Clever Kitchen Storage

I don’t normally talk about kitchenware but I really love Nest 8 from London based Josheph Joseph.

Nest 8, designed by Morph duo Bill Holding and Ben Cox, is a fun mix of colorful nonslip mixing bowls, measuring cups, colander and a sieve that all nest together.

Smaller sets, Nest 5 and Nest 3, will be available with Nest 8 this October. Each set has it’s own unique bowls and kitchen accessories. If the multi-colored set is too much for you, all white sets will be offered.

This is the utilmate set of kitchenware combining intelligent design and space conscious living. Every small kitchen could use at least one set.

August 21, 2008

Preparing for a Storm

If people make a run on emergency supplies and the store shelves are empty try these little tips.

Your top-loading washing machine can be used as an extra cooler. The built-in drain is very convenient.

Heavy appliances like the oven and dryer are great for storing items you can’t pack up. Just remember to take them out before the next time you turn the oven on.

Solar powered garden lights are a great way to light your home at night without adding heat.

Putting a hot water bottle out in the sun during the day will give you warm water to wash your face.

Your SUV may use a lot of gas but it makes a great make-shift tent for sleeping.

Lastly, the number one thing people forget to stock up on…condoms. Remember all the hurricane babies after Charley?

August 17, 2008

Simpler Color Trends

The economic slowdown and a push to reconnect with nature will result in simpler design styles and color choices heading into 2009.

Architecture and design emerging next year will be taking cues from four concepts: “raw,” “urban silence,” “simplexity” and “private identity,” says a color and design specialist with Benjamin Moore Paints.

“We are going to see more of a ‘make do with what you have’ attitude and paring down austerity in design,”

Raw– This palette is derived from unfinished wood, cinder blocks and other “make-do” materials and includes shades of white, sand and gray. The raw palette will layer white on white, with textures and shapes to add visual interest. Gray and monotones will be embraced with tonal shifts ranging from beiges to near-black.

Urban Silence– This group of colors reflects the changing delineation between life in the city and life outside the city. As more urban buildings incorporate rooftop gardens and shipping containers are converted into living spaces, the city becomes a softer, more livable place. These changes are reflected in the palette by mixing the gray tones of urban living with vibrant, organic colors like green, rust and terra cotta.

Simplexity– The best way to think of “simplexity” design is repetitive patterns clustered into simple formats. The repetitive pattern brings order to chaos. Simplexity colors are very complex, they have a lot of depth to them, but they’re easy to use.An example is a color that looks black, but it’s really purple. It’s almost black but it has an undercurrent of blue and red running underneath it and the way that the light hits it, you start seeing the nuances of how those colors flip underneath it.

Private Identity – deals with how we express our individuality and differentiates between the individual and the world. Colors will include organic brights teamed with pales to create unusual pairings. Metallics will be warm and cool, while surfaces, especially blacks and vinyl, will have slick, wet looks. Denim and brass will be key features in this forward-thinking trend.

August 7, 2008

European Linear Gas Cooktop

I have a love/hate relationship with the great people who write for the Appliancist blog.

They feature some of the coolest products, like this gas cooktop from Neff. The problem is that most European appliances are not made for export to the US.

European appliances are not like automobiles. You can’t fly over, buy them and ship them back. They won’t work.

There are two basic standards for voltage and frequency in the world. One is the North American standard of 110-120 volts at 60 Hz, which uses plugs A and B, and the other is the European standard of 220-240 volts at 50 Hz, which uses plugs C through M.

Using a 50 Hz appliance here means anything with a motor will run faster.

Yes, if you have the know-how, you can attempt to install transformers. However, it is my understanding that this should only be attempted with small power-consuming eclectic items like mixers. Electronic items will not function properly at all with a converter.

Your local building code may not allow it either. I don’t suggest you take the risk.