cool product :: modern bowls are squishy

The everyday Cereal bowl has gotten a squishy space age makeover over at Guyot Designs. This breakfast friendly (lunch and dinner too) tableware won Backpacker's Editors Choice Award in 2007 . Why? Because it's collapsible for easy packing, yet retains its shape and is perfect for hot and cold foods on-the-go. Plus its made of that flexible space age food grade silicone stuff which makes it temperature resistant to 400˚F. (soup and coffee, people!) And it comes in graduated sizes plus four cool colors too.

	"Every time we unpacked these groovy silicone "squishy bowls," we got covetous glances from our comrades. Cool Stuff: Mash them into your pack any old way, pull them out, and watch them pop back into shape ... and they're easy to clean – just turn one inside out and lick it."
	- Backpacker March 2007

Think of the other great uses for this one - great for baby and pets on the go, and picnics too. I love this bowl - its JUST COOL!

Get the squishy cup and bowl set over at REI for $14.95

read more about it at GuyotDesigns
via the gear junkie

cool product :: post-its have made it clear

They weren't clear about it before, always pink, yellow, blue, green or white. But now 3m has introduced their new Post-It Notes called Sheer Colors. These translucent little stick-em notes are a smart invention, taking your reading experience to the next level. Now you can flag pages of interest, and because these are clear, you can highlight and mark to your hearts content with no fear of marking up the original pages underneath.

Aren't these JUST COOL and just in time for the new school year!

cool product :: futuristic shower tub

How cool is this? The Rotator, a futuristic Tub / Shower first made its debut at the International Furniture Fair in Milan in April. It cleverly rotates on the wall for a quick shower or a long soak. This squeaky clean tub design is the brainchild of designer, artist, renowned architect Ron Arad.

From Doobybrain: "The Rotator is a unique bathtub and shower combination that can transform from bathtub to shower in just one quick rotation on the wall. When the fatter end of the unit is at the bottom, a person can step inside and sit as if they were in a tub. Should the occupant want to take a shower, all he/she has to do is turn the unit “upside-down” and new water (not the water that you bathed in) comes flowing down from the water outlet.

If you’re taking a bath and you’re finished, simply rotate the Rotator sideways and the water drains out of the tub with the help of gravity.

I bet cleaning it is a snap too. The Rotator - it's JUST COOL!

cool product :: versatile velcro

Cool Uses for Velcro

Velcro is one of the coolest inventions since sliced bread. It's name comes from the the French words velour and crochet, and was developed in the early 1940s, when Swiss inventor George de Mestral returned home from a walk with his dog and noticed that pesky cockleburs had stuck to his pants and his dog’s coat. Examining the burrs under a microscope, de Mestral found the basis for a unique two-sided fastener — one side with stiff hooks (like the burrs) and the other with soft loops (like the fabric of his pants).

And if velcro itself isn't JUST COOL - all the ways you can use it are even cooler. Like for instance

Use Velcro to:

1. Hang pieces of art or photos on a wall. Stick several strips of Velcro to the wall and to the back of a lightweight frame.
2. Prevent a jacket or a blouse from gaping open. Sew small pieces of Velcro between the buttons to create a smooth surface.
3. Keep a rug in place. Stick pieces of Velcro to the floor and to the bottom of the rug.
4. Stop seat cushions from sliding off kitchen chairs. Place strips of Velcro on the chair and on the cushion.
5. Organize toys. Affix a Velcro strip to the wall and Velcro pieces to stuffed animals to make cleanup fun for toddlers.
6. Keep track of the remote. Use Velcro to attach the remote to the side of the TV when it’s not in use.
7. Remove pills from sweaters. Use the hook side of Velcro to pull off pesky balls.
8. Restrain wayward cords. Keep them in one place with a strip of Velcro.
9. Keep a pen or paper handy. Place a small piece of Velcro next to a desk calendar and on a pen so you can jot down to-dos ASAP. In the car, stick a notepad to the dashboard or the door of the glove compartment and you’ll always have paper for a brilliant thought or a last-minute errand.
10. Picnic in peace. Keep a tablecloth from flying away by applying Velcro to the underside of the cloth and to the picnic table.

Great ideas Real Simple Magazine !

Cool Products :: 2008 kitchen gadget winners

Kitchen Devotees will love these JUST COOL gadgets that won the bronze at the 2008 International Design Excellence Awards (IDEAs)

Blooop is a sink stopper that reflects the beauty of the water it holds. The bottom of the stopper has a tapered plug that guides it into the drain hole. The disk-like surface seals off against the drain to keep water in the sink. The user releases the water by grabbing Blooop’s stem and pulling it out of the drain. This one is still in the concept stages and was designed by Lunar Europe (Germany). Hope it comes out soon!

The Wilton Rolling Pin was designed for professional bakers (and people who enjoy baking), this patent-pending product is the first fully submersible, dishwasher-proof rolling pin on the market. The nonslip handles provide a sure grip during use. Pressing a button on the side allows the handles to be removed for efficient cleaning. A nonstick roller results in improved performance and easy clean-up. The Wilton Rolling Pin is an example of good design transforming an age-old tool into a new, ergonomic, more efficient product.

Data and images provided by IDSA

I'm wanting one of these! Good Grips Silicone Cooking Colander is a unique, all-in-one product. The colander is easily collapsed and deployed, with a pop-and-punch interaction that is both useful and fun. The traditional, familiar hanging basket form has been updated with a pop-up silicone basket. A long rubberized handle keeps hands away from heat, increasing safety and comfort. This design allows parboiling, boiling, blanching, steaming, straining and cooling to be done with one tool. When collapsed, the low profile colander also allows compact storage in cramped quarters.

Good Grips Silicone Cooking Colander is 19.99
Buy it here at Amazon.com and it's eligible for free shipping too!

via businessweek

food :: Zero Calorie Chips

Hafsteinn Juliusson's design concept food called Slim Chips takes dieting to a new level. His Slim Chips are a dieter's dream. Great taste, texture, and crunch without all the nasty calories. Instead of eating fat laden chips, these clever munchies are just edible paper with added organic flavors.

What a concept - gee that HJ has some JUST COOL ideas! Check out more of his brilliant moments here>>>

cool product :: all in one refrigerator

It's nice to finally see a stylin' fridge thats got it all! Sure, the Santo 75598 KG side-by-side stainless steel refrigerator from Swedish manufacturer Electrolux AEG is a bit pricey but it's uncompromised quality, classic good looks and excellent performance make up for all that. For the wine connoisseur, this AEG refrigerator has a 162 liter wine cooler, equipped with special electronic controls, an LED temperature display and a UV protected glass door. Five wooden shelves hold up to 39 bottles. The 78 liter separately controlled No Frost freezer comes with an LED display, 4 drawers and enough space for all your frozen foods, while making defrosting a thing of the past. With a capacity of 330 liters and featuring numerous drawers and bins, this awesome refrigerator stores your foods at optimal, electronically controlled temperatures. All things to consider when purchasing your next fridge. Price about $5,900. Check out this product's website (in German) at AEG.

All refrigerators keep things cold but this one does that and is JUST COOL.

via remodelista

video :: eye candy

Remember when I posted the Dramatic Cat Video ? Here's a take off on it, but this one is even funnier. What a HOOT!!!



hahahahahahaha....heehehehehehehehhe....those lemurs are so funny...kinda freaky looking but JUST COOL!

interior :: the blues...

...aren't all that bad. And they're anything but, when creating a dreamy interior. Romantic Homes has put together some sweet blue vignettes in this flickr.com sampler. These blues capture the comfortable charm of yesterdays gone by. Soooo pretty!

1. Bedroom Plates, 2. doors in Paris, 3. Wysteria, 4. blue yellow pink, 5. Candy Buffet Kisses, 6. hydrangeas, 7. entrance to..., 8. "modesty" ATC, 9. the threads of blue happiness, 10. hydrangea & chintz, 11. Church with gingerbread work, 12. Lots of blue eggs, 13. Bel Air Hotel Floral Arrangement14. Not available15. Not available16. Not available

Blues are JUST COOL!

fashion :: hoodies with handies

Will that cool design studio , Art.Lebedev Studio never stop? Designing their cool products, I mean. Like this one - A hoodie with handies!

JUST COOL don't ya think?

interior :: blue glam at nylo warwick

Looks like glam is here to stay. This glitsy interior for the hotel, Nylo in Warwick RI, has that sixties funkilicious vibe going on and I love it! Designed by Dupoux Design NYLO WARWICK is scheduled to open September 1rst.
Hey, that was yesterday!

The Warwick property will be a little different than its Texan sister. With New England's rivers and bays as its muse, this NYLO has a witty vibe that celebrates its locale. The bar takes design inspiration from fish gills. In the restaurant, chandeliers recall dry sea coral, and tables have Plexiglas tops with embedded sea sponges. In fact, NYLO is even calling this cool hotel "Soho-by-the-Sea". All it needs is an "in house" Mermaid!

Even better are the prices. Introductory rates are low at $89 a night on weekends and $119 a night during the week.

How about a weekend getaway at the NYLO? It's JUST COOL!

from Behance Network and Hotel Chatter

architecture :: house of veins

Actually this house isn't called House of Veins at all, but doesn't it look like it should be? Or Lace House, or ....
Leonardo Glass Cube is a glass-fronted brand pavilion in Bad Driburg, Germany designed by 3Deluxe . It was designed for the Glaskoch Corporation and completed in May of last year, to be used for informal meetings and corporate hospitality. It's unusual configuration and freeform graphic is brilliant. Talk about a stroke of architectural genius! This is it.

read all about it over at my favorite design blog, DeZeen