The fragility of a butterfly enhances its beauty, making one marvel how such a delicate being can survive the wind, much less the world at large. Now, a young visionary artist is adorning stunning designer pieces with these awesome creatures to create an entirely new artform.

Portrait of the Artist

Only 29 years old, Roman Feral was born in Paris, France, though he has since relocated to Miami, Florida. His talent for art was evident even as a child, and his early creations revealed outstanding aptitude, deftness, and vision.

Feral’s latest endeavor is by far his most popular. The melding of creations from world-renowned brands like Cartier, Chanel, Goyard, and Louis Vuitton with real butterflies he sources and preserves from Asia, Africa, and South America is set to be on display in galleries all over the world this year, including cities like Paris, London, New York, Miami, Cannes, Monaco, and Courchevel.

The Process

Instead of preserving the butterflies when they are at rest, Feral has developed a new procedure that enables him to preserve each specimen while it’s in the air. The technique demands extreme accuracy and scrupulous care, but the result is incredible. Small cases, petite suitcases, and trunks designed by industry icons take on new aesthetics with butterflies emerging from their openings, each one arranged like a fine jewel in the bottom of the case or perched on an edge in a frozen moment of flight.

In another piece, a replica of Andy Warhol’s world-famous Campbell’s Tomato Soup can serves as a vase, with a bouquet of Feral’s butterflies emerging from it like fresh-cut flowers. All the pieces in the collection are also available for purchase, with prices ranging from $9,000 to $100,000.

Feral’s artistry is particularly impressive in his creation of an iconic piece inspired by Louis Vuitton. The 1950s cutouts from a LV piece were used to spell out “LOVE” and then attached to a translucent case with gold corners designed by Feral. Butterflies adorn the letters in a playful configuration, and at the bottom of the LOVE structure is a patch of imitation grass, completing the luxury-meets-nature theme.

There’s no doubt Roman Feral is an intensifying talent with even more incredible creations on the horizon. He has a vision that seems boundless, and an imagination and eye for unusual pairings that’s unmatched in the field. And though he may be a man of few words, the things he’s shared so far can’t help but promise exciting works to come.

Feral told the press: “My art is about creating an emotion and ambiance in a way that we haven’t seen…art has the power to create emotional connections and drive brand’s consumers consumption. Art and brands are like Yin and Yang and the gray zone between the two is what fascinates me…my art is inspired by the gray zone between nature’s beauty and luxury brands.”

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For all the strange and wonderful Brutalist buildings that have sprouted up all over the world, the style has rarely translated to functional design objects that are usable in real-world contexts. A Brutalist chair, for instance, might consist of solid concrete blocks set within a steel frame — not exactly comfortable. It tends to be more successful when it manifests as sculpture, lighting, or inert decorative objects. Now, this espresso machine is here to destroy our preconceptions about what Brutalism can look like in the home, using concrete to a surprisingly beautiful effect.

San Francisco Bay Area design studio Montaag presents the AnZa Espresso Machine, an appliance unlike any you’ve ever seen. Born in its creators’ Berkeley backyard shed, the AnZa is more than just the sum of its parts. Its origins lie in the unusual pairing of a design studio and an espresso repair shop sharing the same workspace.

The studio believes that “every designer has the responsibility to bring something new to the table. In a sea of coffee machines, we asked ourselves: if something is made from the same material and produces the same quality coffee as other machines in its price point — then where is the added value? AnZa’s added value comes through its material choices, thoughtfully rendered and completely real, and its accessible functionality. Combined, AnZa delivers a café-quality experience, truly earning a bit of valuable real estate on your home countertop, and in a fashion unlike any other appliance.”

Along with the concrete model, the AnZa is also available in glossy white Corian. Both machines will be equipped with connectivity, so users can remotely program them and integrate them into their smart home systems. While many unconventional high-end design objects remain intangible concepts or prototypes, never becoming available to the public, Montaag began crowdfunding for the AnZa just last week, and the machines are expected go up for sale to the broader public in early 2018.

“After several years of design, prototypes, and refinements we’re ready to hit GO! on full-scale manufacturing,” says the company. “This campaign will secure the funds to do just that.”

It’s chic, it’s minimalist, and it’s a seemingly solid hunk of concrete on your kitchen counter. Don’t worry, though, the concrete is actually just a veneer. In reality, the AnZa isn’t much heavier than a conventional coffee machine. Plus, it appears to be just as serviceable. Hoping to snag one for yourself? You can stay updated on its progress by signing up for emails on the AnZa website.

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“Acton is the leading smart, personal transportation company,” says the team on their website, adding that their goal “is to make transportation so fun and intuitive that it feels like a part of your body.”

Of course, “transportation” might not be the first word that comes into your head when you think about skateboards, but the Blink boards will definitely get you from A to B at a clip, with no pushing required over hills.

“The pro mode has very high acceleration,” the Acton team explains. “We recommend starting with the slower modes first to get accustomed to the board.” They also recommend a full complement of safety gear in case you and your board part ways unexpectedly.

You operate the Blink skateboard with a remote control, and when you connect it to the accompanying Acton app via Bluetooth, you’ll be given the option of adjusting its power and other settings. Want to impress everyone with some cool tricks? Sorry, not with the Blink — it’s designed for transit, not flair. In fact, the board’s designers warn that attempting stunts on it will likely damage its engineering components.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWTGTSEmpc4

The Blink “S2” model has a dual-hub system and three different riding modes, the highest of which allows you to get up to 18 mph. That’s pretty fast when you’re not inside a vehicle! You can tease a full 14 miles out of a charge, too, so you can really “go the distance.” The skateboard also has a regenerative braking system (much like some electric cars), so when you brake, all that kinetic energy is stored in the battery.

Want more speed? Take a look at the upcoming Blink “Qu4tro.” Acton has been prototyping this model recently, but it’s on track to start shipping later this month. The price tag is steep ($1,699), but you’re sure to get a lot of bang for your buck.

The Qu4tro has a four-hub system and can take you a whopping 22 miles on a single charge. Plus, it can reach a top speed of 23 mph.

While the Qu4tro may be as top-of-the-line as it gets, Acton does offer a more budget-friendly model with the Blink “Lite”. It has a single-hub system and a range of just five miles, but you’ll still be able to travel at a respectable 10 mph.

Safety LED Lighting is standard on all Blink skateboards, which is an especially important feature when you’re traveling at a decent speed. Just be prepared for pedestrians to shout out questions about your ride!

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Fashion house Versace has just brought its signature daring style to a new collection of homeware, and it’s everything you’d expect and more. The Versace Home Collection made its debut at this year’s FurioSalone in Milan, with curation from interior designer Sasha Bikoff and artist Andy Dixon. Drawing inspiration from pop culture, mythology, and all the palm trees and neon colors of Gianni Versace’s adopted home of Miami, the collection consists of five different furniture groups: Pop Medusa, Medusa, Jungle, Rhapsody, and Logomania.

Unveiled in a special exhibition on the second floor of the Versace home on Via Gesú, the Milanese street known for its high concentration of luxury menswear boutiques, these designs also reinterpret pieces seen in previous Versace Home collections. Full of bold shapes, bright colors, clashing patterns, and iridescent materials, the exhibition works in plenty of 2019 interior design trends. The overall effect (as is often the case with Versace) is garish without veering into gauche, and always Fashion with a capital F. Clearly, the 90s are back, whether we’re ready or not.

Bikoff says she was inspired by the Fall/Winter 1994 Versace advertising campaign shot by Richard Avedon, which featured pastel colors and iconic 90s supermodels like Christy Turlington, Cindy Crawford, Claudia Schiffer, and Stephanie Seymour.

“I wanted to showcase the connection between fashion and the home: atmosphere and rooms have the power to inspire emotions — to make us feel a certain way, just like a dress,” she tells Elle Decor. “The space I wanted to create makes you feel happy and powerful.”

Included in the exhibition are several pieces by Canadian artist Andy Dixon, who hand-painted oversized shirts with both iconic Versace prints and new prints he developed in collaboration with Donatella Versace. Dixon is known for “layering historical references with contemporary social commentary,” playing on art history and questioning the inherent value of “luxuries.” He draws comparisons between his own work and that of Versace in that they both marry pop culture and art and toe the line between sophistication and kitsch.

As for the furnishings themselves, they range from upscale versions of patio furniture that would fit right in on the Golden Girls’ lanai to sculpted polyethylene chairs featuring the face of Medusa in all her snake-haired glory. Pop Medusa translates the latter theme into weather-resistant chairs and glass cubes that serve as side tables or stools. Rhapsody showcases vivid Baroque prints, and Logomania is exactly what it sounds like, splashing “VERSACE” across various surfaces in stark black and white.

The Jungle pieces represent Versace’s first foray into outdoor furniture, and its tropical prints reference the unforgettable green V-cut silk chiffon dress Jennifer Lopez wore to the 42nd Grammy Awards ceremony in 2000. Also included in this mini-collection are a hanging bed, fire pit table, lanterns, and sun loungers.

The Versace villa at Via Gesú opened its doors to the public during Milan Design Week to show off the exhibition. Smaller pieces from the collection, like Medusa head vases and a set of ornate porcelain Rhapsody plates, are already available for purchase on the Versace website.

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“It is a house with only 40 m2 (when the box is unfolded). It has been designed for living long times that overcomes its target of occasional stays and invites to be lived by a lot of time. A-cero has cared a lot the furniture details in the interior space and has gotten practical solutions to take the most of space.

“The furniture has been designed by A-cero. It is made in Corian: a light and hard material that supports the usual vibrations and movements of driving. The whole truck is decorated in white in order to create a bright, comfortable and modern space for living.”

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Cobonpue told the Philippine Star, “At first, I said, you don’t need me for this because I don’t make replicas of machines and Star Wars fans will only buy something if there’s the face of Darth Vader on it — I don’t do that. They said, ‘No, no, no. We want you to interpret through the lens of a Filipino designer.'”

That was enough leeway to convince him to design a line based on his childhood recollections of the 1970s, when he was a big fan of the movies. The resulting take embodies his talent for designing unique high-end pieces, the likes of which have previously been purchased by movie stars like Jackie Chan, Harrison Ford, and Brad Pitt.

The Collection

Cobonpue’s Star Wars collection is comprised of the Vader, Sidious, and Imperial Wings Easy Armchairs, the Chewie Rocking Stool, and the Little Jedi Hanging Lamp.

Vader Easy Armchair

Modeled after one of the most famous Star Wars characters ever, this chair can be placed in both compact offices and cozy nooks. Its canopy is an airy open weave, and the attached table folds away at your leisure. The seat cushion features a scrupulously stitched image of Darth Vader’s daunting mask.

Sidious Easy Armchair

You’ll feel power surge through your veins as you sink into the Sidious armchair. The backrest is heightened and slightly curved to look like a hood, and the chair’s legs are slightly arched forward as if they’re ready to pounce. Sit there long enough, and you may start channeling the Sith Lord’s commanding and terrifying persona.

Imperial Wings Easy Armchair

The remarkable Imperial fleet TIE fighter emblem was the inspiration for the Imperial Wings armchair. The handwoven polyethylene construction so vividly instills feelings of dexterity and power that you’ll feel like an ace fighter pilot in no time.

Chewie Rocking Stool

In this design, Chewbacca and his famous bandolier are embodied in brown microfiber strips and encircled with a fabric sash. Cobonpue chose a rocking stool to emphasize the whimsy of the Wookiee warrior and steadfast friend, Han Solo.

Little Jedi Hanging Lamp

This distinctive lamp is pretty much a story made furniture. Made from salago fiber painstakingly applied by hand to the body, the lamp is adorned with tiny Jedi knights raising light sabers, which themselves provide the actual light. A Sith Lord in combat with the Jedi represents the lofty goals that can be attained when warring forces unite and battle for a greater good.

Pieces from Cobonpue’s Star Wars collection were recently made public at AsiaPOP Comicon 2018 in Pasay City. Cobonpue has showrooms in Manila, Cebu, New York, and Munich, but his Star Wars furniture is currently only available in the Philippines.

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The humble pushcart is a New York City mainstay. Walk down any street at any time of day or night, and you’re bound to see at least one dutifully transporting heavy items like cases of liquor, package deliveries, retail merchandise, and furniture. In a city where almost nobody has a driveway and many residents don’t own vehicles, toting stuff down sidewalks is just a necessary part of daily life. Of course, you’d better hope there’s an elevator available once you reach your destination, or you’ll be in for quite a workout moving things into an upper-level walkup.

A fun new line of furniture pays tribute to this essential aspect of New York life by building the pushcart right into each design. With the knowledge that you probably won’t be in one apartment for very long and will soon need to transport all of your belongings right back down to the sidewalk, the 12-piece pushcart series by CL3 and Lim + Lu is made for ultimate portability and versatility. The designers are all graduates of Cornell University and wanted to honor their alma mater’s College of Architecture with the collection. Each pushcart bears a seal on the bottom that reads “Cornell University, Founded A.D. 1865.”

Lim + Lu sees the “Push/Pull” series as an encapsulation not only of the spirit of New York but also of larger-scale globalization. The company explains, “The design journey began by examining the inherent qualities of these pushcarts and how they are used on a daily basis. They are sometimes used in an upright manner and at other times adopt a more reclined position. This bipolar characteristic of the pushcart presented the opportunity to design a furniture series that could also have multiple personalities. For example, a piece that functions as a three-seater sofa in its reclined position may transform into a coat rack when it’s upright. When a piece is in one posture, one can notice subtle hints that it can be used in another stance.”

Context is key to the success of the project, according to William Lim of CL3. “We always like to approach our designs within context. Our practice is rooted in the principles of Asian design. We blend an intuitive sense of light, balance, and proportion with contemporary solutions and innovative materials to produce designs that are versatile. That’s what we have done with this range: we have thought about the true purpose of the furniture. How it will become part of Cornell’s fabric, go beyond the primary usage, and spread out within the context it has been placed in.”

The series’ loveseats are oriented with arms on either their left or right sides, so they can be pushed together into one large seating area or pulled apart. Other pieces can function as a larger sofa, a coffee table, an armchair, a desk, a bookcase, a private padded booth perfect for phone calls, a podium, or a bar, depending on how you choose to orient them. The more you look at them and play with them, the more you realize about their possibilities. They all include built-in storage, too.

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Despite all the online drama and frustrations with Balenciaga’s apparent gall, Ikea appears to be finding the whole situation hilarious. If anything, the design behemoth is honored to have provided the inspiration for such a big-name fashion product. Stella Monteiro, the sales leader for IKEA UK and Ireland, says “We are extremely flattered to seemingly be an inspiration for the latest catwalk designs for Balenciaga. Our IKEA Frakta tote is one of our most iconic products which are already owned and loved by millions—now the many people truly can get the designer look for less.” Not to mention the fact that the now viral comparison has given IKEA a ton of free marketing. The company recently released a witty advertisement of their own explaining how to spot an authentic Frakta bag. The tote is pictured above a block of text that reads: “How to Identify An Original IKEA FRAKTA Bag. 1). Shake it. If it rustles, it’s the real deal. 2). Multifunctional. It can carry hockey gear, bricks, and even water. 3). Throw It In The Dirt. A true FRAKTA is simply rinsed off with a garden hose when dirty. 4). Price Tag. Only $0.99.”

This is far from the first time that IKEA has influenced the fashion world. Just last year, the Danish brand Hay released their own interpretations of the Frakta. Since the release of the Balenciaga model, several people have also taken it upon themselves to repurpose the totes as articles of clothing, from hats and baseball caps to thongs, bras, and gas masks.

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Some of the best designs have a dramatic twist, a hidden surprise that makes them worthy of note. Others are simply remarkably for their elegant simplicity, even if they are clean, perfect and idealized beyond the realm of real-life possibility – like the great (but expensive) ideas in these designer bathroom pictures.

With modular moving panels that let you shape space, these layouts from Karol of course require that you have enough space to actually divide your bathroom design into different areas. Also, some of these high-end luxury finishes may not make it into your next remodeling budget.

Still, while you may not have as much room as the bathrooms in these images do, some of these strategies still apply. Diffuse natural (or even artificial) lighting around a shower or bath tub, for example, can make for a more intimate bathroom space. A basin also often looks more contemporary and clean than a built-in sunken sink.

Simple black and white works well in the background with wood and mirror accents, and simple partitions even in smaller bathroom spaces can assist in compartmentalizing various functions and zones. Done right, these kinds of tricks avoid the need for excessive decorating as well – the painting and materials make up the decor.

Extra shelving, wall-hung mirrors, cabinets and vanities can help a space feel more open, light and free of clutter – even if you look for a cheap or DIY alternative to these more elegant prefabricated solutions and bathroom collections.

“1980: – birth of an aesthetic. There is a strong link between Karol’s birth year and the will of renewing and combine use and shape in the design object; the will of linking use and aesthetical practice in a fructuous symbiosis. The purpose is celebrating a mixture between a useful place and a beautiful place, transforming the everyday geography into semantics of visual conquest.”

“Spacing design and valuing the space: this is the bilateral focus that presses any project; submitting the matter to the double idea of function and feeling. In this challenge with the goal of being functional and being beautiful at the same time, Karol develops its own operative plan; and so both executive needs of turning basically common materials into unique items through alternative solutions of manufacturing and of developing a dimension of manual care as well.”

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A curtain behind a transparent door are simple and old-fashioned ways to control incoming natural light and visual permeability – but what if you whole door could act as a kind of flexible and interactive heavy-weight counterpoint to more traditional fabric curtains?

This remarkable door designed by Matharoo Associates is composed of lush dark-wood panels (or planks) that are able to ‘bend’ open, ‘fold’ closed, and be held in any one of an infinite set of modular options in between – despite each individual panel being of rigid construction.

Not only are the various permutations fascinating, but the active of opening and closing the door is itself an experience. The user feels the mass moving underneath their fingertips, manually registering each change in position, and can watch thick horizontal wood element slowly slide into new formations.

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Nothing says executive power and excessive luxury like black and gold in an office design. To keep the design from getting too carried away, however, artistic touches soften and add interest to this creative conference, meeting and lounge space by i29.

The thematic focus on the idea of a spotlight is immediately obvious to an occupant – from the large circular ceiling lights to the faux-shadows they cast on the floor and the spaces on the wall also implied by their presence. This repeated theme also offsets what might otherwise be a stuffy, overly-elegant space.

Ultimately, this design strikes the right balance between conceptual and practical, artistic and functional. It serves its purposes well with ample light, seating, work and storage spaces but still makes for a radically unique office interior.

“The board of an investment group in capital stock, wanted to have a self-called ‘power office’. i29 l interior architects and Eckhardt&Leeuwenstein, two offices which collaborated during this project, created this by placing every board member in the spotlight on a playful way.”

“All three boardrooms and a lounge are executed in an overall design concept. Large round lampshades, spray painted gold on the inside, seem to cast light and shadow oval marks throughout the whole space. By this, a playful pattern of golden ovals contrasts with the angular cabinets and desks, which are executed in black stained ash wood. In the flooring the oval shaped forms continue by using light and dark grey carpet. Also, these ovals define the separate working areas.”

“The lounge area has, in combination with the white marble flooring these same light/shadow patterns that cover the bar and benches in silver fabrics. This area can be used for presentations or social working, with an integrated flat screen in the bar and data connections in all pieces of furniture. The existing space is set in a 17th century historic building, at one of the most famous canals of Amsterdam called ‘de gouden bocht’. All existing ornaments and details are painted white.”

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What would you expect to get from a luxury RV that costs $2.5 million? A golden toilet, perhaps? A sports car at no extra cost? You won’t get any of that in the Featherlite Vantare Platinum Plus, which is described by its manufacturer as the “world’s most luxurious” recreational vehicle. What you will get is a garage for the sports car you presumably already own, if you can afford this thing, along with all sorts of borderline ridiculous ostentation aimed at people who really want to revel in their wealth.

“The entry steps are rare Inca marble bull nosed by Featherlite resident stone artist Patrick Paffour,” says Featherlite, Inc. in a press release. “The risers are hand-made glass tile with embedded copper. The ceiling and AV cabinet in the helm are covered with pearlized Italian leather while the veneer on the dash and steering wheel are sapele Pommele from Africa.”

“The salon features a custom Italian sofa with double electric recliners. It is upholstered in Correggio fabric. The Platinum Plus salon has a special liquor cabinet covered with sapele veneer and stocked with signed crystal glasses by Michael Weems and decanter from Neiman Marcus. A custom desk boasts suede lined drawers and a laptop computer with multifunction printer. The salon, galley and hall ceiling are covered in custom copper sculpture by Chip Manz. Ceiling lighting shines through Swarovski crystal.”

And that isn’t all. Buy one and get your owned stocked liquor cabinet with expensive spirits, a place to store your sports car in the side and of course top of the line everything from telivisions and fixtures to appliances and materials. All in all this is anything but an affordable road-trip vehicle for for the posh ultra-rich on the move this motorhome provides all of the luxuries of even the most incredibly designed and finished condos. If it’s the world’s most luxurious RV, it’s also (at least one of) the world’s most expensive. Do you think it’s worth that much money?

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