home decor
Latest
Houzz launches a new iPad app for home design fans
Aficionados of home design may already be familiar with the Houzz website, which offers resources for finding decorating ideas. While the site (like most any other) is accessible through the Safari browser on an iPad, Houzz has now released a free iPad app that gives tablet-optimized access to the site's features. Those features include a library of more than 60,000 photos of various rooms provided by professional designers. Users can sign up for a free account, then browse by style, room type, or region. When users find something they like, they can save it to their own ideabook for future reference. So far users have created more than 130,000 ideabooks. Homeowners can tag items, share photos with friends, or find designers to work with. Professionals, including contractors, architects, and designers, can upload photos to create their own portfolios and find new clients. [via TechCrunch]
Finally! A Wii-proof lamp built to survive Wiisports
Looks like reports of Wii damage aren't going away anytime soon: people are still damaging their television sets, lamps, windows, pets, and selves as they flail about living rooms designed more for lounging than energetic indoor video games. Rather than fight it, flow with it. The KNOCK-OFF LAMP's beautiful, white polyproylene exterior echoes the Wii aesthetic, and it's made to be knocked over. At just $22.00, it's also probably cheaper than non Wii-proof lamps, too. [Via funfurde]
Apple boxes as objets d'art
There have been many discussions in the past about what to do with your Apple boxes once you've unboxed your gear, and some people even think Mac boxes make great furniture, but this may be the first case I've seen of people using old Apple boxes purely as home decor. Mike and Regina shared their idea with Apartment Therapy, an NYC-based home design blog... "Here's a great way to save money, spruce up your apartment, and reduce waste. If you buy something small and have a nice-looking product box, then save it and use it as a decoration. Small cubbyholes or nooks and crannies can be spiced up for free and do the environment a favor. From consumption and waste to useful art. I happen to be partial to Apple products so I use their excellently designed boxes in my apartment instead of buying more stuff to decorate with. I save money, and save on the landfill."Sure, with Apple the packaging is part of the appeal, but as much as I like the way the boxes look, I'm not sure I'd want to decorate my home with them. My office perhaps, but not my home. I'd prefer to let the products themselves be the focal point. My Cubes are always conversation starters when people spot them all over my apartment, but if I left my Cube boxes on display it would look I have a serious storage problem, not a flair for design.I think one of the commenters on the AT post summed it up nicely: "If they sold Mac boxes at West Elm in persimmon these people would be all over'em like white on rice."
