Since things are turning a bit chilly in these parts, my mind has turned towards staying warm. Our home does not have a fireplace, so we would need some sort of free-standing indoor variety. I ran across this unique fireplace concept from industrial designer Camillo Vanacore. It is made from a special kind of ceramic that turns transparent with heat. When the fireplace is off, it appears white, but as things heat up it becomes clear, allowing for an unhindered view of the fire inside. As it cools down, it returns to its original appearance. While still just a concept, the idea is interesting. I’d love to see this in other shapes besides a cylinder, although the resemblance to a giant light bulb is pretty cool.

What other uses could you think of for this unique kind of ceramic?

Can you recommend any other modern indoor fireplaces?

I’ll admit there’s a lot of junk on Flickr, but every now and then you find some real gems, like these shots from Lori Andrew’s interior design portfolio. She has such a great sense of design and I love how she is able to combine styles to create truly unique interiors. I don’t know about you, but whenever I see such great interior shots, I want to rearrange my whole house! Lots of inspiring images after the jump!

Check out the whole set here.

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Ribbons of steel distribute magazines and the weekly news in three classic colors: red, silver, and black. Ships flat, assembles in minutes. Designed by Eva Peace, Sweden.

Helmet Stand available from PID.se: $87

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Why are all smoke detectors so ugly?? If you can give me a good answer, I’ll give you a lollipop. Fortunately for people who care about the aesthetics of even the smallest detail, Jacob Jensen created a smoke detector just for them (and you…and me). I admit it looks a little like a Star Wars prop, but that’s not always a bad thing, right? This high quality, highly sensitive smoke detector can be temporarily put on a 10 minute “break” in the event you’re planning to burn some bacon, etc. A nice function to have in some households. Available in white or grey.

Smoke Detector by Jacob Jensen available from PID.se: $58 – $131

Atypical materials combine to gorgeous effect in 22 Design Studio’s Concrete Ring Collection. See all 8 designs available from Molla Space.

About:
Cement is the most common architectural material in Taiwan. In 2006, the founder of the 22 Design Studio observed exquisite, cast-in-place concrete architecture in Japan, and realized that the materials were capable of producing various features, appearances and values through creative design. Back in Taiwan, 22 Design Studio devised a series of rings inspired by architecture and urban life through the combination of cement and stainless steel.


Concrete Ring Collection available from Molla Space: $60 – $74

Water is something that we can’t live without. I have always been surprised that an entire market has been created around selling something that is almost free. For those water snobs only a bottled water like Voss will do, but then there is the rest of us. Plastic water bottles have gotten a bad rap lately, which has helped out companies that make non plastic water bottles like Sigg. Well there is a new kid on the block, and they are here to show that not only can a plastic water bottle be healthy and environmentally responsible, it can look amazing too. The Kor One Hydration Vessel is a new water bottle which will be available soon. It’s BPA free, wide mouthed, and absolutely sexy. At $29 they aren’t cheap, but if you stopped buying bottled water and just filtered your own at home it would not only be better for the environment, but cheaper overall.
More pics after the jump.

Available in August from Kor for $29

Via Coolhunting.
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As we have remodeled our kitchen I have had to do quite a bit of rearranging electrical. Since we moved everything to the opposite walls there are spots were we had power, that we no longer need it. For example we had a fan above our stove, and a light above our sink. Now we just have a blank coverplate over the junction box. I came across this great idea at Interior design room to make the invisible visible. I actually like the idea of making it a design element instead of just trying to hide it. Whether it will actually look good or not…. we’ll see.

I have had several reader write-ins lately about the fabulous Home Hero Fire Extinguisher. This fire extinguisher has all the bells and whistles that you would expect to find in a fire extinguisher plus something you wouldn’t, stylish design. It has a ergonomic shape for easy one handed use, and a modern look that will fit into about any decor. The idea is to create a product that looks nice enough that you can actually leave it in a place that will be easily accessible, not buried in the back of a cupboard underneath your tupperware collection. They also have a 2 in 1 smoke and carbon monoxide detector that connect wirelessly to other Home Hero smoke detectors. This creates a system similar to hard wired smoke detectors where if one goes off, they all go off.

Fire extinguishers are available exclusively at Home Depot for around $30.

Thanks for the tips!
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Tonight is the night. The winner of the People’s Design Award will be announced at 10:00 PM EST on their website, or if you are in New York you can go to the gala. For those of you like myself who aren’t even close to NYC, Target and Cooper-Hewitt have teamed up to provide free admission to art museums all over the country. Check the map to see if there is one near you. If you just want to browse good design from the comfort of your computer you can look at all of this years nominees here.

I am a big fan of cards, and while my wife and I usually make our own, we appreciate a good card. Good cards is what Modern Printed Matter is all about. Everything from modern furniture to tasty graphic design. There is something about the simplicity of this Barcelona chair card that I really like. It’s printed on 80 lb cover stock in black ink and measures 4″ x 5.5″ (folds from the top). It comes with an A2 shimmery white metallic envelope (square flap) and is blank inside for your personal note. Sold as a set of six cards for $10.

Available from the Modern Printed Matter Etsy shop.