Gizmodo: home decor

Video: Bomb-Proof Wallpaper vs Wrecking Ball

Dan Nosowitz — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 02:10:00 EST

Holy crap, you guys, bomb proof wallpaper. This stuff is strong enough to keep very heavy flying objects from breaking walls—in this video, a wrecking ball.

The X-Flex wallpaper is really a layer of Kevlar-type material, in between sheets of "elastic polymer wrap," which provides both flex and strength so that the projectile doesn't knock the wall down. It seems really effective—check out Pop Sci's video here for evidence—and the US Army is considering using it for bases in Iraq and Afghanistan. It's also incredibly easy to attach, being basically a rollable sheet, although I'm not sure if it can be unattached and reused. Still, its effectiveness is really impressive. [Pop Sci]

Artsick Decals Turn Your Wall Into a Custom Clock

Sean Fallon — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 20:20:00 EDT

The image associated with this post is best viewed using a browser.Vinyl wall decals are nothing new, and there are a few kits out there that allow you to essentially turn a wall into a clock—but Artsick puts the ideas together in a very customizable way.

Artsick's kit comes with a hands-only clock mechanism and a series of decals that you can use to set up your wall in any way you see fit. Naturally, it also allows you to customize the look on a whim. It's like a functional, design-oriented magnetic poetry for the new millennium. [Artsick via Unplggd]

Adobe Creative Suite Pillows Are All About Design

Sean Fallon — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 12:00:00 EDT

The movement to turn all of our furniture into a fluffy application dock continues with this handmade Adobe Creative Suite collection.

The set includes icons for Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects, Flash, InDesign, and Dreamweaver. That should be enough for anyone, but if you want to go the extra mile you might want to pick up a Photoshop shirt. The idea is that while wearing it and sitting on your Adobe couch, you physically complete the theme. [mysuitestuff via Design Milk]

Like a Swiss Army Knife, This Wooden Shelf Folds Out to Reveal Multiple Functions

Adrian Covert — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 22:00:00 EDT

Why hang up multiple shelves for keys, knick knacks and whatever else, when you can combine them all into one supershelf? Dubbed the "Mexican Army Shelf", this multi-faceted shelf concept attempts to answer that question.

Designed by students at Ludens, a Mexican design school, the shelf has about 4 layers, which reveal places to hang clothing, store coins, write notes or stash your keys. There are even fold out sections that reveal a mirror and cupholders. This is clearly still a concept, and while it seems neat, I could also see this thing getting chaotic if you tried to use it for too many things at once. [Ludens via The Design Blog via Craziest Gadgets]

Disappearing Pool Table Adds Secret Agent Awesomeness To Your Game Room

Elaine Chow — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 02:30:00 EDT

Everybody knows that no real bachelor pad is complete without a pool table, but if you want f@$#ing awesome bachelor pad status, you gotta have it rise from the floor James Bond-style. This ridiculous mod uses a side-sliding trap door in the floor and a hydraulic lift to make a pool table appear where there was none before. Wooooweee, is that your pool cue or are you just happy to see me? [Ballerhouse -Thanks A.J.!]

Mushroom Lamps, LED Fungus

Mark Wilson — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 10:03:53 EST

For those who just can't get enough of scrounging through the forest to collect fungus in its various mushroom incarnations, now you can get the same FUNGtional experience in your home. Designer Simon Duff's mushroom floor lamp is an LED light that sits on the floor. While we like the idea of spreading little lamps all through our house (to trip over and embed in our arches), the use of cords ruins this concept. Since it's LED anyway, stick a battery in there, Duff. Although...we guess there's no specs indicating just how large these mushrooms may be...that cord could be the width of a fire hose. [core77]

Kaleidolight Gives your Wall Ringworm

AddyDugdale — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 05:20:32 EDT

Designed by Ali Ganjavian, the Kaleidolight uses the light conduction of glass tubes to connect the outside wall with the inside. Each module consists of a clear glass cylinder with aluminum lid inside a Teflon-lined aluminum tube that you insert into the outside wall. You can see a pic of one of the modules after the jump.

You can change the color of the light by using different-colored glass tubes. [Yanko]

Acoustic Research Home Decor Hides Away Those Speakers, No One's The Wiser

Charlie White — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 12:15:00 EST

Most of us like to flaunt our techno-gear, letting it sit right out there in the open for all to see and covet. But if you're looking for more subtle approach than covering your speakers with cheesy paintings, Acoustic Research Home Decor gives you the HD510, a home theater speaker system that can be camouflaged in a variety of ways. The $899 set includes five 100-watt three-way satellite speakers along with a 10-inch ported subwoofer with a 175-watt digital amp.

It might be good sport to pick out a variety of fake clocks, candle holders, books and sconces for the speakers, and complement those with a vase or a trunk to disguise that sub. Maybe put a pair of those Groucho Marx glasses on another. I know a few gals who would really dig this whole idea. Check out the gallery below for the full collection. – Charlie White

Hide Speakers in Books, Vases, Planters and More [Electronic House] Thanks, Rachel!

Motorcycle Chair: Head Out Off the Highway

Charlie White — Tue, 15 Aug 2006 13:12:38 EDT

If you're done looking for adventure after riding that Harley all day, come home to your crash pad and flop down on this motorcycle chair. With its leather-ish seat padded deep to quiet down that hyper-vibrated ass, the leather-tasseled biker bags hanging on armrest/wheels will make you feel right at home.

That eagle on the seatback is vaguely reminiscent of Harley-Davidson, but not quite the same thing. Even so, it's a great piece of furniture for bikers who have motorcycles on the brain even when they're asleep. Potato-potato-potato sound effects not included. It's 2000, or about $3789. – Charlie White

Product Page [drinkstuff, via BornRich]

Audiovox Home Decor Speakers

Jason Chen — Thu, 15 Jun 2006 20:00:06 EDT

They say the best way to hide something is to hide it in plain view, which is exactly what Audiovox does with their Home Decor line of speakers. By enclosing speakers and subs in faux books, planters, vases, floor standing baskets and trunks, you can hide your sound without hindering your enjoyment of it.

In homes that have a more Victorian look, a chest and actual books—the things made of paper you haven't touched since college—would match the surroundings better than a set of Xbox 360 speakers, as good as the latter may sound. – Jason Chen

Product Page [Audiovox via Sci Fi Tech]

The itbed: Why Sleep on the Floor When You Can Sleep on Cardboard?

Gizloco — Fri, 12 May 2006 12:34:52 EDT

Have you ever been in a situation when you had to sleep over at your buddy's house, only to find him pointing to a stack of week-old newspapers, i.e., your bed for the night? Of course you have. Next time, consider the itbed, a foldable bed made entirely out of 7mm (0.27 in.) -thick cardboard. The zigzag look of the bed is reminiscent of the old bed of nails trick that TV magicians perform, in that your weight is spread over a larger surface area. The magician doesn't get impaled and (hopefully) you won't crash onto the floor during the middle of the night.

The itbed comes in two models: a futon version (pictured here) and a mattress version. How much would you pay for a cardboard bed? Well, the smallest mattress version (2.9 feet x 6.5 feet) will set you back $429 and the biggest (5.2 feet x 6.5 feet) is $580. The futon version is a little more expensive even though it shares the same dimensions as the mattress version: $467 and $682 for the smallest and biggest, respectively. At these prices, you might as well check into a luxury hotel for the night. Thanks, Jonathan!