http://www.househacker.com/ househacker/tags/fun tree of knowledge bookshelf by Italian designer Matteo Casarosa would fit right in to a children's bed or playroom. It's not clear as to whether the bookshelf is weighted down or supported in some manner, because if not, it looks like one would have to be careful not to place too many books on one side or the other, causing the shelf to tip. It's probably not an issue - just something to think about, as no one wants a branch across the noggin.

Via Design Milk]]> http://www.househacker.com/permanent/Clever-Tree-Bookshelf
Sort of related: Love-Hate shirt.

Via haha.nu ]]> http://www.househacker.com/permanent/Doormat-with-Direction-Dependent-Message software based cousins, can run widgets. Widgets are displayed on the unit's dual 2.5 inch LCD displays (one colour, one mono).

From the site:

WidgetStation is a desk clock which can run various "widgets". Widgets are small, user-friendly applications that can perform a variety of tasks. Users can even create their own widgets and share them with other WidgetStation users!

And also:

WidgetStation is a standalone device, with services available via Wi-Fi or Ethernet Internet access, without being connected to a computer. Alternatively, users may choose to interface their WidgetStation with a computer via USB connection.

According to the hardware specs, the device will run Linux and will be available in either black or white. The price has not yet been set. See the FAQ for a little more information. ]]> http://www.househacker.com/permanent/Widget-Friendly-Desk-Clock
Clocky gives you one chance to get up. But if you snooze, Clocky will jump off of your nightstand and wheel around your room looking for a place to hide. Clocky is kind of like a misbehaving pet, only he will get up at the right time.

The unit is also available in a few colours as well as in a brown shag and can jump (fall?) from a 2 foot height.

Via Reddit ]]> http://www.househacker.com/permanent/Alarm-Clock-that-Runs-Away-and-Hides-Unless-You-Wake-up
From the site:

This design can be applied to just one wall and can completely alter the focus of the room. In just a few hours Wallter adds life to walls. The effect can either be stunning or subtle, you decide. For easy, no fuss installation these lightweight pieces have a peel-away 3M adhesive backing. The applications can be applied to almost any interior wall or door.

Via Constructiondeal.com]]> http://www.househacker.com/permanent/Unusual-Wall-Treatment
Use this lightweight burner to clear weeds and their roots in driveways or walkways in summer, or to melt dangerous ice patches in winter. Adjustable regulator valve lets you control flame intensity. Durable, nickel-plated steel and brass burner uses widely available standard 14 oz. propane tank (not included).

These aren't new though: here's a heavier duty unit and a video demonstration of another one in action (although not on weeds, but whatever - you get the idea).

Would it safe to say that people that use these probably aren't the same people that sit on these?

Weed Burner at Amazon.com

Via Toolspotting]]> http://www.househacker.com/permanent/eXtreme-Gardening-via-Weed-Burners snail mail notifier). The stainless steel unit locks and comes with a tube newspaper receptacle.

The mailbox measures 15.5 by 15 inches and is 4.5 inches deep. $68.

Via RobotDeathSquad]]> http://www.househacker.com/permanent/Slick-Glass-Mailbox-by-Chiasso foot in the door' high-heeled doorstop will more elegantly welcome your guests. Hell, do both. These products are from WorldWideFred, which produce clever, lighthearted goods for the home and office, like those pictured here.

Clockwise from top left: Manhole cover welcome mats, Rubberized cast-metal Lift and Shake salt and pepper guy, Silicone Hotheads animal oven mitts and a remote controlled Retro Mood Light Alarm Clock that displays a test patterns while playing cheesy game show theme music.

That's all very well and good for the home, but what if you're looking to enlarge your cellphone (and really, who isn't)? This old time phone receiver that plugs into your cell phone will help you get there. Of course if you really want an old time cell phone, you can go here.]]> http://www.househacker.com/permanent/Manhole-Cover-Welcome-Mats-and-Other-Silly-Household-Goods Switchlite.com explains how the glass works:

The secret of the transformation between clear glass and translucent glass is found in the Liquid Crystal sheet. In their non-energized state, the Liquid Crystal molecules disperse light. When voltage is applied, however, these same molecules arrange themselves in a specific direction in a way that permits parallel light to pass through the glass.

How Stuff Works offers some more detail on the technology involved.

The "Smart Glass", as it's also called, promises to be a huge energy saver for homeowners over the coming years, as it won't be long before smart glass is coupled with home automation systems that turn the transparency on and off at optimal times throughout the year.

There are a few companies on the web that offer liquid crystal privacy glass, but finding a price on any of their sites seems to be impossible, which means that this flick-of-a-switch privacy glass, although very cool, is also likely to be ultra expensive.

Here's another privacy glass gallery from a company that understands the subtle power of lightning bolt bullet points.]]> http://www.househacker.com/permanent/Cool-Liquid-Crystal-Privacy-Glass
The Internet claimed that disassembling a toilet to check the flange or to replace the wax ring was easy. Invariably, the same sites that talked about how easy this task was would follow that up by saying, "A TOILET BREAKS EASILY BE CAREFUL!!!!" The sites also varied in how detailed their instructions were, in one case even going so far as to skip the whole "removing the tank" part. As a public service, I'm going to give you the definitive step-by-step guide to disassembling a toilet to repair it.

Also be sure not to miss the toilet diagram Stephen has created, which, although highly technical and beyond the comprehension of the layman, is a useful toilet anatomy nonetheless.

Link: How To Disassemble a Toilet In Many Easy Steps]]> http://www.househacker.com/permanent/Funny-Toilet-Disassembly-Howto
Here's the basic setup. The garbage can is filled with ice water, which is then fed by gravity (a siphon) through the copper tubing coiled along the back of the fan. The hot air passing through the tubing warms the cold water, cooling the air. Waste warm water is then pumped outside. The system will cool an average room to a comfortable level in approximately 15-20 minutes. Depending on flow rate, a full bucket of water will last approximately 1-3 hours. I use a single bucket before bed on hot nights, which lets me get to sleep. Once the water runs out, the house has cooled off enough that the fan alone provides sufficient cooling.

Recently, someone has posted instructions for making improvements to the homemade air conditioner, which involves an aquarium pump to recycle the water, which in the first generation model, was routed outside the house.

Via LifeHacker]]> http://www.househacker.com/permanent/Sub-Thirty-Dollar-Homemade-Air-Conditioner
The flooring goes for $15 a square foot, including North American shipping.]]> http://www.househacker.com/permanent/Cool-Puzzle-Shaped-Hardwood-Floor and coolest, no?) kitchen gadgets out there, including the Toasterkettle, which, although looks quite strange, probably actually toasts bread, unlike the transparent toaster. ]]> http://www.househacker.com/permanent/Top-10-Strangest-Kitchen-Gadgets
Very easy installation and anyone can do it. The wall socket safe comes with a template, saw, and a key. You use the template to trace the rectangular pattern on your wall that will become the opening for the hidden safe. You then use the saw to cut through the drywall and make the opening. Slide the wall socket safe into the opening you just created and use the key to lock it. When you need to take something out or put something in, just use the key to open and close it. Looks just like the real thing and can be placed anywhere.

Thieves also wouldn't suspect:

• An Old Fashioned Peanut Butter safe.
• A snooty Royal Crown cola safe.
• An old school Stone safe.
• The odd Leftovers safe.]]> http://www.househacker.com/permanent/Hidden-Electrical-Outlet-Safe
  Also see Bar Monkey for pictures of other setups as well as a forum with instructions and help on building your own. If you only need drink ideas, check out the drink search engine, YourNextDrink.com.]]> http://www.househacker.com/permanent/Super-Cool-Automated-Computer-Controlled-Bar
  Pricetag: $2950 + shipping. Ouch. The beanbag stays for now.
  
  Via Gizmodo.]]> http://www.househacker.com/permanent/Anima-Causa-Flexible-Seating-System
  This uniquely designed Pet Bed allows you to have a beautifully decorated home and provide a comfortable place for your favorite pet to sleep. They feature real wood construction. We use no plastic, particle board or vinyl wrap, just solid wood or furniture grade plywood. There are several rich furniture stains to choose from. This Pet Murphy Wall Bed comes with premium slow-down hardware which allows you to adjust the speed that the bed descends to the floor.
  
  ]]> http://www.househacker.com/permanent/Awesome-Murphy-Wall-Bed-for-Pets http://www.househacker.com/permanent/Make-Your-Own-Hot-Tub
  via boing boing]]> http://www.househacker.com/permanent/Strange-Under-Bed-Nightlight furnicreations.com. The clock captures quite the retro look, and would fit right in with basement wood panelling and A-Team lunch boxes. Of course, if your house isn't going for that old school look but rather has never quite left old school, then it would work just as well. The site is in flash so there's no direct link, but just click on 'store' to browse their unique, if small, product line.]]> http://www.househacker.com/permanent/Large-Retro-Digital-Wooden-Box-Clocks Michael Douglas had a hand in designing in the 1980s. Apparently people with money dig LCDs rising from bed foot boards quite a bit - and it's hard to blame them, really.
  
  ]]> http://www.househacker.com/permanent/Wired-Article-on-the-Coolest-Rooms-on-Earth some money as well.]]> http://www.househacker.com/permanent/DIY-Arcade-Driving-Game-Cockpit kitchen is great, but shoving them deep into a cabinet usually means only the most common, frequently used spices remain accessible - much to the detriment of your culinary creations. So, most people have a spice rack to keep things in order and available. What most people don't have, is a sweet, space saving "Zero Gravity, Magnetic Spice Rack" like this one. From the site:
  
• Only design available where you can store spices on both top and bottom of spice rack, which maximizes space and reduces clutter
  
• Windows on spice canisters indicate when spices are getting low]]> http://www.househacker.com/permanent/Zero-Gravity-Magnetic-Spice-Rack http://www.househacker.com/permanent/Protect-Yourself-with-this-Bedside-Table candles. From the site:
  
  Hygge-lys Paraffin candle with a built-in matchbox. Walton was inspired to create these candles shortly after coming to Denmark. In Scandinavia, cosiness - locally known as hygge - is often associated with the use of candles. Walton quickly perceived the need for a special candle that kept the matches within easy reach. So he cast a little matchbox in the bottom of each candle, and produced a little booklet to explain the genesis of the product.
  
  via smartstuff.se]]> http://www.househacker.com/permanent/Ingenious-Candles-with-Built-In-Matchbook basement or gameroom. If buying one is out of the question, why not consider building your own MAME (Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator) unit? This howto describes the steps from cutting the MDF to installing fans, speakers and of course buttons and joysticks. They've included a parts list with costs, which totalled £ 630.79 (about 1,118.19 USD), which is nearly $2,ooo cheaper than the Costco and Target models.
  
  ]]> http://www.househacker.com/permanent/DIY-Arcade-Cabinet unique way to store cookies and disturb young children at the same time. Also, Marcel Dzama sure doesn't seem very happy. ]]> http://www.househacker.com/permanent/Cute-and-Depressing-Melting-Snowman-Canisters-by-Marcel-Dzama Dead Horse Warning:
  Adding an old style gas pump booze dispenser to your bar will prompt your guests to say "fill 'er up!" well over a thousand times.
  The dispenser is 2 feet high and 5 inches in diameter.
  
  
  
  
  ]]> http://www.househacker.com/permanent/Gas-Pump-Beverage-Dispenser Wrapables.com.
  
  
  ]]> http://www.househacker.com/permanent/Kung-Fu-Bookends different way to furnish your bar, take a look at some of the interesting items over at DrinkStuff.com. It's hard to tell if these tube chairs would be really comfortable or not, but they sure look cool. The site is British, but they do claim to ship to many countries around the world.
  
  For those of you looking to class things up a bit, remember, you can't go wrong with a giant stiletto chair, which is some sort of cardinal rule of interior decorating, it turns out.]]> http://www.househacker.com/permanent/Unique-Tube-Chairs-for-the-Bar
  "Merry Christmas! Uh, yeah, it's a doorstop ya see..."]]> http://www.househacker.com/permanent/James-the-Unique-Doorstop http://www.househacker.com/permanent/Tough-Guy-Fridge Science Museum Store (of Science Museum) sells a voice recognition safe for £ 19.99 (US $34.67). The safe allows you to set your own password which, when spoken, opens the lock. The safe also allows a four digit code to be entered on the keypad, which is plenty, really, as any security expert will tell you that anything over four digits is just security overkill. ]]> http://www.househacker.com/permanent/Voice-Recognition-Safe
  If you:
  have $10, need an answering machine, have a Linux box and have some spare time on your hands, then you may be interested in making your own linux based answering machine. This howto will walk you through the steps to get you up and running with a geek badge called the linux based answering machine.]]> http://www.househacker.com/permanent/A-10-Dollar-Linux-Answering-Machine http://www.househacker.com/permanent/Useful-Flash-Room-Planner solution.
  
  via The Green Head]]> http://www.househacker.com/permanent/Amazing-Dinosaur-Plant-Laughs-at-Death