These concept designs are for Deep Ocean Technology‘s soon-to-be luxury hotel in Dubai. The hotel consists of a series of discs above and below the surface of the water. Below the surface there are 21 rooms, an underwater dive center, and a bar. Above are the lobby, restaurant, spa, and recreation areas.
Anyone else have visions of Louis Gossett Jr. and a giant shark? Regardless though, it’s a really cool concept.
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Seems they’ve also seen Jaws 3 so the plans call for a safety system that’s integrated with international weather and earthquake warning systems, cameras, and remotely operated underwater vehicles stationed around the underwater discs.
[via]
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Gucci’s iconic Flora scarf as Cole & Son wallpaper
Once upon a time, in 1966 to be exact, there was a man named Vittorio Accornero. Vittorio, a skilled illustrator, was summoned by the House of Gucci to create a scarf; but not just any scarf, a magical scarf with “an explosion of flowers” that would be a special gift for the lovely Princess Grace Kelly.* Vittorio worked and worked and when he returned with his design it was a masterpiece fit to be printed on silk, and worthy as a gift for a princess. It would be called the Flora scarf and would soon be used in a wide range of garments, purses, and jewelry so that every girl could feel like a princess.
This is the stuff dreams are made of, like, a grown-up version of unicorns and rainbows, but this one is REAL.
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Gucci’s Flora Scarf $415
Okay, so fast-forward to this year’s Milan Furniture Fair where Wallpaper* magazine hosted their annual Handmade exhibition in which designers and brands are commissioned to create concept pieces to be featured and possibly make their way into production. In an epic collaboration between Gucci and Cole & Son wallpaper of London, the Flora scarf (resurrected by Gucci’s creative director Frida Giannini in 2006, slightly reworked and recolored) was reborn as wallpaper! The most beautiful, whimsical, fantastical wallpaper ever to be created.
Originally the scarf for Princess Grace was printed using a special technique similar to silk screening where 40 separate colors could be printed on the silk and not bleed. Now a standard practice today, the wallpaper was printed in a similar fashion with 16 different screens at Cole & Son’s north London factory. Let’s hope this makes it into production!!
You may recognize my other favorite Cole & Son wallpapers
Image via Charlie and Caroline’s Blog.
*Historical information from The House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed
One of my very favorite touches in my apartment are my antique glass doorknobs. Why did we ever move away from these? When even opening a door can be made more charming and special, why?!
My little rant on cheap, mass-produced door knobs aside I had no idea there were other options available for antique glass…like amethyst! (Apparently most everything before 1913 was sun-colored amethyst and after the 1930′s the color and style had changed and were machine-made.) This guy here is for sale on Etsy. Gorgeous!
Vintage Victorian Amethyst glass door knob – Etsy seller ThirdShift
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Filed under: Art and Design
My brother sent me a link to this yesterday and I couldn’t wait to share it. The artist is Erika Iris Simmons and among other things, she mostly makes portraits of people associated with the medium she’s chosen to work with. The cassette and film reel pieces are part of a series called “Ghost in the Machine,” but she uses other items as well and you can check them out at her site and blog. I love it all!
Look at this Beethoven piece and notice the precision in the cuts of the measures. She details this exacting work with an X-acto knife in this post here.
And here are her Salsa dancers for Hermes!
999Bottle
Cool! The 999Bottle is a reusable stainless steel water bottle with a dial that you click-ahead each time you refill and avoid a plastic bottle. Stylish, functional, and fun. It also comes with an iPhone app that let’s you know just how meaningful each tally is with smart bits of info like “You’ve saved 1,063 bottles! That’s equivalent to the height of the Eiffel Tower. Oui, oui!”
They’re looking for funds on Kickstarter, and are also a Seattle-based project, so if you’re as taken with this as I am and if you’d like to help support a local project head on over and check it out.
I neglected to mention that I’ve escaped to Portland for my “weekend” yesterday and today. I’m tagging along with my guy on a work trip, so I must keep it short in order to get to exploring.
Anyway, I was super-psyched to see that Wes Anderson has a new movie on its way! I am so freakin’ excited! Check out Moonrise Kingdom:
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Sorry, but with scenes like this how could you not get excited?
[image via booooooom.com]
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Filed under: Art and Design
A lovely card from Cartolina Cards
I received the most beautiful card from my guy and ever since I’ve been dreaming of ways to get my hands on a giant version so I can frame it and gaze into it every day. [Cue museum scene from Ferris Bueller's Day Off.] Yes, I love it that much.
I’m completely enchanted by the elegance of her hand and the delicate grasp on the bouquet. And what about the texture and depth…all captured on this small little card. Vintage, yet so vibrant.
These lovely pieces of artwork come from Cartolina Cards, a vintage-inspired and eco-friendly line of paper products that also extends to housewares, textiles, and iPhone apps. They’re designed and produced by Fiona Richards, and when you read about her you’ll understand why her work is so fascinating.
You can find her products at specialty boutiques but also perhaps most easily accessible through Anthropologie. Also know that her stationery can be found at the Smithsonian and The British Museum! Also be sure to check out the goods on the App Store.
[iphone image & set of four cards from Cartolina Cards]
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Image via Pinterest. Wish I knew what editorial, I’m dying to see the rest of the house.
It’s been over a year since I’ve been coveting a hot pink addition in the form of a chair, and yet I haven’t pulled the trigger. It’s not that I’m worried about the color, or it being a trend because those aren’t the reasons I love it. As they are in these gorgeous rooms it’s just so ME. I can’t help it!
Minnie Mortimer’s Library via Vogue’s APT with LSD
My big concern is in having it look as punchy, purposeful, and refined as they do here. Initially I kept going back to the Thonet chair from ABC Home. The price isn’t bad, and it’s a great color; but, after seeing these upholstered guys I’m glad I held off. It’s missing the polish of the upholstery and it’s also been plastered in a bunch of shelter mags lately.
Decorating is a process, so until it feels just right I’m going to continue to be patient.
Hot Pink Thonet Chair via ABC Home $150
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Filed under: Art and Design
I’m fascinated by this series of prints — completely taken with the sophisticated Delft ceramic as objects less than refined.
These and the rest of Magnus Gjoen’s portfolio show the juxtaposition between the beautiful and the destructive or undesirable. Makes me think…makes me really want them too. The machine gun and the skull are freakin’ awesome, but really I’d take any piece. I’d opt for extra-wide, ultra-white matting and frame to be hung just next to my vanity. Whatcha think?
(By the by, he’s also a designer and graphic designer for Vivienne Westwood.)
Bravo Mr. Gjoen!
Filed under: Art and Design
I’ve been working on getting my little bar area re-settled and was looking for a bottle opener that wasn’t, well, ugly. I came across these great brass pieces and it was love at first sight with this crescent. It’s just so sexy! I currently have to hide my ugly one in a box, but with this guy it’d be like an objet d’art.
Designed by Oji Masanori these solid brass pieces are made in Japan at a foundry that’s over 114 years old. Beautiful, meaningful, & a great conversation piece. My only reservation is I wonder how well it actually works; I’d just hate to be fumbling about just to use a pretty toy, but to be completely honest it’s so pretty that I almost wouldn’t care. Almost.
Another option, though not as much of a favorite, would be the Frame opener. There’s just something about that crescent shape that makes my knees weak. Check out Poketo to see more shots.
Crescent $55
Frame $65
Eclipse $40
