Kitchen Fantastica

Here's some awe-inspiring kitchen shots courtesy of Danish photographer Stuart McIntyre to make your Friday afternoon a little brighter from all of these Winter storms that have decided to come a-knockin' on our doors today.

Elica Glide Hood Does a Cabinet Good

The Elica Glide under-cabinet hood keeps your cabinet's clear of both smelly foods and excess stainless steel. With its chrome-plated, low, dynamic profile, it'll surely be a hit with New Yorkers' tiny kitchens. Zing!

Magimix See-Thru Toaster

Yeah. It only took us 15 years to get here. But we made it! The see-thru material is constructed of insulated glass, so you'll no longer have to worry about having those nasty burnt bagels toast. Unless you're the type that would buy a $320 toaster and still walk away from food while it's cooking. Then I have no hope for you, sir.

Defining the Digital Home

Now here's a problem space we can all associate with. The home. Well, let me be specific; the digital home, to be exact.

Here's a quote from Miss Seto, who thoroughly enjoyed her stay over in Reykjavik, Iceland in the above pictured space above:

"Check out the cool furniture and the flatscreen tv. There was also a Mac Mini loaded with movies and speakers for our ipods. We really felt at home.

The apartment was very central-- close to the main drag but removed enough so that we didn't have to hear the very heavy partying until 5 am. Those Icelanders (and all the visitors from the UK can really party)."

For some, technology in the home ends with an entertainment system. Anything else would be considered outlandish and be labeled as a "mancave-esque." This is an unfortunate stereotype as the possibilities are becoming rather limitless as we slowly shift to a new era in ubiquitous computing. An era where OLED's are so cheap, they're pretty much embedded in everything, bedroom mirrors double as screens, and by holding clothes up to it, one can figure out if it's "hot" or "cold" wash via fabric recognition. Microsoft came up with these ideas first, by the way. Back in 2006.

And so the exploration continues. Luckily, for our upcoming design project, numero tres, we're to do just that. Take a ridiculous hypothetical situation - in our case, deal with the merger of Google and Crate and Barrel - and create a product which the furniture craft masters will sell in their stores under their new Home Tech line. Oh, and it has to utilize GPS technologies as well.

If you don't call that insane, I don't know what is. Luckily, this insane project happens to be due in 2 weeks so if you don't hear from me, that's probably what I will be doing. Sketching. Prototyping. And filling the design studio with plentiful volumes of vibrant cursing.

Blind Lightning: White Samurai Style

Not sure what's up with my white obsession right now, but it's definitely on overdrive. I want to paint the town white. White pants. White keyboards. Everything. White.

That's Paris For You

Finally, my first Tech Tour! And it's not too shabby either! Come leave me comments and check out the sweet slideshow of the apartment.

Top 5 Things You Can Buy That Won't Depreciate Within 1 Year

Of course you'll end up losing a little bit, but not so far as 50% or more. Know of more? Do let me know, I'm getting that placebo fat wallet effect this month before Black Friday.

1. Apple iPhone: Jailbreaking an iPhone (a somewhat legal action) can mean lots of extra cash if you know what you're doing. Sometimes, you'll end up getting more for it in return than what you paid for.
2. Apple Macbook laptops: If you check the eBay resale value on these things, the numbers are incredibly encouraging. Especially if you're in school, you'll be able to check out with their sweet educational discounts and then break completely even by the end of the first year.
3. IKEA furniture: Despite their reputation of being "flimsy" and "cheap," IKEA products are at the top tier in Craigslist furniture searches. If you buy it used and sell it used, in most cases you'll be able to break even or lose $10-$20 max.
4. Video games: Do your research before buying a video game. There are tons of review sites out there right now where you can check out reviews before taking the plunge. The higher the rating, the more likely you'll get 80% back from your investment.
5. Designer furniture: Ever see an ad for a sofa and people are forcefully trying to get rid of stuff so they can upgrade? Won't happen with a name every interior designer knows. A $2000 chair will sell for $1800 years down the line.

Obsessing In The Kitchen Pays Off

Lookin' like a goddamn magazine entry, Leah unveils her creative side and proves that seeing things on the other side of the looking glass may just be what you need to improve that pile of poop kitchen in your own home.

Smeg Fab28 Refrigerator

Deck out retrofied with a bit of vintage to your kitchen appliance line-up. An antibacterial interior features five glass shelves, two compartments and the freezer's at the top. At less than five feet tall and 23" wide, it's well-suited for tight spaces. Available in 10 retro colors, peep Smeg USA for more info and purchasing details.