The Modern Materialist : furniture

Fancy Fold Out Beds

Shaun Seneviratne — Mon, 11 May 2009 19:01:00 GMT

Beds that fold out of the wall no longer need to be associated with crappy apartments:

From desk to double size bed!

[$3,491 - $6,192, Flying Beds]

The Twirly reminds me of one of those trick walls in murder mystery movies. Available in a few different configurations (twin vs queen, bookcase & bed vs. bookcase & table).

[$5,418, Flying Beds]

This sofa that turns into three beds is way practical. It'd sure be awesome if people that threw house shows bought this so bands can crash on it ::hint hint::.

[$5,710, Flying Beds]

Perfect for a small studio apartment!

See more here.

[Flying Beds]

[Via Curbly and Furniture Fashion]

Related: Sexy Loft Beds

Love It or Leave It? Skin Furniture

Laureen Mahler — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 16:56:00 GMT

My, what a lovely desk and chair set. A little on leggy side, but pretty sleek and... oh dear god, what is that man doing to his desk? It's almost as if he's reaching under its skin! Wait, what? He is reaching under its skin? Ew.

More skin furniture, plus the designer's explanation after the jump:

[Nacho Carbonell]

Designer Nacho Carbonell debuted his Skin Collection at Milan Design Week, and he says it's intended to merge style and convenience. Each piece is covered in a thin elastic layer that serves as "skin," or an extra place to store any number of objects. He also says that his furniture will make you "feel like playing hide and seek." To be honest, I think I just feel a little grossed out.

[via Dezeen]

Scrubbing in Style

Laureen Mahler — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 20:01:00 GMT

[£225, Jason Taylor]

Top five reasons there are cat hair tumbleweeds in my apartment:

1. I am ~~sort of~~ extremely lazy about vacuuming.
2. My neighbor borrowed my Swiffer last month and is holding it hostage until I return her Planet Earth DVDs. I think it's a pretty fair trade.
3. Even if I had the Swiffer, I still hate cleaning.
4. My cat has an excessive shedding problem. I worry it might be genetic.
5. I do not own a scrub-brush stool, nor any of the other pieces in this scrub-brush furniture line:

[Jason Taylor]

[£350, Jason Taylor]

While I'm unclear as to whether this furniture will allow me to literally sit on my ass while cleaning the floor, I still absolutely love it. Maybe next someone will design a chaise lounge that cleans litterboxes.

[via bookofjoe]

Your Ass Is (Sitting on) Grass

Laureen Mahler — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 18:11:00 GMT

Out here in San Francisco, it's been 90 degrees for the past couple of days. And what do we San Franciscans do when it's this hot in April? We bicycle naked, of course! Actually, most of us walk around a bit shell-shocked, like our feet don't quite remember how to wear last year's flipflops.

I personally would like nothing better than to lie around in the grass when it's this hot, but alas... we've got rain forecast for the weekend. It's a good thing I can feed my need for lawn with grass-covered furniture made for my indoor enjoyment:

[€440, comingB]

[€990, comingB]

Okay, okay, so this seating is actually covered in faux grass, but it's still pretty fabulous. Though at 440 euros and up, I'm thinking I could plant a whole lawn in my apartment for less.

[via Cribcandy]

Chair or Closet?

Diana Vilibert — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 21:32:00 GMT

We all have that one piece of funiture, whether it's a chair or a treadmill, that acts as a faux-closet. The piece after the jump will mock you and gently remind you to clean up after yourself:

Clever.

[Punga and Smith]

Love It or Leave It? Ram's Head Coffee Table

Steph Auteri — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 18:19:00 GMT

[$5,200, Belvedere]

On the one hand, this sort of looks like the type of item I wouldn't allow a man to bring along when he moved in with me.

On the other hand, I'm sorta digging the graceful curve of those horns.

Other things I made my man keep under wraps when we combined our stuff:

the CSS poster that came with one of his Sitepoint books
his shot glass collection
his old, ugly bedspread
a cheap-looking napkin holder
his Jarvis Cocker post...um, oh wait. That poster is hot.

[Via Product Dose]

Love It or Leave It? Kashmir Cabinet and Tables

Steph Auteri — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 16:27:00 GMT

[Cabinet - $293, Plumo; Set of 3 Assorted Tables - $221, Plumo]

Perhaps the real question is: Love it and leave it?

I definitely love this Kashmir cabinet and these side tables, for their personality, and for their bright, cheerful pops of color. But how does one successfully incorporate such a unique piece of furniture into their overall design scheme?

Have you incorporated something similar in your opwn apartment? For the love of god, send pictures! If we get enough, we'll show them off in a followup post.

McDonald's Ball Pit Furniture

Diana Vilibert — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 21:28:00 GMT

My dream house would have one of these as the guest room. If that doesn't work out, maybe I'll just get this:

[The Future Perfect]

Related: Lego Furniture!

I Fell Hard for This Coffee Table

Steph Auteri — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 17:08:00 GMT

[$485, Nobel Rugs & Home]

No, not this one. While this one has a lot of heart, it doesn't have the playfulness that this other one does:

[$1,400, SIDD Fine Woodworking]

This Domino coffee table was built over a period of six weeks by a single craftsman, which is why it is completely out of my price range. Such a nice, elegant play on your typical coffee table, though.

[Via Design Milk]

Love It or Leave It? Butterfly Table

Steph Auteri — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 18:01:00 GMT

As much as I love this butterfly table, there's one thing I can't stomach...

...the price! With each butterfly hand-painted at an atelier in Milan, it's no surprise that this table will cost you $14,838.

Is this a job for decoupage?

[Via Apartment Therapy]

Furniture Goes Tetris

Shaun Seneviratne — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 16:02:00 GMT

Putting things together Tetris-style in real life would be fun. Especially furniture:

The Confluence line from Ligne Roset can be pieced together! Unlike Tetris however, the pieces don't drop freely from the sky; you need to buy them. The modular seating comes in a variety of colors.

[Ligne Roset]

[Via Curated]

When Your Table Pisses On Your Rug (+ More Trippy Furniture)

Shaun Seneviratne — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 19:22:00 GMT

That's a Bad Table! No, really--that's what it's called. Straight Line Designs makes custom furniture based on your wildest imagination.

Alice in Wonderland? Try Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey!

Click for more trippy furniture pieces:

[Straight Line Designs]

[Via Curbly]

Cue Me

Steph Auteri — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 22:32:00 GMT

What I Would Have In My Classy Bachelor Pad (If I Were a Man):

dart board, pool table, etc.
fully stocked bar
mood lighting
wide-screen TV
this couch:

[$3,380, Pool Table Portfolio]

This leather cue bench has a hideaway for all your pool supplies.

[Via Gizmodo]

Cheap Trick: Coloring in the Cracks

Steph Auteri — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 16:00:00 GMT

[Photo via]

Coloring is fun! But Sharpie isn't all about fun and games, people. Sharpie can be serious (and seriously helpful):

[$3.53, MisterArt]

These touch-up wood markers from Sharpie are handy for when you get a scratch in your furniture. I feel as if my discovery of these Sharpies is fate as, just this past weekend, I had to borrow a similar product from my mother for the coffee table in my living room. Which looks as if it's been through hell and back. (Thank god it's just from Target.) I plan on stocking up on these for the next time I gouge the table.

[Via Apartment Therapy]

Brilliant or Blasphemous: A Multitasking Mona Lisa Chair

Steph Auteri — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 15:54:00 GMT

An extension of art? Or a cheap commodification?

No, not the Mona Lisa with her bazooka. I'm talking about this chair by Korean designer Kwang Hoo Lee, which basically invites you to sit on Mona's face:

When the chair is not in use, it can be folded up and hung as any other painting!

What say you, oh discerning readers?

[Via Gizmodo]

Rocking Out, Across the Universe

Steph Auteri — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 22:53:00 GMT

No. I'm not referring to that awful movie (which, nevertheless, had a pretty awesome version of "I Wanna Hold Your Hand").

Check out the real Universal Rocker, another design from OOOMS:

It's a universal attachment to turn almost any four-legged chair into a real rocking chair! Nifty or just plain weird?

[Via Apartment Therapy]

World's Most Amazing Chair

Laureen Mahler — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 16:02:00 GMT

It's a fact. This is the world's most amazing chair. It might look like a normal chair, but beneath its minimalist exterior, this chair is the shiznit.

This chair is awesome because it can do this:

And this:

[Design Blog]

And about twenty-seven other things that haven't been photographed yet.

This chair is called the Calypso Chair, and it was made for the techno-savvy seated person: it's got ports and plugs and places to store your gadgets. You can even sleep on it, so that your laptop isn't lonely while you're counting sheep.

But just in case you can't afford the (as of yet unpriced) designer Calypso Chair, here's the Sam's Club version:

[$293, Sam's Club]

The Sam's Club Calypso Chair also comes with accent pillows. Just so you know.

Pet Product: Day Bed Rivals My Own

Steph Auteri — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 15:24:00 GMT

I've always thought it would be nice to have a day bed in my place, something that could triple as a sofa...a bench...a guest bed...

[$299, Pet Lounge Studios]

Is it possible that the only one I'll ever be able to afford is one for my cats? (and even that's stretching it...)

[Via moderncat]

Scarlett Johansson Inspires Your Next Sofa

Steph Auteri — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 19:25:00 GMT

What does Scarlett Johansson inspire in you? (Aside from that tingly feeling...down there...)

For furniture designers Pal + Smith, the curve of Scarlett's waist inspired the Muse Sofa:

Eh...it's okay, but there seems to be a lot more to be inspired by in the Pal + Smith collection:

[Via Apartment Therapy]

Give the Angel on Your Shoulder a Night Off

Laureen Mahler — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 20:39:00 GMT

[Photo via]

It's just so hard to be good sometimes, what with the vices and sins and all manner of trouble out there. I mean come on, we can't all be expected to act like saints 24-7.

And now we don't have to:

[Sebastian Errazuriz]

This chair's got all the absolution of a confession booth without any of the frump.

Carte blanche for evil, anyone?

Zoom Zoom Room

Laureen Mahler — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 19:24:00 GMT

Did you ever wonder what became of the little boy you used to know who thought that his racecar bed was the greatest thing on the planet? The bad news is he probably grew up, became an investment broker, and purchased this for his bachelor pad:

[$3,700 to $9,000, World Class Exotics]

The Porsche couch and the Lamborghini bar are just the beginning: for a price, World Class Exotics will model any piece of furniture out of the luxury car of your choice.

I have two main questions here: 1) Does the client have to buy the car in order to provide the part? And 2) Holy waste of money! Who would want this in their living room?

Inventory I Lust After: PBteen

Steph Auteri — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 17:19:00 GMT

[$299, PBteen]

You know what frightens me most about this shop? Absolutely everything in it is a thousand times nicer and chicer than anything I ever owned as a teen.

You know what's worse? Absolutely everything in it is a thousand times nicer and chicer than anything I own now.

Could this perhaps have something to do with the fact that the shop is affiliated with Williams-Sonoma, the materialistic representation of all my adult aspirations? Perhaps...

After the jump, some more objects I wouldn't mind using in my adult condo:

[$35-$39, PBteen]

[$39.99-$109.99, PBteen]

[$249, PBteen]

[$199, PBteen]

[$299, PBteen]

OMFG: Bed Frame Worth Flipping Out Over

Steph Auteri — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 22:57:00 GMT

In my very first MM post ever, I gushed over a bed frame similar to the one above, as it combined two of my favorite things: reading and sleeping.

Now, I'm staring at a picture of a bed frame that doesn't incorporate book shelving at all, and I'm freaking the eff out!

[$8,600, Etsy]

Now. Try to ignore the busy-ness of the rug, the bedding, the wallpaper, etc. and just concentrate on the amazingness of this bed frame.

Seriously. Does Etsy have everything!?

[Via Ooh! Shiny!]

Let's Play a Little Game

Laureen Mahler — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 19:14:00 GMT

Don't let appearances fool you; this isn't your average dining room table. So what do you think? After dinner, when the dishes are done and the second bottle of wine is still half full, what does this table turn into?

Answer: the handiest hidden pool table ever. I can't even play pool (note can't, not don't) and I want this in my apartment! Well, it wouldn't fit in my apartment, and it's probably worth more than everything that's currently in my apartment. But still.

[Fusion Tables]

Save Desk Space By Removing Desk Space

Shaun Seneviratne — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 20:07:00 GMT

[photo via]

It seems that the more desk space and compartments you have, the more your desk will get cluttered.

Trim the fat and get this lean desk:

The OneLessDesk is made completely from stainless steel and requires only minimal assembly.There is also a convenient space under the top part to manage your wires and other devices:

I just wish it didn't cost what it does. . .

[$650, Heckler Design]

[Via Product Dose]

Design Concept: Be A Good Host

Shaun Seneviratne — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 18:03:00 GMT

This design concept by Designasyl has everything you need to adequately provide slumber for a house guest. The drawer contains sheets and a flashlight lamp and also doubles as a bedside table:

[Designasyl]

[Via Dezeen]

Pet Product: Cat Couch Gets More Modern Look

Steph Auteri — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 14:29:00 GMT

Back in September (it seems so long ago...), I posted about these swanky settees for your kitty cat, available from Etsy seller Like Kittysville.

If you're looking for a sleeker, more modern design, the pet bed bases are now available in acrylic:

[$72, Etsy]

[Via moderncat]

Custom Sofas

Shaun Seneviratne — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 21:28:00 GMT

[photo via]

When moving into a new apartment, there are a few options for your seating situation:

Buy a brand new sofa. This will cost a shit-ton of dough.
Dumpster diving. Beware of bed bugs.
Thrift store/ garage sale. You could probably find something good, but transportation will be annoying.

Or you can go to Home Reserve and order a custom made sofa:

You can customize everything from the style of the sofa (Avenue, Monroe, Laney, etc.) to the fabrics (Cricket Orange, Corso Granite, Miles Citrus, etc.). It's reasonably priced too, starting at $300 (loveseats, chairs, sectionals all start at different price points).

The catch? You need to assemble it yourself.

They claim that it's easy and comes out very sturdy. . . but so does Ikea, and we all know that isn't really true for the most part.

[Prices Vary, Home Reserve]

Life Is Not as Brite Anymore

Steph Auteri — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 16:02:00 GMT

[Photo via]

Yes, I still have the original Lite-Brite. It's stored away in a box in the back of my parents' garage, because I started tearing up when my mom suggested that we get rid of it (yes, this occurred only a few months ago).

I mean, you can still buy the new, updated Lite-Brite if you'd like, but...sigh...it's just not the same. Plus, I'm 28, and I would feel ridiculous spending the money (though I would not feel ridiculous throwing my body across theone I already have so as to save it from the trash heap).

Still, there's not much cause for taking it out these days. And I miss it.

Somebody please buy me this Retro Lite Table.

[$600, Babesta]

Related: Way Back When: Speak & Spell

Sneak in a Quickie at Work

Steph Auteri — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 16:19:00 GMT

I used to work in a cubicle and, as for supply closets, they were in short supply. The freight elevator, frigid and filled with discarded cardboard boxes, was also not the sexiest spot ever. If I ever daydreamed about dragging the temp into a secluded spot and planting one on him, it was our department's file room that I thought of.

If you're lucky enough to have your own office, though, may suggest something to make those office quickies even more comfy?

The Quickie is the thesis project of design student Jared Dickey.

The desktop slides out to reveal a bed, for use during those late nights at the office, when you require some shuteye, or "romance."

Personally, I give Jared an A+.

[Via The Awesomer]

Related: A Stripper For Your Desk