Grow at Home

Spring is starting to creep into everyone’s minds and with that the thought of fresh herbs and vegetables. While it is possible to sow your seeds with snow on the ground, many areas of the country are still too frozen with the harsh arctic blast and ten named winter storms.

Some gardeners use a cold frame, which is a box-like structure with a clear glass or plastic top, to get their seedlings started. However, if you don’t have the space or find it a little too dirty, there is another option – the Urban Cultivator.

The Urban Cultivator Residential is a dishwasher-sized appliance with interior grow lights. Inside are racks that hold flats designed to contain one of three growing mediums — a Sure to Grow mat (suretogrow.com), sterilized soil or landscape fabric. In these, users can grow 50-some greens — including beet-tops, baby broccoli, wheat grass, pea sprouts, radishes, mustard greens, lentils, nasturtiums — as well as any number of herbs.

The unit is not difficult to install and requires a water connection similar to a dishwasher. You can choose between different door screen options (clear, frost, half-tone and dark) and even add a custom panel to match your cabinetry.

The Urban Cultivator will allow you to grow fresh herbs 365 days a year and know that they are pesticide free and healthy for your family. The cost savings for growing your own micro-greens can be as high as 90% according to research.

Your Urban Cultivator can be operated between 55 and 90 degrees with a relative humidity between 30% to 60%. The automated system does all the work and provides measured water to and from each grow tray. If your unit is set up as a stand-alone unit, you will need to empty and refill the water reservoir once a week when the indicator light is on. Four humidity domes are also included with the unit to aid in starting seeds.

A larger commercial unit is also available for restaurants and cooking schools where larger supplies are demanded. Besides herbs, small vegetables such as cherry tomatoes can also be grown. Pricing starts at $2,200.

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February 19, 2014

LEDs and Carpet

LED integration into surfaces is growing by leaps and bounds and stands to add an exciting dimension to interior design. Let’s look at what is making news.

The Cell+LED Carpet from Lama Concept

It’s hard to believe it’s been 7 years since this carpet made it’s debut at the Paris Airshow fitted into the isles of the Airbus A350. Since then it’s been used in various commercial applications and even in the Land Rover LRX Concept.

The carpets and rugs are made from 100% wool felt strips that are formed around eye-like forms – like knots in wood. Some of these knots are replaced with LED lights and oriented with the direction of the strips. The carpets can be created to form a directional path with the LEDs, or the lights can just be placed randomly for a glittering array.

Although this carpet might not work with every decor, it’s an innovate approach to flooring that opens the door to endless design possibilities.

Phillips and Desso

Two Dutch-based companies, Phillips Lighting and carpet maker Desso, recently announced a partnership to create light-transmitting carpet–smart flooring capable of displaying all kinds of information.

Desso envisions the new light emitting LED carpet as serving several purposes. One would be to quickly and intuitively guide people through buildings including to designated safety routes and exits. Another would be to add to the ambiance and atmosphere of public spaces. The carpet would add “lighting, design and color” as the joint statement from both companies explains.

For now, the partnership is limited to the EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa) and the official product is slated for sometime in 2014. Who knows, one day we may be able to turn an average living room into a disco lounge with the touch of our phones or tablets and use the same system with our fire alarms enabling it to send a signal to specifically light the best way out of our homes.

February 16, 2014

Wine Barrel Vanity

Premier Copper Products has introduced a new line of vanities made from recycled solid oak wine barrels and featuring recycled copper sinks.

The new vanities are repurposed from Napa Valley barrels and air-dried in the Arizona climate for two and a half years before being dismantled and rebuilt into furniture by Arizona designer and craftsman John Koering.

The barrels measure 28 ins. wide, 34.5 ins. tall and feature an 18-in.-by-13-in. door (the original bung hole is repurposed for a door opening). Each unit also comes with a pre-installed 17-in. oval hand-hammered copper sink and drain.

The vanities are available in three non-VOC finishes and are priced at $2,398 (for vanity and sink only) and $2,726 (for vanity, sink and faucet package).

I love this image I stumbled across on the internet. The stone ledge is a great way to add more surface area for items like soap and finger towels. This is the perfect vessel for letting your imagination run wild.

Premier Copper Products is a Phoenix, Arizona-based importer and designer of handmade copper products from a plant they control in Mexico.

February 7, 2014June 15, 2018

Toto Connelly Suite

TOTO’s new Traditional design Connelly Suite is inspired by the “timeless sophistication of classic Hollywood imbued with the curvilinear aesthetic of the Arte Deco period.”

When looking for a clean lines and bold geometric shapes with sophistication for a fresh and uncluttered look, the TOTO Connelly Suite is an ideal choice.

Lavatory

The Connelly Undermount Lavatory measures 15″ by 15″ leaving plenty of space on the countertop. The deep basin reduces waters splashing, and its SanaGloss glaze saves homeowners time cleaning as the super-slippery surface repels bacteria and soap scum. It is available in Cotton, Colonial White, Sedona Beige, Bone, and Ebony.

Lever Faucet

An example of TOTO’s inclusive design philosophy – providing ease of use for all ages – the sophisticated faucet’s lever handles serve as a graceful counterpoint to the vertically detailed, gently flared bases, which lends a tactile element to the fixture’s design.

The spout has an organic curve that adds an elegant and soft design element to the sleek lever and base. The faucet has WaterSense technology and only uses 1.5 gallons per minute without a decrease in pressure. The faucet is available in an array of finishes including Brushed Nickel, Polished Nickel and Polished Chrome.

Dual Flush High-Efficiency Toilet

The Connelly Dual Flush High-Efficiency toilet is an elegant design with a strong geometric tank supporting a sizeable lid. The inclusive-design Connelly toilet is 17” from base to seat top, making it ergonomically correct height for a person to comfortably sit down and rise from it with ease. It is available in Cotton, Colonial White, Sedona Beige, Bone, and Ebony, with trip lever finishes available in Polished Chrome, Brushed Nickel, Polished Nickel, among others.

The design specializes in its Dual-Max Cyclone Flushing system uses bio-mimicry to eliminate the need to scrub due to streaking after flushing.

Inspired by cyclones in nature, TOTO engineers harnessed the power of gravity and water to spin away waste. To achieve their vision, they designed a seamless bowl interior with a concave rim to channel high-speed water jets for superior bowl and rim cleansing action. Each flush spins away debris, matter, and bacteria, which reduces the time needed to clean the unit.