2Modern Design Talk - Modern Furniture & Design Blog

american hotel stories.

If you enjoy consuming Hollywood history, secrets, and insider details, then you'll love American Hotel Stories published by Assouline. The book trails some very famous and often elusive legends (Marilyn Monroe, Al Capone, Jack Kerouac) across the country during their stays in various American hotels -- that are legendary in their own right -- along the way disclosing some very titillating tales. Additionally, author Francisca Matteoli compiled an appendix of the country's most novel hotels so that you can live adventurously, too.

vessel workplace dish set.

 I try to pack my lunch most days, and inevitably I use plastic utensils that wind up getting thrown out. That's why I love Vessel's Workplace dish set -- it's a great way to be environmentally friendly at work. Featuring a cup, plate, bowl, utensils, and a place mat, the set packs up into a tidy self-contained kit when you're finished eating. It's genius, and the Earth will thank you!

Modern Roots

This one probably best fits under the category "did you know?"

Do you recognize this chair? Design enthusiasts among us may.

It's a replica of one created circa 440 B.C., Classical Period Greece and called the Klismos. This graceful, clean lined, wood side chair was the most influential furniture piece invented by the ancient Greeks and a design that has no doubt influenced countless other designs of modern times.

Check out the beautiful modern renditions of this classical masterpiece by Donghia below.

Compassionate Modern? Supporting 3rd World Artisans

  You've heard the phrase doing well by doing good? How about doing well by good design? A couple of globally conscious entreprenuers launched Exotic World Gifts last year to bring the creations of remote villages to market, in turn providing the artisans a sustainable income. The clean lines of these bamboo, cinnamonwood and olivewood handcrafted trays, bowls and servers from Bali and Africa would grace any modern table!

        

      

Yacht O'Clock

Before design gods and starchitects like Starck and Foster got into the mega yacht design scene, there was Wally. Or more specifically, the 118 WallyPower super yacht. 

The result of a collaboration between Wally Yachts of Morocco and Lazzarini Pickering Architects of Rome, this stylish addition to the waterways is capable of an impressive 65 knots. A sleek construction of carbon fibre, laminated glass and teak, the yacht is uncompromisingly modern both inside and out, from the conspicuously corporate dining area, to the well-equipped stainless steel galley.

The master bedroom (or stateroom in nautical-speak) is a little more forgiving,, but it's the main living areas that steal the limelight as the ultimate in luxury and comfort, with sumptuous white upholstery, timber paneling, teak decking, and of course a view to die for.

Comfortably accommodating 6 passengers and 6 crew, the 118 WallyPower is a little on the modest side compared to more recent designer yacht offerings, but with killer looks like these, size really doesn't matter.

More at Wally Yachts.

Living in World's Tallest Structure Burj Dubai

Bonne Annee! This is what I was screaming for a few hours new years eve on the streets of lower east side Manhattan. Which consequently lead to a sore throat that turned into a cold & the flu that is going around. I am sick.  :-( I won't go into details, but between achoo's, sniff sniffs, cough, coughs this is what I wanted to share with you.

Burj Dubai is the tallest manmade structure. I saw the construction in progress when I was in Dubai visiting family in October 2008. It was quite a sight. Homes, offices, restaurants, gym and more all in this magnificent tower. Apparently Giorgio Armani has designed one of his flagship hotels in downtown Burj Dubai. And rumor has it that the Becks are interested in buying a home there. I can't wait for this awe inspiring combination of intelligence, glass, steel and concrete to take its final shape in September 2009.

More details on Burj Dubai's website.

How do you feel about homes in the sky? Could you live on the floor 190?
Have  a wonderful year ahead.

Images courtesy dailymail and Burj Dubai

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I wanted to wish everyone a Happy New Year!

2009 will certainly go down as a very memorable one, to say the least. I think there will be a lot of reflection on what exactly transpired over this past year. There is no need to rehash it all, the Media does a great job at keeping us up to date with every detail possible.

I guess the one thing that I can decipher from all of this is this...if you are in a position of power, and your decisions impact several people, then make sure that you are acting with other people's best interest in mind. Make sure that your integrity is in check and that you are as concerned with other people's well-being as your own.

CEO's, Politicians, Hedge Fund Managers (Ponzi Scheme Operators), Teachers, Parents, etc...we all inherently know right from wrong. We all know when we are looking to 'just get ours', regardless of the end result of our actions on others.

I am sure I am preaching to the choir...as most of the people that are the root cause of some of these current global concerns will likely never read this, let alone have it sink in. Maybe if we start giving more attention to the people that are doing good things for people, doing the right or selfless thing when no one is even watching, then things will start to change in a positive direction. I hope that good behavior is rewarded and bad behavior isn't in 2009. That is my wish.

I sincerely hope that all of you out there have a very Happy, Healthy (and Conscious) New Year!

Greg

A Space Created in Nature and of Nature

When I think Spa I usually think of cedar wood steam rooms, neutral colors, and stacks of white towels. You can imagine how suprised I was to see this spa-like hotel in Austria. Known as Rogner's Bad Blumau, this wellness spa and hotel is an architectural fantasy with colorful and amorphus shapes forming it's city-like landscape.

Designed by the late Austrian artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser, his vision was to create "life in harmony and in harmony with nature." All I know is that he created a delicious box of treats for the eyes and other senses. More examples of his beautiful work can be found here.

 
Two of their thermal spa offerings.

 
The Augenschlitzhäuser or "slit-eye" apartments and a detail of the Arcades.

A detail of Stammhaus or the main part of the hotel, which includes Reception and the administrative offices.

A typical room with an a-typical mosaic peeking out from the bathroom.

All images shown are from the Hotel's own website.

Samsonite Black Label by Alexander McQueen: What the Well Dressed Traveler Will be Carrying.

If you are planning a ski trip over the holidays and need new luggage (and you are one of the lucky ones to still  have cash),  you may want to take a look at Alexander McQueen's latest iteration of his collaboration with Samsonite.  While the current pieces (above) are available in chocolate, bone, and black, silver has now been added to the mix.

But you can't sit on the sidelines for the silver as it's only being done in limited edition...and not all the pieces in the set can be purchased in silver.

Alexander McQueen, one of fashion's most famous for his edgey and sometimes outlandish collections, says of creating luggage with a rib cage design, "“The human ribcage protects our vital organs as we move about in the world. Luggage takes on the same role as we travel and pack our worldly possessions inside for safe transport. ”

The Hero piece (above left) boasts a ribcage and sternum outline in the front, and a backbone on the back.  The Upright 57 in silver, (above right) imposes a faux croc pattern with a laser technology and the shiny exterior, courtesy of a new paint technology, is developed in conjunction with Bayer. First developed for the motor industry, the paint is thermoformable and highly resistant to impact.  To see the whole collection or to purchase go to Samsonite's website.

From designboom and if it's hip, it's here.

Alexander McQueen.com

Frequent Flyer Lines

Mario Freese has brilliantly interpreted random flight statistics and patterns into an amazing piece of art.

Air Lines is an art project showing worldwide airliner routes. Every single scheduled flight on any given day is represented by a fine line from it's point of origin to it's port of destination. Thereby forming a net of thousands of lines. Hubs like JFK, FRA or DXB turn into dark knots where lines meet, lesser served local services are only are a subtle hint.

I can't stop staring at them!

Grab them here: Air Line Prints

--sdotg--