Designer Thomas de Lussac's Whimsical Outdoor Benches & Home Decor.

French Industrial designer Thomas de Lussac has a mind for functional whimsy. His many designs for everything from lamps to outdoor benches often incorporate the human element in bright and fun colors.

While he also works in woods and has several sophisticated furniture collections to his credit(and yes, you should see those, too), I am sharing with you some of his more "FUNctional" pieces today.


The Mona Lisa bench:

The You and I bench:

The Tennis bench:

Cosmo and Moonwalk lamps:

Table runner:

Robot Trobo toilet paper holders:


Skull and Bones Wall Sconce:

Freeway Vases:

Welcome Vase (grenade):


Tyrannosaurus Wall rack:


Shop for the many of the above products here at his online store.

Designer Thomas de Lussac:

The Matreshka Russian Nesting Doll Light Changing Chair.

Russian Nesting dolls continue to inspire design in everything from housewares to furniture. Way back in 2008, I wrote a post about Matryoshka Madness and the glut of items honoring the traditional Russian dolls. Then again, in 2009, I followed it up with another Matryoshka related post. As I was getting preparing to publish yet a third, I came across this.



The Matreshka Light Chair by brothers Georgi and Peter Slokoski is a patented innovative product that combines functionality, comfort and whimsy. Inspired by the form of the emblematic Russian doll Matreshka (also referred to as Matryoshka, Babushka or Russian Nesting Dolls), the chair, made of fiberglass, was just introduced this month and will be available for pre-order in May.





The soft curves of the female body come to life in the form of fiberglass in two main colors – white and black:



Not only is the chair a unique shape, but, it's a functional lamp, too. The built-in LED RGB lighting in its upper part can be remotely controlled (and it fades in and out) and allows thousands of color combinations, including white for reading. The base allows endless 360° rotation in both directions.



The chair invites and embraces you, it enhances and dominates your emotions. Touching the chair is a discovery – you subside into a harmony of immaculately chosen materials, skillfully amplified by comfort and functionality.

Beginning next month (May 2011), you can pre-order the chair here
all images and info courtesy of Slokoski.com

The Transport Series. Furnishings & A Pet Bed Inspired By 20th Century Vehicles.

above: The Wallace Pet bed designed by AvroKO can be used as storage, too

Manhattan based AvroKO is a full service integrated design and concept firm that develops environments, lifestyle brands and products. Retail store design, hotel design and restaurant interiors are just a few of their many disciplines. Their own initiated projects include such hip New York eateries as Public and The Stanton Social, and hotel designs for the Starwood group to name a few.


above: the four principals at AvroKO; Greg Bradshaw, William Harris, Kristina O'Neal and Adam Farmerie

But amongst the talented group's designs lies a small line of furniture called The Transport Series. The collection was inspired by cars and motorcycles from the early 20th century and includes a lounge chair and ottoman, a desk lamp, an adjustable table, a stool and even a pet bed, most crafted of cold-rolled steel, walnut wood and leather.

Sophisticated and clubby, with industrial touches from the Machine Age, the furnishings are simultaneously masculine and elegant.










Inquire about The Transport Series here

The Stealth, A Modern Arcade Gaming Table, Comes With 60 Pre-installed Games.

The people who brought back the video arcade gaming table of the 80s, now present a new modern version of the gaming table for your playing pleasure; The Stealth.




A German designed sleek and sexy contemporary product to complement the most stylish space station interiors. Available in either deep space obsidian and supernova white (sorry, no red). High gloss, easy care 10 coat two-pack and glass exterior with no visible joint seams.




High definition LCD screen—89° viewing angle. High precision, aerospace grade controls. Quality Japanese componentry. Space bass speaker system. Comes with 60 games pre-installed.



Available in black or white $3,299.00
Buy it here.

Watch & Warm. A Flat Screen TV And Fireplace In One.

The Scenario from MCZ and Loewe combines sound, image and heat. A fireplace that incorporates a flat screen LCD TV complete with audio speakers.



The front cladding is made of tempered glass with a painted steel shelf and painted black steel framework. Scenario integrates a closed fireplace (either the wood-burning Vivo 90 Wood or the gas burning Forma 95 Gas) and a Loewe 37" LCD TV complete with two 60 W speakers.



It also comes with a rail for remote controls (which are included for the tv and the gas burning fireplace) and comes in an integrated cabinet for a dvd player or a satellite receiver, etc.

The wood burning Vivo 90:


The gas burning Forma 95:


overall dimensions:
width = 750 mm
length = 2050 mm
Depth = 100 mm



Learn more here