Marcel Wanders Designs a Regal Christmas Collection for Bijenkorf Department Store

I'm a huge fan of just about everything Marcel Wanders touches. But, if you read my blog regularly, you already know this :) Whether it's his work for Moooi, Droog, interior design for hotels in Miami and Milan, his amazing collection for Holland Electro, wallpaper for Graham & Brown, his rugs for Colorline, his ceramics, his Swarovski pieces, his "House of Dreams" collection.... and I could go on and on. Now, in his inimitable style, he's done it again with a collection of gifts and more for a department store in Amsterdam.


He designed a beautiful new Christmas Collection of gifts for the Bijenkorf department store in Dam Square of Amsterdam as well as the in store decor and window displays that used Three Queens to introduce it with much pomp and circumstance.


Above: The exterior of the Bijenkorf department store in Dam Square

The event was heralded by on December 6th with the arrival of Three Queens in carriages decked out in black, white and gold to match the collection.



As usual, Marcel Wanders never disappoints, with attention to everything related to his work and designs. The collection and accompanying elements are rich, elegant, regal and wintery.





The collection consists of wrapping paper, socks, teddy bears, lingerie, christmas balls, vases, patterned dresses and table decorations, all of which feel both festive and majestic. Here are most of the pieces from the collection:








And stunning images from the Bijenkorf catalog:






See more beautiful work by Marcel Wanders:

Marcel Wanders studio

Marcel's Designs for The Mondrian South Beach

Marcel's rugs for Colorline

Marcel's collection for Holland Electro

It's New. It's Chic. It's in Brooklyn: The Nu Hotel in BoCoCa

Looking for a new place to stay in Brooklyn, NY?

Then check out the chic little NU Hotel. Recently opened in July 2008, NU Hotel offers a smart, clean, fresh design along with expert service.



The 93-room, newly built hotel was designed by Datumzero Design Office and has guest rooms in three styles; the Nu Standard, the Nu Friends Suite, and the Nu Urban Suite.





The Nu Friends Suites are equipped with bunk beds and modular furniture and Nu Urban Suites feature a cozy bed niche with leather surroundings, a sitting area and custom hammocks. Rooms have cork flooring, organic bedding materials and custom furnishings crafted from FSC- certified, sustainably harvested teak wood. Rooms also include 32" flat-screen televisions with "jack packs" to dock audio, video and computer electronics and complementary wifi access.





Nestled at the corner of Smith Street and Atlantic Avenue, NU Hotel conjures up a fresh blend of modern chic. 93 loft-inspired rooms offer a level of exclusivity reserved for private clubs.






The bathrooms have stone and glass showers, rain head showers, Aveda bath products and chalkboard walls where guests can jot notes for housekeeping, travel companions or themselves.




NU hotel is about authenticity and comfort for the business traveler. Feel a genuine sense of place in the unique touches, such as stenciled quotes from famous Brooklynites, found objects from old local landmarks, and scattered paintings of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Chalkboards in the bathrooms add to the unique ambience.



Enjoy WiFi access throughout our Brooklyn accommodations, allowing you to work from the quiet business center or even the hammock in your room. Complimentary continental breakfast provides a morning boost, while evening tapas and cocktails at NU Bar set the perfect tone for a big night out. For a complete body and mind experience, retreat to the 24-hour fitness center – equipped for cardio, weight training, Pilates, and Yoga.



NU Hotel is in Downtown Brooklyn, which is the northern tip of BoCoCa, an umbrella term for three neighborhoods in Brooklyn - Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill, and Carroll Gardens. BoCoCa is a relatively new name for this area and not widely used, but is gaining greater currency, even outside the United States. BoCoCa is only a few short walking blocks from other distinct and authentic neighborhoods in Brooklyn, such as DUMBO (a loft-inspired neighborhood "down under the Brooklyn Bridge") and Brooklyn Heights (picturesque row houses and a few mansions directly across the East River from Manhattan).

Rates start at 200.$ per night

Nu Hotel
NU HOTEL 85 SMITH STREET BROOKLYN, NEW YORK 11201
phone: 718-852-8585
fax: 718-852-8558

10 Hip Stocking Stuffers For Under $10.00

Given the many people I know who opted not to exchange gifts during this painful economic downturn, I wanted to post a few very cool items that won't cost you much more than 10 bucks. Because what's Christmas or Chanukah without any gifts? Not nearly as much fun, that's what.

iBend; the world's thinnest iPhone stand

They come two to a pack, one black and one white. A flexible but sturdy stand so you can watch videos and movies on your iphone.

$4.99 - Buy them here.

The Gangsta Rap Coloring book


48 pages of line drawings of "Gangsta" rappers, done with the thick black line we all remember from the coloring books of our youth.
$8.95 buy it here.

Bone Chillers Ice Cube Trays

About as cool as cubes can get.
$5.95- buy them here.

Little Uglys


David Horvath's line of famous plush dolls are also available in miniature. They make great pet toys, too! $9.89 each, choose from the full line here.

Blue Q Tin Savings Banks
BlueQ has a bunch of great and hilarious items for under ten dollars. Some of my favorites are their tin banks with great sarcastic imagery and sayings:


Tons to choose from and only $7.99 each. Buy them here.

Punctuation Page Marks

Set of 5 pads. 50 pages each. Super cute way to bookmark anything of interest.
Each pad is about 1"x 3”

$10.00 - buy them here

Fill Me Up Flower Vases:


Reusable plastic vases that come in various patterns.
$8.oo each- buy them here

Ouch Comic Strip Bandages:

No better way to heal a boo boo.
$4.99 - buy them here

Guitar Key Blanks
available in 2 styles, both come in black or pink


Any hardware store can cut them to your needs.
$4.95 each. Buy them here.

Tattoo-inspired Collar Stays by Collar Ink

Tattoo inspired collar stays that come in a little glass vial.

• 2 1/2" x 3/8" (the industry’s most common size)
• thicker than many other plastic collar stays
• comes with a glass storage vial
• 14 collar stays in each vial—7 pairs
• won’t set off metal detectors

some samples:

Okay, this last one is a little more than ten bucks, but you get 7 pairs of them! So, you could actually split them up and give them to 2 people!
$12.99 for 7 pairs- see more and buy them here

So, if you need to get some little gifts on the cheap and you don't want to do a lip balm or a Starbucks gift card, then go for the above little finds. They will hardly cost you any coin, but will make most recipients smile.