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Qubicles

Bookshelves have taken over almost every wall I have.  And while they’re nice, they’re not stylish.   Modular shelving, like these stylish Qubicles, would be really nice.

Sold in sets of three cubes, Qubicles are designed for easy arrangement and variability.  With an inner storage area of 8in x 8in x 6in, each cube provides plenty of room for books, pictures, CDs, or little glass unicorns.  The outer dimensions of each cube is 10in x 10in x 6in.

What makes Qubicles stand out among other modular shelving systems is the bracket system.  Once the bracket is mounted you can rearrange the cubes any way you wish—without having to use tools.  They simply slide in and slide out.

Multiple colors are available.  So, for example, you can change your Qubicle colors for the holidays.  Put up orange and black Qubs at Halloween to display mini pumpkins.  Change it up in time for New Year’s Eve. 

Sound great?  The tricky thing is this:  Qubicles are not yet available for purchase.  They are listed at Quirky, a website devoted to developing and selling inventions and innovations devised by people like us FIYers. 

The way it works is that Qubicles are available for pre-sale at $32 set.  When demand hits a certain threshold, the product goes into the manufacturing stage. 

More about the Quirky revolution coming soon. 

by John Barker

Written by editor on September 4, 2010 at 10:37 am
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Snazzy Tubs

It’s a girly thing to admit, but I love baths.  Don’t get me wrong—I’m not goin’ for any pink foo-foo scented bath salts and such.  But there’s something just plain awesome about soaking in a tub with a book or TV show and a glass of wine—or a decent beer (none of the light crap).

But I don’t know if I could bring myself to even get near one of these tubs.  They’re just . . .too artsy looking to even be tubs – even if they ARE tubs.  Check these out:

SNAZZY TUB # 1: The WS Bath Epoca Free Standing Bathtub

That’s just plain daunting.  I feel like one of the King’s bath-boys would be hovering over me with some sort of tiny bath towel.  And the bathroom would have to be the size of a football field.

This sucker comes in gold as well.

SNAZZY TUB # 2: The WS Bath Milo Glass Bathtub

Yeah, I know.  WS Bath again.  But this thing is really cool.  You know it.  I know it.

But what wouldn’t be cool would be someone walking in while I’m taking a bath.  It would be like viewing a hairless albino seal through a viewing port at Sea World’s Seal Encounter.  Type that many S’s in a sentence and you know how serious this would be.

SNAZZY TUB # 3: Bagno Sasso X Line Free Standing Bathtub

Okay.  This is a bathtub I can wrap my head around.  Or sink my behind into. It’s somewhere behind the built-in towel and soap shelves.  In this case, the tub can be either freestanding or nestled against a wall.  And the taps can be mounted on the wall, floor, a Pillar column, or on the edge of the tub itself.

This is just the tip of the melty iceberg, if ya’ know what I mean, when it comes to the world of designer bathtubs.  I’ll be back with more!

by John Barker

Written by editor on August 30, 2010 at 10:20 am
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DESSO Carpet Makes Air Cleaner

I get kind of grossed out when stuff gets trapped in my carpet. On any given day, I can find old dog food, Play-Doh, Doritos and other debris stuck to my socks. Ew. I don’t encourage or condone this kind of funk, but apparently, DESSO does.

The carpet manufacturer has announced a new type of carpet that actually sucks in some of that yuck, making the air much healthier. According to the announcement, AirMaster® carpet is actually eight times more effective than hard floors for trapping dust and particle matter. Who knew hard floors could suck in anything? Or maybe that’s the point – they don’t.  In my house, dog hair blows around the hardwood floor like a crop of tumbleweeds.

Of course, having all of that stuff in the air is also bad for your health.

“Miniscule dust particles end up in the lungs, the smallest particles even in the blood stream, and this could have serious consequences for human health,” says Alexander Collot d’Escury, DESSO’s CCO.

Naturally, if you spend a lot of time indoors, this could be a problem. And who doesn’t? Working, watching TV, sleeping, and even exercising indoors could have bad effects, depending on how clean – or dirty –  the carpet is.

Now, I’m not saying you shouldn’t work out (in case you were looking for someone to say that). Instead, start hounding your employer, apartment owner, or other favorite manager to look into it. For now, the AirMaster  comes in a variety of colors and is available for commercial installations only. 

by Rachel Cericola

Written by editor on August 27, 2010 at 10:45 am
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Is There a Stripper’s Pole in Your Basement?

This article is about Pole Wrap.  Don’t worry – we have drawn you here under false pretenses with a racy title.

What exactly is a Pole Wrap?  Sounds like the king of music you would hear in a strip club?  No. . . wait.  That would be Pole Rap wouldn’t it?

Actually, Pole Wrap is a nifty way to finish up a basement pole or lally column.  And it gets rid of the “stripper pole” look that nobody but the most die-hard bachelor would want in his home.

Available in Cherry, Maple, or Red Oak (or just ol’ plain if you don’t want to get creative), the Pole Wrap is designed for quick FIY installation.

Essentially, the product is an 8’ long flexible roll of wooden-look panels that wrap around the pole and is affixed with glue.  Cap and Base plates are available to thoroughly disguise the fact that you once had a stripper pole in your house.

So, you die-hard bachelors out there:  if you’ve met the right girl, this is the ticket to covering up the evidence of your past wild nights and make your basement into something that you can show off to the future mother-in-law.

And you can go even add a drink shelf!  Not a keg shelf, mind you.  Think cocktails and wine glasses.  

 

Depending on your situation in these trying economic times, it’s not too bad on the wallet:  the Pole Wrap with Base and Cap run around $100.   The happy mother-in-law:  priceless.

And you can always tear it off if you get divorced. . .

by John Barker

Written by editor on August 19, 2010 at 10:11 am
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More Turquoise for 2010

Feeling a little blue? Pantone is — and they’ve been celebrating it all year long.

To kick off 2010, the Pantone, the ”global authority on color,” declared its  15-5519 Turquoise to be the color of the year. I didn’t know there was a color of the year. Do they celebrate with a crayon or something?

 

Probably not, but it is an interesting way to push paint colors that most consumers aren’t familiar with. Eggshell does get blah after a while. Still, I have to wonder if anyone has incorporated this color into their lives just because Pantone told them so.

“In many cultures, Turquoise occupies a very special position in the world of color,” explains Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. “It is believed to be a protective talisman, a color of deep compassion and healing, and a color of faith and truth, inspired by water and sky. Through years of color word-association studies, we also find that Turquoise represents an escape to many – taking them to a tropical paradise that is pleasant and inviting, even if only a fantasy.”

 

It does have a bit of a calming effect — and who doesn’t need a little extra calming? Also, we can’t knock Turquoise; Pantone chose the color amongst 3,000 other options.

It’s a nice color for the bathroom or a kid’s room. However, I’d want to use this in my bedroom. It might create the illusion of an ocean view, or at least make me feel like The Little Mermaid. Where would you put this color in your home?

by Rachel Cericola

Written by editor on August 18, 2010 at 2:11 pm
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Duct Tape to Match Your Mood

How many times have you wanted your duct tape to reflect your mood? Never, you say? Well, that isn’t stopping the good people at Duck from creating a few options for you.

Put away those Sharpie pens. Now, duct tape comes in a variety of colors and patterns. Duck just announced a few new flavors of the craft/work favorite, making for over 20 different options.

Some of the new patterns include animal prints like Zig-Zag Zebra and Spotted Leopard, a trippy Cosmic Tie-Dye pattern, the flame-filled Hot Rod, and the military-inspired Digital Camo. They already have a ton of colors, such as red, yellow, aqua and purple as well neon shades Funky Flamingo (pink) and Island Lime (green).

Perfect for that duct tape  prom dress. . .

 

Duct car . . .

 Or a duct couch . . .

 If you are looking for something special to do with that new funky duct tape (maybe a duct basketball hoop) the Duck website has plenty “Ducktivities,” which also include step-by-step instructions. They’re also always looking for new, creative uses, and invite submissions to the Duck website.

The new Duck patterns are on sale now. You should be able to find them at craft and home improvement stores, as well as anywhere else you’d find duct tape.

 by Rachel Cericola

Written by editor on August 16, 2010 at 10:43 am
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He said, She said

It’s the middle of August, which means it’s hot where I live. I imagine it might be hot where you live, too. 

There are some things that nobody wants to do when it’s this hot -  like putting on a new roof or welding. For me, whose house is PURRRRFECT and doesn’t need those things anyway, being hot meant I didn’t want to read anything too heady or technical as I sweated my way around blogland this week.  I simply didn’t want to think too much.

Freshome - Interior Design, Decorating, FurnitureSo, I spent some time at Freshome. 

In the architecture department,  I indulged my senses with beautiful photos of gorgeous homes from around the world.  Click the View More button at the bottom of any post  and you will be treated to a stunning display. 

Here’s a picture montage of a totally different kind.  Aaron Whomsley is a handyman who runs what he calls a “light construction company” in West Chester, PA.  This week, he features a lovely kitchen renovation he’s recently completed.  Thirteen photos.  Beautiful work. I wish this guy lived near me. A good handyman is a good find.   

There are nice photos throughout the posts on Rambling Renovators, but I am especially drawn to their occasional feature called Love List.  Shouldn’t everyone have a love list? 

This blog, Brick House, is sorta the opposite of a love list.  Read the FAQs (tolerable even in heat) and then look at the pictures. 

And, one day, when the temps dropped a little, and I managed to focus on two words next to each other, I really enjoyed this post at Garden Rant.  I think they make some sense . . .  but they also could  be kinda lunatics.   What do you think?

Happy weekend!  Keep cool.

by Lisa Oram

Written by editor on August 13, 2010 at 12:26 pm
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The Beauty of Burning Rubber

Aahh… the smell of fresh roses and old rubber…

While that doesn’t sound like the best combination, it certainly makes for a pretty one. Re:Treads are flowerpots and containers crafted entirely from recycled tires. It sounds like a bizarre mix, but it’s actually quite beautiful.

It’s also very cool, considering the U.S. dumps about 300 million tires each year.

Handcrafted in Pakistan, these pots look awesome and are awesome eco-friendly. So even if you don’t have the best green thumb, you’ve got bragging rights!

 

“Retail consumers are clamoring for ‘green’ products right now, and we recognized that using the scrap tires as a construction material represented a unique opportunity to both capitalize on this trend and to lighten the load on our landfills,” said Alec Junge, president of River Market Pottery.

Right before these tires go to tire heaven, the company strips the tread, which gets recycled into mulch. The steel belts are also recycled. Then, the rest of the rubber is sewn up, and reinforced with some added galvanized rivets or bolts.

 

While many tires look the same, there are 68 different Re:Treads designs in seven shapes and sizes. Expect to pay about $10 for an 8-inch flowerpot. If you’re looking for something bigger, a 25-inch basin will cost $99.99.

by Rachel Cericola

Written by editor on August 10, 2010 at 10:31 am
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Are You Watching This New House?

This Old House sounds dusty. This New House is fresh and vibrant. Maybe it’s a sign of the times — or just a TV spin-off.

Last week, the DIY Network debuted This New House. According to DIY, the show will air every Thursday at 8:00 p.m. (EST) on the cable channel.

The idea behind the program is to showcase some out-of-the-ordinary items, from building materials to techniques to must-have home gadgets. In other words, expect to see a lot very cool items that you don’t have (or can’t afford) at home.

A perfect example of what’s to come could be found in the first episode, which featured Blu Homes, Inc., a green builder out of Massachusetts. According to the builder, the house is what’s known as a Blu|Element, which is small and very eco-friendly. Designed as a single residence or vacation cottage, these homes typically come in three sizes, with one, two or three bedrooms. Options include a fireplace and various configurations for windows, doors and walls. Two of the standards in this open floor plan include bamboo floors and a towel warmer.

Not everything old is new again; This New House features the This Old House host Kevin O’Connor. He shares the grunt work with co-host Amy Matthews. Check out the clips below –  and tune in tonight at 8:00 EST.


by Rachel Cericola

Written by editor on August 5, 2010 at 10:11 am
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Ashley Olsen Wants a Furniture Line

Apparently, the Olsen twins need more money to count — or at least Ashley does. At a recent New York City party, one half of the mini mogul team was talking up the current Olsen brand and how the pair could branch out.

“It’s really getting to the point where it’s becoming a lifestyle brand,” she said, adding that she would like to add furniture into that mix.

Yes, the Olsens are a brand. Most of us know about the Full House thing, as well as a boatload of TV shows and direct-to-video movies, such as To Grandmother’s House We Go. [Yes, you know that movie. Admit it!] The two also have clothing, jewelry, and much more.

The Elizabeth and James clothing line is named after two non-twin Olsen siblings and includes contemporary fashions for men and women, including jewelry and shoes. They also launched Olsenboye at JC Penney earlier this year, which is a clothing line for juniors inspired by different cities around the world.  

So, what’s the problem? As Shelterpop points out, the twins already have  their names plastered on furniture. The collection has a just a few pieces, geared toward their ‘tween/teen audience. 

I’m guessing the next venture will be more extensively home furnishings - and all grown up.  

[Photo by Rafy – © 2004 Warner Bros. Pictures. All rights reserved.]

by Rachel Cericola

Written by editor on August 1, 2010 at 10:17 am
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