Arteriors, Lighting to Love

Arteriors lighting by Laura Kirar

Steve Jobs Dies at 56

I woke to the headlines today. Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple Inc. died yesterday. For technology and innovative design, this is a sad day. Jobs is the reason for the personal computer not to mention technologies that know one else could imagine. After being pushed out of Apple in 1985, he started another company. It was there that the personal computer was perfected, and as Apple began to slide, it became clear that Jobs had to be brought back.  It was all uphill from there. This visionary COE was the force behind the iPod, iPhone and iPad. The theme, create technology that people don't even know they need! No one did it better than Apple with the hands on leadership of Jobs. The hip, stylized marketing and the Apple store were also highly innovative ideas. Jobs took on the sheer force of the tech industry and the other computer guy... and succeeded. In August, two months after his public appearance at the Apple Convention, Jobs stepped down as CEO. The message was clear; the end was near. I honor Mr. Jobs today. He is one of my heroes. His achievements, innovation and ingenuity were inspiring, but even more so was his enthusiastic energy and love of what he was doing. I found it contagious. I hope that this company will be able to continue their amazing work without Steve, but either way, it is a sad day, and he will be missed by many.

The Bardessono Hotel

As summer heat and humidity escalate in my part of the world, summer travel absorbs a good deal of my thoughts. I plan to share more images and information during my future travels with you. Until then I will return to last summer and the amazing Bardessono Hotel in Yountville California. It is the perfect blend on modern meets earthy with truly innovative approaches to green design. Don't just take my word for it though. Go visit the web site and learn more about it's designers and the man behind it's creation! Most of all... STAY HERE... if you can. You won't forget this trip. Enjoy.

Mehrzeller, Polygon Camper

Camping and RVing never looked so cool. I thought the Airstream International line was the hottest, but the Mehrzeller Polygon Camper takes the cake. Designed by Christian Freissling and Theresa Kalteis, this multi-cell camper is unique not only in it's ultra modern look but in the design concept. Each camper is designed to the needs and wishes of the buyer. If I owned this I wouldn't want to come home..... ever!

Elegant Wooden Phones

These elegant wooden phones bring a new level of sophistication to talk. Made to work with all VoIP services (Skype, iChat, GoogleTalk, Vonage, Yahoo, etc., they combine modern looks and technology. At Boof.

Concrete Lights

Concrete lights by Benjamin Hubert.

The Hub USB Connector

If your computer uses USB connections and you're anything like me, you're tired of unplugging and plugging in your peripheries. There just aren't enough USB slots on my Macs. Well here's a solution to that problem with a funky globe design. Even better... it's on sale!

The Great Ceiling Fan Debate

My husband and I have been discussing the issue of whether to install a hanging light or ceiling fan with a light in our master bedroom, which has extremely high ceilings. I was against a ceiling fan for purely aesthetic reasons. Granted, there are many sleek, modern fan designs on the market these days, but we have a mid-century modern interior design sensibility, and I was having trouble seeing the new, ultra modern fans in that type of interior. Well, I think we've solved the problem. These fans fit my criteria of working well in a mid-century modern interior while providing my husband with the utility of a ceiling fan. Now we just need to find a very tall ladder to install one of these.

One Smart Car

As you may have seen in a previous post here, I'm a Smart Car fan. If your thinking about getting one you better get moving because the waiting lists in the US are growing. The Smart Car web site now has a car delivery date estimator which is accurate within 90 days. That just goes to show you how hard it is to get a good thing nowadays.

Smart Car

The German made Smart Car has come to the US, and it is worth noting its design and features. While quite small it is roomy for two with a high profile and has storage in the back. Safety does not seem to be an issue due to the roll cage surrounding the passenger area that is comparable to that of a professional race car. And best of all, the powerful and efficient engine gets over 40 mpg while the sticker price starts at under $12,000. Worth a test drive.

Xoo Bookends

Vessel USA Inc. has recently introduced Malcolm Leland’s X00 (zoo) industrial design bookends. This new design was inspired by Los Angeles’ famous historical American Cement Building on Wilshire Blvd. In 1961 Malcolm was commissioned by the architect to produce a sculptural façade made of reinforced concrete which had never been done before at that time. The 10 foot Xs’ were then cast one at a time and place in position creating a sculptural structure for the upper 13 story lofts and the lower half which is the parking garage. His sculptural design has been a part Los Angeles’ skyline since 1964.

MacBook Air, Thinnovation

It's not the latest breaking news but I'm just getting to the MacBook Air since I spent some quality time with it today. I'm a Mac lover so keep that in mind. I found the MacBook air to be fabulous. Thin, and yes, light. A true travelers laptop. It has a full size keyboard with all the keyboard features and an amazing mouse pad with multi-touch, allowing you to zoom, scroll, or rotate by the movement of two fingers on the pad. It also has a built in iSight camera. The small battery still gives you 5 hours of use and the 13.3" screen is more than ample. The only drawback, no disc drive included so you will have to use an external but I don't think it's a big deal. The pros far outweigh the cons. Find a Mac store near you and check it out.

LightAir Ionflow 50 Series

LightAir IonFlow 50 Style is perfect for the home environment as it takes little space, is silent, has low energy cost, is easy to maintain, and of course efficient against all polluting and harmful particles. The decorative LED light at the base enhances the feeling of clean, healthy air, and the color of the LED can be easily changed to suit any mood or décor. LightAir has successfully bridged a gap in the air purifier market by offering consumers a device that not only enhances their health but their environment as well.