Design & Lifestyle Blog

29 Aug ’12

Celebrities Made Out Recycled Cassettes | Art

Filed under: Art & Photography,blog — Tags: , , , , — Sahar @ 2:01 pm

To be able to use such a simple material and make something so beautiful out of it is what we know as art.

In her series ‘Ghost in the Machine’,Princeton-based artist Erika Iris showcases a number of portraits of musicians made out of recycled cassette tape with original cassette. Also included are portraits made from old film and reels. She was inspired by philosopher Gilbert Ryle. She says she imagines”we are all, like cassettes, thoughts wrapped up in awkward packaging”.

“Most of my pieces become portraits of people associated with the item I’ve chosen. I don’t really add any paint or pigments… I usually just take things apart and re-arrange the pieces, cutting away portions when necessary. A lot of my art is made with cassette tapes and old film reels in a series I call “Ghost in the Machine.”

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28 Aug ’12

The Street Art Bag Competition By Sarah’s Bag

Sarah’s Bag is a growing company known for beautiful bags made in Lebanon and worn by fashionistas everywhere. The bag featured in their banner is my favorite from their collection, they have amazing products and deliver internationally. You can shop the collection online. If you are in the area  on September 5th, make sure to pass by and participate. Good luck!

Check out their website: Sarah’s Bag

 

Chico’s Restaurant In Finland | Restaurant Design

It is probably obvious what I loved about this space, the huge mural laid on painted bricks. I know it’s the trend now to use rustic and natural looking finishes,  I had to share this post. I have some comments regarding the design of the entire space but overall I think the designer has some interesting elements.The  old window frames, steel chairs, and bricks were beautifully integrated in the space and allowed the beautiful murals to stand out. This restauarant was designed by Amerikka Design Office.

[nggallery id=5]

 

From the Designers:

The Chico’s restaurant chain has been serving North American food to Finns since 1991. In spring 2012, the chain’s time-honored Iso Omena (‘Big Apple’) restaurant was reopened with a bold new interior. Amerikka Design Office Ltd. had created a new space concept for the restaurant, designed to support its new food, drink and service concept. Visually, the restaurant underwent a complete transformation.

Diners and staff alike have felt at home in the restaurant: there has been positive feedback on its atmosphere, its spicy details and its solutions which make it easier to serve customers. The positivity is reflected in business figures, too.

The visual standpoint for the restaurant’s look is modern-day USA, manifested through a wild mix of urban pulse and human warmth. The restaurant interior is marked by bold expression, beautifully fading surfaces, genuine materials and murals by painters Juha Lahtinen and Samuli Suonperä.

The restaurant premises are designed to function seamlessly through all seasons and to serve a wide range of requirements. Chico’s invites customers to enjoy lunch, a drink or dinner on their own or with friends. To support the staff in their work, the restaurant facilities also comply with the chain’s service model. The change has been a success and a delight for customers and staff alike.

Amerikka Design Office

27 Aug ’12

Zaha Hadid Designs The Bottle For Donna Karan Woman

 

“I believe in the power of women. As nurturers, we have a unique ability to care and share and make the world a better place. Women Who Inspire are women who are making a difference. This website gives their inspiring messages an interactive forum, encouraging women everywhere to take action and get involved.” – Donna Karan

Donna Karan has continuously emphasized her faith in women and what they could accomplish for the world on various levels. For her latest scent, Donna Karan Woman, she collaborated with one of architecture's leading icons and Pritzker Prize winner Zaha Hadid, to design the bottle.

The bottle itself is made of ombre charcoal glass, about which Hadid says, “The bottle’s dark, translucent qualities offer a sense of mystery that awakens our curiosity.”

I am personally a big fan of Donna's Cashmere Mist, I can't wait to try this one as well. Below are more images pertaining to the campaign and bottle itself.

22 Aug ’12

The Perfect French Napkin Fold | Table Setting

Anyone who would love to host guests would appreciate tips for the perfect table setting. Checking out Priya Krishna‘s post on the The Food Network made me want to share with you her tip for the perfect French napkin fold. This is a nice classy way a setting your cutlery and would save you the hassle of knowing which utensil goes on which side.I loved the idea of creating a pocket! Check the detailed steps next!

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21 Aug ’12

Jamie Oliver And The Big Chair Project

Jamie Oliver does it again, after his famous food revolution to change the eating habits of kids worldwide, he just started a new project known as the ” The Big Chair Project” where designers and artists including Paul Smith, Quentin Blake, Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, and Tracey Emin have customized classic Ant chairs by Arne Jacobsen, which will be auctioned in order to raise money for Jamie Oliver’s Better Food Foundation.

The Burberry Stud by Christopher Bailey, Burberry chief creative officer

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15 Aug ’12

The Vortex Chandelier By Zaha Hadid

Filed under: Famous Designers — Tags: , , , — Sahar @ 8:15 pm

Back on the architectural front is the news of Zaha Hadid's Vortex chandelier which was introduced in 2005 as a collaboration with Patrik Schmacher for Sawaya & Moroni. In 2007 the price was estimated as $200,000.

The Chandelier’s Opaque surface etches two transparent acrylic light spirals and a recessed LED light strip provides animated and programmable light sensations. Its complex curvilinearity follows a double helix connecting its beginning to its end and therefore forming an endless ribbon of light. In plan the object resembles a star with its protrusions pointing outwards from the center, emphasizing an imaginary centrifugal force.

This 2 m high 1.5 m wide light corpus is made up of over 60 individual mouldings that fit together seamlessly in a 12 m long string. The chandelier can be attached flush to the ceiling thanks to a special suspension assembly. Its high-gloss fibreglass-reinforced polyester surface has a precise-fitting translucent acrylic glass cover to ensure uniform light distribution and optimum colour mixing. Precise colour matching enables the very latest generation of LED modules to generate indirect light in various hues. When used in combination with Zumtobel’s lighting management system, an infinite variety of lighting scenes can be controlled and programmed.

The concept was first mentioned in 2005 during Milano fair of that year.

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14 Aug ’12

Kylie Minogue Home Collection For Debenhams

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , — Sahar @ 8:11 pm
 
Debenhams collaborated with several famous figures for their home collections such as Kelly Hoppen, Elizabeth Hurley, Jamie Oliver, and Kylie Minogue. I had no idea Kylie had an ” At Home” collection until I passed by Debenhams a few days ago. The designs and quality are actually nice, didn't like the cushions much though, too much going on, but the bed covers were elegant. The prices are reasonable but as usual more expensive than in the UK where there is a 20% sale on this collection.
You can check them out at their various locations. Debenhams are located in Sharq Mall and Avenues.
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