Get Smart

Hey! Shake out some of that Holiday stress, and let me show you a few fab finds that will inspire.

Today we're peeking into my new found love for smart home tech (Hey, Alexa!), along with a stunner of a Canadian designed and made lamp, and of course how could I say no to terrazzo that's this good?

Cheers, Arren

It's true, after being - honestly - too lazy to figure out smart home tech we finally took the plunge and made it happen. The result? After doodling around with it over the last while, I have to tell you we won't be giving it up any time soon.

For us, the all-new Amazon Echo is where it's at. Love the styling, and the boss sound (it's given our old speakers a major run for their money), but the major thing for me is controlling all our lighting. And not just on and off, nope, we're using it to perfectly dim the lights, and even change the lighting temperature from cool to warm with the Philips Hue smart bulb. Magic!

The Echo is also on the ball from a sustainability standpoint. When you add it all up, you're looking at a sweet combo of both 100% post-consumer recycled fabric and aluminum, as well as 50% post-consumer recycled plastic. #amazonpartner

At home with Amazon Echo

At home with Amazon Echo

This ravishing little number is giving me total ooh-ooh-ahs. Designed by Calen Knauf out of Vancouver, each Stutter Lamp is milled from a solid block of aluminum on a hi-tech 5-axis milling machine. Okay, who else would absolutely looove to geek-out and watch one being made? Form an orderly line, please.

I'm all the simplicity and attention to detail, with smooth curves and an anodized finish designed by Knauf to be completely tactile to entice you to touch it. Snap your very own hand-numbered Stutter Lamp here up on 1stDibs, I do believe you won't be sorry.

The Calen Knauf Studio Stutter Lamp

The Calen Knauf Studio Stutter Lamp

Speaking of recycling, I'm totally here for a peek at the custom made nightstands of Brooklyn-based jewelry designer, Caitlin Mociun. The tops are recycled from off-cuts from Dzek's fab Marmoreal slabs, the rest of which is now at home in Mociun's kitchen.

Made in Italy and available in two colours, with either a white or black background to the marble composite, Marmoreal is a collab between Dzek and designer Max Lamb, known for his love of working with primitive, old-school design methods in new ways. And, to keep those design-brain wheels turning, it can be used as a surface just about anywhere in the home, as well as for floors and walls. Want!

Photo: Aaron Bengochea

Photo: Aaron Bengochea

Cute, and still snappy at 50

Oh, I do love that touch of vintage, so I hafta say that the new Olympus Pen E-P1 camera in white has 'my cup of tea' written all over it. The Pen line of cameras debuted back in 1959, making the latest digital version - available in silver and black, as well as the yum white tint - the grand old age of fifty. Apart from the fact that there's no more fumbling with film, the Pen now comes jammed with all the latest technological bells and whistles and includes a slew of Art Filters. Oh, and if you're going for it, you might as well go all the way and spring for the white leather neck strap (don't forget the matching body jacket) shown in the shot below. Click here for more info, and click here to watch a series of short films on the Pen anniversary.

As for the original Pens well, just take a boo at the first image, they were quite the hit in the late 50's through into the 60's and are now a prized collectible. Oh, and when I stumbled across that second shot I knew I had to include it, it's a scan from one of the original Pen manuals teaching you 'how to hold a camera' (found here).

 

Techno 80's

It seems to me we're travelling backwards and forwards at the same time. Technology is moving miles ahead, yet fashion is dragging us back to the Eighties. And yes, interior trends are following along in kind with a big injection of lots of white, bright fluoro colour and hi-contrast pattern. Luckily it's way more sophisticated than living in a Wham video, lol, and much more on the Italian design group Memphis side of things. The snaps below are extra juicy and bright (loving the colour combos) and are all about the new Bluetooth headsets from Jawbone, which were initially designed by Yves Behar and have now been refreshed in these stunning shades. Following along, and for a bit more of that inspirational 80's vibe, is the crazy/cool Bulletproof video from Brit electro-pop duo, La Roux (currently on heavy rotation in our house). As I said, travelling backwards and forwards at the same time...

    

No, don't put it over the fireplace

For those of you asking the perennial question Where do I put my flatscreen? this might be a swanky solution worth considering. The M21 Flat Panel Console from Visionary Boutique looks like it was swiped directly off the set of Mad Men yet is designed to fit your lcd or plasma. Each made-to-order piece is crafted in sustainably forested American Black Walnut then hand-rubbed with a non-toxic oil finish, and yep, that is actually vintage speaker cloth behind the latticework.

via Retro To Go 

Bookmark and Share

Brew your own

If you were to rifle through our kitchen you'd discover we have a whole cupboard dedicated to tea. In fact, if you fancy an Egyptian Licorice, a spot of delish and hard to find Lipton French Vanilla, or even a steaming brew of a rather potent Australian Green Tea & Mint, we've got you covered (not to mention all the sundry other boxes and bags picked up on our travels). But, who knew each tea should be steeped at a different boiling point? Ummm, not me, lol. Well thankfully Breville, one of my fave stylish countertop appliance brands, has just intro'd a brand new kettle that can raise the bar on your tea brewing abilities. Go ahead and push a button on the base of the Variable Heat Kettle to hook up the perfect temp for Green, White, Black and Oolong tea and - not forgetting the coffee-aholics - French Press. Easy peasy and chic. Click here to read more.

Bookmark and Share