Cheers!

Thank you Santa for bringing us a brand new Aquaovo Ovopur water filtration system!  I've had my designer eye on one of these units for a while now and with a little help from my friend Robyn at Bergo Design, Santa was able to cross that off my wish list!!!  I simply LOVE the clean modern lines of this nature inspired, green approach to water revitalization.

The model we now own is the beautiful Ovopur on the glass stand as shown in the photo above.  A sculptural wooden stand is available as option to the glass base as are four other versions in black and a stunning signature base design made from rough-planed ash with a live edge, seen in the following pics.

If the 11L reservoire is full and filtering isn't needed for a time, you can even remove the filtration cylinder on the top and just use it as a dispenser (shown below).

Ovobar

Ovopur

Caviar: Marcato model

Caviar: Legato model

Caviar: Staccato model

Signature wood base

The Ovopur sysytem was conceived and designed in Canada but inspired by the age-old traditions of Chinese artisan stonecutters, glassblowers and ceramicists.   The egg shape is an integral part of the by design, as the curves ease the circulation and regeneration of the water and symbolizes abundance, purity, rebirth and infinity.  High quality materials like glass, porcelain and steel help preserve and revitalize the water.  The entire filtration system actually reproduces the basic filtration process of the earth's natural water cycle.  The system operates on gravity and uses no electricity and is made from sustainable, renewable and recylable materials.

Not only is this the most beautiful water filtration system I've ever seen but the addition of this sytem in our household means we'll no longer be stocking up on cases of bottled water every week and our blue bins won't be overflowing with the empty plastic bottles anymore.  Now, I'll drink to that!

All Photos:   www.aquaovo.com

Oh Joy!

Yes.....these bring me JOY!  I've been on a purchasing marathon this month, and not the holiday shopping kind of marathon.  Of all the beautiful and sometimes very expensive things I come across in my daily travels............nothing makes me more excited than to find little treasures like these!!  Seriously, I was so excited when I walked into Style Garage last week and laid eyes on these beautiful solid wood ornaments, my heart skipped a beat.  Was it a coincidence that they looked strikingly similar to these beautiful wooden tops that I was just gushing over in a recent post?   I knew instantly I had to have them and bought them all on the spot (sadly they only had 3) - they were a steal at just $12 each, which brought me even more joy!

When it comes to holiday decor I'm a big fan of simple and natural - which is why i was so drawn to these sculptural wooden ornaments.   Simple enough to leave out all year round but made even more special when incorporated into holiday trimmings.  Today I'll be putting the finishing touches on my own holiday decor with fresh flowers (hopefully they'll last until Friday).  I have one of these hanging on my front door wreath and I'm sure I can find a special place for the others.....

Note to self:  remember to ask Neil if he can get more of these for me.

Photo:  Carol Reed

December Song

WARNING: Guaranteed to make you smile and give you that warm and fuzzy Christmas feeling. : )

I have to thank Brad Ford, Interior Designer and blogger, for posting this video on his blog Design Therapy the other day which is the first time I'd heard this song by George Michael - fitting because i think its a bit of 'Holiday Therapy'!  He described the animation as mesmerizing and it truly is - I am crazy for this song and completely smitten with the video.

If you're not in the Christmas spirit yet, this song will surely do it.   Dare I say, I think its a new classic. And ok, I'll admit it, I heart GM.

Enjoy!

Dear Santa......

.......All I want for Christmas are these spinning tops.

 Oh Pretty Please : )

These stunning tops simply make my head spin with joy, and are ranking pretty high on my wish list.  To commemerate the innovative design of Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller introduced these limited edition solid walnut tops in October of this year but they'll only be available for purchase until April 2010.

This collection of exclusive tops are inspired by my all time favorite design team, the Eames' giant collection of huge toys, and designed by one of my favorite porcelain studios, KleinReid.  How can I not have these these!

“Toys are not really as innocent as they look. Toys and games are prelude to serious ideas.”

- Charles Eames

"We drew inspiration from Ray and Charles Eames' gigantic toy collection - calling them "avid" collectors puts it mildly!  We sifted through cataloged toys, games, folk art, models - you name it - and spent an afternoon at their case study home in Pacific Palisades, CA.  We quickly fell in love with their tops, from primitive to refined, amassed from around the world (and featured in their film "Tops" of course).

Back in our studio we set to work creating shapes and making models. The trio is turned solid walnut and celebrates silhouette, material and most importantly - PLAY!  They're intriguing at rest and addictive in use."  - David Reid

No.1

No.5

No.7

This select edition of three are the first of what will be a series of 12 tops with additional designs slated for future release.  The trio are available thru Herman Miller for $199US per set and thru contacting KleinReid, however, a note on their website states they're currently out of stock.  So Santa, maybe if you call my friend at Herman Miller she may know where to find some. ; )

Herman Miller describes the tops as both classic toys and kinetic art!

For those of you who live in the Manhattan area, I'm so envious...., this weekend KleinReid is having their annual holiday sale this weekend.  This studio is at the forefront of porcelain design, (even Michelle Obama is a fan), so if you're in the area this is sure to be a treasure trove of unique "made from scratch" finds.

Photos:  Hermanmiller.com  and kleinreid.com