Art? Or Speakers? It's Two, Two Objects in One

Artcoustic is a brilliant idea. Why have ugly speakers (wall-mounted or otherwise) when they can double as wall art?

Artcoustic has a range of speakers, all of which can be 'hidden' by several different art options...including your own.

With a gallery from various artists as well as stock imagery from Getty Images, there's no end to the styles. They even provide a link and template to design your own.

Here are just a few images of plasma tvs and stereo's with artcoustic speakers on the wall.







ARTCOUSTIC GALLERY

Artcoustic hand-picks artists from around the world and invites them to create exclusive artworks for the Artcoustic Artist Portfolio. The Artcoustic Artist Portfolio is available for viewing at all specialist Artcoustic dealers. Each artwork/design is produced as a digital print and hand made into a screen.

You may submit your own artwork or photography that can be applied to your Artcoustic speakers, download a PDF submission guide by clicking here.

Below are a few available artists images for your speakers.
They have a very large selection and I'm only showing a few, so be sure to check them out yourself at www.artcoustic.com

Max Malandrino:


Michael Banks:


Kristian Hornsleth:


Ole Kortzau:


Sim Canetty-Clarke:



Take a look at a pdf of their product range here.

Albatros Design Lights Up Marble. Illuminated Furniture & Fireplaces.

Albatros Design of france makes glowing marble furniture. That's right, you heard me.






Furniture made with lovely marble that is illuminated from within.
In many variation of objects from Fireplaces to tables. Lamps to cubes.
With your choice of marble finishes.









With your choice of marble finishes.

Below: Marble surface without illumination on the left, and on the right, illuminated.


Available marble finishes below:

Update: Albatros Design is now Atelier Alain Ellouz and the illuminated furniture is only available in alabaster. See an updated post here.

Atelier Alain Ellouz (previously Albatros Design)

Product Pick Of The Week: The Lightair, Ionizer & Light in One

With three different products, a tabletop or floor version and a hanging pendant version, these products are both beautifully designed and good for you.

This portable ionizing air purifier eliminates 99.94 percent of harmful airborne pollutants, such as dust, smoke and pollen, even bacteria and viruses. In addition, its clean lines, slim silhouette and transparency offer consumers a stylish alternative to typical industrial-looking air purifiers. LightAir’s shape was designed to optimize its effectiveness. The cylindrical shape of the collector maximizes the surface area for particles to attach to. The soft edges prevent the production of positive ions and stop the negative-charged particles from bouncing back into the air. 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.
Silver winners in the 2007 IDEA consumer product category.

Click on the image above for more info and to purchase.

Gentlemen, Start Your Laptops: The Asus-Lamborghini VX2 has arrived

Unprecedented Power and Style

Click on images to enlarge

Total Lamborgnihi Experience
The Asus VX2 is designed to give users not only the impression of the Lamborghini spirit but innovative materials and details are incorporated to make the notebook look, feel and run like a supercar. The sensational design starts with the signature colors of Lamborghini yellow and black with each one cast with aluminum-magnesium alloy and carbon fiber, respectively.

Lacquer-Finished Hood
The notebooks with gleaming piano painting surface of Lamborghini yellow and carbon fiber black not only stands out with breath-catching beauty but is also tough for enhanced LCD screen protection.

Exquisite Craftsmanship
The VX2's design is all Lamborghini. Its gleaming yellow or black piano painting surface and genuine leather palm rest communicate premium quality at one touch.

Top-end Horsepower
Powered by an Intel ® Core ™ 2 Duo T7500 processor, and an NVIDIA 8600GT 512MB dedicated graphics engine, the VX2 will run Windows ® Vista ® Ultimate (included) like a spin around the track.

The Convenience of a Docking Station
The VX2S-A1B comes with a docking station that makes synchronizing your data a breeze. No disconnecting a tangle of wires.

Solid Privacy Protection
Data security is uncompromised with built-in fingerprint scanner that reads from the live layer of skin, preventing common skin surface conditions from impairing scanner accuracy.

Ride in Style
Wheel-rimmed fan lid for cooling ventilation is one of the underlying surprises that makes the VX2 computing experience full-scale.

Wireless Live Communication
The built-in 240° swivel webcam leads the way as the car’s headlight, bringing the vision anywhere it wishes to go.

The New Transporting Movement
Based on the latest Intel® Centrino® Duo Mobile Technology and Windows® VistaTM operating system, the VX2 offers a dynamic computing experience with blistering speed.

Visual Feast
The 15.4-inch high resolution glare-type and high brightness widescreen displays vivid colors and sharp details with zero bright dot guaranteed. Exclusive Splendid Color Enhancement Engine provides optimum image performance for the most enjoyable viewing experience.

Long Lasting Battery Life
Mobility is further fueled with extended battery life that empowers better productivity. ASUS Power4 Gear eXtreme power management extends battery life up to 20-25%, providing a reliable and continuous operation power.

Ultra Connectivity
The VX2 accommodates the need for a quick connection of peripherals, power and communication devices. Whether at home or in the office, it offers advanced practicality and time saved when leaving and returning to the desk.

List price VX2S-A1Y (Yellow): US$2,999
VX2S-A1B (Black): US$2,999
The BEST Choice - VX2S-A2
Blu Ray + Docking Station
VX2S-A2Y (Yellow): US$3,399
VX2S-A2B (Black): US$3,399

Find one here.

Artists Design Bags for Fair Trade. Auction & Exhibit next week!

Bags of Goodwill

twentytwentyone are honoured to launch Bags of Goodwill, an exhibition and auction to raise awareness and funds for the Fairtrade Foundation.

Bags of Goodwill will show one-off creations by 40 world-renowned designers during London Design Festival. 19-25 September. To be held at our River Street showroom, the event is being generously supported by Cappellini.

The unique bags will be available to purchase via sealed bid. The highest bidder will be contacted at the close of the exhibition, with all monies going to the Fairtrade Foundation.

Ross Lovegrove, below left: Eero Aarnio, below right:



The unique bags will be available to purchase via sealed bid.

We have approached important international furniture and product designers to customise or create a design directly onto twentytwentyone's cotton tote shopping bag. The only consideration being that their design reflects their philosophy towards design and makes a consideration towards responsible design.

The entire exhibition will be available to view online from 19 September 2007.
It will also be on display at the:

twentytwentyone showroom from the 19 - 25 September from 10am - 5pm. (12pm - 5 pm on Sunday 23 September).

The following designers have committed to the project; Alexander Taylor, Alfredo Haeberli, Andrew Stafford, Arik Levy, Barber Osgerby, Claesson Kovisto Rune, Damian Williamson, Doshi Levien, Eero Aarnio, El Ultimo Grito, Ella Doran, Enzo Mari, Gijs Bakker, Gitta Gschwendtner, Giulio Cappellini, Harri Koskinen, Ineke Hans, Jasper Morrison, Jerszy Seymour, Kenneth Grange, Konstantin Grcic, Lucienne Day, Marcel Wanders, Mark Holmes, Matthew Hilton, Michael Marriott, Michael Sodeau, Michael Young, Naoto Fukasawa, Noways Says, Patrick Norguet, Pearson Lloyd, Robin Day, Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec, Ross Lovegrove, Sam Hecht & Kim Collin, Sebastian Wrong, Shin Azumi, Tom Dixon, Tomoko Azumi, Tord Boonjte.

Robin Day: Kenneth Grange:


Shin Azumi: Marcel Wanders:


El Ultimo Grito: Sam Hecht & Kim Collin:


Bids may be accepted until midnight on the 25th September via goodwill@twentytwentyone.com.

If you would like to receive a reply email notification at the launch of the online exhibition please email goodwill@twentytwentyone.com with the word launch in the subject line.

twentytwentyone wanted to move away from using polythene shop-bags and have sourced a manufacturer to produce Fairtrade and organic certified cotton bag. We consider the bags to be a perfect blank canvas and envisaged a series of commissioned designs to reflect the activities of twentytwentyone. The idea for an auction to raise money for charity was borne out of this concept.

19-25 September

Bags of Goodwill
twentytwentyone
18cRiver St
London EC1R 1XN

New British Baazar, Bling and All...

HARPER'S BAZAAR
British Harper's Bazaar showcases new logo and achieves world exclusive by placing 200 Swarovski crystals onto each London newsstand copy



The September issue of British Harper's BAZAAR reveals a brand new look.



To celebrate the new look Harper's BAZAAR, each logo of the September issue on all 50,000 London newsstand copies will be studded with 200 Swarovski crystals. This is the first time a UK magazine cover has undertaken such an initiative. It is also a global first as consumers will be able to purchase this specially produced collectors item on the newsstand.

Publishing Director, Tess Macleod-Smith comments," The move to the international logo is the natural next step for the brand and we wanted the first issue with the new logo to look as beautiful as possible. Working with Swarovski, the world leaders in cut crystal, has made it possible to achieve a dramatic visual presence on the newsstand and provide consumers with the opportunity to purchase a unique edition of Harper's BAZAAR."

The move to the new logo brings Harper's BAZAAR in line with its sister titles around the world and consolidates our position as an iconic international fashion brand. Since becoming Harper's BAZAAR new life has been breathed into the title and Editor Lucy Yeomans produces the very best fashion, features and lifestyle coverage each month in order to stimulate and entertain her readers. Already the changes have reaped success with record ABC figures and the highly esteemed PPA Award for Consumer Magazine of the Year.

The move to the new BAZAAR logo is the next step in the magazine's evolution and the September issue at 400 pages, 200 of which are editorial, is the biggest and most beautiful issue to date.

http://www.swarovskisparkles.com/fashion/harpersbazaar.html

The Story Behind the Iconic Chanel Bottle

I am not a famous enough 'blogger' to receive Assouline's publications to review, but my friends over at NOTCOT are.

And in the beautiful Chanel publication put out by Assouline, there was a bit of folklore that is so interesting, but hard to believe.

I have reprinted the article from NOTCOT for you, so the first person voice you're reading is that of Jean Aw.



Of the many stories, myths, and just all around Chanel lore that i can’t seem to get out of my head yet (expect a few more posts just so i can clear my head)… the one i woke up with that was driving me crazy was that Coco Chanel designed her first Chanel No.5 bottle to perfectly match the shape of Plaza Vendome (where the Ritz is, and where she basically lived… although her apartment for inspiration and taking guests was just behind it on Rue Cambon… but more on that in a few days). They also claim that it is unknown whether this matching shape was intentional… and its not like THEY had google maps back in 1921. So i HAD to check. The designer in me had to know for sure, while the rational part of me assumed the Chanel folks wouldn’t just make something like this up. And as you see, they weren’t kidding. Below, more images… and also some quick pics from the Assouline set of Chanel books they left on my bed… its really fun to see the old sketches of the bottles, and even how they have evolved over the years… but still fit the Plaza Vendome proportions.