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Ingo Maurer Zettel'z 5 Chandelier Brings Romance Home

 

Has Cupid made his mark on you yet?  Well, Ingo Maurer, one of Italy's finest lighting designers has just the chandelier that will put you in the Valentine's Day mood this year!  His Zettel'z 5 Chandelier will add a romantic spirit to any room.  This modern light with stainless steel wire cables comes adorned with 31 Japanese paper note cards pre-printed with love notes in many different languages.  The great thing is that the fixture also comes with 49 blank note cards that let you write your own notes.  While Ingo Maurer has certainly created awe inspiring lighting before, I truly think his Zettel'z 5 Chandelier is something very special.  The way the light reflects off the note cards is so intriguing and having love notes of different languages hanging over the table just creates a sense of mystery and whimsical fun that cannot be surpassed!

PoGo is the New Polaroid

If you miss the days of Polaroid pictures look no further, Polaroid has come out with two new gadgets to make printing pictures on the go fun again--the Polaroid PoGo Digital Camera and Instant Mobile Printer. The high quality, pocket sized digital printer can connect to your camera via USB or wirelessly through Bluetooth enabled phones and prints on 2" by 3" paper that you buy in packs of 12.  The digital camera with integrated printer instantly delivers borderless images that are dry to the touch. It can take hours to upload photos and have them printed at a store - but I'll be using a PoGo from now on to make sure my memories aren't captured only in my camera!   

Stile BK Debuts American Comic Inspired Rugs

                                                  

Stile BK, an Italian brand of Tibetan made carpets has come up with a really fresh idea of creating a limited edition collection focusing on American vintage comics.  This line called Fumeto (comic in Italian), is as funky as it is original.  When I saw this in the January 5^th issue of Home Furnishings News for Industry Decision Makers magazine I just had to spread the word.  Not only is the Fumeto collection amazingly inventive, I cannot think of a more fun way to spice up a room!  I especially like the rug with “Spaaaaash!” written across it featuring water pouring out of a room.  In the right bathroom, that could be a kitschy touch.  Stile BK scores extra points in my book because they are all handmade in Nepal using natural fibers and colors.  These carpets are definitely a win-win! 

Inflatable Subway Art

New York City streets bring all sorts of wonders to the passersby, but you are in for a real treat if you have seen artist Joshua Allen Harris' inflatable subway art project.  As you are walking down the street don't be surprised if a bear, ape or giraffe pop up at you.  Harris has created these animals by simply taping together discarded plastic bags and installing them over the grates of a subway.  That way as the subway passes below and the air pushes up you get a uniquely spectacular animal!  It can be quite a surprise when you are not expecting it, and as it inflates and deflates it creates the most amazing shapes!  If you haven't been lucky enough to see Harris' work on the street, click on the video below to see.

Buy a Tee Plant a Tree

The 100% Organic Andira Rain Tee Collection Available at: www.TheGreenloop.com Founded by two bright and generous young women, The Rain Tee collection is the first and only women’s and children’s eco-friendly apparel line to save endangered rain forests through the voices of the children living in them. Beth Doane created The Andira Rain Tee Collection by donating school supplies to children in endangered rain forests and asking them to illustrate what they see happening around them.  Each 100% organic cotton Rain Tee is handmade in Peru and displays the thoughts, illustrations,countries and names of each child.  Rain Tees are available at www.TheGreenloop.com and high-end boutiques across North America. The Rain Tee line is an affordable luxury brand that gives consumers a fresh way to combat rain forest deforestation and pollution while creating “green jobs,” and supporting environmental education, fair trade, and eco-friendly production all with one purchase. For each Rain Tee sold, youth living in Costa Rica who are involved in environmental education programs are given a tree to plant in an area of rain forest that has been destroyed.

Canstruction® Designing to Make a Difference

  

What is Canstruction® you might ask?  In 1992 the Society for Design Administration(SDA) started a foundation called Canstruction®, which is a design/build competition among teams of architects, engineers and students across the country.  And you guessed it; they use canned food to create these wacky and all out amazing structures!  The New York Chapter of SDA, one of the founding members of Canstruction®, just celebrated the end of their competition where 40 of the top architectural firms teamed up to create these imaginative structures in just one night.   To celebrate its 16^th year, the

New York competition was held at the World Financial Center’s Winter Garden and Courtyard Gallery.  Out of the 40 competitors, only six were chosen on December 8, 2008 for categories like:  Best Use of Labels, Structural Integrity and Best Meal.  After the competition, all the food was donated to City Harvest.  What an innovative and wonderful way to help raise awareness of the many Americans without an adequate supply of food.  Since its inception, all across the country, Canstruction® has donated ten million pounds of food to help the fight against hunger.

Guy Veryzer Ceramics Debuts at the Alan Tanksley's Atelier

On Tuesday, December 16th, 2008, Guy Veryzer was the first artist featured at interior designer Alan Tanksley's atelier at 186 Fifth Avenue in New York.  Alan Tanksley, a famed interior designer featured in such publications as Architectual Digest, House & Garden and Elle Decor, opened his interior design and building firm in 1993 specializing in creating a classical modern approach to interiors as diverse as Aspen Lodges and New York City townhouses.  I'm so proud that he chose my friend, Guy Veryzer to be the inaugural artist featured as part of his art program.  Guy Veryzer, the self-proclaimed "archeologist of the imagination", creates figures, candle holders, plates and lamps based on mythical Greek characters and those of his own invention.  His works are of astounding creativity and largely created in black and white, therefore accentuating the imaginary scenes and characters brought to life through each piece.  Alan Tanksley felt "compelled by [Veryzer's] work as each piece draws you into his fantastical and amusing alternative world."  The exhibition was a part of the Vision Ventures in the Arts program started by art collector, dealer and curator Wendy Snyder.  If you are interested in viewing the entire collection of Veryzer's works, you can go to his website:  guyceramics.com.