Form + Function: The Light Dawns

The good news is that this seriously good-looking light bulb is actually an eco-friendly little fellow, using 80% less electricity to produce the same amount of light as a conventional bulb, and lasting 8 times as long.

The bad news is that it's currently (ha!) only available in the UK. But reports indicate that it's coming to the US... soonest.

In the meantime, congratulations to "plumen 001" for winning UK's Design of the Year award.

Ghost Chair meets Crocs meets Greenpeace

They're calling it the update of the Jelly.

Moschino, a mildly successful Italian fashion company (read: sarcastic) and Kartell, a mildly successful Italian furniture company (read: very sarcastic) have teamed up to make... shoes.

Of course they have. Who knows shoes better than the Italians, who brought us, most notably, Gucci, Prada, Ferragamo... and Donald Pliner, whose marketing campaign proudly touts that his shoes are "made in the mountains of Italy?" Nor is he alone. Blahnik, Choo, Louboutin? They're all made in Italy.

BowWows, these new plastic ballet flats, won't be in stores until late this year, but if they're half as comfortable as they are cute, sign me up.

Did I mention they're 100% recyclable?

Let me recap: America brings you the Jelly, ugly and made from that poison plastic, PVC (can you say "phthalates"? No? Don't worry about pronouncing it, do worry about staying away from them). Italy brings you the BowWow, both gorgeous and green.

Italy-1, USA-0.

Calling Dennis K.

$355. For a purple trash can.

Granted, my school mascot was the purple cow. But, $355?

It's a limited edition. But, $355?

It's even cool looking. But, $355?

It's a trash can. Where you put your trash. For $355. The mind boggles.

All things come to those who wait

I have always wanted one of those cool lift thing-a-ma-jiigs at the end of my bed, that open up and send a television rising up as though by magic. I've seen them in magazines and on some tv shows over the years, most always in the homes of the rich and famous - emphasis on rich.

Well, it seems that as go flat screen TV prices (down, down, down), so too go hydraulic TV lift prices (who knew?). Just the other day, meandering through one of my favorite stores, Inner Living by Shannon Michelle, I stumbled upon a sleek, tall, espresso chest - a cross between a buffet and a dresser. I loved it right away.


But then! Oh, my friends, but then! I saw an odd rectangular cut-out section in the top, and, like Glinda the Good Witch, the top lifted and a steel post rose slowly, dare I say majestically, from the top of the chest. I looked around to see a staff-member with a remote control in her hand and a little grin on her face. "That's where the TV goes" she said.

Of course that's where the TV goes.

Now, granted, this little number costs more than your average buffet or media cabinet from a barn, a barrel or a, ahem, hardware store - but not all that much. Really. It's from the Thomas O'Brien collection by Hickory Chair - and let me tell you, Hickory Chair, well, it ain't your grand-pappy's furniture company.

Of all the potteries, in all the towns, in all the world...

Preconceptions can really trip you up. I spent the weekend in a small town in southern Ireland - Shanagarry, to be precise - and I wasn't expecting much other than to see my friend Karen and the cooking school she's attending. After all, this was Ireland, and a small coastal town in Ireland at that.

I was expecting green, and rain, and the world's most wonderful accent. I was not expecting a fabulous pottery and artisan gallery tucked away behind a church and across the street from the Goalpost pub. The Stephen Pearce pottery and gallery has distinct local roots in Shanagarry and County Cork and "proudly participates in preserving the heritage, culture and environment" of same.

I was expecting to meet some of the nicest people on earth, to drive on the wrong side of the road, to eat some artery-clogging-but-worth-it butter and cheese. I was not expecting to wander into a store that could just as easily be on Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Santa Monica or Prince St. in New York.

So, it just shows to go you - as my mother would say - great design, interesting accessories, beautiful things can, and will, be found just about anywhere, if you keep your eyes open and your biases closed.

And because the world is, after all, a global village, Stephen Pearce will happily ship anywhere in it. To ship to the United States, they charge 30% of the total value of the order. Did I mention the gorgeous personalized mugs they make? Karen bought one for each of her housemates - I'm hoping she posts a picture of them on her blog... I'll keep you posted.

And, yes, Ireland is still gorgeously green, it did indeed rain, the people there are still the nicest on earth - and their accent still melts my brain every time. If you haven't been to the Emerald Isle, go, by all means, go!

Change a lampshade, change your life

Okay, maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration, BUT... I do believe that small changes make big differences.

A new lampshade (or a whole new lamp) next to your sofa or on your night table can brighten up the room and bring a smile to your face every time you turn it on.

Ivory shades are great, don't get me wrong - they're versatile, classic, boring, neutral, safe, boring, easy... well, you get the point.
A colorful lampshade (like this one from Slip) is a great way to bring some color, some pattern, some oomph, into a room - without an enormous investment. You could say it's interior design for the commitment shy.

On the other hand, if you're married to that ivory shade, think about a great new lamp base. Tracy Glover makes beautiful hand-blown glass lamps - complete with, yup, you guessed it, a range (bestill your heart) of beige, ecru and taupe shades.

If you're ready for a small change to make a big difference - shed a little light and brighten your room and your day.

We are the music makers

I was visiting one of my best friends over the weekend, and while we were sitting in the dining room sipping coffee (that she roasted herself!) and catching up, a little glimmer caught my eye. I looked up to see one of my favorite quotes "We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams" (courtesy the fabulous Willy Wonka) floating perfectly above the bay window in mellow silver.

Fantastic! I said. Easy! she said. Go to WonderfulGraffiti.com - any quote, any size, pick your color, pick your font and poof! Easy to put up - easy to remove. Seriously, you can just peel it off when making music and dreaming dreams is no longer your thing (or when your lease is up and you need to leave those bare white walls as white and as bare as when you moved in).

If coming up with your own words seems a bit daunting, the site offers quite the collection of cool quotations, designs and more to put on your walls, your refrigerator, even chalkboards. This is a great thing.

It seems only fitting then that one of my favorite quotes (I've even printed it on my business cards) is "Invention is 93% perspiration, 6% electricity, 4% evaporation, and 2% butterscotch ripple." (Also courtesy the inimitable Mr. Wonka.) Check out this wall graffiti and put a little butterscotch ripple in your home.

If you can't make your legs longer, make your ceilings taller

For those of you living in, ahem, smaller spaces than you might dream of - here's a tip: mirror the walls. You've heard it before, I know - mirrors reflect light, reflect the opposite wall/window/whatever, all in all they "expand the space in a room." This is all true and incontrovertible, honest.

But today, think about this: mounting a mirror close to the ceiling (and I mean inches away) will draw the eye up, bring more light to the ceiling, double the space and adorn the wall. Instant height, interest, glamour and style. Not bad for a piece of glass and some picture hooks, hmmm?

And, if one giant mirror seems like a little too much reflection (internal or external), mount a bunch of smaller mirrors. You'll get all the benefits of light and reflection, without necessarily having to stare at yourself from across the room all day long - though if you're into that, go for it.

Glamour, glitter, light, luxury - if your room seems small or dark, or the walls look a little bare - take it from the Evil Queen: mirror, mirror, on the wall...