The Home Crowd

Two years ago, we came across the ‘Doc’, a couch which transformed into bunk beds – Link.

Resource Furniture, a NYC store has brought the ‘Doc’ and many other transformative pieces of furniture here to the U.S.  Some of the pieces seem to be much more than traditional murphy beds.  Instead of simplified hideaway beds, many of their pieces are transformed into couches, seating, desks…

Oh sure, this seems perfect for small, cramped, new york city apartments.  But is it worthwhile for the average suburban home?  Depends on the way you use your space I suppose.  Maybe you have a den or office which would be better suited as a guest bedroom around the holidays.  Certainly, you can pop up an aerobed in a few minutes, and wedge out a little space amongst the clutter, or plan your space around a permanent guest bed, taking up precious floor space like the giant elephant in the room it is.  Or you can have both, I suppose.

Check out the space saving furniture, as well as other “non-transforming” pieces at their website – Link

Although, technically, flipping a mattress is kind of like transforming.

I need to call in a price this “Ares” desk set they have.

At 9 feet high, and 15 feet wide, it just may need to be stretched across two walls as shown above.  At that size, you could park your car on it quite comfortably.  It’s 250 bucks from Urban Collector – Link, and who knows, maybe if they release the original trilogy in giant wall decals, you could potentially wallpaper your entire living/great room.  Your friends/spouses/loved ones may never let you live it down, but that’s the price you pay for awesomeness I suppose. ..at least it’s not star trek.

At First, I was ready to chalk this up to the most ridiculous item of the day.  The Eames Lounge chair, with accompanying ottoman…. for kids!?!  Kids won’t get it, they won’t understand that this piece of furniture is one of modern design’s greatest of all time.  Little Nest offers this up along with a fine assortment of children’s modern furniture.  This pint size re-creation sells for $900 – Link.

That’s crazy, right?  900 bucks for a kid’s chair?  They’ll likely spend more time building a fort out of the box it ships in.

Depends…  I don’t have any clue of what furniture I want to be surrounded by for the rest of my days.  I do know however, I would like the Eames Lounge chair to be in there somewhere.  Nowadays, a full size replica plus ottoman goes for about $3900 from Design Within Reach in an assortment of colors and finishes – Link.

When my budget allows for it, it’ll become part of the family.  Also, the most carefully wrapped piece of furniture I’ll ever move I suppose.  That is, unless the miniature Eames Lounge isn’t sufficiently bubble wrapped.

Ahh, yes, more desktop ornament than functional setpiece, the MoMA store has it for $670 – Link.  At six inches tall, it might be the most expensive cellphone stand you ever buy…

But back to the kids.

The good thing is, for a considerable price, their formative years can be spent coloring while sitting in their favorite chair.

The bad news is… each of the chairs shown above only come in white, so your children will also be coloring ON the chairs.

The appropriately named “Sha-Do” lighting fixtures by designer Peter Buning create intricate and impressive patterns along your walls and ceilings with a clear/opaque or clear/solid differentiation of the Sconce-screen.. (Sconce-shade?, Lamp shade?)

Okay, I’m not sure how to define it, I just know it looks awesome.

How appropriate would the flame-themed wall sconce be for the auto afficianado in your life?

Now, I know what you’re thinking?  Can I get one to match my wife/girlfriend’s tramp stamp?  Well, check out the Sha-do site, as well as a few additional product lines.  However, they seem to have focused in on more geometric patterns, as well as a traditional labyrinth.  So you might wanna hold your breath on the dragonfly-inspired shaded sconce.

Check out these, and many more great designs at the Sha-do site – Link

Price: 299 Euros, so expect about 500$ each.  The ordering site here lists the U.S. distributors as Design Within Reach in most of the cities I looked at, but the Sha-do fixtures aren’t listed on their website, so you might want to give them a call if you’re serious about tracking these down.

Spotted at Curbly.

The Flux Chair, available only in the Netherlands right now, is hands down the coolest folding chair I’ve seen in a long time.

As the unfolding begins, you start to believe you’re about to see the largest chinese food take-out container ever assembled, but the end result is much more pleasant, and curvy.

But with the portablility that this provides, I could certainly see these chairs stored like giant record sleeves in a closet, waiting to provide needed seating at your next dinner party.

I’m not sure, however, that these chairs would fit in so well on the family camping trip or tailgating at your favorite sporting event.  That market’s been cornered by another type of folding chairs in recent years by a less expensive option.  (The Flux Chair – 129 Euros, approximately a hair above 200$ as the currency exchange is currently)

The less expensive option even comes with it’s own cup holder!

Flux Chair, spotted at Apartment Therapy

While reading through Gizmodo earlier today, I came across this article regarding the installation of wall mounted flat screens and the improper installation of wiring (Not to code) may just void your home insurance.

The problem is caused by those mounting their televisions, yet tired of the eyesore of hanging cords down the wall, that might carelessly and impatiently feed the supplied power cable, and A/V cables within the inside cavities of the wall.  Not to mention the extension cords involved, and possibly power strip/surge protectors.

Well, turns out that the National Electrical Code is not okay with that at all.

From the Gizmodo article -

The National Electric Code (NEC) states:

NEC ARTICLE 400 Flexible Cords and Cables General 400.1 Scope.
This article covers general requirements, applications, and construction specifications for flexible cords and flexible cables.
400.8 Uses Not Permitted.
Flexible cords and cables shall not be used for the following:
(1) As a substitute for the fixed wiring of a structure
(2) Where run through holes in walls, structural ceilings, suspended ceilings, dropped ceilings, or floors
(3) Where run through doorways, windows, or similar openings
(4) Where attached to building surfaces
Exception: Flexible cord and cable shall be permitted to be attached to building surfaces in accordance with the provisions of 368.8.
(5) Where concealed by walls, floors, or ceilings or located above suspended or dropped ceilings

In other words, running power cords through the walls is not a substitute for permanent wiring. You’re supposed to have a new electric socket installed directly behind the TV, where you can plug in the power cord and coil up the slack to tuck underneath. If you drilled some holes and ran cable yourself all willy nilly, in and back out to a power socket, chances are you are in violation of these codes. Should a fire result, your insurance may find reason to get out of covering your losses.

Personally I know quite a few people with wall mounted flat panel TV’s, but quite a few more who are quite content standing them atop a narrow piece of furniture.  Hopefully, for all their sakes, I hope everything is wired properly.

But for those who’ve been waiting patiently for the price of that nice flat screen HDTV to drop into the affordable range before the upcoming football season, please remember not to skimp on the mounting.

Plan it out, or find an appropriate television stand.

• Make certain you plan out your space, and the size the the television you’d like to place in it.  (No one wants an unsightly electrical outlet just above the fireplace)
• Contact a fully licensed and trustworthy electrician, and also possibly a contractor and low voltage consultant, depending on what type of overhaul you’re planning for your home and how A/V and data cables may be routed alongside the permanent electrical wiring.

Here’s a good example, from the entire process article at Digital Home Thoughts. (Really interesting read, and great custom shelves)

And here is also another guide from Crutchfield detailing the “How-to’s” of wall mounting. – Link

This is all great to the homeowners, but suppose you’re renting and don’t feel like losing your security deposit, but appreciate the picture frame-esque clean wall faced televion mount.  There are also various options of furniture that can re-create that look for your high tech, high class pad, such as Crate and Barrel’s “Loop” media center (below)

This, however, may be overkill…  – Link