With the summer season upon us, you’re no doubt in need of some new and exciting design takes on classic garden items, such as this contemporary Watering Can from Pascal Charmolu and Born in Sweden. Aside from the sleek modern look, the design also ensures an accurate stream of water will always hit its target. The flexible silicon hose even features a built in magnet that attaches to the body when not in use. via.

It might seem difficult to get excited about a newly designed lightswitch or wall socket, but for an item who’s stylistic progression seems to have been halted decades ago, a fresh idea in that realm is always the most innovative. The Cord Wrap from Keep It Cartesian might look a bit superfluous, but think of it like insurance, you’ll be glad you to it when the need arises (and you know it will).


Seen below, the Light Hook and Letter Holder Faceplates are more straightfoward. Many people have a key hook or place to store letters near the entryway, but combining that with an existing lightswitch eliminates that element and just streamlines much more elegantly. Although, I’m still wondering why the keys have to hang quite that low.

It’s easy to find wooden DIY computer case mods online, but here’s a stunning prototype from Asus that actually won the Best Product Design award at Computex in 2007. Sadly, they never made plans to market the device but I would certainly buy one even given the myriad of drawbacks they surely encountered. via.

Admittedly, I hate going to the gym, working out, doing all the things required to be healthy.  But I begrudgingly do it.  HOWEVER, I’ve recently discovered a few things that make being healthy a little more fun and arguably more stylish.  So I thought I’d share my cool fitness finds so people like me that HATE to get into the workout routine, but get inspired by cool gadgets to further the cause. 

So, my tools for staying inspired:

iPhone 3GS + tons of music:

Awesome Nike Running shoes:

Bang & Olfusen earphones : Incredibly elegant, flawless sound, make you look good even while sweating.

Nike Amp+ : A really chic+geek remote for your ipod/iphone

RunKeeper :  An amazing GPS based running app for the iPhone and other devices.  This is what makes running fun! 

Last but not least....

I just discovered this amazing little gadget that will inspire (or depress) me, look good in my freshly renovated bathroom, and fill my recent void of purchasing gadgetry.

The Withings internet connected body scale.  Very cool & VERY sexy..... for a scale.

-- So with all of these sweet looking & useful gadgets, I have no excuse to not lose the 13 pounds and 1” on my waistline I’ve gained in the past year opening up our UK office!

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).

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).

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.

Show off your appreciation for nature with a couple more nifty Oooms products. First, the Solar Birdhouse (seen below) not only illuminates your garden at night (slightly), but attracts an easy meal for any inhabiting birds. Be prepared to enlarge that entrance hole.



Odd USB storage devices are pretty ubiquitous at this point, but the wooden ones have always been among my favorite. Save yourself the trouble of carving your own with Oooms’ Wooden Stick USB. They can even be personally engraved, a great gift for the nature loving computer geek in your life.

The latest in customizable greeting cards - why relegate your message to the inner flap when you can control the message up front as well? It’s the Punch Card, a unique greeting card idea that combines modern shorthand with traditional materials, from Twelve Zero Seven. While it may seem difficult to figure out just how and what to punch into this, check out their random message generator for some inspiration.

Sometimes the best designs are the simplest - take for instance Flavour Designs‘ line of handmade contemporary kitchen pottery. For a tea and cereal enthusiast myself, the Buddha Bowl (pictured top left) is a great, versatile product while the Ramen Noodle Bowl and “Dish-Ran-Away-With-the-Spoon” each add an ingenious place holder for a spoon or chop sticks.

It’s not quite barbeque weather for everyone yet, but I couldn’t pass up a chance to show off the VULCAN All-in-One BBQ Set. You won’t have an excuse to stay home with everything you need in one (relatively) small backpack, plus it’s a great way to keep all your essential items in one place so you don’t forget anything.