We just added a great new selection of dog collars from Elmo’s Closet - all lovingly handcrafted here in the USA using the highest quality materials such as high-tensile strength inner webbing and heavy duty buckle and slide. The soft cotton fabric keeps your pets fur from matting, is easy to clean and maintain, and available in multiple styles and sizes to match any dog! See them here. (Tacky leprechaun design pictured below not available)

Add a stylish new element to any setting with Ferm Living’s easy to apply and remove Wall Stickers (Power Pole Wall Sticker pictured right), or completely transform your living space with one of their unique Wallpaper designs (Family Tree Wallpaper pictured left). They offer something compatible for any room, from classically elegant to fun and whimsical. Check out our full collection of wall and window applications here.

The revolutionary new ”Box Appetit” lunch box from Black+Blum features a water-tight locking lid, removable inner dish and sauce pot for salad dressing or soy sauce with ‘dipping area’ built right into the lid. (Completely BPA-free, dishwasher and microwave safe!) It even includes a crazy fork/knife hybrid utensil for hurried one-handed eating! See it here.

Today’s example of functional, retro-modern convergence: the “iRetrofone Base” from Freeland Studios (pictured above). It quickly sold out on Etsy, so be prepared to wait a minute. If kitschy iPhone accessories aren’t your thing, Freeland also makes all manner of crazy custom pieces across a variety of industries (see below).

Looking for some new, offbeat office furniture to spice up your home or workplace? Even if your answer was “no,” you’ve come to the right place! Seen below, the Zephyr Office Chair is made from clear acrylic and features caster wheels, adjustable height, basically all the amenities you expect in your office chair. For something a little more “solid”, check out the Burke Office Chair pictured right of the Zephyr.



For more traditional office areas, we recommend the Admin Office Chair (pictured below left). If you’re not yet suited for the “Captain’s Chair,” we also offer the Chief Office Chair - it’s available in 5 great colors, some of which can add the perfect amount of flair to a dreary office setting. And if you’re wondering, everything’s priced friendly, all in the $185- $255 range.

Today’s example of unnecessary repurposing, it’s the “Walk - Don’t Walk” Road Tested Chair seen at Uncommon Goods. So while it’s more art than usable furniture, I still find it a highly functional guest chair. Of course my philosophy is more in line with a fast food restaurant - uncomfortable chairs and faster turnover. Although it’s a perfect match for your Fred & Friends Sewer-Cover-themed Rug.

If you were to call the Book Hook a somewhat frivolous and unnecessary invention, I probably couldn’t argue with you. But I’m all for anything that encourages and makes reading more accessible. Stash a couple of these around the house and it’s easier to steal a page every now and then. Now if I were only the least bit mechanically inclined I could just glue one together on my own.

Continuing our recent trend of embarrassing personal accessories, here’s something that might actually save your life (for at least one uncomfortable night). It’s the JakPak all-in-one waterproof jacket, tent and sleeping bag from who else - JakPak. It’s a great product that transforms in mere seconds.. A step in the right direction sure, but I still prefer to bumble around endlessly with tent poles and ground stakes thank you very much.

The “Stick to It” Technology from Clingo features an adhesive-free surface that leaves no residue, yet retains a secure grip with simple care. While they have a few nifty applications of this for your car or home office, I’m still fascinated by the Universal Mobile Neklit (pictured right).. No, it’s not because you’ll have an expensive smart phone dangling at the whim of the adhesive. There’s just something about the photo that reminds me of that kid at school with their home address pinned to their shirt.

Just introduced from Vitra, the ”Chairless” was designed by Alejandro Aravena as a simple nylon strap that wraps around your knees and back. Inspired by a similar strap he found being worn by an Ayoreo Indian, a portion of the proceeds are used to support the Foundation for Paraguayan Indian Communites, so you owe it to them to buy this and not just, you know, use a belt you already own… It’s perfect for skiers and ironic hipsters alike (pictured below).

From cose nuove, designed by Ramin Razani and crafted in Italy, the ZooLights are creature comforts that emit a soft glow - great for kids or the young at heart. They are definitely far too adorable for any one person to handle. I don’t recommend you stare directly at them, the radiating cuteness may blind you.

From the clever minds at Megawing, a couple of great bag ideas for the modern traveler. First up, the Envelope (pictured above), features the classic elegance of a manilla envelope (just go with it) turned into a laptop bag made of beautiful kraft leather. If you’re anticipating inclimate weather, however, we recommend the more durable Rain Times. It’s just your typical bag, made to look like a newspaper sure, but when the clouds roll in, just hold it over your head to stay bone dry! It may look silly, but the newspaper biz can use all the help it can get right now.

Designed by Takeshi Ishiguro for Artecnica, the Book of Lights is an incredible coffee table book conversation starter - crack the cover and the soft LED lights begin to glow. Probably not the greatest lamp you will ever own, or the best book you’ll ever read, but it’s a great idea nonetheless. They’re conspicuously MIA from Artecnica’s home page, but still seem to available at a few places on the net.

New to Pure Modern! The amazing collection of home audio systems from Sonoro are fully functional with your iPod, iPad, mobile phone, laptop, netbook and more! The basic Cubo model (pictured above) is available in an array of fun and contemporary colors to blend seamlessly into any surroundings. Each made with a real wood cabinet, they even offer a selection with the true wood grain veneer (which is awesome). Also available with an integrated iPod dock (the Eklipse) or with internet connectivity (the Elements W) to stream over 10,000 radio stations from around the world.

Upon my travels to the Middle East (and all the lovely places I stopped in between to get there), this was the one stop of my vacation that just took me away. If you are looking for a hot-spot to satisfy your hunger for marine wildlife (and I am not talking about sushi), Sharm El Sheikh is the place to be! If you read the many reviews online, this gem is up and coming as one of the top diving sites in the world. Sharm El Sheikh is situated on the southern tip of the Sinai peninsula in the bay of the Red Sea located between Egypt and Saudi Arabia. The water is crystal blue and the marine life is so serene - I tip my hat off to the government and protection of the waters from sunset to sunrise; fishing is also not permitted. The people in Sharm are also very friendly, including the wildlife =) Check out some of my pics and read my review/tip on TripAdvisor

MORE...