NOTICE: Large moosehead wall lights have finally been invented.
360 Modern is a real estate firm in the Pacific Northwest U.S. that specializes in modern homes. Beautiful stuff.
Handy way to skip all the intro crap on DVDs that is usually forced on you when you throw a disc in your player. Apparently the chapters on DVDs that you can't skip (FBI warnings, copyright stuff, etc.) are flagged, on the disc, as UOP, or User Operation Prohibited. This site lists some of the techniques you can try to skip the ennui.
This colour coordinated bookshelf looks cool, but you might have a hard time finding a particular title.
For chewie edge lovers or corner brownie fans - it's the Edge Brownie Pan. All edges, all the time. Via BoingBoing
Puzzle carpet.
This to That is a handy site that will tell you what adhesive to use when attempting to glue various objects together.
Super creative bathroom tiles.
Skinny house in Brazil.
Apparently there are many LED lightbulbs available already. Via TreeHugger
WiiRoomba. YouTube of a guy controlling his Roomba with a Wii remote.
Hardcore Lost fans have a party and repackage the snacks and beer as Dharma Initiative rations. Make your own with the PDFs that they've so generously shared.
Here's a nice set of home improvement videos with the energetic and snappy Eric Stromer.
Faucet Fountain turns your regular faucet into a drinking fountain.
Kids and the Home Office. Here's a list of tips for the parent that works from home.
Save the Internet.
Great Pac-Man bathroom tile work.
Crazy toaster from the future TODAY!
Here is a nice napkin folding howto site with clean pictures and straightforward instructions. I think the shirt's my favourite.
DIY T-Shirt Rack via Instructables.
360 Modern is a real estate firm in the Pacific Northwest U.S. that specializes in modern homes. Beautiful stuff.
Handy way to skip all the intro crap on DVDs that is usually forced on you when you throw a disc in your player. Apparently the chapters on DVDs that you can't skip (FBI warnings, copyright stuff, etc.) are flagged, on the disc, as UOP, or User Operation Prohibited. This site lists some of the techniques you can try to skip the ennui.
This colour coordinated bookshelf looks cool, but you might have a hard time finding a particular title.
For chewie edge lovers or corner brownie fans - it's the Edge Brownie Pan. All edges, all the time. Via BoingBoing
Puzzle carpet.
This to That is a handy site that will tell you what adhesive to use when attempting to glue various objects together.
Super creative bathroom tiles.
Skinny house in Brazil.
Apparently there are many LED lightbulbs available already. Via TreeHugger
WiiRoomba. YouTube of a guy controlling his Roomba with a Wii remote.
Hardcore Lost fans have a party and repackage the snacks and beer as Dharma Initiative rations. Make your own with the PDFs that they've so generously shared.
Here's a nice set of home improvement videos with the energetic and snappy Eric Stromer.
Faucet Fountain turns your regular faucet into a drinking fountain.
Kids and the Home Office. Here's a list of tips for the parent that works from home.
Save the Internet.
Great Pac-Man bathroom tile work.
Crazy toaster from the future TODAY!
Here is a nice napkin folding howto site with clean pictures and straightforward instructions. I think the shirt's my favourite.
DIY T-Shirt Rack via Instructables.
Pop Up Kitchen Spice Rack
Someone over at Instructables has posted a nice little automated elevating kitchen spice rack project that, depending on your viewpoint, is either spice rack overkill or complete kitchen sweetness.
For the project, a Firgelli Automation FA-400-12-18" stroke linear actuator was used. Now if that doesn't sound like something that belongs in a kitchen, what does?
From the site:
Of course the top would typically be the granite square that was cut out originally, and the spice rack could be a coffee machine, microwave, TV, wine rack or anything else you wish to hide in your kitchen.
Link: Automated Pop-Up Spice Rack
Making Concrete Countertops Flickr Set
Here's a very interesting photo set that nicely documents the process of making concrete countertops (previously) for the kitchen. There are 64 pics in the set so you get a pretty good idea of what's involved in the project, including the mixing, pouring, grinding and subsequent application of a finishing sealer/enhancer. It at least looks to be a doable project for the brave novice, but the authors seem to know a lot of the tricks and techniques that usually come from experience (or maybe just a lot of pre-work research). See also:
Keeping an Organized Kitchen
RealSimple.com shares some kitchen efficiency tips for daily use as well as for entertainers. Getting more organized and strategically locating frequently used items saves time during meal preparation and clean up. The article gives some ideas on how to do just that.
From the site:
Keep necessities within easy reach. You don't want to waste precious time during dinner prep looking for things. Make a place in the hot zone (around the stove and the sink) for the essentials: oil, vinegar, knives, cutting board. Move special-occasion cookware, like a fondue pot, out of cabinets in the zone so what's left can be neatly organized and easily spotted.
And also:
Make recycling efficient, too. Having a bin for bottles and cans right next to the one for regular trash, instead of out in the garage or in the mudroom, streamlines end-of-meal cleanup.
Link: RealSimple.com
From the site:
Keep necessities within easy reach. You don't want to waste precious time during dinner prep looking for things. Make a place in the hot zone (around the stove and the sink) for the essentials: oil, vinegar, knives, cutting board. Move special-occasion cookware, like a fondue pot, out of cabinets in the zone so what's left can be neatly organized and easily spotted.
And also:
Make recycling efficient, too. Having a bin for bottles and cans right next to the one for regular trash, instead of out in the garage or in the mudroom, streamlines end-of-meal cleanup.
Link: RealSimple.com
Gorgeous Concrete Countertops
Concrete countertops seem to be becoming more and more popular, and with example galleries like this one (and previously this one) it's easy to see why. Concrete combines solid, chunky beauty with a lot of flexibility-through-moldability, enabling designers to create some stunning countertops in both kitchen and bathrooms. The site does a nice job of describing a concrete countertop's personal value to its owner:
But remember, don't fall too deeply in love with anyone else's piece. You can have the exact same design and color as they have, but yours will be yours alone. Because as the mixture of sand, stone, water and cement cures, it captures a moment in time that's unique. The pattern of stone will always be different. The color will always vary slightly. And that's what makes it uniquely yours.
See also: Concrete Countertop HowTos
Tile Over Laminate Countertops with Tavy Thin Skin Underlay System
Generally speaking, installing ceramic tiles on an existing laminate countertop isn't possible as mortar doesn't adhere well to laminate surfaces. To get around this problem, installers remove the countertop and replace it with mortar-friendly plywood before any tile work is done. A product called "Tavy Thin Skin" promises to simplify and accelerate this process by eliminating the need to remove the countertop altogether. Tavy Thin Skin is a two part process. The first step involves applying a special glue that, unlike mortar, bonds strongly to the laminate countertop surface. This is followed by adhering a thin underlayment paper to the glue, readying the surface for mortar and tiling.
View the complete process with pics and video here.
Beautiful Soapstone Countertops
Here's a nice gallery of soapstone countertop installations. It's a little surprising that soapstone can be used as a countertop, as one might have assumed that because of its use by the Inuit and others as sculpting material, it would be too soft to stand up to the wear and tear of a kitchen countertop. Perhaps it's the fact that, according to the Soapstone West FAQ, countertop scratches can be repaired easily by sanding it with...120 grit sandpaper to remove the blemish then mineral oil can be reapplied to achieve a good as new look.
The company clarifies the material's properties here:
What is Soapstone?
Soapstone or Steatite is a metamorphic rock that comes in degrees of hardness. It is composed of talc, magnesium silicate and chlorite. The softer is known as "talc" and is used to carve or crush to a powder for a variety of purposes. Soapstone West uses the harder version of steatite, which makes it appropriate for countertops and other similar uses that require durability and other unique properties. It is a quarried stone that comes in shades such as green/gray, blue/gray and charcoal gray in its natural state but turns quite dark to almost black with the application of mineral oil.
The material seems to have real drama and weight, even if it doesn't appear to be the most flexible or versatile stuff available for countertop installations.
Here's their soapstone sink gallery.
DIY Kitchen Countertop
Extremehowto.com walks you through constructing and mounting a kitchen countertop. The project appears quite intensive, which, come to think of it, is totally consistent with their site name. The amount of work involved seems to be more than what's involved in the DIY concrete countertop project, although that might not be the case once one becomes more acquainted with both jobs, but it does explain why kitchen work can be so costly.
Top 10 Strangest Kitchen Gadgets
TechEBlog.com has a great roundup of some of the weirdest (and coolest, no?) kitchen gadgets out there, including the Toasterkettle, which, although looks quite strange, probably actually toasts bread, unlike the transparent toaster.
Ultra Low Profile Food Processing System by TCC
This is one of the more clever space saving kitchen appliances in recent memory. The TCC Kitchen Center food processing unit lays innocuously flat on the countertop, unlike the clunky food processing space-hogs most of us are familiar with. The genius of the TCC system lies in the fact that the unit is nothing but a control panel and motor - at least until the processor is activated when different attachments (mixer, chopper, blender, etc...) are coupled with the base. Not only is the unit slim to begin with, but is also installable in a pull out drawer (like the Sharp Microwave) which would obviously save even more space.
Via Mocoloco.com.
Cool Glass Toaster
Until now, we've had to rely on smoke detectors to let us know when out toast was burning. Barbaric. Now, with the invention of this clever see-through toaster, we'll be able to actually see the bread toasting away, preventing any unfortunate toasting mishaps. Some info, from the site: This idea is based on the transparent heating glass featured in this issue. Although the glass does not currently get hot enough to toast bread, some day this application may be possible.
Ok, so this toaster doesn't actually toast bread. It's more of a luke-warmer than a toaster. Still, it's a cool idea and interesting technology nonetheless.
Via Digg.
Microwave in a Drawer
Sharp now offers this unique, space saving microwave that installs below countertop and is accessible through a drawer style pull out.
From the site:
Ideal for open-plan kitchens, islands and tight spaces, the Microwave Drawer elegantly addresses the question of microwave placement by offering a wealth of installation options, such as beneath a countertop. It features the neat look of traditional under-the-counter installations with the added ease and accessibility that these designs lack, and it frees space above the range for a powerful and stylish ventilation hood.
Via House in Progress.
Finally a Stove with Voice Navigation
If you crave the personal satisfaction that can only be achieved through human-inanimate object interaction, then Sanyo's got you covered. Sanyo has developed an intelligent oven with voice navigation capabilities. Although it's difficult to discern from the translated page if the oven is internet aware (as this oven is), the oven does come complete with voice feedback/cooking instructions as well as melodies that play at certain times during the cooking process (i.e. when water has boiled, or cooking is complete). The songs can be downloaded to your mobile phone and IR'ed over to the oven.
via PopGadget
GE Monogram Collection Mean Looking Walk in Wine Vault
GE, through their Monogram Collection, offer this monster of a wine cooler that comes complete with a wine inventory system familiar with 20,000 wines (which will come in handy as the vault stores over a thousand bottles), optional internet action that allows you to browse your wines from work (maybe while you preheat your oven over the net as well), as well as a handy touchscreen and bar code scanner. Price tag: $35,000.
A few features, from the site:
via Kitchen Contraptions
Sink with Built in Cooking Basin
Kohler has released the "Pro CookCenter" sink, which includes a built in cooking basin for poaching, boiling or steaming. The unit features a convenient drain knob that allows the cooking basin to drain without having to be lifted and/or poured. Kudos to the Kohler people for having the DXF (CAD) files available on their site for anyone needing them.
via thecoolhunter.net
Zero Gravity Magnetic Spice Rack
Having a wide selection of spices at your disposal in the 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: Cute and Depressing Melting Snowman Canisters by Marcel Dzama
Toastabags Turn your Toaster into a Sandwich Maker
Only more so!Now you can make sandwiches with your toaster, like you always have, but differently! The Toastabag is a fire retarding black plastic bag that enables you to place whole sandwiches in your toaster, relegating the cumbersome sandwich maker to it's lonely under-counter home. If you're feeling melancholy, you might want to check out the Toastabag video, which wins the award for strangest choice of music for a kitchen gadget commercial. It's like it was made by a kid out of film school treating the commercial as his Godfather, the Toastabag his Brando.
iCEBOX Countertop Kitchen PC
The iCEBOX Countertop Internet and Telephone Controlled Oven with Refrigeration
According to the TMIO (Tonight's Menu Internet Ovens) website, the Connect Io Intelligent Oven allows you to begin cooking your food remotely, via either a telephone or internet connection. The idea is that you prepare your food ahead of time and place it in the oven, which keeps the food refrigerated until the cooking process is initiated remotely. Throughout the process, the display on your web browser exactly matches the display on the oven itself, in real time. Program, command, and control your Connect Io oven remotely through your cell phone from anywhere in the world. No matter where you are, send commands over the Internet from your computer through a standard web browser.
Anywhere in the world? Sure, this might be handy to use from work or even to monitor your food from the pc in the other room, but who are they marketing to with 'from anywhere in the world'?
Great List of Kitchen Tips and Tricks
The Cooking Blog has an excellent list of tips and tricks for making life easier in the kitchen. Pros may know a lot of these already, but clever tips like: "Stuff a miniature marshmallow in the bottom of a sugar cone to prevent ice cream drips" are sure to be new to many, if not most, of the kitchen novices among us.
Concrete Countertop HowTos
Here is a nice howto on making your own concrete countertop from the diynetwork that covers template construction, mold making, pouring, and finishing up.Here's another very detailed tutorial from NaturalHandyman.com. Both are good, but the diynetwork breaks down the materials needed in a nicer format.
For some inspiration, take a look at Cheng Design to see some amazing examples of what's possible to accomplish with concrete.
Tough Guy Fridge
Ten50 Design has a line of chromed-out biker fridges with features that include handlebar grip styled door pulls and, as you can see, flames. Prices range from $5935 for the 30" model to $6480 for the 36".
How to Best Make Use of a Small Kitchen
If you're having trouble making do with a small kitchen, then perhaps these nice retro "Big Chill Fridges" should wait until after you've maximized your kitchen's usable space with this article from SignOnSanDiego.com. The article is full of tips for uncramping your kitchen, even if you're working with very little square footage and/or counter space.Regarding clutter: see Frugal Homemaker's "Taking Control of Your Clutter" for ideas.
If the kitchen re-org puts you in clean sweep mode, then the plethora of tips over at HowToCleanAnything.com should save some serious elbow grease.
Categories: efficiency kitchen cleaning organization gtd tips tricks fridge appliances
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Big Home Depot Plumbing HowTo List
Fix a leak, remove a toilet, install a toilet, unclog this, repair that - it's all here in this nice chunk of illustrated how-tos on the Home Depot site. You will recognize the style if you've ever used one of their big orange DIY books. From the Depot's useful Know-How page.
Instant Boiling Tap Water
Quooker sells a nice looking product that produces instant boiling water, straight from the tap. The faucet draws the boiling water from an insulated tank mounted underneath the counter, where water is heated to 110°C. As the water flows from the faucet, it cools to 100°C. Quooker says that the unit's energy consumption is "next to nothing" in standby mode. I wonder if it would melt one of these. Caution! The boiling water you are about to enjoy is hot...
Fish and Banana Restraining Systems
Scientists have finally begun dedicating themselves to the food restraining problem that has left an embarrassingly large gap in mankind's scientific achievement for longer than science would like to admit. Times are changing; witness the fruit of the modern age: Banana Guard and The Food Loop site claims the non-stick kitchen helper can withstand temperatures of up to 675° F / 357° C and is dishwasher and microwave chummy. The site also illustrates the gadget being used on a variety of items, including a seemingly communicative fish. The Banana Guard, on the other hand, is for people who treat their lunch bags the way gorillas treat luggage in the wild.
Naturemill Indoor Food Composter
Naturemill has introduced an indoor, odour free, kitchen composter, for those of us not happy with only having food decay inside the fridge. It remains to be seen just how many people will shell out the $399US for the luxury of rotting food odourlessly indoors, mind you. Russ Cohn, the unit's inventor and MIT grad, has high hopes for the device, according to this article
at PR News Now where Cohn talks about eliminating 50% of the world's waste.
Recent stuff from HouseHacker:
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