Victoire de Castellane for Dior: Rings To Write Home About

The Coffret de Victoire Collection for Dior has some of the most unusual and original rings crafted from the finest gems, ores and materials. Created by designer Victoire de Castellane, the collection includes rings with skulls, cameo rings, floral rings and even a food dog on a pillow as well as an angler fish.













These aren't just pieces of jewelry, they are pieces of art. To see the entire collection of Dior's fine and couture jewelry, visit here.

More Swine Art by Wim Delvoye : Tattooed Pigs & Pigskins (UPDATED PICS)

above: a dead stuffed pig featuring Wim Delvoye's tattoos

Above: Artist Wim Delvoye tattooing a live pig

My last post on artist Wim Delvoye, his pig farm and his tattooed pigs has received so much interest - as well as controversy- that I'm sure to stir up the pot by showing you where you can see more of his actual tattooed pigs (in this case, stuffed as opposed to live) as well as his framed tattooed pigskins.





Above: stuffed tattooed pigs from the exhibit at Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin


Animal lovers have made some comments about how cruel it is to ink live pigs, but from what information I have been able to find, it seems that pigs nerve endings are far less sensitive in their skin than our own and tattooing them does not cause pain as it does on human skin.

Critics should also know that artist Wim Delvoye is a vegetarian and owns his own pig farm.

The tattooed pig skin pieces below are at the Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin in Paris.








Tattooing pigs, live on his art farm, or stuffed and on exhibit are just a small part of this Belgian artists' unusual repertoire. See his site here.

See the skins and stuffed pigs at Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin by clicking here.


See the original post with many pics of tattooed swine as well as an interview with the artist here.


Now you can get your own Wim Delvoye Action Figure! Check this out!

Funky Find Of The Week: Coffin Couches

Yep, that's right. These are sofa's made from actual recycled 18 gauge steel coffins.
One will run you $3500.00 USD and you can choose from several options, even a Dodger Blue one (for you baseball fans).





Freaked out by the idea of sitting on a "recycled" modified coffin? No need for the heebie jeebies..... It is a health and safety law that funeral homes cannot resell used coffins to the general public. So, Coffin Couches approached funeral directors with the attitude of recycling. The coffins they use for couches are not used for burial due to slight cosmetic inconsistencies. They are reconfigured and modified resulting in a finished product.






Okay, how hard was it to refrain from titling this post "Sofas To Die For" ?

Find out more or buy one here.

Cute, Casual SoCal Accomodations: The New Custom Hotel

Custom Hotel's LA Boutique hotel offers a contemporary design aesthetic at affordable rates for the international business traveler staying for one night as well as the leisure guest escaping for an extended weekend retreat.




The LA boutique hotel was originally built by mid-century architect Welton Beckett, designer of the world-famous Capitol Records building, and the Custom Hotel tower has been transformed with the California lifestyle in mind.





Custom Hotel is a place where design is accessible and playfully refreshing, and a warm sense of hospitality and community prevails in this LA boutique hotel.





Custom Hotel is conveniently located close to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in the residential neighborhood of Westchester, a short drive from the beach cities of Marina del Rey, Venice, Santa Monica, Malibu and Manhattan Beach. Easily accessible via the 10, 405 and 105 freeways, the hotel is 20-30 minutes from Beverly Hills, Hollywood and Downtown Los Angeles. For travelers flying into Los Angeles on their way to destinations within Southern California-whether a trip to Disneyland in Anaheim, Universal Studios in Hollywood, or a road excursion to Santa Barbara or San Diego along the world-famous Pacific Coast Highway-Custom Hotel is an ideal stopover.

8639 Lincoln Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90045
T 310 645 0400
F 310 645 0700
Reservations: 877 287 8601

Get Ready, Set...Glow! Illuminated items and furniture

There are so many things on the market that are molded of polyethylene (as well as other materials) that either glow from low voltage internal illumination, led lights, or being plugged in.

From glowing bathroom sinks and tubs to illuminated marble fireplaces and beds, the above items are only a few available on the market. Click on the pic to go to the place of purchase or to learn more about the item. Keep an eye on my Ready, Set...Glow! Illuminated items and furniture list at ThisNext as I continually add to it!

So, get ready.....set....glow!

ps. If you're looking for hip lamps and lighting , see over 80 examples on my "Lighten Up: The Best Lighting Out There" list!

Meet Dutch Designer Marjet Wessels Boer

Sometimes I think, 'There are so many products on this planet, do we really need anymore? What can I add to that?' In the end, I want to create things that people cannot put aside. –Marjet Wessels Boer

Below are just a few of those products:







And one of her fabulous projects; Doors of Secrets:

I wanted to create an everyday product, like a door, that would appeal to people's imagination. The Door of Secrets contains hidden storage compartments, raising people's interest and curiosity. It makes you wonder what is hidden inside and invites exploration. You can shuffle the elements about, so there is interaction between the actual door and user.
- Marjel Wessels Boer

Click on the above images to enlarge.


Above: Dutch designer Marjet Wessels Boer

Visit her site here.