Monday, June 30, 2014

How to take shower en plein air!


Like taking open air showers?  Oborain's the Cove got you covered so to speak!  This super chic looking showers let you have the open air shower experience you get when you go to places like Calistoga Ranch but at the privacy of your own home.  Or if you live near a beach, this will be perfect for showering off those pesky sand before heading back into the house.  Just hook up the shower head to hot and cold garden faucets and you are good to go!

Monday, June 23, 2014

Not your grandpa's rocking chair


Ron Arad always come up with designs that look futuristic.  This MT3 rocking chair is no exception.  This sleek looking chair, no doubt, will become talking point of any interior/ exterior.  The chair comes in the following color combinations: white exterior orange interior, exterior red black interior, exterior blue blue green interior.

Friday, June 20, 2014

Modern day Récamier


Maybe you do need to recline after a hard day of work in your garden, but something like David's portrait of Madame Récamier's Directoire sofa may be too impractical for the outdoors.  Well, Janus et Cie to the rescue!  The Avanda recamier is made of weather-resistant powder-coated steel and woven synthetic fiber so you never have to worry about your récamier getting damaged by elements.

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

What is a Récamier?


Récamier is a reclining sofa; typically the arm is higher on one side and lower (or none) on the other side but it can also have two arms at same height; but the height of the arm(s) is always higher than a typical sofa.  It was named after Juliette Récamier, a Parisian socialite.  The name caught on was probably because of the famous painting of her by Jacques-Louis David.  Here Madame Récamier is reclining on a Directoire style sofa.  Directoire is a period between post French Revolution but before Napoleon Bonaparte came into power in 1799.


Monday, June 16, 2014

My pick of SS14 men's fashion sale

While I'm not sure what will still be available 9AM Pacific Time but as of right now (12:21AM Pacific Time), these are some of the highlights for the SS14 men's sale so far:


This Bottega Veneta Leather Bomber Jacket at Mr.Porter is total gorge!  And it's marked down from $4800 to $1440.  While still expensive but a lot less than that close to 5k retail price.  Love this shade of blue.  A total standout for a guy who's not afraid of wearing none conventional colors.


This Valentino Camo-Print Parka jacket at Bergdorf Goodman is another on trend piece.  60% off retail from $1400 to $559 is a great bargain.  Camouflage print is highlighted in Valentino, Moncler, Givenchy collection this season plus truth be told, camo prints are always in!


As far as I'm concern, one can never have too many Lanvin toe cap trainers in one's shoes collection.  This dark blue/grey at Barney's New York is currently 40% off.  Price dropped from $620 to $369.  These classic toe cap trainers should last you many years to come.



One of the hottest brand right now in hiphop community is En Noir.  They specialize in streetwear style clothes.  People from Kanye to Flo Rida are all fans of this brand.  Graphic t-shirts are big hits this spring/summer as can be seen in well known brands such as Givenchy.  This En Noir version from SSense is 70% off.  Price dropped from $250 to a much more affordable $75. 



Friday, June 13, 2014

Make your summer entertaining a little bit cooler


It's summer time and you are entertaining your guests.  Maybe this time instead of serving your drinks with the same old boring round tumblers, why not use the multifaceted Crinkle glassware from West Elm?  Not only they look architectural, but they are also very reasonably priced; 6 for a princely sum of $30!   

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Don't have a green thumb? No problem!


For those of you who travel a lot or for those of you who always forget to water your plant, Click & Grow to the rescue!  This pot is perfect for the lazy/ forgetful owner of any plant.  All you have to do is put in batteries, fill the water reservoir, and Smartpot will do the rest for up to at least a month!  Now we are talking!

Monday, June 9, 2014

If you need a magazine rack, look no further!


Say hello to a sleek magazine rack brought to you from the land of the sun.  Hiromichi Konno made this gorgeous brass framed magazine rack that comes with three color leather options: orange, white, or black.  Personally I like orange color the best as it will definitely pop in any interior.

Friday, June 6, 2014

Orange is the new black: Hermès


Now doubt when one sees an orange box, there is only one store that comes to one's mind: Hermès.  Some of you may know that Hermès started in 19th century and one would have to assume that beautiful shade of orange had always been synonymous with Hermès.  But actually Hermès did not adopt the color orange as its signature color until after World War II.  After the war, Hermès was redoing their bags and boxes.  Somehow no one wanted orange dye thus there were plenty of supplies.  This is how Hermès ended up using the color orange: because no one wanted it!  Or course today, an orange Hermès box signifies elegance, handmade, and exclusivity.    

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Perfect outdoor seating for those living in a chilly area


Sitting is believing!  Having sat in one of these myself, I was totally sold by Aaron Jones' Helios outdoor lounge.  While it may not look that comfortable, well, looks can be deceiving.  If you live in SF, go to Bar Agricole and try it out yourself.  Or if you made it to SF Decorator Showcase house this year, they had one too.  The chair just envelopes you somehow and made you think why didn't someone come up with this like twenty years ago??!  Now about that propane heaters in your backyard... it's time to let them go.

Monday, June 2, 2014

Not just another cantilever chair


There has got to be zillions of versions of cantilever chair, but this seating somehow feels a little bit more special.  Commissioned by the Wallpaper magazine for Wallpaper Handmade project, this one has an artisan feel to it.  I can see it fit perfectly in a restaurant with decor that's either industrial or rustic.  Made by Atlas Industries.