argentina’s Pampas Into the Home

Buenos Aires-based Alexandra Kehayoglou was born into family that's been working in the carpet business for decades. But rather than settling into an office or marketing job at her father's factory, she followed her own will and crafted an innovative range of rugs that bring Argentina's lush grasslands into interiors across the globe. Her designs are threaded with different lengths, and feature organic patterns with all shades of green—the perfect combo for channeling the feel of a barefoot stroll in the country.
Learn more about these soft green rugs

August 6, 2015

Michael Hilgers’ BalKonzept Will Turn Your Fire Escape Into an Outdoor Office

City dwellers who are lucky enough to have a balcony (or maybe just a fire escape) and who also work at home now have the perfect setup for the warmer months. German designer Michael Hilgers created a brilliant balcony desk that hooks onto the railing to hold a laptop or papers. Dubbed BalKonzept, this extremely lightweight design comes complete with an integrated flowerbox, so you can have both a perfect outdoor workstation and a garden.
Learn more about this makeshift balcony desk

August 5, 2015

Jack Craig’s Skeletal Coat Rack Turns Into a Room Divider as Clothes Populate It

Detroit-based industrial designer Jack Craig came out with a minimal wooden coat rack that doubles as a room divider. Crafted from light Ash and simply dubbed Coat rack room dividers, it gets "activated" when guests arrive and drape their clothes on its many modular units. As clothing populates the racks, the structure starts to disappear turning into a fabric landscape that also works as a space divider, which seems like the perfect prop for closet-deprived New Yorkers.
Learn more about this multifunctional piece

August 4, 2015

BedUP Saves Floor Space by Storing Your Bed on the Ceiling

BedUP is out to challenge the Murphy bed as the ultimate space-saving sleep solution in increasingly tight city apartments. Designed by French inventors Decadrages, BedUP utilizes the ceiling to house your bulky mattress and frame. The bed retracts from the ceiling when you need it and can suspend above the room as you use the space below.
More on BedUP

August 3, 2015

Visser & Meijwaard’s Brilliant Furniture Zips Open and Closed

Dutch studio Visser & Meijwaard designed a series of furniture pieces that combine a sleek wooden base topped by plastic upholstery with YKK zippers. Easy to wash, bright and bold, the True Colors collection consists of stools, benches, and wardrobes inspired by traditional camping furniture that zip and unzip with the ease of a backpack or your favorite pair of jeans.
Learn more about the minimal colorful furniture

July 31, 2015

Jack Craig Fixes a Smashed Table With a Caramelized Resin Top

Detroit-based industrial designer Jack Craig crafted a curious table and stool that are all about the process. Made from smashed and reconstituted pinewood, the Broken Board Series 2 is sealed with caramelized resin. Its clear honey-hued top leaves the broken wooden ends exposed while creating some surprising visual effects when objects are placed on it.
Learn more about the piece here

July 27, 2015

DelightFULL’s Botti Pendant Will Jazz Up Any Room

This eye-catching lighting piece is shiny, playful and loud. It takes a nod from the brass section of an orchestra and is perfect for a musician's home, a music hall, or any space in need of some elegance and flair. Crafted by DelightFULL’s skilled artisans using an array of trumpet bells, the Botti Pendant will jazz up any space.
Learn more about this loud trumpets lamp

July 27, 2015

IKEA Is Selling a Placemat with a Pocket for Your Phone

We're having a hard time deciding whether this design is brilliant or just plain depressing. These new placemats come courtesy of IKEA and are part of their upcoming SITTNING collection, a limited edition series made up of 40 pieces focused in on "the joys of sharing a meal with those you love." The new mats—which will reportedly be called "Logged Out"—will feature a convenient little pouch for you to tuck your smartphone away so you can finally enjoy a meal with your friends without checking Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, email...
More on IKEA's new design here

July 23, 2015

Michael Hilgers’s ‘Flatmate’ Desk Conveniently Unfolds When It’s Time to Work

This ultra-thin desk is just like any good roommate: mostly invisible, but around when you need them. Designed by Berlin-based architect and cabinetmaker maker Michael Hilgers, "Flatmate" is a compact workspace that won't take up much of your valuable floor space, but is just as functional as its full-sized counterpart. Thanks to its skinny profile, it can comfortably live in a narrow hallway or even behind other furniture.
Learn more about this invisible pop-up desk

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Your Daily Doseof NYC Life!

Before You Move On
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Your Daily Dose
of NYC Life!