The Modern Materialist : living room

Equation: Strut + Style

Steph Auteri — Fri, 08 May 2009 14:03:00 GMT

In this case, the name of this Peacock Chair by Dror Benshetrit is perfectly apt. And since we love peacocks so much, I thought I should share it with you.

[Via Design Milk]

I Fell Hard for This Coffee Table

Steph Auteri — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 17:08:00 GMT

[$485, Nobel Rugs & Home]

No, not this one. While this one has a lot of heart, it doesn't have the playfulness that this other one does:

[$1,400, SIDD Fine Woodworking]

This Domino coffee table was built over a period of six weeks by a single craftsman, which is why it is completely out of my price range. Such a nice, elegant play on your typical coffee table, though.

[Via Design Milk]

Design Synthesis: Bright, Blooming Colors

Steph Auteri — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 16:19:00 GMT

[$1,498, Anthropologie]

Occasionally, despite a number of non-girly tendencies, I am drawn to floral patterns. Especially in uplholstery and other fabrics. The problem? How am I to make a bold floral pattern work with everything else in my apartment? I think my place is a lost cause, as far as introducing this lovely chair into the equationgoes, but if I were starting from scratch...

Chloe Gauze Curtains, $24, Urban Outfitters
Lacquer Mirror, $19.95, Crate and Barrel
Tube Top Color Lamp, $110, 2modern
Silhouette Cuckoo Clock, $368, Anthropologie
Coming and Going Coat Rack, $68, Urban Outfitters
Santorini Vase, $66.95, Crate and Barrel
Huomenta Table, $1,298, Anthropologie

Sitting Back To Back

Steph Auteri — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 23:04:00 GMT

[Photo via]

Things I Enjoy Indulging In Back-to-Back:

double features
dinner & dessert
a boogie-down Jackson 5 song followed by a Ben Folds ballad
episodes of House and So You Think You Can Dance
this sofa:

Okay. So you're not technically seated back to back, but that's definitely a lot of seat backs for one sofa. Designed by Nigel Coates for Fratelli Boffi, it costs £7,955.

[Via Book of Joe]

This Coffee Table Has a Secret

Alex Zalben — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 14:32:00 GMT

This coffee table has a totally awesome secret. Can you guess what it is? I'll give you a few hints:

- It doesn't also make coffee.

- Neither does it produce magazines and kitschy books from thin air.

- If you look closely at the design, it may remind you of another kind of table...

- Once you find out, it will bring you great "joy."

Did you figure out what it is? If not, or to check your answer, here's another picture:

Yup, it's a new version of SurfaceTension's Arcade Coffee Table, with a built in LCD screen, computer, and old school arcade controls.

You can dress the boy up with nice furnishings, but you can't take him out of the arcade.

[£2999, Surface Tension]

[Via Unplggd]

Go Around The World Without Leaving Your Couch

Alex Zalben — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 13:27:00 GMT

Want to take a world tour without leaving your couch? Then check these out:

With Urban Jungle decals from The Surface Store, you can customize your own world trip.

[$29-$90, The Surface Store]

[Via Freshome]

Pacman Says, "Sit On My Face"

Alex Zalben — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 16:25:00 GMT

Ever wanted to have a sexy fun time on PacMan? Now you can:

As a side note, it's incredible that you can find a "sexy" Halloween costume for anything.

[Price on Request, QAYOT]

[Via Hometone]

Related: Pac Man Belt

Nice Jugs!

Alex Zalben — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 13:03:00 GMT

Wow, look at the jugs on that couch! Pretty, hot, huh? Oh, wait, I actually meant this couch:

The best news is, technically, you don't even need to buy it. All you need is 33 jugs, and a dream... Oh, and the plans linked here.

[Via Neatorama]

Double Take: Long and Shapely

Steph Auteri — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 14:09:00 GMT

I found something long, soft, and shapely for you to snuggle up to:

[Nea Studio]

[Via Product Dose]

Compare/Contrast: Coffee Tables

Steph Auteri — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 18:00:00 GMT

[$189.99, Target]

This is my coffee table now.

[$1,128, Spacify]

This is the coffee table I will have when I have money.

[Via GearCrave]

Party At My Place: The Perfect Sectional For Your Next Orgy

Steph Auteri — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:30:00 GMT

This is what my sectional looks like from up above. The only differences? The color (mine is the color of oatmeal) and the fact that mine was purchased at Bob's Discount Furniture while this one was designed by the awesome Ligne Roset.

If you have more money than I do, the possibilities are even greater:

The sofa feels exceptionally spacious, even with just the first two pieces. If you had all four, well...well, you could have an orgy!

Or something.

[Via eUpgrader]

How To Add a Cushion of Color

Steph Auteri — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 13:30:00 GMT

[MetroSofa]

I've been complaining a lot lately that my living room looks like oatmeal...all browns and tans with only the slightest splashes of green and purple. Perhaps an uber-dramatic piece, such as this sofa from MetroSofa, could be the answer! After the jump, check out more of their unique pieces, and vote on the best way to provide a splash of color to a dull room.

[MetroSofa]

[Via Design Milk]

Light My Fire

Alex Zalben — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 13:00:00 GMT

Things I’d rather not think about during the Summer:

1) Getting a new Winter jacket.
2) Buying a snow-shovel.
3) Purchasing Holiday presents.
4) Raking leaves.
5) Curling up in front of a warm fire.

Unless, of course, it’s the EcoSmart Retro Fire:

Specializing in environmentally friendly, modular indoor fireplaces, EcoSmart has created a whole line of retro cool hearths that look more like TV sets than fireplaces. Contact for price, but if you’re interested in a high end limited edition, try this one on for size:

[$19573, EcoSmart]

[Via Born Rich]

Rocking Bear

Alex Zalben — Fri, 23 May 2008 18:00:00 GMT

Swedish design firm Com-pa-ny has a number of delightful and weird products on their extremely difficult to navigate website, including the above wearable beards [ Approx. $61], but for my money, the best one is this Rocking Bear:

As for the price below, I don’t know if there’s supposed to be a comma or period in there somewhere, cause if not, man… That’s one expensive rocking bear. Link below is to the website, but to order the chair (or the beard), e-mail ‘em at info@com-pa-ny.com.

[1575 EUR, Com-pa-ny]

Your House Is On Fire!

Alex Zalben — Mon, 19 May 2008 14:00:00 GMT

Nah, not really. But Planika Fires pulls a roaring flames out of your fireplace, and into the modern world with their unique indoor (and some outdoor) fire pits/furniture. You probably have a few questions right now, right? Let me see if I can answer all of them:

Wait, how do they keep the fire contained?
The large majority of the models are either receded into your furniture, or have a glass enclosure to keep the fire contained.

Yeah, but what about smoke? Where there’s fire, there’s smoke, you know.
No, that saying goes the opposite way. And in this case, the Planika Fires use a biofuel called Fanola which expels no smoke, only water vapor and CO2.

But what if I put a trail of newspaper going from the Planika, to my pile of gasoline?
I don’t know. I’m sorry?

Anyway, hope that answered all of your questions. Pricing is available upon request, and there are about a dozen models available.

[Planika Fires]

[Via Green Upgrader]

Are You Mentos?

Alex Zalben — Mon, 12 May 2008 14:30:00 GMT

I challenge the comfort of this couch to a butt-test throwdown. This is from a line of couches and beds designed by Matteo Thun for Italian furniture makers, Rossi di Albizzate, and it looks like the most uncomfortable thing ever.

As far as I can tell, the design is supposed to evoke bright, delicious candy, but it reminds me a lot more of those molecule sculptures you’d see in high school, or maybe something else grosser that I don’t care to mention.

Anyway, here’s another one from the same line that looks like a bunch of potatoes:

Pricing is available upon request, but what do you think, Materialistas? Does this look comfortable at all?

[Rossi di Albizzate]

[Via Baller House]

I’ve Goth Your Coffin Couch Right Here

Alex Zalben — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:00:00 GMT

Coffin Couches, much to everyone’s shock and surprise, creates couches out of coffins. The disturbing part is, they claim that they are made from recycled coffins, which is creepy beyond belief.

Regardless of their point of origin, these couches are sturdy, being made from recycled 18 gauge steel. The seats are 4” of heavy duty padding and durable leather or vinyl, to ensure you’re comfortable during your eternal rest… I mean, TV watching. Cough.

They come in a variety of colors and designs, as well as custom colors available upon request. Vampire not included.

[$4500, Coffin Couches]

[Via Born Rich]

The Cushions That Zip Together, Stay Together

Alex Zalben — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 18:30:00 GMT

All right, hippies. Or rather, grown up hippies… Those beanbag chairs are getting old and stinky, so why not throw them out and get something new for your living room?

No, no, I’m not going to make you get off the floor. You can stay down there as long you pick up Pling’s ZipZip Pillows, a series of interlocking pillows that, yup, zip together to make a couch, or bed, or… Line of zipped together pillows, I dunknow.

Pricing is available upon request, and you can check out another pic below:

[Via Gizmodo]

Retro Arcade: Video Game Wood Carvings

Alex Zalben — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 13:30:00 GMT

Have empty walls? Love games? Want to fill up your space in an attractive manner? Then look no further than Melissa Jones! For a low fee, she will stand in the corner of your living room and smile at you… All day long!

Totally JK, guys. Melissa actually makes hand-carved 3D “posters” of old-school video game scenes that can easily hang on your wall. Prices vary, but range by the square foot. And, they’re custom made, so you can get her working on that Kid Icarus poster you’ve always wanted.

[$35-$45 per sq. ft, Nice Carving & Signs]

Where’s The Remote Pillow

Alex Zalben — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 19:00:00 GMT

Problems with this:

1) How uncomfortable is it to have a pillow that has a TV remote stuck in it? Imagining for a second that the idea is to put the remote in the pillow when you’re done watching TV, and take it out while you’re watching. However, personally, I rarely use the remote while I’m watching TV. I switch on a show, watch it, and then switch it off. Also, this is the point when I usually loose the remote, not between TV watching. Side-note: I may be stupid.

2) Guess how much this cotton and hemp pillow that comes in plain black or white is. No, really, guess.

[$116, Uncommon Goods]

[Via Nerd Approved]

Sofa: Perfect for Round-Robin Games of Patty-Cake

Steph Auteri — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 19:00:00 GMT

[$16,200, PlushPod]

This sofa could also be used for seances. Or family meetings. Or extreme footsie.

Or perhaps even long, drawn-out bouts of awkwardness, where you try not to look at each other but just can't help yourself.

Seriously, though, how perfect would this be for small, intimate gatherings!? Whether you're into pinot and gouda, or longnecks and a rousing game of Asshole, the hot pink guarantees an upbeat ambience for the entire evening.

Multitasking: Sofa/Bed?

Steph Auteri — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 17:00:00 GMT

[$4,800, PlushPod]

Okay. This is almost as cool as that time my almost-husband and I went to IKEA and we found this bed with an armrest in the middle and I suggested that we buy it for our new condo because it would be nice to be able to put a barrier down between us when he wanted to "get with me" and I was tired and, heck, I don't like sharing a bed anyways, and then he yelled at me and said we would never purchase such a bed. Ever. (He was against the bunkbeds, too.)

This just reminds me of that because it's totally another piece of multitasking furniture!

This particular sofa has a wood portal for stashing the clutter, in addition to a cushion slice that can be up for lounging or down for regular old sitting.

I think it looks like a spaceship.

Transformers

Alex Zalben — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 14:30:00 GMT

Okay, we’re not quite to the killer robot stage yet, but Transformers are here, if you look closely enough. And, they’re marking the first wave of their invasion by turning into chairs.

Evidence point #1: The Cube Chair (above), which transforms from a box, into a chair. To be perfectly honest, I don’t quite see the point of this… It’s not like it saves any space at all, and there’s not a huge market for transportable armchairs… OR IS THERE???

[$3750, Heinz Julen]

Evidence point #2: The Stove Chair, which transforms from a chair, into an open range. This is can see the point of; it certainly saves a lot of space in a small apartment. One of my least favorite things is a kitchen that’s literally in the living room, so if you could, instead, turn your living room into a kitchen, then it might be more palatable. However, let’s be honest: someone’s going to get cooked to death. There’s no pricing info on this unit, but I’ll work on tracking it down.

So what do you guys think? Are our chairs the first line of a robotic alien invasion? Should we just burn all of our chairs, and sit on tables from now on. OR ARE TABLES EVIL TOO?

[Via Born Rich, Trendhunter]

The Sweet and the Low: Adjustable Coffee Tables

Steph Auteri — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 18:30:00 GMT

[$695, Dania]

It's not often that a $695 item can classify as a low item on the sweet and low scale, but when the upscale version is over $1,400, anything under a thou seems like a steal.

Especially considering what you're getting.

Calligaris makes this sweet-ass, high-end coffee table that's adjustable in both height and length:

[on sale for $1,411; was previously $1,863! !!! Dining Rooms Direct]

The oak veneer wood top unfolds to add almost 15 inches in increased length! The satin-finished steel metal frame adjusts to multiple height levels!

I can't stop using exclamation points! Somebody slap me!

The Dania Esprit Table, on the other hand, at more than half the price (especially considering the Calligaris's original price), also unfolds for greater length, and is adjustable for two different heights.

Considering all of this, my Target coffee table seems sorta lame. But that's what I get for paying under $200.

A Sofa Fit For a Queen (Or For That Spoiled Little Princess You Always Knew You Were)

Steph Auteri — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 14:30:00 GMT

[$1,949, High Fashion Home]

It's so difficult to find a couch that is both smooshy and in keeping with your stunning design sensibilities. And I have no idea if the couch above is smooshy. But it's definitely attractive. With its button-tufted, roll-armed, Old English look, you could probably convince passing strangers that you're wealthy just by having it in your living room. Or sitting room. Or library. Or whatever it is you stinking rich people call it nowadays. This particular style is also available in a deep mahogany hue.