Airplantman sounds like a super hero, and maybe he is. His real name is Josh Rosen and he creates stunning air plant designs, including fantastic vertical squares to display a plethora of tillandsia aka Tillys.

Rosen’s piece the resistance is his large Airplantframe, a stunning piece of living art. The beautiful frame is made from an eco-friendly, powder-coated aluminum and hand-strung stainless steel cable. The materials are completely recyclable, and a percentage of the profits goes toward air plant eco system protection.

You can get your vertical garden started easily with the plant booster kit, which includes 10-20 species at different sizes, or sign up for club membership where fresh boxes arrive at your doorstep regularly. His website shows instructions on the “how to,” from light to watering, fertilization and more.

One can also get a gorgeous square frame measuring 11”x11” in hip colors such as matte black or white, and glossy orange or aqua.

Finally, there are a variety of stylish vessels made in ceramics, steel and wood to display the gorgeous tillandsia.

The post Airplantman: A Vertical Garden for Your Home first appeared on Dornob.

Is it a yacht? A boat? A submarine? It’s a “Seahorse!” And you can live in it in utter luxury. That’s if you snag one of its 42 apartment units made of glass. Where? Dubai, of course.

Dubai is among the most headline-making cities when it comes to over-the-top architectural innovations. Kitschy? Perhaps. Cool? Definitely. Such as the latest coup: floating villas in the Persian Gulf off the coast of the city. A super glam apartment complex will float about 2.5 miles off the shore of Dubai, featuring 42 flats. Devised by Kleindienst Group, the biggest European real estate company in Dubai, the project is dubbed the Floating Seahorse. Residents will enjoy between 1,700 to 4,000 square feet of space over three levels, including one submerged underwater section with a bedroom, master bathroom and incredible ocean views – aquarium style. The center level has the large kitchen, dining room, living room and outdoor lounge, while the top level features a glass-floor Jacuzzi and mini bar.

Renderings show beautiful people lounging on the top deck with champagne and candles, observing sea life in the glamorous underwater master suite, taking bubble baths next to coral reefs and chillaxing in the Jacuzzi with gauzy curtains blowing in the breeze, overlooking the glittering shore in the close distance. Also in the works is an artificial coral reef to create living space for the endangered seahorses.

The house boat project will be ship shape some time in 2016 and folks will likely start moving in in 2017. An official price for the villas has not been unveiled yet, but a company spokesperson told Quartz in 2015 that the units are selling for 6.5 million AED.

The post Under the Sea: Dubai’s Floating Seahorse Villas first appeared on Dornob.

A Taj Mahal for your kitty? Yes! Cats are drawn to boxes like catnip, perhaps even more so. Dutch company Poopy Cat made a whole business out of this phenomenon. But these aren’t just regular ole cardboard boxes and feline play houses. This cool cat furniture was modeled after famous buildings such as the White House, the Eiffel Tower, the Kremlin and St. Basil’s Basilica. In all, there are seven iconic international landmarks.

The project, dubbed Landmark, is currently a Kickstarter campaign, and we have no doubt it will succeed. The cat shelters are super sturdy, made out of recycled cardboard in two durable layers of different flutes, and easily assembled in circa 5 minutes.

The boxes, while being cat magnets merely by being boxes, have additional little cat play elements. For instance, the Eiffel Tower has a little elevator on a rope to claw. We’re very fond of the Sphinx. After all, as the designers point out, it is “the largest single-stone statue in the world. Although some people still believe it resembles a lion, we know better!”

If you love the idea of your prince or princess taking up residence in a home that befits their royal status, you too can purchase a Poopy Cat house.

“Poopy Cat was created in 2013 with a disposable litter box, followed by a number of cardboard ‘blocks’ that you can connect to each other and thus build a true palace for your cat. After that, the idea of ​​cardboard ‘blocks’ was further extended to the Landmarks. This concept recreates a number of major world-famous landmarks as cardboard play and sleeping places for your cat, including the Russian Kremlin and the American White House.”

“The Poopy Cat items can now be ordered on Petsplace.nl and are available in our stores. We have the following Landmarks that can be your cat’s play paradise: The Kremlin, the White House, the Sphinx and the Maya Temple.”

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Vinyl lovers, listen up. Here’s a cool new record player. The Atmo Sfera Platterless Turntable might seem a bit gimmicky at first glance, because it looks like…well, we think it looks like a very elegant drone! But this sweet gadget is all about high-quality function and top sound quality — the latest contribution to the renaissance of the analog experience.

Designed and manufactured in Italy by audio startup Audio Deva, the Atmo Sfera is the very chic culmination of several prototypes and many lab tests. Its design is revolutionary: it does not have a traditional platter. Instead, the records (almost) float in the air while they spin, creating that smooth, warm tone vinyl aficionados desire, minus undesirable vibrations.

Its designers explain their motivation via physics, and if you feel so inclined, you can read their theory on their Kickstarter campaign page, where they detail how they desired to create less mass and to reduce energy stored in the turntable’s base and platter. Instead, as the Atmo Sfera implies in its moniker, the model is “Atmosphere in Space. Atmosphere around us is the only Platter that does not generate energy back to the record because it uses the air as a Platter.”

We just have one more word: want!

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Imagine dining surrounded by gangsta tattoo art. This is now possible in Aix-en-Provence, where patrons of a Japanese restaurant called Le Koi are surrounded by vast monochromatic motifs inspired by the Japanese Yakuza tattoos. The environment is a stylish feast for the senses. We may just forget to focus on our plates and get lost in the walls!

Now, the Yakuza are a notorious crime syndicate (gang would be an understatement), who are famous — among other, more unsavory things — for their beautiful and ornate tattoos. One of the many reasons for getting their whole body covered is that the dragons, koi fish and other motifs serve as “protection.” Besides, they clearly let others know where in society you belong.

Koi restaurant in the south of France was stunningly done, from walls to floors to ceiling, by architect Vincent Coste and graphic artist Claire Leina, who designed the art. Splashes of color like bright red steel chairs, natural elements like pale timber, as well as metallics contrast beautifully with the dramatic and somehow elegant black and white vibe. In the bathroom, the “tattoos” show up in burgundy.

We’re thinking the idea could be applied at home wallpaper depicting classic Japanese art motifs. Unless you can hire Coste!

About Vincent Coste

“Vincent Coste opened his architectural agency in his home town of St. Tropez in 2000, after collaborating with Rem Koolhaas in Rotterdam and Oscar Tusquets in Barcelona. His approach, based on his solid architectural background, is strongly linked to a Mediterranean context : climate, culture, history.”

“Every architectural design he creates takes into consideration the physical boundaries of a home, relative to its surroundings, making each project totally unique. Thanks to Vincent’s own interest in interior design, he extends his vision with those activities closely related to his work.  He is able to offer a global life scenario through architecture, interior design and furniture conception.”

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Why wood? The team of architects made up of PLP, Smith and Wallwork, and Cambridge University’s Centre for Natural Material say in their proposal that the choice is more sustainable, since wood is a renewable resource. Plus, it reduces the structure’s weight, costs less, builds faster, and offers more attractive residential living to inhabitants.

At eight stories high and 300 meters tall (circa 984 feet), this addition to the city’s Barbican estate (dating from the 1960s and ’70s) would feature 1,000 low-cost residential for people to enjoy a “more pleasing, relaxed, sociable and creative urban experience” — for example, it would also incorporate rooftop gardens to create greenspace. The concept is part of plans for a 1-million-square-foot mixed-use development. A 14-story tower in Bergen Norway, currently holds the record as the tallest timber high-rise. The Barbican tower would not only surpass that building but also be London’s second tallest building.

The team said that historically, many famous buildings in London were made of timber, so the idea isn’t exactly novel. Still it would be a “major innovation.” Dr. Michael Ramage, Director of Cambridge’s Centre for Natural Material Innovation stated: “We believe people have a greater affinity for taller buildings in natural materials rather than steel and concrete towers. The fundamental premise is that timber and other natural materials are vastly underused and we do not give them nearly enough credit. Nearly every historic building, from King’s College Chapel to Westminster Hall, has made extensive use of timber.”

Another positive-sounding statement came via Simon Smith of Smith and Wallwork engineers: “Timber is our only renewable construction material and in its modern engineered form it can work alongside steel and concrete to extend and regenerate our cities. It is only a matter of time until the first timber skyscraper is built.”

Worried about the “Toothpick” being a fire hazard? The visionaries assure that strict regulations would by far exceed existing ones.

The post London’s Calling. For a Wooden Skyscraper! first appeared on Dornob.

Yes, we know. You can find IKEA yourself. You don’t need us. But once upon a time this ubiquitous company was quite innovative, and this May, they are launching something very new and cool: a fun indoor gardening kit with the hashtag #IKEALetsGrow.

These hydroponic models allow you to grow herbs and lettuce in the convenience of your house or apartment all year round. All you need is water, seeds and the growing kit. Hydroponics refers to growing plant life or vegetables without soil. The KRYDDA/VÄXER series was created with the help of agricultural scientists in Sweden with the idea that anyone could do it, green thumb or not.

The process begins with absorbent starter plugs that keep the seeds moist. Once you have your little baby seedlings, they can be replanted in tiny containers with pumice stones that are able to hold plenty of necessary water. The growing unit comes with a lamp that works like a mini sun!

Good call, IKEA! We just hope the kits are simpler than the assembly of your flat pack furniture!

The post Grow Your Own: IKEA Launches an Awesome Indoor Gardening Kit first appeared on Dornob.

What do you do when you’re hopelessly in love with chairs? It’s impossible to stay true to one or even a couple styles and aesthetics, when every day another irresistible model comes along – such as this sinuous beauty. Called the Betula Chair, it is ergonomic, comfortable, super sturdy and visually pleasing with its generous curves.

Made by India-based Apical Reform Studio from birch plywood, it’s sensual and visually dynamic. The firm is devoted to non-conformist art and architecture. For instance, ply isn’t the most luxurious of furniture materials, but here it works, creating a compelling and cohesive cantilever sculpture that is also functional. While cerebral looking, the design language is inspired by fluid movements in nature, the slither of a snake in the sand, undulating water…

“A sinuous structure made entirely out of birch ply, the chair is a fine example of the beauty in fluid decontructivism. As a piece of design-art, and of function, the chair’s seemingly simple form is revealed as layers of birch ply – each individually designed – are precisely put in place. The concept behind this project – one of layering and revealing the internal frameworks – remains a process of ongoing research at the studio with more prototypes under development.”

And then it turns out that we love pretty much else we have seen so far from Apical. The curvy aesthetic was clearly evident when the team, led by Amrish Patel (principal) and Darshan Soni (director), created their own office and work space (see bottom image). Also check out this penthouse they designed in Ahmedabad, India (see below)!

Around since 2011 and devoted to “infusing atypical ideas with functionality,” they are most definitely a young firm we’re keeping an eye on!

“Founded in 2011, Apical Reform is a collaborative design studio dedicated to creating immersive experiences led by art and innovation in production technology.”

More at apicalreform.com.

The post Fluid Constructivism: The Betula Chair first appeared on Dornob.

Looking for some landscaping inspiration? Check out the magical creations of British artist and environmental sculptor Andy Goldsworthy who uses nature’s abundance from leaves and twigs to pebbles and boulders. Granted, his art installations are completely temporary, never meant to last, but we think some can serve as incentives for bringing a little nature magic into our own gardens, perhaps via a stone labyrinth or sculpture made of branches. Goldsworthy is considered the founder of modern rock balancing as a deliberate art form.

His pieces are deliberately transitory, “ephemeral works,” as he says. He told The Guardian: “Nothing lasts. We all have to deal with loss. When I make something, in a field or street, it may vanish but it’s part of the history of those places. In the early days my work was about collapse and decay. Now some of the changes that occur are too beautiful to be described as simply decay.”

Often he has no plan in mind and just finds himself inspired by the wind, a puddle of mud, icicles and snow or the shape of a leaf. The fields and forests near his residence in in Penpont, Scotland, never cease to provide both inspiration and the necessary materials. But Goldsworthy also does commissioned work. For tools he only allows himself found tools, his hands and teeth.

We don’t suggest you try to sculpt icicle masterpieces that will melt the next day or lie in your driveway waiting for rain to create “rain shadows” in the shape of your body as Goldsworthy does. But to whatever degree it is possible wherever we reside, we love the idea of bringing a sense of what surrounds us in nature into our living space. If you have a sprawling lush yard, you can create Goldsworthy-worth woodland land art. Living in an apartment? Stack some rocks. It’s meditative.

But really, we just needed an excuse to show you his beautiful and inspired work. Photos, he has said, capture his work “at its heights, marking the moment when the work is most alive.”

The post Ephemeral Environmental Sculptures first appeared on Dornob.

Glamping is still very much a thing, and with the modular, prefab Lushna Villa Air tent, you can do so sustainably and stylishly. It has a carbon footprint 2774 kg CO2. To certain discerning minds, this will mean a lot.

But mostly we love the Lushna’s beautifully minimal, natural and airy A-frame design. It looks unobtrusive out in the woods or wherever your adventure takes you, but while you’re super close to nature thanks to panoramic glass panels, you are cozy inside with a king size bed and organic linens. You can even get a sauna module or a gorgeous green plant roof. Measuring roughly 13 x 13 x 11′ 9.7″ (converted from meters) on the exterior, offering 110 square feet of space and made of wood and a waterproof roof canvas, the triangular cabin can be easily set up on sand or grass. Thanks to clever ground screws, it doesn’t need a foundation.

You get creature comforts like cool lighting, said king-size bed, and AC/DC plugins. Plus, you get organic cotton bedding, an eco latex mattress, textile curtains and a mosquito net on both open facades. You can even get yours with a house number or name! This is especially handy if you’re planning to set up a whole eco glamping village, which Lushna can do for you with these pre-fabricated, fully equipped modular units. The hut’s floor and structure are made of untreated spruce; the frames of larch wood. Just like the materials used, the production of these tents is also ecologically sound, promising minimum impact on the environment where they are assembled.

Lushna Villa Green comes with a green roof and panoramic glass wall. Lushna Sauna works with “finish or infrared sauna heating.” Lushna Villa Massive has a beautiful shingle roof and is ideal for getting cozy on rainy days. The canvas-covered Villa Air’s starts at $4,453. But think of them more like tiny cabins than regular tents.

The post Lushna Villa Air Tent: Glamping in Style first appeared on Dornob.

The fantasy of going off the grid continues to fascinate many of us. As does the tiny house movement. The two became a reality for former pro snowboarder Mike Basich, who built his very own tiny hilltop cabin in a scenic mountain setting in the Sierra Nevada, CA.

Located on 40 acres near Truckee, CA, his stone cabin – dubbed Area 241 – measures just 225 square feet but is super cozy with stunning views, large glass panels, a hot tub and even a chair lift – which Basich also constructed himself. The tiny house took him five years to build, 2.5 years alone for all the stonework, which he estimates comprised 175 tons of rock. He has no interior plumbing but a stone shower that serves as a seat during the day, and a little wood-fired oven. He sleeps in a “loft.” All the Douglas Fir timber needed was collected on his own land. Every piece of cement was hand mixed with water collected by hand. Water comes from two creeks on the property and power from a few solar panels.

He based his design on the ancient concept of the golden ratio, a geometric relationship that appears in nature in spiral shapes and also the pentagon and golden rectangle. Hence, his little home is pentagon-shaped.

“Building under that law of nature is supposed to make the space feel more fit to the body,” Basich told Laura Ling of “Going Off Grid.”

This house was a childhood dream come true. The pro boarder gave up money, the big house and the big car to go off the grid, get back to the basics and connect with the earth. This means, for instance, the ability to wake up and go to bed with the sun. Learn more via the “Going Off Grid” on YouTube, where host Ling takes a tour of Basich’s cool abode.

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Move over, beanbags, and let Knots take over.  These knot cushions are thick, beautiful oversized pillows and stools from Knots Studio in Tel Aviv. Comfy and visually striking, they add a dash of texture or color to your living room, kids room or anywhere you need a cozy lounger. The cushions are made with a special knot tying technique used on sailboats, and hold a stiff foam filling that makes them durable enough for toddlers and kids to jump on.

Clearly, their inspiration was nautical. Designer Neta Tesler originally experimented with actual ropes. Her inspiration came from her childhood spent at the beach and sailing with her family.

The wooden rings used are made by Tesler’s grandpa in his carpentry workshop. The fabrics used are hand-dyed and sewn. Color choices range from muted tones like light grey, soft beige and pale mint to nautical themes in blue and stripes. Different sizes are available, including the stool model.

The designer says she loves how “the soft textile meet the strong wood and it makes a special interactions between the materials.” If you know your knots, we’d love to know the type!

About Knots Studio

“Knots studio was established in 2013 by Neta Tesler, a graduate of the Textile Department at the Shenkar College of Engineering and Design. In her senior year, Neta was inspired by the aesthetics of the nautical
world. She researched and experimented with different materials and found a special tying technique, which she used to design her first line of products.After graduation, Neta continued developing her studio, which now sells home decor products to various distributors around the world.”

“Knots Studio specializes in home decor products like sitting cushions, decorative cushions and stools. All products utilize a unique tying technique which makes these pieces beautiful and functional. The cushions are made of a stiff-foam filling and upholstery materials that makes the pieces strong and durable. The wooden stools and rings are handmade by our wonderful wood turner.”

The post Knot Cushions: A Stylish Update to the Average Beanbag first appeared on Dornob.

A famous Los Angeles mansion that starred in “The Big Lebowski” will be open to visits from the public, thanks to its owner’s generous donation to LACMA, the Los Angles County Museum of Art.

The house was designed by well-known L.A. architect John Lautner (1911-1994) in 1961, an artist mentored by Frank Lloyd Wright. James Goldstein, a colorful local character in his ’70s (he won’t share his real age) who fits the idea of the eccentric millionaire to a T and who is known as the “NBA super fan” that attends more than 100 NBA games every season, acquired this house in 1972. He tinkered with it for 35 years and has now gifted it to the museum, along with a $17 million maintenance fund, an incredible piece of so-called sky space artwork by James Turrell and an additional building that features an office and nightclub where Oscar winner Leonardo DiCaprio and Mick Jagger have partied.

For now, Goldstein will still reside in his home, until his death, but make it available for LACMA tours and events. He said: “I want the house to be an educational tool for young architects, and I want to inspire good architecture for Los Angeles.” “For me it ranks as one of the most important houses in all of L.A.,” said Michael Govan, the museum’s director and chief executive. “And as one of the most L.A. houses, because of its connection to the view, that long view toward the ocean.”

The unusual home is surrounded by a lush tropical jungle, which Goldstein planted right when he acquired the house. He also added lots of glass, custom concrete furniture built right into the rooms, a closet that behaves like a dry cleaner rack, a TV that descends from the wooden ceiling and a sink with a hidden spout. He received a lot of help from architect Lautner himself! Lautner’s favorite thing, according to Goldstein, was to conceal things. The house enjoys a stunning canyon setting on four acres with vast views of downtown and the ocean.

Lautner, a Frank Lloyd Wright disciple, was known for his space age flair. Other works of his include the “flying saucer”-like Chemosphere, “Marbrisa” in Acapulco with a “sky moat” surrounded by snakes, and the Dolores and Bob Hope residence in Palm Springs featuring an undulating triangular roof. Many of his photogenic buildings have been featured in or inspired elements in TV, the movies and even video games, such as “Less Than Zero,” “Diamonds are Forever” and “Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.”

The post John Lautner-Designed Home Donated to LACMA first appeared on Dornob.

Bring nature into your “acoustically chaotic” indoors” with Tokyo-based designer Jin Kuramoto’s room dividers, which double as acoustic controllers akin to tuning forks, creating a more soothing, calm environment.

Nature? Yes! The series of dividers dubbed “Wind” does look like abstracted leaves or petals but also super minimalist. They were designed for the Swedish furniture company offecct and come in five shapes, colors and sound-absorbing types of fabric, which is stretched over metal tubing. Sitting on a concrete base, they look especially attractive when grouped together “like a cluster of plants or a small forest.”

Kuramoto, whose roster of clients includes Honda, Toyota and Nikon, is inspired by the organic shapes found in nature such as beehives, leaves and snowflakes. He says: “I think it can be very nice to have these room dividers, for example, in a hospital or in a large office. They make it possible to conduct intimate conversations even in acoustically chaotic environments.” Wind would also work beautifully in large office spaces with open floor plans,  hotel lobbies and even your living room, creating an intimate, hushed nook for lounging.

The post Wind: Leaf-shaped Room Dividers for “Acoustically Chaotic Environments” first appeared on Dornob.

Nothing like a good schwitz to get through cold and flu season, right? Or really, anytime of the year if you’re Scandinavian or Japanese or Icelandic, or … Hey, we are missing out! We need a sauna. In a box. Such as the wood burning sauna box by Toronto-based design studio Castor, built right into an 8x8x8-foot reclaimed shipping container.

It’s conveniently self-sufficient with a wood-fired stove and solar panel. But wait, there’s more. It comes with – in perfect man cave fashion – an electric guitar hookup. In case you want to shred while dripping for your health. There’s also an awesome, hand-carved limestone stool, an iPod stereo, truck light and, oddly, bronze antlers. The interior is done in Western red cedar and red steel. Cost? $41,000.

Since it creates its own power, you can set the Sauna Box up wherever you desire: your off-the-grid plot of land, your suburban backyard, or your flat rooftop (weight considerations allowing). When not in use, you just lock it up, like any box.

This little beast is sold by Matter, a gallery, showroom and manufacturer in NYC devoted to not just scouting and selling stuff, but providing a “platform for an ongoing conversation about design by the design community and the public alike.”

We’d certainly like to have a conversation about the electric guitar!

“This traditional wood-burning sauna is built into a shipping container. The Sauna Box is completely self-contained with solar power and a wood-fired stove. The box comes standard with iPod stereo, guitar hook-up, Castor Stool, magnetic truck light, wool toque and bronze antlers. The Sauna Box can be customized to suit the site.”

“Castor Design was established 2009 in Toronto. Led by Brian Richer and Kei Ng, Castor Design is committed to innovation in design. Its work tests the limits of materials, both in terms of aesthetic and structural properties, blurring the line between the practicality of engineering and the indulgence of art.”

“Castor Design’s products involve thoughtful experimenting with process and techniques, finding new ways to use familiar materials. The Recycled Tube Light earned Castor their reputation for recontextualizing; the attention to narrative is maintained throughout their lines of lighting, furniture, and accessories.”

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Architectural pieces for the human body? No better way to express your artistic leanings toward high design and innovative architectonics. California-based Adorn Milk exclusively features designers “who make architectural, high-quality, handmade adornments,” from up-and-comers to independent, already established brands.

Overall, the entire selection is fairly and affordable priced, considering one gets custom-made, handmade sculptural jewelry. There are textile rings, necklaces made with cotton rope and copper, geometric earrings and brooches made of 3D printed plaster and resin. Materials range from laser-cut brass to wood, resin, nylon, Corian and more.

Among the collections’ many standouts are Austrian 13&9 Design, in cooperation with INNOCAD Architecture (also in Graz, Austria). Its creators play with issues such as “modularity, compatibility, flexibility and transformation” to come up with “designs that combine conceptual functional necessities and innovations with aesthetics which also to offer an emotional component.” Put plainly, for those of us not familiar with Architecturespeak, it means Anthracite or White Corian bracelets (see below) and rings that explore the “geometry of the ellipse and hexagon.” We love the results.

We’re equally fond of New Yorker Katrin Zimmermann’s Ex OVO brand of architectural jewelry, “inspired by the idea Japanese of beauty originating in the essence of form.”

Best browse Adorn Milk yourself to see what tickles your inner aesthete.

The post Adorn Milk: Jewelry for Architecture Aficionados first appeared on Dornob.