Filippo Ghezzani’s cut up concept arm chair. 2009

Flat packed Bendant Chandelier that can be repositioned and rearranged to play with light and shadow. A functional and inexpensive piece of art. $175 from Mioculture.com

Till next time … dwell well.

In this irresistible living space, not one but two tufted velvet daybeds take center stage. I love the eclectic mix of furnishings the designer chose for this room.

Here an antique daybed is perfect in a traditional space, but antique pieces make lovely additions in eclectic, industrial and contemporary rooms too.

Working on a masculine room? No problem—daybeds like this one in soft leather just might be what you’re searching for. The pieced and tufted leather makes for a stunning daybed.

A sleek contemporary daybed takes the place usually reserved for a sofa in this bright living room.

A custom upholstered daybed brings high style to this space. The color palette may be neutral, but the daybed adds lots of interesting textures and patterns. The tall lamps give the room an unexpected industrial touch.

Another custom design, this daybed is at once stunning and inviting. Three moody hues of velvet, button tufting and nailhead trim take this piece from beautiful to stunning.

In gray menswear upholstery, a contemporary daybed works companionably with a Mid-Century Swan chair and ottoman. A shaggy rug adds inviting texture to this airy room. The one thing I’m longing for here is a large globe pendant light.

Outdoor daybeds offer the perfect place to spend a leisurely afternoon. This one in all-white with sheer canopy gets a coastal feel with a throw and decorative pillows in shades of ocean blue and green. Images 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

What do you think of daybeds? Let us know in the comments! And be sure to stop by Arcadian Lighting for a brilliant wall sconce or pendant light to brighten your home!

As time moves on, the furniture in our space evolves based on our present needs leaving many on the endangered and near extinct list.

Mosaik. 1stdibs.com Antique American National Cash Register. U.S.A circa 1900's

Pullman Gallery. 1stdibs.com Art Deco Tantalus by Marcel Goupy. France Circa 1920's. Macassar Ebony tantalus carry secure decanters engraved with "Turrin" "Fine" "Curacao" "Gin" "Vermouth" and "Whiskey"

Urban Archaeology. 1stdibs.com A Bernard rolling library ladder. France Circa 1890.

Rita Bucheit, Ltd. 1stdibs.com Rare Globe table. Austria circa 1820. Inlaid various woods, carved, gilt and ebonized detailing with penwork. Typically designed for sewing work, often given to noblewomen.

Marvin Alexander, Inc. 1stdibs.com Art Nouveau brass revolving canterbury. France Circa 1900. Originally used to hold sheet music.

Pullman Gallery. 1stdibs.com Silver stag stiruup cups. Russia. Late 19th century. Usually contained a farewell drink for guests before departing on horseback.

Most things from the past can be treasured. It’s all about your outlook on them.

“Think only of the past as its remembrance gives you pleasure.”  ― Jane Austen

French Country. Chic and simple with a little french country flair this kitchen banquette saves space and adds flair pairing a bold black and white stripe with solid green and patterned floral printed pillows.

Transitional Elegance. A stunning example from Traditional Home Magazine. It is possible to add a contemporary swing on a Traditional backdrop. This tufted tailored banquette is anchored on the stairs in the most beautiful way. Notice the shaped back follows the architecture of the stair case. Simple balusters and railing, walnut planed floors, off white walls and a farm house ceiling detailed with beadboard help create a striking contrast in a subtle way. A fine example of how paying close attention to detail pays off.

Country Chic. The colorful banquet is placed in a much more casual atmosphere. Love the checkerboard floor combined with the minty green table.

Sophisticated Splendor.  This velvet upholstered banquette is nestled in textured wonderland. A monochromatic scheme allows each texture to radiate on their own while still playing nice in the sandbox. LOVE IT.

Contemporary Lines. Streamlined, sleek, upholstered and glamorous is how I would describe this banquette. Gorg. This room demanded scale and what a beautiful way of doing it, soaring to the crown moulding. The tufting is simple, the lines sleek and the addition of lit sconces create the feel that this more of a permanent built in rather a simple piece of furniture. I’m the sure the amount of work that went into this creation was intense. “The upholsterer had a difficult time” says Colleen McGill. But clearly worth it in the end.

Till next time…

Dwell Well

LOMME World (Light Over Matter Mind
Evolution) conceives, develops, designs and manufactures products that are natural, life enhancing and mind developing for a cleaner, healthier, happier existence. Part of their luxury line the Egg Bed incorporates light and sound therapy, removing outside disturbances. What’s the cost of feeling refreshed and full of energy?? $63,063.00

Dutchman, Junjaop Ruijssenaars created this minimal masterpiece. A MAGNETIC FLOATING BED. Yes, that’s right. This bed is equipped with enough magnets to keep 1,984lbs floating in the air. I’m not sure why it would have to support that much weight unless it’s intended to double as a dance party platform. No judgement here. That chic one of a kind bed is tethered to the walls to keep you from floating throughout space. Interested in purchasing? It will only set you back a cool $1.53 Million.

If you liked being rocked to sleep as child you’ll love the Private Cloud. Designed by Manuel Kloker, this patented rocking frame is sleek and contemporary. Depending on size you can expect to pay around $6,800.00 for a good night’s rest. Mattress sold seperately, naturally.

Your posh princess will live via fairy tale in this Fantasy Coach bed. It measures 6′ in diameter and is comprised of fine furniture grade wood and hand painted fiberglass. Expect to wait 6 months for your own customizable version. Interior fabrics, linings and linens can be hand selected for an adde upcharge.  In this particular case, Daddy’s little princess or at least her bed is worth about $47,000.  After all practicality is not what dreams are made of.

The molecular bed gives a new name to multifunctional pieces. It’s a sofa, a chair, a bed, a sculpture and whatever else you’d like to do with it. It’s inspiration was obviously a molecule though it reminds me more of a some kind of fuzzy space bug. It’s made of a series of 120 sofa balls covered in elastic fabric and joined together. The Feel Seating System was design by Amini Causa and will cost you $7,950.

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

Till next time dwellers,

Sleep tight and don’t let the bed bug bite.

Houndstooth Wall shelving by Julia Quancard. Pied De Poule

Eloise Houndstooth Chair by Hawley and Company

Houndstooth Hounds. Treat jar, water bowl and food bowl from Pet Studio on Amazon.

Seletti Trip Houndstooth cabinet with Glass door

Houndstooth rugs in assorted colors from overstock.com

Inhabit Estrella stylized houndstooth pillow from allmodern.com

Houndstooth baby at babybeddingzone.com

AND MY PERSONAL FAV:

Houndstooth wallpaper stencil from cuttingedgestencils.com

This time of year means something different for everyone. Generally for  me it’s a time of panic all the way up till Dec 24th which is when I do most of my shopping. (Don’t judge me).  Thank fully the internet coupled with small boutique shops for those unique giftees have helped me tremendously. Once the holidays slow down, you return from endless hours of travel, sit back and begin unpacking the memories.

Here’s a recap of the best of the best and top ten favs: A Holiday Gift Review

Giftee:  Miss Crafty McCrafteron

Martha breaks it down in her A to Z guide of endless inspiring and easy to do crafts.  Tips, advice and easy to follow instructions will help fill your craft room with all the decoupage and floating candles that you can handle.  You can purchase this book through amazon for an average price of $23.10

Giftee: The Traveling Vagabond

Having trouble tracking travel due to passport stamp shortages. No problem. Scratch off where you’ve been on this high quality world map. From Urban Outfitters for $34.00 32″w x 23″h. Searching for treasure? Running from the law? Visiting long lost cousins abroad? Scratch it and track it.

Giftee: Men

I hate to make mention of stereotypes but i’ve never met a man that didn’t like bacon or chocolate. In fact i’ve been privy to many heated battles amongst my man-friends siding that bacon makes everything better but nothing can make bacon better. Listen, I’m not that huge of a fan of bacon but I would try this Mini Bacon Candy Bar Library. It’s a 9 bar gift set of both milk and dark 1/2 oz. chocolate bacon bars. It’s also gluten free. So there’s that too. You can purchase this set for $25 from vosgeschocolate.com

Giftee: Whiskey Lovers

For the person who loves to get lively with their libations.  Handcrafted from soapstoners in Vermont these cubes keep the drinks cold without watering them down. Stick them in the freezer and pop a few in your spirits to keep it cool.  A set of 9 for only $19.99 from Winestuff.com  “Ice melts. Whiskey Rocks”

Giftee: Snuggle Buddy

It’s chilly in the midwest this time of year and nothing is better than being able to use your gift right away. Wrap yourself up in cozy blanket from west elm. These happen to be machine washable, great colors and for a good price of $69.00

Giftee: Tech Savvy Geek

For the computer/nerd in all of us. These 4GB USB Flash drives pack that extra “POW”. These stylish and sexy MIMOBOTS can be found at vat19.com for $24.99. Huge hit.

Giftee: The TOTS

Kids and adults of all ages can get behind Jim Hensons ingenuity. The muppet five-pack was a huge hit this season and includes the first three full season shows, the Muppet Movie, Muppets Treasure Island and a tin pack for the little ones with stickers and activity books. Hours and hours of fun and silly witty humor comprised in one neat little package. Wocka Wocka Wocka!  This set can be found on Amazon for $98.00

Giftee: Teen Titans

What a girl wants … an I phone 4s, apparently. Apple expected to release the iPhone 5 but upgraded and refreshed the iPhone 4 instead only to be pleasantly surprised by record sales. The iPhone 4 s now has a bigger brain and 8 MP camera (I don’t know what the means either, but it’s fast and kinda a big deal).  I should mention it’s 7x increase in graphical processing power which is great for downloading, taking photos, snapping between apps etc. The best thing about the 4s and the main reason that I personally believe they sold remarkably well is Siri, the incredibly accurate voice recognition service. Want to know where to hide a dead body? Just ask Siri, she’ll promptly tell you various suitable locations and cemeteries. I’ve witnessed this first hand. Not like I have anything to hide or anything.

Giftee:Bundles of joy

Elmo has been vibrating and laughing his a** to the bank for the last 15 years. Every year he comes back new and improved. Elmo, go get yours. I’m not mad at you or Hasbro for making a giga-billion dollars.  I love your new Rock N’ Roll look and the noise making percussion set that comes along with you only add to the entertainment value.

Giftee: Oldies but Goodies

Anyone remember these things? Cameras. Before they were installed into cell phones these digital gurus documented more memories than you could possibly remember. This specific model PEN E-PM1 From Olympus is easy to use, super fast, highly technical, light weight and portable and comes with a ton of filter features allowing you to shoot popart colorful to various other settings.  Don’t believe me … check out their website www.olympusamerica.com and search for this bad boy. There is a setting that allows you to try it out and see what each filter looks like. Be as dramatic as you want for the affordable price of $499.

The Holiday panic leaves the minute the computer shuts down and family is by your side. So the best gift for me is the time I’m able to spend with my family and friends. The people you love and the time you are able to spend with them is the most precious gift anyone could have.  Though a gyrating Elmo could be next best.

Thank you Nacho Carbonell for your disemboweled alien table. The concept that this Spanish Designer had in mind was a good one, in CONCEPT.  The SKIN collection, appropriately named for an outer elastic cover  that stretches to hold various items, takes the shape of said items within it. “It’s all about changing the point of view … one’s way of perceiving things,” says Carbonell.  Honey, have you seen my glasses? Yes, Dear.  Check the belly of the night stand.

Korean Designer Chul An Kwak believes in incorporating dynamic motion into furniture. Dynamic indeed. The end table and console table are meant to mimic running horses.  But what are they running away from, I wonder? Truthfully I think they are quite morbidly beautiful.

Stick it where the sun don’t shine.  For all of you who have a solid core that keeps you stable, congratulations. For those of you who are accident prone like me, this chair is not for us. One glass of wine too many and you’ll just have to remember to cover your eyes and deal with the consequences of those rather long, blunt ends later.

I’ll admit, I’ve used the term “sexy” for pieces of furniture.  But this chair takes it to another level. Vladimir Tseler designed the living chair after and sexy and demure female figure …  Um, Duh. I had to read his description again to make sure I wasn’t misconstruing what he was envisioning here. It’s pink, so that helped.

Apparently there are a few naughty neighbors in the UK. Not to worry, James McAdams has designed a cherry and steel masterpiece that disguises itself as a bed side table. If you hear a bump in the night dismantle your table and use it as both shield and weapon. Clever James.

This is like Pee Wee’s Playhouse gone horribly wrong. I know I have used the wrong fabric in certain applications but this fuzzy marshmallow Cipria Sofa designed by Fernando and Humberto makes me wonder what they were influenced under when they were exploring their options. Is this what it was intended to look like? I can’t tell if this would be super fun to sit on or feel just plain awkward.

The American Rapper, (singer, record producer, composer, AND fashion designer), Pharrell Williams, recently tried on another creative hat… Furniture designer. He says his Prespective chair “was designed to represent the love between a man and woman”. . . And the total stranger sitting intimately atop you. Jason Miller, An American Designer, debuted the Woolly Chair in Istanbul Turkey. He describes it as “decadent” and includes a full length bla bla bla about it’s inspiration. I’m not mad, Jason. In fact I’m a big fan. I admire your accolades. Receiving a 2005 Bombay Saphire Rising Star Award, a 2007 Best Break Through Designer by Wallpaper Mag and many more is nothing to laugh at.  It’s clear you are a big deal. But the chair is hardly decadent. Cute, for sure. It just needs a watering hole to accompany it and it fits right in.

We all make mistakes. But, I believe it’s better to take the risk and see where it leads you then to be safe and miss out on something … well… Decadent?!

Whether you love it or hate it, at least it’ll give ‘em something to talk about. Am i right?

Dwell Well Dwellers…

Pons and Hout Headquarters in Paris exemplifies the concept of bringing the outdoors in. These employees get to soak in the view at their organic cutout desks built onto a platform.  Soaring high above in the atrium are the original trees on the site.  Glass bubbles around each work station provide acoustical privacy without obstructing the view.  It would be hard to not to be inspired with a view like this. Design By Christian Pot Caster.

 Disney Dynamics.

Disney Store headquarters – For a company that sells toys for tots all over the globe it was imperative that their office environment promote creativity. Designed by Clive Wilkinson – the most interesting part of this space is the conference area. The Toy building block “bricks” build up to create a privacy wall for smaller meetings and dismantle into seats for large group meetings. Clever Clive.

A second enclosure and smaller conference room is created by honeycomb organic shaped walls that also store various Disney Delights.

Indoor Landscaping.

Mass Studios – Seoul, Korea is one of the only buildings on earth that has both extensive indoor and outdoor landscaping. Nature brings the best out of people.  The thought is by adding indoor landscaping you are providing a certain calmness to the environment your employees work within.  Thus a more proficient employee should excel in this minimal greenscape.

Shape up or Ship out.

Pallotta TeamWorks Headquarters in Los Angeles – packs a unique idea.  Each office is built within a series of shipping containers stacked on top of each other. The more common areas are located under tent structures which are anchored by the shipping containers (individual offices). Not only visually interesting but truly unique.

Red Bull Gives You Wings.

Red Bull office – London.  A three story building filled with recreation areas, a bar, café, and yes SLIDES. I can just imagine sliding down with my fabric swatches under my arm and sling backs in my lap. Weeeee.

Lego Land.

Lego’s development department – There are 13 meeting rooms individualized by a specific theme unique to each room.  Bright colors help enhance and entice workers to stay busy, think clearly and imagine. This is a growing trend for the creative types.  A place to relax, a place to stimulate, and an environment to get inspired to initiate the next big thing.  Companies are now allowing their employees to dream up the space and be a part of the experience.

Google It.

Googleplex – the world’s best search engine and largest platform for web based developments should have one of the largest office buildings, it only seems right.  It’s called the Googleplex. Has been dually named a 500,000 sq foot city. Eco friendly and comprised of hundreds of offices and wide open spaces it includes a courtyard, a food court, two swimming pools and promotes relaxation and play time. Happy and healthy workers make for a more profitable business.  Google is invested in it’s employees and offers 3 free gourmet meals a day, massage therapy on site, a hair salon, themed rooms and idea boards sporting the latest in mental matter… Google Spaceships?

Half Pipe.

Bastard store and design office Milan, Italy – Includes a retail space on the main floor, an upper level of offices that overlook the skateboard shop and the 600 sq foot “Bastard Bowl” indoor skate park. Created by an Italian architecture firm Sudiometrico. Wicked cool.

Cave Dwellers.

White Mountain Office by Albert France Lanord Architects – Cavernous creatives … this space was rehabbed from an anti-atomic shelter 100 feet below Stockholm into an amazing  4,000 sq ft Bahnhof AB data center and office. A cool place to work for that primitive  side of you.

Game On.

Three RingsDesign Inc, San Francisco. Modeled after a steam punk theme this office fits the needs and suits the creative employees of this Game Company.  Most everything is handmade from the art that each employee designed to the company desks.  There are rec areas, pool tables, video game room (obviously) and bars for some much needed R & R.

The work place is changing. It doesn’t have to be boring cubicles and unfriendly fluorescent light fixtures. It can be customized to suit your type of business, your people, and change the way people interact within it. We are all products of our environments to a degree.  It is my job as a designer to shape that environment.  People who love what they do should love where they work. You don’t have to be a creative person to have a space that produces efficiency and inspires greatness. You just have to keep an open mind and see what can come out of it…

What is your office like? Better yet … what could it be?