We all know someone who can’t resist great design in any form, be it packaging, decor, interiors, and more. Maybe it’s you!
Whether you’re still looking for that tough to shop for person, or you have some gaps in your own wish list, here are some last minute gift ideas that design junkies will love!
This past weekend I had the opportunity to visit the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas and it was insane. With 140,000 attendees, it was Vegas’ busiest time of the year, as gadget guys and gals flocked to see all the newest innovations for 2011. Busiest booths included Intel (who brought buzz with their new core processor to make PC’s faster), Microsoft (who had massive bubble rooms where people could play Kinect games) and Polaroid (who had Lady Gaga revealing her Grey Label line), just to name a few.
I, of course, was most drawn to the stylish goodies for home and lifestyle — you could spot me drooling over appliances at the massive LG booth or being completely blown away by how seamless home entertainment is becoming over at the Intel booth. Here are a few of my fave finds:
1 Urbanears ‘Medis’ earbuds, $50 US
One issue I have with listening to music on my iPod is that the earbuds never stay in my ear. I use them at the gym, at work and also when I’m tinkering around the house (Mick doesn’t share my enthusiasm for Motown, so I put headphones on when washing dishes, decorating, cleaning — you name it). At CES, I stumbled upon the Urbanears booth and fell in love. The ‘Medis’ earbuds come with different sizes of clips so you can adjust to your ear size and they never fall out. They also come in a bunch of lovely colours and have a shoelace-like cord — tres chic.
2 Intel Smart TV
Intel was definitely one of the companies that blew me away — I’m so fascinated with how in-tune they are with making our lives easier. One thing that I loved was Smart TV, a partnership between Intel, Sony, Logitech and Google. Basically, Intel has created a software that allows you to wirelessly use your TV for live television, web browsing, Netflix, etc. all through using a keyboard for all remote requests. Let’s say you wanted to search your TV for “hockey” — just type in the term and it lets you choose between hockey items in the TV guide, your PVR, NetFlix, internet search and more. It’s so seamless! Intel Labs director Genevieve Bell said it best when she explained that, “Good technology becomes part of the landscape of our lives. It needs to be comfortable for the user and we have to understand that homes are where people live.”
3 LG Steam Closet
This thing was insane. Seriously, I was practically drooling. The steam closet is actually not even named thus, as it’s just a prototype at the moment. And please ignore the cheesy image — it’s of a similar item from LG that was released in Korea (looks the same). Anyways, the gist is that it’s an at-home appliance that will steam clean your clothing. No more dry cleaning, no more atrocious bills. You just hang your clothes inside, have the water reservoir filled with water, and in 30 minutes, your clothes have been steamed and deodorized. Sign. Me. Up.
4 Philips Fidelio Primo dock and speakers, $399
I’ve played around with Philips’ Fidelio line of dock speakers before and I love the crisp sound that comes out of them (not to mention their sexy look). At IDS they introduced the Fidelio Primo in the original version, which has a sleek wood design and a metal casing. These are the perfect speakers to have on hand for a party, indoors or out.
5 LG range with Infagrill technology
Okay, so I don’t have an image for this because it’s a prototype, but I’ll explain how cool it is. Basically, it’s a range that features an oven and cooktop, but also a separate grill that cooks food similar to an outdoor BBQ. There’s no pre-heating required and it cuts cooking time down by 30%. Now you don’t have to stand out in the freezing cold of winter when you’re craving a steak in February. Hurray!
Did any of you get a chance to visit CES? What were some of your fave gadgets?
xo,
Lauren
Okay, I realize most people may not think of a vacuum as a ‘toy’, or even associate it with fun, but trust me — the new LG Kompressor makes cleaning enjoyable.
In my new house, we have white carpet in place until we get hardwood. We also have a cute little beagle named Wendel who sheds like it’s going out of style. This, ladies and gentlemen, is a recipe for disaster. Our old vacuum worked great in our previous parquet-tiled apartment, but it was no match for wee Wendel’s falling hair, mucky feet and peanut-butter filled toy that he totes around in the new house. So, now when I say that the LG Kompressor vacuum is my new favourite toy, you may understand the joy that it brings to me.
What I love about LG is that they consistently get it right the first time. This is their first entry into the vacuum market and I have no complaints! I got to chat with Frank Lee from LG — who gets just as excited about new products as I do — and he filled me in on what makes this vac stand out from the rest.
I’m sure those of you with carpet in your home are now drooling over the Kompressor — I definitely did the first time I used it! It comes in the higher price range at $500 a pop, but you will not be disappointed with the quality, design and cool features it offers.
xo,
Lauren
Switchplates can often make a room go from pretty to pretty fugly, so when I spot a cool one, I’m all over it like white on rice. I adore this funky cubic switchplate that adds a fun dimensional aspect to boring electrical outlets.
$8 US, Design Glut on Supermarkethq.com.
It seems these days that technology is moving at the speed of light. You buy the latest iPod and then a couple of months later, that puppy’s old news. How’s a gal to keep up?
If you’re not ready to let go of your outdated tech-cessories, why not wait until they turn vintage? On a recent scour through the Etsy site, I found tons of fab vintage tech goods that may not work half as well as today’s products (or may not work at all), but gosh-darned-it, won’t they look cute sitting on your bookshelf or countertop.
Here’s a few of the fierce finds I stumbled across on Etsy — keep in mind they sell fast, so you may have to do some hunting of your own.
Technology is going to new levels when it comes to design, and the proof ain’t in the pudding — it’s in Dell’s new line of laptops. Sleek, modern and incredibly unique, Dell’s line features the design expertise of an unusual hire — Ed Boyd, an industrial designer who used to dream up sunglasses and sneakers for Nike.
I was lucky enough to ask Ed a few questions about the products, his role in the design process, and why technology is being designed to fit in with the decor of our homes.
Tech Style: The move from sneakers and sunglasses, to designing laptops… how did that come about?
Ed Boyd: When I was approached by Dell, the company was really looking for somebody who understood technology and lifestyle. At the time I was at Nike, designing tech-based products like watches, speed and distance devices, sunglasses, etc. Prior to joining Nike, I was at Sony where I designed a wide array of consumer electronics. So, I am very familiar with the technology industry and the shift from Nike to Dell was not that difficult.
TS: What inspired you when designing these pieces?
EB: Actually, it`s not just me but a design team of 120 people at Dell that are working on these products. At Dell we spend a lot of time speaking with and really listening to our customers. We use their feedback and ideas to inspire our designs for products that meet specific needs and personalities. We also draw inspiration from other industries such as furniture, fashion, music, culture and essentially every space that gives us insight into how people are integrating technology into their lifestyles.
On a personal note, I draw inspiration from my childhood experiences, watching my grandmother, who was a multi-talented artist. I am also constantly inspired by my friends and colleagues in the technology and fashion industries. My goal is to consistently stretch my design antennae as far as possible and be inspired by as many things as possible.
TS: There`s a real push to incorporate technology with sleek and artistic design. Why do you think this is such a large growing trend?
EB: The PC industry is changing just like the cell phone industry or the automotive industry did. People are becoming very comfortable with their technology and they are using technology as accessories for self-expression. So, obviously they expect products to be designed accordingly. They expect products to be customized so as to reflect their own personalities and lifestyles. The days of the utilitarian PC as we know it are pretty much over. Customization is driving purchasing behaviour, so Dell certainly wants to make sure it plays in that space. We will continue to see a growing trend toward highly stylized technology products.
TS: Laptops like these are really becoming almost an accessory in a home`s decorating scheme. Do you ever take that into consideration when designing these pieces?
EB: Yes, absolutely. As we spend time talking to customers, one of biggest trends we have noticed is that people want their laptops and desktops to be functional but also to fit into their lifestyle — be it matching their personality or complementing their décor. Dell`s Design Studio enables customers to customize the look of their laptop or desktop as they are configuring the system. They can select and customize colour and finishes to match their décor or personality.
TS: What`s next for Ed Boyd? Are there other areas of design you`d like to venture into?
EB: I think I have my hands full at the moment with Dell! A tremendous amount of time, energy and work is going into delivering products with personalization options within the industry, and I’m very excited to be a part of this change.
For more information on Dell’s new line of uniquely designed laptops, visit the Dell Design Studio.
The Crest Oral-B Pulsonic contest has come to a close, and your responses have been great! I wish I could give all of you the prize packs, but unfortunately, I only have three.
The winners with the best comments are:
- Tracy Murray from Courtice
- Seema Persaud from Markham
- Chantal Hebert from Ottawa
Congrats to those who won, thanks to all who entered, and keep checking back for more fab contests and a chance to win cool tech goodies!
To view the original contest post with the winning responses, click here.
There are two things I obsess over in life: new tech toys and pretty paper (Style at Home’s web editor, Natalie Bahadur, and I go gaga over stationery; check out her Favourite Things blog for gorge goods). So, you can imagine how much I drooled over this crazy-cool card from Yellow Owl Workshop.
Printed on 100% recycled paper, the card features a debossed ’80s-digital-style front that lets you fill in your own message. It also comes with a reference alphabet so you know what each letter should look like.
Super geek or super chic? I’d happily say both.
Price: $5 US
Available at: Yellow Owl Workshop or Urban Outfitters
Ctrl+Alt+Del — not just a three key computer command anymore. The universal code for quitting a software program has long been used as tech-speak for any form of deletion (“I’m going to Ctrl+Alt+Del your number out of my phone!”), and now it’s making its way into your home decor.
These adorable cushion covers from Etsy seller Diffraction Fiber are made of ‘Eco Felt’ (100% recycled plastic bottles), yet are as soft as they are durable. With an envelope enclosure and machine-washability, what’s not to love? Reveal your inner geek while still maintaining the cool factor.
Price: $50 US for a set of 3 cushion covers
Available at: Diffraction Fiber on Etsy
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Tech gets a bad rap when it comes to being earth friendly. While some gadgets and appliances are known to suck up a ton of energy, there’s a growing trend to create products that make love, not war with the earth. Check out these eco-chic tech goodies and accessories:
Tote your 17″ laptop around in this super-stylish cedar-wood case.
Not for the budget-conscious!
$412 US, Out of Gray.
They’re at it again! IKEA goes all-the way eco with these solar powered desk lamps.
Shines for approx. 4 hours when fully charged.
$20 each, IKEA.
My delicate iPhone is an extension of my arm, so it needs hardcore protection.
This shell from gadget case gods, Incase, is composed of 40% recycled bamboo
and 60% plastic, offering uber-durability.
$35, Apple Store.
Present Mother Earth with a gift worth giving this Earth Day.
The Soji Modern solar lantern is a gorgeous outdoor lighting solution that charges from the sun’s rays, turning itself on automatically at dusk, then off at dawn.
$47 US, Pure Modern.
Although it’s been around for ages, I’m amazed at how many people don’t know about Blackle.com. A search engine powered by Google, Blackle saves energy by using a black screen while you surf the web (a white screen sucks up more energy). It’s free to use, so there’s no excuse not to do your part, techies!
Médias Transcontinental
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