How will we furnish and decorate our homes in the future?

You can actually see and experience how our homes will be furnished and lived in at the WIRED NextFest 2008. It's being held at Millennium Park in Chicago, from September 27th to October 12th. It's free to the public, and features groundbreaking exhibits of sustainable design, next generation healthcare, interactive art and games, humanoid robotics and more. Here are a few exhibits that look intriguing to me...




The HOVERIT Lounger - could you picture one of these in your living room? Think Philippe Starck's Louis Ghost Chair but...levitating. Perhaps the creators can describe it better...

"British Company, Hoverit Ltd, introduce ‘The Lounger’, which is the first of their revolutionary magnetic ‘hover’ furniture range. British design, precision engineered and British built by hand. Defying gravity with the use of repelling magnetic forces in both the bed and base this contemporary lounger is comfortable, practical and stylish. Permanent magnets may also help back, muscular problems and headaches, so our furniture not only looks good - it may make you feel good too. The sensation that you feel as you lay back and close your eyes is totally different, like floating on a cloud.

Even more exciting, they are now offering them in fun new colors, and you can chose what shape the "holes" are in the seat (i.e. hearts, droplets, or slots). They also plan on adding more options soon, such as cushions, decals, and up lighting.

Check out the HOVERIT site for more info.





I would hang this art on my walls now! And you can because these stunning works of art can be purchased at Jot, the website of the artist, Erik Natzke. Go to his site to see more awesome work.

"...Erik Natzke has set out to transform Flash, the media and interaction tool for creating Web site banner ads and intro pages, into a medium for fine art. Working on drawing engines, generative algorithms, and color studies — all in Flash — Natzke has fine-tuned his software in order to produce epic, 9-foot-wide prints of digital creations and swirling videos that take us through the creation process. Lines come in, dart through, and pierce the video window before settling into algorithmically predetermined resting spots." - Wired

Lighting gets chic and eco-friendly in the future with the creations of Saazs.

"Why bother replacing incandescent light bulbs every few months when you can brighten your home for 20 years (or 500,000 hours) with Planilum's luminescent glass plates? Each panel, which can be incorporated into a shelf or table or can stand alone, is less than an inch thick, composed of four layers of glass, nontoxic gas, and phosphorescent compounds. Planilum emits a soft glow and can be touched without risk of burning. Also, unlike incandescent bulbs, it is energy efficient and 90 percent recyclable." - Wired

Spend more time in your living room

I spend most of my time in either the kitchen cleaning and working, or in my bedroom sleeping. But recently I've noticed I'm most relaxed in my living room - probably because I'm not often doing work there, but simply relaxing with a book or magazine. It's a real luxury that we could all use more of, and I hope these living rooms encourage you to spend a little more time in the living room!


so jealous of the great light in this room!






...love what they've done with the mantle here






I'd love an old rolling palette on wheels as a coffee table

All images via Marie Claire Maison

Look at this great interior design resource and store!

I found a really unique website this week that would be a great place for anyone on the hunt for antique and vintage furniture, called 1stdibs. I imagine some of you already know about it. It's a great place to stay abreast of what's going on in the field, as they feature designers, recommended books, and dealers.

Just a sample at some of the great selection you can find - registration was very fast and easy






Take a peak at recommended books and designer profiles -

Images property of 1stdibs.com

Tres Chic Inspirational Interiors

Last night I finished painting my bedroom a lovely powder French-country blue (pictures too come!), so needles to say I have French country on the brain. French country can vary so greatly because France is so large, but most people probably think of the idyllic cottages of Provence. My definition is probably a little too loose for some, all I know is I love the sophisticated rustic charm, bringing touches of the outdoors inside, and the romance.




Photos by Polly Wreford





Images via 1stdibs






Images via Designers Block*
*This is a great blog!


June Parrish Cookson's studio.

For more go to Ink Vanilla

Special event at Crate and Barrel for all you lovebirds

If you're getting married, or know someone getting married, be sure to tell them about Crate and Barrel's Wedding Party event. There will be experts on hand to help with registration, and free food,drink, and music! Crate and Barrel's quality is superb, and if you don't have the money for custom furniture, they are the next best thing! Attendees also get a free bowl.

Amy Butler: Always a classic or already cliche?

There was a little bit of controversy when Amy Butler's fabrics became available to all manufacturers but were still labeled "For non-commercial use" on the selvage. Everything has been clarified now, and Amy Butler fabrics are now available for use by manufacturers. That being said, Amy's fabrics are showing up EVERYWHERE. An unfortunate side effect of anything that enjoys so much popularity is that it runs the risk of becoming cliche. Or, just the opposite can happen and the item in question can become a classic. Do you agree? Do you think Amy Butler is doomed to be cliche, good enough to be a classic, or would you love the products/hate the products regardless?

Images via Amy Butler