Amidst a traditionally-inspired dome ceiling for the newly-designed renderings for the “Louvre Abu Dhabi” in the United Arab Emirates are thousands of little breaks, edges and holes that allow for a flurry of warm and charming sun light to slice in through the ceiling like the canopy of a rainforest.  As you walk down the pavilions, plazas, alleyways and canals that seemingly float as sea level, the sunlight will hit the interior of the gallery space in completely new and exciting ways.  Although these images are only renderings, the museum was design to allow for the naturalness of sunlight while keeping the interior bright and cool in the hot UAE summer days (which can literally pop up year-round).  An amazing idea for builders or designers who are looking for bright, natural light without using a light shelf, formal skylights or high windows, the final product will be no doubt an absolutely amazing architectural space.

 

Designed by designer Jess Han the Numlock Handle is an innovative solution for those of you who want to enter your home without using keys. This design concept for a mechanical lock could be the ideal solution to the keyless lock problem. Numlock Handle is unlocked when you roll its four tumblers to the correct numbers, and then after you’ve gained entry it automatically jumbles up the tumblers to lock the door behind you. The idea is good especially if you have a room where you want to keep some valuable things, but to time consuming for the front door ( especially if you are in a hurry ).

 

Certainly an interesting option for social gatherings or one-off events, the sculptors at Ice Bulb have developed a system for fabricating event furniture out of gigantic blocks of ice.  From the perspective of a guest, the furniture concept is highly inventive and ornate, but from the perspective of a designer, each furniture ice sculpture takes on a personality of its own.  Aren’t the spheres of ice placed as hanging curtains reminiscent of the design studio Bocci’s lighting sculptures?  Isn’t the heavy modernist sofa design eerily reminiscent of Ron Gilad’s work?  Would you be surprised to see similar items in Tokujin Yoshioka’s catelogue maybe?  Though you may have to be willing to part with your specifically designed and sculpted furniture by the end of the evening, the Ice Bulb furniture may be worth it for an evening for all of your creative but discerning design friends!

 

We’ve just been allowed a sneak peek in Gemma Ahern’s renovated (from scratch) apartment. It’s a complete makeover with stylish furnishings and accessories that costed just a bit over $10,000. She definitely managed to impress us with the terrific work, given the budget. With quirky show pieces, varied hues, use of mix-and-match in styles and colors –- they all makes up for a very modern yet elegant style. One of the msot interesting features is the bookcase wallpaper which gives a very casual and lounge-like look and feel. Inspiration eh?