It’s been a great 30 days of digging around London stores, researching new artists, and visiting the Summer Fair.  We’ve seen some incredibly cool new objects from a whole crop of new manufacturers that we’ll share over the coming weeks. 

This table will definitely be the conversation piece and life of your party.  Cinimod Studio creates dimension to their design with this interesting concept for a table.  With it’s 3-dimensional complex interactive lighting matrix, your guests will want to flock to this table and time warp into an endless stare into space.  You will have many followers and they will obey you soon enough!  This is no ordinary lit table in that it’s lights can shift interactively to set the mood using some complicated calculations.  It would be nice for a change to have a piece of furniture to entertain the party.  Now if only this concept were available as a floor; it would be the new age Saturday Night Fever!

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What do you do with a creative mind, 3000 ping pong balls, and a lot of time on your hands?  Make a chandalier!  This modern day chandalier, named The Troy by Zia-Priven, hangs at an impressive 9 feet.  It’s big, dramatic, and just big!  “This One of a Kind, oversized Troy Chandelier was the centerpiece of the Circular Ligne Roset Lounge at The Architectural Digest Home Design Show and is available for purchase or display with the proceeds to be donated to DirectEffect for HIV/AIDS Research at The Rockefeller University.” Very cool that the proceeds for this chandalier is going for a good cause.  Smaller versions also available and customizable to suit your lighting needs.

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If you feel like your bathroom is missing some ambiance, check out these glowing wash basins from Neo-Metro.  Neo-Metro is a manufacturer of luxury trippy yet sexy stainless steel bathroom products.  Basins can be customized in an array of resin colors; they will even color match your favorite color!  Lighting is optional on the units and sold separately.  They also carry other products like stainless tiles and toilets to give your bathroom that missing pizazz!

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If you can’t find that perfect belt or handbag to match your chic-trendy trend look, Heroine-Chic has some accessories (designed by Colleen Soisson) that will pop your style.  They carry some interesting, unique belts and handbags that are handcrafted.  Some belts are made with real flowers, different types of wood, and even butterflies!

...thanks to my friend Ben for this find!

Step up your poker or pool game with the clean, luxurious gaming tables from Michael Wells Design.  You couldn’t ask for anything more in a poker table; it’s design is fully functional and caters to the avid poker players.

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This is a neat spin on fiber optic lighting.  Luminex has a very interesting fiber optic fabric that can be used in many applications.  The fabric can be cut like any other fabric and emits a nice sparkling effect.  The description of how it works sounds complicated, but the fabric itself looks really cool.  You can see the fabric being used in clothing and other fashionable or home accessories.

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Now that mick and PJ are soaking up the sun this week at the local watering hole in beautiful London, the weather in Chicago has taken a turn for the worse (for now).  We have been getting a LOT of rain the past few days and I am not liking it one bit.  With that said, the scooter was put away this weekend and now back to the “real” job!  (My office is a mess!)

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Architecture is a big thing in Chicago and I am always happy to see new modern architecture at it’s finest. Pictured below is a single family home around the corner from my apartment that is absolutely amazing; this is in the Northcenter area of Chicago. As you can see from the picture below, the dramatic bay window exposes the main living section of the home.  With the blind fully retracted, you can see right through the house into the living room and kitchen and through another bay window exposing the backyard. The picture does not do this home justice, but believe me, the home is just breathtaking.  I have yet to stop and ask the owners more details about their home, but soon enough I will hopefully write more about this house and the thought that went into building this spectacular gem.

So while Jool’s takes the scooter to the countryside in an attempt to point out that we are in dreary London… The tables have turned significantly as you can see the sun is shining and in a country where A/C isn’t widely used—I’m rethinking this apartment..I mean flat.

(crowds cooling their heels in the Diana Memorial Fountain… seems a bit disrespectful to me… but I’m just another “yank on holiday")

A view more scenes from Hyde Park:

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While out an about in London we stopped in Harrod’s to see what they had on display in the modern furnishing dept and came across this spectacular chandelier by Ligne-Roset. The super thin wire connect white LEDs to the ends of curving fiber optic cables creating the cluster of floating stars. We were immediately measuring the fixture to see how we could fit it in our house! It was however a bit expensive even on sale given the wonderfully declining US dollar. This picture doesn’t do the lamp justice - iPhones are great but it’s just not a pro camera. See the manufacturer’s close up after the jump.

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If you live in Chicago and like to envelop yourself in the modern lifestyle, then this IS the place!...For your pooch that is!  STAY is a large pet boarding facility, owned by Michael Heltzer, that has all the bells and whistles to ensure that your pooch is also rolling around in the chic lifestyle.  The state-of-the-art 30,000 sqf facility is located on Chicago’s north side along the banks of the Chicago river.  The facility is also climate controlled and has 24 on-site supervision so your dog will be in GOOD hands.  If you are still feeling uneasy about leaving your dog in a boarding facility while you’re away, why not check out the webcams to see what your dog is REALLY doing!  If your dog is also the athletic type and likes to run for miles, then the 12,000 sqf area of play space will suffice.  A 2,000 sqf fitness area with a swimming pool designed specifically for dogs is also in the facility; all dogs are fitted with life vests and receive a 1-on-1 workout with trained staff.  Can I play too!?  Other amenities include grooming and a retail boutique with custom functional accessory designs by Michael Heltzer.

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On my virtual bar hopping tour, I now take you back home to Chicago where the sound drives your soul at this trendy bar.  Sonotheque features a state-of-the-art sound system in a nice modern lounge.  This venue is also a “platform for local and international DJ’s and a superlative showcase for artistic musical and visual collaboration”.  Depending on your style of music, this bar will take your experience to the next level.  More about Sonotheque...

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Speaking of bars!  Here is another trendy bar & lounge worth blogging about in San Francisco’s pulsating North Beach district.  Horizon Restaurant & Lounge has plenty of contemporary style and very good food to boot.  With over 4000sq ft, a 70ft black marble wrap around bar, an amazing sound system, very friendly wait staff, and stiff drinks you definitely can’t go wrong at this bar.  I highly recommend the steak fries (fat classic cheese fries) topped with italian truffle cheese or the tater tots (yes, the tots are “crackin” according to the bartender).  The cucumber infused vodka was also a nice refreshing treat; the daily happy hour specials are also worth the visit!

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Not an actual count of caps, but I am sure it’s way up there.  On my visit to San Francisco, I came across this hip bar (Impala) that had their DJ booth faceted with bottle caps.  An interesting concept; reminded me of those Pseudoisochromatic tests but with style!  Very neat after many cocktails.