Thursday, July 29, 2010

Gas money!


For some reason, I can't provide a direct link to this product on Kikkerland's website, but check them out anyway because they have very clever and fun stuff! The "Gas Can Money Bank" reminds you how much you spend on gas! So maybe this will make you ride your bike more! Bikes are fun!

From the website: "Designed by Brenden Feucht, student, Philadelphia University Industrial Design Department with Prof. Josh Owen and Jason Lempieri. Kikkerland Design sponsored a start to finish design challenge where one student’s work would be produced. The goal of the project was to use a preexisting object from the past, bring it up to date, and tell a story. Brenden’s Gas Can Money Bank is no doubt timely. We all need to save a little money, and perhaps watch where we spend it.“

http://www.kikkerland.com/

Bed bugs!!


I wish I had this Bed Bug! Doesn't it look super comfy? Poliform (by Paola Navone's) has this amazing bed, designed in 2010, and gives the illusion of sleeping on a giant pillow, or a cloud in the sky! I just don't know how much it costs, but I bet it's not cheap.

Check it out here:

http://www.poliform.it/#POLIFORM/PREVIEW-MILAN-2010/BED-BUG_1_25129_25127_1_UNDEFINED

(Note: I don't actually want beg buds, per se, but just this particular one).

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

A cool dish rack thing!



Check out this cool, stylish and minimalist dish rack! Jochem Faudet did a great deed in designing something no one wants to see (a disk rack) and made it quite easy to disguise once the rack is not needed. The only thing I would suggest is finding some use of the box once it's stacked. Maybe it could be made into a cool art work type thing that can be hung on the wall?

Anyway, check it out here among other cool products by New Simplicity. They are very cool.

http://www.newsimplicity.info/index.php?/jochem-faudet/

Saturday, July 24, 2010

I wish I was in England...




So I could check out this really cute company called Present & Correct. They have really cool vintage stuff for your home office or to hang around your house. I particularly like this cool vintage calendar. Too bad it's sold already. but they have other cool things. I might try and get one of their posters! Very nice!

http://www.presentandcorrect.com/item.php?item_id=777&page=11&category_id=7

P.S. The pictures of this cool calendar are better on the Present & Correct website...

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Key holder!



We are on a roll today with cute little gadgets and small things for the home, including this cute little key holder. When you put a key in, the key holder smiles! Lovely! We all need a little cheering up these days, or something!

http://83design.jp/works/index-eng.html

Umbrella holder!!




EDITOR'S PICK!

Here is a really, really cool umbrella stand by DUENDE, which is ironically for us, also a Japanese company. Called "Mukou" the umbrella holder is designed to fit flush along your wall and has a metal mesh contraption in the back for ventilation purposes. Mukou costs ¥9‚500, which is about $110. Very nice!!

http://www.duende.jp/index02.html#

Recycling in style




The CLI intern has always been nagging us about recycling more, so we decided to research some cool recycling containers and found these from, of course, a really cool Japanese company. The stacking ability is nice, too, since we have such limited space. Not sure if these are available in other parts other than Japan, but check it out this cool Quay product here:
http://dot-tokyo.jp/products/detail.php?product_id=342

Japan - the land of trashcans/magazine holders!



I think the AMP design unit (made up of three cool Japanese people) are clever in that they see how many things are laying around our houses with only purpose. Such as a little trash can. They are pretty functional in that you put waste inside, and then...that's about it! That is all they do! Hold trash! So AMP designed this clever "Oku" trash can that can be used to house your magazines or papers! I kind of like it, but not sure about it completely to profess love.

Maybe if you like recycling magazines and papers, you might like this. For example, if you have a magazine that you kind of want to read, or you kind of are not sure whether to throw away, then this is the product for you. We at CLI, other than reading our share of design publications, also read other interesting periodicals. Some are: Physics Today, Microbiology in Popular Culture, The 200 IQ Plus Journal, How to Relax and Enjoy Life, etc.

http://www.du-amp.com/works-oku1.html

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

A fun shelf thing!




This cool German dude named Christian Kim invented this cool bookshelf system, called "DreiX Balanced Shelf." I quite like it. It's fun to have moveable furniture. Hopefully it will be on sale soon! Check it out here:
http://www.christiankim.eu/

Monday, July 19, 2010

VIPP (or how to spend a lot of money really fast)





For those of you who really care about the aesthetics of your toilet bowl cleaner and laundry basket, VIPP is just the company for you! But be prepared to spend $$$ for any of their products. For example, this beautiful laundry basket will cost you around $600!! Yes, there are two zeros after the six. VIPP has cool products, and hopefully they will last you a lifetime.

http://www.vipp.dk/collection/index.php?type=10

(Or you could always go to Muji....)

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Yuummmmm




I want to consume this cool Magno radio! Designed by a cool Japanese dude but handmade in Indonesia, this cool little radio is made with sustainably harvested wood, and can even be used with an MP3 player. (Do people still say "MP3" or am I that old alredy?) Anyway, Magno comes in three sizes and will cost you from $200 to $300 depending on the size you want. Check out the cool website!

http://www.magno-design.com/

Friday, July 16, 2010

A cool couch that I want!!




This cool Twin Set couch is, I believe, still a prototype, but we're not too sure about this. I hope they start making this couch soon, because it is truly awesome. I don't know what else to say, except that's awesome, and also very functional! I can imagine watching one of the great cinematic classics (like Anchorman or Blades of Glory) while lounging comfortably on Twin Set.

Please, please make this couch and sell it in the USA!

http://www.eliumstudio.com/en/eliumstudio/creations/consumer-electonics/lexon-tykho-fan/lexon-tykho-fan-1-en.html

Caliente!!


Wowzers, it is hot! Your loyal CLI intern has been trying to avoid the heat today, but now has returned, inspired to find some cooling mechanism with style. And alas! One has been found. Check out this cool "Fan" by the French Elium Studio. The fan is simple and cool in design, and has rubber blades so as not pose a health and safety threat to those wanting to play and touch this cool little device.

I love it! I wonder how much it costs?

http://www.eliumstudio.com/en/eliumstudio/creations/consumer-electonics/lexon-tykho-fan/lexon-tykho-fan-1-en.html

Thursday, July 15, 2010

A walking table!


This dude, Wouter Scheublin, is really awesome in that he created a walking bookcase! We at CLI are having computer problems lately, but wanted to bring this to your attention, dear reader! At the moment, we are looking for more pictures of this awesome table, but for now, feast your eyes upon this!

http://www.wouterscheublin.com/

Friday, July 9, 2010

Genius!






Of all the things I've acquired in my life, perhaps one of the most useful and clever is this cool Blue Lounge Cable Box thing. It is a wonderful, wonderful thing to be able to hide all your ugly cables and store them in a very nice, simple and non-offensive little box. I got a white Blue Lounge cable box about two years ago, and now I've just learned they have a new smaller version with really fun colors like blue, pink and yellow!!

Folks, if there is one thing you must buy, it's this cool little cable box. Of course, you could always make your own out of wood, MDF or even cardboard. In fact, I think Blu Dot has also come up with this type of product. However, I think Blue Lounge was first! No more cable clutter -- yay!!

Get yours here for around $30 -- http://www.bluelounge.com/cableboxmini.php

Claesson Koivisto Rune!





I love them for their clever designs and just plain old-fashioned coolness. I also love the Swedish Claesson Koivisto Rune's cool VASS desk and furniture series. The wood on top or on the sides of each piece of the VASS collection is made to look as it the wood has natural deep rifts, kind of like a river bed -- I think that's what VASS means in Swedish. Any Swedes out there want to correct me? I won't be offended!

Anyway, check out my new favorite desk here: http://www.asplund.org/furniture/vass-desk.html

Too bad there is no price listed! For those who live in Brooklyn, check out the Scandinavian Design House -- they have this awesome desk on display!!!

If you happen to live in Japan



You should totally get this Fyuji cool couch! at 78,000 yen, it's not a bad price at all! The couch comes in two colors (the other is brown and green) and is super cute. If I ever move to Japan, I am getting this. Which means I will never own this couch, since I will probably never live in Japan. But, a girl can dream!?

http://shop.bals.co.jp/shop/g/g1108010048605/

P.S. I like the green one better!

This makes me want to brush my teeth


Not that I don't like brushing my teeth, because I do! But these cool toothbrushes from Brush Rush by Franc Franc are really cool, and uhh, an incentive to brush more often? The only thing I wonder about is this: Is it kind of gross to have your tooth brushes hanging on the wall? Hmmm.

Anyway, I think Brush Rush is only sold in Japan. Blast! But if you're on your way there, go to Franc Franc and pick one up! Franc Franc is a fun store -- kind of like IKEA but maybe more fun? Or something!

http://www.francfranc.com/

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

A door stopper and weight thing!




Sticking to our constant theme of double use items, check out this cool Moku Tank by Landscape Products (from Japan, of course). This cool little tank comes in 3KG and 5KG and can be used as a door stopper and a free weight! You could also probably use it as a paper weight. You could also take it to the beach and put it on your towel so it doesn't blow away in the wind. Hmm. Let's see. You could also use it to, uhh, weigh down things that need to be weighed down?

Anyway, I'll let you decide!

http://www.landscape-products.net/archives/2008/06/landscape_produ_87.html#

Monday, July 5, 2010

A functional picture/painting/ thing on the wall





When I first set my eyes on "Rack Your Brain" coatrack by Tomohiko Sato, I thought to myself, "what is that" and "how much does it cost" and ... something else I can't remember at the moment. Anyway, it's cool to make something that looks like something actually turn into something else. Like a car that turns into a house? Or a shoe that turns into a boat?

This cool painting-looking piece of art is such a clever thing, because as most people know, there is no use for coats in the summertime! Here in the NYC, in fact, we are experiencing such weather that one does not even need a blanket or even sheets for sleeping! Yes, my friends, it is THAT hot right now! And guess what else is hot? Tomohiko Sato! The dude rules!
http://foundrycollection.com/

Chair, beautiful chair!


How do I love thee?
Let me count the ways
One
Two
Three

This cool chair (from the Asia Now exhibit) called the "Copine Chair" made me drool. It's made of wood and metal and looks supe clean and cool. The designers, Sean Dix and Keikko Lee, should be commended for their brilliant work. I wonder where one can purchase these beauties!? Despite our resourceful intern's research abilitues, we at CLI are sad to report that alas we have not been able to find more information. Perhaps we should "fire" our current intern? Just kidding!

Hope you like it!