The Orb™: Prefab Home Offices, Vacation Homes & Corporate Structures

The Orb™ is a new generation of mobile structures created specifically to appeal across three distinct markets: commercial show units, holiday or vacation park homes and adaptable home offices.

Built to a standard far beyond that of comparable structures using marine technology, it is both incredibly durable, lightweight and transportable.

The Orb™ was born of Philip Simpson's desire to have an inspiring and affordable outdoor space for his own family to enjoy. His starting point, as a designer, was to reject the box-like structure and unnatural colours and contours of the classic caravan. He wanted something that would enhance the user's appreciation of the outdoors, from both inside and out. His initial sketches (on backs of envelopes and restaurant napkins), inspired more by gypsy caravans and yachts, won the support of his dream team of architects and designers, and the list of potential customers grew.

Together with architect David Miller, (who designed the award-winning Media Centre at Lords' Cricket Ground while at Future Systems) and a leading structural engineering practice, the idea is fast becoming a reality. One of the UK's top interior design consultancies, Real Studios, has created a range of inspiring interiors to highlight the lifestyle potential of these unique units.

The Orb Home Office:






Each Orb™ is constructed to a standard far beyond that of any other comparable garden office. They are built to last and each model comes with the following high specification -


The Orb Home Office is available in the following standard size: 4m x 3m.
* Architect designed
* GRP construction with integral insulation
* Large double-glazed front window
* Flexible interiors and layout
* Under floor heating
* Easy access rear door
* Integral chassis
* 4 adjustable legs
* Structural 3 year warranty
* Integrated services
* Choice of exterior finishes
* Many optional extras

The Orb Holiday Home:



The Orb has been designed to sleep 7 people comfortably, whether it's young couples who like to spend holidays or weekends with an assortment of friends, or couples with kids who like to holiday with or without extended family.



The Orb's monocoque construction is more durable and long lasting than any other traditionally built structure on the market. The Orb will come with a minimum 5-year structural warranty.



The materials and technology used in the Orb's construction are exactly the same as in marine construction. Boats are designed to be incredibly strong, lightweight and water resistant - so is the Orb! Being light weight it will be easy to move on site. This makes it ideal for coastal locations, where it will withstand extreme weather conditions much better than the traditional park home.

Each Orb™ is constructed to a standard far beyond that of any other comparible mobile structure. They are built to last and each model comes with the following high specification -


The Orb Holiday Home is available in the following standard size: 4m x 12m.
* Architect designed
* GRP construction
* Integral insulation
* Large double-glazed windows
* Choice of interiors and layouts
* Under floor heating
* Integrated services
* Easy access doors
* Integral chassis
* Unique removable wheels
* 8 adjustable legs
* Push and pull points
* Structural 3 year warranty
* Choice of interior & exterior finishes

The Orb for Corporate use:


The Orb's continuous shell makes it an ideal branding proposition. A full graphic wrap that may be updated or changed as required can be applied to create a distinct brand differentiator.




A large, visible display window provides a perfect showcase for merchandise or can be left open for public access from either or both ends. The interiors can be bespoke or modular to fit your requirements, designed by our specialist interior design team.



Its unique look and streamlined shape will help your brand stand out amongst a sea of identikit boxes.

Each Orb™ is constructed to a standard far beyond that of any other comparable mobile structure. They are built to last and each model comes with the following high specification -


The Orb is available in the following standard sizes: 4m x 3m, 4m x 6m, 4m x 9m and 4m x 12m.
* Architect designed
* GRP construction
* Integral insulation
* Double-glazed display windows
* Full graphic wrap
* Flexible bespoke interiors
* Under floor heating
* Easy access doors
* Integral chassis
* Removeable axle and wheels
* 4 adjustable legs
* Push pull points
* Structural 3 year warranty
* Integrated services

Read the FAQs about the Orb here.

contact info:
Philip Simpson, Design Director
Orb Properties Ltd
31 Denman Road
London SE15 5NS
Tel: +44 (0)207 703 9242
Fax: +44 (0)207 703 1892
Email: philip@theorb.biz

Veronica Simpson, Media Liaison and PR:
Orb Properties Ltd
31 Denman Road
London SE15 5NS
Tel: +44 (0)207 703 9242
Fax: +44 (0)207 703 1892
Email: mail@theorb.biz

Visit the Orb website here.

© Orb Properties Ltd., Patent Pending 0510520, EU Design Registration 308481

New Fashion Label Current/Elliott: What Denim Dreams Of Being

Current/Elliott is a new fashion label by stylists-turned-designers Emily Current and Meritt Elliott, who met in college and became stylists under the name of MAUDE. They began by buying vintage jeans and customizing them for their celebrity clients.



Now, they've recreated their special one-of-a-kind pieces with japanese stretch denim, so that everyone could enjoy their sense of style, comfort and individuality.



Their 2008 Fall denim collection includes everything from a backlash against skinny jeans with their fabulous "boyfriend jeans" to denim smock dresses, shorts, chic denim jackets and hoodies. They manage to combine femininity with comfort, sexiness with style and vintage with contemporary couture.

Getting lots of press (even in the NY Times just yesterday) is the 'boyfriend jean', a wonderful slouchy but still sexy pair of jeans:




Here's a peek at some of my other favorites from their line:

The Shrunken JJ:

The Duckhunter:

The Fontaine Short:

The Tulip Dress:

The Moto Jacket:

The Kangaroo Dress:

The Seam Skirt:

The Navy:

The Mini Pocket:

The Circle vest:


Like all hot new fashion brands, these are not cheap. Expect to shell out about $225 bucks for the 'Boyfriend' jeans and the following items list for the prices in parentheses: The Circle Vest ($172), The Laurel Canyon ($194), The Fontaine Short ($159), The Elephant Bell 1971 ($226), The Artist Smock ($206)

Where can you find these?
Below are links to some of the stores that carry their line.
Ron Herman, Singer 22, shopbob, eluxury, lola boutique
You can also find them at Fred Segal, Barney's and Neiman Marcus.

Look What I Found! Cloned Eyeball Lamps, The Patriot Pin, All in One Plates, Cornerframes & The Pick Chair

Cloned Eyeball Lamps:
 Lamps based on your eye color. You fill out the form, attach photos of your eyes, and voila! Eyeball lamps based on your own peepers.








The hand blown glass eyeball lamps made by Glassblower Livio Serena in Murano are based on exact clones of your actual eye color. Order them through 5.5 Designers.

All In One Plates:


The above plates look as though they are three stacked plates but it's actually one plate.

All in One Porcelain plates are trompe-l'oeil of 3 layered plates.
Two plates per pack. Made by Domestic
Material : Porcelain
Dimension : d:26,5cm
Color : white
Buy them here.


The Patriot Pin :


Above: This target is a reconditioned WIBC / ABC Approved AMF Amflite II bowling pin with Osama Bin Laden in the crosshairs. This pin is controlled weight and plastic coated. The wooden core and fresh plastic coating give this target a durable and long life for target practice. Approximately 15" tall and 4 3/4" in diameter.

Made by American Targets is made for actual target practice. But it certainly makes a cool piece of art. Buy it here.

Corner Frames:



These corner frames designed by Yvonne Schroedo for Thorsten van Elten is something I've been waiting for someone to produce. Wrapping around corners, either inwards or outwards, they come in black stained beech or natural maple wood.



Buy them here.


The Pick Chair:


The Pick chair is a lightweight, minimal folding chair that goes from hanging on the wall to completely unfolded and ready for seating. Epitomizing designer Dror Benshetrit’s vision: the emotion of art intertwined with the simple poetics of form following function. The first foldable cantilever chair, the pick chair goes from wall art to functional furniture with a flick of the wrist.

Saw and Tree Pick Chairs:

Materials: chromed aluminum structure; seat and back in open pores painted wood, laser graphic woodcut. Designed by Dror Benshetrit, manufactured by BBB emmebonacina.
Dimensions: wall mounted W38 H171,75 cm, open W38 D47 H48 cm
You can buy the wood ones (saw and tree) from the artist's studio here.
Or from the manufacturer here.

Happy shopping.

If you like the finds on my blog, you'll love my picks over here.