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If you want something a little less formal for your ceiling, the Mhy pendant lamp could fit the bill.
This Scandinavian 'childlike' design is small enough to use in rows over a table, but bright enough to grab attention in a smaller room. It's an aluminium shade, handmade and hand-painted in a choice of white, black or yellow, all with a textile cord and with 20.3cm diameter.
Each one is available for 159 Euros.
It's a marriage made in heaven - James Bond and Scalextric - and it's coming to a retail store near you in October.
The range (digital set, micro digital set and limited edition) will launch in October, a month before the latest Quantum of Solace movie and featuring cars from the previous Casino Royale film - notably, the Aston Martin DBS, racing round a 532cm track.
The downside is the modern theme. Personally, I think it's a chance missed - a set featuring past classic Bond cars is crying out to be made. Whether it will remains to be seen.
If you like the idea of bringing the cinema into your home, it could be more affordable than you think with the Sony Bravia Full HD VPL-VW40 projector.
According to Sony, this is aimed at the 'price-conscious' consumer, although it's stopped short of actually giving a price. Regardless of that, the VPL-VW40 offers high definition (1080p) viewing, helped along by the Bravia Engine processor which digitally enhances each frame in real time. There's also a 2.5ms response time, up to 15,000:1 contrast ratio, quiet (22dB) operation, all the connectivity you would need (including HDMI for HD) and a stylish brushed aluminium remote control with fully backlit keypad to go with the stylish projector.
Expect this in the coming months - and a price a couple of weeks before it hits the shelves.
Find out more at the Sony website
Rather like a cartoon version of some 1930s art deco seating - the Jet Baker Thunderbird armchair.
It's definitely a head-turner - and if you really want to impress your friends, you can also pick up a matching sofa in a variety of sizes. The armchair has a sprung seat and back, covered in a leather of your choice (or fabric if you prefer) and supported by light wood feet.
Expect to pay from £1300 for the armchair, with the stool sold separately from £400.
Find out more at the Rume website
Looking to get back to nature? You could help things along with a Tree in your living room.
Not just any tree though - the Swedese Tree by Michael Young, Katrin Petursdottir is a coat stand or indeed a place to hang just about anything from a bag to the dog's lead.
It's available in a choice of finishes, although this birch version (birch veneer on MDF) is probably the most lifelike. And there's also the option of either a wall-mounted or freestanding version. The price is the same, no matter what version you go for - £410.
It might look like a conductor's stand, but the Vitra NesTable by Jasper Morrison is actually quite a useful occasional table.
And it's great for working with a laptop. The table is height-adjustable, with a tilting work surface, which means it can be adapted to just about any seating position, even if you're on a sofa or in an armchair.
Available in aubergine, olive gold and brick red, it retails for £407.
Find out more at the TwentyTwentyOne website
Not content with producing the best-looking internet radio on the market, Tanget now has one of the most stylish tabletop sound systems around - the Tangent Cinque.
Described as a digital sound centre, the Cinque offers a choice of DAB or FM radio (with all the usual presets and visuals), CD playback and MP3/WMA compatibility. It might be useful by the bed too, throwing in a a choice of alarm function (radio or CD). The own downside is the remote control - obviously the designers passed that one by.
If the walnut finish isn't your thing, there's also white, black and red to choose from, with each model retailing from £239. A version without the DAB is also available from £189.
As a dog owner, I can't resist these Terrier salt and pepper shakers.
These ceramic dispensers are sold as a set of black and white, each with a contrasting eye patch. The only downside is the way your seasoning is served - I would have gone for the realistic option of the dog's behind, but it's actually through the nose.
The pair are yours for £5.
Find out more at the Ochigo website
Not being a US citizen, I don't get a vote in the upcoming election. But that doesn't stop me appreciating these Obey US election campaign prints.
They're the work of Shepard Fairey under the Obey banner. There are three posters in the range (the third is a variation of the Obama print), all sized at 24 x 36 inches. No prizes for guessing who the artist is supporting, but even if you don't feel the same about Barack Obama, that Vote image is an all-round winner.
All are available to order in strictly limited numbers (350 of each with just one per person) from the Obey site from Wednesday January 30th, priced at $50 (£25) each. Proceeds will go to fund a large poster campaign in the US.
No, this isn't a cutting from a mid-70s design magazine, the Karim Rashid Sphera bed is very 'now'.
It's a bedroom within a bed if you like. Packed into this cube-shaped structure is a 32-inch colour TV on the front 'wall', LED lighting on the top, that rich man's essential, the champagne holder and a vanity mirror on the outside. Oh yes - and a bed, fitted with 'exclusive Hollandia advanced sleep amenities'.
It should be available later this year in a range of colours and fabrics. Price? Well, if you need to ask, you probably can't afford it.
Via Born Rich
I never thought we would feature a novelty cufflink on Switched On Set, but I'll make an exception for these Lightbulb Cufflinks.
Yes, they're shaped like your everyday screw-in lightbulb. But there's more than that. See that small black button on the bottom? Press it and the lightbulb will actually light up.
How long that light will last isn't clear, but at $29.95 (around £15), it's not a lot of money to find out.
Find out more at the Gifts For Professionals website
We featured Steel Cake some time back over at Retro To Go, a New York-based watch design company, recently founded by Matthew Burnett and James Nelson. And a couple of months down the line, there are more interesting timepieces on display, including the Steel Square Chrono watch.
It's all about that square design, a matt stainless steel case that's certain to jump off your wrist. There's also a contrasting black leather strap, Quartz movement and various mini dials for timing.
All of that will cost you $175, which is just under £90.
Find out more at the Steel Cake website
A clever way to dispose of your crumpled paper - in the Crumpled Bin.
Designed by John Brauer, the lightweight bin is made of a hard plastic (polyethylene), sized at 33 x 33cm and comes in either black or white.
If you want one, they retail for £25 each.
It might have a slightly deco look about it, but the Herman Miller Leaf lamp by Yves Behar is a very modern piece of home design.
This slimline lamp uses 20 LEDs for energy efficiency and providing adjustable light between warm-white and cold-white, each with different levels of intensity. It's also adjustable, the lower blade rotating 180 degrees as well as pivoting forwards and backwards, while the uppoer blade pivots 210 degrees.
Available in black, white, red, nickel and polished aluminium, it retails for £379.
There's a growing number of interesting designs available to replace the traditional look of the radiator - including the newly-launched Metacrylic.
It's as much a piece of art as it is is functional home design. The heat is provided by an efficient steel radiator, which doubles as backing for the abstract acrylic overlay. That's just decoration, so no-one os going to burn their hands touching your 'art'.
Five colour options are available, with prices starting at just under £2,000.
Find out more at The Radiator Company website
It might look like something out of a mad professor's lab, but this is actually a high-end sound system for your iPod - the Roth Audio Music Cocoon MC4.
Designed for the iPod, but good for any portable audio device, the Music Cocoon MC4 uses vacuum tubes, adding a 'real warmth and dimension' to the music - something other amplifiers can't offer - just hook up your iPod and some speakers to hear the evidence.
Output is 13W x 2 and everything is controlled by remote or by the large controls on the front panel. if you want one, it retails for around £385.
Find out more at the Roth Audio website
Not all decanters are chunky, 70s-style throwbacks - some look as stylish as the Jakob Munk Decanter.
The Decanter's body is hand-blown glass, with silicone and brushed stainless steel finishing things off. It can be used for both wine and water and is slim enough to fit into a fridge door for keeping the contents cool. There's also a tight-fitting stopper (so your water doesn't acquire 'taste' from the fridge) and a large enough capacity for wine aeration.
Available online, you can buy one for £25.
Find out more at the Menu website
The latest product from Roberts isn't a 50s-style radio - it's the Sound 37, a cube-shaped DAB CD stereo clock radio.
Essentially, it's a bedside audio system with a CD bookmark function, recalling the last played position of your CD when you turn the player back on - just like your car stereo. As well as CD playback, the Sound 37 offers DAB/FM radio with 20 presets, stereo sound, MP2/WMA playback, multiple alarms (CD, radio or buzzer), sleep, snooze and an LCD screen.
All of that retails for £79.99.
Find out more at the Roberts Radio website
Marmite - love it or hate it? If your partner is in the camp of the former, we have the perfect Valentine's Day gift - the I Love You Champagne Marmite.
Available from this week in limited amounts (600,000), each jar is your traditional Marmite with three per cent champagne added, along with an 'I Love You' label on the front.
Each one is £2.99 - which is a lot cheaper than a bunch of flowers. But if you want to overboard, Selfridges has 50 special pots with engraved silver lids - for £145.
Today was officially camera day, with just about every camera company in the world introducing its latest range. I could ramble on about the endless Pentax, Samsung, LG and Sony cameras around, but instead I'll just feature the best-looking (the Sony we did earlier) and one for the serious snapper - the Canon EOS 450D digital SLR camera.
Technical time - it has a 12.2 megapixel sensor, EOS Integrated Cleaning System, 3-inch 'live' LCD screen, a new 9-point AF system, DIGIC III image processor, shutter speeds up to 1/4000 sec and the ability to shoot 3.5 frames per second.
All of that will cost you £599.99 for the body, with the body plus 18-55mm lens kit available at £679.99 when it appears in March.
If you are in the market for a portable radio, they don't come much smaller and more stylish than the Lexon Dune portable radio.
Designed by Rene Adda, the Dune is an FM radio with all functions controlled by a jog button on the front. There's also that revolving steel antenna (that slots back into the top of the radio when not in use), an LCD clock with backlight, auto-scan of stations and impulse sound control.
All of that in a package just 14cm wide. It retails for £49.95.
More stylish Scandinavian design - the Oillamp by Eva Solo.
It's an old idea given new life with a new look. Put simply, this is like any other oil lamp - add the fuel by unscrewing the stainless steel top, then light it when you want an alternative to a candle. And when it's not in use, this porcelain and steel container will still look like a sharp piece of home design.
Standing at 18cm and available online, one will cost you 47 Euros.
Find out more at the Lumi Living website
Never mind some bread and nuts, if you really want to treat the birds in your garden, get them the ultimate in stylish living - scaled replicas of great architectural homes for birds.
That's what German design company Raumhochrosen is now offering. There's a range of homes including 60s gems like the Gunter Wratzfeld's House Watzenegg in Dornbirn (1963) and Rudolf Wäger's Dice House in Götzis (1965) through to more contemporary designs like the Futterhaus SU-SI (1998) and the Futterhaus Haus R. (1999).
All are wooden replicas to a 1:33 scale and all are for sale online, with prices starting at 149 Euros, plus an additional 49 Euros for the stand.
Find out more at the Raumhochrosen website
Sony has unveiled a new batch of cameras this morning, the highlight of which is the Cyber-Shot T300.
This 10.1 megapixel camera with 5x zoom features the Sony BIONZ image processing engine for improved speed, autofocus, exposure control, white balance and colour adjustment, an ISO of 3200, Super SteadyShot optical image stabilisation, D-Range Optimiser (for better exposure and contrast), improved Face Detection for people shots and Smile Shutter, which waits to take the picture until a subject smiles.
There's also a widescreen 3.5-inch Clear Photo LCD Plus touchscreen and the option to hook up to your HD-ready TV, viewing your snaps in near HD quality. The Cyber-shot T300 will all be available in a colour choice of couture silver, black and red throughout Europe from the beginning of March 2008.
Fancy taking that first step towards being a superstar DJ? Invest in the Micro Mixer DJ-4.
You can't get much simpler. Just hook up two audio devices (iPod, MP3 player, CD player, record deck, computer - anything you like really), then hook the mixer to a stereo system or speakers. You're all done. Just press 'play' on one, then when you want to mix in the other audio source, mess about with the two controls.
And the price of this life-changing piece of kit? $133.25, which is around £67.
Find out more at the GeekStuff4U website
Love Eco does a range of kids playhouses made from recycled corrugated cardboard, including this rather smart Play Rocket.
Yes, a spaceship with an eco-friendly vibe, which is sturdy enough to withstand the most excitable child, flat packed (so you can pack it away after use) and as it's cardboard, your kids can customise it with crayons, paints or even fabrics.
It measures 70 x 70 x 170cm and retails for £29.99.
Find out more at the Love Eco website
Terence Conran has introduced a new take on the wingback chair - the Matador.
It's designed as a statement piece for your living room, that hight back guaranteed to catch the eye when you walk into a room. And when you are in it, the chair is perfect for an afternoon sleep. In terms of design, it has a beechwood frame, multidensity foam and a choice of fabric or leather for the finish.
Prices start at £845.
Find out more at the Conran Shop website
If your sofa isn't quite big enough for that daytime nap, you could invest in one of these stylish Charpoy day beds.
The work of Doshi Levien, these beds are a mix of European construction and Indian detailing, with the covers created by skilled Indian seamsters, while the actual bed is produced in Italy.
The bed frame is made of plywood covered with stress-resistant polyurethan foam, with matt black lacquered solid beech legs as support. And those unusual designs on the covers? An ancient Indian dice game apparently.
You can buy then from TwentyTwentyOne, priced from around £3,200.
Find out more at the TwentyTwentyOne website
Urban art is no longer an underground phenomenon, it's packed with big names and big price tags - and there will be both on display at the Urban Art auction at Bonhams.
Taking place at the New Bond Street salesrooms on Tuesday 5th February 2008, the auction will feature the likes of Banksy, Keith Haring, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Antony Micallef, Adam Neate, Faile, Paul Insect, Space Invader, Swoon, D*Face and Jamie Hewlett, not to mention stencil spray painting and flyposting for the first time in an auction room.
Highlights in the sale include the Banksy 'Laugh Now' (stencil spray paint on canvas), estimated between £40,000 and 60,000, the Banksy 'Kate Moss', screenprint (pictured above - £20,000-30,000), Banksy 'Di-Faced Tenners' screenprint (£5,000-7,000), Paul Insect 'Elvis' oil on canvas (£5,000-8,000), Faile 'London 12' stencil spray paint on wooden palette (£3,000-5,000) and Keith Haring 'Pop VI' screenprint (£1,500-2,000).
If you want to browse the lots, check out the Bonhams website.
A modern watch with a little nod to the past - the Once Watch.
Reminiscent of the space age era, the watches are cased in a rubber block strap, with an LCD dot matrix display house in the middle. And if you want it to light up, just tough the face of the watch.
Produced by Lexon and designed by Sam Hecht, it retails for £39.95.
Find out more at the DesignShop UK website
Nokia's latest addition to its Prism Collection is the Nokia 7900 Crystal Prism, created in association with designer Frédérique Daubal.
The handset features a diamond-cut design, crystal centre key and an aluminium back plate, along with ' intriguing light effects', which promises to make each handset unique. Other features include a large OLED display with modern digital art wallpapers, 2 megapixel camera, 3G connectivity, 1GB of internal memory and a music player with matching headset.
The Nokia 7900 Crystal Prism will be available in the first quarter of 2008 with an estimated retail price of 375 Euros.
Fitness kit doesn't have to add clutter to your home - it could look as stylish as the Bill Amberg leather punch bag.
It's part of a range of items that are 'modern reproductions of timeless classics', alongside a classic leather football and rugby ball, not to mention the boxing gloves you'll need to work with this. The punch bag is hand made from vegetable tanned cow hide leather and will age well, just like any good leather product.
It stands at 80cm and weights 23 kilos, selling online for £265.
Find out more at the Bill Amberg website
Those Scandinavians, they can make the most mundane items looks stylish - like this Brio Grow high chair.
With a slightly retro look (and indeed colour), the Brio Grow is an ergonomic high chair/junior chair with safety strap, sat on a chrome base and with a removable soft padded cushion for comfort.
It's suitable for ages six months to seven years and retails for £170.
Looking to invest in the contemporary art market, but not sure where to start? You should make a point of visiting ARTfutures 2008 at Bloomberg SPACE, where a hand-picked selection of work will be available to buy, all at the affordable end of the market.
Leading up to the annual exhibition (now in its 24th year), the Contemporary Art Society team visits studios and exhibitions all over the country, showcasing the pick of artists (100 in total), with 1,000 new works available to buy at prices from £500 to £5,000.
If that still sounds daunting, help is at hand with independent advisors available to guide you along the way with free advice and consultations to get the most from your budget. The show runs from 6th - 12th March 2008. See the website for a full list of artists displaying at ARTfutures 2008.
ARTfutures 2008
Bloomberg SPACE, 50 Finsbury Square
London, EC2A 1HD
T: 020 7330 7959
A mix of modern music technology and mid-century design has produced the Elecom ASP-WPS9.
It's an iPod dock, just plug in your portable player for stereo sound via the 2x 3w speakers, with a remote control to access your tracks. And when its not in use, this is one piece of technology you'll not want to hide away.
The one downside is that this is Japan-only so far. Here's hoping we see it in the UK very soon.
Find out more at the Elecom website (Japanese)
New wallpaper or a new coat of paint might be too much like hard work, but these Brume Stickers can transform a room in no time.
The stickers can be applied to any flat surface - walls, washing machines, fridges, or furniture - and when you get bored of them, they peel off. There's a range of designs available, from colourful images likes the NY Graffiti (right) to more functional stickers like Eat - just in case you get confused around the house.
Prices start at £9.
Frustrated at the lack of pink in the multi-coloured iPod nano line-up? Well, you're not the only one it seems, with Apple today launching the 'much-requested' pink iPod nano - and it's available immediately.
The player is available as an 8GB model for £129, featuring the latest software so you can watch iTunes movie rentals, TV shows and music videos on the 2-inch screen (if they're available in your country). The nano also promises up to 24 hours of audio playback and five hours of video watching from a single charge, plus all the searching/browsing of music you'd expect.
Or in other words, everything the nano already offers - but in pink. Why launching now? Well, with Valentine's Day just around the corner...
Kursi looks to be a name to watch in 2008. Formed just last year and based in Lancashire in the UK, the company uses traditional manufacturing and upholstery skills to produce contemporary pieces of furniture influenced by mid-century designs. If you want to know what that means, check out the Kursi sideboard.
It's a distinctly modern design, with definite retro influences. Plenty of storage available in the high-grade birch body, with the unit supported by feet/legs that are made from sapele. There's also a choice of finish for the doors.
The sideboard is made to order and retails for £3150. If you want to see the rest of the range, check the website.
Find out more at the Kursi website
No swinging sixties pad was complete without a round chair hanging from the ceiling, but they're not exclusive to that decade - you can pick up a Hive chair today.
Designed by Nick Rawcliffe, the Hive is a modern take on an old idea, a circular chair made from FSC timber and marine rope, which also makes it eco-friendly. And if you get tired of it - or you no longer have room for it - you can flatten it to store it away.
Available online, you can pick one up for £665.
Not the most feature-packed handset on the market, nor is it the most expensive, but the Sagem my511X is certainly one of the slimmest.
In terms of both looks and features, it isn't bad at all. Sized at 106.9 x 46.3 x 10.9mm and weighing just 81g, the my511X has a mirror back front, 'flat' blacklit buttons, 1.3 megapixel camera with 4x zoom, media player, Bluetooth and WAP for surfing the net.
There's also 13MB of storage and a slot for a microSD card. Available now, it retails from £49.99.
Find out more at the Sagem website
While everyone was seemingly getting excited about the iPhone, LG has been quietly going about its business, selling 550,000 of its original black LG Viewty handset. And with such appeal, it's no surprise to see LG introducing a new model - the LG Viewty in dark silver.
Aside from the new colour (above), there's not a lot new here, with the exception of a small tweak to the controls. Which means you still get a 5 megapixel camera, 3-inch touchscreen, 120 frames-per-second video camera (which plays back on your TV), high-speed internet browsing (HSDPA), 170MB of internal memory, media player and a slot for your MicroSD card.
If all that sounds interesting, you can pick one up from the end of January 2008, price dependent on your contract.
Find out more at the LG website
Following on from last year's Stamps Disco comes another record deck for your wrist - the Flud Turntable Watch.
This one is based on the classic Technics 1200 deck, complete with detailing like the arm, pitch control and start/stop. Oh yes - and it tells the time too. And as a nice finishing touch, the watch comes in a DJ-style flight case.
Available with black or steel strap, it's available online from $59, which is around £30.
Find out more at the Turntable Lab website
Confused by where you actually are in the world? Not with the You Are Here doormat.
Yes, no longer just a marking on a map, the You Are Here doormat moves that red dot into reality. It's actually eco-friendly too, made of 100 per cent recycled truck tyres and flocked nylon, which means it's also washable and can be used both indoors and out.
Sized at 24 inches (diameter), you can buy one online, priced at $29.95 (around £15).
Find out more at the Museum of Contemporary Art website
Ever get to a hotel, open up the wardrobe and realise there's just two hangers for your 15 garments? Here's a way of adding capacity without adding bulk to your suitcase - the Blow Up inflatable clothes hanger.
Yes, just blow these up and they'll be capable of holding anything that a traditional wire/wood hanger can do. In fact, they offer a bit more, with the soft support meaning your garments keep their shape (no metal hanger marks) and if your clothes happen to be wet and need to be hung up to dry, the Blow Up is well-suited for that too.
Available online, they're