Modern design blog for modern lifestyles. eat.live.modern

Starck Struck - Modern Designer Philippe Starck

Lately in my travels I have had the pleasure of experiencing the places and spaces of French designer Philippe Starck - perhaps the most influential designer of our time. Starck's approach to design is unique, and he exhibits such a range from his simple product designs to lavish interiors. (You may remember the collaboration he did with Target back in 2002.) He has notably stated that he is never satisfied with his work which, perhaps, continues to fuel his drive for perfection.

Here are some highlights of Starck designed modern architecture and interiors in Beverly Hills, New York City and Paris. You can view his full portfolio at the Philippe Starck website: www.starck.com  

The Bazaar, SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills

http://thebazaar.com/

The Bazaar restaurant in the heart of Beverly Hills will not disappoint. From the people watching to the eclectic menu to the layout of the restaurant - your senses will be in overdrive. For each course you'll be seated in a different themed area of the restaurant at communal style tables. Try to get by the chef's table for your main course and be sure to save room for the delicious dessert bar. There's even a section of retail items with wonderful finds and gadgets. To top it off stop at the outside lounge bar on your way out.

 

SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills

www.starwood.com

Owned by Starwood hotels the SLS Hotel is a good choice if you are looking for excitement in LA. In addition to the standard amenities you would expect, there are pool tables on each floor, the bath products come in full sizes, and the concierge staff has the hook up to all the best spots in town. In our case they even went to the same place they recommended to us for the night!

Hudson Hotel in New York City

http://www.hudsonhotel.com

The Hudson Hotel is conveniently located near Columbus Circle in New York. It is steps away from Central Park and across from the Time Warner center with plenty of shops and a Whole Foods at the bottom. The hip hotel has hidden design surprises at every turn. With a cafeteria style restaurant on-site and lovely rooftop terrace, it's a refreshing boutique hotel with affordable prices for NYC. 

Le Royal Monceau in Paris

http://www.raffles.com/paris/

A true gem in Paris, the Le Royal Monceau will whisk you away with its charm and luxury. Located in Philippe Starck's native Paris he certainly put his best foot forward with the hotel renovation and design. The restaurant scene on property offers white glove service or casual dining if you prefer. You'll want to book a spa appointment at the Spa My Blend by Clarins which was also designed by Starck. After walking the nearby Champs-Élysées and admiring the Arc de Triomphe your feet will need a good rub down!

Restaurant Bon in Paris

http://www.restaurantbon.fr/indexacc.html

Off the beaten path and a true local spot, Restaurant Bon restaurant delivers on both design and cuisine. The modern restaurant features Asian-fusion dishes and pockets of different decor. I highly recommend the seating in the library room - other choices include the boudoir, the fireplace room, or the vinotheque.

Kong Bar and Restaurant in Paris

http://www.kong.fr/

A few steps off the Seine river bank Kong Bar and Restaurant makes for an superb evening out or an amazing brunch on the windowed, rooftop terrace. You can't miss the Asian influences like the boy pictured in the bathroom or the random faces adorning the place. Kong has a good section of local and traditional cocktails - the Rossini (champagne, creme de fraise, puree de fraise) was a big hit! 

Must Have Design, Travel and Lifestyle Apps

There are tons of apps being created these days which makes it hard to find the true gems. Discovering a cool app can make a big difference in your day-to-day with location based features getting more and more advanced. 

Here are some of my go-to design, travel, foodie and lifestyle apps for your iPhone and/or iPad - in no particular order. Send or post suggestions of your favs too!

GOOP App (iPhone, $3.99)

Gwyneth Paltrow's GOOP lifestyle brand released a new iPhone app today. It's a City Guide for New York and is filled with hand-picked favorites and suggestions from the actress. I can't wait to try out the GOOP app when I'm in NYC in a few weeks. It has a "What's Near Me" feature that pulls in the suggestions based on your location, and there are also a few NYC walks highlighted in the app with superb stops. Go Gwyneth.

Houzz App (iPad/iPhone, free)

The Houzz app has home design ideas and photos by room type. You can also layer on the Metro area filter or Style features to customize the pictures shown. Interior design at your fingertips.

FoodSpotting App (iPhone, free)

Looking for the tastiest key lime pie or a huge helping of lasagna? The FoodSpotting app lets you find food by location and picture. The user submitted photos allow you to navigate through the world of food - one dish after another. Eat your heart out!

Instagram App (iPhone, free)

The Instagram app makes every picture look better - without fail, guar-on-tee! This app is addicting and will have you whipping out your phone at inopportune moments to capture things just to see how they'll turn out with the various filters. A must-have for shutter bugs.

Number Guru (iPhone, free)

Ok, I selfishly debated about whether to give this one out - but here goes. Number Guru lets you get the identification for ANY telephone number. You heard me. Caller id for cell phones is freaking awesome.

Scoutmob (iPhone, free)

 

Based and started in Atlanta, Scoutmob is a mobile deal app that may determine where you are eating out each night because the deals are that sweet. What's really great about the app is that you don't have to buy anything in advance (like Groupon) all you do is show your phone to redeem the deals which in most cases is 50% off. Scoutmob is now in 13 major cities with 6 more on the way. Their marketing is charming and funny, and the deals tend to be at quality places. Mobile deals for the local curious.

 

36 Hours - The New York Times Travel Guide

Recently released just in time for the holidays The New York Times 36 Hours is a compilation of its 36 hours travel suggestions for the US and Canada which it has been publishing since 2002. Produced by Taschen the book has clever illustrations and designs, and the destinations range from the expected urban centers to the undiscovered. Also, colored coded tabs and ribbons allow you to bookmark your favorite places.

This is a top gift for the traveler in your life - or a wonderful travel guide to pick up for yourself. Start exploring and planning your dream weekends, top spots, and adventures! Price $39.99 at Taschen.

 

Artist Bradley Gordon featured at Billy Reid

Billy Reid's flagship design store in Florence, Alabama featured talented artist Bradley Gordon and his paintings in an evening showcase. Gordon's stunning work depicts animals which were an inspiration while he was growing up and living in Mississippi. The paintings have just the right amount of color and form while the reclaimed wooden frames give them a rustic touch. Here are some of the highlights from the show, and you can find more on Bradley's website, The Gordon Gallery.

Parallax Web Design - Creative Showcase

Your eyes are in for a treat! An interactive colleague tipped me off on this cool vertical web design technique called Parallax that adds an amazing sense of depth to the web. Parallax design and layering creates a 3D effect and adds movement to the page.

You must see for yourself in the cool parallax design examples below:

The sherbet colored shoes on the Nike Better World site standout incredibly! Reminds me of those circus peanut candies.

Visual flow for the SXSW Beer Camp page is similar to Prezi.

Fancy way to promote your business like this digital agency in Oslo.

Parallax is a great tool for high-end, luxury brands as seen above for Manufacture d'Essai.

Jan Ploch uses parallax design to showcase an online portfolio. Parallax resumes will be the future - much better than the boring black and white one-pager. Ick!

High School Students Build A Farmer's Market In A Food Desert | Fast Company

Bertie County, North Carolina is the poorest county in its state, with  residents who are largely obese and an agricultural economy that is reliant on tobacco, cotton, peanuts, and soy. It's also home to Emily Pilloton and Studio H, a design/build program in a local public high school. This past year, Pilloton and partner Matthew Miller led a class of high school students in designing and building a much-needed (and quite beautiful) farmer's market pavilion for the area.

Studio H construction timelapse from Project H Design on Vimeo.

via www.fastcompany.com

It's great to see this follow-up story by Fast Company to the blog post and interview I conducted on Emily Pilloton's design work.

Wearable Planter Jewelry

Carry a little bit of nature with you with Colleen Jordan's planter jewelry. The designer uses 3D printing and modeling software that allows her to create unique forms that house small, stable plants like succulents. Her shop on Etsy, A Wearable Planter, showcases her creations which are mainly necklaces and pins. Colleen's pieces are driven by the idea that "the world would be a better place if we showed a greater respect for nature, and even carried plants closer to our hearts". 

The United States Of Design | Fast Company

From GM to 3M, in boardrooms and on Wall Street, in Silicon Valley and on Madison Avenue, design matters more than ever. Around the globe, American designers have never been more influential. Welcome to an unexpected and inspiring moment.

via www.fastcompany.com

Interesting article. Do you think design can kick start American business?

Small Homes Yield for Sustainability & Affordability

The last thirty years have seen an explosion in technological advancements. Luckily, the ability to access information almost instantly has also led to a greater awareness of our place on the planet and the importance of protecting and preserving the environment. Many people are interested in reducing their carbon footprint and like most grass-roots movements, environmental sustainability begins at home. 

Going Smaller

A home is the largest investment most of us will ever make and one that is meant to last a lifetime. In the past people often purchased as much house as they could afford and the size of one’s home was seen as a status symbol. With the growing awareness of environmental responsibility that trend seems to be reversing. Smaller homes not only take up less space, they are also more energy efficient and less expensive to heat, cool and light -- using less natural resources in the process. Limiting interior spaces also means limiting the things needed to fill them, cutting back on purchases of consumer goods and furniture.

Buy or Build?

If you are interested in an environmentally friendly home, you may want to look into building one from scratch. Modular, prefabricated or kit homes are available that are manufactured with “green” materials and processes. These homes are usually small and relatively inexpensive and they come complete with many modern energy-saving innovations. Buying and upgrading an existing home is also a viable option. The environmental impact of renovating an existing home can be less than that of new construction.

Clean and “Green”

Smaller homes are easier to clean, and you can increase the environmental benefits by using “green” cleaning products and supplies. Several companies offer organic products including household cleaners and laundry detergents. Utilize common household products to save money and the planet. Vinegar and water with a drop of dish washing detergent effectively cleans surfaces and glass. Baking soda mixed with a little lemon juice works as a scouring powder on bathtubs and sinks. Pick up a package of inexpensive cloth diapers and reuse them for regular cleaning to reduce your dependence on paper towels.

The Great Outdoors

The image of a perfect suburban home surrounded by a lush green lawn is another idea that is beginning to fade. Lawns are thirsty and largely decorative. They also require treatment with harsh pesticides and herbicides to maintain. Many homeowners are re-purposing their lawns as organic vegetable gardens or replanting with hardy native plants that require little or no watering or care. If you must keep your lawn, consider using an electric mower or weed trimmer, or better yet, an old-fashioned people-powered push mower and get a great workout while cutting the grass. If you have a swimming pool, invest in a solar cover to heat the water naturally. Upgrade to a salt-water filter to reduce or eliminate the use of harsh chemicals.

“Greening” your home will be an ongoing process as the coming years bring new and better innovations. Smaller homes are the first step to an environmentally friendly future.

- This guest post is courtesy of Douglas Elliman Real Estate Company, Agents for New York Homes.

Modern Weekender Bag - The Getaway by Malcolm Fontier

We all like to escape for a few days to get some R&R, and the essential travel piece for a quick trip is a versatile weekender bag. As I was gearing up for sporadic trips to Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona, I came across the quintessential weekender bag from Malcolm Fontier called The Getaway. And, boy did it exceed my expectations!

First, to give you some background on Malcolm Fontier, the company is based in Atlanta and designs "modern carryalls for a world on the go". Their products range from wallets to weekenders, utilize high-quality Italian fabrics, and have been engineered down to every last dirty detail. Believe me - they thought of everything!

The main thing that stood out for me with The Getaway is the use of pockets, space and closures. Everything I packed for my trips had an 'assigned spot' that allowed for easy storage and access. Then, the materials used were perfect for travel. The light grey colored canvas material travels very well while looking stylish. As you know, the overhead bins and airplane seat storage can get nasty! The straps on the bag have a padded suede material that sits comfortably on your shoulder - or snugs right into your hands. Also included are a sturdy, padded section for your laptop and a matching bag that can be used for laundry or trinkets you find on your trip. There are some hidden interior pockets too, but those are top secret.

The Getaway bag is the highest priced in their collection at $285, but it is the type of luggage you will carry and cherish for years. Worth it for those on the go. View the modern weekender bag and the entire Malcolm Fontier collection at their website. Then plan a trip somewhere...